*Official* English Football Season 2009-2010

[Jarquis]

Oh, Fran Merida, Rida rida, Fran Merida.

 

[Matteh]

Lee Camp to be worth considering by 2012, perhaps?

Thought Joe Lewis was the long-term bet for the England #1 spot. Will depend entirely on where he goes once he leaves Peterborough, if he goes to somewhere unfashionable/rubbish like Bolton, that'll be the end of it.

 

[Matteh]

Yeah, distinct possibility. Seems to happen every year with whichever of Liverpool or Arsenal is having a bad season.

This is a particularly bad Liverpool side though, so you never know.

Thing is though, in the past there's only really been one genuine contender for the 4th spot (Villa last season, Spurs a few back, Everton), whereas this season you've got Villa, Spurs, Man City all in some form, even Birmingham would be a hard crack currently (although they should be considered as the top of the chasing pack rather than an actual contender for the CL). There's so many more potential banana skins for Liverpool this season that i can't see them doing it.

 

[aussie]

Thought Joe Lewis was the long-term bet for the England #1 spot. Will depend entirely on where he goes once he leaves Peterborough, if he goes to somewhere unfashionable/rubbish like Bolton, that'll be the end of it.

Word i remember him. Capello called him for the trip to Trinidad i think.

But i sort of feel after the WC, i think Capello may have to reconsider his stance on Almunia some what for the EURO 2012 qualifiers.

 

[GIMH]

Almunia's just another clanger keeper, what would be the point

 

[aussie]

He is not the greatest, but I'd be more confident with Almunia in goal currently than anyone of Green, Hart, James, Foster or Robinson.

 

[Pothas]

Thing is though, in the past there's only really been one genuine contender for the 4th spot (Villa last season, Spurs a few back, Everton), whereas this season you've got Villa, Spurs, Man City all in some form, even Birmingham would be a hard crack currently (although they should be considered as the top of the chasing pack rather than an actual contender for the CL). There's so many more potential banana skins for Liverpool this season that i can't see them doing it.

All depends on fitness of Torres or Gerrard, until the last week or so I have strongly believed that no matter how poor they have been that a good run towards the end of the season, combined with the failure of one side to really emerge from the pack would see them into 4'th.

Must say it looks unlikely now though, unless they get those two fit for the rest of the season you cannot see it happening.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Thing is though, in the past there's only really been one genuine contender for the 4th spot (Villa last season, Spurs a few back, Everton), whereas this season you've got Villa, Spurs, Man City all in some form, even Birmingham would be a hard crack currently (although they should be considered as the top of the chasing pack rather than an actual contender for the CL). There's so many more potential banana skins for Liverpool this season that i can't see them doing it.

Toffees upbeaten in seven too. Now they're getting their injured players back I wouldn't rule them out either.

Almunia's just another clanger keeper, what would be the point

Yeah, never really rated him myself. What I object to is the fact we won't even consider players who aren't native or of English parentage. If Almunia is qualified and was the best available why shouldn't we use him?

 

[GIMH]

I agree with you Brumby but if it means we don't have to put up with boring jibes like the ones all the way through the Saffa tour thread, then I'm all for it!

 

[BoyBrumby]

I agree with you Brumby but if it means we don't have to put up with boring jibes like the ones all the way through the Saffa tour thread, then I'm all for it!

Ha, all our yarp-born cricketers would be ok football-wise as it goes as they all have at least one English parent.

 

[Johnners]

Genius, everybody is/was injured. He had practically no choice.

Anyway, only 4 from the top 4 despite all this crap that's befallen us this year. If our squad wasn't regularly without half our starting XI I'd be much more happy.

It was such a defensive minded team, and in reality was never one that would assure 3 points from the game. 3 Centre-backs, 3 fullbacks & 2 defensive midfielders, that's a real potent team there. Aquilani/Rodriguez (who were fit) didn't need to play the full 90, but having 2 more attacking options other than Kuyt & N'gog for 60/70 minutes may have given us more than 1-2 shots on target, and y'know a far better chance of walking away with 3 points instead of 1.

The squad may have some injuries, but that was no excuse for the poor performance against stoke.

 

[Matteh]

Yeah, never really rated him myself. What I object to is the fact we won't even consider players who aren't native or of English parentage. If Almunia is qualified and was the best available why shouldn't we use him?

Suppose Owen Hargreaves is the obvious person to point out as 'foreign' but has played for England and done well. Only other person i can really think of offhand is Tony Dorigo who was born in Aus, but that's a less good example.

 

[cpr]

John Barnes?




(Corrin to respond)

 

[Craig]

John Barnes?




(Corrin to respond)

I'll have you know he is trying to pressure James into putting 'John Barnes' into the filter.

 

[cpr]

Don't see what the problem is with the words John Barnes tbh. Can't see why he gets annoyed seeing John Barnes in posts.

He needs to get over his John Barnes phobia.

 

[Uppercut]

Well, half our team beat you guys and Chelsea last year...so i'd settle on that half.

Fair, Leeds beat us too though and they're still balls.

 

[roseboy64]

Almunia's pants. England dodged a bullet there with his return to questionable performances.

 

[Furball]

Rangers fan Dinnen?

Yup.

Can't understand anyone who has O'Neill top of their decent managers list. The man is an odious little ****, blames everything and everyone for his team's failings and drags the game through the mud to feed his paranoid little mind.

His meltdown on the touchline in Lyon in 2003 was absolute comedy gold, as was his post match interview in Turin 2001.

 

[Matteh]

He's a good manager despite the fact he whines about everything though. Was a gun at Wycombe, was a gun at Leicester, Celtic > Rangers whilst he was in charge and has gotten Villa back up the table again after John Gregory/O'Leary put them at the bottom.

Just best to avoid actually having to listen to him, ever.

 

[Ikki]

It was such a defensive minded team, and in reality was never one that would assure 3 points from the game. 3 Centre-backs, 3 fullbacks & 2 defensive midfielders, that's a real potent team there. Aquilani/Rodriguez (who were fit) didn't need to play the full 90, but having 2 more attacking options other than Kuyt & N'gog for 60/70 minutes may have given us more than 1-2 shots on target, and y'know a far better chance of walking away with 3 points instead of 1.

The squad may have some injuries, but that was no excuse for the poor performance against stoke.

Please, there were too many injuries and simply naming Aurelio or Degen as full-backs is a disservice to them. Degen is such an attacking full-back that it makes complete sense to play him as a winger. Aurelio actually DOES play in the midfield; he is just a versatile player. Carra is not a CB when he is playing RB - a position he has played oodles of times. Still, they would have been far from first choice had we fit players. And we always play with at least 2 full-backs and 2 holding midfielders, that is standard in a 4-2-3-1 and there is little defensive about it as we've proved.

Aquilani is not totally match-fit and had played 120 minutes of football in the FA cup. Rodriguez was just signed FFS. You're off the mark. It wasn't an attacking kind of game mostly because the team that we put out have probably never played together and many were out of position; added to the fact the way Stoke play means it's usually an ugly kind of game.