English Football Thread 2012/2013

[Highlander999]

It was bad up in the stands, today. No one was happy with the spectical. Bloody Howard Webb. We already knew before the match started that with him involved we were in trouble. Sure enough a disallowed goal and a red card. I had a good view of that sending off and it was a definite yellow, but not a red Can't believe we are in this situation. Luckily Villa are imploding, so we still might have a chance, just need Man U to do us a favour.

 

[Shevchenko]

United have been the star team all season, there might have been a slip up at the first half but they showed composure and didn’t rush it, I think where as Liverpool made too many mistakes by drawing so many games perhaps the most crucial one against Arsenal in that 4-4 thriller.

As an Arsenal supporter it’s disappointing watching other teams lift trophy after trophy and all we getting are empty promises, winning silverware is what players want and that is why they would all rather prefer playing for sides that do and Wenger’s policy of breeding young players is good but then he should at least try and keep them at Arsenal and not sell them, cause at the moment it seems like it’s the way to go. Now he wants to dig in the transfer market, after all he said that they do have money for it, he realised it when he bought Arshavin, and the Russian’s been impressive and has been a vital player for them.

As I watching the game between Man U and Arsenal, I could not get myself from thinking how the hell can AIG still be sponsoring them with over a 56 Million deal with the economic crisis we are in, I cannot count the amount of jobs that’s been lost over the last year and yet they still manage to do this! But now after all that they won’t be sponsoring them anymore, perhaps the big taxes Obama put on them when they tried to take such big bonuses (AIG members), it’s ridiculous to think that when your country gives you a loan that you should go and spend it on football.

What makes it even worse is the amount of debt carried by top premier sides; the Glazer family with Man U are in a debt of 700 million (according to sources) not to include Liverpool and even Chelsea and to a lesser extend Arsenal, I know that some lower league teams got deducted ten points due to financial problems, the question many fans would be asking is when will it start hitting the Premier League. Where United’s downfall came in my opinion was allowing the Glazers to take them off the London Stock Exchange, which means that they are private so if they fold so would United

The English press are painting Platini as the enemy for trying to take on the amount of debt owned by the big clubs, regardless of what policy he brings in many supporters will give him crap

In my personal opinion as much as we are supporters of these teams we will be paying off these rich owners retirement packages, since the Glazers can’t sell United to save their asses because it’s not their money I won’t be to sceptic that they would sell it when it’s become completely debt free, I have this funny feeling that there could be a mass exodus of United players to start settling debts.

 

[PhilD123]

Even more than 700 million I think. Don't think the mass exodus will happen yet, maybe in 4 or 5 years. It is worrying when even during your best time on the pitch you are making a loss (obviously due to the interest payments on the debt).

Platini does have an unhealthy dislike for the English game, mind.

Anyway, I'm not going to focus on the debt from now until the Champions League final, might as well enjoy the moments of success. 18 times.

 

[Leicester Fox]

Champions. Piss off the lot of you. Champions.

18.

Lets play the reserves against hull and do it in Rome.

 

[sd92]

AIG are still sponsoring United because they've had the deal in place and it's already paid for. The deal comes to and end soon and I imagine the last game you see United wearing AIG shirts will be in Rome.

As for the debt, a lot of people are very naive about Man Utd's debt. In fact, Man Utd have no debts at all. When Glazer bought Man Utd he set up an investment vehicle under the name of Red Football Limited and took over Manchester United Football Club Limited. He borrowed all of the money (however much it was) under the Red Football name, and bought the shares in Man Utd with those borrowings. Manchester United are a subsidiary of Red Football and are therefore not liable for the debts. If Glazer sold United on tomorrow the debt would remain with Red Football, not Manchester United, so therefore Man Utd have no debt at all. This is different from clubs like Chelsea. If Abramovich sold Chelsea tomorrow, the club would still owe him ?250m from money he's put into the club, so therefore Chelsea are in debt by ?250m (probably more).

 

[PhilD123]

I know I said I didn't want to get into the debt, but now we're started I'll go for it.

Red Football own United and only United. So when the banks come looking for money from Red Football, they will have to sell United's assets, whether that be players, or even god forbid Old Trafford. One of the board members said last year that, and I quote "If it wasn't for the takeover, we'd have more money than we'd know what to do with". We've spent about 244 million on interest payments so far, think about how much use that could have been put to, in both on field matters and matters like ticket prices.

Love United Hate Glazer.

Can't believe I'm going on about the debt at a time like this. Back on to matching the scousers then.

 

[Shevchenko]

Like I said as much as we are supporters of the clubs we are also paying of the owners expensive life styles but let's not take this and spoil the United victory, they deserve it and deserve to be equally matched with Liverpool now, by far the best club, as for Arsenal I'm not so sure perhaps a title in the next 20 years? or have our expectations of the club grown so big that we demand trophies every season or should we just consider the fact that like the bottom half clubs trying to end in the top half is mission accomplished?

 

[evertonfan]

Unlucky Villa, 5th is ours. You set of complete bottlers.

I hope Moyes plays a complete reserve side against Fulham next week because the last thing we need is someone like Cahill or Lescott getting sent off or injured. Besides, Craven Cottage is a massive bogey ground for us. You all probably know the stat already but it's still worth mentioning; Every Premiership game between Everton and Fulham has resulted in a home win.

And as I said, we need another Neville to be lifting a trophy this season for it to end perfectly. As for the Champions League, as much as I love Barca (unlucky vaughan they're miles better than your joke team) United are English and that's that. The more English Champions League winners there are, the more pissed off Platini gets.

 

[Leicester Fox]

Anyone remember Andy Gray saying Villa were genuine title contenders around christmas?

Why is nobody repeating the exact quote from Fergie about knocking Liverpool off their perch

 

[Leicester Fox]

The best thing about this is the way the past few years all the Liverpool fans had been saying that they would win the league if they did the double over us because that was 12 points made up

 

[PhilD123]

Gerrard kisses cameras, Giggsy kisses trophies
Na na na na
Na na na na



Yep, to be honest I think this year might prove to have been their greatest chance, we haven't been that great, Chelsea and Arsenal have been poor and they've done the double over us and Chelsea (and it meant nothing in the end). There's no way all that will happen next season.

I've set that banner picture as my desktop.

 

[evertonfan]

A lot of my Liverpool mates have been saying to me that United played poor football this season and didn't deserve to win the league. And i'm just listening to them thinking, "Hang on, surely if they played poor football and still won then that that doesn't cover your team in glory for finishing below them?".

God I hate some Liverpool fans.

evertonfan added 1 Minutes and 42 Seconds later...

I also got the usual, "We did the double over them so we are offically better". When clearly being the better team on the day counts for nothing when the season is 38 games long. Good teams are better on the day, great teams are better for a whole season.

 

[PhilD123]

Their forum is a base of delusion, I've seen some brilliant things on there since yesterday.

Apparently:

• If the premier league is investigated for corruption, we'd have 6 of our leagues titles taken away.

• We'd be a third-placed team if there wasn't corruption

• We have had 30 odd points through corruption

• Our time is ending and the Rafa dynasty has begun

• Next year, they'll piss the league

• They're very proud of having the record of most points for being runners up. They've also got the record of being the nearest team to the top with two o's in their name.

• There should be a playoff if the top two teams are within 3 points of each other

• The FA have been working towards us winning the league

All valid points I'm sure you'll agree. Apart from them have 10 players sent off against them and being given numerous penalties. Also, they might do well to have a think about how they dropped points through draws against Stoke, Hull, Fulham, West Ham at home.

 

[Leicester Fox]

I can't even waste my time with them. Champions. 18 times.

 

[PhilD123]

Benitez saying that we've spent more than them again. When the FACTS (Benitez would like this) prove otherwise, that transfer league website shows they've had a bigger net spend since he came in and even since 1994. What a bitter, bitter man.

18 times YSB.