The Official Football Thread

[Kinny Riddle]

Originally Posted by Kira_Naruto

LIVERPOOL

What to watch out for - Harry Kewell to limp off five minutes into his first game. Rafa Benitez to rotate the team to within an inch of its life and get to the Champions League final again.

Now that's what I call lazy journalism. Everytime Liverpool got stuck, they blame it on Benitez's rotation, yet they fail to notice that Ferguson and Morinho have rotated just as much as Benitez has last season.

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drill...70808-1304.htm

I know this links directly to the Liverpool site and bias is unavoidable, but this guy has stats to back his argument up.

Manchester United won last season's league title with Alex Ferguson having made a total of 118 changes to his Premiership line-ups throughout the campaign, at an average of 3.11 changes per game. The season before that, Chelsea won the league with Mourinho also having made 118 changes to his Premiership line-ups throughout the campaign, again (obviously) at an average of 3.11 changes per game.

So how many changes did Benitez make in 2006/07?

You guessed it, 118 changes to his Premiership line-ups throughout the campaign, at what the eagle-eyed among you will know recognise as an average of 3.11 changes per game.

If you think about it, Liverpool have not had a proper rest since summer of 2003. Why?

2004 - Euro 2004, plus the Benitez replacing Houllier, Gerrard getting "tapped up" by Chelsea before finally deciding to give Benitez a chance while Owen opts to leave. Injuries plague the season, and Benitez has to make do with every available resource he has. I still find it amazing Liverpool had won in Istanbul.

2005 - After that incredible night in Istanbul, instead of backing Liverpool, the FA used Liverpool as a bargaining chip in order to get FIVE teams into the Champions League.

In the end, common sense prevailed and Liverpool were allowed to defend the Champions League, but they will have to begin their qualifiers in July, two months after Istanbul, messing up Benitez's preparation for the following season. The Gerrard saga in which he very nearly went to Chelsea also took its toll on pre-season. In order to get around this long season, Benitez has to rotate again in 2005/2006, yet back then no one said anything because Liverpool were doing quite well in the league.

2006 - World Cup. Three consecutive years without a proper rest has taken its toll and as a result, Liverpool did poorly in 2006/2007, meaning Benitez had no choice but to resort to rotation again to keep the legs fresh for as long as possible. The fixture for that season means Liverpool had their first six away games to: Sheff Utd (drew), Bolton (lost), Everton (lost), Chelsea (lost), Man U (lost) and Arsenal (lost).

Of course, this season, with a full summer to rest, new cash to spend, and a new squad assembled, Benitez can now have the team he wants. To hell with those lazy journos who say it'll be the end of Rafa if he doesn't win the league, that's bull, even Cristiano Ronaldo and Rooney took more than one season to become the champion-winning players that they are, so cut Torres some slack. I'll be satisfied if Liverpool improve on their points difference from the top and finish second.

[Sun Shine]

LAST DAY BEFORE THE NEW SEASON, SET UP A TEAM AND TAKE PART IN

http://fantasy.premierleague.com



Once you have a team created, the code for the league is 369242-137261


Arsenal's team doesn't seem as complete as Liverpool, Chelski or scum although if any of them teams have a bad season or if the Gunners have n exceptional season they may finish ahead of them but it seems more than likely they will finish 4th.

[Medic]

Originally Posted by Sun Shine

LAST DAY BEFORE THE NEW SEASON, SET UP A TEAM AND TAKE PART IN

http://fantasy.premierleague.com



Once you have a team created, the code for the league is 369242-137261


Arsenal's team doesn't seem as complete as Liverpool, Chelski or scum although if any of them teams have a bad season or if the Gunners have n exceptional season they may finish ahead of them but it seems more than likely they will finish 4th.

It seems like Lassana Diarra & Modric are coming. That'll be good.

[arcadeplayer987]

Robben have just sign with Real Madrid

[Medic]

Drenthe also going to Real

[gin-3]

bad news for me guys, this season none of local TV station in my country (indonesia) aired EPL, only one cabel TV has, i guess i have to beg to my dad to get it .......

[Medic]

Currently:

Sunderland 0 - 0 Spurs

[Sun Shine]

Leeds won after playing shockingly and our fans showed their sense of humour by singing "We're gonna win the league". -12 now though, cheating football league scum.

Shocking results today, never expected any of them in the Premier League especially the Sunderland, Derby and Man City scores.

[Kinny Riddle]

Boy, what a goal by Gerrard. At first I thought Liverpool were going to suffer yet another opening day jinx, but the full summer's rest finally means Gerrard can produce his best once again.

Admittedly, it was a sloppy win, but one can't win the Premier League without occasionally winning the sloppy way against the Aston Villas and Portsmouths.

Already, Liverpool will have to face Chelsea next week, but this win will be a great morale booster.

[Medic]

Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool

Bolton 1-3 Newcastle

West Ham 0-2 Man City

Everton 2-1 Wigan

Derby 2-2 Portsmouth

Middlesbrough 1-2 Blackburn

Sunderland 1-0 Tottenham

[Medic]

And ARSENAL WIN!!!!

After going 1-0 down in under a minute we played very good. Warner, the Fulham goalkeeper was having the game of his life! v.Persie with the penalty in the 83rd min, and Hleb slided the ball into the net with only 4 minutes left!!

Arsenal 2 - 1 Fulham

[KiNA]

Its seems all opponent keepers get the game of their life when facing Arsenal .. again, like last season ..

At least we won

[Medic]

Our next 2 fixtures are tough away matches:

Sparta Prague on Wednesday
Blackburn on Sunday

[arcadeplayer987]

Originally Posted by Kira_Naruto

Its seems all opponent keepers get the game of their life when facing Arsenal .. again, like last season ..

At least we won

It wasn't a very good game from Arsenal but a win is a win

[Bonta Kun]

Originally Posted by arcadeplayer987

It wasn't a very good game from Arsenal but a win is a win

yep thats all that counts a win is a win, 3points is 3points

I've been off the football radar for sometime now but I decided to keep up with this season, heres hoping to a kick ass season!

and as my brother always says old players always come back to haunt, so he thinks Barcelona will meet Arsenal for big showdown

[Medic]

Kira_Naruto & Sun Shine whats going on eh?? Behind the pace

[KiNA]

.. Its my first time playing Fantasy league So, its understandable

I only join the autoassign league and this forum league only as well ... I'll learn the trick of trade soon enough.

Damn your 16 points Persie!

[Last_Hope]

Just wanted to let everybody who didn´t watch the game know that Hleb was fantastic!

And actually, it was a good game from Arsenal. You shouldn´t let a huge mistake from Lehmann and poor finishes/ a great game by Fulhams keeper (whatever you want) cloud your judgement. Arsenal played brilliant at times. Eboue isn´t a right midfielder but I can understand why he played there, Sagna is a really interesting player.

To say that it was important for Arsenal to win this game in such a manner is an understatement. Had they not won everybody knows what would have been the big talk. But they showed that they can, even without the majestic frenchman.

And Wesley Sneijder finally took the step and signed for Real Madrid, even though I would have preferred seeing him play in Valencia.

[KiNA]

Originally Posted by Last_Hope

Just wanted to let everybody who didn´t watch the game know that Hleb was fantastic!

And actually, it was a good game from Arsenal. You shouldn´t let a huge mistake from Lehmann and poor finishes/ a great game by Fulhams keeper (whatever you want) cloud your judgement. Arsenal played brilliant at times. Eboue isn´t a right midfielder but I can understand why he played there, Sagna is a really interesting player.

To say that it was important for Arsenal to win this game in such a manner is an understatement. Had they not won everybody knows what would have been the big talk. But they showed that they can, even withwithout the the majestic frenchman.

Fixed!

[Last_Hope]

What would I do without you?

Tomorrow Swedish club Elfsborg is going to get their asses handed to them and I just saw that a Swedish channel is going to broadcast Sparta Prague - Arsenal.