Re: Football talk
 

I am glad it stayed, it shows to other footballers maybe they should get a sense of responsbility esp. the Leicester City players.

Re: Football talk
 

The strange thing is that the panel were satisfied that Rio wasn't guilty of taking any banned substance, and I quote:
So I guess the ban for being found guilty of taking a banned substance means a lifetime ban ?

Rio's ban seems a bit harsh when you read this, a smaller ban for actually taking drugs :confused:

Re: Football talk
 

The responsibility to turn up for tests and so on. The FIFA/FA don't treat it as a "nothing" thing even though they have to admit their guidelines are a bit skewed. So in future, if a footballer is asked to provide a sample, they should do so at the time stated to avoid all this bother.

Re: Football talk
 

That lanky twit Pallister was on the radio earlier saying how cruel it was to ban Rio when he had only missed a test and not taken any drugs. Missed the point, you have to have the same punishment for missing/refusing a test (same thing) as actually testing positive, otherwise cheats have an incentive to miss a test if they know they're positive. In any other sport Rio (and all those Dutchmen the other year) would be looking at anywhere north of a year's ban, football needs to get round to this mindset ASAP otherwise it'll look like a cheat's charter.

Man Utd in decline? Yes, I think so now. Look at the youth brought through recently - United have a few decent players but nothing in the Giggs/Scholes/Beckham class. Chelsea and especially Arsenal have some superb youngsters. The younger you get them, the more passion, the easier they fit in, all good sides have a home-grown core or at least a core who've been together for years (Arsenal back four, United late 90s midfield).

Also top stars can now have a choice in English football - a few years ago they had a choice of Man U or nowhere if they wanted Champions League football, now they can go to Arsenal or Chelsea, live in London rather than Manchester, avoid the hairdryer and have an enlightened modern manager like the urbane Wenger or Ranieri/Eriksson/Hitzfeld (delete as applicable) who won't **** them off in public or kick footwear at them. And they'll still have their Champ's League football with teams that actually reach the quarter finals.

Chelsea have nicked two players who could make a real difference to United (Duff/Robben) and Ronaldinho decided he was ugly enough without a Fergie Footwear Facial.

So Arsenal have the best of the youth of Europe at under-21 level* and the pick of the best talent who aren't completely money-obsessed, Chelsea have about 15 midfielders and anyone they fancy in the summer (except Henry, please). United have the prospect of an 'improved' (i.e. not as ****e) Kleberson and Djemba-Djemba, plus Plug coming back from his suspension, if he remembers the way to the training ground, and surely O'Shea won't be as ****e as he has been this season. Frightening.

*Ahem. Reyes, Bentley, Hoyte, Fabregas, Senderos, Stack. Three out of those have been nicked from under the noses of the best clubs in Europe, the other three are home-grown.

Re: Football talk
 

So why did a Man City player escape with a £2000 fine for exactly the same offence.
Ferdinand is guilty as charged, but he was made an example of, and the punishment is excessive.

Re: Football talk
 

there always someone who been made an example of just to show no one can get away with it whether it a ban or fine.

Re: Football talk
 

If the FA enforeced things properly Rio could have got 2 years. 8 months is perfect or maybe a little lenient. Certinaly not harsh at all.

Re: Football talk
 

Yes guilty, yes example, no, not excessive, possibly even lenient. The Man City player is a red herrring, the FA is getting tough, which they should have done ages ago when it was realised that positive drugs tests and missed drugs tests merit the same punishment. Ferdinand happens to be the dozy twonk who failed to realise how important drugs tests are.

Everyone knows where they stand now, players will have had a rude wake up call and it should ensure clubs look after their assets more (what reputable company would risk a £30m asset being taken away for the cost of an Outlook diary entry and a tap on the shoulder?) Man United have been blaming everyone except themselves on this, it's time they accepted it and shut up.

Re: Football talk
 

I also think that the FA should look at changing their procedures.

Instead of saying "OK you've been selected for a drugs test, go get changed and come see us in half a hour." I think they should say "OK you've been selected for a drugs test, this is a representive from the FA, he will stay with you until the test is completed."

I have no doubt that if Rio had not been suspended we would be still in the title race, and probably the champions league.

I was also reading something about the NHL, where if a player is suspended then he does not receive his salary, this salary insteads goes to a fund set up to help players who have had to retire because of injury or other reasons. I think that something like this would be good in football, maybe players would think a bit more if their pockets were going to be hit!

Re: Football talk
 

True that United have really fallen apart without him, but that's discounting the waning Keane, the lack of Beckham and the fuss over the horse.

Drugs testers should be able to call for tests anywhere and everywhere (training pitch, matchdays etc). However, I can see certain, er, physical problems with the tester remaining with the player until the sample is produced, he's only human after all and it takes time for Nature to take its course.

Re: Football talk
 

Not really, we didn't have Beckham for the first half of the season when we were top, and when we won the league last year Beckham was injured for a lot of matches, including the big one. Now if you said the lack of Solskjaer, I would agree with you.
As for Keane, he may not be able to do it every game these days, but when he does, he's still one of the best defensive midfielders in the game.

I don't really see a problem. I don't mean that the representive should be right by his side, holding the cup! But he should wait for him at the dressing room and then escort him to the testing area and wait for him to complete the test.

I still don't think Rio should still be being paid.

Re: Football talk
 

As all Gooners know, medals aren't handed out for being top in November. As for being injured, Scholes was injured most of the time United were doing ok earlier in the season and him coming back has coincided with the current startling decline, but it's not his fault. Beckham scored a lot, made a lot and hasn't been replaced and United are in danger of slipping back into third place permanently as a result, and this can all be traced back to Man U not being a big enough club for top stars any more.

Any fool can see that if you've got a great midfield of Beckham/Scholes/Keane/Giggs and you sell one, move one forward and move one back you leave a hole. The question is, has that hole been filled (playing Solksjaer out of position doesn't count as filling it)?

Keane's strength wasn't as a defensive midfielder, it was as a box-to-box midfielder. That's gone from his game due to age.

Re: Football talk
 

Man Utd 3 - 0 Tottenham R
Giggs 30
Ronaldo 89
Bellion 90

Good to see that we've kept a clean sheet for once!!!

Wonder who will start in goal against Arsenal, Howard or Carroll

Re: Football talk
 

after carrolls clean sheet and howards cinderella tactics i think we should keep carroll in until howards got his bottle back

Re: Football talk
 

Oh come on, it was only Spurs ffs. They always bottle it at OT and they're desperate to avoid handing Arsenal the title at ****e Hart Lane.