Football Focus

[david_carnell]

Sack Robbo and get Chris Coleman. Top manager IMO.

Hey, SimonM, the merry-go-round at Elland Rd never fails to drive me to despair. Welcome to the mad house.

[atila the gooner]

Chris Coleman should still be at Fulham but for the insanity of Al Fayed, the guy did well given the resources he had to play with.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Spot on Atila - was at the Cottage a couple of weeks back for the Villa game (what a joy to be there when Bullard scored!) and I'd swear his ghost still stalks the place

[atila the gooner]

My son, although an ardent gooner, goes to the Cottage a lot. Our neighbour is a season ticket holder who also has connections with the company that is responsible for security at the ground. He loves it there, he thinks its quaint compared to other grounds in the league.

[SimonM]

Looks like Robson is staying - at least until the end of the season, possibly with a new first team coach. Kudos to Kevin McCabe for not wilting under pressure from a loud minority of fans and and following the usual Chairman's scapegoat route of sacking manager after manager...There is now talk amongst the disgruntled ones of boycotting Sunday's game. I really hope they do - they tried this with the Manchester City game, which may have resulted in a smaller attendence but did mean the people there were right behind the team, who naturally played a blinder. The dressing room is clearly still behind Robson, and I'd neither wish nor expect him to be sacked as long as this remains the case.

I just cannot understand the mentality of "supporters" who boycott games for this sort of reason.....nose....spite...cut off...etc

[atila the gooner]

Bristol Rovers 1 v Southampton 2

Cardiff 2 v Wolverhampton 0

Chelsea 4 v Huddersfield 0

Coventry 0 v West Brom 2

Liverpool 2 v Barnsley 0

Man Utd 1 v Arsenal 2

Preston 1 v Portsmouth 3

Sheff Utd 0 v Middlesbrough 1

[Keef]

SimonM Wrote:

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> Looks like Robson is staying - at least until the end of the season

Or perhaps not.

[citizenED]

Man Utd 1 v Arsenal 2: Brave, brave man Atila predicting a victory at Old Trafford. How long since united have lost two on the bounce there? Still, I bloody hope you're right. Even if Utd win, we'll still be top. Noticed that United are only the second richest club in the world. Think they'll have to get used to being second, eh!

[Keef]

Well Arsenal definitely won't have to deal with the real Ronaldo next week. Poor bugger has done his knee in good and proper, and at 31, they reckon this could be it for him.

[atila the gooner]

I think the real Ronaldo is well past his best bless him, as are many of the AC players. I think we shouldn't fear them, just play the way we've been playing and that should be more than good enough to win. As for Man Ure our record at Old Stratford is a good 'un. It might not be pretty but that might suit giggsy wiggsy ( apologies to Ron Manager), because he says they've got to start winning ugly. Well with Neville, Tevez, Vidic, Ferdinand, and others they're hardly likely to a the best looking side in the Premiership competition are they!!

[SimonM]

I did say "possibly with a new first team coach" :))

(Edited later) - or indeed, perhaps not! :))

[atila the gooner]

Arsene may rest players for the game with Man Ure, in readiness for the AC game. Whatever happens I hope we turn them over, if we do so and we do having rested players, that would be so much sweeter, but we'll see. I don't expect a classic.

[Keef]

Never is with these 2, losing costs too much to risk playing an open game.

We SHOULD have no problems, but don't want to curse us... Knowing us we'll struggle this weekend then cruise to a great victory in the champs league!

[Annasfield]

Bristol Rovers 0 v Southampton 3

Cardiff 1 v Wolverhampton 2

Chelsea 2 v Huddersfield 0

Coventry 1 v West Brom 3

Liverpool ?? v Barnsley ??

Man Utd 1 v Arsenal 0

Preston 0 v Portsmouth 2

Sheff Utd 2 v Middlesbrough 1

[david_carnell]

SimonM Wrote:

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> I did say "possibly with a new first team coach"

> :))

>

> (Edited later) - or indeed, perhaps not! :))

Oh, dear Lord, you're f&*ked!

Blackwell!?! ahahahahahaha >:D< Oh my sides. We'll being passing each other at the end of the season now, Simon!

[atila the gooner]

Blackwell? Wasn't this the bloke who was at Leeds for a while and failed dismally??

[citizenED]

Who would you prefer to be this evening: Liverpool supporter or Arsenal? Hangs head in unbelievable shame.

[????]

Great to see two teams whose managers appear to have no respect for the greatest cup competition in the world utterly humiliated.

[SeanMacGabhann]

I don't think it's fair to accuse Wenger of that, quids. He has won the thing several times and if he didn't care about the competition, then he wouldn't really be humiliated would he?

His team selection was more to do with injuries than the upcoming CL game (although that's bound to play a part)

But yes, Citizen, the shame.. the mortification

I watched part of the Chelsea v Huddersfield game before and Huddersfield put up much stronger opposition. I thought Utd were on fire and don't want to take anything from them but we looked clueless.. absolutely clueless

Ah well....

[mockney piers]

My default position is generally to want Man Utd to lose, but it soon beame clear that there was only one team providing entertainment on the pitch, and only one team that seemed to want anything out of the game.

I'd much rather have seen a proper match out of the game, but hats off to utd, they played a blinder, even wes Brown seemed to be good. Plus handbags, comedy dives, bad tackles, cards akimbo and a sending off. Couldn't really have asked for much more out of a good old cup tie.

[SimonM]

>>Blackwell!?! ahahahahahaha Oh my sides. We'll being passing each other at the end of the season now, Simon!:D

[Keef]

Haven't been on the forum this weekend, but yes, Liverpool deserve little sympathy, except to say that they were up against a keeper having the game of his life, but no excuses, we should have stuck the ball away at least a couple of times. Good luck to Barnsley, lets hope they go on to knock out Man U or Chelsea next :-S

I do think that if we fail to beat Inter, Rafa may be walking.

As for Arsenal, it was just weird, I couldn't believe I was watching the team 5 points clear at the top of the league, that have been playing such good footy. They just didn't turn up, and can have no complaints.

[david_carnell]

SimonM Wrote:

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> >>Blackwell!?! ahahahahahaha Oh my sides. We'll

> being passing each other at the end of the season

> now, Simon!

> Interesting reaction. The guy who took Leeds to

> within 90 minutes of the Premiership with,

> financially, both hands tied behind his back? He

> was assistant to Colin the season we were 3rd and

> made it to two semi-finals. He is only apppointed

> until the end of the season, so we shall see. I'd

> be amazed if we get relegated though because he

> will have the crowd on his side supporting the

> team, which was hardly ever the case with Robson.

>

> Was in the "Blades Superstore" on Friday - 2 piles

> of unsold Robson autobiographies :))

>

> Oh and I'd not be too sure about Leeds going up

> either! Good old Donny are looking pretty good

> just now >:D<

Ah, I was yanking your chain to a degree. I'm undecided over Blackwell tbh. That play-off season was great although we barely won a match in the final two months meaning we went from automatic promotion to barely scraping the play-offs. Watford played us off the park at Wembley. Next season the team were awful although rumours persist that he was never given any money and told Bates the team were shit to which he was basically told "tough luck - deal with it".

Bloody Donny! That's what happens in Div 3 - no undersoil heating in all these "little" teams. You'll be fine this season. I'm now having doubts about our promotion chances. Yet another season down here will be hard to stomach. Still, it's great to have the Mac back. Hope he can do the business.

[Annasfield]

What Keef said. :( Couldn't bring myself to watch MOTD.

Funny, haven't seen hide nor hair of Atila this morning. Lets be having you!! ;-)

[lozzyloz]

Considering some of the past 'entertaining' posts I've read in here I'm surprised at how gloaten free this thread is after such a grudge match. Personally I'm biased towards London clubs but I can't complain about the result in this case. Shame as a closer match would've been more entertaining.