Official Football Thread

I am indeed about Manchester United's victory but I'm a man torn in two because Celtic had to give way :(

I still think that Lyon will win the competition.
 
Amazingly enough, Wenger is criticising English teams with foreign investors.

"I feel it is important that English clubs continue to have English values", he said - yet he does not obviously feel it translates to the players been English - as long as the owner is not foreign, the players can come from wherever in the world. Seriously, how can a English team have English values if almost the whole squad doesn't even from anywhere in the UK, let alone England.

This, I must add, is not a swipe at foreigners in the English game as I have no issue with this - it's just when the first eleven is made up of foreigners it gets a little crazy. You need the right balance.
 
Albie said:
This, I must add, is not a swipe at foreigners in the English game as I have no issue with this - it's just when the first eleven is made up of foreigners it gets a little crazy. You need the right balance.
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I actually don't care if a team fields a "Foreign XI".  It doesn't make any difference to the football in reality.
 
You have a point Conor, but to create a team with "English values" (as Wenger put it) does require English players - or at the very least UK based players. In reality, the current Arsenal team is no more English than a French league side. And if every team in the premiership was as Arsenal is, then, quite possibly, only winning the league (or at least getting into the next seasons Champions league) will matter to them. The FA cup will then become a competition that means nothing - it will become another League Cup (or whatever guise it goes under).
And Hargreaves breaks a leg. Just as he was winning over us English.
 
Albie said:
You have a point Conor, but to create a team with "English values" (as Wenger put it) does require English players - or at the very least UK based players.
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Albie, you've been watching too much BBC.  What exactly are "English values" in regards to football?  IMO, the whole thing is bullshit.
 
BBC? Pfft. How Wenger interprets English values is what is up for question here. He has this idea that an English club.... - well, you've seen the link.

A good example of what I would deem as "English values" is the notion of not giving up when your side is down. OK, not solely an English trait but it what they are renowned for. Showing a bit of character when you find yourself 3-0 down. I'm sure you know what I mean here. When Lee Chapman was playing in France and the team he was in found themselves a goal or two behind, the disappointment was actually not shown until they got to the dressing room. What he could not understand is why that energy release was not shown on the pitch 10 minutes earlier. Also having respect for the FA cup, its history and what it means to the supporters.
 
Albie, not to be disrespectful or anything, but does the English team show guts when they play in international matches?  When, against Portugal, their star player was sent off and the team was in trouble, did any player stand up and be counted for?  The only player I can think of who acually fulfilled his potential was Owen Hargreaves, who is in fact barely English at all.

Do many English players care about the FA cup?  A handful may, in fact, deem the competition important but only after their hopes of Premiership victory have gone out of the window.

I can not understand this patriotic garbage dictating about "English values" in the modern football game.  Wenger may be trying to save his own hide from the hounds in the press  but it is not fooling me <_<
 
OK, Conor - English internationals have been lacking some fire in their belly of late, last time I saw any guts on display was when England played Argentina in France '98 (aside from the friendly in Switzerland - but I won't put any weight on that). Maybe that was because Sven was just a tad too cool.

However, if the FA Cup means nothing to many English players until their team can not win the Premiership, well that can only be the English players in 2 teams - Man U and Chelsea (Arsenal have little or no English players for which to care for it). Liverpool would not be able to get the better of the above three - maybe one or two but not all three. ;)
 
Man U 0 - 1 Arsenal.

To be honest, I did not see that one coming. Maybe you're right Conor and I am watching to much footie on the Beeb. :huh:
 
Greetings from Australia, fellow footy fans! It appears that while I've been away, QPR have managed to maneuver themsleves to the bottom of the table. Although it's obviously the players who are under-achieving, I must place the large majority of the blame upon our eejit of a manager, Gary Waddock. Let's hope they can move away from the relegation zone with a win or two soon.

I've seen a bit of Australian football while I've been here, and the standard is pretty good. There are certainly a lot of people interested in it, and the crowds reach about 40,000 for a league match. It can be a bit confusing here though: Aussies call Rugby (League and Union) 'football', Aussies Rules 'football', and Soccer 'football'.
 
Thank God NA is back, me and Albie were struggling in trying to keep this thread alive :p

In the news is the story of Sam Allardyce accepting bungs.  I believe it.  Although the "evidence" is shady, it does seem very likely that something like this could have happened and is still taking place.  Big Sam has always been a "wheeler dealer" type of manager and he and 'Aryy Redknapp are now up to their necks with trouble.
 
Conor said:
Thank God NA is back, me and Albie were struggling in trying to keep this thread alive :p
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One or two have chipped in, but not enough! More input is needed, I say - I mean people wanted to talk football during the World Cup, but it just died when the competition ended.

As for Sam Allardyce, well it looks like his own son has done enough damage already. As a character, Allardyce is the sort of character that football management needs, he just shouldn't go round taking these bungs (allegedly).

NA, I am a little surprised to say the least at the predicament QPR are in, but teams have gotten out of that situation before - you just don't want the loosing streak to set in, that is when it all goes the way of the pear.

Southend have had an OK start to the season and should really be looking at a mid-table (or the lower part of the mid-table) finish - not 4th from bottom as Tilly would have it.
 
I'm an Arsenal fan who believes that Henry and Ronaldinho are the best in the world.
As for Arsenal having no English players in the starting squad, Wenger once said "I do not look in the players passports", although I totally understand your concern for the future of your national team.
 
Welcome to the thread Urizen.  I think you'll find that there aren't too many football enthusiasts around here so you'll have to make do with me and Albie ranting about the state of the English press :p
 
Conor said:
Welcome to the thread Urizen.  I think you'll find that there aren't too many football enthusiasts around here so you'll have to make do with me and Albie ranting about the state of the English press :p
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Some of us are just waiting for the Euro-Cup...  ;)
 
Genghis Khan said:
Some of us are just waiting for the Euro-Cup...  ;)
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In two years time?  I think Maiden will have another album out by then :p
 
Well, until the Euro there's Champion's league, and I'm really hoping for a Premier league team in the finals. It's about time for Manchester, Chelsea and Arsenal to step up and live to their potentials.

It's a good thing for Chelsea they're playing Barca in the group stage, at least they won't face them in the Knockaut. :lol:
 
Conor said:
Welcome to the thread Urizen.  I think you'll find that there aren't too many football enthusiasts around here so you'll have to make do with me and Albie ranting about the state of the English press :p
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Well what do you know, I go out for the night and we get two newbies to the football thread - glad of the input. About time some more joined in - ain't that so Conor? Still we will give the press a wide berth just now as talk seems to be centered on the Champions league and the Euro cup - the latter been more apt as we have some qualifications tomorrow and on Wednesday.

The match of the day has to be a slightly resurgent Scotland and a semi-decent French side (after all they were World cup runners up). A match that could determine if Scotland have a chance of qualifying - as they have to get the points from both France and Italy in Glasgow. Should be interesting. I Think England should get the three points on Saturday (they always do well at Old Trafford), but Croatia away on Wednesday will be extremely tricky. The Republic should get three points in Cyprus, but - it's a funny old game!
 
Albie said:
The Republic should get three points in Cyprus, but - it's a funny old game!
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Don't bet on it Albie.  The Republic of Ireland has had quite a poor squad for a couple of years and I wouldn't be surprised if Cyprus took all three points.

I would say that Scotland will give the French a right old scare but les Bleus will win in the end.  England will only win by three goals :nonono: and Wales and Northern Ireland will get beaten hammered ;)
 
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