The Football.....

[dellzeqq]

Tottenham missed out on Champions league by a whisker last year, and that could fairly be put down to their slow start - if memory serves they were in the bottom three after four games. It might be that Arsenal's defeat to Aston Villa will, nine months from now, be just as significant.

 

[Boris Bajic]

How do you define a "lucky win"?

Of the four 'big' teams that played this weekend (MUFC, CFC, Spurs, Arsenal) all bar Arsenal achieved what should have been nailed on certainties of winning against teams you would not expect them to lose to.

As a CFC supporter I thought we played really well in our match (even Hansen on MOTD2 was full of rare Chelsea paise), I watched both MUFC who were very good and Spurs who played well against a well marshaled Crystal Palace. None of the three winning teams seemed "lucky" to me unless you count "lucky" as not having drawn a similar capability team for the opener.

Only saw highlights of Arsenal match so can't comment on whether they played well or not. Either way they lost a match they should have won - nonetheless crap happens to all teams across the season.

Arsenal will be there or thereabouts come the final reckoning though. Cannot see them winning the Premiership this year.

MCFC play tonight so we'll see how they set there stall out but from the opening weekend thus far I'd say that if MUFC keep RVP fit then they will be a real handful again.

A 'lucky win' is one achieved by Manchester United, Chelsea, Spurs, Liverpool, Man City or any other strugling top-half club that through the bestowing of three otherwise meaningless points allows these inflated minnows to believe they have the right somehow to compete with proper football clubs like Arsenal.

A 'lucky win' is one in which a clearly inferior team like Aston Vanilla pays off the referee to keep awarding penalties until even the stubborn resistance and breathtaking offensive abilities of a top team like Arsenal are eroded beyond immediate repair.

A 'lucky win' is one where a bunch of overpaid, over-marketed foreign dandies and dilletantes (Man U, Chelsea etc) manage to scrape together enough basic, under-twelve-style footballing skill to cheat their way past pedestrian opposition and then claim that somehow they deserve to be where they are in the table.

I thought I was clear enough in my earlier post. The so-called 'big teams' are nothing of the sort. RvP is only at Man U because Wenger knew he was near the end.

The same is true of all those Arsenal players who are seeing out their dwindling careers at Manc City and Barcelona.

 

[Andrew_P]

Palace in Mid Table security after first game, can't ask for more than that

Having watched Championship football for a while, it makes you realise just how divided the Premiership when you come up it is more a game between the have and have not's. All a bit depressing really and for all the stick Wenger gets Arsenal are probably the only top 4/5 club to maintain their position without spending enormous amounts of money, their biggest sin was letting Van Persie go to Manchester United, even worse than that Man Utd have kept him not only fit but smiling..

 

[SpokeyDokey]

A 'lucky win' is one achieved by Manchester United, Chelsea, Spurs, Liverpool, Man City or any other strugling top-half club that through the bestowing of three otherwise meaningless points allows these inflated minnows to believe they have the right somehow to compete with proper football clubs like Arsenal.

A 'lucky win' is one in which a clearly inferior team like Aston Vanilla pays off the referee to keep awarding penalties until even the stubborn resistance and breathtaking offensive abilities of a top team like Arsenal are eroded beyond immediate repair.

A 'lucky win' is one where a bunch of overpaid, over-marketed foreign dandies and dilletantes (Man U, Chelsea etc) manage to scrape together enough basic, under-twelve-style footballing skill to cheat their way past pedestrian opposition and then claim that somehow they deserve to be where they are in the table.

I thought I was clear enough in my earlier post. The so-called 'big teams' are nothing of the sort. RvP is only at Man U because Wenger knew he was near the end.

The same is true of all those Arsenal players who are seeing out their dwindling careers at Manc City and Barcelona.

Brilliant stuff BB - I love reading this sort of thing. You posting this here saves me from having to sift through my back catalogue of Beanos and Dandys for today's fix....

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Palace in Mid Table security after first game, can't ask for more than that

Having watched Championship football for a while, it makes you realise just how divided the Premiership when you come up it is more a game between the have and have not's. All a bit depressing really and for all the stick Wenger gets Arsenal are probably the only top 4/5 club to maintain their position without spending enormous amounts of money, their biggest sin was letting Van Persie go to Manchester United, even worse than that Man Utd have kept him not only fit but smiling..

Yes, it is a divided league for sure. However, don't knock it too much as the 'haves' generate massive global appeal hence the huge amounts of money in Premier League football which is spread across the league itself and one league down via parachute payments plus various contributions to footballing/community projects (could do more re the latter though).

If you were to strip out the obvious teams and put them into a Euro League the Premier League revenues would drop dramatically and it would, in effect, revert to the old division one which was infinitely poorer (I also accept that this may be much more appealing to some fans though).

I don't agree re your Arsenal comment though. They used to spend money and they used to win trophies. 8 consecutive seasons firsts/seconds in PL inc' 3 firsts. They then built a stadium and dropped (but didn't stop) their spending and since then have had 8 consecutive seasons 3rd/4th.

Not exactly a shabby performance of late but a long way from stellar and below the expectations of most Gooners I'd wager.

 

[mark st1]

Hope they do not get Fellani - quality player. Wasn't there a hefty release clause for Fellani?

People seem to be saying that release clause had expired not sure how if he is still under contract though ? I can't see Baines coming he is die hard Everton but then so was Rooney also Baines might want Champions Leagur. Fellani though wouldn't have put him down as loyal more money champions league football could be a goer. I'd be happy with either of them tbh.

 

[Durian]

The release clause for Fellaini had a different expiry date than the expiry date for the end of his contract.

Do United think it's BOGOF. 28 million for both players is almost an insult in this day and age. 40 to 45 million may secure their services though!

 

[mark st1]

Do United think it's BOGOF. 28 million for both players is almost an insult in this day and age. 40 to 45 million may secure their services though!

Sounds about right quality players IMO would be 2 cracking signings.

 

[Durian]

Sounds about right quality players IMO would be 2 cracking signings.

They would be great signings and would fit in to the Man Utd side quickly. I'm hoping they stay at Everton though but if only one of them ends up going to Man Utd then I hope it's Fellaini rather than Baines.

 

[mark st1]

All the Everton fans bashing Moyes on social media are funny. So Utd have made a cheeky bid big deal I doubt Moyes directly has made the offer just stated who he wants then the money men take over. As if they are going to go in with a correct valuation from the off.

No mention of Martinez taking who he wants from Wigan on the cheap. Turn a blind eye to that though shall we .

 

[AndyRM]

All the Everton fans bashing Moyes on social media are funny. So Utd have made a cheeky bid big deal I doubt Moyes directly has made the offer just stated who he wants then the money men take over. As if they are going to go in with a correct valuation from the off.

No mention of Martinez taking who he wants from Wigan on the cheap. Turn a blind eye to that though shall we .

I agree with you about the Moyes thing, it's absolutely ridiculous.

However, Martinez has only really taken one player from Wigan so far.

 

[mark st1]

True enough it is only one player. Loving the transfer window hotting up Rooney to everywhere Modric to United Luiz to Barcalona Bale to Tottingham reserves.

 

[Kies]

True enough it is only one player. Loving the transfer window hotting up Rooney to everywhere Modric to United Luiz to Barcalona Bale to Tottingham reserves.

And Mark St1 to manage Liverpool

 

[AndyRM]

True enough it is only one player. Loving the transfer window hotting up Rooney to everywhere Modric to United Luiz to Barcalona Bale to Tottingham reserves.

Rooney is coming across as a petulant wee fandan in all of this. He has believed his own hype for far too long.

I think that at this stage in his career, Bale would be daft to leave Spurs. He's had one decent season, needs to be consistently excellent to justify the insane amounts of money being discussed!

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Rooney is coming across as a petulant wee fandan in all of this. He has believed his own hype for far too long.

He is a petulant chap for sure - he has some history of it!

Good, solid player and when he is up for it he is a heck of a player. Does go off the boil occasionally. Never quite made it to truly world class imo.

I'd be happy if we (CFC) manage to buy him though as I am still far from convinced by Nando - he faded badly yesterday.