*Official* English Football Season 2005-06

[Barney Rubble]

indeed so, i would do the same, i would also take a fully fit and in form woodgate over either of them as well, and pair him up with terry.

Now that I can't agree with, mostly because I think Woodgate is second only to Bowyer in the list of Most Despicable Men In Football, but partly because I don't rate him that highly anyway. I think he was made to look good over here by the fact that he was playing in defences including the likes of Gary Kelly, Michael Duberry, Titus Bramble, and Aaron Hughes - the fact that he is a competent defender makes him streets ahead of all of them to start with.

What sticks in my mind about him is the fact that on his last England start, we conceded twice to Macedonia - I just can't quite allow myself to be convinced by him at international level. He may yet prove me wrong in Spain, though, and here's hoping he does - although it's not like we need any more centre-backs, and it's not like we need any more arrogant little boys in our squad. Especially not ones that like to assault Asians in their spare time.

 

[sledger]

well if you want to throw out those with convictions for abusive behaviour, then john terry incidentaly would also have to be removed thanks to his actions with mr jody morris and the incident in the london hotel on sept 11th regarding several american tourists.

But yeah anyway fair point mate, matter of interpretation i suppose.

Nice to see Arsenal looking like getting a decent result, looks like man utd are going to suffer another flop.

 

[BoyBrumby]

I'd agree with Barney's assessment of Woodgate as a player there. Like Rio he had a lot of pundits in raptures early in his career because he has a decent first touch, which conveniently ignores the fact that they both switch off during games all too frequently. I mean, Rio at Boro was just awful to see. He's lucky ManUre don't have too many other options at centre-half or he'd be out on his Aris.

I don't think it's coincidental both are renouned for their momental lack of the grey matter either. At Newcastle Woodgate was called "Village" as in "village idiot".

Campbell & Terry every time for me, with King & Carragher as back up.

 

[sledger]

van persie grabs arsenal a 2nd and puts the result beyond doubt,

man utd miss an open goal and villareal lead benfica, not a good night at all for the mancs.

 

[sledger]

and another for van persie to make it 3-0

 

[Barney Rubble]

well if you want to throw out those with convictions for abusive behaviour, then john terry incidentaly would also have to be removed thanks to his actions with mr jody morris and the incident in the london hotel on sept 11th regarding several american tourists.

I'm not throwing out those with records of abusive behaviour (otherwise I'd have thrown out Rooney and a couple of others too) - I'm throwing out a man who committed a vicious racist attack without provocation, then lied repeatedly about it in court.

There's a difference between being someone who has made a mistake or two and then gone on to make up for it by proving himself a fantastic professional, and someone who has proven himself not only a very unprofessional man but also a racist and a liar in the process.

To my mind, the names Bowyer & Woodgate will always go together because of that incident - and that alone is enough for me to despise Woodgate completely. You don't even want to know my feelings on Bowyer.

 

[luckyeddie]

I'm not throwing out those with records of abusive behaviour (otherwise I'd have thrown out Rooney and a couple of others too) - I'm throwing out a man who committed a vicious racist attack without provocation, then lied repeatedly about it in court.

The guy was just asking for a kicking, lying on the floor like that in a provocative, ethnic minority way, bleeding all over the gallant Dirtyleeds lads' boots.

 

[sledger]

There's a difference between being someone who has made a mistake or two and then gone on to make up for it by proving himself a fantastic professional, and someone who has proven himself not only a very unprofessional man but also a racist and a liar in the process.

woodgates record has been clean ever since, that obviously doesnt excuse him at all, but none the less, after he joined newcastle he was in top form and improved their defence no end. Although i despise bowyer i would say that i ratehr like woodgate and do wish him all the best, i really hope hes a success at real.

 

[Barney Rubble]

woodgates record has been clean ever since, that obviously doesnt excuse him at all, but none the less, after he joined newcastle he was in top form and improved their defence no end. Although i despise bowyer i would say that i ratehr like woodgate and do wish him all the best, i really hope hes a success at real.

I hope he's a success at Real too, because I hate seeing English talent go to waste - however, he's got a lot to do before he's in my good books, put it that way.

And I couldn't let that one pass without making a "Newcastle's defence" joke - Woodgate could hardly have made Griffin-Bramble-Dabizas-Hughes any worse, could he?

 

[sledger]

haha very true, very true, but it was noticeable that they conceded a lot less when he was in their side, having said that yes as you say it will be a long time before he is truly in my good books as well, but hes gone a good way to making that step if you ask me.

on the subject of nikos dabizas i would have to say that he is one of the worse defenders i have ever seen in my life. (live anyway)

 

[marc71178]

well if you want to throw out those with convictions for abusive behaviour, then john terry incidentaly would also have to be removed thanks to his actions with mr jody morris and the incident in the london hotel on sept 11th regarding several american tourists.

And wasn't Lampard also there?

 

[Barney Rubble]

And wasn't Lampard also there?

I'm not sure he was actually at the club - I've got a feeling he was still at West Ham, and the players involved were Terry, Morris, Gudjohnsen and one other, possibly Forssell? Not really sure.

 

[Barney Rubble]

on the subject of nikos dabizas i would have to say that he is one of the worse defenders i have ever seen in my life. (live anyway)

Never had the privilege of seeing Dabizas live, but you haven't seen bad defending until you've seen ex-Pompey hero Carl Tiler. He played about 20 games for the club in three years, and there wasn't one of them that passed without a horrendous ricket of some sort or another.

Ah, back in the days when we were crap in Division 1, rather than crap in the Premiership......good old nostalgia.

 

[sledger]

I'm not sure he was actually at the club - I've got a feeling he was still at West Ham, and the players involved were Terry, Morris, Gudjohnsen and one other, possibly Forssell? Not really sure.

yeah lampard was there as well, as was jody morris again (what a suprise, on the subject of football hates he has to rank near bowyer for me for very similar reasons), gudjohnsen was indeed another, frank sinclair of leicester at the time was also present, there was another but i cant remember......might have been john harley maybe......but thats just a guess.

 

[sledger]

Never had the privilege of seeing Dabizas live, but you haven't seen bad defending until you've seen ex-Pompey hero Carl Tiler. He played about 20 games for the club in three years, and there wasn't one of them that passed without a horrendous ricket of some sort or another.

ah carl tiler, although i never actually saw him i do have some memories of somewhat degrading articles in some local papers, quite a lot of dodgy defenders on the south coast in those days actually, it was bad enough last year, on some of my frequent journeys to watch southampton play the defending was pretty poor, glad im not actually a saints fan

 

[Barney Rubble]

yeah lampard was there as well, as was jody morris again (what a suprise, on the subject of football hates he has to rank near bowyer for me for very similar reasons), gudjohnsen was indeed another, frank sinclair of leicester at the time was also present, there was another but i cant remember......might have been john harley maybe......but thats just a guess.

Harley was the one I couldn't remember. Even so, Lampard and Terry have done a lot to redeem themselves since then - Woodgate hasn't really done much of anything!

 

[Barney Rubble]

ah carl tiler, although i never actually saw him i do have some memories of somewhat degrading articles in some local papers, quite a lot of dodgy defenders on the south coast in those days actually, it was bad enough last year, on some of my frequent journeys to watch southampton play the defending was pretty poor, glad im not actually a saints fan

Worst Premiership defence ever? You bet. If you can't concentrate for 25 minutes against your hated local rivals in a must-win relegation-saving match then when can you? They certainly couldn't, and they paid a price so high it'll still hurt when they come back up in 20 years' time like we did.

And I frigging love it.

 

[Jamee999]

Hmmm, could this finally be Arsene's big year, Trophy above head, even at the cost of big Premiership sucess.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Absolutely not. Neither Arsenal or United are anywhere near good enough to win it. Not sure who is yet though (though my initial tips are Chelsea or Barcelona).

 

[Barney Rubble]

Absolutely not. Neither Arsenal or United are anywhere near good enough to win it. Not sure who is yet though (though my initial tips are Chelsea or Barcelona).

Chelsea, Barcelona, Juventus and AC Milan are the four best teams in the competition - although Liverpool have proven that doesn't necessarily matter.

I'd stick money on a Chelsea-Barcelona final though, as long as the draw doesn't pair them up before that.