matthew123

I'd like to see both the League Cup and FA Cup returned to their former glory - but I think that can only be done by upping the financial rewards. At the moment a PL club will get more money for a PL televised match than you do for reaching an FA Cup semi final (?480k versus ?450K).

From what I saw of the game Stoke deserved to win but that doesn't mean how they did it was acceptable football - or is winning more important than playing the game these days.. some good old fashioned values like entertaining the spectator is what I want (I'm sure Hammers fans will be jumping for joy if you make Tony Pullis your next manager). Newsflash Matthew123 now being Positive.. read on.. Watched quite a bit of the Milan derby tonight and impressed with the high tempo of Inter - I think they will give Chelsea a run for their money in the CL especially with the return of Eto'o.

Well Bakkies Botha and his mates might object to that title Declan

mockney piers Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- ..and they're demonstrating good old fashioned values What I saw was Rory Delap launching the ball into the box like a missile from a throw after he'd been allowed to time to dry the ball with a towel. That seemed at the heart of their tactics. However it was enjoyable seeing the mighty Arsenal tumble out of the Cup but I couldn't watch that every week... and neither could their own fans based on the empty seats on display. Spot on there Declan - he wasn't exactly a good English tutor for Tevez was he!

Well all I've read on this thread Declan is how Rugby is superior to Football in everything (apart from mention of the game itself of course), the implication being that whatever Rugby does badly then Football does it worse, e.g. foul play, player behaviour, supporters.. A 70 week ban maybe the right message but it's not exactly the norm is it - read this http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/france/4945001/Eye-gouging-just-a-way-of-life-in-French-rugby.html

I think they were favourites even before other big guns were dumped out.. they are very strong and seemed to have avoided the injuries that cost them trophies in previous seasons. Be interesting to see where Rooney ends up next season - he has been a good servant to United and I don't think anyone would begrudge him a move to Real Madrid.

"My family are all in the marines and a commander never leaves his troops." Martin Jol, ex-Spurs boss, after coming back from 4-1 down to draw 4-4

Well, well it's certainly not a clean sport and there is no excuse just because it is very physical either. Some of the foul play is beyond the pale, much more serious than anything in footy, yet instead of life bans for trying to cripple or blind an opponent the players are effectively just given a slap on the wrist with a ban for a few games/weeks/months. Just because a Rugby player appears to respect a Ref by saying Yes Sir when a decision goes against him does not mean the rest of his game is clean.

Declan, what I meant by intense was it only takes a second to score goal et al whereas with rugger it is almost like a coach party of geriatrics making their way up and down the pitch. Sure there maybe the odd interception try but by and large the emotions do not go up and down like a yo-yo watching rugby (i.e. the best team in rugby are more likely to win than the best team in football). What I find sour about Rugby is that many of it's followers will not accept it is a dirty sport. Surely bloodgate, spear tackles, eye gouging has nothing to do with sport and yet it's defended by having a go at footy as if they invented these underhand tactics.

Declan Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I support Man U, Matthew. I also love rugby. One > doesn't exclude the other. However there tends to > be more idiots involved in football than rugby > IMO. I think just as many idiots follow Rugby it's just footy is more intense and perhaps brings rowdy behaviour quicker to the fore.

Huguenot Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > All this bloke seemed to to do was muttering in a > way that suggests he was mentally ill. ..and I'm sure the nutters who preach BS amd want to blow themselves up on buses and aeroplanes are all entirely sane

I thought Declan was a Rugby man - who do you support Declan in football?

As a neutral I have always found Atila's analysis of Manchester United to be accurate as are his observations on Rooney, Ronaldo, Scholes and Gary Neville - having said that it would be a great shame if SP is hounded out by the blame game.

jimmy two times Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Neville will be interested to know that 2 plane > loads of Liverpool volunteers have just left John > Lennon airport and have flown out to Haiti to help > with the looting. Whilst those from the Tottenham slums go mugging ppl in London

Good old Tevez saying what the media have been afraid to say for years - hahaha

37 never comes up on my tfl recommendations either unless I do East Dulwich Hospital to Lambeth Town Hall (oppositie McD's)

>> Spurs had a perfectly good goal disallowed. I thought Defoe wrapped his arm around Riena's head and that is why the keeper stumbled and was given free kick.

Banking staff tend to fall into 2 categories, Revenue or Support. Revenue is the core business and are there to make money - many of the top earners in Revenue (e.g. Trading, Sales, Investment Bankers) can go an work at any financial firm and the profits will follow hence they have contracts with agreed percentage of profits, i.e. you make ?6m for the firm and you take 5% bonus or whatever.. bit like an estate agent, mortgage broker etc etc. In Support (e.g. Back Office, HR, Logistics, IT et al) the bonuses are in many cases going to work out less per hour than if that person had received overtime for the additional hours they do over their contracted 35 hour per week.

Glad Arsenal won last night but their behaviour over the Gallas tackle was desperate. Arsenal are the first ones to blubber like babies when play continues (remember Spurs scoring a goal at Highbury few yrs back). It leaves a sour taste in the mouth when Wenger compounds matters by dismissing the Gallas ankle breaker on the grounds of worse challenges had allegedly taken place over the two games by Bolton. In the end Liverpool deserved 3 points against Spurs and on reflection they were probably the ideal team to build confidence such was the lameness of Tottenham .. still I wish I'd done a split screen to have watched the 10 goal bonaza on the BBC!

Once a Blue always a Manc is what he really meant to say.. I think it works both ways with players quitting, you can't blame a player for walking when he has previously been treated like a dog, and that is why no Liverpool fan holds it against Alonso for forcing a move to Madrid. As for Sol Campbell I have no sympathy in the regard he is held up and down the country.

Rooney would never play in Spain he is too vain to look like a beetroot all year round

That was a Cup cracker last night - first time I've enjoyed 90 mins of footy on telly this season. Roll on next Wednesday!

The dogs I saw tonight seemed pretty harmless - I think having Police presence in East Dulwich is not something to be sniffed at...

Good first half - but who was Tevez telling to shut up after he scored? Was it Mark Lawrenson up in the commentary box for continually saying it was so easy for United...

Agreed they are fantastic team and now very solid defensively under Guardiola. Although I was surprised they traded in Eto'o for Ibrahimovich but then I guess the Swede does a bit more outside the box for the team. Yes it's amazing their youth production line - I heard Wenger tried to nab Messi at same time he took Fabregas as they were both in same youth team.