Football The 2011/2012 Season Thread

[Corran]

Maybe the competition for the title is not as open as people would like, but to be fair it much more open then many other countries. Would you rather it be like Spain or Scotland where you know it always just one of two teams that in general will beat every other team throughout the season with just the very odd hiccup... or would you prefer the 4-5 teams that can (or should) compete for the title and then have the rest of the league tightly competed and each team on their day can beat any of the title contenders??

Yes the money has got silly, but to be quite honest only a couple of teams go mental on it. Man Utd have kept most their dealings this season under £20m, as has Arsenal as per normal. Yes city spend crazy money, chelsea over the past year spent crazy money on a single player, as have liverpool (lol Carroll) ... but it no where to the degree it was previous years. That is something, fair play rules will help in this respect but to be honest some teams can spend money and still live within these rules.

 

[soze]

Champions League money is not the only difference maker. Arsenal and Man U both get other 60k people killing the stadium week in week out. Some of the teams we face get under 20k even with and extra £25m a year (CL money) teams like that can not compete.

 

[eksdee]

Killing the stadium?

 

[soze]

Killing the stadium?

You could impose a cap on fans down the the the same as the lowest attendance in the league Old Trafford with only one stand open haha

 

[Calaen]

I don't begrudge people the money, but I begrudge people like anton ferdinand who is think as mince!!!

Did anyone see the interview as he left loftus road. It looked like he'd never been asked a fucking question before, fucking dip shit.

My mate works in Newcastle airport, he had Wes Brown and Bramble come through after a holiday away together. Brown couldn't find his car keys so they had to go through his bags, and he had about 5 grand lying around in his bag.

Anyway he drives them over to the long stay car park and instead of having to pay £35 pound what normal people pay, they received a discount so it was only a tenner. They then had the cheek to ask my mate if he could lend them a tenner! When he refused Bramble told him that they would just tailgate another car through the barrier.

Needless to say my mate left them to it. Fucking numb nuts.

 

[eksdee]

Well, he is Rio's brother after all.

 

[Turamber]

Would you rather it be like Spain or Scotland where you know it always just one of two teams

That is exactly what we've had for the past 5-6 years, nobody but Man United or Chelsea competing for the title. Now Man City are in the equation it is a three horse race with the only possible excitement being who can finish fourth.

Unless you support United, Man City, or Chelsea you won't be celebrating your team winning the league. Unless you support Arsenal, Liverpool or Spurs you won't be celebrating coming fourth and into a proper European competition.

At every level of the league there are clubs who have found their level with only the relegation places being in doubt ... and they usually consist of the promoted teams from last season.

It is boring, no two ways about it.

 

[Ormorof]

well, Arsenal were doing so well until the carling cup fiasco so i would still consider them "challengers"

considering teams like West Ham, Middlesborough and Newcastle have gone down to the championship (teams who had been in prem for many years before collapsing)

not to mention there was only 10 points between 8th place and 18th at the end of the season meaning a top half finish is up for grabs if the teams are willing to fight for it...

 

[eksdee]

That is exactly what we've had for the past 5-6 years, nobody but Man United or Chelsea competing for the title. Now Man City are in the equation it is a three horse race with the only possible excitement being who can finish fourth.

Unless you support United, Man City, or Chelsea you won't be celebrating your team winning the league. Unless you support Arsenal, Liverpool or Spurs you won't be celebrating coming fourth and into a proper European competition.

At every level of the league there are clubs who have found their level with only the relegation places being in doubt ... and they usually consist of the promoted teams from last season.

It is boring, no two ways about it.

Not arguing your point about teams finding a 'certain level', but is that not more or less par for the course in most sports? Success breeds success in the sense that success means making more money, which means you can compete at that level consistently. As has been displayed by Man City, a huge influx of money is more or less the only way to break through that glass ceiling. Chelsea obviously have had an influx of money also in recent years, but they were already an established top 6ish club with good players at the club. Not saying Man City were fighting relegation or anything, but they weren't at the level of Chelsea.

Sadly it is just a reality of the game now and the only thing I can see breaking the stranglehold the money men have on the game is by introducing a salary cap. Man City have already shown that the financial fair play rules will be easily worked around by the richest clubs.

Arguably the only 'big' league, at least in Europe, that retains a good level of competition and excitement is the Bundesliga.

 

[georgie]

a cap on fans down the the the same as the lowest attendance

You been drinking, Soze?

 

[soze]

You been drinking, Soze?

I know its a stupid suggestion but even with the fair play rules it is not a level playing field. With 60,000 people all paying £40+ we will have a lot more money than a team with 20,000 paying £20. The real equaliser would be setting a wage cap that each team can afford and coming down hard on people who find loopholes. But that would just kill the premiership.

 

[georgie]

a cap on fans down the the the same as the lowest attendance

I'll try again.

You been drinking, Soze?

 

[soze]

I'll try again.

You been drinking, Soze?

looks that way

 

[megadave]

the Fair Play rules are just going to make it less competitive as well imo, no club will ever be able to break into the current top bunch since they won't be able to invest.

 

[gohan]

That is exactly what we've had for the past 5-6 years, nobody but Man United or Chelsea competing for the title. Now Man City are in the equation it is a three horse race with the only possible excitement being who can finish fourth.

Unless you support United, Man City, or Chelsea you won't be celebrating your team winning the league. Unless you support Arsenal, Liverpool or Spurs you won't be celebrating coming fourth and into a proper European competition.

At every level of the league there are clubs who have found their level with only the relegation places being in doubt ... and they usually consist of the promoted teams from last season.

It is boring, no two ways about it.

not being funny but that's bullshit, spurs have only come into contention in the last 2 years, as have city for different reasons, but a few years ago it was Everton and villa that were the 5 and 6th teams battleing for 4th not city/spurs


also in the last 10 years 4 teams have come 1st/2nd and this year I'll bet man city will make that 5

in scotland only 2 teams have ever finished in the top 2.......

 

[Turamber]

spurs have only come into contention in the last 2 years, as have city for different reasons, but a few years ago it was Everton and villa that were the 5 and 6th teams battleing for 4th not city/spurs

How long ago was it that Spurs had their dodgy Lasagne? 2006? Spurs have been buying and selling well for a few years, only that Spanish non-entity Ramos had them dropping out of contention.

Everton did well when they had the Rooney money, and a bank overdraft, to burn. Villa did well when Lerner was willing to invest. As soon as the money dried up their positions have dropped.

 

[gohan]

How long ago was it that Spurs had their dodgy Lasagne? 2006? Spurs have been buying and selling well for a few years, only that Spanish non-entity Ramos had them dropping out of contention.

Everton did well when they had the Rooney money, and a bank overdraft, to burn. Villa did well when Lerner was willing to invest. As soon as the money dried up their positions have dropped.

I'm not disputing the whys and wheres


But the top 7 hasn't had the same teams in it year in year out, not even the top 4 has, with liverpool dropping out and popping in and arsenal looking unlikely to make it this year


so if thiers like 3 teams than can win it, like 4 teams than could come second 6 that could be top 4 and 6-7 that could be relegated how is that a boring league?

 

[eksdee]

Season Champions
1992–93 Manchester United
1993–94 Manchester United
1994–95 Blackburn Rovers
1995–96 Manchester United
1996–97 Manchester United
1997–98 Arsenal
1998–99 Manchester United
1999–2000 Manchester United
2000–01 Manchester United
2001–02 Arsenal
2002–03 Manchester United
2003–04 Arsenal
2004–05 Chelsea
2005–06 Chelsea
2006–07 Manchester United
2007–08 Manchester United
2008–09 Manchester United
2009–10 Chelsea
2010–11 Manchester United

Arguably all that matters, and the above speaks for itself.

Personally I welcome Liverpool's resurgance and Man City's push into the upper echelons. If Spurs and Arsenal can get properly competitive again then I think the EPL would be brilliant.

 

[eksdee]

Good to see the England boys giving a good go of the national anthem as usual! Parker the only one singing. Haha. Our fans are in good voice though.

 

[bainteor]

Any streams? Will give positive rep.

 

[eksdee]

AdF.ly - shrink your URLs and get paid!

 

[CorNokZ]

He's over the moon
He gets the poon
IT'S ROOOOOOON!!

 

[Keitanz]

AdF.ly - shrink your URLs and get paid!

adf.ly ? cheeky bastard

 

[caLLous]

"Ashley Young subjected to monkey chanting after Ashley Cole suffered similar disgraceful treatment in the first half. Hope Uefa take note."

Cunts. Is it bad? (I'm not watching it)

 

[Turamber]

how is that a boring league?

Because it is?

 

[Ormorof]

holy shit Netherlands won 11-0 against San Marino

not seen them lose that badly before!

 

[Shagrat]

:england:Wales beating Montenegro atm as well, which is handy for England too

 

[Wazzerphuk]

Our new signing Park Chu-Young got a hat-trick today against Lebanon

 

[CorNokZ]

Germany will destroy everything in the Euros next year

 

[Shagrat]

Germany will destroy everything in the Euros next year

they bringing the panzer tanks again? When will they learn!!!