Football Focus

[CUTLER2579]

Maybe a penalty doesn't count as a shot on target? Not sure. Or maybe it doesn't count as a shot if it comes off the stomach, ear, knee, shoulder...?

 

Oh, and thank you all for not taking the mick after my confident prediction of an easy win for Fulham. If anyone's team is in need of a win, let me know, and I'll post here, boldly proclaiming that they'll get stuffed next time out.

 

Surely if anyones team needs a Victory its mine!

 

Played 11 Lost 7 Drawn 4 Won none. :cry:

[Steve K]

Surely if anyones team needs a Victory its mine!

 

Played 11 Lost 7 Drawn 4 Won none. :cry:

I think you'll find you've lost 8 now - anyway, here goes:

 

QPR are going to get stuffed at Old Trafford this weekend.

 

You're welcome...

[Red Devil]

I think you'll find you've lost 8 now - anyway, here goes:

 

QPR are going to get stuffed at Old Trafford this weekend.

 

You're welcome...

 

Possibly not-rumours circulating that Leslie has gone, new manager syndrome?

[Phil Bullock]

Having suggested after a 3-0 defeat of Liverpool on the opening day of the season that the Baggies winning ways wouldn't last I'll eat my hat!

 

Look at all those super headed goals - shades of Jeff Astle there!

 

Mind you is still a familiar pattern - much stronger at home than away but even Hansen and Co are warming to the team now.

 

Would be happier if we scored a few more - 1-0 and 2-1 is always a high risk strategy - but who is complaining?

 

Boing boing boing!

 

Phil

[colin penfold]

Just watched a replay of the Stoke goal against West Ham last night. First I thought it was a super set piece ( agreeing with big nose Neville, surely not - with MY reputation)

 

BUT, on seeing it again, the poor West Ham fullback doesn't switch off - he tries to follow Walters' run and gets taken out by Charlie Adam. Adam was being marked by another defender, breaks off from him and takes two paces into the path of the fullback and wrestles him to a stop leaving Walters a clear run. That's such a clear foul, and so premeditated too. If I was a WH fan I might be spitting feathers at this point.

 

Getting back in my box now......

[mezzoman253]

Just watched a replay of the Stoke goal against West Ham last night. First I thought it was a super set piece ( agreeing with big nose Neville, surely not - with MY reputation)

 

BUT, on seeing it again, the poor West Ham fullback doesn't switch off - he tries to follow Walters' run and gets taken out by Charlie Adam. Adam was being marked by another defender, breaks off from him and takes two paces into the path of the fullback and wrestles him to a stop leaving Walters a clear run. That's such a clear foul, and so premeditated too. If I was a WH fan I might be spitting feathers at this point.

 

Getting back in my box now......

 

This link confirms your thoughts, scroll down to 2221 to see Tony Pulis's comment http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20398662. This tactic is becoming more prevalent in the game, just something else referees and assistants "don't see".

 

I'd though a draw might be the outcome. Feathers all removed now :0)

 

Rob

[Red Devil]

So six months after you win the Champions league and FA Cup, you're rewarded by the sack.

 

Modern football is ******

 

Oh well could never take Di Matteo seriously, he always looked like he had a stocking over his head!

[Mucky Duck]

Unbelievable… or perhaps not, Abramovich is excessively ruthless. According to the BBC, at 262 days in charge, Di Matteo lasted longer than previous Abramovich managers Villas-Boas (256), Avram Grant (247) and Luiz Felipe Scolari (223). I could kind of understand had he not won anything during that time.

[Red Devil]

Unbelievable… or perhaps not, Abramovich is excessively ruthless. According to the BBC, at 262 days in charge, Di Matteo lasted longer than previous Abramovich managers Villas-Boas (256), Avram Grant (247) and Luiz Felipe Scolari (223). I could kind of understand had he not won anything during that time.

 

Scolari, Villas Boas, Ancelloti all must have walked away with hefty settlements, perhaps Grant and Di Matteo a bit less but it won't be peanuts, utter farce.

 

Chelsea 10 trophies since 2004, lost conut of managers, but got to be around 7 with the above mentioned Mouriniho and Guus Hiddink.

Mufc 10 trophies since 2004, well you know that one.

Afc 0 trophies since 2005, either Arsene's a very lucky guy or it's a lot less demanding working in north London!

 

So who's it going to be Pep or Rafa?

Edited November 21, 2012 by Red Devil

[oggy1953]

Chelsea can always have AVB back,...Honest i don't mind.

[kevinlms]

Chelsea can always have AVB back,...Honest i don't mind.

 

Or Mourinho, anyone but Benitz, please.

[DavidLong]

I thought that certain remarks in the press about Chelsea being 'humiliated' by Juventus were well wide of the mark. The first two goals were deflections and the third came when Chelsea were pushing to get something from the game. This also ignores the fact that Juventus are in formidable form, helped by the signing of Andrea Pirlo from Milan who, allegedly, reckoned that his knees had gone! Starting the game without a recognised striker was, in the words of Sir Humphrey Appleby, 'a courageous decision' but none of Chelsea's strikers is exactly uprootong trees at present. I see that there is a suggestion of trying to lure Drogba back! Sturridge looked good when I watched him playing for Bolton but seems to have regressed while Victor Moses is promising at 22 but doesn't give the impression of a twenty goal a season striker at present. And as for El Nino . . . well, hence the courting of his old mentor, Rafa.

So, not really humiliation but more toothless I would have said

Anyway, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for my lads against the mighty Montpellier this evening. No Theo so we may be 'treated' to the sight of Gervinho which should be good for a laugh if nothing else.

 

David

Edited November 21, 2012 by DavidLong

[RhBBob]

I thought that certain remarks in the press about Chelsea being 'humiliated' by Juventus were well wide of the mark. The first two goals were deflections and the third came when Chelsea were pushing to get something from the game. This also ignores the fact that Juventus are in formidable form, helped by the signing of Andrea Pirlo from Milan who, allegedly, reckoned that his knees had gone! Starting the game without a recognised striker was, in the words of Sir Humphrey Appleby, 'a courageous decision' but none of Chelsea's strikers is exactly uprootong trees at present. I see that there is a suggestion of trying to lure Drogba back! Sturridge looked good when I watched him playing for Bolton but seems to have regressed while Victor Moses is promising at 22 but doesn't give the impression of a twenty goal a season striker at present. And as for El Nino . . . well, hence the courting of his old mentor, Rafa.

So, not really humiliation but more toothless I would have said

Anyway, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for my lads against the mighty Montpellier this evening. No Theo so we may be 'treated' to the sight of Gervinho which should be good for a laugh if nothing else.

 

David

 

Yes, absolutely right ! I did wonder why Milan let Pirlo go but you have answered that question. People question why Andriy Shevchenko and Kaka did not (immediately) succeed away from Milan but of course Pirlo plus Gattuso, Seydorf, Maldini, Nesta and Co made them both look pretty good. Come back Channel 4 and Serie A.

 

Still what do I know. Get ready to laugh, David - question 'Do you follow football ? No, I'm a L**ds *n*t*d fan.'

[colin penfold]

Chelsea can always have AVB back,...Honest i don't mind.

 

YEAH NICE TRY!

[colin penfold]

S'funny, until red devil mentioned the trophy count I was thinking that it would be nice to see Chelsea give some loyalty to a manager, but the two totally different approaches have reaped the same level of rewards. I'm sure there are a couple of clubs with comperable numbers of managers who have won nothing too.

 

I feel sorry for RDM - only at CFC could you get rewarded for winning the Champions league and FA cup wth getting fired.

 

I hope that severance payments to managers don't count towards the financial fair play rules or we will be playing in the conference soon!

 

Steve K can you please come on here and predict Benitez being our next manager. I'd rather have your namesake!

[gwrrob]

I'm sure there are a couple of clubs with comperable numbers of managers who have won nothing too.

 

Yes mine with ten managers in ten years and two relegations too in that time.Feel sorry for RDM after winning European cup as well.Oh how I'd wish to be that unsuccessful as a club.

[Mucky Duck]

So who's it going to be Pep or Rafa?

 

Really don't think it's gonna be Pep. I suspect he'd prefer a project where he knows he'll be given time so I think that Abramovich has made a mistake getting rid of Di Matteo at this stage if he's trying to attract Guardiola now or in the future.

[Red Devil]

Really don't think it's gonna be Pep. I suspect he'd prefer a project where he knows he'll be given time so I think that Abramovich has made a mistake getting rid of Di Matteo at this stage if he's trying to attract Guardiola now or in the future.

 

I'd agree with that, Also the appointment of two of the CFB backroom team at Eastlands sort of hints that if anything happens with Mancini, that's then Guardiola's likely destination.

 

So FSW is on his way to London, still maintain he's more of a 'cup' manager than a league manager.

 

Di Matteo to carry the can for any Clattenburg fallout?

[colin penfold]

Well Sky sports have run an announcement that it is indeed Benitez for Chelsea. I'm as gutted as a plaice fillet. That lunatic Spaniard had the job he deserved already - unemployed! RDM had a better win ratio than Benitez so I cant see how that's supposed to be a step forward.

 

The only advantages I can see that attracted CFC to him were - no compensation for another club, willing to take a short term interim contract, spanish speaking and might just get Torres to score without the need to visit a brothel.

 

Well, me and Andrew Sachs could have done it instead and we'd have been cheaper.

 

Gonna sulk now........

Edited November 21, 2012 by colin penfold

[Red Devil]

Carlsberg obviously do do Wednesday nights

 

FSW appointed Chelsea Manager and City out of the Champions league (possibly Europa league too, they need a result at Dortmund now, not easy)

 

:yahoo:

 

Sorry to all those who may be offended, then again maybe not!

[Mucky Duck]

Not offended at all (although I do find the little digs in your signature a bit cheap). While Man City remain league champions, everything's like water of a duck's back to me - and it's not as if Man United are going to win the Champs League anyway… like City, they're just nowhere near good enough currently. I'd have thought you'd prefer Man City to have progressed through the group stages though. Now we can concentrate on the Premiership, which can only mean bad news for the other teams… barring a huge dose of Cityitis.

Edited November 22, 2012 by Mucky Duck

[Horsetan]

For Abramovich, the world is not enough. If Guardiola knows what's good for him, he should keep away.

[Red Devil]

Not offended at all (although I do find the little digs in your signature a bit cheap). While Man City remain league champions, everything's like water of a duck's back to me - and it's not as if Man United are going to win the Champs League anyway… like City, they're just nowhere near good enough currently. I'd have thought you'd prefer Man City to have progressed through the group stages though. Now we can concentrate on the Premiership, which can only mean bad news for the other teams… barring a huge dose of Cityitis.

 

The sig's a joke, I'm sure you'd be just as delighted if we got knocked out, it's all part of the rivalry, I'l be honest I wouldn't want City to win the M/cr senior cup, and I'd expect it to be the same the other way round, City, Liverpool and Leeds are our rivals, Arsenal, Chelsea, whoever else just don't count, it doesn't matter what division or position any of those three are in, they matter, the rest less so, we may be rivals on the pitch but anything else forget it and like I say I think it should be the same the other way round and to be honest I'd be dissapointed if it wasn't.

 

As to not good enough, Chelsea last year, Liverpool 2005 there are loads of times when the best team doesn't win it, the luckiest team does, not saying we will in any shape or form, because yeah, you're right we're nowhere near as good as we could or should be, lets be honest when we won it in '99 we were second best to Bayern for at leat 75 minute and were lucky to still be 0-1, everyone seemingly forgets that, I don't, we were very lucky.

[Mucky Duck]

I understand it's all part of the rivalry RD and, as mentioned, I wasn't offended. I did notice your absence from here for a while after last May and can understand why. Of course, absolutely the last team I'd like to take any major honours would be Man United, although I have to say that - for reasons to do with arrogance, most recently being the presence of Mourinho and Ronaldo - I've increasingly loathed Real Madrid to a similar level. Last weekend fell into place perfectly for my team and I was, indeed, highly delighted. Last night went the other way but it didn't bother me too much that United had already progressed as it means a busier schedule for you guys.

 

I also agree with you to a certain extent that about luck in the Champions League and that, on paper, Chelsea were not good enough to win it but they did the right things at the right time and got away with it. It wasn't a great spectacle or a particularly good advert for football but it brought the cup home and I guess that's what it's all about these days. I sincerely hope your lot don't manage the same feat and I don't think you will. However, being a City supporter, I also have these dreaded little thoughts that it could all go horribly wrong.

[Colin]

This link confirms your thoughts, scroll down to 2221 to see Tony Pulis's comment http://www.bbc.co.uk...tball/20398662. This tactic is becoming more prevalent in the game, just something else referees and assistants "don't see".

 

I'd though a draw might be the outcome. Feathers all removed now :0)

 

Rob

 

I was there and I didn't see Charlie Adam's foul! Oh well, a 1-1 draw was a fair result, as my son remarked, it was never going to be a classic - Stoke deserved their 1-0 lead (just as well Nzonzi's shot hit the underside of the bar!) and the Hammers deserved to equalise (shame O'Neill's curler was just wide of the post!)

 

I just hope Carroll finally scores before he leaves in either January or next May! He certainly works hard enough.