2007/2008 European football thread

[Fallschirmjager]

Originally Posted by redsoxford

Who's going to be the next Chelsea manager now that Mourinho has left with mutual consent (ie sacked)

My favourite part of that story is that he texted some of the players to tell them he was leaving
For some reason that struck me as very funny

I bet it went something like this
'g0ing 2 lve tm, tlk 2 u ltr, j0s3'

[ukhotstove]

Originally Posted by theasfl

where could/will he land?

Wigan Athletic ? Hutchings is only on a 1 year contract so maybe he was just keeping the seat warm for Jose Pretty much all the top jobs are comfortable at the moment although an outside shot is the England job but apart from that can't think of one of the top of my head.

[ukhotstove]

Originally Posted by Fallschirmjager

Umm I think it is because they played Rosenborg
As much as you would like to proclaim it so, there is little wrong with modern football and the game is healthier today than it was in the 'glory days' that everyone likes to talk about

If Chelsea had played Barcelona or Bayern or Milan or a team of that calibour the game would have been a sell out

Thats why they lowered ticket prices and like I said the group games are for generating money, I can bet you what you want if that had been a two legged game then the crowd would have been higher because the game would have meant more. Also nothing wrong with the modern game ? High wages which are forcing the working man and his family out of the game, empty seats because people can't afford to go to the games, more corruption in the game than ever before because of agents and transfers, players being arrested due to fraud, Italian teams match fixing games, murderers being given contracts to play football before they've even got out of jail, corporate seats empty even though the game kicked off 10 minutes ago and the corporate people are still drinking their champagne yes can see how little wrong with the modern game.

[mlyons]

I hear Fabio Capello's pretty good.

[ukhotstove]

There is a God and his name is Uefa.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...ls/6993901.stm

[LFC1892]

The bright side to Moaninho leaving is I may actually be able to watch a Chelsea match without puking whenever they show the touchline happening. Charachter...maybe...dignity...NO!

[LFC1892]

Originally Posted by theasfl

where could/will he land?

Maybe Jol is looking over his shoulder?

[mlyons]

My prediction: Mourinho will be Barcelona's next manager.

[LFC1892]

Theres also talk of him being a part of the Portugese national setup, with a view to becoming national boss. With a rumored $25 million payout, he can afford to take a week or two off and assess his options.

[ukhotstove]

Originally Posted by LFC1892

Theres also talk of him being a part of the Portugese national setup, with a view to becoming national boss. With a rumored $25 million payout, he can afford to take a week or two off and assess his options.

Down to Big Phil being banned from the changing room and dugout for 4 games or so according to reports the other day, on another note Diego Maradona will be guest of honour at the Man Utd v Wigan game stating he wants to see Tevez play, personally I think he's a closet Wigan Athletic fan

[Muppetus Galacticus]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

Down to Big Phil being banned from the changing room and dugout for 4 games or so according to reports the other day, on another note Diego Maradona will be guest of honour at the Man Utd v Wigan game stating he wants to see Tevez play, personally I think he's a closet Wigan Athletic fan

They sell cheap drugs at games?

[The Funk]

Originally Posted by Muppetus Galacticus

They sell cheap drugs at games?

Why else would anyone go to watch Wigan?

[ukhotstove]

Originally Posted by The Funk

Why else would anyone go to watch Wigan?

I wouldn't know being an home fan but away fans voted it one of the friendliest welcomes they receive at away games, away fans sing the praises of everything from the pubs near the ground to the banter with the home fans and even the free pies they receive at the ground.

[ukhotstove]

Went watching Liverpool v Birmingham with a friend who was over from the Midlands and learned 3 things, 1) Birmingham should be ok and stay up on todays performance. 2) Liverpool wont win the league and 3) Benitez's tactics in the league are very poor, how much rest does Torres need. He didn't start against Portsmouth and didn't start against Birmingham yet they paid £26 million for him, imo Liverpool will not win the title with Benitez in charge, maybe win another European title in the next 3 years but will not win the league and that's what 99% of Liverpool fans want.

[Muppetus Galacticus]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

I wouldn't know being an home fan but away fans voted it one of the friendliest welcomes they receive at away games, away fans sing the praises of everything from the pubs near the ground to the banter with the home fans and even the free pies they receive at the ground.

See? They end up getting high and loving everything!

[The Funk]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

I wouldn't know being an home fan but away fans voted it one of the friendliest welcomes they receive at away games, away fans sing the praises of everything from the pubs near the ground to the banter with the home fans and even the free pies they receive at the ground.

Fair point, I can understand why away fans would want to go and watch Wigan.

[ukhotstove]

Originally Posted by The Funk

Fair point, I can understand why away fans would want to go and watch Wigan.

You can't always rely on the game and players, Liverpool and Chelsea as star studded as they are serve up some utter crap sometimes. Actually one of the worst rated grounds for away fans is Newcastle where you pack your own parachute because your so high up pity as well as you get good banter etc at Newcastle but a souless stadium, Liverpool used to be a cracking ground for away fans but imo lost it's soul a bit when it went all seater.

Man Utd's is pretty crap because of the lack of atmosphere, you actually get a better away day at lower league games, favourite away games watching Wigan were games at Bury, Rochdale even Torquay because you usually only get the nutters and hardcore fans going to away games.

[Raderick]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

Man Utd's is pretty crap because of the lack of atmosphere, you actually get a better away day at lower league games,

Seems like things have improved so far this season.

[edrooney]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

Went watching Liverpool v Birmingham with a friend who was over from the Midlands and learned 3 things, 1) Birmingham should be ok and stay up on todays performance. 2) Liverpool wont win the league and 3) Benitez's tactics in the league are very poor, how much rest does Torres need. He didn't start against Portsmouth and didn't start against Birmingham yet they paid £26 million for him, imo Liverpool will not win the title with Benitez in charge, maybe win another European title in the next 3 years but will not win the league and that's what 99% of Liverpool fans want.

Wow. All that from one game. Not worried about a small sample size? U R a genius.

1) Agreed. They certainly seem to have some fight about them. Not that Liverpool challenged them in this one game. Bottom half, but not down, I reckon.

2) Maybe. I'd tend to agree right now, but with the exception of Arsenal, there are no standout teams so far. Chelsea and ManU have been so-so. Liverpool also. I don't see any team out of the Top 4 getting in. Arsenal haven't really beaten anybody good yet (and I include Spurs in that), and Adebayor scoring 10 goals in 6 games, with Cesc scoring almost as many cannot possibly last. On the other hand, Eduardo hasn't really chipped in with many yet, nor has RvP, so they could be this good. Right, so rambling over - it could literally be any of the Top 4, Liverpool included. If I had to guess right now, I'd go: Arsenal, ManU, Liverpool, Chelsea in that order. But. It. Is. Only. September.

3) Benitez rotation policy isn't as drastically different from the rotation policies as the other big 4 teams. The key difference is that he has a (possibly mistaken) high belief in his squad players, and is more willing to rotate out so-called star players. Mourinho would change is midfield for every game, but you can bet your @ss Lampard would play when fit. Ditto Sir Wineface and Ronaldo. And Wenger with Henry. I think he needs to identify his key players, play them when they're fit, and rotate around them for freshness. So Carragher, Gerrard and Torres play 90% of the league games, but with different partners.

Wow. What a rubbish rambly post.

In summary - LIVERPOOL TEH ROOLZ!! WERE GONNA WIN THE LEAGUE!! STEVIE IS 1337!!!

[ukhotstove]

Hmmm no not just down to watching one game, Portsmouth is one of the hardest away games a team will face yet he rested Gerrard and Torres which imo is Benitez's tactical downfall. You look at Arsenal, Man Utd and Chelsea and I bet all 3 play their full team away against Portsmouth. And an ideal game for him to rest Torres would have been the home game against Derby, one thing that also struck me the past few weeks was he rested certain players after the international break but yet made Alonso play in the reserves when he was banned for one of the international games.