On the Ball (new Football Focus)

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

No, no Mick Mac. It was in response to D_C's "cock". Millwall beat Leeds. That sounds good, let me say it again: Millwall beat Leeds.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

But now you mention it, I shall look forward to a large scotch!

[matthew123]

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

The worst photograph in the world. Probably.

[mockney piers]

I think you're allndoing the lower teams a disservice. The likes of Bolton maybe should ahve more ambition but I don't see what's wrong with Stoke playing foe survival. It's just being realistic.

Thyve had torrid experiences in the top fligt before and I think survival has been a huge aculhievement for them. As for an arsenal fan complaining about negative football obviously being spoilt with wenger rocher has affected long term memory ;)

*please forgve iPhone-thumb spelling*

[Mikecg]

Teves looks like stig of the dump.

[Sandperson]

You'd still have him in your team though Mike! ;-)

[Jah Lush]

mockney piers Wrote:

As for an arsenal fan

> complaining about negative football obviously

> being spoilt with wenger rocher has affected long

> term memory ;)

>

> *please forgve iPhone-thumb spelling*

Ha ha! Spot on Mockney. Before Wenger it was always "Boring boring Arsenal."

[Mikecg]

Sandperson Wrote:

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> You'd still have him in your team though Mike! ;-)

Indeed, he's a great player as most of that lot are.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Arsenal fans haven't forgotten. It was just A Long Time Ago

[red devil]

Good to see Burnley get to Wembley, thought they were really unlucky to lose to Spurs in the Carling and they play decent football...can't agree with the anti-stoke/bolton/wigan etc comments, I don't blame these teams having to play to their strengths, I'm sure they'd love to be able to go out and buy a ?15-25 million player, it's up to the so-called better teams to break them down, there's an art to defending as well as attacking...

[Keef]

I'm with Piers, Stoke have done well and good on them! They play to their strengths, and I'm sure their fans find it entertaining enough.

I really feel for Hull, and would like them to scrape out of it, but Newcastle are looking favourites for that now... Thing is, if the toon survive, what is going to different next season, or will it be the same thing again?

[Atila Reincarnate]

I've been following the Arsenal since 1968 and haven't forgotten the bad times, but Stoke are awful and I'd love see them go back down, as well as any team Allardyce has been involved with except for Toon.

THe prem has, and has had for some time, 3 layers. The top four, the middle 13, and the bottom 3 who are usally the teams that came up the year before. I can't see that changing as the top four are the ones with the dosh (except Chavski who will be in shit street as soon as the russian mafiosi buggers off) and the rest of the division can only hope for such riches. Man City is a bubble waiting to burst, as is all of Football potentially.

[Annasfield]

Agree 100% with Atila and that is based on having wasted 180 mins of my life (in the freezing cold) watching Liverpool play Stoke this season. Such negative, time wasting football. Don't even get me started on Delap and that towel.

[mockney piers]

So easy to judge from so high, with your glamour clubs and your millions and your champions leagues.

Try supporting a real* club for a while and see how you feel about a little success ;)

*Not Real obviously though.

[Keef]

Annasfield Wrote:

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> Agree 100% with Atila and that is based on having

> wasted 180 mins of my life (in the freezing cold)

> watching Liverpool play Stoke this season. Such

> negative, time wasting football. Don't even get me

> started on Delap and that towel.

Whilst it is undoubtedly frustrating, I am of the opinion that a good team should be able to find a way to beat these tactics. Basically Stoke have done what they needed to do, good on them.

Think I've used this analogy before, but if I was a boxer up against the best technical fighter around, I am going to try everything I can to stop him beating me, and if that means an ugly fight where I hold on to him, then so be it.

Why?

Because I am interested in my record, and my future, and couldn't give a toss about that great fighter. Once I get the experience of the big fights, I may start to box a bit more pretty...

[mockney piers]

Well said that man.

As it goes I used to go down the old Victoria ground, and it was never pretty, but I've a soft spot for the place (well, the town/team seeing as there's nothing of it left).

[matthew123]

>> and if that means an ugly fight where I hold on to him, then so be it.

That is the problem Keef, I do not want to spend good money to watch shite football. People want to be entertained, and watching teams deal with Rory Delap and his towel a few hundred times is not entertaining.

>> and see how you feel about a little success ;)

It's all relative Mockney. I once saw my local team get through all the qualifiers of the FA Cup to play Cardiff in the 1st round proper and it was great, but I'm sure that if Chelsea ever win the CL it'll just as rewarding for their fans.

[Annasfield]

So when a player ambles from the furthest corner of the pitch to take a thrown in (30 seconds), then proceeds to be passed a towel and thoroughly dry the ball (another 30 seconds), the whole while steadily edging down the side line to gain an advantage and the finally throws the ball in to play (perhaps another 20 seconds), do you honestly think that a) that's fair to the opposition and b) what football is about?

I reckon Delap probably did that at least 12 times when we played them at the Britannia this season. That puts the ball out of play for about 16 minutes. Great for the game that is..........

Fair play to the likes of WBA and Hull for trying to play a game of football. I know all teams can time waste, but that really is quite ridiculous.

[matthew123]

Sod Hull and Phil Brown, they grew the grass long so Liverpool couldn't pass the ball.. good riddance!

I'd rather we kicked out likes of West Brom, Hull, Wigan, Bolton, Blackburn, 'Boro, Brum and Wolves and simply replaced them with likes of Barca, Real, PSG, Ajax, Sevilla, Bayern, Milan, Dortmund :)-D

[Annasfield]

Ha ha - had forgotten about the long grass.

You going on Sunday Matthew?

[Keef]

I believe that if that sort of time wasting is going on, it's up to refs to have a word, and book him if need be. Otherwise, he is safely acting within the rules of the game!

I'm sure it wasn't pretty, and frankly I wouldn't go near it (and told you at the time Anna that you were a mentalist of the highest order), but they are not there to entertain you, this is the problem.

Yes football is huge, it's all over the TV, and people want excitement. BUT, the manager and players of ANY side want results first, and "sexy football" second!

Plus, think how great it must be for their fans, I'm sure they found that game against Liverpool a hell of a lot more entertaining than you guys did.

[Annasfield]

I go to watch Liverpool, not the opposition. But when the opposition make a mockery (not Mockney) of the game, then I wouldn't be sad to see them relegated.

[Mick Mac]

man united and rangers losing at half time. Dare liverpool and celtic dream of a shock night on both sides of the border?

[Annasfield]

Don't be ridiculous. There's stil 45 mins to play. AND Fergie time.....