[FOOTBALL] Weekend Football 11-14 December (Ant Special - Aston Villa vs Arsenal)

[Danny]

Fucking hell.

[Waffdon]

Azpilicueta :D

[The Bruce]

Diego Costa losing any game he's a cunt in really is a joy to behold. What a completely pointless player.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I don't think it should happen, but it would be so poetic if Mourinho got sacked after getting a pasting from Claudio.

Costa is just a thick peasant. How he thinks he helps matters with his antics I don't know.

[Pleb]

Saying that how the fuck is Costa still on the pitch after that ridiculous headbutt?

[Pleb]

Winning the league chants :D

[Sam]

So when is Lee getting his wang out on television then? Could be the TDs greatest achievement yet.

[John Arne]

Eva Carneiro must be frigging herself into a coma at this point.

[Baz]

Eva Carneiro must be dragging herself into a coma at this point.Wish she was dragging herself into my bed tbqfh

[Byron]

I'd love to see that :drool:

[Byron]

I'd love to see that :drool:

move Baz

[John Arne]

If Costa spent half as much energy making runs and getting into positions as he did trying act like a giant fucking prick, he would be half-decent.

[Lewis]

Diego Costa is looking increasingly like your classic 'two decent seasons' striker.

[Ian]

Just Wiki'd Costa. Had forgotten that he's meant to be only 27.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I think he had two good ones at Atletico and one at Chelsea, but he's had the operation now and that's game over.

[Raoul Duke]

Atletico must be making a mint out of lending these players to Chelsea for a year or two and then buying them back for a few million in profit after they've played like total helmets.

[Waffdon]

Simeone and Costa together again :drool:

[Jimmy Floyd]

Tremendous first touch from Pedro, Mate there. Barcaclassico futbolissimo. Might as well have signed Dirk Kuyt.

[Amigo]

Jesus Christ.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Just hand Leicester the title now.

[Boydy]

Ahahahaha. How have Chelsea not scored in the last five minutes?

[Raoul Duke]

Pedro and Fabregas look like they're hoping they wake up and it's all a horrible dream and they're still with all their mates at Barca and Messi and Suarez and Neymar and

[Alan Shearer The 2nd]

:D

[Davgooner]

Interesting.

[Jimmy Floyd]

We've actually been terrific in the second half. Should be about 5-2 up.

[Danny]

Nice for the underdogs to get one back

[Waffdon]

Vardy winner in the 89th minute.

[Davgooner]

The M1 is still fucked? :D

[leedsrevolution]

Mourinho has made some poor decisions since coming back to Chelsea hasn't he. Considering they could currently be playing with:

Lukaku

Hazard De Bruyne Mata

Certainly would be better than the likes of Pedro / Cuardado (sp?) and Diego Costa.

[Boydy]

Imagine if Chelsea actually got relegated.

I would laugh my balls off.

[Spoonsky]

This will be defining for Leicester, I think.

[Spoonsky]

And for Chelsea too, honestly.

[Boydy]

Is there more injury time these days than there used to be? I hardly ever see a game now where it's less than 5 minutes whereas when I was a kid, 3 minutes was a lot of injury time. Has there been a rule change affecting that?

[Amigo]

Does Claudio Ranieri have what it takes to win the Premier League?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Ranieri :cool:

[The Bruce]

Utterly brilliant game that, Leicester are a real throw back. If Claudio gets Mourinho the sack :drool:

[Spoonsky]

Oof. What scenes. This season is mental, I love it.

That was a fantastic game. Leicester bring an intensity to the title race that's so good to watch (Liverpool in 2014 were similar).

[Sam]

Love it.

Tinkerman getting Jose the sack would be icing on the cake.

[Lee]

Wow. I'm not wanking though.

[CJay]

Beautiful justice seeing Ranieri getting one over Mourinho.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I thought Wes Morgan would have at least some Jamaican credentials. He sounds like Derek Laud.

[Manc]

Someone pop up the table.

[niko_cee]

Chelsea are almost at the point where they have to win every remaining game to stand a chance of getting 4th.

[Yevrah]

Leicester won? Fuck me. :drool:

[Gray Fox]

The scenes when Leicester win the league and Chelsea go down. This season has been mental.

[ScousePig]

Sorry to disappoint everyone, but Chelsea have Sunderland at the weekend.

[Magic]

:drool:

[Yevrah]

Ranieri :cool:

His back catalogue is such that I'm still happy to proclaim he's rubbish, but whatever he's doing here is working and long may it continue. If Leicester make the top 3...

[Gray Fox]

Sorry to disappoint everyone, but Chelsea have Sunderland at the weekend.

Big Sam to provide an absolute master-class and beat Chelsea 0-0.

[Boom-Boom]

Jose needs to step down. His argument of being the best man for the club is no longer valid.

[Yevrah]

Jose needs to step down. His argument of being the best man for the club is no longer valid.

When a manager resorts to making that argument, they rarely are.

[Jimmy Floyd]

We should appoint Brendan Rodgers for the lulz.

[niko_cee]

He should stick it out until then end of the season.

Another mess for Rafa to come in and 'clean up'.

:drool:

[CJay]

He'd be mad to step down - he's got a huge payout coming. In fact, how often does a manager sign a new contract at the end of the season / over summer only to then have a terrible start to a season? Off the top of my head, this season we have: Rodgers, Monk, Mourinho. Maybe they just want the quick payoff?

[Yevrah]

We should appoint Brendan Rodgers for the lulz.

You've proven over the last few years that it doesn't really matter who you appoint. Some do well, some don't, they all get sacked in the end.

I guess it's slighty different now Drogba's well and truly gone, but the above still stands.

[ScousePig]

Schmeichel
Simpson
Morgan
Huth
Fuchs
Mahrez
Drinkwater
Kante
Albrighton
Ulloa
Vardy

Top of the bloody league. At the start of the season I'd have probably only taken about four of them at fucking Sunderland.

[Jimmy Floyd]

You've proven over the last few years that it doesn't really matter who you appoint. Some do well, some don't, they all get sacked in the end.

I guess it's slighty different now Drogba's well and truly gone, but the above still stands.

Probably because our club is run by a bizarre committee of the Jewish mafia and Michael Emenalo.

Oh well, it's all about harvesting teenage players these days anyway.

[Magic]

Once again shitcunt Schmeichel proves we're utterly fucking clueless at player assessment. Why do we have this 'fuck off' mentality it isn't fair how easy owners have it at Leeds with regards to player contacts. Byram is the current case in point. Our first RB injured for 2 months and he'll still play Scott Wootton because Byram has been demonised. Joke!

[ScousePig]

Once again shitcunt Schmeichel proves we're utterly fucking clueless at player assessment. Why do we have this 'fuck off' mentality it isn't fair how easy owners have it at Leeds with regards to player contacts. Byram is the current case in point. Our first RB injured for 2 months and he'll still play Scott Wootton because Byram has been demonised. Joke!

Straight swap for Bridcutt??

[Jimmy Floyd]

Probably my greatest regret in life is that Ranieri isn't my uncle.

[Shindig]

You could always marry into that.

[Boydy]

Was looking to see if Ranieri has a daughter (He does, she's hot, but she's married) but found pictures of him when he was younger.

Had no idea he was so handsome.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/Claudio_Ranieri_1973.jpg

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/07/14/16/2A86506500000578-3160987-image-a-9_1436888313565.jpg

Bloody hell. Italians. :drool:

[Yevrah]

Even the bald (relatively) ugly ones ooze sex. It must be the genes.

[Boydy]

He's got a bit of a young Marcello Mastroianni look about him in that first one.

[Max Power]

He's a fucking dreamboat.

What a team. Imagine, just imagine if we won the league...

[Kikó]

Ancelotti to Chelsea and Mourinho to finally get the united gig. It's on.

[Lee]

I don't really know what to think now. It's early August, I'm still, in Barcelona and I've taken some brilliant drugs.

[Pleb]

Wait till Christmas etc etc...

[Toby]

http://i.imgur.com/HRzCdS8.png

The only good result they've had all season is the win over Arsenal.

Even chucking in cup and European games it's rare they've won two in a row. It's beyond crisis point and it's not going to change unless Mourinho goes.

[Yevrah]

So you'd sack him now Tobes?

[Toby]

I'd have sacked him weeks ago. He's completely lost the plot.

[Lewis]

I would keep 'The Special One' and clear out half the side. I'm not normally a 'TIME' person, but some managers deserve it.

[Reg]

Clear out half the side and bed in that many new players next season - which will probably be their biggest season in years?

Or get rid of one man and maybe even salvage something of this season?

[Smiffy]

.....

[Raoul Duke]

I think his 'special one' schtick worked better when there was a core spine through the side which could drag their team into line with the manager's will. Now there's just mincers like Oscar, Pedro and Fabregas who would all rather be somewhere else. Costa is a complete head case and Hazard has been bobbins.

I'd probably play Remy every week. He always looks like he has a goal in him.

[Smiffy]

.....

[Lewis]

Four months ago he would have been the consensus pick for best manager in the game. If anybody can 'bed in' eight new players, it's him. Whoever they replace him with will have to spend as much money and oversee their own changes, so why bother? If he gets his way and it's still bollocks then yeah, bin him; but I really think doing so now is a bit daft.

[Reg]

Yeah, I'm not sure myself to be fair. I think it might be more sensible to stick with him, as long as there is no real threat of relegation (lolwtf) then he probably deserves another season.

All depends on what the players think of him really.

[CJay]

I'd sack him. It seems obvious the malaise runs deep and the players aren't playing for him anymore. I'm sure his interview tonight won't help that situation either.

And as much as I dislike Mourinho he has a very good point on the ballboys. It's ridiculous that clubs are allowed to get away with it. Fair enough if you want to time waste on the pitch - at least that's within the game - but putting the ball out of play and then using the kids you put around the pitch to waste time has nothing to do with the game.

[Reg]

Yeah that's pretty widespread as well. I've seen it plenty of times at Brighton - never to a stupid degree, but players will often give a signal to a ball boy to take their time.

What did Mourinho say after the game?

[CJay]

Something along the lines of he took the players to another level last season and this season he feels they've betrayed him - which sounds to me like he wants all the credit for last season and blames the player for this season. And he moaned about Hazard going off injured too.

[Kikó]

He's lost this team but I don't think his heart is in it. Chelsea wasnt where he wanted to be and it shows.

[Spoonsky]

Leicester won? Fuck me. :drool:

Was it that much of a surprise?

The brilliant thing about Ranieri is that he perpetually looks like he has no idea where he is or how he's gotten there (and there's probably some truth to that). Compare that to Mourinho who looks utterly composed on the bench yet finds himself in the midst of a bona fide mental breakdown.

[Manc]

If he does get the boot, it'll be interesting to see where his next venture lies. Portugal post euros?

[Shindig]

Germany.

[leedsrevolution]

I think he will go to another club. Either Paris / Munich / Man Utd. He won't want to finish club managment like this.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I don't think another manager would improve it that much, if at all. This manager won the league with aching comfort seven months ago, with the same players. They've just all decided they can't be arsed. We were technically by far the superior side in last night's game but were just leggy and lethargic and Leicester wanted it more.

I do think bad luck has cost us up to 10 points as well.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Also, all we have left is cups (we're not going down). I wouldn't have any manager in the world over Mourinho for cup ties.

[Kikó]

I'd like to see where both teams are by the end of January. I think the 20 point gap will be closer to 8-10 by then.

[Smiffy]

.....

[Smiffy]

.....

[Kikó]

Maybe. We'll see.

[Toby]

I don't think another manager would improve it that much, if at all.

We can put it down to the players being arseholes as much as anything Mourinho has actually done wrong, but it's clear that a growing number of them don't enjoy playing for him, and he's just slowly alienating more and more of them. I just don't believe that wouldn't change under a new manager. Even just a temporary boost in form would get confidence back and give them something to build on. As things are they never look like putting two results together and I just don't see how or where it changes with Mourinho in charge.

[Smiffy]

.....

[Toby]

After Sunderland and Watford at home, Chelsea have Man United and Crystal Palace away.before facing WBA, Everton and Arsenal.

Leicester on the other hand have Liverpool, Everton and Man City in their next three games then Bournemouth, Villa and Stoke throughout January. I think your prediction is rather optimistic.

Optimistic in what sense, that you expect Chelsea to do even better relative to Leicester?

I looked at Chelsea's fixtures after the Liverpool game and said in ordinary circumstances you'd expect them to win at least six of the seven running up to the game against Manchester United. Five down and they've taken four points.

[Smiffy]

.....

[Jimmy Floyd]

We can put it down to the players being arseholes as much as anything Mourinho has actually done wrong, but it's clear that a growing number of them don't enjoy playing for him, and he's just slowly alienating more and more of them. I just don't believe that wouldn't change under a new manager. Even just a temporary boost in form would get confidence back and give them something to build on. As things are they never look like putting two results together and I just don't see how or where it changes with Mourinho in charge.

I would rather stick with a proven winner at the helm than just bring some twat in who might, or might not, make a bunch of spoiled twats play better for a few weeks.

Real short termism going on here I think. This may be a worse slump than you typically see but the basic truth is that bad seasons do occur.

[Toby]

I'm not sure they occur without major consequence in modern football. You can't just have a bad year and bounce back immediately, especially if you're adhering to FFP rules.

[Jimmy Floyd]

We own more than 30 players out on loan who can either be brought into the squad as 'free' transfers if they are deemed good enough, or sold to part fund the purchase of new ones. FFP isn't a problem for us. And if it is a more prolonged decline I would argue that it was definitely coming anyway. You can't just lose the Cech/Terry/Lampard/Drogba spine and hope to replace it with anything even close.

[Smiffy]

.....

[Jimmy Floyd]

Swansea going in for Bielsa. Oh my sides.

[CJay]

:drool:

Better to burn out than to fade away.

[simon]

I'm with Jimmy and Lewis. Though you couldn't have a dig at Abramovich if he did give him the bullet.

It's just absolutely mad what is going on. But I'm still a Mourinho man and I'd rather see the team get absolutely gutted and we start over than him leave and Ancelotti/Rodgers/whoever comes in. Unless we can somehow convince Guardiola to waltz in, that is. But we can't and won't.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Guardiola and Mourinho undoing each other's work at Chelsea and Bayern respectively would be a quality job swap.

[simon]

It really would.

I was half expecting to wake up to the news of Mourinho's sacking this morning, tbf. Surely we can beat Sunderland at home?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Big Sam likes a 0-0 at Stamford Bridge. Done it with about five different clubs.

[CJay]

There's a great article about Mourinho by Jonathan Wilson in the latest edition of The Blizzard. You can pay what you like for the digital issue here (https://www.theblizzard.co.uk/product/issue-nineteen/).

[Browning]

Big Sam likes a 0-0 at Stamford Bridge. Done it with about five different clubs.

That'll come in useful when they appoint him to save them from the drop.

[CJay]

Nice to see Craig Gardner only managed to put Lovren out for a month with that scumbag challenge on Sunday. That's him and McClean in successive weeks getting away with ridiculous fouls.

[Lewis]

How long should Martin Skrtel have got for his dangerous lunge?

[phonics]

Nice to see Craig Gardner only managed to put Lovren out for a month with that scumbag challenge on Sunday. That's him and McClean in successive weeks getting away with ridiculous fouls.

Milner and Skrtel put in just as bad challenges that game.

[CJay]

I'd have had no qualms seeing Skrtel getting sent off for that. Sorry I didn't mention it. :rolleyes:

[Mazuuurk]

Guardiola and Mourinho undoing each other's work at Chelsea and Bayern respectively would be a quality job swap.

In fairness, there would be a hell of a lot more for Mourinho to undo.

[phonics]

Bielsa :cool: got a bit worried they were going to let my big talk down there. Bring in a style of play that can be handed down to Pochetino when Spurs inevitably sack him for coming fifth.

[Reg]

I do think bad luck has cost us up to 10 points as well.
How many points has bad luck cost every other team?

I appreciate that luck has a fair bit to do with football, probably a lot more than is acknowledged, but implying it's cost Chelsea significantly more than others is a bit hopeful I think.

[SincereTheRebel]

The only man to blame for chelseas terrible form is 21 years old, and does not even play for the club.

[Kikó]

Is it David De Gea?

[Mellberg]

Have to say I'm chuffed for Leicester. We've been in a similar position a few times and it's a great feeling to be above all the clubs with bigger budgets. I just hope they succeed where we failed and turn it into something more tangiable. If not the title, then at least top three (for a club of their size Champions League qualifying is potentially deadly).

Are they playing the same 11 every week? Also, how hard do they work? These are the elements that might end up costing them come about March.

[Smiffy]

.....

[Mellberg]

Yep, we're shit. Although at least I don't end up a giddy mess when we're decent, only for our brave skipper to fall on his arse.

[phonics]

Fuck You Pay Me went from a quote to a mantra that summer. Good times.

[Sam]

I remember those glorious days to, reaching the dizzy heights of 16th in the Premiership. Fuck, who am I kidding, past 20 years following us has generally been shit.

[Ian]

If he does get the boot, it'll be interesting to see where his next venture lies. Portugal post euros?

If he wants to manage Portugal he needs to do it while Ronaldo's there.

[Smiffy]

.....

[Reg]

On telly tonight. Nice for them to pick an away game for once. QPR are down in 13th but there are only 4 points between them and 6th place.

Also a big game going on in Boro v Burnley.

[Yevrah]

One for Lewis.

http://www.football365.com/news/ryan-giggs-either-implicated-or-utterly-irrelevant

[Smiffy]

.....

[John]

Just having being great at football is obviously not enough


he’s been marginalised the Van Gaal

:sick: Hire a fucking proofreader.

[phonics]

The entire site is literally run by two people since they got dropped by Sky.

[Yevrah]

What was their relationship with Sky/why did they get dropped?

[Reg]

One for Lewis.

http://www.football365.com/news/ryan-giggs-either-implicated-or-utterly-irrelevant
Laughably one sided really. It's going badly, so he's assumed Giggs is responsible for the bad stuff, instead of acknowledging that it could be the other way around: it could be a whole lot worse if Giggs wasn't there.

If the judgement of how well they were doing was based solely on points, then it would be alright bar the Champions League. So the issue is the style. Can you imagine van Gaal compromising much on the style he wants?

He's also decided the four games in charge didn't show anything good, when most people agreed that Giggs immediately installed the old United style with high tempo and good wing play. At the same time he's heavily implying that Giggs is partly responsible for the boring play.

In short, it doesn't make much sense.

[Yevrah]

Didn't 'restoring the old United style' begin and end with one half at Old Trafford vs. Norwich?

He'll be a dreadful Man Utd manager if he gets the gig before doing anything elsewhere, dreadful.

[phonics]

Sky owned and bankrolled them. I don't know why they dropped them. Priorities change after a while. They also used to write the match reports that would be syndicated across Sky websites and you presume they brought that in-house.

Yevrah

[Lewis]

I read it daily, but Football365 really is absolute shit.

[Kikó]

He didn't really instill anything in four games but then I wouldn't expect him to. Andy Mitten said the coaches have been instructed to not leave the technical area so I'm not surprised he looks mardy. And Giggs is definitely alpha male and will happily stab whoever he needs in the back for the job.

[Yevrah]

He didn't really instill anything in four games but then I wouldn't expect him to. Andy Mitten said the coaches have been instructed to not leave the technical area so I'm not surprised he looks mardy. And Giggs is definitely alpha male and will happily stab whoever he needs in the back for the job.

You seem to be using 'alpha-male' and 'complete shithouse of a human being' interchangeably.

[Reg]

I think they definitely looked more like their old selves, but eh, like you say it was only four games.

Yev- you really don't know he'd be dreadful (entitled to a guess, obviously). He might be fantastic, we don't know.

[Kikó]

Can you not be both?

[Yevrah]

Yev- you really don't know he'd be dreadful (entitled to a guess, obviously). He might be fantastic, we don't know.

We know.

[John]

Laughably one sided really. It's going badly, so he's assumed Giggs is responsible for the bad stuff, instead of acknowledging that it could be the other way around: it could be a whole lot worse if Giggs wasn't there.

If the judgement of how well they were doing was based solely on points, then it would be alright bar the Champions League. So the issue is the style. Can you imagine van Gaal compromising much on the style he wants?

Those two paragraphs don't make much sense when taken together. He's being laughably one sided for dismissing the very thing you dismiss yourself in the next paragraph?

[Reg]

Well you're kind of right, yeah, that's not very consistent.

But Giggs could be contributing other positive things. Maybe the morale would be awful if he wasn't there, etc.

[Weaver]

Derby beating Bristol City 1-0 at HT, which will put them above Hull into 3rd. Brighton and Middlesbrough are both drawing their games 0-0.

[Reg]

:drool: great goal.

[Reg]

What's that, 35 yards? What's going on this season?

[Samadini]

Hughton is going on.

[Reg]

Great game. A draw is fair, they were arguably better.

Dunk needs to learn, two really silly tackles and he can't blame inexperience anymore.

Austin was brilliant. To jump and get such a good header on that corner when being held by Bruno was some feat.

[niko_cee]

Fuck off with these fucking 88th minute equalisers.

:mad:

[Reg]

I'm not even mad, such a good game.

Bit annoyed at Dunk but that's overridden by the joy of this season.

[Lewis]

Xabi Alonso scored quite a good goal tonight.

[Gray Fox]

You're not wrong.

https://gyazo.com/40b909fcaa4cf4618814b99c67a42681.png

[niko_cee]

I'm not even mad, such a good game.

Bit annoyed at Dunk but that's overridden by the joy of this season.

Aye, but as much as the two draws have been good (you'd take them before the game) results, two wins would have put substantial distance to the chasing pack, and they were both on the cards.

[Reg]

True. If we keep drawing away and winning at home it's looking very good though.

[Smiffy]

.....

[Smiffy]

.....

[Kikó]

You were and still am talking absolute nonsense. Just because you mention Giggs loads of times it doesn't mean it isn't buried amongst a pile of imaginary fluffy scenery that you've conjured up.

Anyway, ancelotti to Bayern at the end of the year.

[Waffdon]

https://streamable.com/8k2p :drool:

Won all his penalties, too.

[Boom-Boom]

I would rather stick with a proven winner at the helm than just bring some twat in who might, or might not, make a bunch of spoiled twats play better for a few weeks.

Real short termism going on here I think. This may be a worse slump than you typically see but the basic truth is that bad seasons do occur.

I have never seen a slump like this. How often do top, established teams suffer like this? Wenger / Ferguson have not finished outside of the top 4 in 40 odd seasons of Premier League football.

[Vim]

Zaza's just scored a beauty. :drool:

Roma out of the cup against a third division team. :D

[John]

I have never seen a slump like this. How often do top, established teams suffer like this? Wenger / Ferguson have not finished outside of the top 4 in 40 odd seasons of Premier League football.

Is that timeframe chosen specifically to exclude it, or were you not aware that Manchester United finished eleventh in Ferguson's first and third seasons and thirteenth in his fourth?

[GS]

To be fair, I think he's more suggesting that once Ferguson's United were "consistently competitive" (i.e. 1991/92 onwards) then they never collapsed to this sort of shit before.

Wenger may have finished in the top four every year, but did Arsenal not have a run where they got about 18 points in 19 games a few years ago? It's not a dissimilar run to Chelsea, it just so happened the Arsenal run was split across two seasons.

[SincereTheRebel]

When arsenal got embarrass by liverpool a few seasons ago 5-1, during the next 15 league games or so, they only won about three. Thats as bad as i remember it, but ive never seen an elite team at chelsea level be this shit from day one of the season.

[Davgooner]

When arsenal got embarrass by liverpool a few seasons ago 5-1, during the next 15 league games or so, they only won about three. Thats as bad as i remember it, but ive never seen an elite team at chelsea level be this shit from day one of the season.

You're well off with that.

Edit: Thirteen games left after that. Won seven, drew three and lost three.

[Davgooner]

For me the sort of collapses you've seen in recent years from the scousers, United and now Chelsea, very much put Wenger's achievements in perspective.

[Smiffy]

.....

[Lewis]

He means the achievement of making Arsenal think they can't/won't do better.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It'll happen to Arsenal as well once he leaves and O'Leary takes over.

[GS]

Wenger has maintained a consistent level. Now you can question whether someone else would have reached a higher level (e.g. a league win) or not. Equally you can say, with some justification, that it might turn to shit if he left. It's hard to know. I think there's certainly seasons where they should have done better, but it would be a big gamble to sack him and hope it doesn't turn to shit.

[Kikó]

They should get Garry Monk in while he's free.

[GS]

Monk isn't completely shit, so he'll probably get another job somewhere.

[Davgooner]

What achievements are those? The two FA Cups in a decade? The three sides mentioned above have had European Cups, FA Cups, title challenges and successes and that's without taking into account Tottenham's inability to get one over you which has been threatened a fair few times.

You'll all be calling for his head again next week.

I'm always calling for his head, me. Aye.

When you see how quickly some of the others mobs have turned to shit, and just how far they've all fallen at various points, keeping a club at the top for so long without anything approaching something like that, for the most part without the same resources as those clubs, is a bit of donnage that I think is starting to become apparent.

[Reg]

I think he was very possibly the best manager to guarantee top four and not spend much money while they paid off the stadium.

I don't think he's the best manager they could get now. If I was an Arsenal fan I'd be so sick of the same mistakes that are made time and time again.

[Davgooner]

The club takes a hit for 3-5 seasons whoever comes in at this point. I'd expect that he'll chose his replacement and will probably still be at the club in some capacity to try and avert that sort of wobble.

[Spoonsky]

Arsenal actually look like doing something in the league, which is more than we can usually say in December. If Wenger can't sustain a title run in this of all seasons then perhaps it is time to reevaluate things.

[Mazuuurk]

I also think Arsene has adapted a little bit in the past two seasons or so. Before he seemed a little stubborn about Arsenal always playing possession-based "beautiful" football, but now he plays more to the strengths of the team (partly a lot thanks to Sanchez and Giroud who are both quite direct players) and maybe more importantly weaknesses, i.e. he can actually decide to sit back in a game these days.

[Weaver]

The Club World Cup semi final between Barca and Guangzhou is on 26' and is 0-0 at the minute.

All the big names are playing bar Messi, who has renal colic. Not sure what that is.

[John Arne]

I wonder if any other Top 4 manager would have survived 10 years just wining a couple of FA Cups. The answer is no. I'm not exactly sure why Arsenal fans have put up with so much mediocrity, to be honest. The guy did fantastically well in the first 10 years, but has since just built of team of foreigners who win nothing,

[phonics]

Mediocrity :D

[John Arne]

Mediocrity in relation to the 'top 4'. Do you think any other manager of Chelsea, Man Utd, Liverpool or Man City would last 10yrs winning only 2 FA Cups?

[phonics]

Mediocrity in relation to the 'top 4'. Do you think any other manager of Chelsea, Man Utd, Liverpool or Man City would last 10yrs winning only 2 FA Cups?

Is Roberto Di Matteo a better manager than Arsene Wenger then? Avram Grant got to a CL final as well so they're probably about equal in skill.

[Davgooner]

Modern fans eh?

ARSENAL ARSENAL ARSENAL ARSENAL ARSENAL

[John Arne]

Is Roberto Di Matteo a better manager than Arsene Wenger then? Avram Grant got to a CL final as well so they're probably about equal in skill.

Can you read?

Roberto Di Matteo or Avram Grant wouldn't be given 10 years at a top club having won only 2 FA Cups.

Do you think Mourinho will be given the next 10 years at Chelsea if he only wins 2 FA Cups? Hell, some people want him sacked already (not me).

[phonics]

Can you read?

Roberto Di Matteo or Avram Grant wouldn't be given 10 years at a top club having won only 2 FA Cups.

Do you think Mourinho will be given the next 10 years at Chelsea if he only wins 2 FA Cups? Hell, some people want him sacked already (not me).

Yeah we should have sacked him and sat in seventh wanking about the good old days like Liverpool and United. The man kept the club relevant and had 2 close league run ins and a Champions League final on an absolute shoestring of a budget. You had Spurs outspending him for near enough a decade and only getting near the bloke twice including one where they had a player who went on to be the most expensive player of all time.

I'll put it simply:

Chat Shit.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/04/24/14/21F742A700000578-3053928-image-m-37_1429880850656.jpg

Get Banged.

Weng :cool:

[John Arne]

Nice one. Here's hoping you keep him for the next 10 years.

[John Arne]

In all seriousness, how do you think about the number of foreigners in the team? Surely not having any English players in the team every other week will eventually give rise to a lack of identity? What's the point of supporting a local team if there is no association to anything local. I am a bit miffed that Liverpool have no local players in the first team, but at least we have a fairly decent number of English players.

This isn't unique to Arsenal, of course, but certainly most applicable.

[Davgooner]

Those days are gone mate. BRITISH CORE is what we're all about now. Shame they're all fucking injured.

[phonics]

In all seriousness, how do you think about the number of foreigners in the team? Surely not having any English players in the team every other week will eventually give rise to a lack of identity? What's the point of supporting a local team if there is no association to anything local. I am a bit miffed that Liverpool have no local players in the first team, but at least we have a fairly decent number of English players.

This isn't unique to Arsenal, of course, but certainly most applicable.

When they aren't all injured, only Spurs has more English players in the squad and would have the most in the First XI (Wellbeck, Walcott, Oxlade Chamberlain, Wilshere) so I'm not sure what you're on about.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The modern Arsenal fan (not you, Dave, you're Proper Arsenal) would probably start crying if they used too many Englishmen.

[CJay]

John Arne, that complaint is about 8 years out of date. :D When fit Arsenal probably have the best group of British players of any English team - Ramsey, Walcott, Wilshere, Chamberlain, Gibbs, Chambers...

[Lewis]

When you put it like that no wonder we're shit.

[Toby]

I get how you'd want players coming through the youth ranks of the side, but do players from other parts of England really have any more of a link to the club and its identity than the foreign lot?

[igor_balis]

The thing about Arsenal is, they always try and walk it in.

[Davgooner]

The modern Arsenal fan (not you, Dave, you're Proper Arsenal) would probably start crying if they used too many Englishmen.

A lot of truth is said in jest.

Jim, are you Proper Chelsea? Have you ever appeared in a 'Fan TV' broadcast?

[Boydy]

Did you see that ludicrous display last night?

[Davgooner]

When fit

http://www.wearetheherd.com/forum/Smileys/herd/Bustingup.gif

[Andy]

The whole identity with the club thing is a load of old bollocks.

Lallana is a local of who was with Southampton for ten years and went through everything, was still desperate the leave when the extra money was offered. Schneiderlin cared just as much and he was from France. The days of a British core making some sort of difference are long gone. Fuck them all.

[Jimmy Floyd]

A lot of truth is said in jest.

Jim, are you Proper Chelsea? Have you ever appeared in a 'Fan TV' broadcast?

I'm not unfortunately. I auditioned but they didn't look kindly on me turning up in my own clothes.

[Sam]

The whole identity with the club thing is a load of old bollocks.

Lallana is a local of who was with Southampton for ten years and went through everything, was still desperate the leave when the extra money was offered. Schneiderlin cared just as much and he was from France. The days of a British core making some sort of difference are long gone. Fuck them all.

British are the more mercenary types if anything to go by, whereas the foreigners actually identify with the club more. I take the example of Bakary Sako for us, at the club for three years, he's french and a massive fan favourite. Left on a free but made it clear that he will stay should we gain promotion to the Premier League, still gave 100% and got his head down to get the club as close as it could be before we ultimately failed. As he left he had a choice of clubs from abroad but only West Brom were interested in him over here, however, as they were our bitter rivals and knowing it'd be gutting for the Wolves fanbase should he sign for them he held out until another club come along. Rather then doing like Joleon Lescott did and ultimately burning any bridges with the club he was revered at.

[Mazuuurk]

Mediocrity in relation to the 'top 4'. Do you think any other manager of Chelsea, Man Utd, Liverpool or Man City would last 10yrs winning only 2 FA Cups?

I'd say the question is rather - do you think the managers at the other clubs should have been allowed more confidence to work long-term with a club? Or is it realistic in todays PL to demand to win the title? That's the kind of Spanish spirit I personally don't care much for. I'll never forget when I was at Camp Nou ages ago and watched Barca destroy Valencia 5-1, Henry scored 2 goals yet were booed, the whole home crowd booed, because at the time they were "only" 2nd in the league.

Arsenal clearly accepted to not be a title challanger for several years. The fans were maybe suffering then (still are I guess), but the board was happy enough. Now that they are spending more money and seem to have raised the ambition a bit, maybe the board will not be quite as patient (at the same time, if you have a manager who's done exactly what you've asked of him for years and years, you probably keep a lot of faith).

[John Arne]

When they aren't all injured, only Spurs has more English players in the squad and would have the most in the First XI (Wellbeck, Walcott, Oxlade Chamberlain, Wilshere) so I'm not sure what you're on about.

Ox has been fit and not playing recently, Welbeck is shit and wouldn't be near your starting XI, Theo I'll give you and Wilshere is perma-crocked. That's 1 regular English player. Even Chambers has only started 1 league game this season.

[Jeet]

John Arne, that complaint is about 8 years out of date. :D When fit Arsenal probably have the best group of British players of any English team - Ramsey, Walcott, Wilshere, Chamberlain, Gibbs, Chambers...

First three are quite good, Chambers bit early to judge as not even has a set position. Gibbs and Ox are bench players, Ox is way overated and would have been sold if he wasn't english.

[Josh]

I don't normally get annoyed by 'pundits' such as Collymore but this really ground my gears.

http://betting.boylesports.com/football/bournemouth-v-watford-doesnt-cut-it-for-premier-league

[Jimmy Floyd]

What he's done there is list a load of clubs from declining industrial towns and failed to understand why they aren't as good as they were when he was a child.

[phonics]

Ox has been fit and not playing recently, Welbeck is shit and wouldn't be near your starting XI, Theo I'll give you and Wilshere is perma-crocked. That's 1 regular English player. Even Chambers has only started 1 league game this season.

You said England players. They all start for England.

[John Arne]

We are talking about Arsenal, you clown. Arsenal have 1 English player regularly turning out for them. It's as simple as that.

[Davgooner]

Eh? There's 4/5 British players in the first team.

[John Arne]

There is 1 Englishman who plays regularly, and another 1 (Wilshere) whenever he un-dies.

[SvN]

Football doesn't really work like it did in the 80s where teams have 11 first team players.

[John Arne]

Of course not. And I'm not being a dick here - I'm just pointing out the bleeding obvious. If that's ok with Arsenal fans, then that's fine.

[John Arne]

Also, Liverpool aren't much better. We only have Clyne, Milner, Henderson and the forever dead Sturridge. I would certainly like to see more English players in our starting XI.

[John]

Also, Liverpool aren't much better. We only have Clyne, Milner, Henderson and the forever dead Sturridge. I would certainly like to see more English players in our starting XI.

Ings, Ibe, Lallana, and Gomez.

Liverpool are a bit of an anomaly at the moment though. Chelsea have two Englishmen with any hope of starting, though admittedly they both do, Man City have three and they only bought two of them this season. Arsenal have six, five of whom are likely to feature if fit.

The criticism itself is valid, there do tend to be less English players as you get towards the top of the league, but you're about four years out of date in addressing it to Arsenal.

[Davgooner]

There is 1 Englishman who plays regularly, and another 1 (Wilshere) whenever he un-dies.

Walcott, Chamberlain, Gibbs, Welbeck, Ramsey and Wilshere all feature regularly when fit. Don't be a twat.

[John Arne]

Chamberlain can't nail down a place, Gibbs is nowhere near first choice LB, Ramsey is Welsh and Wilshere is dead. This isn't fucking rocket science. When all are fit, I'll give you Wilshere, and Chamberlain might start 20 games this season if he can pull his finger out.

[Jeet]

Ox still waiting to score his first EVER Arsenal away fixture goal. :face:

[Sam]

Getting tactically out-thought by Steve Evans.. :D.

[Sam]

Nice to see Jackett is showing his total ineptness again, didn't think it was actively possible to dislike a manager so much but I have a genuine dislike of his clueless mug.

[leedsrevolution]

You're making us look good, that is very worrying for you.

[Sam]

You're making us look good, that is very worrying for you.

Welcome to the whole season.

Makes changes after the game is over. :D. Couldn't make it up. Detestable gerbil looking mother fucker.

[Sam]

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/12/17/50ee01322c33da1ca2119f87804feb40.jpg

Either he's order the sacking or just ringing up domino's for one to go.

[leedsrevolution]

Fuck you're gona get a point out of this.

[Sam]

Coady on for our best midfielder.

:happycry:

[Davgooner]

Chamberlain can't nail down a place, Gibbs is nowhere near first choice LB, Ramsey is Welsh and Wilshere is dead. This isn't fucking rocket science. When all are fit, I'll give you Wilshere, and Chamberlain might start 20 games this season if he can pull his finger out.

You can have Gibbs as one who's been forced out of the first team.

[leedsrevolution]

Is Coady a CB?

[Sam]

Is Coady a CB?

No one has a clue what he does, he's generally shit at the lot.

Oh well, won't go down, but god we need rid of the gerbil faced fuck.

[Magic]

Gents. :drool: