Football Focus

[????]

I'm pretty confident you'll get 3rd/4th

[StraferJack]

due to general transition below chelsea/city probably right - but it doesn't show much evolution from us. Usually when we f*** up like this we bounce back hard for a month or two but why does it have to happen at all

[Ladygooner]

One more point from two games and we will be through to the next round - probably to meet Real or Barcelona and get dumped out straight away! Great game for the first hour and then the not so unbelievable happened - although their first goal was definitely offside

[StraferJack]

pick the last 11 posters on this thread, put us on the park against Arsenal, and I'd fancy us to score

[Parkdrive]

StraferJack Wrote:

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

> due to general transition below chelsea/city

> probably right - but it doesn't show much

> evolution from us. Usually when we f*** up like

> this we bounce back hard for a month or two but

> why does it have to happen at all

Quite simple, Wenger is the only person that can't see what is blindingly obvious to all and sundry. We got rid of Vermalen and didn't replace him, Mertesacker isn't good enough, same goes for Arteta and Flamini, and unless Wilshere sorts himself out, he needs to go. We've been crying out for a decent, Kompanyesque central defender for ages, same can be said for a Vieira repalcement who can battle and some steel to the defence midfield position, plus we've needed a world class striker for at least 2 seasons. We the fans can see it, Wenger can't. As loathsome as Mourinho is, he saw last season that he needed a world class striker and bought Costa, we got Welbeck. We bought Sanchez and Ozil, as good as they are, they aren't what the club was crying out for. Personally I'd rather we didn't qualify for CMPL for a season, which may act as the wake up call Wenger and the board need.

[Otta]

Liverpool came away from last night with quite a bit of pride.

Unfortunately pride means sweet FA, but at least we didn't get well beaten.

[Jah Lush]

I'd be very pissed off if I was one of those Liverpool players on the bench though. As a top player you want to play in the big games and it doesn't get much bigger than Real Madrid.

As for Arsenal. They should spend some money in January. Sanchez is a little gem of a player but he can't do it all on his own. PD is right about the type of players they need. They'll finish in the top four again at the end of the season, no doubt about it. They always do.

[????]

Wilshire's lack of progress is worrying for you guys (and England)

[Jah Lush]

Yeah, Scholes was right about Wilshire.

[Alan Medic]

I was quite impressed with Liverpool's first half, which is all I saw. However I couldn't help thinking that given the club's European history it seemed wrong to be playing a 'reserve' side in such a fixture. I'm sure Rogers' plan is to have a fresh team to face Chelsea and sneak into 2nd place in this group. But it could go very wrong, very easily.

[Otta]

It certainly could. But to be fair to the "reserve" side, they played better than the first team have done this season for the most part.

That said, I'd have liked to have seen Sterling start.

Borini worked hard and did pretty well, but we desperately need Sturridge back and another striker.

[????]

Liverpool, Liverpool FFs, fielding a second string team in Europe....arrange the following etc Turning Grave Must Shankly In His Be

[Parkdrive]

Jah Lush Wrote:

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

> I'd be very pissed off if I was one of those

> Liverpool players on the bench though. As a top

> player you want to play in the big games and it

> doesn't get much bigger than Real Madrid.

>

> As for Arsenal. They should spend some money in

> January. Sanchez is a little gem of a player but

> he can't do it all on his own. PD is right about

> the type of players they need. They'll finish in

> the top four again at the end of the season, no

> doubt about it. They always do.

Wenger buys players with the same work ethic, and skill level as Sanchez, I can see him waving goodbye in the Summer and I wouldn't blame him. We need four players in positions I mentioned in my earlier post and we MAY challenge once again. As we all know, the money needs to be spent on the right players and in Sanchezs case, Wenger was spot on.

[StraferJack]

Identify those 4 players, and rate % chance of them leaving their clubs now - GO!

[Parkdrive]

Khedira for a start, free agent in the summer

[StraferJack]

already linked with us...

See I din't think Wenger is blind - I think he has been unable to acquire (for whatever reason)

[Parkdrive]

To be honest these positions have been in need of players for at least a couple of years, it's not like this became an issue last summer, and to be honest Wenger seems to be the only one that can't, or won't, see it.

[spaul88]

there has been many player that arsenal have missed out on that were available its just that they didnt persue enough or wither the player didnt want to come but there is no excuse for wenger. this summer and last summer they were linked with so many strikers higuain,balotelli,falcao,cavani,carlos bacca to name a few and we ended up with wellbeck I mean he is a great player dont get me wrong but really. arsene wenger should show some motivation to the fans and get them what they want. some midfielders also that we missed out on or something happened that we didnt get them khedira, bender, carvalho, fabregas 'which was an easy one to get but mister wenger said no we have too many midfielders. and defenders also sokratis, and that other defender that went to roma to replace benatia forgot his name monolas or something along that line. its just ridiculous although sanchez was an excelent buy and i always knew he was an amazing player but just him is not enough to win everything.

[Mick Mac]

StraferJack Wrote:

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

> Identify those 4 players, and rate % chance of

> them leaving their clubs now - GO!

Virgil van Dyke - Celtic - heavily linked and you should have no probs luring him away.

[Parkdrive]

Mick Mac Wrote:

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

> StraferJack Wrote:

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

> -----

> > Identify those 4 players, and rate % chance of

> > them leaving their clubs now - GO!

>

> Virgil van Dyke - Celtic - heavily linked and you

> should have no probs luring him away.

I heard that too, but I'm not sure we ever made an approach.

[????]

Reid

[StraferJack]

Still, I'd rather be arsenal fan than a man city fan

[Parkdrive]

???? Wrote:

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

> Reid

Not the answer as far as I'm concerned. As for the media hysteria following our draw on Tuesday, strangley this hasn't been replicated following the chavs draw against the mighty Maribor or the stuffing handed out to City. Shock.

[El Pibe]

as a change of pace there was a nice little opinion piece from Hayden Thorpe (of wild beasts fame) on life as a newcastle fan.

http://thequietus.com/articles/16630-wild-beasts-hayden-thorpe-football-newcastle-united

Although i found his last paragraph a bit depressing, i secretly harbour hopes that football will one day become a bit more normal, rather than more overblown being the only hope remaining for a team.

[Parkdrive]

Newcastle United is a strange beast, they have all the essentials to be a very good team, but seem to court disaster on a regular basis.