*Official* English Football Season 2005-06

[Scaly piscine]

He wasn't that bad a signing - but there's never any point in signing someone if you're going to go and sign two other guys who are better than him straight away anyway. Now Keane's too old, and Fergie's both too poor to buy Ballack and too stubborn to admit he was wrong to sign Smith - ergo, Smith ends up playing the Keane role, and throwing away his international career.

Well at least some good will come out of it.

He was an awful signing tho, he's the new Robbie Fowler minus the goal poaching ability that Owen, the horse etc. display. Has absolutely nothing going for him, he's basically average or worse at every facet of the game.

 

[Barney Rubble]

Don't rate the little thug at all, sorry. A forward who can't score in a brothel (unlike certain other ManUre strikers ) is slowly being transformed into a midfielder who can't tackle.

I never said he was a good signing - just not that bad if Fergie hadn't signed Rooney and Saha too. RvN and Smith did OK together for a few games a while back, and Smith showed at Leeds that he at least has a bit of talent.

We'll never know how things would have turned out for him in different circumstances - but for now, you're right - Smith is pretty much a waste of space for United. He won't score up front because of the style of play, and he's crap in midfield. He was certainly a crap signing with hindsight, if not at the time.

 

[Tom Halsey]

I'll give you Cygan, but Gilberto's quality. Not his fault he broke his back last year!

Or should I mention Bellion, Saha, Forlan, Smith.....

Sorry. I just don't rate Gilberto at all.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Heh @ O'Shea

shame the CDM scum are leading.

 

[Jamee999]

I'll give you Cygan, but Gilberto's quality. Not his fault he broke his back last year!

Or should I mention Bellion, Saha, Forlan, Smith.....

And that hero of the City of Manchester Stadium, Djemba-Djemba.

 

[sledger]

Sorry. I just don't rate Gilberto at all.

one of arsenals most important players imo, when hes not around arsenal are no where near as solid, very consistant player.

 

[Barney Rubble]

one of arsenals most important players imo, when hes not around arsenal are no where near as solid, very consistant player.

The only reason why Arsenal aren't so solid when he's around is because his replacement is invariably Flamini.

 

[sledger]

it wasnt last year, with vieira and fabgregas playing arsenal still conceded a lot more goals, in fact flamini barely played last year at all, and the games he has played in this year arsenal have hardly done that badly in, in terms of goals conceded anyway.

 

[Barney Rubble]

it wasnt last year, with vieira and fabgregas playing arsenal still conceded a lot more goals, in fact flamini barely played last year at all, and the games he has played in this year arsenal have hardly done that badly in, in terms of goals conceded anyway.

Silva and Fabregas could actually end up being a very good pairing - Silva doesn't add as much to the team as Vieira did, obviously, but he'll shift some defensive responsibility away from Fabregas and allow Cesc's unbelievable talent (I saw him for Arsenal's U18s when he was 16 - he played half an hour in a 9-0 win, ran the show, and scored from 45 yards) to flourish.

 

[superkingdave]

Gilberto is a quality player

 

[Scaly piscine]

Why do the pansy-boy footballers do that stupid head leaning contest thing?

Mandatory yellow card and umpteenth foul from the talentless bleached-hair wonder.

 

[sledger]

Silva and Fabregas could actually end up being a very good pairing - Silva doesn't add as much to the team as Vieira did, obviously, but he'll shift some defensive responsibility away from Fabregas and allow Cesc's unbelievable talent (I saw him for Arsenal's U18s when he was 16 - he played half an hour in a 9-0 win, ran the show, and scored from 45 yards) to flourish.

i say he adds more, but of a very different nature.

 

[Barney Rubble]

i say he adds more, but of a very different nature.

OK, I'm biting on this one - this controversial opinion needs to be explained.

 

[sledger]

gilberto is a lot more stable defensively, more so than vieira, he doesnt possess as much drive forward that much is obvious, but the pairing of vieira and cesc was far too attacking, that with arsenal having their full backs up the pitch often left the 2 centre backs exposed... gilbertos presence doesnt really let this happen anywhere near as much, he doesnt have the huge personality that vieira did which is essentially a good thing, imo vieira ended up being more trouble than he was worth, a great player yes, but one arsenal could ultimately do without, i was sad to see him go, but i accept that it was the right move for the club, just needed to be replaced thats all....

 

[Barney Rubble]

gilberto is a lot more stable defensively, more so than vieira, he doesnt possess as much drive forward that much is obvious, but the pairing of vieira and cesc was far too attacking, that with arsenal having their full backs up the pitch often left the 2 centre backs exposed... gilbertos presence doesnt really let this happen anywhere near as much, he doesnt have the huge personality that vieira did which is essentially a good thing, imo vieira ended up being more trouble than he was worth, a great player yes, but one arsenal could ultimately do without, i was sad to see him go, but i accept that it was the right move for the club, just needed to be replaced thats all....

Well, I don't agree with you, but a well-made point.

 

[sledger]

fair enough mate, but personally i see gilberto a lot more influential than most of the rest of the midfield but a fair stretch now tbh.

 

[Barney Rubble]

fair enough mate, but personally i see gilberto a lot more influential than most of the rest of the midfield but a fair stretch now tbh.

I think in five years's time, the rest of the Arsenal midfield is going to be an irrelevance anyway - Fabregas will be ruling the footy world by then.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Good win for The Arsenal tonight. My heart sunk a bit when I saw we were playing the Spanish goalkeeping equivalent of a panic attack (surely Mart Poom must be better?!?!), but he didn't do too badly. Hope Pires doesn't take too many more pens, mind. Best you could say about his is that it went in!

I bet SP is putting the bunting up already....

 

[twctopcat]

I think in five years's time, the rest of the Arsenal midfield is going to be an irrelevance anyway - Fabregas will be ruling the footy world by then.

With that tiny little beard and 9 stone stature??? Somehow i think not.

On a side note good effort by Ruud there, we were prob a bit lucky but you need that some time. All this talk of Ruud off form is nonsense, it is left to him and Ronaldo to create the goals. Schole looked livelier than usual but with our trio of Scholes, Fletcher and Smith against the likes of Lampard, Makelele and Essien we will not get anywhere significant this season, and that is the bare truth. Even with the 3 R's playing out of their skin each week you cannot win week in and week out without a good engine, that's just football..

Oh and Van de Sar to be player of the year for United, what a keeper.

 

[Barney Rubble]

With that tiny little beard and 9 stone stature??? Somehow i think not.

When Maradona was 17, Sheffield Wednesday turned him down because he was too small. The amount of talent Fabregas has means his size won't be an issue. Anyway, he showed last season he can scrap with the best of them - he ran the midfield in plenty of games against bigger players.