Football 16

[Alcibiades]

Um, we've two games in hand and a win would put us right back in mid-table. I know it's hard keeping track of us lesser lights but do get some perspective.

Well, I wouldn't expect you to get much out of Arsenal. Away to Wigan... maybe. I could easily see another draw. Bolton's away form has been poor, while Wigan are ok at home.

[Alcibiades]

It's a World Cup year!

[Black Wizard]

This is never going to happen

[kuroishi]

This is never going to happen

Uh, and there is talk of Ribery going there for €55 million too, this is too much and incredibly dumb on a tactical level. (Kaka - C. Ronaldo - Higuain - Benzema - Rooney - Ribery ? really ? and what do you make of Raul ? )

[Black Wizard]

Mabye he'd do what other Real Madrid veterans have done in the past: hook up with Sam Allardyce.

[polishgenius]

Uh, and there is talk of Ribery going there for €55 million too, this is too much and incredibly dumb on a tactical level. (Kaka - C. Ronaldo - Higuain - Benzema - Rooney - Ribery ? really ? and what do you make of Raul ? )

Well, he's 32. Rooney would actually be a pretty good replacement but it ain't going to happen while Fergie's at United.

The Ribery prices are massively overblown. He's a good player but so far he's never actually proved he's that good.

[kuroishi]

Well, he's 32. Rooney would actually be a pretty good replacement but it ain't going to happen while Fergie's at United.

The Ribery prices are massively overblown. He's a good player but so far he's never actually proved he's that good.

I'm not the biggest fan of Ribery, and I'm no specialist of Bundesliga, but it seems that Bayern has much better results when he's on the field. (Marseille most certainly had)

I added Raul to my list as an after-thought, but he's still the captain of the squad. And even without him in the picture, I don't really understand how they intend to make all these guys playing together, especially when the eldest is Kaka at 27...

Well, Florentino Péres is back and so is his stupid recruitment politic. I'm kind of glad though, as their coherent behaviour these past few years had nearly made me appreciate the club. Now I can safely and happily get back to disliking it and hoping to see it finish the season without winning any competition.

[polishgenius]

I'm not the biggest fan of Ribery, and I'm no specialist of Bundesliga, but it seems that Bayern has much better results when he's on the field. (Marseille most certainly had)

Yeah, but neither of them are the strongest leagues ever. He's obviously a solid player, but he's not proven the sort of special spark that you'd want for that kind of money. The thing I go by with Ribery is a direct comparison to Arshavin in similar circumstances - first in the UEFA cup, in which their teams, of roughly equal strength, faced off and Arshavin led Zenit to spank Ribery's team entirely and then led them to victory in the final, then in the Euros where Ribery saw his France team get spanked by Holland without greatly affecting the match, who in turn got reamed by a Russia again led by Arshavin. Yet Arshavin went for what, 15mil?

[kuroishi]

Yeah, but neither of them are the strongest leagues ever. He's obviously a solid player, but he's not proven the sort of special spark that you'd want for that kind of money. The thing I go by with Ribery is a direct comparison to Arshavin in similar circumstances - first in the UEFA cup, in which their teams, of roughly equal strength, faced off and Arshavin led Zenit to spank Ribery's team entirely and then led them to victory in the final, then in the Euros where Ribery saw his France team get spanked by Holland without greatly affecting the match, who in turn got reamed by a Russia again led by Arshavin. Yet Arshavin went for what, 15mil?

In Ribery's defense, in the Euro he was in a underachieving team while Russia on the whole was on fire. But he's never been really great with France, and as I said earlier, I'm not his biggest fan, so I won't defend him much. :)

[TheEvilKing]

THE MIGHTY LEEDS 1 - 0 Man U

Fuck yeah!!!!!!!

Not even the likes of Rooney, Berbatov, Giggs, Valencia and Owen could score.

Oh yeah... and at Old Fuckin' Trafford, too.

As a Leeds fan we don't get much to cheer about these days. But fuck if this isn't the best thing to happen for fucking years. :smoking:

[Maltaran]

First time Ferguson has lost in the third round, apparently, and also the first loss to lower-division opponents. Congratulations to Leeds - it seems they've finally managed to turn themselves around.

[Black Wizard]

Awesome. I hate Man United.

[Padraig]

In Ribery's defense, in the Euro he was in a underachieving team while Russia on the whole was on fire.

And even then, Ribery was France's best player. Went he went off injured against Italy, so ended their chances of qualifying.

[Slick Mongoose]

Five minutes injury time and he still shouts at the officials and whinges after the game.

What a twat.

[Xray the Enforcer]

"Five minutes of Fergie time added." -- one of the commentators of the match. :lol:

I couldn't believe they declared 5 minutes, as I can't remember there ever being that much stoppage of play even during the subs. In any case, I was definitely surprised by the result.

[Daeric]

First time Ferguson has lost in the third round, apparently, and also the first loss to lower-division opponents. Congratulations to Leeds - it seems they've finally managed to turn themselves around.

I'm sure they were hammering on about how it was the first time in something like 29 years that Manchester went out in the 3rd rounds

[Calibandar]

Looks like Ferguson played a B side again, even if it included Rooney & Berbatov. Not really surprised or caring about this result, FA Cup has ceased to matter for the big teams( Wenger has been quite open about this actually). Whereas for a team like Leeds, this is the Match of the Year.

[Black Wizard]

I don't see Arsenal winning this match. I find it very disrespectful to West Ham for Arsene Wnger to play the Carling Cup team in this match. Considering the the result the last time Arsenal went to Upton Park West Ham were hardly likely to be a pushover. But I suppose if Wenger is openly critical of the FA Cup's value then it's to be expected. Although with Arsenal having not won a trophy since the stone age I would have thought that anything will do for them at the moment.

EDIT: Mabye I spoke too soon. Good finish from Ramsey.

EDIT II: I definitely spoke too soon. Anyone else want me to jinx a team leading one nil with twenty minutes left?

[Slick Mongoose]

I don't see Arsenal winning this match.

:lol:

I find it very disrespectful to West Ham for Arsene Wnger to play the Carling Cup team in this match.

To be fair, they do have a lot of injuries.

[DJDonegal]

Awesome. I hate Man United.

Too true. I hate them both, but I'm happier to see Manchester go out here, as Leeds are much more likely to be knocked out at some stage than Manchester are. If you gets my drift.

Looks like Ferguson played a B side again, even if it included Rooney & Berbatov. Not really surprised or caring about this result, FA Cup has ceased to matter for the big teams( Wenger has been quite open about this actually). Whereas for a team like Leeds, this is the Match of the Year.

Ferguson cares. The point is he thought his B team could beat a League One team, and they should have. Only Beckford and Snodgrass should be worth mentioning at all, and one of them was half injured and only came on for the last 20 minutes.

I have to say, as an Arsenal fan, I'm disappointed with Wenger's comments regarding the FA Cup. I still really enjoy it, I'm sure a lot of fans do, and as a supporter of a team who have won nothing since 2005, I'd really like to win something, and the FA Cup is well worth winning. Almost a shame we pulled Stoke as I'm sure he'll go for the same team tactics again. A stronger team may have forced his hand, while a weaker team would have made me more positive about our chances with a second string team. With Stoke, he won't show them the respect, and they're good enough to turn us over at the Britannia.