Roiling football blather

[scottdisco]

you're an AFC fan Dan?

legend!

everybody i know has time for you.

i've never been to a game although my brother and some of the London Alty branch (the gang of drinkers and rogues that live in London and support Conference National part-timers Altrincham) went to one once, cracking gates you get.

i think the main thing to be said for Chelsea at United yesterday is they were poor, that grabbed me far more than any naughtiness, TBH.
(i write as a lapsed one-eyed City fan so have no love for United, FWIW.)

 

[hucks]

i think the main thing to be said for Chelsea at United yesterday is they were poor, that grabbed me far more than any naughtiness, TBH.

Me too. If I were a Chelsea fan it would be Ballack and Deco's performances that would have angered me most.

I like Rooney's running around like a maniac aspect. Clearly, he should be getting booked for it, but I'd love it if someone in my team (Norwich) gave that much of a shit. We're going to get relegated this season because of this lack of passion. That and some bewildering tactical selections.

 

[crackerjack]

i think the main thing to be said for Chelsea at United yesterday is they were poor

They were utter arse. Couldn't work out if Drogba has lost it, or whether he just doesn't care any more. Deco and Ballack were anonymous, hopeless. As someone who once tried to be a City fan (it didn't work out) and still carries a small torch for them, I hope the boys from Dubai are taking notes on the dangers of building a team based on the back page headlines.

 

[vimothy]

I hope the boys from Dubai are taking notes on the dangers of building a team based on the back page headlines.

I think they're doing more than taking notes!

 

[crackerjack]

I think they're doing more than taking notes!

I don't think people like Bridge and Parker are bad players, just overpriced. It's the steady accumluation of 29-year-olds with millions in the bank, supermodel spouses and nothing left to prove that's been Chelsea's downfall.

These are worrying times for the parvenus in blue. RA's net worth has plummeted, the club owe him the best part of a billion and he's said to be losing interest. Are they about to pay the price for living the dream?

 

[jenks]

Chelsea are down my neck of the woods on weds to play the mighty Blues at Roots Hall and I've managed to get a ticket!

Not expecting an upset I must say but the way they played yesterday was shocking - do people not mark from corners anymore?

 

[crackerjack]

Not expecting an upset I must say but the way they played yesterday was shocking - do people not mark from corners anymore?

It helps if they're not being pushed out of the way by a massive Serb. But it was pretty feeble how we could take out two of them for the third goal

 

[IdleRich]

"Deco and Ballack were anonymous, hopeless. As someone who once tried to be a City fan (it didn't work out) and still carries a small torch for them, I hope the boys from Dubai are taking notes on the dangers of building a team based on the back page headlines."

I thought that Deco would be a good signing though, getting a proven international midfielder for less than ten million isn't a misguided decision based on tabloid sports news. Does seem strange that he's showing such faith in him now though when everyone who has watched him seems to think he's off the pace.

 

[crackerjack]

I thought that Deco would be a good signing though, getting a proven international midfielder for less than ten million isn't a misguided decision based on tabloid sports news. Does seem strange that he's showing such faith in him now though when everyone who has watched him seems to think he's off the pace.

I was thinking more of Ballack and Shev - signings that were typical of Abramovich's interference in Mourinho's management at a time when it was serving them well. I thought Deco would be a decent buy, given Scolari knew enough about him. They might have got Deco cheap, but there's no balance there - was there a single Chelsea player yesterday under 25?

 

[IdleRich]

"I was thinking more of Ballack and Shev - signings that were typical of Abramovich's interference in Mourinho's management at a time when it was serving them well. I thought Deco would be a decent buy, given Scolari knew enough about him. They might have got Deco cheap, but there's no balance there - was there a single Chelsea player yesterday under 25?"

It's weird, Deco is old for a footballer and he's moved to a faster league where, despite a good start, he's faded. For me, the obvious conclusion to draw from that is that he is tired and the obvious solution is to rest him for a few games.
Ballack hasn't exactly delivered though you're right and he is exactly the kind of player you're on about. Maybe Chelsea are going to end up like Milan as a place where old, rich footballers end their careers - I can't believe that they added Ronaldinho and Beckham to a team with an average age of about seventy-four.

 

[hucks]

I was thinking more of Ballack and Shev - signings that were typical of Abramovich's interference in Mourinho's management at a time when it was serving them well. I thought Deco would be a decent buy, given Scolari knew enough about him. They might have got Deco cheap, but there's no balance there - was there a single Chelsea player yesterday under 25?

Mikel, I think, plus De Santo when he came on. But there are a lot of over 30s, all of whom will need replacing at more or less the same time. It's weird how often this happens in sport - a team peaks together and then declines together (I am looking at you, England cricket and rugby teams). Succession planning is really hard to do, which is why Ferguson, hate him or loathe him, is so good. He gradually rebuilds sides.

 

[Tentative Andy]

Speaking as sort of an interested neutral when it comes to the Premiership, I would be very pleased if neither Man U nor Chelsea won it this time around.

 

[tom lea]

Me too. If I were a Chelsea fan it would be Ballack and Deco's performances that would have angered me most.

yeah, but i have every game to get pissed off at them, you know? only play united twice a year. three if we're unlucky.

I like Rooney's running around like a maniac aspect. Clearly, he should be getting booked for it, but I'd love it if someone in my team (Norwich) gave that much of a shit.

i was speaking to one of the few sensible united fans i know (probably in the world), and he was basically saying that it's all a laugh while he's getting away with going in high on people and screaming at refs in the premiership, but one day he'll do it in a cl semi-final and get them knocked out the tournament. he's been at united five years and his conduct's just got worse. he's possibly the worst top player i've ever seen in britain in that regard. as i said, far worse than ashley cole when he was vindicated for it. scumbag.

 

[IdleRich]

"far worse than ashley cole when he was vindicated for it."

When the fuck was Cashley ever vindicated for anything?

 

[tom lea]

meant to write vilified and had a brain spasm i guess.

 

[tom lea]

Not expecting an upset I must say but the way they played yesterday was shocking - do people not mark from corners anymore?

according to scolari, "posts don't score goals, players do" - or something similar. hence he'd rather everyone mark up than the smaller players take a post. which has cost us three goals in three games. flash back to beating united last season and we cleared two off the line in the last five minutes. fat man doesn't get it.

 

[mos dan]

you're an AFC fan Dan?

indeed! it's weird going from being one of the most hated teams in the country to the team that everyone looks fondly on, but that's what happens when your club is stolen i guess lol. afc games are fucking great fun, i would recommend them to everyone - 3000 fans, terraces (so good!!!), decent football, a winning team, and £10 a ticket, why wouldn't you? since i'm on dissensus i shd prob mention that burial has expressed an interest in coming to a game he was a big wombles fan in the joe kinnear days as well. hold tight all those who remember neil ardley and oyvind leonhardsen.

I like Rooney's running around like a maniac aspect. Clearly, he should be getting booked for it, but I'd love it if someone in my team (Norwich) gave that much of a shit. We're going to get relegated this season because of this lack of passion. That and some bewildering tactical selections.

these seasons are the worst, i remember them too well. going down without a fight or a glimmer of hope is horrible to watch. incidentally carrow road is the only ground in the country (out of 20 odd) where i've heard racist abuse, in 95/96 ish, just a small group of idiots. i don't mean to be accusatory to you or norwich of course (where i have family), i'm just saying.

i was speaking to one of the few sensible united fans i know (probably in the world)

it's surprising, but they do exist - there are at least two on here in fact (HAI GUYZ! ). actually one of my man u-supporting mates is almost self-loathing about it, like it doesn't fit with the rest of his persona, like it's somehow wrong for him. a bit harsh i think.

 

[tom lea]

it's surprising, but they do exist - there are at least two on here in fact (HAI GUYZ! ). actually one of my man u-supporting mates is almost self-loathing about it, like it doesn't fit with the rest of his persona, like it's somehow wrong for him. a bit harsh i think.

yeah. i mean i work with two united fans (not kiran, he's hull) and i lived with one for a year and they're great... not a single one from manchester though.

supporting chelsea isn't what it used to be - nowadays whenever anyone asks my team i find myself hastily adding "but i've been going since i was a kid and lived with my dad in west london, and i've had a season ticket since 98, and so on and so forth", because it's rightfully guilty before proven innocent with all the plastics on board. surely you've got the best of both world's with afc - the intimacy and bragging rights of supporting a non-league team, but with the (relative) financial security of one that was formed with a ready-made fanbase of that size. at least i presume you're secure.

hold tight all those who remember neil ardley and oyvind leonhardsen.

no peter fear though, are they?

 

[slackk]

I'd run up on an AFC Wimbledon game still. I'm trying to rack up games at every non-premiership London club at the moment. It's no Anfield but it's interesting.

Millwall was in no way as fucked up as I expected.

 

[tom lea]

I used to go Millwall when we were away and the only time i saw semi-trouble was when this fat bloke had a go at us for blocking his view, so my friend dashed a pound coin in his face. whoops.