On the Ball (new Football Focus)

[matthew123]

That's why I just kept it to a top 5 ;-)

[Keef]

Keane was never going to be a Liverpool player

I don't know, he's a quality player, and I felt quite pleased when we signed him. He should have known he would be a squad player though, and was never going to oust Gerrard from that position! Still think he was treated pretty poorly to be honest, but then the story goes that he was Parry's and not Rafa's player, so I guess he was unfortunate enough to be the rope in their tug of war.

Frankly though, if I was him, and Liverpool did win the league this year, I'd tell them where to stick the medal, and I think I'd much much rather score the goal that cost them the title, and stick 2 fingers up at Rafa after the match... Me hold a grudge? Never.

RE your list Matthew, surely Drogba is in with a shout? Oky, so he's still at Chelsea, but if things aren't going his way, he starts talking about leaving... Not sure if he has any real loyalty to the club ver himself! Still think he's a great player though.

[Keef]

Roy Keane appointed Ipswich manager

[red devil]

matthew123 Wrote:

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> Wasn't Heinze a fans favourite the last one you'd

> expect to dream of playing for Liverpool!? Nothing

> worse than one of your star players talking about

> other clubs... Tevez and Ronaldo talk too much.

> Same with that Adebayor at Arsenal no class.

>

> Top 5 mercenaries in PL

>

> 1) Adebayor

> 2) Ronaldo

> 3) Berbatov

> 4) Gallas

> 5) Ashley Cole

...and this weeks highest new entry and straight into the number one position is El Nino (or should that be Eldorado) aka Fernando 'I want to play in Italy' Torres...lets see if Torres stays at 'pool for 6+ years...hmmm

[Atila Reincarnate]

matthew123 Wrote:

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

> Wasn't Heinze a fans favourite the last one you'd

> expect to dream of playing for Liverpool!? Nothing

> worse than one of your star players talking about

> other clubs... Tevez and Ronaldo talk too much.

> Same with that Adebayor at Arsenal no class.

>

> Top 5 mercenaries in PL

>

> 1) Adebayor

> 2) Ronaldo

> 3) Berbatov

> 4) Gallas

> 5) Ashley Cole

Cashly Hole should be the top of everybodys list closely followed by the fake Ronaldo, then Adebayor. You got some of the right players but in the wrong order. How about Corluka wanting to play for a "BIG" club and then signing for....................................Spurs??????

[Atila Reincarnate]

Oh and how about fat Frank Lampard, didn't exactly show much loyalty until wads of cash were waved in his direction, and how about Drogba, yet another mercenary, Robinho, did he really want to play for City or did the smell of cold hard cash cut it for him? Seems to me matthew 123 you've missed a fair few off your list.

[matthew123]

Ah yes Drogba.. has to be a place for Drogba at the top table...

1) Drogba

2) Ronaldo

3) Adebayor

4) Ashley Cole

5) Berbatov

[Mick Mac]

I don't know, he's a quality player, and I felt quite pleased when we signed him. He should have known he would be a squad player though, and was never going to oust Gerrard from that position! Still think he was treated pretty poorly to be honest, but then the story goes that he was Parry's and not Rafa's player, so I guess he was unfortunate enough to be the rope in their tug of war.

Well said Keef - he is a quality player and has an excellent record at club and international level. He was good enough for Liverpool but Rafa did not want him. Given a run in the team I feel he would have been a success, he scored a couple of good goals, was hitting real form and then was dropped / messed around.

[Keef]

10 point penalty dished out to poor old Southampton. I don't get punishing clubs for having financial problems, talk about kick a man when he's down!

[ratty]

Keef Wrote:

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> 10 point penalty dished out to poor old

> Southampton. I don't get punishing clubs for

> having financial problems, talk about kick a man

> when he's down!

It's worse than that. It's 10 points if they stay up this season, but 10 points next season if they get relegated purely on football matters, so chances are they will lose 10 points next season and face relegation then too.

The 10 points administration thing came about because clubs were using administration as a way of overspending, then going bankrupt and being sold off with an extra letter in their name (hence Portsmouth Football Club bankrupt business is now known as Portsmouth City Football Club nearly bankrupt business). It was a way of trying to deter this rather than a punishment. Now clubs are unable to avoid administration because of loans being restructired and overdrafts being reined in the rule should be looked at and each case decided on it's merits. Southamptin took a gamble 2 years ago that nearly paid off before they sky kicked a penalty over the bar. It is on this gamble that they are today payinng the penalty - sadly in my opinion (you may be surprised to hear)

[SeanMacGabhann]

It;s one of the reasons I admire Wenger - he is happy to keep the chequebook in it's proper place for the most part

[SeanMacGabhann]

although obviously commiserations to fear n' boozin!

[matthew123]

I was surprised to read that, "Uefa say they would not oppose the Old Firm joining an English Premier League". Uefa have passed the buck to the Premier League, FA and SFA.

This is effectively a green light to the disintegration of top flight club football in smaller countries, for instance as likes of Ajax, Feyenoord, Porto, Benfica would soon press for membership of Premiership and La Liga.

That sounds great having Ajax in Premiership rather than say Sunderland or Bolton, but ultimately it means a European League in all but name.. is that what we want?

[ratty]

It's not good for away fans!

[zephyr]

Keef Wrote:

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> 10 point penalty dished out to poor old

> Southampton. I don't get punishing clubs for

> having financial problems, talk about kick a man

> when he's down!

I hope we win the appeal! Right or wrong, the league have broken their own rules. If it stands I hope we can win oue last two games and the others slip up - not looking good really.

[matthew123]

It's sad to see Southamption on their knees like this, how they have fallen from grace so quickly I don't know. I suspect, although I might be wrong, that it all started to go wrong when they first ousted Rupert Lowe?

[zephyr]

I have never been a Lowe hater. he is a businessman and does have good business sense really. Unfortunately he does not know football and made some crucially poor decisions about managers. When he was ousted the jokers who took over were football people but had no business sense. One of the big point that anti-lowe people like to push is that he ws out to strip the club and walk away with loas of money - he actually lost everything he invested (as did those who took over). T I think they are all to blame. One thing I cannot get over is that on the 'fans' forum many were saying that we got our club back when we went into administration! We may not have a club at the end of the season. I actually think Barclays Bank is now even more hated amongst Saints fans than Lowe is. It was them who called in there overdraft. or ?4m. The stadiumdebt is a bit of a red herring really. Norwich Union have not called it in and it was always going to be a very long term debt.

Whatever our problems are you only have to look at the bottom three in the championship to understand how it could so easily go wrong. All been in the premiership in the last 4 or 5 years or so.

[Mick Mac]

Matt123 - Celtic in the Premiership would be fantastic for me - great to see them in London against Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea.

Not sure the UEFA decision will extend to Dutch teams etc, Celtic and Rangers are on the same island.

Would also be great to see the English clubs and support come to Paradise.

TLS knows where Paradise is - and he's an ex bookie - what a man!

[SimonM]

But what would happen if/when Celtic or Rangers finish in the bottom three? (which would be sooner rather than later IMHO)

[Mick Mac]

HaHahahahahahahahaha

[Jah Lush]

matthew123 Wrote:

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

> Ah yes Drogba.. has to be a place for Drogba at

> the top table...

>

> 1) Drogba

> 2) Ronaldo

> 3) Adebayor

> 4) Ashley Cole

> 5) Berbatov

I can't believe you've missed out Le Sulk either.

[Jah Lush]

Two sides to every story.

Fabregas And Brown Charged

[Atila Reincarnate]

Le Sulk, my god yes, PSG, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Man City, Bolton (what was he thinking for FCUK sake), Chavski, does the mans greed and ego know no bounds!!!!!

[Jah Lush]

And Fernabache too. What was that all about. Oh! hang on..... money.

[Atila Reincarnate]

Bolton 2 v Aston Villa 1

Everton 2 v Man City 0

Fulham 2 v Stoke 1

Hull 1 v Liverpool 3

Man Utd 2 v Tottenham 0

West Brom 1 v Sunderland 2

West Ham 0 v Chelsea 2

Barclays Premier League

Arsenal 3 v Middlesbrough 0

Blackburn 1 v Wigan 2