Today's Football

[Ted]

Just seen Berbatov's goal. Fucking Jasskelinan should have had that.

[Hooch]

Thank God.

 

Now we get to see what our current team is really made of. Up against the European champions , the League champions, the world champions who have the best manager in the world and the top player in the world. They're now top of the league and look to be hitting form.

 

None of this drawing and still being top shite, we finally have to play like champions to remain in contention. I'm looking forward to the next 3 league games because they're very difficult ( Everton, Wigan and Chelsea) but they're also winnable. We should be 10 points clear yet we're second , that pisses me off however we still have a massive chance to win this title.

 

I agree. Big test of our credentials now. I think we will pass it too.

[sir roger]

I may be wrong, but people often talk of Benitez's caution like it's an illness or an affliction of some kind...something that he temporarily goes into remission from but then returns, almost at random and beyind his control.

 

I don't see it that way at all. I see his cautious approach as pure calculation. His wish to achieve some kind of perfect balance between winning and the risk of losing is only one that really applies when not losing (although not necessarily winning) will further the objectives. In previous years, it was pretty clear that we were not going to win the league and his objective was really a top 4 finish and to do as well as possible in the Champions League (a competition where, in the knock-out rounds, at least, we have often seen a very different way of playing).

 

The strength of the squad and the start that we have had this season (and the start that others have had too) means that we are now in with a genuine chance of winning the league. The way things stand right now, looking at United's run-in, the points they have picked up recently etc, drawing games is quickly becoming little better than a defeat.

 

That may, of course, change if United/Chelsea start to drop points here and there - the 'cautious' Benitez will no doubt return, but his mangement strategy so far suggests that, despite appearances, he will start to take greater risks to win matches. It won't be because he's listened to anybody, or he's 'learnt his lesson', or because he's 'grown some bollocks', or any of that. It will purely be because it becomes a better strategy for acheving his objectives. It will be planned, and it will be his decision.

 

That's how I see it, at least. It makes for a pretty poor spectacle at times, for sure, but I don't see any signs of his approach ever changing.

 

I may be very wrong, he may continue to take a draw instead of a defeat and watch as United merrily disappear out of sight, in which case, I don't understand the way he operates anywhere near as much as I think I did.

 

I think that is an excellent summation of what I think about Rafa's mindset.

 

I also think we are becoming over-critical in that Rafa promised us a title challenge this season , we were all happy with that & he is giving us that.

 

I suspect he doesn't think we have the personnel to have a ' full-on balls-out' challenge over 38 games , and is looking to use his resources as best as he can to keep us in with a good shout around Easter & look to use his tactical expertise , previous second half of the season record & better earlier use of resources ( Torres , Keane , Agger , Babel , Banayoun & Skrtel for instance should all be massively fresh - while I don't see our immediate rivals can say the same ) to spur us on for the final furlong.

 

Time will tell , but I do think a lot of recent posts have verged on the hysterical. One thread on here even made Tony Barrett's piece in the Pink Echo it was that ott ( The ' Worst weekend ever ' thread )

[ratcatcher]

Thank God.

 

Now we get to see what our current team is really made of. Up against the European champions , the League champions, the world champions who have the best manager in the world and the top player in the world. They're now top of the league and look to be hitting form.

 

None of this drawing and still being top shite, we finally have to play like champions to remain in contention. I'm looking forward to the next 3 league games because they're very difficult ( Everton, Wigan and Chelsea) but they're also winnable. We should be 10 points clear yet we're second , that pisses me off however we still have a massive chance to win this title.

 

 

It'll also be interesting to see how our manager reacts too. Is he going to be more adventurous \ less cautious? Is he going to start making changes before the 60 minute mark in every game when things arent going our way?

 

You mention in your post about filth having the best manager in the world. Much as I dislike ferguson I have to admit he has a completely different approach to the way he sets his teams up etc, etc.

 

My big fear is filth have turned a number of games that were heading for a 0-0 draw into a 1-0 win.

 

Sooner or later, they are going to start scoring 2's, 3's or 4's. Make no mistake, filth are in their 'bad patch' and still winning.

 

We've a massive task on our hands. You're right, the next 3 league games are massive for us and, I think will finally shape our title challenge one way or the other.

 

Hopefully, we'll all, and I mean all, respond positively to the challenge.

[Code]

Konchesky 1-1, what a goal!

[JMARKH]

I think that is an excellent summation of what I think about Rafa's mindset.

 

I also think we are becoming over-critical in that Rafa promised us a title challenge this season , we were all happy with that & he is giving us that.

 

I suspect he doesn't think we have the personnel to have a ' full-on balls-out' challenge over 38 games , and is looking to use his resources as best as he can to keep us in with a good shout around Easter & look to use his tactical expertise , previous second half of the season record & better earlier use of resources ( Torres , Keane , Agger , Babel , Banayoun & Skrtel for instance should all be massively fresh - while I don't see our immediate rivals can say the same ) to spur us on for the final furlong.

 

Time will tell , but I do think a lot of recent posts have verged on the hysterical. One thread on here even made Tony Barrett's piece in the Pink Echo it was that ott ( The ' Worst weekend ever ' thread )

 

I saw that in the echo!

[Catch22]

Whe you're playing against average teams in the Premiership, you need to make sure you have your best players on the pitch, in their best positions and you have to just attack them. Don't be complacent in the way you approach the game but be confident because you're better than them, and as long as you keep doing things in the right way you'll be rewarded for it.

 

That's pretty much the opposite of last week against Stoke. And away against Arsenal, and away against Villa.

 

Rafa doesn't have the balls that Fergie does, or, he doesn't realise that a lot of the games in the Premier League aren't decided upon trying to to out-think the opposite manager.

 

The Mancs didn't win today because Ferguson out-foxed Megson, they won because he had courage in his convictions and he threw the kitchen sink at them. Same against Sunderland at home and Stoke away. Just compare that to last week, it's sickening, it really is.

 

"And away against Arsenal, and away against Villa."

We got more points (2) out of those 2 games than the Mancs (1) did & stopped rivals for a top 4 spot picking up full points at home.

We also did it with our best striker not fit

They were good results!

[wiiksie]

"And away against Arsenal, and away against Villa."

We got more points (2) out of those 2 games than the Mancs (1) did & stopped rivals for a top 4 spot picking up full points at home.

We also did it with our best striker not fit

They were good results!

But what do those results become in the context of drawing 0-0 v Stoke?

[wiiksie]

Konchesky 1-1, what a goal!

Stunning goal btw. He hit that about as perfectly as he'll ever hit a ball.

[Kevin D]

"And away against Arsenal, and away against Villa."

We got more points (2) out of those 2 games than the Mancs (1) did & stopped rivals for a top 4 spot picking up full points at home.

We also did it with our best striker not fit

They were good results!

 

You're actually celebrating getting a point more? It means nothing. We were more than capable of winning the game against Arsenal and had we done-so , we'd still be top of the league.

 

I'm not going to get into Villa because it was a disgrace and I'd rather just forget it.

[Guest Dog Chaser]

Just seen Defoe on the telly, his new haircut looks like the underside of an astroturf trainer.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

Both West Ham goals coming from fuck ups by their old boys.

 

Questions should be asked.

[Stephen Adams.]

Inter are 3-0 down away to Atalanta.

All 3 goals in the first half an hour.

Celtic getting beaten 2-1 at Aberdeen.

[Stephen Adams.]

Surely Konchesky should've been sent off for the tackle that led to the penalty?

[Ted]

He should have been sent off for looking like that fella off 'The Hills Have Eyes.'

[Guest Dog Chaser]

3-1 Carlton Cole

 

Good break away after sloppy pass from Dickson Etuhu

[Stephen Adams.]

Carlton "the goal" Cole ;)

[Guest Dog Chaser]

Ilunga looks like Geremi

[RobbieOR]

I like the look of that Collison lad. He's a good player.

[Brownie]

"And away against Arsenal, and away against Villa."

We got more points (2) out of those 2 games than the Mancs (1) did & stopped rivals for a top 4 spot picking up full points at home.

We also did it with our best striker not fit

They were good results!

 

My point wasn't even about the results to be fair, if you read the post.

[Ted]

Really good game this Spurs one.

[Ted]

Sitter!

[Sweeney287]

Nugent should've buried that one.

 

Enjoyable game though.

[Brownie]

I'm not the biggest fan of Glenn Johnson but he looks to be improving quite a bit.

 

*cue massive mistake*

[Xherdan]

I though Harry Redknapp was going to suck the cocks of all the Pompey managerial team at the start of this match.