The British & Irish Football Thread

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Great comeback tob!

In other news: Palace = load of old shite. Guess which team only had one away win this entire season before playing Palace at Selhurst tonight? Yep. Other teams, they get a new manager bounce. We get a new manager flatline. Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep...

Yes, Zaha is our one shining light...but he's off to the AFCON for at least three weeks with the Cote d'Ivoire. It really was fun while it lasted but this team (if I can call it that) is too far gone to rescue.

We are losing 3 first team players to the AFCON despite having half the team out still. We had to put 3 unheard of kids on the bench on Saturday. We had 9 first teamers out for the first few games of the season. Then................our keeper Pickford, who has been outstanding (soon to join Liverpool or Arsenal if you believe rumours) is out for 2 months. On top of that, we don't even have enough money to sign a loan player apparently. We are trying to sell the club and can't expect any major investments. Thanks Ellis, just what we wanted to hear when we are on 15 points!

So Geoff, we are in a much worse state. Why do I bring this up? Because you are ahead of us in the table by 1 point, much much better goal difference and you will probably have money available for two or three additions. I wouldn't be surprised if you get Kone actually.

So to sum it up, pain but gain. Keep the faith in Sam. We were in a much worse state and had a poorer squad than Palace and we stayed up. You will be fine.
Finally it can be annoying when someone states the same thing over and over so I will shut up until May about this point!

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by tob

I am angry because games like this have been in our D.N.A since the last ten years which comes from Wenger that's why we will never come close to be title winners again as setbacks like this will be there every time.
Don't get me wrong i respect Bournemouth and like the way they play and their mentally on things and hope they be back again next season in the premier league they were very good tonight but we don't have that fight and allow teams to dominate us just like when we lost to Man.City, we were afraid to stand up and that will be our downfall every time. if Arsenal fans don't see that then i am not surprised by results like this give the title to Chelsea because we are just pretenders every season.

There is no question that Bournemouth will be in this league next year. They most certainly will.

Tob, I can imagine how frustrating it is but it was a cracking game. I don't think anyone will catch Chelsea. Look at Liverpool, they really must have fancied their chances against us but we spoilt their title chances and left Klopp in a strop!
It's what makes the league so exciting but like you said, Arsenal never learn. As you know, a couple of huge signings may have made all the difference.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

We are losing 3 first team players to the AFCON despite having half the team out still. We had to put 3 unheard of kids on the bench on Saturday. We had 9 first teamers out for the first few games of the season. Then................our keeper Pickford, who has been outstanding (soon to join Liverpool or Arsenal if you believe rumours) is out for 2 months. On top of that, we don't even have enough money to sign a loan player apparently. We are trying to sell the club and can't expect any major investments. Thanks Ellis, just what we wanted to hear when we are on 15 points!

So Geoff, we are in a much worse state. Why do I bring this up? Because you are ahead of us in the table by 1 point, much much better goal difference and you will probably have money available for two or three additions. I wouldn't be surprised if you get Kone actually.

So to sum it up, pain but gain. Keep the faith in Sam. We were in a much worse state and had a poorer squad than Palace and we stayed up. You will be fine.
Finally it can be annoying when someone states the same thing over and over so I will shut up until May about this point!

You're in a far worse state on paper but come on, you're being incredibly myopic about this because even after all that we're only ONE point above you and Palace's squad is laughably thin. Sure, we spent some big money (on a lame defender, big time charlie winger and Benteke who's rapidly losing interest) but don't let that fool you, we still have donkeys like Sako and Kelly and Campbell and Fryers making up our 25 man squad. Losing Soare after his car crash unbalanced the entire defence and it's never recovered, the midfield is a shambles (Puncheon in particular is diabolical) and with Wickham out we've only got Frazier bloody Campbell as a backup if Benteke's out too. The team looks really unfit too, they run out of puff badly near the end of games because they chase so many shadows. Pardew ****ed this team good and proper.

The board won't throw good money after bad, there won't be any more big money signings this season. Yeah, I KNOW that's still more than what you can do but at least your team has fight and heart and spirit. We just had Swansea do the double over us, which says it all really. I look at the remaining fixtures and I genuinely wonder where the next win is coming from, never mind the 25-odd points we'll need to stay up.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

You're in a far worse state on paper but come on, you're being incredibly myopic about this because even after all that we're only ONE point above you and Palace's squad is laughably thin. Sure, we spent some big money (on a lame defender, big time charlie winger and Benteke who's rapidly losing interest) but don't let that fool you, we still have donkeys like Sako and Kelly and Campbell and Fryers making up our 25 man squad. Losing Soare after his car crash unbalanced the entire defence and it's never recovered, the midfield is a shambles (Puncheon in particular is diabolical) and with Wickham out we've only got Frazier bloody Campbell as a backup if Benteke's out too. The team looks really unfit too, they run out of puff badly near the end of games because they chase so many shadows. Pardew ****ed this team good and proper.

The board won't throw good money after bad, there won't be any more big money signings this season. Yeah, I KNOW that's still more than what you can do but at least your team has fight and heart and spirit. We just had Swansea do the double over us, which says it all really. I look at the remaining fixtures and I genuinely wonder where the next win is coming from, never mind the 25-odd points we'll need to stay up.

I don't doubt any of what you said but in terms of going down? Nope, not for me. Let's wait and see Geoff. As for Frazier, yep he was on our books. Good lad but little talent. Championship player IMO. I agree with you there!

[tob]

Good to see Chelsea's run come to a end.

[gvortex7]

Originally Posted by tob

Good to see Chelsea's run come to a end.

Indeed. It's about damn time. I hope this is a taste of things to come.

[OceanBlue]

Of what I saw of tonight's game (Tottenham vs Chelsea), the last 10 minutes or so of the first half, and the whole of the second half, it was an entertaining game. It was neck and neck before Tottenham's first goal. Then after that, Tottenham seemed to gain a lot of confidence. I'm not just saying this because they played tonight, but out of the big teams at and towards the top of the Premiership, I like Tottenham the most (no offence to Tob). While the other teams have been getting the limelight, Tottenham have been working away in the background.

Regarding West Brom and the January transfer window, I don't think Schneiderlin will come to the Albion (he'll very likely go to Everton). And I don't know what the dickens is going on with the 'is he leaving West Brom or is he staying?' saga of Berahino.

[tob]

Originally Posted by gvortex7

Indeed. It's about damn time. I hope this is a taste of things to come.

Agree.

[tob]

Originally Posted by OceanBlue

Of what I saw of tonight's game (Tottenham vs Chelsea), the last 10 minutes or so of the first half, and the whole of the second half, it was an entertaining game. It was neck and neck before Tottenham's first goal. Then after that, Tottenham seemed to gain a lot of confidence. I'm not just saying this because they played tonight, but out of the big teams at and towards the top of the Premiership, I like Tottenham the most (no offence to Tob). While the other teams have been getting the limelight, Tottenham have been working away in the background.

Regarding West Brom and the January transfer window, I don't think Schneiderlin will come to the Albion (he'll very likely go to Everton). And I don't know what the dickens is going on with the 'is he leaving West Brom or is he staying?' saga of Berahino.

I think you got a good chance still to get Schneiderlin OceanBlue, i know Marseille are interested in him but he might stay in the Premier League.

[tob]

Hull appoint Marco Silva as their new manager.
http://www.skysports.com/football/ne...new-head-coach

[OceanBlue]

I know Manchester City are good (when they're on form), but I didn't think it would be the score it currently is, in their third round F.A. Cup match against West Ham (at West Ham's ground).

[tob]

Originally Posted by OceanBlue

I know Manchester City are good (when they're on form), but I didn't think it would be the score it currently is, in their third round F.A. Cup match against West Ham (at West Ham's ground).

I didn't expect that score too OceanBlue.

[gvortex7]

Well, there goes our FA Cup chances. Way to go boys.

[Geoff D]

Eh, it's a clean sheet for us I suppose. Small victories and all that. West Ham next, and for all their teething troubles at the Olympic Stadium my lot won't know what to do with all that space, apart from hoof the ball into it.

[tob]

We could have gone out today in the third round to Preston if we didn't get our act together in the second half i have a feeling we will get a tough draw for the fourth round.

[OceanBlue]

Not saying this in an arrogant way (and I'm not saying the F.A. Cup isn't an important cup tournament), but I'm not too disappointed by today's loss against Derby County, as the league is more important. I think we've got Tottenham a week today (14th January).

Stourbridge did well to get to the third round. I thought they were going to equalise in the last 10 minutes at Wycombe Wanderers' ground.

[tob]

Well done Plymouth they pulled off a good result at Anfield to get a replay.

[tob]

F.A Cup 4th Round Draw

Spurs v Wycombe
Derby v Leicester
Oxford v Newcastle/Birmingham
AFC Wimbledon/Sutton v Cambridge/Leeds
Plymouth/Liverpool v Wolves
Southampton/Norwich v Arsenal
Lincoln/Ipswich v Brighton
Chelsea v Brentford
Man.Utd v Wigan
Millwall v Watford
Rochdale v Huddersfield Town
Burnley/Sunderland v Fleetwood/Bristol C
Blackburn v Barnsley/Blackpool
Fulham v Hull
Middlesbrough v Accrington Stanley
C.Palace/Bolton v Man.City

Ties to be played between 27th and 30th of January.

[Geoff D]

Hhahahahhaaaaaa, we would get Citeh wouldn't we? No cup run for us this year then, though we've got to actually beat Bolton first to get to Man City tearing us a new one.

[OceanBlue]

I watched the F.A. Cup fourth round draw earlier. I was interested in seeing who Derby County, Wycombe Wanderers, Arsenal and Crystal Palace had been drawn against.

Match of the Day 2 this coming Sunday night is on BBC Two instead (I think it used to be on BBC Two before it moved to BBC One), at 10 pm.