The Football Thread 2011/12

[Blue Eyes]

Regardless of the talk about whether Chelsea deserve it or not, I'm surprised so many are willing to paint their victory as an all-time great backs to the wall performance and lesson in defensive prowess.

Don't include me in that. I just don't think Bayern deserved to win after wasting so many golden chances to kill Chelsea off.

I'm talking in general Preezy, like the way the away leg against Barcelona was reported for instance. What do you think of it?

Well, considering the players they had missing, they were bound to play defensively. They didn't lose so they are probably justified in their tactics. Same with the 2nd Barca game, losing Terry early on meant they were always going to try and hit Barca on the break if they got a chance to.

That's not what I was asking though. I appreciate a team in that situation is more likely to attempt a defensive style which is not a problem for me, the onus is on the other team to break them down. My question was about whether you thought Chelseas plan worked, so what do you think?

Sorry to butt in, but of course their plan worked. Their game plan was obvious and they won

[Preezy]

Off to bed now, I look forward to seeing what else transpires in this most glorious and eventful of threads

[Ginga]

It started on Chelsea and slowly morphed into England....

Basically what has happened right here is what I call the 'La Masia bollocks'.

Without fail, since I arrived on here, any discussion of mine where there's a great number of people in opposition to my opinion, you join in just to troll me. Then, when you actually have something to say to me and I point out that you're talking bollocks as usual you run off and hide in your hovel. You've been right touchy lately - blaming it on Portsmouth - but I think you've got an unnatural obsession. If you genuinely think I talk bollocks, why do you keep replying to me and asking my opinion?

What's really sad is that you're on a one-man mission to prove that Barcelona's success is entirely down to me, that I write every positive article, I coached the team, I spread the word about youth development, I built the Nou Camp, I polished the trophies, Hell, I even signed Messi.

I'll put this for you simply, because I've said it far too often now: I like Barcelona. I like Celtic. I like Clyde. I like Manchester United.

You go in strops when people take the piss out of Pompey yet it's entirely fair to post pointless, needless and unrelated jibes about a club I don't even support, as a means at discrediting me. You want everyone else on here to hate me, or at the very least, think I'm a bumbling moron who doesn't know what he's talking about. Unfortunately for you, I get paid on the basis that my information is correct, so decry me all you like - not sure who actually cares.

It's in equal parts awful and hilarious that a grown man can judge another without knowing a single thing about him, which is exactly what you've done with me.

Preezy - I answered all, or most, of those questions before. Go looking if you fancy. For the record - Messi hit the crossbar with his penalty during a season where he reached 72 goals, Cech didn't save it. I believe there's an element of luck in that.

[Blue Eyes]

It started on Chelsea and slowly morphed into England....

Basically what has happened right here is what I call the 'La Masia bollocks'.

Without fail, since I arrived on here, any discussion of mine where there's a great number of people in opposition to my opinion, you join in just to troll me. Then, when you actually have something to say to me and I point out that you're talking bollocks as usual you run off and hide in your hovel. You've been right touchy lately - blaming it on Portsmouth - but I think you've got an unnatural obsession. If you genuinely think I talk bollocks, why do you keep replying to me and asking my opinion?

What's really sad is that you're on a one-man mission to prove that Barcelona's success is entirely down to me, that I write every positive article, I coached the team, I spread the word about youth development, I built the Nou Camp, I polished the trophies, Hell, I even signed Messi.

I'll put this for you simply, because I've said it far too often now: I like Barcelona. I like Celtic. I like Clyde. I like Manchester United.

You go in strops when people take the piss out of Pompey yet it's entirely fair to post pointless, needless and unrelated jibes about a club I don't even support, as a means at discrediting me. You want everyone else on here to hate me, or at the very least, think I'm a bumbling moron who doesn't know what he's talking about. Unfortunately for you, I get paid on the basis that my information is correct, so decry me all you like - not sure who actually cares.

It's in equal parts awful and hilarious that a grown man can judge another without knowing a single thing about him, which is exactly what you've done with me

I read all of that and ended up thinking you're the precious one *hic*

[Zellery]

How can I be wrong?

I write about football.

[Superking]

Starting to get a little tied of this idea of one team deserving to win a game just because they play the pretty way. Sure we'd all prefer teams to play football the right way but the fact is the name of the game is to score more goals than the opposition and if you don't manage that then you clearly don't deserve to win (potential retarded goal line decisions notwithstanding).

[Irene Demova]

Football died today

[Zellery]

A victory for anti-football.

[Blue Eyes]

Starting to get a little tied of this idea of one team deserving to win a game just because they play the pretty way. Sure we'd all prefer teams to play football the right way but the fact is the name of the game is to score more goals than the opposition and if you don't manage that then you clearly don't deserve to win (potential retarded goal line decisions notwithstanding).

You're wrong mate. A team can create gooseberry fool tonnes of chances and ravage a defence to shreds and still lose if someone flukes a goal off their dick. I'm a West Ham fan and I'll happily admit we got a bit lucky today, delighted as I am.

[BCFC Fan]

Why don't football grounds sell pieces of toast you can dip into your eggs? A bit like hot dogs and cartons of lucozade.

[Herdanos]

Just read everything since my last post in here.

The football thread: revealing people's true colours. It's very easy to get a read on a person from their posts in here.

If you come in here just to antagonise others then I feel that should be something the mods look at, and consider taking steps to change. Yes, it's very easy to just block someone, but if you do that then half of the remaining posts don't make any sense.

Unless you con or pay the officials, then however you win a game of football is "deserved", because you will have satisfied the criteria to win more completely than your opponent.

There is no one right or wrong way to play football, providing that you do so within the laws of the game.

Anyone bringing money into the argument needs to realise and accept that, in football, money and success go hand in hand and have done for over three decades.

Congratulations to Chelsea. Commiserations to Spurs; I hope you keep hold of your players as your side is very strong (although I don't rate your manager one bit) and I would like to see you do well.

Although RdM will feel like he's earned the right to the Chelsea job, I feel that now Abramovich has his CL trophy he'll be looking further afield, and his dream of 'Barca in blue shirts' might be too big to file away after two trophies. I'd punt that he might look to give someone proven (Capello maybe?) the role on a one-year contract, and spend the majority of those twelve months sweet-talking Mr. Josep Guardiola.

[Psychic]

Regardless of the talk about whether Chelsea deserve it or not, I'm surprised so many are willing to paint their victory as an all-time great backs to the wall performance and lesson in defensive prowess.

Don't include me in that. I just don't think Bayern deserved to win after wasting so many golden chances to kill Chelsea off.

I'm talking in general Preezy, like the way the away leg against Barcelona was reported for instance. What do you think of it?

Well, considering the players they had missing, they were bound to play defensively. They didn't lose so they are probably justified in their tactics. Same with the 2nd Barca game, losing Terry early on meant they were always going to try and hit Barca on the break if they got a chance to.

That's not what I was asking though. I appreciate a team in that situation is more likely to attempt a defensive style which is not a problem for me, the onus is on the other team to break them down. My question was about whether you thought Chelseas plan worked, so what do you think?

Clearly it worked, they won. It wasn't the best defensive display I've ever seen, but they did enough against a woefully profligate Bayern.

Interesting. I'm afraid we'll have to disagree. For all of the praise lavished on the team, RDM and his tactics, I don't feel allowing 21 shots on target and giving away a penalty constitutes excellent play, especially when several of these chances were gilt-edged. While it worked today, I think more often than not it's not a winning strategy and painting it as such is worrying. It's a shame that the media tends to paint winners as all-conquering and infallible, but that's the nature of a beast that is appealing to a demographic that wants characters and stories rather than facts and figures.

However the most interesting thing about Chelsea winning the trophy this season will be how teams change next year. With Barcelonas dominance in recent years a lot of managers have attempted to play more attacking styles, so I can't help but wonder if teams will ape Chelsea next time around and we could see more managers trying to "perfect" a style in which we see creation of chances being at a bare minimum at the expense of any building towards any attacking play. The sport is already gearing managers towards a low risk strategy with chairmen and fans increasingly becoming more impatient and wanting everything yesterday and I can only hope that we don't end up with too many teams adapting an ultra-defensive style, purely from a spectacle point. Just a thought.

[bear]

Almost all bookies have suspended betting on the next Liverpool manager: http://www.oddschecker.com/football/foo ... nt-manager

Announcement incoming?

Twitter is saying its AVB

Twitter is also saying David Dein is about to get an official position with Liverpool.


Arsene to Anfield then.

[PaperMacheMario]

It started on Chelsea and slowly morphed into England....

Basically what has happened right here is what I call the 'La Masia bollocks'.

Without fail, since I arrived on here, any discussion of mine where there's a great number of people in opposition to my opinion, you join in just to troll me. Then, when you actually have something to say to me and I point out that you're talking bollocks as usual you run off and hide in your hovel. You've been right touchy lately - blaming it on Portsmouth - but I think you've got an unnatural obsession. If you genuinely think I talk bollocks, why do you keep replying to me and asking my opinion?

What's really sad is that you're on a one-man mission to prove that Barcelona's success is entirely down to me, that I write every positive article, I coached the team, I spread the word about youth development, I built the Nou Camp, I polished the trophies, Hell, I even signed Messi.

I'll put this for you simply, because I've said it far too often now: I like Barcelona. I like Celtic. I like Clyde. I like Manchester United.

You go in strops when people take the piss out of Pompey yet it's entirely fair to post pointless, needless and unrelated jibes about a club I don't even support, as a means at discrediting me. You want everyone else on here to hate me, or at the very least, think I'm a bumbling moron who doesn't know what he's talking about. Unfortunately for you, I get paid on the basis that my information is correct, so decry me all you like - not sure who actually cares.

It's in equal parts awful and hilarious that a grown man can judge another without knowing a single thing about him, which is exactly what you've done with me.

Preezy - I answered all, or most, of those questions before. Go looking if you fancy. For the record - Messi hit the crossbar with his penalty during a season where he reached 72 goals, Cech didn't save it. I believe there's an element of luck in that.

I think there's an element of having to hit the target to score a penalty.

Chelsea got lucky, yes. They also deserved to win that game, as Messi couldn't hit the target from 12 yards, along with numerous other chances that Barca spurned. Which was their own fault.

[Zellery]

It started on Chelsea and slowly morphed into England....

Basically what has happened right here is what I call the 'La Masia bollocks'.

Without fail, since I arrived on here, any discussion of mine where there's a great number of people in opposition to my opinion, you join in just to troll me. Then, when you actually have something to say to me and I point out that you're talking bollocks as usual you run off and hide in your hovel. You've been right touchy lately - blaming it on Portsmouth - but I think you've got an unnatural obsession. If you genuinely think I talk bollocks, why do you keep replying to me and asking my opinion?

What's really sad is that you're on a one-man mission to prove that Barcelona's success is entirely down to me, that I write every positive article, I coached the team, I spread the word about youth development, I built the Nou Camp, I polished the trophies, Hell, I even signed Messi.

I'll put this for you simply, because I've said it far too often now: I like Barcelona. I like Celtic. I like Clyde. I like Manchester United.

You go in strops when people take the piss out of Pompey yet it's entirely fair to post pointless, needless and unrelated jibes about a club I don't even support, as a means at discrediting me. You want everyone else on here to hate me, or at the very least, think I'm a bumbling moron who doesn't know what he's talking about. Unfortunately for you, I get paid on the basis that my information is correct, so decry me all you like - not sure who actually cares.

It's in equal parts awful and hilarious that a grown man can judge another without knowing a single thing about him, which is exactly what you've done with me.

Preezy - I answered all, or most, of those questions before. Go looking if you fancy. For the record - Messi hit the crossbar with his penalty during a season where he reached 72 goals, Cech didn't save it. I believe there's an element of luck in that.

I think there's an element of having to hit the target to score a penalty.

Chelsea got lucky, yes. They also deserved to win that game, as Messi couldn't hit the target from 12 yards, along with numerous other chances that Barca spurned. Which was their own fault.

Ginga also missed out the part where Fabregas dived to get the penalty in the first place.

[Blue Eyes]

It started on Chelsea and slowly morphed into England....

Basically what has happened right here is what I call the 'La Masia bollocks'.

Without fail, since I arrived on here, any discussion of mine where there's a great number of people in opposition to my opinion, you join in just to troll me. Then, when you actually have something to say to me and I point out that you're talking bollocks as usual you run off and hide in your hovel. You've been right touchy lately - blaming it on Portsmouth - but I think you've got an unnatural obsession. If you genuinely think I talk bollocks, why do you keep replying to me and asking my opinion?

What's really sad is that you're on a one-man mission to prove that Barcelona's success is entirely down to me, that I write every positive article, I coached the team, I spread the word about youth development, I built the Nou Camp, I polished the trophies, Hell, I even signed Messi.

I'll put this for you simply, because I've said it far too often now: I like Barcelona. I like Celtic. I like Clyde. I like Manchester United.

You go in strops when people take the piss out of Pompey yet it's entirely fair to post pointless, needless and unrelated jibes about a club I don't even support, as a means at discrediting me. You want everyone else on here to hate me, or at the very least, think I'm a bumbling moron who doesn't know what he's talking about. Unfortunately for you, I get paid on the basis that my information is correct, so decry me all you like - not sure who actually cares.

It's in equal parts awful and hilarious that a grown man can judge another without knowing a single thing about him, which is exactly what you've done with me.

Preezy - I answered all, or most, of those questions before. Go looking if you fancy. For the record - Messi hit the crossbar with his penalty during a season where he reached 72 goals, Cech didn't save it. I believe there's an element of luck in that.

I think there's an element of having to hit the target to score a penalty.

Chelsea got lucky, yes. They also deserved to win that game, as Messi couldn't hit the target from 12 yards, along with numerous other chances that Barca spurned. Which was their own fault.

I can't agree with this. Spurning chances doesn't make a team deserving losers. If it was as black and white as that we wouldn't follow sport at all.

[Cuttooth]

Regardless of the talk about whether Chelsea deserve it or not, I'm surprised so many are willing to paint their victory as an all-time great backs to the wall performance and lesson in defensive prowess.

Don't include me in that. I just don't think Bayern deserved to win after wasting so many golden chances to kill Chelsea off.

I'm talking in general Preezy, like the way the away leg against Barcelona was reported for instance. What do you think of it?

Well, considering the players they had missing, they were bound to play defensively. They didn't lose so they are probably justified in their tactics. Same with the 2nd Barca game, losing Terry early on meant they were always going to try and hit Barca on the break if they got a chance to.

That's not what I was asking though. I appreciate a team in that situation is more likely to attempt a defensive style which is not a problem for me, the onus is on the other team to break them down. My question was about whether you thought Chelseas plan worked, so what do you think?

Clearly it worked, they won. It wasn't the best defensive display I've ever seen, but they did enough against a woefully profligate Bayern.

Interesting. I'm afraid we'll have to disagree. For all of the praise lavished on the team, RDM and his tactics, I don't feel allowing 21 shots on target and giving away a penalty constitutes excellent play, especially when several of these chances were gilt-edged. While it worked today, I think more often than not it's not a winning strategy and painting it as such is worrying. It's a shame that the media tends to paint winners as all-conquering and infallible, but that's the nature of a beast that is appealing to a demographic that wants characters and stories rather than facts and figures.

However the most interesting thing about Chelsea winning the trophy this season will be how teams change next year. With Barcelonas dominance in recent years a lot of managers have attempted to play more attacking styles, so I can't help but wonder if teams will ape Chelsea next time around and we could see more managers trying to "perfect" a style in which we see creation of chances being at a bare minimum at the expense of any building towards any attacking play. The sport is already gearing managers towards a low risk strategy with chairmen and fans increasingly becoming more impatient and wanting everything yesterday and I can only hope that we don't end up with too many teams adapting an ultra-defensive style, purely from a spectacle point. Just a thought.

Yes, ultimately on the basis of merited play Bayern deserved to lose the final more than Chelsea did to win it, but few teams are going to look at these results in the semi and final and think that's a great looking way to play football.

Teams copy the best team around at the time. As many people have tried to make it painfully clear, Chelsea are not the best team around. Next season is Juve's.

[PaperMacheMario]

It started on Chelsea and slowly morphed into England....

Basically what has happened right here is what I call the 'La Masia bollocks'.

Without fail, since I arrived on here, any discussion of mine where there's a great number of people in opposition to my opinion, you join in just to troll me. Then, when you actually have something to say to me and I point out that you're talking bollocks as usual you run off and hide in your hovel. You've been right touchy lately - blaming it on Portsmouth - but I think you've got an unnatural obsession. If you genuinely think I talk bollocks, why do you keep replying to me and asking my opinion?

What's really sad is that you're on a one-man mission to prove that Barcelona's success is entirely down to me, that I write every positive article, I coached the team, I spread the word about youth development, I built the Nou Camp, I polished the trophies, Hell, I even signed Messi.

I'll put this for you simply, because I've said it far too often now: I like Barcelona. I like Celtic. I like Clyde. I like Manchester United.

You go in strops when people take the piss out of Pompey yet it's entirely fair to post pointless, needless and unrelated jibes about a club I don't even support, as a means at discrediting me. You want everyone else on here to hate me, or at the very least, think I'm a bumbling moron who doesn't know what he's talking about. Unfortunately for you, I get paid on the basis that my information is correct, so decry me all you like - not sure who actually cares.

It's in equal parts awful and hilarious that a grown man can judge another without knowing a single thing about him, which is exactly what you've done with me.

Preezy - I answered all, or most, of those questions before. Go looking if you fancy. For the record - Messi hit the crossbar with his penalty during a season where he reached 72 goals, Cech didn't save it. I believe there's an element of luck in that.

I think there's an element of having to hit the target to score a penalty.

Chelsea got lucky, yes. They also deserved to win that game, as Messi couldn't hit the target from 12 yards, along with numerous other chances that Barca spurned. Which was their own fault.

I can't agree with this. Spurning chances doesn't make a team deserving losers. If it was as black and white as that we wouldn't follow sport at all.

Each to their own.

[Blue Eyes]

It started on Chelsea and slowly morphed into England....

Basically what has happened right here is what I call the 'La Masia bollocks'.

Without fail, since I arrived on here, any discussion of mine where there's a great number of people in opposition to my opinion, you join in just to troll me. Then, when you actually have something to say to me and I point out that you're talking bollocks as usual you run off and hide in your hovel. You've been right touchy lately - blaming it on Portsmouth - but I think you've got an unnatural obsession. If you genuinely think I talk bollocks, why do you keep replying to me and asking my opinion?

What's really sad is that you're on a one-man mission to prove that Barcelona's success is entirely down to me, that I write every positive article, I coached the team, I spread the word about youth development, I built the Nou Camp, I polished the trophies, Hell, I even signed Messi.

I'll put this for you simply, because I've said it far too often now: I like Barcelona. I like Celtic. I like Clyde. I like Manchester United.

You go in strops when people take the piss out of Pompey yet it's entirely fair to post pointless, needless and unrelated jibes about a club I don't even support, as a means at discrediting me. You want everyone else on here to hate me, or at the very least, think I'm a bumbling moron who doesn't know what he's talking about. Unfortunately for you, I get paid on the basis that my information is correct, so decry me all you like - not sure who actually cares.

It's in equal parts awful and hilarious that a grown man can judge another without knowing a single thing about him, which is exactly what you've done with me.

Preezy - I answered all, or most, of those questions before. Go looking if you fancy. For the record - Messi hit the crossbar with his penalty during a season where he reached 72 goals, Cech didn't save it. I believe there's an element of luck in that.

I think there's an element of having to hit the target to score a penalty.

Chelsea got lucky, yes. They also deserved to win that game, as Messi couldn't hit the target from 12 yards, along with numerous other chances that Barca spurned. Which was their own fault.

I can't agree with this. Spurning chances doesn't make a team deserving losers. If it was as black and white as that we wouldn't follow sport at all.

Each to their own.

You defeated me with that cop out. Sweet dreams

[PaperMacheMario]

It started on Chelsea and slowly morphed into England....

Basically what has happened right here is what I call the 'La Masia bollocks'.

Without fail, since I arrived on here, any discussion of mine where there's a great number of people in opposition to my opinion, you join in just to troll me. Then, when you actually have something to say to me and I point out that you're talking bollocks as usual you run off and hide in your hovel. You've been right touchy lately - blaming it on Portsmouth - but I think you've got an unnatural obsession. If you genuinely think I talk bollocks, why do you keep replying to me and asking my opinion?

What's really sad is that you're on a one-man mission to prove that Barcelona's success is entirely down to me, that I write every positive article, I coached the team, I spread the word about youth development, I built the Nou Camp, I polished the trophies, Hell, I even signed Messi.

I'll put this for you simply, because I've said it far too often now: I like Barcelona. I like Celtic. I like Clyde. I like Manchester United.

You go in strops when people take the piss out of Pompey yet it's entirely fair to post pointless, needless and unrelated jibes about a club I don't even support, as a means at discrediting me. You want everyone else on here to hate me, or at the very least, think I'm a bumbling moron who doesn't know what he's talking about. Unfortunately for you, I get paid on the basis that my information is correct, so decry me all you like - not sure who actually cares.

It's in equal parts awful and hilarious that a grown man can judge another without knowing a single thing about him, which is exactly what you've done with me.

Preezy - I answered all, or most, of those questions before. Go looking if you fancy. For the record - Messi hit the crossbar with his penalty during a season where he reached 72 goals, Cech didn't save it. I believe there's an element of luck in that.

I think there's an element of having to hit the target to score a penalty.

Chelsea got lucky, yes. They also deserved to win that game, as Messi couldn't hit the target from 12 yards, along with numerous other chances that Barca spurned. Which was their own fault.

I can't agree with this. Spurning chances doesn't make a team deserving losers. If it was as black and white as that we wouldn't follow sport at all.

Each to their own.

You defeated me with that cop out. Sweet dreams

I was just saying I don't agree, what do you want me to say?