Football: Season 2004/5 Discussion Thread.

[KevG]

Lots of stuff

I agree.



Just to back you up, like

Terrible result but I would have picked a similar team. The game's morphed to such an extent, and given the boardroom rumblings at the mo, that CL and CL qualification are a must.

So yeah, I would have rested the senior players. After all, it will give them a chance to reflect and correct the dismal performances they've been putting in over the last couple of weeks after a cracking Christmas run.

The positives from it all are that the younger lads are getting a run out which we would not have seen under Ged.

If only Traore had sigend for Everton when we had the chance

Hats off to Burnley though.

[Dio]

If Liverpool finish behind Everton I'll be quite surprised - Moyes is a class act, but I fear the wheels have, if not fallen off, gone a little wonky on the blue half of Merseyside. Will be particularly interesting to see how the loss of Gravesen affects them. But I guess I thought that they'd be knackered when Rooney left and the opposite could not have been more true, so what do I know?

[KevG]

If Liverpool finish behind Everton I'll be quite surprised - Moyes is a class act, but I fear the wheels have, if not fallen off, gone a little wonky on the blue half of Merseyside. Will be particularly interesting to see how the loss of Gravesen affects them. But I guess I thought that they'd be knackered when Rooney left and the opposite could not have been more true, so what do I know?

Yeah: it's an interesting one that. I think they did OK without him versus Boro but that was just one game. We were talking about this the other day, too. In some ways, losing Rooney could be seen as a liberating force for good as far as Everton were concerned. There was utter boardroom carnage in the summer then Ronney left. Everyone was convinced they'd be be down there in the relegation spot but the whole debacle just galvanised them.

Where they may come unstuck is with injuries and suspensions. In the medium term, however, many of their squad are 30/31 +, so, like Liverpool, Everton need finances fast to bolster their squad.

PS Ta for the opportunity not to talk about last night's result

[Sickboy]

Whaddaya want? A pic of me in a fucking hairshirt?

YES.

Just gimme a few decades to convert to Catholicism and I'll see what I can do.

[Zoot]

Whaddaya want? A pic of me in a fucking hairshirt?

YES.

Just gimme a few decades to convert to Catholicism and I'll see what I can do.

We wouldn't have you - you're from Liverpool

[Dio]

Everyone was convinced they'd be be down there in the relegation spot but the whole debacle just galvanised them.

This is the one place where I'd go along with the 'team spirit' argument we were having yesterday: Everton showed that by getting rid of an 'expensive prima donna' you can improve the performance of the entire side, if you've got the right manager to motivate them.

I didn't expect it to last all season though, partly the injury reason but more that I expected it to drift off into grinding draws once the opposition starts playing in a more conservative manner, with the teams with excellent creativity then being able to nick the win. I'd say that's pretty much what's happened so far. I'd be surprised if they get more than 65 points end-of-season, and reckon they'll actually get about 60. But it would still be seriously well done by them considering that pre-season they were probably expected for relegation scrap territory.

Of course, that still points up how hard the job of Newcastle nicking the CL place would be - to get 65 points we would have to win every game but three. We've almost certainly left it too late now.

From the middle of the season I think the GD in comparison to the teams around shows if a team is underperforming or overperforming - Everton's is low compared to the teams on either side, which I reckon means they're going to drop a few more games than the surrounding teams. The only other major anomaly in the current Premiership is Charlton, another depressing fact for Newcastle fans.

PS Ta for the opportunity not to talk about last night's result

Glad to be of service.

[Zoot]

Righto - only 3 minutes for our chance to tread on the proverbial banana skin.

Must be desperate. Gary Neville's playing

[PaulEMoz]

Nngggh. Souness is after Amdy Faye now. Not sure I'm over keen on some of his transfer targets, at all.

[mattley]

Man U are showboating, I recon they'll get a few off spectacular set pieces. They could have crucified Exeter by now.

I think this is so good for football

[Dio]

Souness is after Amdy Faye now.

Whooooo?

The Chronicle claims the Bernard situation is he's been offered a final £22k deal and that's it, he must sign before the transfer window closes, otherwise he can leave in the summer.

[SeattleStokie]

Great quote at half time from Alan Hansen: "There's a gulf in class"

Well of course there is you stupid twat: Exeter are in the Conference, Man Ure are in the Premiership. Man Ure's players cost, and are paid, millions, Exeters aren't !

He should be on Mastermind, specialised subject: "The bleedin' obvious".

[Dio]

Football commentators are all regular winners of the "No Shit Sherlock" award.

[romanista]

still, loved the second half..i'm kinda jealous of the fa cup...

and my girlfriend hot the commentary and said 'rick, trhat sounds just like your computer game'... as normally john motson only enters our living room in fifa

[Dio]

The Motson/Andy Gray partnership they've had a few times on FIFA is the wet dream of commentary.

But Motty is a god. And he's got a catchphrase which, surreally, he's never even used and is "Case Solved." (I think it comes from impressionist Rory Bremner originally, "The Motty Files").

[Rib]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/virtualreplay/prem ... .shtml?854

Now you can watch a virtual replay of the Traore bungle!