On the Ball (new Football Focus)

[matthew123]

I don't like that Dunphy. I've listened to some of his rants in the past. But no wonder Souness looked worn out on Sky the next night when it was all compounded by that other idiot Jamie Redknapp.

[Keef]

Souness is also an idiot to be fair. Since being a great player, he's basically proven that he isn't great at much else.

[Jah Lush]

Blackburn 1 Portsmouth 2

Bolton 2 Sunderland 2

Everton 1 Tottenham 2

Fulham 2 Aston Villa 2

Hull City 1 Stoke City 1

West Brom 2 Wigan Athletic 2

West Ham 1 Liverpool 3

Man City 2 Man Utd 3

Newcastle 2 Middlesbrough 2

[david_carnell]

Cock!

All back to Elland Road on Weds then. Glad I didn't bother going to the game after all.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Crow

[mockney piers]

Sorry about that Dave, watched the game (telly), competitive I guess is the flattering way to describe it. 13 wins in a row at Elland Rd is it? You'll be fine.

Happy times for my affiliations, Stoke are almost certainly safe and Stevenage win their second FA Trophy at Wembly in 3 season, hurrah, well done Borough!!!

Come on the Hammers, make it a mockney hattrick!!!

[Ladygooner]

Jah Lush Wrote:

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> Blackburn 1 Portsmouth 2

> Bolton 2 Sunderland 2

> Everton 1 Tottenham 2

> Fulham 2 Aston Villa 2

> Hull City 1 Stoke City 1

> West Brom 2 Wigan Athletic 2

> West Ham 1 Liverpool 3

> Man City 2 Man Utd 3

> Newcastle 2 Middlesbrough 2

Jah you missed one! I'll predict for you!

Arsenal 4 Chelsea 0

[mockney piers]

Apparently not :(

[Keef]

2 great wins for West Brom, and noone else down there picking up points. Now that would be a great escape if this carries on!

[SimonM]

In the interests of Yorkshire solidarity I wish Leeds every good luck on Monday! Home teams double will do veyr nicely!>:D

[Atila Reincarnate]

Fcuking Stoke "Anti - football" City will be in the prem next season, I hope they go down next season, they deserve it. Anyone know the link between two clubs languishing at the bottom of the prem, namely Hull and Toon? Yes that's right, it's that cock Allardyce. Newcastle have never recovered since he was involved with them and his acolyte at Bolton, perma tan Phil, is doing rather miserably. That'll teach him to sit his players on the pitch like school kids and give it large, and to report Cesc to the FA like a big kid telling tales.

[Keef]

Well that's one potential tripping point safely negotiated by United. Can't really see them losing any now, especially given Arsenal's last 2 performances. What the hell happened there today?

[Ladygooner]

no idea Keef - roll on next season!

[????]

Hope your dad had a good day anyway ladyG

[Ladygooner]

???? Wrote:

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> Hope your dad had a good day anyway ladyG

Well at lease he enjoyed the lunch with Charlie George!

[Annasfield]

Bollocks, bollocks, bollocks. Even though I knew they wouldn't slip up, part of me believed they might.

Has been an amazing season though.

[????]

Well at least the Hammers didn't let you down Annas

[Sandperson]

Annasfield Wrote:

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> Bollocks, bollocks, bollocks. Even though I knew

> they wouldn't slip up, part of me believed they

> might.

>

> Has been an amazing season though.

There's a long way to go yet Anna. Many a slip twixt cup and lip and all that.

[Rhinestone Cowboy]

Updated football predictor

Man utd 88

Liverpool 86

Chelsea 83

Arsenal 72

west ham 8th 52

Spurs 10th 49

Hull

Middlesbr

west brom

anything can happen in next 5 mins and usually does

Not happy about Man Utd winning again but they have been outstanding this year when you look at how many games they have played.

[matthew123]

Iniesta a serious doubt for the Champions League Final - and Henry is still injured. This alongside their entire first choice back 4 being unavailable (Gabriel Milito, Rafael Marquez, Daniel Alves and Eric Abidal) does not bode well for Barcelona.

[Atila Reincarnate]

Keef Wrote:

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> Well that's one potential tripping point safely

> negotiated by United. Can't really see them losing

> any now, especially given Arsenal's last 2

> performances. What the hell happened there today?

A mate of mine kindly donated his season ticket to me for the game. We started really brightly and in fairness they weren't in the game until the award of a debatable free kick. The defending for Anelkas goal was woeful, both central defenders just backed off and backed off. THe third goal was comical as was the fourth. The scoreline was not a fair reflection of the game, if we had buried our cahnces in thr first half the game would have been out of sight, but there you go. I think Le Boss need to take along hard look at what he has in his squad and what we need to bring in. For me, we need a keeper, two central defenders, a tough tackling central midfield player a la Vieira, and another striker a la Henry. Well I can dream can't I??

[Sandperson]

Arsenal certainly looked the better team. It was two extraordinary goasl which made their heads drop and even in the second half they looked on top again. AG, you still think there's a future for Wenger? I see he's talking about not spending much if anything this summer. Are you not a bit frustrated? There's a chance that Adebayor might leave and others as well.

(This is not meant as an antagonistic post. Friends and I who support all sorts of different clubs have been talking about it, including Gooners.)

[Atila Reincarnate]

Le Boss seems to take huge pride in his persistence with youth, which is fine but needs to be balanced with a touch of pragmatism. WE need to spend on quality established palyers, if we don't I think it would time maybe to bite the bullet and look for a suitable successor. Therein lies another problem, who is suitable or big enough for the job??

[Sandperson]

You're right. Not many managers up to a job like that. And we all call for giving a bloke a chance all the time. I think it would be a mistake personally to get rid. Maybe a number two with a bit more influence might do it. I know united wouldn't have been as successful if it hadn't been for Fergie's right hand men, Kidd, McClaren(!?), Queiroz etc. I must confess to not knowing much about the management setup at Arsenal but would that be an option? I guess Wenger is pretty strong willed and it might not suit him.

[red devil]

I think a lot of L'Arse's problems stem from David Dein leaving. He was and is still a close friend of Wenger and sorted out all the transfer wheeling and dealing. Not sure who sorts that out now.

Any of the top four teams are capable of beating each other with their strongest team, it's when injuries and suspensions kick in that the clubs with the best in depth squad do better, and has been L'Arse's downfall in recent seasons.

Next year Citeh will also be challenging along with Villa and Everton, meaning Champions League qualification will get even tougher.