The British & Irish Football Thread

[Penton-Man]

I got my soccer fix this weekend after the international break. One day, Dutch neighbors invited us over for a Barca v. Real El Clasico watch party, in return, the next I hosted a Leicester City v. Southampton watch party.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by tob

We got Watford at home steedeel but its too late in my eyes for us now and it be the same again next season with Wenger.

My question is after he goes will the purse strings loosen? If not, then the Board also takes the blame.

[Penton-Man]

^
For you see, and I don’t know whether this is true or not, but one of my soccer colleagues claims the Board members get their bonuses every year so long as the Gunners make it into Champions League. Ergo, accomplish that as cheaply as possible and anything beyond that is unexpected gravy.

[tob]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

My question is after he goes will the purse strings loosen? If not, then the Board also takes the blame.

I think they will because why Arsenal are not active enough in the transfer market in past seasons is down to Arsene Wenger and if a new manager came in that will change.

[tob]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

^
For you see, and I don’t know whether this is true or not, but one of my soccer colleagues claims the Board members get their bonuses every year so long as the Gunners make it into Champions League. Ergo, accomplish that as cheaply as possible and anything beyond that is unexpected gravy.

I am not too sure on that penton but the manager and the players have a bonus clause in their contracts if they qualify for the Champions League.

[Penton-Man]

Well I hope that whoever eventually replaces Arsene goes to a more direct style of football.

As a follow-up to the past posts about Johan C., for those who missed the Barca v. Real Madrid match, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...l-Clasico.html

also the 14th minute of the match was a moving moment.

[tob]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Well I hope that whoever eventually replaces Arsene goes to a more direct style of football.

As a follow-up to the past posts about Johan C., for those who missed the Barca v. Real Madrid match, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...l-Clasico.html

also the 14th minute of the match was a moving moment.

We can't play direct style of football today penton as few teams play that way any more.
The next manager can play what we are doing today and he can improve on it with his own tactics.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by tob

We can't play direct style of football today penton as few teams play that way any more.
The next manager can play what we are doing today and he can improve on it with his own tactics.

Eh, maybe I shouldn’t have made that comment in the same post as that with Johan. With direct football, I didn’t necessarily mean *total football* a la Johan Cruff and the Dutch back in the day, I meant I’d like to see Arsenal not passing the ball sideways constantly , allowing the other team to set up and then trying to walk the damn ball into the net.

Be more direct like Leicester City…..or Real Madrid or other more 'direct' teams.

[Geoff D]

Yes, I kinda thought that Penton meant a more attacking style rather than Wimbledon-style 'kick and run' of old, which is what usually springs to mind when we talk of 'direct' football. Must be them American pundits.

[Geoff D]

Phew, that's us safe I reckon. We're only four points from 12th (!) which shows how compacted this table really is, I hope Palace can put a run together but the Everton game in midweek will be tricky and we're on telly next Sunday against bleedin' Arsenal. Guaranteed three points for them, then.

[edit] Actually, we're only three points from 12th given the goal difference! If we sneak a cheeky win in midweek then by Saturday we'll be safely ensconced in mid table. Unreal.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Phew, that's us safe I reckon. We're only four points from 12th (!) which shows how compacted this table really is, I hope Palace can put a run together but the Everton game in midweek will be tricky and we're on telly next Sunday against bleedin' Arsenal. Guaranteed three points for them, then.

[edit] Actually, we're only three points from 12th given the goal difference! If we sneak a cheeky win in midweek then by Saturday we'll be safely ensconced in mid table. Unreal.

Never in doubt Geoff. Congrats, Puncheon was quite emotional wasn't he? That's you lot safe, it's Norwich or us now. Guess who we play next week?

Pizzamorg, you can afford to lose one game surely.

Tob, sorry you didn't get all 3 points, the defence were shocking though, almost as bad as us!

[Pizzamorg]

I suppose we can let you have the one point

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Pizzamorg

I suppose we can let you have the one point

Nah, all three. Early Christmas present!

Seriously, a point wouldn't be a disaster IF we can beat Norwich next week.

[Geoff D]

Leicester keep marching on! I haven't seen a team play that much hoofball in a long time - not that I'm sneering, it's all Palace can manage most of the time - but every point means so much at this stage of the season so who cares how the wins come? Pressure back on Spurs to get something against Utd later, if they draw or lose then that's game over, surely.

As for Sunderland, I thought they looked good and organised but they just didn't have a killer edge up front (how Borini managed to hit his face with that attempted shot while he scored a worldy against Palace I'll never know) and ran out of puff at the end. Valiant effort, but all is not lost. Playing Norwich next week with a game in hand over them, the Mackems' destiny is still in their own hands.

[tob]

Just give Leicester the title now and lets start again next season it has been a poor season.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Leicester keep marching on! I haven't seen a team play that much hoofball in a long time - not that I'm sneering, it's all Palace can manage most of the time - but every point means so much at this stage of the season so who cares how the wins come? Pressure back on Spurs to get something against Utd later, if they draw or lose then that's game over, surely.

As for Sunderland, I thought they looked good and organised but they just didn't have a killer edge up front (how Borini managed to hit his face with that attempted shot while he scored a worldy against Palace I'll never know) and ran out of puff at the end. Valiant effort, but all is not lost. Playing Norwich next week with a game in hand over them, the Mackems' destiny is still in their own hands.

Well, I can't lie. It is very difficult to post this considering my frame of mind. First of all, congrats Pizzamorg. You deserved the win. You won the midfield battle in the second half, kept it tight and did a great job on Defoe (our only threat) also, when it was required you showed the necessary finesse to bury us.
I think you have done it now, seven points is a lot to catch up at this stage.

Now, just a little rant. Rodwell, **** off! 10 million for you is a pathetic waste of money now go and (IMO) fleece another club while we recover and try to get straight back up. You utter ******* waste of football boots.

Rant over.

Coming out of the ground today, the common feeling seemed to be that thats it! Relegation now.

[tob]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Well, I can't lie. It is very difficult to post this considering my frame of mind. First of all, congrats Pizzamorg. You deserved the win. You won the midfield battle in the second half, kept it tight and did a great job on Defoe (our only threat) also, when it was required you showed the necessary finesse to bury us.
I think you have done it now, seven points is a lot to catch up at this stage.

Now, just a little rant. Rodwell, **** off! 10 million for you is a pathetic waste of money now go and (IMO) fleece another club while we recover and try to get straight back up. You utter ******* waste of football boots.

Rant over.

Coming out of the ground today, the common feeling seemed to be that thats it! Relegation now.

Don't give up just yet steedeel the Norwich game next you can get something.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by tob

Don't give up just yet steedeel the Norwich game next you can get something.

We can, doubt we will though Tob.

[tob]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

We can, doubt we will though Tob.

I do agree about Rodwell you have to move players like that out he has done nothing at Sunderland and that was a terrible miss today.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by tob

I do agree about Rodwell you have to move players like that out he has done nothing at Sunderland and that was a terrible miss today.

We had Seb Larsson on the bench, he would have ran himself into the ground for us. Much better option than Plodwell Tob.