[Merged] Football talk - Page 225

Russ · 10-05-2005, 21:46

Aww man this is getting painful

BBKing · 10-05-2005, 21:52

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Stand corrected but my comment was aimed at the Premiership years.

You should have said. How's your unbeaten home run going?

Russ · 10-05-2005, 21:53

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Originally Posted by BBKing

You should have said. How's your unbeaten home run going?

It ended tonight

10-05-2005, 21:57

Absolutely abysmal, outplayed in every area of the pitch.

Ferguson has to be twitching surely ?

Russ · 10-05-2005, 22:00

Some disgusting finishing. Hope SAF enjoys the 05/06 season seeing as it'll be his last as manager.

TigaSefi · 10-05-2005, 22:00

Fergie out any one ? Man Shted still the better team ? I think not!!! Liverpool > Chelsea > Man Shted

10-05-2005, 22:05

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Originally Posted by TigaSefi

Fergie out any one ? Man Shted still the better team ? I think not!!! Liverpool > Chelsea > Man Shted

TigaSefi, when do you start school ?

TigaSefi · 10-05-2005, 22:06

they keep rejecting me

10-05-2005, 22:12

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Originally Posted by TigaSefi

they keep rejecting me

nffc · 11-05-2005, 00:22

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Originally Posted by Russ D

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Originally Posted by nffc

Maybe not a drastic fall but looking at Chelsea's young side, endless pit of money and investment in the Academy it may be a sign of things to come. Especially as Arsenal will continue to be there or thereabouts whilst Wenger remains at the helm... and Benitez looks like making moves towards success at Anfield.

Not sure if you meant to do so but you've just backed up my point. Chelsea have an almost unlimited supply of money (and I don't for one moment believe Kenyon when he said the spending stops now) and their team is the best at the momentas will the Chelsea of tomorrow, considering their academy. Arsenal have raised their game and I still think Henry is one of the top 3 strikers in the UK if not europe. So they have improved as have Liverpool, Everton and others. The only top team to not make such advances is United.

So no, our standards have not slipped. Other teams have improved.

I suppose it depends how you look at is. From a purely neutral perspective again, and casting my evident disdain for Ms aside, TBH, I feel that ManU have slipped and the other two have improved... well, not Arsenal really, they've not really spent big have they?

The present Man U team is nowhere near fit to lace the boots of their counterparts from 4-5 years ago. Apart from the players who have stayed, I can't see an obvious improvement.
GK is still a problem position, I honestly feel SAF struck lucky with Peter Schmeichel bearing in mind his predecessors and the awful faff he's had replacing him (Taibi, Howard, Carroll, Bosnich, etc etc) and there's no evidence of a young successor (that said, we've released Barry Roche this week lol).
Defence- I still can't see why Stam was sold. Good as he is Rio is a different type of player and not especially what you need. Heinze and the various young DFs you've had, good as they are, aren't the same either. I honestly feel you've missed the physical presence of Stam... and Laurent Blanc...

As for midfield... Ronaldo's a decent player but again, he's no Beckham- another stupid decision. As for Veron...

Forward is the only area I'd consider comparability. Rooney, Saha, Smith, van Nistelrooy, is as good a front four as Sheringham (former NFFC player

), Solksj*er (grr), Cole and Yorke...

You're definitely not as good as you are... but only now when Arsenal seem to have some self-discipline and some real attacking impetus, and Chelsea have stumbled across an affluent backer, has it become apparent.

And you have a local derby to look forward to with teh Dave Whelan empire next season

TigaSefi · 11-05-2005, 10:15

hmm u don't need to spend big money to improve a lot. Look at everton.

gazzae · 11-05-2005, 10:27

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Originally Posted by nffc

d there's no evidence of a young successor (that said, we've released Barry Roche this week lol

What about Luke Steele?

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Originally Posted by nffc

Heinze and the various young DFs you've had, good as they are, aren't the same either.

Heinze has been the best left back in the league this season.

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Originally Posted by nffc

... and Laurent Blanc...

Blanc was never meant to play the number of games he did. When he was brought Mr Injury Prone was ready for the first team and Blanc was meant to be a kind of mentor, but Mr Injury Prone got injuried and Blanc had to play a lot more games in his place.

Mal · 11-05-2005, 10:36

I'd have to agree with NFFC, we aren't as good as before.

It's like last night, Chelsea were comfortable after we scored. We just did not look like we could score again.

Midfield needs to gutted and rebuilt, as Keane only has a couple of years left and we don't have a replacement in the wings.

Ronaldo still has a lot to learn.

sir_drinks_alot · 11-05-2005, 19:07

Remember today when you watch the football the 56 lives lost at the Bradford stadium fire

Bradford stadium fire 20th Anniversary

BBKing · 11-05-2005, 19:35

Quite right, sir_d-a-l - except it was 56 people who died. A shameful incident - we've come a long way since then, thankfully.

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So no, our standards have not slipped. Other teams have improved.

From the MEN:

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it was a sad so-called "lap of honour" this time as United's disconsolate troops walked around the pitch after the final whistle, embarrassingly saluting a vast expanse of empty red seats.

Sic transit gloria mundi.