Footbal chat season 08/09

[Huxley]

Thought City would give us a harder time than that. They only really looked interested in the second half when it was far too late. Quite amused at Ronaldo's petulant reaction to being subbed though. You're being rested for the midweek game you wazzock!

[Shabbir]

Sunday's afternoon football match saw Arsenal thrashed by Chelsea 4-1. My oh my, what a thrashing it was, the second home defeat for Arsenal in a week. The first against Man Utd, 3-1, which kicked them out of the Champions League, and now this has forced them to finish 4th, meaning they will have to participate in some sort of play-off for Champions League football next year.

I think Arsenal definitely need to spend. They need players in all departments of the game - a better replacement keeper. Fabianski is just too young and simply not good enough yet. A better defender who can hold back with Toure, because Silvestre can't cut it and Gallas has been injured for too long. A better defensive central midfielder, Song isn't good enough and he gives way too many free kicks away! Denilson also is too young and too weak on the ball, they need someone to replace Viera and then Flamini.

Up front, Adebayor and Van Persie simply don't strike often enough. They have great talent, but simply don't perform on a regular basis. Eduardo has been injured for too long, Vela is too young, and Bendtner is too bent!

So, Arsenal need players everywhere. They really have no depth in their squad and that's what's costing them. People have been saying it's their luck with injuries that have let them down, but really it's their depth since they should have the appropriate cover. That's what Man Utd, Chelsea and Liverpool (borderline) have.

[Huxley]

Yeah, they've suffered ever since they let Viera go. Not that I blame Wenger for selling him...he just never really replaced him. A player of his quality can cover a multitude of sins in defence, midfield and even attack.

Heck, it took United a while to get over losing Keane, but at least Fergie tried to replace him and built the team around his absence. Arsenal still look like they've got a Viera shaped hole in midfield.

But you're right, it's not just one player. Although I think Arsenal can beat anyone on their day, this late in the season their lack of depth is really showing.

[Huxley]

...and Arsenal were pretty good today, but honestly lacked anything up front.

Nervous performance from us too, although we did what we needed to do...enough. I think we never really hit first gear this season, lots of narrow 1-0 type results and the first time in a long time we've won and been behind in GD. That said, the reason we won those games is because of our defence, and Vidic in particular. He might have been at fault against Liverpool, but one or two bad games doesn't mean the other 30-40 games were meaningless, and I honestly think he was harshly overlooked in the awards this year. If he was English I'm sure he would have won something.

[Shabbir]

I agree, I personal think Vidic should have won the Player of the Year award, he has been consistently solid at the back for Man Utd and has been a vital part of the team, providing them a solid foundation.

[Huxley]

So Newcastle and Boro were relegated. Do you think they'll do a Leeds and slip further, or do a Bolton and go straight back up?

Personally, although it hurts now, I think this could be good for them in the long run. It will give them a chance to strip some dead weight and hangers-on and hopefully start to rebuild without the stigma of being a club with big name players and little success. That depends on Ashley doing the right thing, though...

[Shabbir]

Ouch, Champions League final, Barcelona 2 - 0 Manchester United. I think that was a fair result, Barca were certainly the better team and had great possession. Man Utd were left trailing after the first goal and never got back into the game after the first 10 minutes.

[Huxley]

Yeah, never really got back in to the game after the first 10 minutes. Lacking a genuine defensive midfielder to control play as Essien did in the semis - Anderson clearly wasn't good enough and Carrick rarely dominates games. Can't really complain though, they deserved it. I know we would have given them a better game if we were at our best; we just didn't play well on the day. Oh well, at least we won the league and league cup.

FA Cup final up next. I think Chelsea will win, but honestly Everton and Moyes deserve something for the hard work they've put in over recent years. If it wasn't for Moyes in particular I think Everton would fighting relegation year in, year out.

[Shabbir]

Not really bothered with the FA Cup Final, I think Chelsea will probably pull through. Hiddink has had a good effect on the team, and I'm sure the team wants to repay him by winning, that would be a fitting farewell to his efforts.

You never know though, there have been upsets before and this could be one.

[Huxley]

Well, it looked like an upset for a while there. Everton tried but in the end Chelsea simply overpowered them.

Well, that's all the football for this season. We've got the U21's tournament soon and I think England have a pretty good team. Not so sure I'll watch every match though.

[Shabbir]

Oh well... Twenty20 cricket world cup anyone?

[Shabbir]

Holy crap! First Kaka for £56m, now Ronaldo for £80m, where exactly do Real Madrid get their money from? It's not like they've been winning a lot recently! I think they only won La Liga last season, and that's been it for a while!

[Huxley]

Yeah, it's really quite astonishing. I thought they might relax their stance on Ronaldo after buying Kaka for £60m, but £80m?!? Nuts. No other way to describe it.

Although I did hear that apparently they had a pre-contract with Ronaldo personally that stipulated if they didn't buy him by the end of the month they'd owe him $20-30m, so I guess it makes sense to spend the other £50m now rather than waste it. And his buy-out clause was rumoured to be around £80m, so I don't think there's much we could have done about it.

It's still silly money though. And if the rumours that he'll be getting paid 500k a week are true...God help his ego.

Although I'm sad to see such a quality player leave, I think we can build a good team without him. People we're dismissing us when Ruud left, saying we'd score no goals...and look what happened there. I don't think we'll find a direct replacement, and all the best players like Ribery apparently don't want to come to England anyway, so we'll have to restructure a bit.

Going to be an interesting summer, especially with City and Chelsea's cash.

[Shabbir]

I don't know how they will immediately replace Ronaldo, if at all. He's very talented and gifted, but didn't help his attitude problems. I think in a way, he'll probably fit into Real Madrid which has been a team of superstars that has kinda gone down in the last few seasons. This attempt at refreshing the team and going for trophies may well make La Liga and the Champions League very interesting next season.

[Huxley]

It's England vs Germany in the U21 Euro's this weekend. England were very lucky to get through on penalties, but credit to Pearce for practising penalties in training and actually, you know, having a plan and stuff. Showed.

I think in a way, he'll probably fit into Real Madrid which has been a team of superstars that has kinda gone down in the last few seasons. This attempt at refreshing the team and going for trophies may well make La Liga and the Champions League very interesting next season.

The last time Real Madrid tried to assemble a fantasy football team things didn't go quite as well as planned...you need a manager capable of controlling all those egos and there are none bigger than Rondaldo's. In that respect Fergie was the perfect manager for him, so it'll be interesting to see how he copes at another club where they'll maybe be less interested in restraining his ego. It could either be brilliant, or hugely disappointing. Either way it's probably going to be entertaining...

[Huxley]

Michael Owen? Utterly, utterly mental.

Yes it's a relatively risk free venture as there's no transfer fee involved and he's allegedly on a pay-as-you-play type deal...but still. He's a crock. We really don't need two Owen's taking up residence in the treatment room

[Shabbir]

Wow, Michael Owen was given the number 7 shirt! That's just crazy now, what is Ferguson thinking? :S

[Huxley]

It's a surprising decision for sure, but more than anything I think it's a statement that he's not going to and won't even try to replace Ronaldo. If he gave the shirt to Valencia (who will most likely play in Ronaldo's position, even if he's a different kind of player) that would just unfairly raise expectations. Giving it to a striker shifts some of that on to Owen, who really has nothing to lose.

Besides, much of the furore surrounding the number 7 shirt has been created by the press. I think it started with Cantona and grew with Beckham. People laughed when it was given to Ronaldo, as if he wasn't fit to wear the shirt of the legendary George Best. Well, people tend to forget but he actually played most of his career as number 11 (including the European Cup final). So why is he a famous number 7? Because it's continent for the press to make these connections.

[Shabbir]

Yeh I guess you're right, but I think it's an increasing trend for the 'skillful' players of a team to get the number 7 shirt, Aston Villa have Ashley Young wearing it, Arsenal have Rosicky, Chelsea have Shevchenko (uh...), Real Madrid have Raul, Valencia have David Villa.

I think the media does play on this and whenever someone is given the number 7 shirt, all sorts of expectations are heaped upon the player.