Football Rant......

Yeah, was a good game, but Barca will steam roll em tonight

yellowteddybear wrote:lets try talk foreign v english players - do you think we have too many? rooney was hidden in ronaldo's shadow do you thin we have many other great "home grown" players that are overshadowed by those from other nations? do you thin without the likes of drogba, joe cole would shine? or without fabregas walcott would shine? is that whats wrong with our England team? most of the players are outshined at thier club by bigger names and not played enough and not put under the same kind of pressure? should they bring in a limit to the outside players?

Ahhhhh, the old debate which I've had so many times in the pub, at home & in the stands. I personally think that each club should have a cap on the amount of foreign players they have. I mean, if you look at the Arsenal team, they start most of their games without so much as 1 Englishman on the pitch & I think Theo & Sol are the only 2 englishmen in the squad! (Okay, so they have one more but what's his name? Clue, Ramsey is welsh.....) How can you be an english team but have minimal english players!!? Chelsea Have 3 Englishmen in their regular starting line-up which stretches to 4 if Joe Cole gets to play. Liverpool have just 3 In Gerrard, Carragher & Johnson. Manchester United have...... Okay, so there's quite a few more at United, but more & more I look at premier league starting line-ups & think "Where are all the English players in the ENGLISH Barclays Premier League"?? In fact, Where are the English managers in ENGLANDS top tier of football??

I think the influx of sub standard foreign players has had a massive impact on the national team. We've surely got better English players around the country than the foriegn ones on show at many of these teams right now. Players like Cantona, Klinsman, Ginola, Bergkamp and such are understandable. They helped to make the league great & were wonderful players. Players like Lucas, Babel, Diouf and many more I could mention are surely not better than some of our homegrown talent. How is it that players like Victor Moses & Jermaine Beckford were not snapped up by top teams at the start of this season or before? It's crazy that teams will shell out £20 million on young foriegn talent but are reluctant to pay £7 million for young english talent

No disrespect to Capello, who is a truly great manager, but he should be manager of the Italian national team. We have all of about 3 English Managers from 20 clubs in the premier league & how many of those 20 clubs are English owned!? Hardly any!!! Compare that with Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Holland or any team around europe & you'll see that the nucleus of their leagues are homegrown players & mangers with foreign imports brought in to compliment them. Over here it seems the other way round.

I know you’re kidding, but Alex Ferguson is by far & away the greatest manager in the land bar none

I have had a look at so many lower league players & find it amazing that they are not at the top. I wonder if all these foreign players are brought in simply to sell T-shirts & TV rights worldwide…….

As for tonight, I think Benfica could cause Liverpool a few problems at Anfield. Benfica are no strangers to European Football & will look to get an away goal as early as possible to cancel out Pool’s advantage. Should be a cracking game though! I predict a 1-1………..

If you want to sell to a worldwide market you need to appeal to a worldwide market.......

Fergie is great! It can't all be down to backroom staff because they've changed backroom staff quite a bit over the last 20 years. I just think the man is a genius when it comes to getting the best out of players & developing their talent.

Not a chance? I thought that when someone said Liverpool wouldn't qualify from their Champions League group...........

Well, we'll see. I would've put my house on United going through last night after the great start they had. But then inexperience got in the way with Rafael being sent off & Ropney should not of played or at least not for as long as he did. He was little more than a passenger for most of his time on the pitch........

Rafa will leave at the end of the season for certain but I don't think that you'll get the special one in his place just yet. I've been wrong before though, but I just don't see it personally.

Hat trick for Nando? Nah, no chance!

I mean no chance of a Hat Rick for Nando. I don't think the game will be that open tonight & as good as Nando is he's no Messi........

I think The Special One would only take over at Anfield if they are playing Champions League football....... And I think the only reason Rafa won't leave is because of the moeny he would give up for walking out. If he gets sacked he'll pick up about £10Million........

Ah, he's young & I can't see proper United fans blaming him for the exit. If anything it was that last gasp goal which was conceded last week which was United's undoing. if that lapse of concentration hadn't happend, last nights 3-2 victory would've been enough to see them through. Hopefully Rafael will come back a stronger & more mature player after his sending off. As soon as he got the first yellow I was thinking that they would just keep chipping away at him & try to wind him up which is exactly what they did. But the lad is a class player & this can only help on his learning curve.

As for Rooney, well, it worked in giving the place a lift, but at latest he should've been taken off at half time. I'm sure he'll be fine for England & the World Cup as SAF will probably give him time to rest now & play Berba & Macheda for most of the remaining games.

Well I'll be a monkey's uncle wearing yellow purple & pink polka dot ribbons holding a feather duster!!! They played very well Thursday night! How wrong can one person be!

£14!!!!??? Are you serious? That's shocking!

Well, they're about to relay the pitch for the 11th time since completion of the stadium. What a waste of money

Well, what a season so far The weekends games for the teams at the top went a little something like this:

Tottenham 2 - 1 Chelsea (Including a rightful sending off for JT)
Wigan 3 - 2 Arsenal (Arsenal led 2-0 until the last 10 minutes! )
Manchester Shitty City 0 - 1 Manchester United (Last gasp Scholes Goal puts united back in the mix)

So, the top of the table looks like this at the moment:

Chelsea - 77pts
Man Utd - 76pts
Arsenal - 71pts
Spurs - 64pts
Man City - 62pts

It's all so close! Who is gonna take it with just 3 games left!

Remaining fixtures are as follows:

Manchester United vs Tottenham (Saturday 24th)
Chelsea vs Stoke (Sunday 25th)

Liverpool vs Chelsea (Sunday 2nd May)
Sunderland vs Manchester United (Sunday 2nd May)

Chelsea vs Wigan (Sunday 9th May)
Manchester United vs Sotke (Sunday 9th May)

I personally think that the stumbling block for United could be the Tottenham Game.

For Chelsea it could be the Liverpool game. But can I really see Liverpool wanting to help United to their 19th title? I'm sure the fans will be urging the Pool to sit back & let Chelsea take it!

This would be my prediction for the remaining fixtures:

Manchester United vs Tottenham (Saturday 24th) (2-1)
Chelsea vs Stoke (Sunday 25th) (3-1)

Liverpool vs Chelsea (Sunday 2nd May) (1-1)
Sunderland vs Manchester United (Sunday 2nd May) (0-2)

Chelsea vs Wigan (Sunday 9th May) (3-0)
Manchester United vs Sotke (Sunday 9th May) (2-0)

Chelsea at Anifield is never an easy game for either team, but, if we look at recent history, Chelsea have never enjoyed much success there. I think that will be the big game. Sunderland don't have much left to play for. They're safe from Relgation & have no hope of getting Europe. They're playing for little more than a final position. Stoke are in pretty much the same position as Sunderland, Tottenham have never really enjoyed much success at Old Trafford & Wigan will be safe from relegation as long as they win their next game which is against West Ham........ But this season has been so freaky that anything can happen! I wouldn't of predicted Villa losing 7-1 at Stamford Bridge. Especially at half time!

Well, it's 11-8 that Nando's played his last competitive game for Liverpool........ You can't hope to keep a top quality striker like Nando without Champions League Football. Maybe he'll consider Manchester United next

I actually think losing Torres now would be a wonderful thing for Liverpool. They would be able to start playing football again instead of just relying on their Superstar Striker & Captain Fantastic! I don't think he'll end up at United as Fergie has other targets like Benzema from Real Madrid.

Saying that, apparently it's in the a paper that Fergie plans to retire at the end of next season Who would you tip to take over?

Sven I was thinking Sparky Hughes

I think you guys are just gonna have a massive overhaul in the summer. A really fat spending spree to totally revamp the team & the sale of Torres & Gerrard will go towards paying for it......

If sven came to United I don't think he would even get to the office before being lynched along with the Glazers for even considering him!

Torres is off for about £30mil. I can't see him staying at Pool beyond this season. Stevie G wouldn't ask to go but I think if Liverpool accept a bid for him then he'll be on his way. I'd put money on Italy being the destination. I'd say about £25Mil would see him sold.

I think the only players Liverpool should keep are Benayoun & Reina, maybe Aqualini. Let the rest go as they would struggle to get into Crystal Palace's starting line up......

Okay, £40Mil for Torres but not a penny more. Rooney is a far better all round player than Torres & so is Ronaldo. Both Ronaldo & Rooney could do a job in central Midfield, on the wings, as a target man, second striker, main striker or lone stirker. Rooney could even put in a decent shift as a defensive midfielder. Torres is just an out and out striker. Nothing more, nothing less. Fair enough, he's a damn good striker, but that's all he's got

As for Gerrard, I don't think it would cost all that much to be honest. He's 30 this May which means it's all downhill from here and as he's been Liverpools engine since the beginning of forever I think He'll only play until he's about 35.... Maybe 36..... I'd still say £25mil pushing to £30mil at the most.

Okay, Mascherano I'll give, but all the rest are really pooh! Kuyt has had his time, get the money while you can I say. Skrtl He should never have joined & Johnson is overrated. The team seems full of players with potential who have never managed to reach that potential.......

But right there is the problem. Chelsea & City are offering that much because Liverpool won't sell to a rival team unless it's way above & beyond what they could get from abroad, which those bids were. Would anyone else have paid £25Mil for Adebayor? You gotta make it worth the teams while if you're in the same league. A Spanish or Italian outfit wouldn't need to go above £40Mil. There are plenty of strikers out there as good as if not better than Torres.....

Gerrard very nearly signed for Chelsea but was promised an influx of Mega players which is why he stayed. I bet he's looking back now thinking "I should've gone. At least I'd have a few more medals to show for it....."

Skyrtl is okay, but Liverpool should have much better players than jsut Okay. Anyway, he sounds like a Pokemon

Johnson is unbelieveably overrated IMO so we'll have to agree to disagree there too.

Kuyt is a good player. I like him & I admit that he's probably the best all rounder you've got in the team at the moment, but he too will be 30 this year & will only go downhill. He's certainly replaceable though......

Villa, Benzema, Higuan, Rooney, Ibrahimovic, Drogba, to name but a few are at the very least on par with Torres with most being better in my opinion. Could you imagine what Bent could do in the Liverpool starting lineup with those players behind him? Torres is good, Very good infact, but he's not the greatest by a LONG shot. I still say Liverpool should've gone for Victor Moses or Jermaine Beckford..... Maybe even both......

Ah, so he only stayed due to the fact he's a pussy who can't do anything for himself

I swear there's a pokemon called Skyrtl. I'm gonna go look it up

Okay, Keep Kuyt too! But only for another season or 2. Certainly shouldn't keep him for 3 more season

Skrtl

Okay, so his name is Squirtal, but still sounds very close

I'm sure with a better backing & better delivery just about any striker could improve...... Well, maybe except Babel, Ngog & Berbatov!!

I imagine the score will be 2-0 Atletico.......

A lazy player but decent finisher would be good if it wasn't for that pesky offside rule

Sir Nando!? Lets see Fowler was "God" Owen was "Jesus" & now Nando is a Knight Okay. I still don't think he's the best now or ever, but he is pretty good. I guess a knighthood from the pool is fitting.

I feel for Portsmouth. They could've done so well this season & Avram grant is a really great manager in my opinion. I think maybe Liverpool should sound him out....

Newcastle were always going to be too good for the Championship. They shouldn't go back down again, but they'll be a mid table team for a couple of season in the prem before they can really kick on.

Well, it depends on the Generation you're talking about. I'm looking at the modern era. Only counting from the start of the Prem so only looking at the last 18 years...

St Stevie I'm gonna tell that one to a few mates!

So you'd rather have passion & fight relegation rather than have less emotion & be fighting for the title? Hmmmm........

Wasn't good enough for Chelsea? Finished Second after taking over after the start of the season. Got them to a Champions league Final which they only lost on Penalties & you don't think he's good enough for Liverpool? Okay, gimme a manager who is realistically available with a better current CV......?

He didn't do anything wrong. Jose got the sack........ What was he doinng wrong? And Jose never took em to a champions league final yet you would prefer Jose over Grant?

There's no one with a CV as impressive as Grants who will be available this summer......... Except for Avram Grant......