English Football Thread 2012/2013

[War]

He is the best defender of his generation, certainly in England. I love the man more than any other footballer.

Is there anyone in the history of the modern professional game that you could say doesn't train due to chronic knee problems, and can just turn up and play any team in world football and look world class.

Over the last 8 years in the Premier league, Tottenham have a 61% win percentage with Ledders playing, and a 50% record when he's injured. Even more remarkable when in some of those years we weren't actually that good, and that you have to consider that over the last few injury plagued years, he has either been playing with one knee and is generally saved for games against the top teams.

With better knees he would have been one of the top defenders in the world for the last 8 years. What a player, what a man, Tottenham legend!

@ Shravi - Yes we have.

Well said and although it may not happen, if King can string together a long stint of consecutive games, especially at the back end of the season, the temptation for Capello to take him to the EUROs will be strong again.

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Fair enough, you seem to know your stuff when it comes to Spurs.

On the subject of Spurs defenders, Assou-Ekotto is a really solid left back, he makes so many interceptions. Doesn't seem to get that much praise.

Yea he is sort of under-appreciated. Easily the best African left-back in the business.

 

[puddleduck]

Fair enough, you seem to know your stuff when it comes to Spurs.

On the subject of Spurs defenders, Assou-Ekotto is a really solid left back, he makes so many interceptions. Doesn't seem to get that much praise.

Yeah, I will be honest and say I was not a fan of Benni at first. He still has his moments where he switches off, and whenever we're winning by two goals, he seems to stop playing, which is weird, and I should stress that seems to apply to more than just him at Spurs. That said though, by halfway through last season I had to admit that he had improved immensely, and has been consistently good as an attacking full back for the best part of a year now. Hopefully he'll continue to improve with each game.

He's certainly not underappreciated at the Lane anymore, most fans have grown to love him (he used to divide opinion a lot) even with the odd concentration lapses. If anything, they make us like him more haha

He didn't do himself any favours early on when he essentially said he was only at Tottenham for the money. Now, obviously this is true of nearly every footballer in the world, but considering he often seemed lazy and lackadaisical it wasn't the cleverest thing to say. In reality, he was just being honest, and I can't fault his contribution to the club in anyway so in regards to Benni, I will hold my hands up and say I called that one wrong

@ War - I really hope not. I kind of wish King would just retire from International football. It was gutting that just as he put a run of games together, he was put on the plane for England, got injured again and never really recovered until the start of this season. Or, go the other way if his knee won't allow him to carry on at Spurs, and just make himself only available for England haha

 

[Haarithan]

Not sure how many of you dislike him as a player, but I certainly do.

 

[puddleduck]

A mate posted that video the other day and it's hilarious. I don't hate Emile at all, he didn't pick himself remember. Nor did he decide to play himself on the left of midfield. Not to mention, he comes across well generally. Doesn't get himself in trouble. He's a good role model for a lot of kids just a shame he didn't push on with the early form he showed at Leicester and from his first year at Liverpool.

Still love that video though, brilliantly put together and mostly spot on haha

 

[Haarithan]

Haha fair enough, he's a good guy off the field. Feel Capello's to take blame for his current reputation.

As for the video, apart from those misses which were incredibly spot-on as you said, I loved the part where he mentions "After all, there was no miracle in Istanbul! One man inspired the others to score!" Sorry, but that was just too good, specially as a Liverpool fan haha.

 

[War]

@ War - I really hope not. I kind of wish King would just retire from International football. It was gutting that just as he put a run of games together, he was put on the plane for England, got injured again and never really recovered until the start of this season. Or, go the other way if his knee won't allow him to carry on at Spurs, and just make himself only available for England haha

Ha ye I could live with this.

 

[Dr. Pepper]

Haha fair enough, he's a good guy off the field. Feel Capello's to take blame for his current reputation.

As for the video, apart from those misses which were incredibly spot-on as you said, I loved the part where he mentions "After all, there was no miracle in Istanbul! One man inspired the others to score!" Sorry, but that was just too good, specially as a Liverpool fan haha.

Capello's to blame for what?

 

[Haarithan]

Capello's to blame for what?

For naming Emile in England's 23-man squad when he was well and truly past his colourful days, let alone starting him consistently during the WC? Followed by playing Heskey to the left of midfield?

 

[Ollie_H]

As for the video, apart from those misses which were incredibly spot-on as you said, I loved the part where he mentions "After all, there was no miracle in Istanbul! One man inspired the others to score!" Sorry, but that was just too good, specially as a Liverpool fan haha.

You know the audio is about Gerrard right? (i think it's him anyway.)

 

[War]

For naming Emile in England's 23-man squad when he was well and truly past his colourful days, let alone starting him consistently during the WC? Followed by playing Heskey to the left of midfield?

Heskey never had colourful days to be fair. Capello recalled him during the 2010 WCQ to act as a target man for the team.

It was tactic that worked well during those qualifiers, but sadly like everything else during ENGs miserable 2010 WC campaign, that tactic failed to kick off during that cup.

However I dont recall Heskey ever playing on the left of midfield for ENG, i am almost 100% certain that never happened.

 

[Haarithan]

You know the audio is about Gerrard right? (i think it's him anyway.)

Yes no. I mean from the video's perspective, I feel its Heskey.

 

[Dr. Pepper]

For naming Emile in England's 23-man squad when he was well and truly past his colourful days, let alone starting him consistently during the WC? Followed by playing Heskey to the left of midfield?

But the thing is, Heskey played well in the role for England and it worked in the qualifiers. It's just that at the World Cup the consequence of playing a target man meant that England were ridiculously one dimensional with long balls.

Billy Sharp - what an inspiration!

 

[MasterBlaster76]

Arsenal majority shareholder Stan Kroenke has told Manchester United fans to lay off the Glazers and start thanking them for the success they have delivered since their takeover.

Malcolm Glazer and his family, who also own NFL club the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, have been criticised for the way that they have financed their purchase of United with loans partly secured against the club's assets. Ticket prices at Old Trafford have soared since the Americans took over.

Kroenke, who maintains he has no plans to secure loans against Arsenal in the way that Glazer has done at United, said: "Since they took over they have won and they have increased revenues by a huge amount. If I was a fan of that club, I would go there and go 'Wow!' because how could you do it any better?

He added: "We have a whole different philosophy I think in the States, maybe, but I think it's time maybe for everybody to think a little bit. I think they ought to think about who invests in these clubs.

"He (Glazer) took money out of the club. So what? (LA Lakers owner) Jerry Buss takes money out of his club. A lot of owners in the US do. No-one ever says anything about it.

"Did the Lakers win anything? Well, yeah. They did. How big's their revenue? Pretty darn good."

Really? Well, I couldn't really care less how it works in the States - a nation that isn't exactly inundated with footballing knowledge. The fact is, Mr Kroenke, before the Gormless Glazers, we were able to attract pretty much any player in the world. Now, we can't - why? Because we're up to our necks in debt thanks to them. We've been winning despite the Glazers, not because of them. So shut the hell up, Kroenke - you don't know what you're on about!

Once again: Glazers, sod off back to America and ruin a baseball team or something.

Arsenal majority shareholder Stan Kroenke has told Manchester United fans to lay off the Glazers and start thanking them for the success they have delivered since their takeover.

Don't make me bloody laugh!

 

[puddleduck]

However I dont recall Heskey ever playing on the left of midfield for ENG, i am almost 100% certain that never happened.

Sven played him there for a bit. Was strange. Very strange.

 

[StinkyBoHoon]

However I dont recall Heskey ever playing on the left of midfield for ENG, i am almost 100% certain that never happened.

it was sven and it definitely happened.

edit: oops, been said.