Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

We'll have to see. All just rumours and speculation at the moment. Vertonghen might make too many center backs...

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

he's versatile though

---------- Post added at 17:30 ---------- Previous post was at 16:02 ----------

here we go again...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2...?newsfeed=true

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

When will these sick idiotic people ever learn.:td::(

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

I worry about the gene pool, I'm sure it has been deluted too far :D

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

probably.

@ Adz, would you welcome Yoann Gourcuff at Newcastle? His situation has got me wondering and I'm not entirely sure Wenger will move for him, I hope he does. Pardew on the other hand has got his eye on the French league and must know of Gourcuffs situation, if things could get agreed and say Arsenal don't go for him I could see him in a Newcastle shirt next season. Quality player that needs a bit of guidance, its got Wenger signing all over it but I don't know if Wenger will opt on bringing in extra heads which he should be doing... it could be a chance for Newcastle to pounce.

---------- Post added at 18:43 ---------- Previous post was at 18:25 ----------

QPR ask for help identifying coin-thrower at Arsenal match

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/f...h-7608492.html

theres no need for this sort of extreme insanity.

:tu:

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

What a strike from Tony V tonight, he's been fantastic for us this season when fit.

Number 20 is in sight.....

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

I'm still not convinced we won't slip up, we've been too inconsistent and lost/drawn silly games we should have dominated.

Although how satisfying will it be if we take number 20 and remind City that all their billions couldn't get past an unusually weakened side :D

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

We've won 10 of the last 11, with the other being the comeback at Chelsea...

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

If United can see off QPR next Sunday and our mates close to Kings Cross Station can do the honours of beating City....

Arsenal v Man City Sun 8 Apr 16:00

It could be no. 20, until then I am not gonna gloat

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

I love watching Man Utd fans gloat..it reminds me how humble they really are :D

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Its all over Russ so open the bar and invite all your friends in.:)

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Hoilett wont be free regardless of his contract being up.

---------- Post added at 06:47 ---------- Previous post was at 06:46 ----------

When Djourou is one of the centre backs, you haven't got enough...

---------- Post added at 06:48 ---------- Previous post was at 06:47 ----------

Take Giroud out and that's about a £50 million spending spree, just what the doctor and the club ordered.

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

I only gloat when it comes to City's billions - I'll be the first to admit if we win the league then we'll have done by only rarely playing like champions. No team has been firing on all cylinders this year and if we played Barcelona right now we would get slaughtered and rightly so.

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Couldnt agree more. I do hope we win the league and get title number 20. If we win i also get £60 from a fee of my mates due to some bets. If we win and City comes 2nd then surely they will have to learn that money doesnt buy you straight success

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Its the same frisson of pleasure I get whenever ABU's go off on one whenever United win.;):D

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

You can't really rotate central defenders that much. I don't see a place with Vermaelen, Koscielny, Vertonghen and Mertesacker being in the team. Not to mention the wages. Maybe with Vertonghen and Vermaelen both being able to play on the left...

I would be happy with Podolski, M'Vila, another left back, and maybe another striker but it depends who we ship out.

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Tommys not a left back though, he just about gets the job done. i'll be glad to not see him in that position ever again, infact I'd rather him play as a striker but then again he was one in his younger days :o: tbh we don't need Djourou, hes not really that good at right back plus we've got Coquelin. Coquelin wont get many games in his preferred position with our squad being soo competitive should things happen this summer so right back is a position in which he'll probably feature should injuries come up. as for rotation, the seasons long, 4 competitions and tactically and selection wise is key to success, knowing when to drop a player when hes being overplayed or needing a little rest. squad spirit will need to be high to evade conflict which it should, if people start moaning good. its better than being in the sort of naive positions we've been in for the past few seasons.... neglect.

---------- Post added at 14:33 ---------- Previous post was at 14:31 ----------

do you mean the signing on fee?

yeah I don't reckon we'll sign Giroud, its a step to far and will ultimately cause too much of an issue with our formation. instead Wengers going for a rough diamond, Matty Suarez.

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

I think AC Milan will go through tonight. I want Barca to score in the 5th minute, then pulverise the AC Milan goal for a further 80 without scoring.... And then Milan to score in the 89th minute to go through on away goal!

COme on Milan!

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Yes l will be supporting Milan as well.:cleader::cleader:

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

I won't. Come on Barcelona! I think it's sad if the best team in the world, which they are regardless of what happens tonight, go out in the Quarter finals. They should at least get to the final.

Centre backs don't tend to get rotated as much as the other positions. The partnership between centre backs is one of the most important in football, probably the most important.

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

yeah I'll be happy if Barcelona go through which they should playing on their lavish pitch :mad:

very true but what are the chances of an injury popping up or someone falling off form. its best to prepare for the worst. Vertonghens the same age as Djourou you know, I thought he'd been a bit older.

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Yes we all know they are the best team in the world but it would be nice if one of the other teams could win it.:)

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Although I'd rather play AC Milan in the next round, we'll beat Barca in the semi! I see a Real Madrid Chelsea final!

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Well yeah. If your a Chelsea fan you would prefer Milan. That said it can depend. I realised the idea of getting Barcelona again had we gone though. It's what European nights are made of, it's why I badly want to be in the Champions League next year.

I was at the game last year, where Arsenal won the home leg against Barcelona 2 - 1. It was probably my best moment as a supporter, the atmosphere was unreal. Easily trumps the cup wins where I was a mere TV spectator.

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

I am hopeful of Milan going through...under dog is always nice..and strange to think of milan as an under dog :D

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Yes but would the players I mentioned be happy with being back up. Who do you see as the regular pairing of Vermaelen, Koscielny, Vertonghen and Mertesacker? Mertesacker could be back up, fair enough. However would Vertonghen be happy with that? I suspect not. I would really not want to displace Koscielny, our second best defender after Sagna IMO, either.

So it's difficult to see Wenger paying £10 million plus wages to create that problem....:confused: Unless we find a place to play all three then I don't see us buying him. (Vertonghen can play as a defensive midfielder, or since Vermaelen likes to push forward he could go there).

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Vertonghen as left back

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

:tu: Be happy with that. He can also play DM so that would give us more options.

---------- Post added at 15:48 ---------- Previous post was at 15:47 ----------

If get M'Vila I like the idea of being able to play two defensive midfielders for some games.

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

yeah there'll deffo be a lot of potential 'switch ups' should Wenger and co get all this wrapped up

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Aghhh why do we do this to ourselves!?! We all know M'Vila will go to United, Vertonghen will go to Italy, and City will take Van Persie, and we'll get some 17 year old Brazilian winger.

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

oh great thanks for killing the mood

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

You never know..and i thought I heard about taarabt wanting to play for arsenal..though not sure he would add anything to Arsenal ...far better to get a couple of german strikers to add a bit of oomph up front

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Well lets see what Barcelona can do now as they have conceded the dreaded away goal.

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Good to see the penalty awarded for that shirt pulling from Nesta.

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Six of one and half a dozen of the other in my mind.:)

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

good evening one and all

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Good evening to the great one.:)

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

No, he's under 24 so there will be a fee involved although I think they can get that fee down even more because he's a foreign national...

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

So Chelsea will face Barcelona if they can, as we expect, get past Benfica.

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

the compensation, forgot about that. its not much though is it?

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Can add up, 5 million easy for some one of his quality...

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Well Chelsea sure will have to improve significantly if they are to trouble Barcelona.

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

TBH, I wasn't that impressed by Barca last night, two pens, one at least self inflicted due to AC giving the ball away and Milan did have several chances they didn't take.

Jim.

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Chelsea will get battered by Barca. The two fixtures and either side of their trip to Arsenal too.

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

The Barcelona that turned up last night would have trouble against Madrid, although they usually raise their game against Madrid and become that incredible team we know they are. However they would walk all over the Chelsea that turned up tonight.

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

But will they get battered by your beloved though?:)

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

probably

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Nice to know you are very confident of the outcome.:D

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Bilbao v Schalke < this game cannot end!

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Yes its a excellent game thenry.:tu:

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

I'm enjoying the Reading vs Leeds game

Once Leeds stopped trying to live up to the "dirty dirty Leeds" name, they have made the last 10 minutes quite good

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

A very poor game from what l have seen and Reading are nothing special either and Leeds are a extremely dirty side.

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Great 2nd goal by Cisse

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

What a bargain.

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

From BBC website

Craig in Leeds via text: "Liverpool should forget about buying Newcastles strikers... Just buy their scouts!"

:D

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Its always nice to see Colin happy.:D

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Here we go again.:(:td:

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Nuts. Chelsea got a winner right at the end. More pressure on Arsenal. Don't think we'll win tomorrow so our lead is now 2 points.

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Well Damien l think you will win tomorrow so keep that chin up.:)

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Wigan were unlucky. Chelseas 1st was clearly offside. They should of atleast got a point.

I watched the Liverpool match. Villa stuck in there but could have taken 3points had they of been a little more adventurous going forward.. mainly in the final third. Suarez falling to ground way too easily as usual. Not sure why Kenny brought on both Carroll and Bellamy. Liverpool only needed Carroll on and didnt need Downing off.

I reckon we'll win tomorrow Damien. City have hit the wall.

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

I hope your right. 2 points would put so much pressure on us to beat Chelsea and Stoke away.

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

I reckon we'll be fine if Wenger doesnt mess up. The last thing we need is Ramsey playing a somewhat free role pretty much getting in the way. I'm not sold on Gervinho yet, he needs to up his workrate let alone threat going forward.. may be a chance for Ox to get game time?

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

I am surprised that no one has brought up the Celtic scenario, with them winning the SPL by default.

All the Celtic fans and players jumping with joy, that will be the easiest title that they have won.

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

probably cos its boring

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

If both teams play to the same level than City have the better team so it's obviously concerning.

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

But if l was betting my money then it would be on Arsenal as they are the team in good form while Man City in the last month have stumbled from one poor result to another.

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Here is a great teaser for everyone, there is only a few games to go, so is there anyone out there with prepared to say who goes down and who goes onto better things.

My prediction.

Top Four Man Utd, Man City, Tottenham, Arsenal

Bottom Three, Wolves, Blackburn, QPR or Wigan.

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

My money is on Fleetwood Town, come on the Cod Army. :cool:

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Yes Jim, they are as good as promoted to the football league with 101 points already.
Although they might trip up later this month when they travel to the mighty Cambridge :D

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Top four as Arthur has it. I hope.

Bottom three to be Wigan, QPR and Wolves.

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

I would say in two years we will have TWO Premier League Divisions, Championship and Div one and Two. (Blue Square will be a new division with Tv from Sky or ESPN)

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

That's not a bad idea Arthur, but I thought that the big clubs wanted a european league ?

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

My prediction:

Utd
City
Arsenal
Newcastle

---------------------

QPR
Wigan
Wolves

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

The idea of a two-tiered Premier League has been mooted for a while. It may gain traction with the Championship getting better and better each year to the point where the top 5 or 6 teams in that league could easily compete with the bottom half of the EPL.

It's hard to see how it would work. Too few games. You don't want to have the same games 4 times a season instead of 2. I think cutting down the league to 16 teams might be an idea and splitting up the Championship up to accommodate the other four teams. This would also allow us to have a winter break and a slightly shorter season.

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

If Arsenal fail to get anything from City then it's all eyes on Newcastle & Chelsea

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

:nono::)

Man Utd
Man City
Tottenham
Arsenal

---------------------

Blackburn
Wigan
Wolves

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

They just keep on coming..

He's been training a lot since some sort of gravitational pull caused him to lose his balance in the penalty area at St James'

http://iseeahappyface.com/upload/6245kBfs6.gif

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

I think United, City, Spurs, Arsenal is the more likely combination but if we don't get a result today then we HAVE to beat Chelsea in a few weeks and win the games in between. We have a difficult run in May having to go away to Stoke and West Brom. Chelsea have been woeful, I don't think they have gotten any better but they seem to have had the rub of the green for the last few games now. If that continues I suspect they will nick it.

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

I think the biggest shock of this season will be that l feel Harry Rednapp will turn down the England job if this is offered.

I think family ties, and his health will play a major factor in his decision, Harry loves to work with his players on a daily basis, not like the England set up.

Also, Harry will decide the choice of players will be limited, as besides the England old bpys, who else can he select for England with the present set of players.

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Arthur..I watched Family ties...that show is not worth giving the England job up for...he can watch repeats anytime :D

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Another joke of a referee at OT l am afraid as he sends off Shaun Derry for what at most was a yellow card but what about Rooney's two footed challenge 5 minutes earlier.:td::(

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Well well well...not a dive? lol :D

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Not only was it a dive but he was also offside. Abysmal decision. Should have been a free kick to QPR but instead they are a goal and a man down purely because of rubbish decision making AGAIN.

Oh well. No point complaining about it. Off to The Arsenal, hoping they do us and United a favor.

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Agree with everything you say..except I want a city win

That said, maybe I should cheer Arsenal..self evident (except to Man Utd supporters) that the bias for Man Utd should mean the league is sewn up :D

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

It was a bad decision but that's human nature. Decisions go against United too.

Still by the end of the day it won't mean anything, we'll still just be 5 points clear. Man City are only playing Arsenal.

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Still the decisions seem to fall United's way quite a bit recently.

City are probably favourites today. Hope we have a good ref (or at least a bad one who gives us some decisions)

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

strange line ups.. Arsenal v City

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

:D i clicked your link thinking that was the lineups...huba huba no lol

---------- Post added at 15:17 ---------- Previous post was at 15:16 ----------

But Silva needs a break...might be someone to come on with 30 minutes to go

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

looks like a tactical war

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Yes its not what l expected.

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

no Silva Colin

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

It's the same team that played against Spurs.

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Arsenal: Szczesny, Sagna, Koscielny, Vermaelen, Gibbs, Arteta, Song, Walcott, Rosicky, Benayoun, van Persie.
Subs: Fabianski, Andre Santos, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ramsey, Djourou, Jenkinson, Chamakh.

Man City: Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy, Toure Yaya, Barry, Milner, Aguero, Nasri, Balotelli.
Subs: Pantilimon, Richards, Pizarro, Dzeko, Kolarov, Tevez, De Jong.

Referee: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire)

---------- Post added at 15:45 ---------- Previous post was at 15:40 ----------

the same result would be nice :D

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

l can only see one winner here and it ain't City not with their current away form and Mancini's increasingly baffling decision making.

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

I shall say this only once

UP the ARSenal!

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

That could be taken both ways :D

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Whatever takes your fancy :)

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

From BBc site, no wonder Peter liked her


From Wendy in Cambridge, via text: "I'm a United fan, and was really looking forward to this afternoon's drama. But Ashley Young's dive has taken the edge off... Much better to win things 'fair & square', this just leaves a bad taste (agree too that retrospective bans for blatant dives a good idea)."

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

Opta Sports on Twitter: "7 - Since the start of 2010-11, Ashley Young has won more PL*penalties than any other player (Luis Suárez is second with 5). Involved."

Re: Football Season 2011/12
 

You see it does even itself up, mad Mario should have walked for that tackle and he didn't even get a warning.:rolleyes: