Football Focus

[Otta]

I would agree with most people about Barca, but had they mixed it up, maybe they would have won...

Sir Alex isn't scared to change things, but you probably find him tactically inept.

[Chippy Minton]

LOL comparing Rodgers' sides to Barca!

Rodgers doesn't change his tactics because he doesn't know how to play any system other than short passing, defensive football. Guardiola didn't change his tactics because he had Messi et al out on the pitch!

Rodgers has been extremely lucky to get the Liverpool job given his track record and over-rated achievements. Liverpool don't seem to giving him anything much to spend and his refusal to play a system to the existing players' strengths will be a massive problem. He'll be lucky to survive the season.

[Otta]

And you are right, otta has won zero titles.

Otta is not a football team though.

[red devil]

Undisputedtruth Wrote:

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> Again, you're showing your lack of football

> knowledge once again. Teams like Barcelona and

> Rodgers' do not change their style of play even

> when they're losing. Speed of thought is more

> effective than just lumping the ball forward to

> the striker.

Barca did try and change their overall attacking style and approach when they bought Ibrahimovic in 2009/10.

He was only there for one season, but it was by no means unsuccessful on the pitch, with Barca winning La Liga by a record number of points. He cited a falling out with Guardiloa as the reason why he left for Milan the following season.

[red devil]

UDT, you've done something with the 'bold' script command, probably put the slash after the b, needs to be before

[red devil]

Otta Wrote:

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> And you are right, otta has won zero titles.

>

> Otta is not a football team though.

Tottanham Hotspurs...

[????]

Nottangham Forest

[Otta]

.

[camberwell70]

Manchester ????

[El Pibe]

I beg to differ, Pottas Bar Town FC won the Spartan South Midlands Football League and the Herts Senior County League in recent years.

[Annette Curtain]

Wassis name

Doo-dah

The Pottas ?

On my head son !

[Undisputedtruth]

sideline mum!

[maxxi]

Hampshire's own Ottabourne FC missed out on the title in the Hants Premier League by one point in 2008 and won the Andover Floodlight Cup in 2010.

...and these guys have just joined the NASLeague - http://cerebra.ca/commercial/ADMINII/users/5222/image/Ottawa-NASL-Temp-Crest.jpg so it's early days...

[Otta]

Cool, I am so backing them from now on!

Otta... WA!!!

[Ladygooner]

Now Sold STC Spare ticket for sale Arsenal v Sunderland 3pm Sat 18th Aug - ?40 - Clock End Block 25 lower tier row 13. Any interest?

[East Dulwich Angst]

I've posted this on another thread & I thought this would be a good place to post ....

We had quite a few teams last year, so why not join and have a bit of fun

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

I have once again created two leagues, a standard one & a head to head league

We had quite a few teams last year so why not try your luck again.

If you use the same email as last year to register you should automatically join the league, but if not go to...

http://fantasy.premierleague.com

create a team & join these leagues

Standard league code: 39320-39649

Head to Head league code: 39320-25107

[maxxi]

Nothing on Red Robin? ManU coup or Gooner death knell?

(waits for gooners to say they've had the best of him anyway and he's past it now and for blueys to dismiss his signing as too little too late)

[red devil]

The signing of RVP is a big coup for Utd. I'm surprised Wenger sold him to us, but I don't think he was left with much choice, as RVP clearly wanted to join Utd over City and Juve. Had Barca or Madrid been in the running it probably wouldn't have happened.

I think ?15 million plus add ons and a contract with Grecian 2000, is a fair price for both clubs, given his injury record. As I posted earlier in the summer, he appears physically to be a late developer, so I reckon he still has a good 2-3 years left at his peak.

The thought of Rooney and RVP playing up front together is certainly a mouth watering prospect. But I'm equally excited about Kagawa who likes to play just off the front, so hopefully Fergie can get the 3 of them to gel. I just hope Welbeck gets enough game time to continue his development.

I thought Cleverley had a very good game last night, which also bodes well for Utd's season providing he stays injury free.

What Olympics?..I'm quite excited about the season kick-off now :)

[Otta]

I sat watching last night thinking how boring it was compared to the olympics. But an international friendly is never going to set the world alight I guess.

Still hoping Liverpool add another couple of players, but suspect funds are not available.

[StraferJack]

Would I have preferred RVP to stay? Yes

Do I wish he hadn't gone to Utd specifically? Yes

Am I glad Arsenal will no longer be over-reliant on one player? Yes

Was the deal good business? Yes (24 million? joke all you want but his injury record is digy and it is a gamble for fergie)

Am I more confident than I have been before last few seasons? Yes. Only pre-season but loving the look of new signings

Do I think Arsenal wil finish above Utd this year? Yes

I think people are understandably purring at the thought of a Rooney/RVP partnership, but something about this strikes me as slightly mis-matched. We'll see...

[Mick Mac]

Otta Wrote:

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> I sat watching last night thinking how boring it

> was compared to the olympics.

Probably no more boring than the average athletics meet Otta, and I'm not sure many Olympics fans will lower themselves to watch regular athletics events.

[red devil]

SJ, the oft quoted figures of ?22-24 million include add-ons.

These will be for appearances, goals amd silverware.

If he returns to the sick note RVP of old then Arsenal won't get near that figure.

In light of this, ?15 million is a fair sum to pay up front, and not such a big gamble by Fergie.

I agree about Rooney and RVP not automatically becoming a deadly strike duo, instead I'm hoping with Kagawa we see a return of the triumvirate system we had with Rooney, Ronaldo and Tevez, where they are constantly interchanging...we'll see :)

[StraferJack]

Have you got the source of that 15 versus 22/24 million breakdown?

[Otta]

Mick Mac Wrote:

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> Otta Wrote:

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

> -----

> > I sat watching last night thinking how boring

> it

> > was compared to the olympics.

>

>

> Probably no more boring than the average athletics

> meet Otta, and I'm not sure many Olympics fans

> will lower themselves to watch regular athletics

> events.

Absolutely, wasn't having a go at football. It was probably like watching the first friendly after Euro 96.

[red devil]

StraferJack Wrote:

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> Have you got the source of that 15 versus 22/24

> million breakdown?

From the DT...

Talks resumed between the two clubs on Tuesday and United, who had opened their bidding for Van Persie with an ?8 million offer in July, ultimately raised their offer to ?15 million, with further payments based on Van Persie?s appearances, goals and silverware won as a United player.

While falling short of the ?25 million initially demanded by Arsenal, the North London club claimed last night the deal could ultimately be worth ?24 million, although United were adamant it was ?22 million.

I'm not saying we should take the DT story and figures as verbatim, but their sporting journalism is not prone to hyperbole, and it's quite standard in modern day contracts to have all these add-ons. I'm fairly sure Liverpool haven't stumped up ?35 million for Carroll, probably more like ?20-25m so far...