Football Focus

[Otta]

No.

Although a couple of top drawer wingers would be very welcome!

And yeah, Torres' form has been off for a long time, but I think the way Chelsea play hasn't helped. He's still pretty young though, so sure he'll get back to the top at some stage...

[Undisputedtruth]

Torres relied too much on his explosive pace. His injuries have slowed him down and losing a yard of pace can make a difference to scoring goals.

Dalglish is a good manager but the players he has bought were not of real quality apart from Suarez. I can't see Liverpool winning the Premiership within the next few years at least.

Tottenham was very unlucky today and their lack of finishing, as I said before, will (have?) cost them the Premiership title. Although Tottenham can still win the league, eight points behind City is a tall order even at this stage of the season. Redknapp needs to buy a goal getter in this transfer window or he will have to settle for champions league qualification.

Arsenal may struggle to qualify for Europe this season but I think with the number of youngster coming through then they will be Premiership contenders next season.

City are increasingly looking like champions and getting vital points despite a weaken team.

[Jah Lush]

Gutted about today's result. Harry's in court tomorrow. Suspect this is where our season goes tits up. At least I have the minor satisfaction that the Arse lost at home. I'm sure Mr Parkdrive is as gutted as I am losing against his most hated team apart from us Spuds.

[Jah Lush]

Undisputedtruth Wrote:

> Redknapp needs to buy a goal getter in this

> transfer window or he will have to settle for

> champions league qualification.

Errr... thanks for that. Got one. Jermaine Defoe.

[Sharon_H]

Alan Medic Wrote:

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> Given that The Messiah is back at Liverpool,he

> taking a long time to get things right it seems

> (for a Messiah)!

He's not the messiah, he's very naughty boy. :)

[Undisputedtruth]

No doubt Jermaine is a good player but is he in the same bracket as other top premiership strikers? I think not.

If you look at Tottenham's goal difference then that in itself suggest the need to score more goals.

[Mick Mac]

Jah Lush Wrote:

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> Gutted about today's result.

Me too (although not a spurs fan so not quite the same). Particularly pissed off as fell asleep on the sofa and missed the whole second half. Woke up to see defoe miss and man city penalty. Rather annoying.

[Jah Lush]

Undisputedtruth Wrote:

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> No doubt Jermaine is a good player but is he in

> the same bracket as other top premiership

> strikers? I think not.

Like who? Check your head and then check his goals ratio. He is top class and currently our top goalscorer despite his lack of opportunities this season.

[Undisputedtruth]

Michael Owen's goal ratio is pretty good too but he is not a regular for Utd.

But if Defoe is on a fantastic rich form then why does Redknapp leaves him on the bench?

[Jah Lush]

Michael Owen as we all know is very unlucky with injuries. Defoe on the other hand needs a run of games. Van Der Vaart hasn't been at his best lately and I think it's time he was dropped. Jermain is a natural goalscorer and will always score goals no matter who he plays for.

Anyway... this may sound like sour grapes but Lescott and Bolotelli should both have been sent off today. To lose in the 94th minute to a penalty taken by someone who clearly should no longer have been on the pitch is very hard to take.

[Undisputedtruth]

But if Defoe is on a fantastic rich form then why does Redknapp leaves him on the bench?

Okay, I'll give you more time to think about the answer for the above question.

Not entirely sure about Balotelli's alleged incident was a red card as I think he tried to take his weight off his foot as he fell and spun awkwardly. I don't know about Lescott's.

[Parkdrive]

Went to the Arsenal and watch a very poor game played out by two very average sides. I can see either side winning anything this season. I've not seen a poorer Arsenal side for close on 20 years. United looked equally lightweight. Opponents will not fear playing either side on current form.

I watched the spuds game in the Woodbine before walking to the ground, I don't think Ballotelli deliberately stamped on Parker.Therefore I don't see why Redknapp was wildly waving his arms around gesticulating and shouting that Ballotelli should have been sent off. For me that is just as bad as the dashing Mr Mancini waving the imaginary card. The game could have gone either way, but had that been the Arsenal playing City yesterday I'd have been very, very disappointed.

[bon3yard]

I'm with Undisputedtruth on this one(I know, mental innit). Spurs dont score nearly enough goals despite the chances we create in any given match.

[Jah Lush]

I agree Spurs aren't scoring enough with the chances we make. Adebayor misses more than he scores. We are crying out for a top class centre forward. Pav isn't good enough and we can't afford Ade's wages.

[Jah Lush]

Parkdrive Wrote:

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I don't think Ballotelli deliberately stamped on Parker.Therefore I don't

> see why Redknapp was wildly waving his arms around

> gesticulating and shouting that Ballotelli should

> have been sent off. For me that is just as bad as

> the dashing Mr Mancini waving the imaginary card.

> The game could have gone either way, but had that

> been the Arsenal playing City yesterday I'd have

> been very, very disappointed.

I don't think you'd be saying that if it had been an Arsenal player he stamped on. You'd be baying for his blood. As for Arsene Wenger's post match interview yesterday his arrogance knows no bounds. Graceless in defeat as usual.

[Parkdrive]

Jah Lush Wrote:

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> Parkdrive Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

>

> I don't think Ballotelli deliberately stamped on

> Parker.Therefore I don't

> > see why Redknapp was wildly waving his arms

> around

> > gesticulating and shouting that Ballotelli

> should

> > have been sent off. For me that is just as bad

> as

> > the dashing Mr Mancini waving the imaginary

> card.

> > The game could have gone either way, but had

> that

> > been the Arsenal playing City yesterday I'd

> have

> > been very, very disappointed.

>

> I don't think you'd be saying that if it had been

> an Arsenal player he stamped on. You'd be baying

> for his blood. As for Arsene Wenger's post match

> interview yesterday his arrogance knows no bounds.

> Graceless in defeat as usual.

I'm not having a go at spuds, I just don't think it was red because it wasn't intentional. If you want to go that route you could equally argue Parker was lucky to be on the pitch at that stage after the tackle he made on Richards. As for graceless, there wasn't a lot of grace in Redknapps comments. But as always you take it as a side swipe, which wasn't my intention. But if you want to take exception thats up to you.

[Jah Lush]

It's not a sideswipe. I'm just stating how I've seen things. I see it as a backheel to the head. The first kick was an accident but the second to me is a deliberate back heel to the head and he should have been off for violent conduct. Also, I think Parker's challenge was fair and I can't see how Harry was being graceless. That's my opinion. It just differs from yours.

[Otta]

I agree with Lee Dixon, that it is not conclusive enough. On'y he knows for sure, but from the angles I've seen, it is quite possible that it was accidental... Just as it is possible that he did it on purpose.

[Jah Lush]

That's Lee Dixon, Arsenal stalwart and Manchester City fan. Hmm...

[Parkdrive]

Jah Lush Wrote:

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> That's Lee Dixon, Arsenal stalwart and Manchester

> City fan. Hmm...

and maybe his view is different because he believes what he's saying as do I.

[red devil]

Lee Dixon quite rightly had the proverbial taken out of him on MOTD last night for his Balotelli 'lost his balance' appraisee. IMO it was a deliberate back heel, and I trust Howard Webb, when he reveiws the video, will confirm that he would've red carded him had he seen it. I like Mario, I think the game needs character's like him, but he can't get away with thuggery like that. Not sure what the situation with Lescott is, did Webb see the elbow and let it go, or will that be reviewed too?

On a happier note, loved the sight of those ever so loyal Gooners baying at Wenger and booing Arshavin...priceless :)

[Undisputedtruth]

Jah Lush Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Undisputedtruth Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > No doubt Jermaine is a good player but is he in

> > the same bracket as other top premiership

> > strikers? I think not.

>

> Like who? Check your head and then check his goals

> ratio. He is top class and currently our top

> goalscorer despite his lack of opportunities this

> season.

BBC's Premiership top goal scorers

Well according to the above link, 12 players have scored more goals than Defoe. Even Lampard, who has spent some time on the bench, is above him in the scoring charts.

Also Van Persie has out scored Adebayor and Defoe put together at this stage of the season.

Oxlade-Chambers done well on his premiership debut yesterday. Looking forward to when Arsene plays his young guns. Frimpong and Wilshere in centre of midfield. Oxlade-Chambers and Walcott on the flanks.

[Undisputedtruth]

There was a youtube video featuring the Balotelli-Parker incident. If you watch Balotelli's face and head movement then I think you can conclude that there was no violent conduct intended. On the other hand, if you focus purely on the back heel then I understand why people thought it was a straight red. On balance, it wasn't a red card at all.

[Parkdrive]

red devil Wrote:

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> Lee Dixon quite rightly had the proverbial taken

> out of him on MOTD last night for his Balotelli

> 'lost his balance' appraisee. IMO it was a

> deliberate back heel, and I trust Howard Webb,

> when he reveiws the video, will confirm that he

> would've red carded him had he seen it. I like

> Mario, I think the game needs character's like

> him, but he can't get away with thuggery like

> that. Not sure what the situation with Lescott is,

> did Webb see the elbow and let it go, or will that

> be reviewed too?

> On a happier note, loved the sight of those ever

> so loyal Gooners baying at Wenger and booing

> Arshavin...priceless :)

Strange how you went missing after losing a few games, but thats loyalty for you eh?

Loyalty being questioned by a rags fan is laughable. As for your loyal "fans" you had a very small section of the ground which made hardly any noise until you scored. Most of them that had rags colours on spoke with a cockney accent. Loyalty? is that what "once a blue always a blue" Rooney demonstrated when he held his "beloved" club to ransom for a measly ?250,000 a week? Yep thats loyalty for you. He displays his loyalty by kissing the baddge in the same way that he kisses his wife before going off to a whore house. Loyalty. Please. And as for your view on the incident, I find it rich that a rags fan sees fit to lecture us on thuggery. Isn't this the club that has had the Eric "Kung Fu" Cantona and Roy "leg breaker" Keane, Scholes, the Neville Brothers etc in its ranks? And you have the balls to accuse others of thuggery.

[red devil]

Stop ranting and take your medication Atila.

Manchester 2 London 0...welcome to the future :)