On the Ball (new Football Focus)

[Atila Reincarnate]

I see the "banter" has kicked before the season has even commenced. Looks like things will be pretty saucy once we do kick off the season.

[JetSetWilly]

pre-season mind games atila,

pick a number between 5 and 10, and thats where arsenal will be this year.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Hmmm - JetSetWilly's record on predictions

not all that

[Sandperson]

JetSetWilly Wrote:

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

> Sandperson Wrote:

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

> -----

> > Maybe we'll never know the truth.

> >

> > I know not many of you will join me in this but

> > sad news about G Neville being sent home from

> > pre-season injured. I'm not sure he'll ever get

> > back to where he was.

> >

> > :(

>

> thank god.

We'll take that as a compliment JSW! ;-)

[Atila Reincarnate]

JetSetWilly Wrote:

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

> pre-season mind games atila,

>

> pick a number between 5 and 10, and thats where

> arsenal will be this year.

Are you Fergie, Allardyce, or Brown in disguise?

[Keef]

Hmm, closest (geographical) rivals are Everton , but for different reasons.

Which decent player are you talking about? I didn't realise Liverpool after er ,I assume you Mean Owen.

I think he was talking about Man U / Man City, and Tevez.

[Sharon_H]

Oops, silly me. It was rather a long day yesterday, cheers.

[matthew123]

Football's greatest Number 7 has had a live hand grenade left on his garden wall - fortunately the Army's bomb disposal unit dealt with the explosive whilst Kenny was travelling back from Asia

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/8170819.stm

[red devil]

Damn those pesky bomb disposal units...

[matthew123]

5 teams so far in the EDF Supa Liga - but still no Man U, Celtic or Arsenal fans to back up all that hot air!! :))

http://fantasy.premierleague.com

Join the "EDF Super Liga" - code is 224056-57537

[????]

In fact, mainly West Haaaaaaaaaaaam

[Atila Reincarnate]

matthew123 Wrote:

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

> Football's greatest Number 7 has had a live hand

> grenade left on his garden wall - fortunately the

> Army's bomb disposal unit dealt with the explosive

> whilst Kenny was travelling back from Asia

>

> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/8170

> 819.stm

I didn't know Robert Pires had a place over here

[red devil]

Peter Crouch to Spurs, must be getting near to the arse-end of the transfer window...

[ratty]

Ridiculous state of affairs going on at PFC currently as the EPL drag their heals over the Fit and Proper Person Tests for investors in the club.

Not too gutted to lose Crouch though. Pompey soon found out what Liverpool knew already; that he is a totally one dimensional player. Kalonic looks a far better bet imo.

[matthew123]

Alonso was reported to have flown into Madrid last night with given 48 hours to secure a deal to Real Madrid.

However Real Madrid are still complaining Liverpool's demands are unrealistic and that if they don't lower their valuation then President Perez will turn to the youth team... that final comment, "If necessary, we'll find the Spanish players we would like for the squad in our youth side" should ring alarm bells for Alonso to whether he is being viewed as just a disposable cog (Michael Owen 04/05) rather than a 'galactico'.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/jul/28/perez-real-madrid-liverpool-xabi-alonso

[red devil]

If he stays will the Liverpool fans give him a hard time?..

[matthew123]

No... well he might get a bit more anger thrown at him if he scores an own goal but in general people be happy he stayed. It might be a different matter if he'd been mouthing off all summer.

Looks like Kolo Toure on his way to Citeh for ?15m according to Daily Mail. 3 or 4 more signings and they'll have a fully equipped team.

[Jah Lush]

ratty Wrote:

> Not too gutted to lose Crouch though. Pompey soon

> found out what Liverpool knew already; that he is

> a totally one dimensional player.

Hmmm... I can't say I'm overjoyed at him being back at Spurs. He may be one-dimensional but he's pretty good at what he does and Jermaine Defoe enjoys playing alongside him so I hope he does really well.

I'm a little surprised by how quiet Harry Redknapp's been in the transfer market so far. Still, there's plenty of time yet for the two or three other signings that we need.

[ratty]

It's a strange one by Redknapp. Would you have Crouch in front of Robbie Keane?? Not in a million years.

Lots of talk on the Pompey boards about this actually being a favour to Peter Storrie as it seems Spurs have paid all the money up front for this one, which, is in itself remarkable, and enables us to buy the Croat.

For once I will refrain from slagging the saggy faced corrupt judas coont off on a message board. ;)

ooops!

[red devil]

Crouch = long ball game = not the Spurs way

[Atila Reincarnate]

Crouch = misfit = right at home with spurs

[Jah Lush]

Definitely not the Spurs way and it wasn't the Liverpool way either.

[matthew123]

Certain players might be good players but can be detrimental to how the team play. Crouch slows down the tempo with his slow motion movement / control of the ball. Liverpool would often launch long balls for Crouch when under the slightest pressure even though he was pretty useless under the high ball. Crouch can dribble past a defender outside the box and the defender still has time to get goal side.

[Mick Mac]

Matt - of course it was jock Stein who made Kenny a number 7 and taught him how to play. Stein said"the celtic shirt does not shrink to fit inferior players"sadly a fair few inferior players have worn the shirt since then buy yesk Kenny was one of the best number 7 s.

[ratty]

Pompey have just signed Steve Finnan! Happy with That!