Sunny & TJ's Football Thread (Part 18)

[Vicky]

Remember Lionel Messi is only 28, he's going to get even better!!

[Vicky]

Arsene Wenger has hit back after Gary Neville called him "arrogant" Gary Neville said Arsenal aren't defensive minded enough.

He also said "To think that your not going to adapt your team, to change to impact on the other teams you're playing against and their strengths, is either naive or arrogant"

Neville makes a good point.

[Vam]

This really did make me laugh when I saw it yesterday.

(sorry, TJ... )

[Vicky]

[Vicky]

2/10?

They were stupid questions!!

I mean how the hell was i supposed to know, who was Chelsea's Goalkeeper in the 1967 FA Cup Final?


http://www.quizfactor.com/quiz/football/11480

[Trapper John]

There is an 'understanding' during the transfer windows, certainly amongst Premier League clubs, which is basically - ignore what you hear in the public arena, ignore all the protestations and denials in the press and media - until you are told by the club directly a player is not for sale, he's for sale.

An example of this came early in the summer before the transfer window opened. Man City wanted Jack Wilshire, the media did all the usual, Wenger said he wasn't for sale. Behind the scenes City were told, he wasn't for sale - end of story, they moved on.

Everton are playing a dangerous game with their man John Stones and Chelsea. They have been making all the protestations and condemnations and denials in the media - but they are not sending the same message behind the scenes, they have left Chelsea thinking there is still mileage in going after John Stones.

As much as I dislike Chelsea, they are doing the right thing - at the end of the day the transfer window is for buying and selling players - they want John Stones so what are they supposed to do? ....... and Everton haven't told Chelsea directly that he isn't for sale.

If they never wanted to sell Stones, they should have made it clear to Chelsea from the outset - through inter club channels - believe me, Chelsea like most clubs are not going to waste their time chasing shadows, they would have moved on weeks ago.

It is clear that Everton are tinkering, they are looking to see how far Chelsea will go, they have the player with 4 years still left on his contract, they may be thinking that wherever Chelsea stop, say at £40million - that's where we can start the bidding next season, when English players will be worth even more and the new TV deal money starts to come through.

Meanwhile they have an unhappy player and the very real danger that Stones will under perform this season or get a career threatening injury. No wonder Everton supporters are unhappy with their owner and board.

[Vicky]

Man City have offered Kevin De Bruyne "Astonishing" wages as they set to clinch a £58 million pound transfer for the player they've been trying to sign from Wolsburgs for months.

[Vicky]

I wonder if their "Astonishingly Brilliant?"

[Vicky]

That still cracks me up!!

They could have won four trophies, but didn't win any and their manager said they were "Astonishingly Brilliant"

[Trapper John]

Just so as we get to the truth behind this bollocks being spouted that English clubs are in danger of losing their 4th Champions league place 'any day now' ...... I'll give you the lowdown.

The top three leagues, get 3 automatic places + 1 qualifier - After that, it's two automatic places + 1 qualifier, then so on, diminishing as you drop down the table. Spain have 5 clubs this season by virtue of the new rule of automatic qualification for Europa league winners.

Currently, the UEFA co-efficient which dictates the places stands at:

1. Spain - La Liga coefficient - 85.1points -
2. Germany - Bundesliga coefficient - 66.7points
3. England - Premier League coefficient - 65.1points
4. Italy - Serie A coefficient - 60.6points.

The next league 'in 5th' - is Portugal with 44.5points - and they are years away from usurping anyone above them.

So as you see, the league supposedly hanging the sword of Damocles over the Premier League's head, is Italy's Serie A. In fact they are 5 points behind and that is only because Juventus reached the final last season.

Even if no English club got out of the group stages this season and Italian clubs took two of the semi final slots - the Premier league would still retain their 4 places. It would take another 2 seasons of the same, before Italy got the place vacated by the Premier League.

So as you see, it's just a load of doom mongering by the press to give them something to write about......and there is always plenty of people who'll believe the bollocks they write.

[Vicky]

Oh for fuck sake, here we go again.

More bragging and boasting by Ray Charles.

Oh and as for doom and gloom? You getting plenty of that when you post!!

When was the last night you actually discussed something? Instead of trying to bore everyone into submission?

[Vicky]

Another Spurs player is being linked with a move to Rangers!!

This time it's England under 21 Alex Pritchard!!

Quite a lot of interest in him from the English Premier league and the English Championship, but Alex has been speaking very highly of Rangers and pointed out they're a massive club and things are going great there now!!

[Vicky]

Oh and about England and the Champions League?


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3214023/England-danger-losing-Champions-League-place-UEFA-efficient-continues-slide-Italy-catch-up.html

[Trapper John]

We still have a big problem though in the Premier League - a huge disadvantage against our European competitors where the Champions League is concerned.

The European leagues hold great store in UEFA's top club competition - the Premier League however, see it more as a 'competitor' to it's plans for world dominance.

So, the European's pampered top clubs are helped out by their League Associations when arranging domestic league fixtures, which might impact on the performance of their clubs in the Champions league. They will postpone or rearrange domestic games so that their CL clubs get the best possible rest between matches in both competitions.

The Premier League refuse to do this - quite rightly in my opinion - because it's fair to it's other members who aren't lucky enough to be in the CL competition, the shame is it's not a pan European ruling as it should be.

So, the first problem for Arsenal will arise quite soon. Our first leg of the group stages is on Wednesday 16th September - a 7:45pm kick off in Croatia against Dinamo Zagreb. Arsenal will then have to return and prepare for a lunchtime kick off on Saturday 19th away at Chelsea.

This situation has and always will be a major disadvantage that English clubs have to their European rivals, the odds are always stacked against us.

UEFA should even out the playing field by ensuring that their member associations publish their domestic league fixtures before the Champions league ones and then can only change them in exceptional circumstances.

I mean, UEFA were quick enough to relax the FFP rules when their continental member associations complained about the financial advantage Premier League clubs had over them.

[Trapper John]

Oh and about England and the Champions League?


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3214023/England-danger-losing-Champions-League-place-UEFA-efficient-continues-slide-Italy-catch-up.html

Why would I read that? ...... I've just explained why it's all a load of bollocks - and you talk about me being blind.