The Real Football Thread

[Der Effe]

This is Arsenal`s 85th consecutive season in the top flight and we had 10 tiltles before Wenger came. Did you not know that?

Wenger has done some wonderful things for Arsenal and English football but all good things eventually come to an end. It happens at all clubs. It happenned with Rijkaard at Barca. He won 2 leagues and a CL but went 2 years without a trophy and was replaced by Guardiola and they went on to better things. Look at Mancini when he was at Inter and won 3 leagues in a row but he got replaced by Mourinho coz he couldnt cut it in the CL. Mourinho went on to win the treble with them.

I know what it is like to win trophies when Wenger wasnt around. I celebrated a league in 91 when George Graham was manager and also the cup double when we beat Sheff Wed in both finals. One of my best days as an Arsenal fan was the Cup Winners cup final win over Parma when Alan Smith got the winner.

Just to let you know Arsenal were a football club before Wenger arrived in 96.



Nice joke Zam, but not today please mate. I am still not feeling the best from last night.

Yeah I knew that, but that wasn't exactly my point though. Also your point with Rijkaard and Mancini isn't a good example. They're just passers by. Wenger actually changed the entire club philosophy (not only stealing kids from other clubs) but also the tactics. What my comment meant is that without Wenger you would probably still be the dullest team in Europe and would still be playing kick and rush football League One style. It's pretty blunt to say let's just kick him out in my opinion.

 

[pmcg76]

European super league- yes or no?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/chrisbevan/2012/02/seedorf_predicts_the_shape_of.html

I dont see how it would ever work?

In fact I would like to see a return to the old format of the European cup, maybe not the straight knock out format of olden times but something akin to the very first Champions league in 94.

A few rounds of knock out football followed by group stages. Less teams from the major countries and more prestige put back into the Europa Cup or whatever its called.

 

[DominicDecoco]

He is talking absolute **** here. Never going to happen. That's one thing for sure.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Yea, straight knockout ftw. Right now it's a cosy cartel where even if a minnow scores a win over a big team it's meaningless as in the long run the big teams go through and the small teams don't. And it's not really the Champions' League when some country's champions have to play qualifying rounds and some teams who come 4th in their league get to be in.

Anyway... Athletic Bilbao vs. Manchester United approaching. Should be a lot of fun. Hopefully Fernando Amorebieta can rough Rooney up a bit.

 

[pmcg76]

For the European Cip, I would have 32 teams in the first round draw with the champions of the Top 20 leagues gaining automatic entry.

All the other countries would come through qualifying and as a sop to the big leagues I would let the top 5 leagues enter a 2nd team but in qualifying rounds. This would probably require two rounds of qualifying so all the weakest leagues plus the 2nd placed teams mentioned would play in round 1 of qualifying. So it would be plausible to see the champions of Malta playing Manchester Utd or Barcelona or whoever.

In the main draw, I would keep it as an open draw over 2 legs for the first two rounds and then the last 8 play in a group stage with two groups of which the winners advance to the final.

So pretty much similar to the original Champions league in 93-94.

As a result the quality of teams entering the Europa league would be much higher and would return some more prestige to that competition. Europa leage would return to being straight knockout.

 

[palmerq]

I guess everyone is busy watching saint mirren play aberdeen :S well I am at least.. mon the saints.. Saint mirren arent looking too good.. Few key players are missing though.. It is nice to be able to make out what the players are shouting at each other :S

 

[Libertine Seguros]

It wont happen. I remember the clubs a few years ago wanted to go back to the extra group stage that the champions league had back pre-2003. If they go back to some sort of straight out knockout i can guarantee you we will see a breakaway of Europe`s top clubs. I remember the G-14 especially pushing for UEFA to go back to the extra group stage when David Dein was president of the G-14.

Of course, the big clubs have got a cushy situation now and woe betide anybody who considers actually giving the underdogs a chance.

 

[palmerq]

i would not be surprised if the wee teams prefer the group stages... Group stages = 6 guaranteed games = mucho tv wonga + 3 home games... All about the money.. They have changed the qualifying rounds so it is slightly easier for champions to get in, look at zagrebs route this season.. I would prefer if at most 3 teams from a country got in but this is the way it is...

1-1 saints v aberdeen btw, good goal from nigel floyd

 

[Libertine Seguros]

oh, the group stages are good from a financial perspective for these smaller teams... but it does really harm their chances of getting through so from a sporting perspective it's not so good; the guarantee of multiple matches is a way to keep them happy with it and stop them pointing out just how ludicrously unfair the system is. Hence why you get results like CFR Cluj beating Roma a couple of years ago, the knock-on effect of which was... nothing.

 

[palmerq]

yes it would be easier for them although i enjoy the group stages the way they are, it is the funnest part to me..the only thing i would change is the amount of teams qualifying and maybe the seeding system .

And thinking about it is meant to be a tournament to find the best team in europe and for people to see the best play each other..so i guess its fair enough, it would be fun to see some small guys win it sometimes though.. Biggest problem is the tv money i think as far as i remember it gets divided up depending on how much the different countries pay for the rights or somethiing and then on far they get compared to others from their nation... So bayern have been making a killing here...i might be wrong though..

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Did anyone watch juve vs ac milan...all'arbitro romagnoli was awful...great match nevertheless

 

[pmcg76]

Did anyone watch juve vs ac milan...all'arbitro romagnoli was awful...great match nevertheless[/QUOTE

How they managed to not give that very clear 2nd Milan goal, I dont know. The linesman was right in line with goal as well. Milan were on top through the first half but Juve came back into it very well.

 

[jamiephillips]

Liverpool v Cardiff at Wembley tomorrow in the league cup final.

 

[pmcg76]

It wont happen. I remember the clubs a few years ago wanted to go back to the extra group stage that the champions league had back pre-2003. If they go back to some sort of straight out knockout i can guarantee you we will see a breakaway of Europe`s top clubs. I remember the G-14 especially pushing for UEFA to go back to the extra group stage when David Dein was president of the G-14.

Oh, I dont disagree but I would still like to see UEFA make an effort to scale it back like Pamerq said with less teams from each country. The problem with this is that the competition has become so skewed, that putting more lesser teams in makes it even easier for the big clubs even if Basle did manage to eliminate United this year.

The other problem is most big national leagus have become quite lopsided as well with the same teams on top every year so the same teams in CL every year. For example, your team Arsenal havent won anything in years but have been in the CL every season although that might change this year. Only Germay or France remain any way unpredictable.

Lets put it like this, no club from outside the big 4 has reached a final since Porto v Monaco in 2004. Back in the 80/90s, there used to be clubs like Red Star Belgrade, Steau Bucharest etc who reached finals. I know that the English clubs were banned during that period but it was way more open. It only really became a closed shop once the Champions league format was introduced.

People always talk about the poor quality of the Europa league and the main reason for that is that all the teams who once would have played in the UEFA Cup now play in the Champions league instead.

 

[pmcg76]

Liverpool v Cardiff at Wembley tomorrow in the league cup final.

Here is hoping for a nice shock like last season.

 

[Lupetto]

How they managed to not give that very clear 2nd Milan goal, I dont know. The linesman was right in line with goal as well. Milan were on top through the first half but Juve came back into it very well.

Only reason for this...Moggi is back. ]http://cdn.corrieredellosport.it/images/43/C_3_Media_1430943_immagine_obig.jpg[/IMG]

 

[pmcg76]

I laugh at the reaction of Buffon who claims he didnt realise tha ball was behind the goal-line. Yes, that crazy sprint out afterwards to distribute the ball was not suspicious looking at all I think most keepers after making a great save usually hold onto the ball securely until the penalty area clears.

 

[Amsterhammer]

Congrats Gooner, stunning comeback, totally deserved. I love it as much as you do when you beat them.

I've just seen 18 goals in three consecutive afternoon games, Ajax 4-1, your lot 5-2, and AZ - Heerenveen, 3-3. Not too shabby at all, with Barca still to come.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Thanks man. Absolutely delighted we beat them. Its been a tough season for us and i couldnt stomach a defeat to them today. I have to say that second half performance was the best we played all season. Walcott took his goals superbly and while he was terrible first half he was excellent in the second half. Van Persie for me is the best player in the Premiership at the moment and even Redknapp said that after the match himself.

Barca and A.Madrid is always a great game at the Vicente Calderon. I am going to record Napoli and Inter and watch that after it. I think that will be a good game as well.

BTW I thought Cardiff played ever so well today and i thought Kenny Miller was going to win it at the end of 90 mins when he missed that chance.

Good to see you happy, mate.

 

[palmerq]

BTW I thought Cardiff played ever so well today and i thought Kenny Miller was going to win it at the end of 90 mins when he missed that chance.

that doesnt sound like kenny miller :S

 

[Amsterhammer]

Let it load, then ff to around 2:56, and have your jaw drop at the sheer poetic beauty of that ball.

http://www.101greatgoals.com/gvideos/atletico-madrid-1-barcelona-2/

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Re: the ghost goal by muntari...at first the ref seems to point at the centre circle

 

[palmerq]

oooooooooooo Rankin just scored a great goal for dundee united v inverness.... well good for the spl... 1-0

 

[palmerq]

another very good goal from dundee united(3-0 now :S)... very nice play and finish from johnny russel just like barca do :S... I think Russell is the new goodwillie.....

 

[palmerq]

arsenal 2-0 up after 30 minutes.... it could happen, will be a disaster for them if milan score though