Football Focus

[andyram]

Quite surprised by some parts of the predicted final table shown above. Whilst Burnley at the bottom is a "no brainer", in my opinion I do think Harry and Glenn have enough to keep Queens Park "last minute" Rangers up (I am not bitter!!). I have said for many a season that Villa are on borrowed time and agree that this could be the year they finally slip through the net. As many people have said Palace will find things tougher minus Pulis and I would have them in my bottom three with Burnley and Villa. The prediction shows a tight bottom of the table and I certainly think West Brom will struggle, as will Hull with their extra commitments and loss of Shane Long. I expect Leicester to struggle as I think, up until now, they have over spent on poor players. They may just have enough to survive though.

 

 I fancy Stoke to do well this season and will join Everton, Newcastle and Sunderland in the lesser top half positions. I think it will be Chelsea's title this year after a five horse race with Man City, Arsenal and Liverpool going close. Man United will benefit from the LVG van company effect and hang onto the race for much of the season. If they bring additional quality in before the end of August or in January they may earn a top four finish possibly at the expense of Liverpool who may find the Champions League too much of an extra commitment.

 

 One final prediction - the not so happy Hammers will start dreadfully and sack big Sam before the end of 2014. They will then revive under a new boss and finish safely in mid-table.

Edited August 16, 2014 by andyram

[Ohmisterporter]

We will probably never know the whole story behind the Tony Pulis Crystal Palace fall out, but I think they have made a big mistake that they will come to regret. He came across as a tough manager who could get the best out of players with limited resources. He will not be short of options IMHO. Of course if he wants to kill his career stone dead he could go to Blackpool.

[Calnefoxile]

Sky's English Premiership Final Table for the 2014-15 has accidentally been leaked on social media. Mobile phone screenshot below:

 

DSCN3078.JPG

 

 

 

 

I'm happy with this, can I take this now and not have to play any games this season  

 

UTF

 

Regards

 

Neal.

[Claude_Dreyfus]

One interesting thing about that table is that Villa and West Brom have the same points tally, the same GD and the same goals scored/conceded figures. Presumably Sky have projected that West Brom will have a better head-to-head this season...

[Horsetan]

.... Of course if he wants to kill his career stone dead he could go to Blackpool.

...or Portsmouth.

[Claude_Dreyfus]

...or Portsmouth.

 

Been there (before the first of his Stoke stints)...got the chop!

[DavidLong]

I can't believe the Villa. Without wishing to upset other West Midlands fans (and I'm not a Villa supporter) I always think that they are one of the big clubs in the English league but the fact is that they have under-performed for years. They had a briefly promising spell under Martin O'Neill but him being a bit of a prickly character and all they contrived to lose him. The fans deserve better but whether they will get it is something else entirely.

 

David

[andyram]

Pretty happy with a point at Hillsborough today as I think Sheffield Wednesday will do well this season. Just watching the Football League Show and cannot understand why the Middlesbrough "goal" at Leeds was disallowed. A lovely overhead kick.

[newbryford]

. Whilst Burnley at the bottom is a "no brainer",

 

See post #4341..............

 

Cheers,

Mick

[cary hill]

Just been reading some of the balanced and informative newspaper reporting of our first game back in the Premiership after a ten year absence. 

 

A rough summary follows

 

Ross Barkley was injured before the game. Ross Barkley took no part in the game. How will Everton cope without Barkley? Naismith played instead of Barkley. Naismith says Everton will cope without Barkley. Everton have enough strength on the bench to replace Barkley. Martinez confident Everton will cope without Barkley. Barkley may be back soon says Martinez.

 

The score? Leicester 2 Everton (apparently without Ross Barkley) 2

.

[DavidLong]

Just been reading some of the balanced and informative newspaper reporting of our first game back in the Premiership after a ten year absence. 

 

A rough summary follows

 

Ross Barkley was injured before the game. Ross Barkley took no part in the game. How will Everton cope without Barkley? Naismith played instead of Barkley. Naismith says Everton will cope without Barkley. Everton have enough strength on the bench to replace Barkley. Martinez confident Everton will cope without Barkley. Barkley may be back soon says Martinez.

 

The score? Leicester 2 Everton (apparently without Ross Barkley) 2

.

I'm an Arsenal supporter, one of the 'big' teams and I find it irritating with little credit given to the 'small' teams who get a good result against the 'big' team. I watched the Manchester United v Swansea game on Saturday and you just knew that the 'talking point' afterwards would be what was wrong with United rather than how well Swansea played. 29 passes before the first goal without United touching the ball. Brilliant but at least MOTD had the decency to emphasise the point.

Personally I think that BT are worse than Sky on this point. Someone needs to teach Paul Scholes about impartiality. Anyone else notice his 'we' and 'us' during the Swansea game. Poor.

 

David

[cary hill]

I'm an Arsenal supporter, one of the 'big' teams

 

David

 

Funnily enough Arsenal are next up at the King Power and it's on Sky. I'd take a repeat of the last meeting at our stadium -  a 1-1 draw in Arsenal's "Invincibles" season - although hopefully we won't leave until the 91st minute to equalise. 

[cary hill]

Sad news:

 

James Alexander Gordon 0 Heaven 1

 

R.I.P.James

[gwrrob]

Sad news:James Alexander Gordon 0 Heaven 1R.I.P.James

Forfar five East Fife four.

 

R.I.P

[andyram]

I think Burnley may regret scoring so early. They have made Chelsea angry. That move for Schurrle's goal was pure class.

[trisonic]

Chelsea’s new signings look championship winning particularly Fabregas. He worked really well with the team. My cousin is a Chelsea season ticket holder with his wife, I’m not - Chelsea sure looked good, though. Are there any English players in the Chelsea squad?

 

I was pleased that they broadcast the game live over here too - a sign of changing times in the ‘States, at last.

 

Best, Pete.

Edited August 19, 2014 by trisonic

[pH]

I was pleased that they broadcast the game live over here too - a sign of changing times in the ‘States, at last.

But there are still 'cultural' problems, as shown in this NBC 'trailer' for their EPL broadcasts -

 

[andyram]

Following the departure of Lampard and Cole it looks like Chelsea's English contingent is reduced to just John Terry and Gary Cahill. Perhaps there is a small cameo as to why our national team does so poorly. The favourites for the league title will regularly play with 16 non- English players in a matchday squad of 18.

 The league champions, Manchester City, may have England goalkeeper Joe Hart and have added Lampard for a short period, but have very few other English players who will play regularly. Milner will probably play a part, but will not be a regular whilst Richards, Lescott, Rodwell and Sinclair have all left, or are looking to leave, to get first team football.

 That is why I am rooting for Liverpool again this year. Although they have spent quite a bit on adding to the foreign invasion this summer they have not been afraid to buy English too with Lambert and Lallana adding to a squad that also includes Johnson, Gerrard, Henderson, Strurridge and Sterling. They are certainly flying the St George's flag!

[trisonic]

Alternatively some Managers may instinctively realize that good English players of World Class are just few and far between. I can remember when only a couple of “foreign” players were allowed per team in the league - I don’t remember the England team being much better (the 70’s).

 

There have been many discussions over the years just why this is so and many attempts  to rectify it from working with young players. Certainly the incentives are there.

 

Best, Pete.

[andyram]

Alternatively some Managers may instinctively realize that good English players of World Class are just few and far between. I can remember when only a couple of “foreign” players were allowed per team in the league - I don’t remember the England team being much better (the 70’s).

 

There have been many discussions over the years just why this is so and many attempts  to rectify it from working with young players. Certainly the incentives are there.

 

Best, Pete.

 

I totally agree with your point. However there is also a school of thought that if young English players got more chance to play at the top level we may improve. That said young English players can learn a lot from working with good players of any nationality. Sadly for every Aguero, Ronaldo, Torres, Tevez, Suarez etc there is a Esterban Foreigner who is no better than players from lower divisions and commands higher wages. At Derby we had plenty of them (in fact I could name a whole team of foreigner wasters who were no better than some of their home grown team mates).

In fact here it is:

 

1. Patrick Foletti (Apparantly he played one game - can't remember him)

2. Francois Grenet (France's third best right back by all accounts - I hate to think what the 4th best was like - signed by Colin Todd!)

3. Luciano Zavaigno (Argentina left back who was not up to standard.

4. Bjorn Otto Bragstad (legendarily bad in  our area as a centre back who could not play in a back three! - Jim Smith error)

5. Con Blatsis  (Australian who made a donkey look mobile -  Jim Smith again I think)

6. Pierre Duqrot (French midfielder couldn't pass a ball to save his life)

7. Daniel Daino (Italian wide man who signed on loan from AC Milan and then got replaced by someone who had retired the season before)

8. Candido Costa (Portugese winger - woeful)

9. Mikkel Beck (Useless!)

10. Marino Rahmberg (Swedish striker apparently)

11. Marco Reich (German winger - one game in 20)

 

Ok, some foreigners add something to the game so here is the eleven who did.

 

1. Mart Poom (so good he even got a standing ovation when he scored against us in the last minute for Sunderland)

2. Jacob Laursen (Danish international defender who had a stunning free kick)

3. Horacio Carbonari (Argentine defender, another who could really belt home a free kick)

4. Igor Stimac (legend in his own mind and in the minds of Rams fans - pure class)

5. Taribo West (a dodgy entry as he cost us lots of money - but came in and kept us up before disappearing to run a chapel somewhere)

6. Inigo Idiakez (Spanish midfielder who was a demon with free kicks)

7. Aljosa Asanovic (Croatian playmaker who was bought for a steal)

8. Stefano Eranio (pure class Italian)

9. Paulo Wanchope (Costa Rican striker who waltzed through the entire Man United defence on his debut)

10. Francesco Baiano (Italian striker who formed a deadly partnership with Eranio)

11. Gregorz Raziak (Polish striker came in for free, almost got us promotion and then was sold for a whacking profit)

 

Considering the fact I had no trouble with the rubbish team, and struggled with the quality eleven it speaks volumes lol.

[cary hill]

I totally agree with your point. However there is also a school of thought that if young English players got more chance to play at the top level we may improve. That said young English players can learn a lot from working with good players of any nationality.  At Derby we had plenty of them (in fact I could name a whole team of foreigner wasters who were no better than some of their home grown team mates).

In fact here it is:

 

 

 

Ok, some foreigners add something to the game so here is the eleven who did.

 

 

Considering the fact I had no trouble with the rubbish team, and struggled with the quality eleven it speaks volumes lol.

 

Was Fabrizio "White Feather" Ravanelli a substitute for both XI's depending whether or not he could bothered to make the effort?

Edited August 19, 2014 by cary hill

[Horsetan]

....Ok, some foreigners add something to the game so here is the eleven who did....

 

9. Paulo Wanchope (Costa Rican striker who waltzed through the entire Man United defence on his debut)

....

The same Señor Wanchope who coaches the recent giant-killing Costa Rican World Cup squad. They waltzed through a good few defences some weeks ago, so he's clearly giving good dancing lessons.

[andyram]

Was Fabrizio "White Feather" Ravanelli a substitute for both XI's depending whether or not he could bothered to make the effort?

 

Ravanelli would have been in the worst 11 as he only played for a couple of months at the start of his first season. I decided he didn't qualify as he actually did quite well at Middlesbrough. Anyway if I had included him I would have received a letter from his lawyer asking for his £40,000 per week!

[peanuts]

Forfar five East Fife four.

 

R.I.P

to be a pedant it was "latest score  East Fife five Forfar so far four " 

 

rip James Alexander Gordon who apparently dearly wished for this score line 

[Horsetan]

We seem to have signed Barmy Balotelli. God help us.