English Football Thread 2012/2013

[thedon5]

The only reason they survived was that miracle defence they had just before Christmas with Ruddy in goal.

I think they would've safely finished with a similar points total to QPR and Reading.

 

[Skater]

Norwich to go do down next year. They've been one of the worst teams in the Premiership since Christmas and I can't see them bringing any players in this summer who will change that.

3 wins in 20 games, no denying we've been rubbish since Christmas. There will be signings though. Ricky van Wolfswinkel is already ours, and we will certainly be making more before too long. Chris Hughton, as you predicted, is a concern. He's so bloody defensive in his set up. It's all about not losing rather than going for the win. Yesterday he told them to go and win, and look, we won 4-0!

The only reason they survived was that miracle defence they had just before Christmas with Ruddy in goal.

I think they would've safely finished with a similar points total to QPR and Reading.

It was great to see Ruddy back in goal yesterday. He'd been fit for a month but for some reason Hughton was dithering on putting him back in the team. He didn't have much to do yesterday but he looked very comfortable with what he did get called in to do.

I think it's a great story really. We were relegated to League 1 only 4 years ago this month, and we've now secured a third straight season in the Premier League. Back then we were days away from administration and now we are going to be debt free in the summer.

 

[thedon5]

It was a really unfortunate injury, had he stayed the defence would've stayed rock solid for longer and he would've easily been in the team of the season ahead of Mignolet or Begovic.

Bunn isn't too shabby either though.

 

[Epic]

I was looking at some FA Cup upsets to make me feel better...

1976 FA Cup Final - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[puddleduck]

Yeah fair play Norwich. It's easy to forget they came up with back-to-back promotions and haven't gone back down. Hughton is out of his depth though, and that'll hold you back, which is unfortunate.

What you'll get from Van W is a bit of a mystery as well. Gotta be a reason why a lot of the clubs who were very keen in him haven't gone near him since his injury? Either he's gonna give you a big year and move on having proved himself, or he's gonna flop and prove impossible to shift from what's probably a fairly sizeable wage packet. Big summer for Norwich I feel.

 

[Epic]

Man City axe Mancini a year after Premier League title triumph - ESPN FC

YES!

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You know, I must say, never have I ever been this happy for one's sacking.

 

[Lee1981]

Man City axe Mancini a year after Premier League title triumph - ESPN FC

YES!

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You know, I must say, never have I ever been this happy for one's sacking.

The fickle mind of a football fan

A year ago a god now look, I don't like Mancini as a person, but fans like you are a disgrace

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Took my boy to his first live match last night, good game shame about the result.

And respect to Norwich fans, bloody loads of them, and singing all game.

No player from either team stood out to me

Chelsea 2-3 Norwich City | FA Youth Cup final second leg match report | Football | guardian.co.uk

 

[thedon5]

With that much money spent, a title should be an expectation, not something to make him a god. Let's not forget the CL, even with the title he has come well short there.

I'm sure no Man City fan thought of Mancini as a god by any means. Aguero.... Maybe.

 

[barmyarmy]

The fickle mind of a football fan

A year ago a god now look, I don't like Mancini as a person, but fans like you are a disgrace

We should all follow the shining example set by Chelsea's fans then?

 

[Skater]

Took my boy to his first live match last night, good game shame about the result.

And respect to Norwich fans, bloody loads of them, and singing all game.

No player from either team stood out to me

Chelsea 2-3 Norwich City | FA Youth Cup final second leg match report | Football | guardian.co.uk

Thanks. I was there, 22 coaches came down from Carrow Road. It was a great night. Got back at about 2am but obviously no one cared!

In terms of stand out players, there's a big future for the Murphy twins for us and I was very impressed with Chelsea's no.10 Boga.

 

[Epic]

Roberto Mancini sacking 'to start Manchester City staff overhaul' - ESPN FC

That leads me to think that Mancini would've been gone even if he did win the FA cup the other day, and that would've looked horrendous to say the least.

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The fickle mind of a football fan

A year ago a god now look, I don't like Mancini as a person, but fans like you are a disgrace

Now that some times gone by, I feel bad, really do, he's a good man, but that doesn't mean he didn't deserve this, because he totally did. Given the most expensive squad in the PL ever and the best you can do is a 4th place exit in the group stages of the CL, a 2nd place finish in the PL by a 10+ point margin, and one of the biggest FA Cup upsets in the cup's history? Yeah, come again.

With that much money spent, a title should be an expectation, not something to make him a god. Let's not forget the CL, even with the title he has come well short there.

I'm sure no Man City fan thought of Mancini as a god by any means. Aguero.... Maybe.

Spokesman: Manchester City supporters floored by decision to sack Roberto Mancini | Manchester City News, Fixtures, Results, Transfers | Sky Sports

That's how majority of the City fans think of him... and that's as close you come to being a god in footballing terms.

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Btw, congrats Skater.

 

[Bevab]

Seeing the support he got at the final, he is indeed a god to City fans. Not many managers have managed to get a trophy at City, and that did make Mancini a fan favourite.


And well, I'm with Lee on this issue. The man didn't do a great job, but well, he hardly did a bad job either. He won the title the previous year, and got City close to a trophy this season. And he receives all the stick the moment something goes wrong. Why not blame the players who played like they didn't care for the majority of the season? Or the board who placed pressure on him before the final?

Pellegrini isn't going to work wonders anyway. Wonder what'll happen to him when he has an average season at City.


And I've heard good things about Boga of Chelsea, read an article about him too somewhere, can't remember exactly where. Think it was ESPN.

 

[MasterBlaster76]

I'm not too sure if sacking Mancini is the right thing, after thinking about it a bit. Man City have to realise that they're not going to win the league every single year, not with Man Utd, Chelsea and even Arsenal around. Now you have a new man coming in, so you start from scratch all over again instead of building on Mancini's progress.

So from a Utd fan's point of view it's a good thing. Continuity builds success - for that you need look no further than Old Trafford and Sir Alex.

 

[Lee1981]

We should all follow the shining example set by Chelsea's fans then?

Not at all, I for one as I've said many times before feel managers are over hyped when tesms do well,mand also get to much stick when things go bad where's players escape unscathed.

And I think Chelsea fans who moan about our managers all the time are ridiculous, I don't care if Rafa stays or goes, if it isn't him its only gonna be someone else for a year or 2 then the same old crap will occur

Mancini should have been given more time, simple as that

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Thanks. I was there, 22 coaches came down from Carrow Road. It was a great night. Got back at about 2am but obviously no one cared!

In terms of stand out players, there's a big future for the Murphy twins for us and I was very impressed with Chelsea's no.10 Boga.

Yeah the 10 was a tricky skilful kid, also our 6 looked quite good, but no offence I was expecting a lot more from our boys, was disappointed with our talent no where near what I was expecting, no wonder we always go and buy established players if that's the best we got.

Where's your lads look good enough for your club,

 

[Manly]

Only issue I have with Nodge winning the FA Youth Cup is that they're celebrating it like it's the bloody World Cup. If they have a parade I will probably die laughing.