DocMcCoy"Go and laugh in your own country!" 5,913 Posts
Junior said:
Edit: Just seen Okem's stats post - sums it all up a lot better.
It would have been interesting if the stats were for the last ten years, given that during the first half of the decade United broke the UK transfer record three times in four years. I don't think there's anything sinister in the fact that they don't, but if you wanted the figures to emphasise Chelsea and City's more sustained spending power in recent seasons, then that'd be one way of doing it.
As for LFC, the sun has finally set on both us and on the most miserable season I can remember. The only thing that's going to convince me otherwise is the removal of Dalglish, and for him to be replaced by someone like Mourinho. At least he might get people hating us for the right reasons.
*rearranges the cushions marked "mid", "table" and "mediocrity"*
I think the MOTD pundits said it was the best season in the Prem Junior, and I'm not sure about that claim but it's certainly been a good one, and you???re only going to come across as bitter to deny it. Sure, the standard of football seems to have slipped a bit over the past few seasons, but considering
High score lines
Silva???s form at the start of the season
Van Percy???s goal haul (and that volley against Everton)
Ba and Cisse scoring outrageous goals as Newcastle become the surprise package
Balotelli being Balotelli
Tottenham playing great football and looking like contenders (briefly)
Capello quits, Rednapp acquitted
John Terry trying to out-villain Joey Barton
McLeish playing Heskey as an inverted winger
The stunning denouement to the entire season
(and as a bonus Torres??? redemptive goal as the climax of a stunning two leg victory over Barca)
Have all been reasons for this year to linger in the memory much longer than last year???s for example.
This is why the Prem is better than how-many-goals-can-Messi-&-Ronaldo-score-each-week. If financial doping is a problem then the transfers, wage bills, tax deals, and unfair tv rights in La Liga are much worse than the state of affairs in the Prem. It's not a perfect league, but it's been good value this year.
It would have been interesting if the stats were for the last ten years
Should just do it for the entire Premiership era - it's Sky's money that has changed football 'beyond recognition' for a certain generation of fans.
DocMcCoy"Go and laugh in your own country!" 5,913 Posts
Duderonomy said:
I think the MOTD pundits said it was the best season in the Prem Junior, and I'm not sure about that claim but it's certainly been a good one, and you???re only going to come across as bitter to deny it. Sure, the standard of football seems to have slipped a bit over the past few seasons, but considering
High score lines
Silva???s form at the start of the season
Van Percy???s goal haul (and that volley against Everton)
Ba and Cisse scoring outrageous goals as Newcastle become the surprise package
Balotelli being Balotelli
Tottenham playing great football and looking like contenders (briefly)
Capello quits, Rednapp acquitted
John Terry trying to out-villain Joey Barton
McLeish playing Heskey as an inverted winger
The stunning denouement to the entire season
(and as a bonus Torres??? redemptive goal as the climax of a stunning two leg victory over Barca)
Have all been reasons for this year to linger in the memory much longer than last year???s for example.
This is why the Prem is better than how-many-goals-can-Messi-&-Ronaldo-score-each-week. If financial doping is a problem then the transfers, wage bills, tax deals, and unfair tv rights in La Liga are much worse than the state of affairs in the Prem. It's not a perfect league, but it's been good value this year.
Easy for you to say; you're in the CL and you finished above Spuds.
What's really puzzling about the Arab oil money is this:
When dude buys a car, he doesn't buy a Saab (no dis) and pimp it up; he buys a Lamborghini and them.
When he buys a shop, he doesn't nab Debenhams and open a branch in Knightsbridge, he goes and buys fucking Harrods.
So why did he buy City?
Although Blackburn is about the right entry level for nouveau riche Indian meat packers.
Easy for you to say; you're in the CL and you finished above Spuds.
After our start to the season, I had so little hope for Arsenal that I felt more like a neutral, and enjoyed the football for the football... bit like watching a World Cup without England in it!
Van Percy is going to leave in the summer. That, really, is almost of more importance the CL qualification. He carried the team, and next season without him is already looking grim, and our future prospects of attracting talent is dwindling. Not every team can splash out 20 million on a Stewart Downing or a Jordan Henderson.
I think the MOTD pundits said it was the best season in the Prem Junior
Well if Shearer says so..............
It's obviously an opinion that is going to be subjective but I honestly wasn't considering it the best premiership season even if City had cocked it up at the last hoorah and Utd had stolen it.
You mention Messi and Ronaldo but, looking at the premiership table, that's pretty much exactly what happened here. I mean, City won it by having a goal difference of plus 64 to United's plus 56 and both teams finished 19 points ahead of third place - basically it came down to who could score most against weakened opposition. Surely that's pretty much the opposite of a tightly fought league and something that's been moaned about in La Liga for years?
It's certainly arguably the best for drama levels on and off the pitch but I'm just not buying the best season over all. Perhaps that will come to pass when it settles down.
I will however concede that bitterness no doubt has something to do with refusal to recognise the "stunning denouement" but, at home, against ten man QPR? It's hardly Michael Thomas is it?
You seem to have forgotten Rooney getting 3 goals as Arsenal lost 8-2 to Manchester United on your list of season highlights there Duder.
That game fell under the 'high score lines' bit, but yes, that was definitely a good game for all bar Gooners, and in a way, UTD did us a favour - after that result Wenger got to buy Arteta, Benayoun, Mertesacker (can't remember when Santos came in). Whatever the board says, I don't believe that if Wenger said he wanted to buy Eden Hazard for 30 million the funds would be there.
You mention Messi and Ronaldo but, looking at the premiership table, that's pretty much exactly what happened here. I mean, City won it by having a goal difference of plus 64 to United's plus 56 and both teams finished 19 points ahead of third place - basically it came down to who could score most against weakened opposition. Surely that's pretty much the opposite of a tightly fought league and something that's been moaned about in La Liga for years?
How often did Barcelona concede 6 goals? I don't follow La Liga that closely, but I don't remember any teams other than the big two being in the title race. For a spell Spurs were in the mix, and even as a Gooner I welcomed that development. Of course it was great to see them cocking it all up, and I honestly think the England job undid Tottenham.
DocMcCoy"Go and laugh in your own country!" 5,913 Posts
skel said:
So why did he buy City?
Hugely loyal local supporter base. Back in the 80s when they were in the old 3rd Division, City were averaging 35,000 at home. You'll have a tough job convincing the rest of the world that they should adopt a particular club if the people who live on their doorstep can't be bothered to go and see them (cf. Wigan Athletic). Make them successful at home first, then you can make them successful internationally.
DocMcCoy"Go and laugh in your own country!" 5,913 Posts
Duderonomy said:
Jordan Henderson.
R Kid is convinced he'll come good next season, using the Lucas Leiva metric. It'd be great if he did, but I'm struggling to find anything to be optimistic about at the moment.
Hugely loyal local supporter base. Back in the 80s when they were in the old 3rd Division, City were averaging 35,000 at home. You'll have a tough job convincing the rest of the world that they should adopt a particular club if the people who live on their doorstep can't be bothered to go and see them (cf. Wigan Athletic). Make them successful at home first, then you can make them successful internationally.
All the good ones were already taken b/w
Did it for a $1 bet having just watched "Trading Places" b/w
With a new ground and bottomless pockets, no-one would be ever be complaining about the club "Selling out" (like them Norwich fans in Salford) and ruining the clubs illustrious history of f*ck-all (apart from most dead wasps and thickest dust in the trophy cabinet).
Hang on, actually they did complain about that. Same lot that would tear up their winning lottery tickets, for sure.
Do you think the same lot were complaining last night?
DocMcCoy"Go and laugh in your own country!" 5,913 Posts
Duderonomy said:
DocMcCoy said:
struggling to find anything to be optimistic about at the moment.
Lucas be back next season?
I hope so. There have been times when I thought he'd never make a central midfielder as long as he had a hole in his arse, but I'm glad to have been proved wrong there. We were considerably diminished by his absence this season.
Agreeing to disagree about the overall season, I see McLeish has been sacked - surely something we can all celebrate together?
Looking at the Guardian's shortlist for replacements, I have to think that Lambert would be near odds on favourite. Would be nice to see Norwich get some of their own medicine on that one.
struggling to find anything to be optimistic about at the moment.
Lucas be back next season?
I hope so. There have been times when I thought he'd never make a central midfielder as long as he had a hole in his arse, but I'm glad to have been proved wrong there. We were considerably diminished by his absence this season.
Losing to Swansea yesterday, after dismantling Chelsea that same week, was pretty much the worse way to end the season. Pretty gutted right now. Perhaps the biggest embarrassment this past year, however, was pilfering two of Newcastle's "best" players at the beginning of the season and having Newcastle go on to finish above us in the league.
While it was tough this season to watch my team perform in such a lacking manner. I will say this was one of the best seasons of the premier I've watched in a long time. And even though my team stunk, I'm looking forward to next year.
You mention Messi and Ronaldo but, looking at the premiership table, that's pretty much exactly what happened here. I mean, City won it by having a goal difference of plus 64 to United's plus 56 and both teams finished 19 points ahead of third place - basically it came down to who could score most against weakened opposition. Surely that's pretty much the opposite of a tightly fought league and something that's been moaned about in La Liga for years?
How often did Barcelona concede 6 goals? I don't follow La Liga that closely, but I don't remember any teams other than the big two being in the title race. For a spell Spurs were in the mix, and even as a Gooner I welcomed that development. Of course it was great to see them cocking it all up, and I honestly think the England job undid Tottenham.
But the Barca / Real battle has been happening for years upon years. The past decade it was pretty much Chelsea and ManU trading of at #1, with Arsenal winning a couple and now City showing that they can hang. Looks like the traditional "top four" is getting shaken up, with Tottenham, City, and *gasp* Newcastle contending well. Let's see if it's just a flash in the pan.
just to be clear. i give credit to Citeh for the league. They were in my opinion the best team over all 38 games and deserve the title (as do their supporters who i know have been through thick and thin over the years).
my point about FFP having teeth is that i believe that in the world of Sports where having a true monopoly honestly cannot work (i.e. you need other teams to play against, watching a one team league would not be fun) that some level of regulation is required to ensure that there remains a competitive environment for those teams in a league.
I am not advocating FFP as it stands (i personally am for luxury tax ,allowing clubs to spend as much as they want, but getting taxed for any amount over some $). I don't have any issue against having an owner support the team or levering the benefits of years of success and support, but i do believe for the integrity of competition it is nice to reign in some form of unlimited resources when applied to sports teams.
Most of this opinion comes from being an American. US sports teams (especially when compared to PL, La Liga) have much more diversity in those clubs that win titles. These leagues, which are chock full of millionaire players and billionaire owners, still find a way of creating an environment where the monopoly of talent is not as egregious as it is in the PL.
And by no means am i advocating that i would ever want Stoke to win a PL title, but I do think if FFP can get some of the salaries reigned in, hopefully it will lead to leagues where ticket prices are lower for fans and competition isn't focused on just a small handful of teams.
Edit: Just seen Okem's stats post - sums it all up a lot better.
It would have been interesting if the stats were for the last ten years, given that during the first half of the decade United broke the UK transfer record three times in four years. I don't think there's anything sinister in the fact that they don't, but if you wanted the figures to emphasise Chelsea and City's more sustained spending power in recent seasons, then that'd be one way of doing it.
These are from 92 -11.
Similar story, Chelsea & City still come out on top & United would be closer to them if they had not sold CR7 for such a high amount.
-
In regards to 'best season ever', much like last year I was just glad it was over tbh. The final day was full of excitement and everything, but on a whole it was probably the worst season as an Arsenal supporter in the last decade, maybe even the entire Wenger era. Even if we did somehow manage to claw back into 3rd, the only upside was that the worst Arsenal side in years manage to beat the best Spurs side in a quarter of a decade.
See Hansen got the hots for VK but let's not get carried away. But it got me to thinking - How about a "Best All-Prem Squad"? (since the Prem started, assuming players at their peak)? Just for shits and giggles. Top-of-dome-R.
but on a whole it was probably the worst season as an Arsenal supporter in the last decade, maybe even the entire Wenger era. Even if we did somehow manage to claw back into 3rd, the only upside was that the worst Arsenal side in years manage to beat the best Spurs side in a quarter of a decade.
If we are going to get into a conversation on $$$. I'm sure we can all agree Downing was the biggest waste of money a team made this season. How many quid could we get for him now?
but on a whole it was probably the worst season as an Arsenal supporter in the last decade, maybe even the entire Wenger era. Even if we did somehow manage to claw back into 3rd, the only upside was that the worst Arsenal side in years manage to beat the best Spurs side in a quarter of a decade.
^this.
Over the last 6 seasons I would've said that Arsenal have played the best football in the league despite consistently failing to win the championship due to leg breaks, fatigue, and a young squad bottling it when some of the Invincibles in the dressing room might've steadied the ship (props to Ferg for appreciating the value of people like Giggs & Scholes). This season we rarely played good football. Van Percy kept us in it. Wenger's stubborness about sticking by his players no matter what has cost us dearly for some time. Not sure if this is down to him having no choice - once it was obvoius players like Franny Jeffers were not going to work, Wenger was happy enough to get rid of him, why not Arshavin, Bendtner or Almunia?
Someone remind me - what was Indelible Heat formerly known as?
Jlee - American sports are communist ;-)
DocMcCoy"Go and laugh in your own country!" 5,913 Posts
DOR said:
If we are going to get into a conversation on $$$. I'm sure we can all agree Downing was the biggest waste of money a team made this season. How many quid could we get for him now?
:roar:
All I could think of when I heard we were in for Downing was how he spent the whole of Boro's UEFA Cup Final against Sevilla in Dani Alves' pocket, a player who we could have bought siy seasons earlier for less than half of what we paid for Downing last season. I've seen Ian Paisley make better crosses.
When two of your most effective players all season have, respectively, been crocked since December and barely able to get a starting place, then finishing eighth seems like a minor miracle, frankly.
Comments
It would have been interesting if the stats were for the last ten years, given that during the first half of the decade United broke the UK transfer record three times in four years. I don't think there's anything sinister in the fact that they don't, but if you wanted the figures to emphasise Chelsea and City's more sustained spending power in recent seasons, then that'd be one way of doing it.
As for LFC, the sun has finally set on both us and on the most miserable season I can remember. The only thing that's going to convince me otherwise is the removal of Dalglish, and for him to be replaced by someone like Mourinho. At least he might get people hating us for the right reasons.
*rearranges the cushions marked "mid", "table" and "mediocrity"*
May as well get comfortable.
High score lines
Silva???s form at the start of the season
Van Percy???s goal haul (and that volley against Everton)
Ba and Cisse scoring outrageous goals as Newcastle become the surprise package
Balotelli being Balotelli
Tottenham playing great football and looking like contenders (briefly)
Capello quits, Rednapp acquitted
John Terry trying to out-villain Joey Barton
McLeish playing Heskey as an inverted winger
The stunning denouement to the entire season
(and as a bonus Torres??? redemptive goal as the climax of a stunning two leg victory over Barca)
Have all been reasons for this year to linger in the memory much longer than last year???s for example.
This is why the Prem is better than how-many-goals-can-Messi-&-Ronaldo-score-each-week. If financial doping is a problem then the transfers, wage bills, tax deals, and unfair tv rights in La Liga are much worse than the state of affairs in the Prem. It's not a perfect league, but it's been good value this year.
Should just do it for the entire Premiership era - it's Sky's money that has changed football 'beyond recognition' for a certain generation of fans.
Easy for you to say; you're in the CL and you finished above Spuds.
When dude buys a car, he doesn't buy a Saab (no dis) and pimp it up; he buys a Lamborghini and them.
When he buys a shop, he doesn't nab Debenhams and open a branch in Knightsbridge, he goes and buys fucking Harrods.
So why did he buy City?
Although Blackburn is about the right entry level for nouveau riche Indian meat packers.
After our start to the season, I had so little hope for Arsenal that I felt more like a neutral, and enjoyed the football for the football... bit like watching a World Cup without England in it!
Van Percy is going to leave in the summer. That, really, is almost of more importance the CL qualification. He carried the team, and next season without him is already looking grim, and our future prospects of attracting talent is dwindling. Not every team can splash out 20 million on a Stewart Downing or a Jordan Henderson.
Like Robinhio, he thought he was getting UTD?
Well if Shearer says so..............
It's obviously an opinion that is going to be subjective but I honestly wasn't considering it the best premiership season even if City had cocked it up at the last hoorah and Utd had stolen it.
You mention Messi and Ronaldo but, looking at the premiership table, that's pretty much exactly what happened here. I mean, City won it by having a goal difference of plus 64 to United's plus 56 and both teams finished 19 points ahead of third place - basically it came down to who could score most against weakened opposition. Surely that's pretty much the opposite of a tightly fought league and something that's been moaned about in La Liga for years?
It's certainly arguably the best for drama levels on and off the pitch but I'm just not buying the best season over all. Perhaps that will come to pass when it settles down.
I will however concede that bitterness no doubt has something to do with refusal to recognise the "stunning denouement" but, at home, against ten man QPR? It's hardly Michael Thomas is it?
That game fell under the 'high score lines' bit, but yes, that was definitely a good game for all bar Gooners, and in a way, UTD did us a favour - after that result Wenger got to buy Arteta, Benayoun, Mertesacker (can't remember when Santos came in). Whatever the board says, I don't believe that if Wenger said he wanted to buy Eden Hazard for 30 million the funds would be there.
How often did Barcelona concede 6 goals? I don't follow La Liga that closely, but I don't remember any teams other than the big two being in the title race. For a spell Spurs were in the mix, and even as a Gooner I welcomed that development. Of course it was great to see them cocking it all up, and I honestly think the England job undid Tottenham.
Hugely loyal local supporter base. Back in the 80s when they were in the old 3rd Division, City were averaging 35,000 at home. You'll have a tough job convincing the rest of the world that they should adopt a particular club if the people who live on their doorstep can't be bothered to go and see them (cf. Wigan Athletic). Make them successful at home first, then you can make them successful internationally.
R Kid is convinced he'll come good next season, using the Lucas Leiva metric. It'd be great if he did, but I'm struggling to find anything to be optimistic about at the moment.
Lucas be back next season?
All the good ones were already taken b/w
Did it for a $1 bet having just watched "Trading Places" b/w
With a new ground and bottomless pockets, no-one would be ever be complaining about the club "Selling out" (like them Norwich fans in Salford) and ruining the clubs illustrious history of f*ck-all (apart from most dead wasps and thickest dust in the trophy cabinet).
Hang on, actually they did complain about that. Same lot that would tear up their winning lottery tickets, for sure.
Do you think the same lot were complaining last night?
I hope so. There have been times when I thought he'd never make a central midfielder as long as he had a hole in his arse, but I'm glad to have been proved wrong there. We were considerably diminished by his absence this season.
Looking at the Guardian's shortlist for replacements, I have to think that Lambert would be near odds on favourite. Would be nice to see Norwich get some of their own medicine on that one.
Losing to Swansea yesterday, after dismantling Chelsea that same week, was pretty much the worse way to end the season. Pretty gutted right now. Perhaps the biggest embarrassment this past year, however, was pilfering two of Newcastle's "best" players at the beginning of the season and having Newcastle go on to finish above us in the league.
:talib:
But the Barca / Real battle has been happening for years upon years. The past decade it was pretty much Chelsea and ManU trading of at #1, with Arsenal winning a couple and now City showing that they can hang. Looks like the traditional "top four" is getting shaken up, with Tottenham, City, and *gasp* Newcastle contending well. Let's see if it's just a flash in the pan.
This was upsetting.
lulz.
my point about FFP having teeth is that i believe that in the world of Sports where having a true monopoly honestly cannot work (i.e. you need other teams to play against, watching a one team league would not be fun) that some level of regulation is required to ensure that there remains a competitive environment for those teams in a league.
I am not advocating FFP as it stands (i personally am for luxury tax ,allowing clubs to spend as much as they want, but getting taxed for any amount over some $). I don't have any issue against having an owner support the team or levering the benefits of years of success and support, but i do believe for the integrity of competition it is nice to reign in some form of unlimited resources when applied to sports teams.
Most of this opinion comes from being an American. US sports teams (especially when compared to PL, La Liga) have much more diversity in those clubs that win titles. These leagues, which are chock full of millionaire players and billionaire owners, still find a way of creating an environment where the monopoly of talent is not as egregious as it is in the PL.
And by no means am i advocating that i would ever want Stoke to win a PL title, but I do think if FFP can get some of the salaries reigned in, hopefully it will lead to leagues where ticket prices are lower for fans and competition isn't focused on just a small handful of teams.
pipe dream i know....
These are from 92 -11.
Similar story, Chelsea & City still come out on top & United would be closer to them if they had not sold CR7 for such a high amount.
-
In regards to 'best season ever', much like last year I was just glad it was over tbh. The final day was full of excitement and everything, but on a whole it was probably the worst season as an Arsenal supporter in the last decade, maybe even the entire Wenger era. Even if we did somehow manage to claw back into 3rd, the only upside was that the worst Arsenal side in years manage to beat the best Spurs side in a quarter of a decade.
"Atletico Shudderfest" (4-4-2):
-------------- Schmeichel ----------------------
Gary Neville - Adams - Terry - Ashley Cole
CR7 - Makelele - Big Time Charles - Giggs
------------ Henry - Drogba --------------
Subs:
Gerrard
Bergkamp
Keano
:hated_it:
^this.
:roar:
Over the last 6 seasons I would've said that Arsenal have played the best football in the league despite consistently failing to win the championship due to leg breaks, fatigue, and a young squad bottling it when some of the Invincibles in the dressing room might've steadied the ship (props to Ferg for appreciating the value of people like Giggs & Scholes). This season we rarely played good football. Van Percy kept us in it. Wenger's stubborness about sticking by his players no matter what has cost us dearly for some time. Not sure if this is down to him having no choice - once it was obvoius players like Franny Jeffers were not going to work, Wenger was happy enough to get rid of him, why not Arshavin, Bendtner or Almunia?
Someone remind me - what was Indelible Heat formerly known as?
Jlee - American sports are communist ;-)
All I could think of when I heard we were in for Downing was how he spent the whole of Boro's UEFA Cup Final against Sevilla in Dani Alves' pocket, a player who we could have bought siy seasons earlier for less than half of what we paid for Downing last season. I've seen Ian Paisley make better crosses.
When two of your most effective players all season have, respectively, been crocked since December and barely able to get a starting place, then finishing eighth seems like a minor miracle, frankly.