TalkBass OFFICIAL English Football thread 2012-13: Part 3

[cheezewiz]

I've read conflicting reports on Song. Who knows what the truth is. Some said he wanted to leave and became a locker room cancer when he decided he was underpaid. Others say he was a model citizen and wanted to stay.

Gervinho is so frustrating. He has scored some nice goals for us, but some of his misses have been spectacularly bad.

I think Bendtner is a good player, but it was almost universally reported that he is such an unbearable prick that almost no team can tolerate him for long.

[Darkstrike]

Originally Posted by Tituscrow

Ok sir, good calls. Still, can't believe Fergie jr. was with you that long!

DS - phone won't play image. Is it a gif or a YT clip? What are y'all looking at?

"Y'all"??? What am I saying???

Originally Posted by SoVeryTired

I can't see it on the phone either but from the still image and following comments I guess "y'all" are looking at Van Persie showing some outrageous skills?

Van Persie chipping the ball over his shoulder, and backheeling it into a lob over a Reading lad, straight to Welbeck, perfectly placed so Welbeck doesn't have to break his run.

[MarkMgibson]

Originally Posted by cheezewiz

I've read conflicting reports on Song. Who knows what the truth is. Some said he wanted to leave and became a locker room cancer when he decided he was underpaid. Others say he was a model citizen and wanted to stay.

Gervinho is so frustrating. He has scored some nice goals for us, but some of his misses have been spectacularly bad.

I think Bendtner is a good player, but it was almost universally reported that he is such an unbearable prick that almost no team can tolerate him for long.

I'm not sure what to make of some those statements either - who the hell knows? Bendtner was supposedly a bit of pain the rear end, but then they didn't sell him, so maybe they think he just needed a bit of time to grow up. It's hard to know what to believe from all the different reports you read. Still, surely it's the manager's job to keep player's egos in check, unless it's a Balotelli type of ego. I'm amazed anyone would buy that obnoxious wanker.

[MarkMgibson]

Originally Posted by Darkstrike

Van Persie chipping the ball over his shoulder, and backheeling it into a lob over a Reading lad, straight to Welbeck, perfectly placed so Welbeck doesn't have to break his run.

Yeah, that's just pure class.

[Darkstrike]

Originally Posted by MarkMgibson

I'm not sure what to make of some those statements either - who the hell knows? Bendtner was supposedly a bit of pain the rear end, but then they didn't sell him, so maybe they think he just needed a bit of time to grow up. It's hard to know what to believe from all the different reports you read. Still, surely it's the manager's job to keep player's egos in check, unless it's a Balotelli type of ego. I'm amazed anyone would buy that obnoxious wanker.

Funny thing you mention Balotelli, quickly exited the wastelands, and he's like a new man, 4 goals in 3 games, he puts in a shift dropping deep, setting plays up(surprisingly excellent crosses), and none of his diva antics and low workrate from City. I think the signs on the wall were there during the Euros with Italy, just seemed much more at home.

Sometimes it can be the wrong environment as much as anything. Of course, in this case I believe the manager also did have a lot to do with it, Mancini is a stoneless enabler.


Bendtner is a good player though, who seemingly thinks he's a god, confidence is never a bad thing, but IIRC his contract stipulations are ridiculous.

[MarkMgibson]

Originally Posted by Darkstrike

Funny thing you mention Balotelli, quickly exited the wastelands, and he's like a new man, 4 goals in 3 games, he puts in a shift dropping deep, setting plays up(surprisingly excellent crosses), and none of his diva antics and low workrate from City. I think the signs on the wall were there during the Euros with Italy, just seemed much more at home.

Sometimes it can be the wrong environment as much as anything. Of course, in this case I believe the manager also did have a lot to do with it, Mancini is a stoneless enabler.


Bendtner is a good player though, who seemingly thinks he's a god, confidence is never a bad thing, but IIRC his contract stipulations are ridiculous.

I don't know, if I were a manager anywhere, I wouldn't touch Balotelli with a barge pole. When he's playing well and starting games he'll behave, but if he gets left on the bench, or taken out of a game early, you know he's going to throw one his tantrums. Not worth the hassle for me. I don't imagine he'd be a joy to have around in the dressing room. Maybe he'll grow up though - no doubt he has talent.

What stipulations are you talking about with Bendtner? (we don't hear much news about such things here) It does seem they're going to sell him to Juventus, but if you have a look at his goal-scoring record at Arsenal, it's actually not that bad for a player who mostly came on off the bench. Who knows, maybe he his a complete pain in the ***, but I'd still take him over Gervinho any day of the week, and probably Giroud as well. Giroud has improved, but I can't ever see him being a first rate striker. I hope I'm wrong, but his first touch is too clumsy too often for my liking. That's usually the real test. Finishing can always improve, but those clumsy takes are a bad sign IMO. I wouldn't sell him - I think he's a decent player to have on the bench, just not a first choice striker. I'd take any one of M.U's 4 strikers over Giroud (RVP, Rooney, Hernandez, Welbeck) - now that's depth. It would be nice to have those sort of options every week at The Emirates.

[dangnewt]

Just when I had given up, they drag me back in.

Did anyone see the match? I missed it, but 5-0, what is different from the last time these two teams met and it was 0-0.

Three of the next four are with teams facing relegation and one is with Tottenham who is sitting where LFC wants to be.

March should be an interesting month.

[Darkstrike]

The biggest difference was Swansea resting a lot of their players for the Cup final, most notably, no Michu.

[dangnewt]

Interesting - even with the match a week away.

A win get Swansea into the Europa League and they haven't played in Europe in over 20 years, so I can understand their focus on it. That said, how has Bradford, a fourth tier team made it to the finals? How much of a chance do they have against Swansea?

[Darkstrike]

Their manager even said it himself, they got caught with one eye on Wembley.

Bradford, it's inexplicable how they've made it to the finals, but I'll try.

Defended with iron will, and took what chances they could. It was quite incredible really, stuff of dreams.

What chance do they have? On paper, and by rights, none. That said, by the same rules they had no chance against Wigan, Arsenal, or the two legs with Villa, but they done it, so who knows? Should it go to penalties, they'd have a decent shout, took out both Wigan and Arsenal in penos, and generally have a ridiculous win rate in matches down to penos.

[Tituscrow]

I'd love to see Bradford win and get a few European nights as a result.

DS is right. 'Minnows' can sometimes raise their game with such a Herculean attitude and performance that on their day, they come out on top. Our domestic cup competitions are littered with glorious giant-killings.

But Bradford are anomalous in one respect...they have beaten significantly 'better' opposition not once, but on four occasions. This, in my memory at least, is unprecedented. And, much as I like what Laudrup is doing at Swansea, I'd love to see the underdogs go all the way.

Re: Arsenal. If, as I expect them to, they lose over 2 legs to Bayern, ten the earliest they can win anything is 2014. That will be nine years - at least - without silverware. That is almost half Wengers time at the club.

[Tituscrow]

Originally Posted by dangnewt

Just when I had given up, they drag me back in.

Did anyone see the match? I missed it, but 5-0, what is different from the last time these two teams met and it was 0-0.

Three of the next four are with teams facing relegation and one is with Tottenham who is sitting where LFC wants to be.

March should be an interesting month.

No mate, I didn't see it. I was busy watching some paint dry and then I had to stick sharp pins in my legs.

The last few seasons, my phone has been fairly quiet after a Liverpool game...normally my match-going red mates bombard me with abusive, gloating texts. I think they are too busy crying under their Ian Rush duvets to face up to the fact that they are indeed a spent force and have joined the ranks of 'the chasing pack'.

[Tituscrow]

Eek. Bayern just gone two nil up. Defence sound like they are having a collective howler.

[Tituscrow]

Wondering if DS or SVT have a spare 50 grand?

http://www.whoateallthepies.tv/man_u...ty-photos.html

Classy.

Maybe if they let Cantona loose they'd make some serious coin.

[Darkstrike]

If I had 50k to throw about like that, I'd love to throw a bit at it.


It's well done, the airbrushed pic of him celebrating the overhead volley, iI had a photo of the same moment as my phone's wallpaper for a long time.

[Darkstrike]

Dang, it ain't looking too good for Arsenal.

[Darkstrike]

Also, Malaga are (at the moment) banned from Europe next year, should they win the CL, they wouldn't be allowed to defend their title, has anything like that ever happened before?

[dangnewt]

Originally Posted by Darkstrike

Dang, it ain't looking too good for Arsenal.

DS, I really don't have a dog in that fight, though I bet Cheeze is sweating it.

[MartinG1957]

Good grief how much worse can it get...
That was a truly inept and naive performance from an Arsenal team that appears to have no on-field leadership and even less confidence.
The improved attacking performance in the second half again masked a lack of creativity, a good natural striker and a defence that looked wooden, panicked and lead footed. Wilshere said afterwards that it wasn't Wenger's fault - it was down to the players, unfortunately not enough of his colleagues seem prepared to share that responsibility and many are just not good enough for this level of football or to take Arsenal forward.
Very dissapointing week for my teams.. Celtic cheated by a ref, Arsenal cheated by their players...... Miserable...

[Darkstrike]

I's shocking, so far, Clattenburg has near about been the best ref.