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*Official* English Football Season 2011-12

sledger

Spanish_Vicente
There was a fair bit of talk around the start of the season, wasn't there? When teams were knocking heaps in during the pre-season matches and early games, at a rate of about three a game.
I remember the exact opposite tbh. The general consensus in the media here was that Kenny had made some wonderful signings and done a wonderful job of turning Liverpool into Premiership contenders. Most of the negative talk in the press was about how Arsenal had been left behind by the other teams.
 

Eds

International Debutant
I remember the exact opposite tbh. The general consensus in the media here was that Kenny had made some wonderful signings and done a wonderful job of turning Liverpool into Premiership contenders. Most of the negative talk in the press was about how Arsenal had been left behind by the other teams.
There was definitely some negative press in regards to Liverpool. And rightly so, obviously. After a few horrible signings, we were absolutely awful in pre-season.
 

sledger

Spanish_Vicente
There was definitely some negative press in regards to Liverpool. And rightly so, obviously. After a few horrible signings, we were absolutely awful in pre-season.
After the first game of the season against Sunderland there was definitely some pro-Liverpool rhetoric going around though. On match of the day Hansen (of course) said how wonderful they were, and once the side had gelled together they would be a real threat to anyone (not like he's ever said that about them at any point in the past of course).
 

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International Debutant
After the first game of the season against Sunderland there was definitely some pro-Liverpool rhetoric going around though. On match of the day Hansen (of course) said how wonderful they were, and once the side had gelled together they would be a real threat to anyone (not like he's ever said that about them at any point in the past of course).
That's fair enough though as we actually showed glimpses of looking like a fairly reasonable side against Sunderland, albeit having an awful second half. Don't see a problem with praising a side that deserves to be praised.

During pre-season though, we were horrendous. And were rightly grilled for it.
 

sledger

Spanish_Vicente
That's fair enough though as we actually showed glimpses of looking like a fairly reasonable side against Sunderland, albeit having an awful second half. Don't see a problem with praising a side that deserves to be praised.

During pre-season though, we were horrendous. And were rightly grilled for it.
Well, fair enough, I don't recall, but I didn't really pay much attention to the media during the off-season.

The reason why I take issue with what Hansen said on this occasion, was because (like every year) the whole 'this could be their year' nonsense was rolled out, and he said how good Stewart Downing and Jordan Henderson were.
 

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International Debutant
The reason why I take issue with what Hansen said on this occasion, was because (like every year) the whole 'this could be their year' nonsense was rolled out, and he said how good Stewart Downing and Jordan Henderson were.
Haha, fair enough.
 

TT Boy

Hall of Fame Member
Also, Juan Mata > David Silva. Surprised with all the plaudits Silva has received, sure he is good but at the end of the day he is no Ali Benarbia.

Media frothing over Frank Lampard’s “wonderful” and “impeccable” penalty taking technique, read Frank can hit the ball dead straight down the middle rather hard. Finished.
 

Pothas

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Yeah been hearing all day how Lampard 'won the game and proved everyone wrong', yeah he kept his nerve but it was a penalty for ****s sake.

Silva is bloody brilliant though, not sure how you could see anything different.
 

TT Boy

Hall of Fame Member
Just joshing (though Ali was the man). Top, top player but as I said if you listen to 5 Dead or Talk****e, you would think Silva is Messi. Mata has pretty much flown under the radar and last night and last week against Valencia was different class.
 

Furball

Evil Scotsman
Mon Chelsea. We've won so many titles when we've miraculously stayed in touch with a far better side than us for the first half of the season.

Although to make that result count we would need to get something from Chelsea, and we probably won't.
You've stayed in touch because your fixture list has been much kinder than City's thus far.

Man Utd have still to go to Eastlands, Stamford Bridge, White Hart Lane and the Emirates.

Man City have yet to play host to one of the top 6 - they've already been to Old Trafford, White Hart Lane, Anfield and Stamford Bridge.

There is no chance that Man Utd will overturn the gap with that fixture list unless City absolutely implode.
 

cpr

International Coach
So Fletcher out for a while as he's spraying **** left, right & centre - This has been put down to bowl disease. However there is still no news as to Carrick & Andersons excuse
 

BoyBrumby

Englishman
Meanwhile The Arse are officially out of fullbacks. Santos joins Gibbs, Jenkinson and Sagna in the treatment room.

Presume we'll go Djourou RB & Vermaelen LB for Citeh.
 

The Sean

Cricketer Of The Year
Ulcerative colitis (Colitis ulcerosa, UC), also known as Darren Fletcher (best holding midfielder in the world) disease, is a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Ulcerative colitis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pretty quick. Just broke 5 minutes ago.
So Cleverley is out until the new year, Anderson is out until at least February, Fletcher is out indefinitely, Giggs is 38 and Gibson is dire. Carrick - against all odds - is actually playing pretty bloody well at the moment.

Eagerly awaiting the inevitable "too hard to find someone in January" from Fergie.
 

The Sean

Cricketer Of The Year
You've stayed in touch because your fixture list has been much kinder than City's thus far.

Man Utd have still to go to Eastlands, Stamford Bridge, White Hart Lane and the Emirates.

Man City have yet to play host to one of the top 6 - they've already been to Old Trafford, White Hart Lane, Anfield and Stamford Bridge.

There is no chance that Man Utd will overturn the gap with that fixture list unless City absolutely implode.
Ha ha, agree that it's still absolutely City's to lose but you're talking as though the gap is 20 points rather than two (plus an admittedly substantial goal difference advantage).
 

Uppercut

Request Your Custom Title Now!
You've stayed in touch because your fixture list has been much kinder than City's thus far.

Man Utd have still to go to Eastlands, Stamford Bridge, White Hart Lane and the Emirates.

Man City have yet to play host to one of the top 6 - they've already been to Old Trafford, White Hart Lane, Anfield and Stamford Bridge.

There is no chance that Man Utd will overturn the gap with that fixture list unless City absolutely implode.
Heh, it doesn't seem so long ago that the opposite was true.

I don't think it's as significant as you say though. We'll have all played roughly the same number of home and away games by the mid-way point so even though we still have most of the nightmare games still to come, we'll also be playing a lot of average sides at home while Citeh have to play them away. It balances the effect a little bit.

But the hard part isn't overcoming the two point deficit or the awkward fixture list, the bit that worries me is overcoming the fact that Citeh are miles better than us. I wouldn't say I'm confident but I haven't given up hope. As I said, we've ended up winning the league from situations like these so, so many times.
 

dontcloseyoureyes

BARNES OUT
Was going to make a long post about Mancini's tactical blunders post-red card but I cbf. Basically:

1) Mario should have gone off for Kolo, NOT AGUERO. I like the Kolo to RB and Zab to LB move though. I'm okay with Silva going off for de Jong (esp as we were still level) but if Aguero had stayed on I'd have gone for Milner instead. But meh, this has reasoning behind it and I'm fine with it.
2) I know it was late and almost inconsequential but bringing on Dzeko was the worst move of the game. Dzeko is a fine player but without Silva and Aguero to link him to the midfield he was completely useless and a non-factor, especially when we're chasing the game. It should have been Adam Johnson.

Meh to the rest of the game. They were the better side and I think we'd have lost either way, personally. As far as first losses for the league season go, away to a resurgent Chelsea with ten men 14 games into the season is okay by me.

Juan Mata makes me jealous.
 

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