*Official* English Football Season 2008-2009

[Tom Halsey]

Was Kuyt iirc.

Nah just watched it again, Kuyt wasn't offside, agreed, and everyone seems to be focussing on him. Unless I'm missing something as to why Torres wasn't offside though, he definitely was.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Again I haven't seen any of United, from what I hear from the old man we were really good first half, and sloppy second. Would have taken a draw beforehand.

That's our first and third hardest games of the season out of the way, and if we win our game in hand then we're not exactly far behind, whereas the rest of the top four have all this to come. Would probably have taken this prior to the start of the season and knowing that Ronaldo would be out.

 

[GIMH]

They technically do have one in Zokora but for some weird reason i have noticed Jenas is starting in front of him & Zokora is playing at RB a few (Hutton i presume must be injured?). I personally think they Ramos should go for Owen in January.

I guess the prob with spurs is that none of their new players haven't adapted well just as yet. Because once they do, on paper they would potentially have the best team outside the big 4.

Yeah, good in centre mid our Mickey

 

[GIMH]

Again I haven't seen any of United, from what I hear from the old man we were really good first half, and sloppy second. Would have taken a draw beforehand.

That's our first and third hardest games of the season out of the way, and if we win our game in hand then we're not exactly far behind, whereas the rest of the top four have all this to come. Would probably have taken this prior to the start of the season and knowing that Ronaldo would be out.

Can't believe you here Tom, don't quite think you would have taken one point from six for those two games

 

[aussie]

Oh must say, fairly impressive with Comrad Neville's work today. If he takes inspiration on what Lizarazu in EURO 04 & Pannuci in EURO his international days as a full-back could still go on even at this ripe age.

 

[aussie]

Yeah, good in centre mid our Mickey

 

[Tom Halsey]

Can't believe you here Tom, don't quite think you would have taken one point from six for those two games

No, I wouldn't, I suppose what I'm on about here is that no other side has been *that* impressive either, they've all dropped points where you wouldn't expect them to, so we're not that far away from them. After the first four games, given our fixture list, I'd take being six behind Chelsea with a game in hand - if we win that, it's only three.

None of the rest of them have played a big four away yet, we've played two, that counts for something. Early days anyway.

 

[GIMH]

Yeah, agree with all that, still think though that being the arrogant bastards you United fans are () that you'd not really have taken anything but six out of six, and rightly so.

Would love a more open title race this season, with four in it until the wire. Much more interesting than what has happened pretty much every year (bar two) in the 00s whereby one team has it sewn up in March, has a bit of a dip in April and you think they are going to be caught but they just make it over the line.

Only exceptions that come to mind are 01-02 where Arse, United & Liverpool were all in it until the penultimate game IIRC and the following year where Arse did have it sewn up in March only for their decline not to be rescued in the final week.

 

[Matteh]

Oh must say, fairly impressive with Comrad Neville's work today. If he takes inspiration on what Lizarazu in EURO 04 & Pannuci in EURO his international days as a full-back could still go on even at this ripe age.

Neville was pretty gash, decided he'd tackle like Scholes, diving through people repeatedly.

Rooney gave away a daft free kick for the Chelsea goal and Berbatov played Kalou onside from the free kick. I'd tell them to sod off up the pitch if they're going to do that.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Yeah, agree with all that, still think though that being the arrogant bastards you United fans are () that you'd not really have taken anything but six out of six, and rightly so.

Before the Chelsea game I'd undoubtedly have taken a draw. Not sure about the Scousers, I just had the nagging feeling before the game that they were due the win, despite us being better on paper, so I dunno. However, on paper I'd have wanted a win tbf.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Yeah, agree with all that, still think though that being the arrogant bastards you United fans are () that you'd not really have taken anything but six out of six, and rightly so.

Would love a more open title race this season, with four in it until the wire. Much more interesting than what has happened pretty much every year (bar two) in the 00s whereby one team has it sewn up in March, has a bit of a dip in April and you think they are going to be caught but they just make it over the line.

Only exceptions that come to mind are 01-02 where Arse, United & Liverpool were all in it until the penultimate game IIRC and the following year where Arse did have it sewn up in March only for their decline not to be rescued in the final week.

Only nominally tho. We could've lost at The Citadel of Evil™ & still won the title anyway.

Last season was actually far closer.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Only nominally tho. We could've lost at The Citadel of Evil™ & still won the title anyway.

Last season was actually far closer.

01/02 was pretty close for most of it, tbf, IIRC in March United and Arsenal were about level, Liverpool there or thereabouts too, ended up in a bit of a damp squib, I vaguely remember us losing or drawing at Boro near the end which all but handed you the title whatever happened at OT.

 

[GIMH]

Yeah, my main point with that one was that it was a three-horse race right until the end of April, which barely ever happens in the Prem.

Might have actually only been til the middle of April as I seem to remember that season finishing early due to the WC

edit - that was the year United finished third, wasn't it?

 

[Tom Halsey]

Yes, we finished below Liverpool. We were shocking at the back that season, which really cost us. Still, we did well to get near given we had lost six times by Christmas, and were 7th or 8th.

 

[GIMH]

Yes, we finished below Liverpool. We were shocking at the back that season, which really cost us. Still, we did well to get near given we had lost six times by Christmas, and were 7th or 8th.

Remember it now, it was the season you had Blanc wasn't it? He was getting a lot of blame for your early losses, and there was a theory going round that it was completely his fault because you had lost to the following:

Bolton
Liverpool
Arsenal
Newcastle
Chelsea

Teams might be wrong, but the initials are spot on. Remember this theory being discussed in 6th form English, a lad in the class who is a United fan piped up, "he's ****ing ****! If he stays in the side then we'll have the Laurent by the end of the season!" made me chuckle anyway!

edit, also remember it as the season where Liverpool had an awesome spell up until Xmas. That was their peak under Houllier, he could never have taken them any further (ironically (or perhaps not) the best they looked the whole team he was in charge was when Phil Thompson sat in caretaker control whilst Houllier was in hospital).

Was a ****e season for the whites, that

 

[BoyBrumby]

Yeah, my main point with that one was that it was a three-horse race right until the end of April, which barely ever happens in the Prem.

Might have actually only been til the middle of April as I seem to remember that season finishing early due to the WC

edit - that was the year United finished third, wasn't it?

Yeah, Wiltord's OT winner (*sigh* them were the days, getting a chubby just thinking about it, tbh) gave yer Scousers second, although, if memory serves ManUre were still a mathematical chance going into the penultimate game, whereas 'Pool weren't.

 

[GIMH]

I remember Liverpool's hopes being killed off away to Tottenham, think that was the second to last game, it certainly was the second to last weekend of our season but we do sometimes finish a week earlier. Of course, if it was Liverpool's second to last game, you guys would both have still had one game extra left anyway.

 

[BoyBrumby]

I remember Liverpool's hopes being killed off away to Tottenham, think that was the second to last game, it certainly was the second to last weekend of our season but we do sometimes finish a week earlier. Of course, if it was Liverpool's second to last game, you guys would both have still had one game extra left anyway.

That could be true, ManUre/Arsenal was deffo midweek. Pretty sure United were in the title race for longer tho.

 

[GIMH]

Nah I was wrong, the Tottenham game was their 3rd last game. United were technically still in it til you lot did them at OT, which was I think their penultimate game?

ANyway, I think my point still stands in that it was one of the better Prem seasons

 

[Tom Halsey]

According to the wiki article on our 2001/2 season, we were top following our post Christmas run until we lost 1-0 at home to Middlesbrough on 23 March (although Arsenal possibly had games in hand, in fact I think they did, it rings a bell). Then Arsenal held top spot and made sure of it by beating us.

Was a quality season actually, lots of goals (we scored 87 and shipped 45, and were involved in two 5-3s), all it needed was for us to win it. And for Fergie to end on a high at Hampden. Ah well.