Champions League

what I think has and is going wrong is the kids look up to the strikers and midfield players who get all the headlines and are paid the most compared to the dull defenders. Everybody wants to be a star and when kids start playing they want to be who the best players are at the time as the headlines seem to go to the players who score the goals. The premier league has gone down a rung or two (maybe the refs are to strict ) or there is far to much money around for the 3/4 big clubs to spend and the rest have to settle for the crumbs (mind you West Ham, Southampton and Hull have a few very good strikers on their books) who come the summer will undoubtedly be sold. It would be great for the premier league if either West Ham or Southampton or even better both finish in the top 4 this season. La Liga is boring although Atletico Madrid have made it bearable by winning the title last season. Serie A is not much better. (I only will watch when the top teams play each other) The Bundasliga is getting better every season although all 4 German sides were beaten by all the English sides in Europe 2 weeks ago. Maybe we should start watching the Hyundi league from Australia :lol: The SPL is hopeless although the Championship looks pretty even this season (Hearts,Rangers, QOS, Falkirk and Hibs all have a change of getting promoted.

So we are agreed on two things...

1. Football standards, particularly defensively, are on the decline
2. The kids all want to be Ronaldo or Messi and simply can't be so the balance has gone all askew, no more wanting to be Beckanbaeur or Moore (no different imo to what 1 day and particularly 20/20 has done to cricket in terms of a kid wanting to hold a bat more than the ball)

Solutions...?

For me, one thing I do feel strongly about is that there is too much thinking in modern day football and the managers. Put away the farking note book n pen and just say... go play football!!! Of course tactics etc have a major role to play but perhaps it has all gone too far. Jose seems pretty decent tactically but I still think the vast majority of his side enjoy playing and playing for him. I don't think that is true of a lot of clubs these days.

yep you are so right about the note book LVG has this huge file which he constantly sits and fills in on the touchline as do Mourinho, Lambert and a few others. Wenger is too afraid to stand on the touch line in case he gets verbally abused and McLaren wont stand on the touchline at Derby unless it rains so that he can put up his brolly and have a cup of tea at the same time :lol:

In the Liverpool v Basle game I've done Derlis Gonzalez to score anytime at 5/1 and Gashi (great name)to score at anytime 6/1.
In Monaco game,I've gone away again and done Rondon anytime for Zenith.
Podolski at 5/2 anytime for Arsenal.

davetheflower wrote: In the Liverpool v Basle game I've done Derlis Gonzalez to score anytime at 5/1 and Gashi (great name)to score at anytime 6/1.
In Monaco game,I've gone away again and done Rondon anytime for Zenith.
Podolski at 5/2 anytime for Arsenal.

when Podolski receives the ball 20 yards out on his left foot then you can go and stand in the que as he has one of the best left footed shots that I have seen.

Engles,wants serious footy talk.
One thing I know,LVG is a man not to mess with.I like him,he's directness and frankness in
interviews is good to see.
How many managers would have openly said Falcao is not fit enough and doesn't deserve game time,even taking of that centre back before half time and then saying he was nervous and wanted to save him was something a lot of managers wouldn't have done.

what did I tell you about Podolski?

Liverpool 1-0 down looks like they have more problems than Arsenal but reading the papers you would never think so

Is Basel not that stuff you stick on top of a pizza ?

Bob Brogan wrote: Is Basel not that stuff you stick on top of a pizza ?

I thought he was the bloke in Faulty Towers

Dave, i agree with you on that aspect of LVG but I think McNair's issues were perhaps of the manager's making, or the team's lack of "ability" to play to his "philosophy". I did not hear his honesty on that. And surely Falcao has been there long enough to get him fit enough, surely as a manager you ensure a player you are paying 4m plus on has the mental attitude etc to adapt to your "philosophy"? As I said on the other thread, the jury remains out for me, it seems to me at the moment that either he does not really understand his own "philosophy" or the player's certainly don't, cos we are playing a lot of negative sh1t lately

chicken n chips wrote: what did I tell you about Podolski?

I thought I told you.
Gashi looked like he was going to slip one in there.