Re: The non EPL thread

**Jayo Cluxton** Wed Mar 09, 2011 12:13 am

Boxtyeater wrote:I was atin' a lock of pancakes around 8.20 and Nanny was channel hopping...

He was indeed - inside channel, outside channel - the lot!

**Grenvile** Wed Mar 09, 2011 12:21 am

Boxtyeater wrote:I was atin' a lock of pancakes around 8.20 and Nanny was channel hopping...

You should have done what Jamie Carragher did to his Nani and cleaned her out of it, studs up. Put the hoppin off her.

**patrique** Wed Mar 09, 2011 12:53 am

So Arsenal comprehensively destroyed, even more so than last year. Didn't muster a single attempt on goal all night.

This referee was in charge of the Arsenal V Barcelona 2-2 last year when he gave Arsenal a dodgy penalty and sent off Puyol.

And as TC has already pointed out, Barcelona were robbed in the first leg.

Before tonight Barca, real and Chelsea were the 3 favourites with the bookies. With Bayern as an outside bet, they could be right.

**Thomas Clarke** Wed Mar 09, 2011 12:20 pm

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote: Whatever difference exists between the sides is a small one

It is sometimes tough to know whether you are being serious or mischievious, but if this is an example of the former, then I'd have to question whether you watched last night's game at all.

Last season Arsenal were humiliated on the scoreboard at the Camp Nou. This season, despite a 3-1 defeat, their real humiliation came in being completely outclassed in every element of the game. I should say, before going further, that Arsenal are an excellent football side, the classiest that England have to offer, but I think last night proved that they are light years behind Barcelona.

It is wrong to point to Bendtner's chance at the end, or the equality on the scoreboard when Van Persie got the line. Soccer is not gaelic football or hurling, sports where defensive tactics will rarely work at the highest level. In soccer, a well organised side can, if they defend in a disciplined fashion, keep the score down against even the best of opposition, and retain the slim chance that they will get a breakaway opportunity to achieve a result. This is what Arsenal did last night. They defended resolutely, with their 4 backs and 6 defensive midfielders formation. They hung in the game, despite never having the ball for more than 3 successive passes, despite rarely being in the opposition half of the field, despite being dominated in possession by a 3:1 ratio, despite never even having a shot on goal in almost 100 minutes of football. That was their gameplan, and they executed it well, but it certainly doesn't indicate a slight difference between the sides.

Arsenal, a side who pride themselves on controlling the football and creating chances were unable to do either of these things. It is not unreasonable to say that they never looked in control of possession for even 10 seconds of those 100 odd minutes. I read this morning an article which commented on Almunia's kickouts in the 2nd half. It made the point that he was angling them towards the sideline, hoping that a Barca player would head it out for a throw in. That is Ronan O'Gara stuff - kicking for touch and hoping to get some good territory. Not what you would expect from an Arsene Wenger side.

No, the gap between these 2 sides was shown last night to be cavernous. It is hard to make a case for any Arsenal player being good enough to make the Barcelona team at present. Barca may yet come unstuck in the champions league, just as they did last year to a disciplined and wily Inter side, and Chelsea a few seasons previous, but there is nobody else in Europe good enough to beat them in an open football match.

**bocerty** Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:17 pm

Jayo Cluxton wrote:
Jonsmith wrote:Predicted 3-1 above and of course never backed it..

Good call nonetheless JS - fair play.

it was a good call and i did look at it myself PP was offering odds of 17/2 for that scoreline as far as i remember and i was going to double it up with Sheff Utd who were playing Notts Forest, but alas i thought better of it, mores the pity.

As for the game itself i didnt see it so i cant really comment.

**Jayo Cluxton** Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:26 pm

bocerty wrote:As for the game itself i didnt see it so i cant really comment.

Never stopped you before ..... Laughing

**bocerty** Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:34 pm

Jayo Cluxton wrote:
bocerty wrote:As for the game itself i didnt see it so i cant really comment.

Never stopped you before .....

pot, kettle, black

**Jayo Cluxton** Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:36 pm

bocerty wrote:pot, kettle, black

Snooker programme from the 80s!

**bocerty** Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:38 pm

Jayo Cluxton wrote:
bocerty wrote:pot, kettle, black

Snooker programme from the 80s!

thats the one!!!

**Grenvile** Fri Mar 18, 2011 12:49 pm

Real Madrid v Tottenham,
Chelsea v Man Utd,
Barcelona v Shakhtar,
Inter v Schalke

With United's injury list and cluster of fixtures I can't see them getting past Chelsea but they do have the second leg at home so that will give them hope, the winners will be confident of taking Inter or Schalke in the Semi.
Barca have a very tough away trip to the Ukraine and with their terrible away record you wouldn't be surprised to see Shakhtar getting some sort of result but the Nou Camp leg should see Barca through.
Real v Spurs is probably the tie of the round, I hope to see Real win because they would meet Barca in the Semi..

I'll predict a Barca v Chelsea Final!

**patrique** Fri Mar 18, 2011 9:57 pm

I sometimes think the second leg at home is a disadvantage but could be wrong.

united's record is so poor against Chelsea, even this year when Chelsea were at rock bottom, that you must fancy chelsea.

In 8 games so far United have based their hopes on a "Rangers" approach, blanket defene, hard work, maybe sneak a goal from somewhere, somehow. They have scored 9, conceded 2. The next worst is Schalke with a mere 14 goals, Tottenham have 25.

I could see a Chelsea V Real final, but hey, Chelsea have self destructed this year so why not Inter. Yes why not Inter?

Yep, Inter V Real, with Jose showing 4 fingers to Roman.

**bocerty** Fri Mar 18, 2011 10:57 pm

the UN has said if they capture Colonel Gaddafi they will put him somewhere he cant do any harm to anyone .....up front for Man City should do nicely !!!

**Grenvile** Sat Mar 19, 2011 12:10 am

bocerty wrote:the UN has said if they capture Colonel Gaddafi they will put him somewhere he cant do any harm to anyone .....up front for Man City should do nicely !!!

The UN would have to adhere to the rights of prisoners so if he's allergic to grass like Balotelli they'd have to think of somewhere else to put him...

**The Puke** Wed Mar 30, 2011 9:33 pm

I see the mighty Johan Cryuff is back cleaning house at Ajax.....

What a man The non EPL thread - Page 3 417703

**Boxtyeater** Wed Mar 30, 2011 9:39 pm

Way overrated.....Handy feet but a bit of a luxury. Haan and Neeskins were the driving forces of that Dutch team

What night is the final of that European soccerball thing...I'm for Espana from May 11-22....What jersey should I wear about town??

**The Puke** Wed Mar 30, 2011 9:45 pm

Boxtyeater wrote:Way overrated.....Handy feet but a bit of a luxury. Haan and Neeskins were the driving forces of that Dutch team

What night is the final of that European soccerball thing...I'm for Espana from May 11-22....What jersey should I wear about town??

He was plenty tough all the same, was flash but could back it up, his medal haul and the key role he played for Holland, Ajax and Barca would take away from your point of him being overrated....Agree re Neeskins, probably doesn't get the credit he deserves these days, a fine player in his day.....

Just compare his career to the vastly overrated Georgie Best and it shows the difference in class....Cruyff as both a player and a manager has left a huge imprint on football

**Boxtyeater** Wed Mar 30, 2011 9:47 pm

A thunderbolt from Haan here...

**Thomas Clarke** Thu Mar 31, 2011 12:43 pm

The Puke wrote:
Cruyff as both a player and a manager has left a huge imprint on football

I'd go a step further, and say that he has been both the most influential player and coach of the last 50 years. A man years ahead of his time.

But also very difficult to get on with - I see that the Ajax board of directors have resigned en-masse today, following disagreements with Cruyff.

**Jayo Cluxton** Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:26 pm

Imagine how good he would have been if he hadn't smoked ......

**The Puke** Thu Mar 31, 2011 5:20 pm

Thomas Clarke wrote:
The Puke wrote:
Cruyff as both a player and a manager has left a huge imprint on football

I'd go a step further, and say that he has been both the most influential player and coach of the last 50 years. A man years ahead of his time.

But also very difficult to get on with - I see that the Ajax board of directors have resigned en-masse today, following disagreements with Cruyff.

Class act, would agree with your point with regards his influence, Beckenbauer is probably the only one that could compare with him in both regards

**patrique** Thu Mar 31, 2011 10:13 pm

Cruff? Not a bad player at all, and a great motivator.

Wee George came out of retirement with a bottle of vodka sticking out of his shorts, and gave a virtuoso display to leave Holland, and cruff, gasping.(was that the fegs?) He certainly motivated George that night. 2-2 was it?

But then, I can only think of maybe two players in George's class.

**mullins** Thu Mar 31, 2011 10:43 pm

patrique wrote:Cruff? Not a bad player at all, and a great motivator.

Wee George came out of retirement with a bottle of vodka sticking out of his shorts, and gave a virtuoso display to leave Holland, and cruff, gasping.(was that the fegs?) He certainly motivated George that night. 2-2 was it?

But then, I can only think of maybe two players in George's class.

Remember that game well i was very young at the time-What would have happend if best was in his prime..

**The Puke** Thu Mar 31, 2011 10:45 pm

mullins wrote:
patrique wrote:Cruff? Not a bad player at all, and a great motivator.

Wee George came out of retirement with a bottle of vodka sticking out of his shorts, and gave a virtuoso display to leave Holland, and cruff, gasping.(was that the fegs?) He certainly motivated George that night. 2-2 was it?

But then, I can only think of maybe two players in George's class.

Remember that game well i was very young at the time-What would have happend if best was in his prime..

Don't know but he probably would still have went home and beaten his missus

**mullins** Thu Mar 31, 2011 10:49 pm

The Puke wrote:
mullins wrote:
patrique wrote:Cruff? Not a bad player at all, and a great motivator.

Wee George came out of retirement with a bottle of vodka sticking out of his shorts, and gave a virtuoso display to leave Holland, and cruff, gasping.(was that the fegs?) He certainly motivated George that night. 2-2 was it?

But then, I can only think of maybe two players in George's class.

Remember that game well i was very young at the time-What would have happend if best was in his prime..

Don't know but he probably would still have went home and beaten his missus

You know what puke your a MUPPET......... Embarassed

for U

**The Puke** Thu Mar 31, 2011 10:52 pm

mullins wrote:
The Puke wrote:
mullins wrote:
patrique wrote:Cruff? Not a bad player at all, and a great motivator.

Wee George came out of retirement with a bottle of vodka sticking out of his shorts, and gave a virtuoso display to leave Holland, and cruff, gasping.(was that the fegs?) He certainly motivated George that night. 2-2 was it?

But then, I can only think of maybe two players in George's class.

Remember that game well i was very young at the time-What would have happend if best was in his prime..

Don't know but he probably would still have went home and beaten his missus

You know what puke your a MUPPET......... for U

Huh????

George Best was a self confessed woman beater....Don't know why you are taking issue with it, it is public knowledge, just because he was a footballer doesn't mean that his carry on off the field should be glossed over

Would you take offence if I class Eddie Halvey as a killer

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