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[Ghost]

:lol

Oh BTW, this website has video highlights from all the EPL games. I'm not sure if these videos work outside of Canada though, so if it doesn't just let me know.

http://thescore.ca/programs/premierleague/

'This video is not available from your location'



God damn IP racists.

 

[psycho_snake]

they need somebody creative in midfield, in my opinion that's what spurs are really lacking. Not that Carrick was the most creative player ever, but Spurs were definitely a different force when he was still there.
I have the feeling that Spurs only have decent attacks when Berbatov drops back into midfield and provides passes. Lennon is overrated imo, he's quick and that's pretty much it. Maybe overrated isn't the right word, but he still has a lot to learn, that's for sure.

I think a good way to look at it is to look if any of the Spurs midfielders would be a regular at any of the top 4 - and I really don't think so.

Guti would definitely help, but I don't think he's exactly the player to sort out their midfield problems.

Lennon isnt as good as some people make him sound. He's quick and he's pretty good at dribbling, but a lot of the time his crosses are quite poor. There's room for improvement. Despite that, tottenham are a better side with him in it and he's a helpful player.

You're right by saying spurs need a creative player. Lennon doesn't always provide good cross and they don't have anyone else thats very creative. Guti isn't the ideal player, but that might be the only player they can get. Its not a bad buy. He'd be very cheap and he can play as an attacking midfielder or as a winger. Finding a creative midfielder is difficult and they cost a lot of money. Spurs have already spent a lot of money, so they might not have the funds to buy a good creative player, but spurs seem to pull money out of their ass, so maybe they could afford to buy an expensive player if Jol think he really needs it.

 

[Shinobi]

'This video is not available from your location'



God damn IP racists.

:lol Yeah, I figured it wouldn't work...all that EPL rights shit is serious business.

However, I think I've found the UK rights holder for this stuff...Times Online.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premiership/article2236741.ece

 

[Mama Smurf]

I agree that Spurs weakness is their midfield. Lennon's the only player who should be first choice, while the rest are just great reserves.

If they can keep this team together, I reckon Spurs should spend their entire transfer budget next year on a left winger, a creative midfielder and a defensive midfielder.

I don't know about the other two positions, but for the creative midfielder, they should try and get Arteta. Everton really won't want to let him go, but if they offer enough money for him maybe they can be persuaded. I think he's a player who could play for any of the top 4, but equally a player they're not likely to buy when they're all so strong in central midfield anyway.

Jenas can either be sold to partly cover the cost, or perhaps even go to Everton in part-exchange, might make them more willing to go ahead with the deal if they know they have a ready made replacement. They'd have Boateng and Taarabt to cover Arteta, two young exciting prospects, so it'd be safe to let Jenas go.

 

[Lakitu]

Arteta will be the player of the season. Mark my words.

 

[hadareud]

it's a bit of a shame with Jenas, he's looked such a bright prospect a few years ago when he started getting first team football at Newcastle. Unfortunately he hasn't quite developed into the player everyone hoped. Of course he then went to Spurs which makes all of this less of a shame.

Arteta is very good. Player of the season? I don't know about that.

 

[Stevie Gerrard]

Arteta will be the player of the season. Mark my words.

what


also, why do people think he's a central midfielder? he always plays on the left or right for everton

 

[Mama Smurf]

I was thinking how you can easily make a top 4, or possibly even championship winning, side out of the teams outside of the top 4. So many teams have the odd top player, they're just all spread out:

GK

James
Howard
Gordon

LB

Bale
Lescott

RB

Chimbonda
Richards

CB

Woodgate
King
Distin
Nelsen
Yobo

LW

Pedersen
Young

RW

Elano
Lennon

ACM

Arteta
Muntari
Barton

DCM

Parker
Davis
Neville

FW

Berbatov
McCarthy
Owen
Carew

There are plenty of players I've left who have just as good a claim for a place, and the only position I think is a slight concern is defensive central midfield. Still, with the other players around them that squad would be a definite top 4 to my mind.

So you know, if another Abramovich ever turns up, someone willing to pay over the odds to secure the right players for a club, they could definitely do it without having to try and persuade the top sides in the world to part with their stars.

 

[Lakitu]

Arteta is very good. Player of the season? I don't know about that.

Usually my theories are very good.

 

[hadareud]

Adebayor, Eduardo, Gilberto, Denilson and Diaby are all out for tomorrows game. Apparently Denilson and Diaby have some ankle problems too. That explains why they weren't even on the bench on Saturday. Basically we are missing our top 3 central/defensive midfielders - not good.

Hopefully we have all of them (minus Gilberto obviously) back for Blackburn. We need a bit of strength in midfield there. I also finally want to see Eduardo in a competitive game and Adebayor always helps as well.

 

[Mama Smurf]

also, why do people think he's a central midfielder? he always plays on the left or right for everton

Only because Everton don't have any wingers apart from Osman, and Arteta's a better choice for out there than Carsley or Neville or Jagielka or whoever. He's as much a central midfielder as Gerrard was when he was constantly being forced to play on the right last year.

 

[hadareud]

Usually my theories are very good.

your theories or your cats theories? I have a feeling the Arteta one is not from your cat ...

 

[Mama Smurf]

It's....rare that players of the year come from outside the top 4. I think the last one was Ginola, and you know how long ago that was.

Unless...are you saying Everton will finish above Liverpool?

 

[Mama Smurf]

Hopefully we have all of them (minus Gilberto obviously) back for Blackburn. We need a bit of strength in midfield there.

So long as Van Persie's fit, I wouldn't worry.

Prague are a dirty team right?

 

[Cornballer]

Gilberto's comments are very concerning. Hopefully he'll be a professional and get through it, but it's a little mystifying why it all went down like that. Strange.

Sounds like more Flamini/Fabregas in the center of midfield tomorrow...

 

[psycho_snake]

I agree that Spurs weakness is their midfield. Lennon's the only player who should be first choice, while the rest are just great reserves.

If they can keep this team together, I reckon Spurs should spend their entire transfer budget next year on a left winger, a creative midfielder and a defensive midfielder.

A defensive midfielder is the last midfield position they should concentrate on. Zokora's a good defnesive midfielder and they've also got Huddlestone, who could become really good in the next few years.

 

[hadareud]

Gilberto's comments are very concerning. Hopefully he'll be a professional and get through it, but it's a little mystifying why it all went down like that. Strange.

Sounds like more Flamini/Fabregas in the centre of midfield tomorrow...

yeah, it's very strange. I feel sad for Gilberto as he's an absolute professional and he was obviously very proud to wear the armband.

I'm sure he'll be a professional about it though - he is not winging, just upset. Wenger has to have a word and sort it out.

 

[Mama Smurf]

Yeah I'd get the other two first, but Zokora hasn't overly impressed me since coming to the Premiership and Huddlestone still needs time.

 

[psycho_snake]

Gilberto's comments are very concerning. Hopefully he'll be a professional and get through it, but it's a little mystifying why it all went down like that. Strange.

Sounds like more Flamini/Fabregas in the center of midfield tomorrow...

Thats not a very strong midfield pairing. Fabregas is fine, but I'm not convinced about Flamini. I've never been very impressed with his performances in central midfield. Against Fulham he was arsenals worst player. If he played like that aginst fulham, he's probably going to be worse against blackburn, who have quite a strong midfielder. The problem is that you dont really have any other options in midfield for tomorrw because they're all out for tomorrows game, but you could put rosicky in the middle and use walcott as a winger.

 

[Cornballer]

Thats not a very strong midfield pairing. Fabregas is fine, but I'm not convinced about Flamini. I've never been very impressed with his performances in central midfield. Against Fulham he was arsenals worst player. If he played like that aginst fulham, he's probably going to be worse against blackburn, who have quite a strong midfielder. The problem is that you dont really have any other options in midfield for tomorrw because they're all out for tomorrows game, but you could put rosicky in the middle and use walcott as a winger.

Of the available options, Flamini is really the only one that can play centrally and get the hustling/tackling done, unless you go to plan G and put Song in there. Wenger's hands are tied here unless he does something crazy like put Toure at d-mid.

 

[Cornballer]

yeah, it's very strange. I feel sad for Gilberto as he's an absolute professional and he was obviously very proud to wear the armband.

I'm sure he'll be a professional about it though - he is not winging, just upset. Wenger has to have a word and sort it out.

Agreed. Hopefully this will just blow over soon.

Also, this promotional photo has been floating around - the question being if it implies that Gilberto was always intended to be the captain, then something happened. I'll get me tinfoil hat and start working on conspiracy theories.... :lol

 

[Cornballer]

Arrest warrant for Thaksin approved. Rut roh...

Champions League matches today:
Benfica v FC Copenhagen
Lazio v Dinamo Bucuresti
Valencia v Elfsborg
Rangers v Crvena Zvezda

 

[Mama Smurf]

Agreed. Hopefully this will just blow over soon.

Also, this promotional photo has been floating around - the question being if it implies that Gilberto was always intended to be the captain, then something happened. I'll get me tinfoil hat and start working on conspiracy theories.... :lol

I think it implies Gilberto has slightly lighter skin than the other two, so was put in the middle for symmetry's sake.

 

[Shinobi]

:lol

 

[hadareud]

So long as Van Persie's fit, I wouldn't worry.

Prague are a dirty team right?

:lol

afraid not

 

[Shinobi]

I love shots like this.

I guess the Arsenal game will be delayed by a couple hours here on Setanta, which is better than nothing. That said I hope there's a live stream feed that actually works on this crap PC.

 

[Cornballer]

I guess the Arsenal game will be delayed by a couple hours here on Setanta, which is better than nothing. That said I hope there's a live stream feed that actually works on this crap PC.

I have an appointment during the match, so I'm just going to watch the Setanta feed on TiVo tomorrow night. It sucks having to wait, though - so tempting to check the score.

 

[psycho_snake]

The WAGS have made keane an unhappy bunny

Roy Keane has launched a scathing attack on today's hen-pecked Premier League stars, insisting they are not a patch on the kinds of characters with whom he spent the majority of his playing career.

Sunderland manager Keane says he has no time for players who allow their career paths to be plotted by their so-called WAGs, and who are more likely to be directed by the quality of the local boutiques than by the football club.

Keane takes his buoyant Sunderland side to Birmingham tomorrow night where he will renew acquaintances with his former Manchester United team-mate Steve Bruce.

Keane and Bruce were integral members of an all-conquering mid-1990s United line-up bursting with big names, and Keane admits he would dearly love to instil the same dressing room mentality at the Stadium of Light.

But the 36-year-old Irishman is quickly having to come to terms with the fact that a growing number of current players simply do not possess the same single-minded approach to their profession.

Keane said: "It's important you bring the right players to the club. You can't always be a Steve Bruce but you can be a character who comes in and gives 100% for the club.

"But I have to say I think the game is getting less and less characters. They are more motivated by lots of different things like money and London and living in shopping areas.

"Really you're a footballer and when you're retired you can live anywhere you want. But players are very much focused on where they are going to live and a lot of that is down to their partners who seem to be running their lives anyway.

"It concerns me really. It should all be about the football and be a footballing decision."

Evidently Keane has already had some success keeping the WAGs from the door in the north-east after his side got their campaign off to a flying start with an opening day victory over Tottenham.

The likes of Paul McShane and Dickson Etuhu stepped up to make their Premier League debuts in style but Keane claims not to have been surprised by his side's lack of nerves on the biggest stage.

"Characters have nothing to be nervous of," Keane added. "There's nothing to be nervous of in the Premier League, nothing to be fearful of.

"A lot of it's built up as the Premier League is this, the Premier League is that. A lot of teams have 24 or 25 top players but it's still 11 versus 11. Their players have two arms and two legs like us."

It is a self-belief that can turn good players into great ones.

"You look at Brucie," Keane said. "He was a top character. If you look at him as a centre-half he wasn't exactly 6ft 4ins, and he wasn't lightning, let me tell you.

"But he had the character and desire to do well and that made him a top player, and hopefully a top manager, so you need that kind of character in your dressing room."

Keane will look for two more such characters before the transfer window closes, with former Newcastle striker Andy Cole emerging as a surprise candidate following the apparent failure to land Mido.

The 35-year-old Cole is a free agent after being released by Portsmouth and Keane said: "That is something I am looking at, I have to say, at the moment. There will probably be news on one or two players who will be coming in."

Keane said he would be "very surprised" if he did not make changes for the clash at St Andrews, with match winner Michael Chopra possibly in line for his first start.

Keane added: "It's hard to get too excited after one game but it was a good start for Chops. He was disappointed not to start but he reacted how I hope all my players will do.

"Nobody wants to be left out and of course they will be disappointed. But the good lads - the good characters - will react in the right way. They will just get on with the job and they'll look at you and say, 'I'll show you'."

He's sort of got a point. Just look at shevchenko. At Milan he was one of the worlds greatest players, his fans adored him and he had a fuckload of money. then one day his wife wants to move to england, so he does as she says and now he's damaged his career. Sheva's still a good player, but since he's moved to chelsea his reputation has gone down.

I'm sure there are other wives who have a big say where there husbands play so that they can live in the place that they want to. However at the same time, you cant really blame them. They are their partners after all. A football player has got to look at his own interests, but sometimes its more important to look at whats in your families best interest. keane's rant just sounds like he's annoyed that people are choosing to go to london clubs instead of northern clubs. he's just having a pop at the WAGS at the same time.

I think we can all agree that WAGs are getting way too much attention. At the world cup there was more attenion put on the WAGS and their shopping habits instead of what the team was doing. All I remember hearing during the world cup was how much each WAG was spending each day and A lot of them make good eye candy, but do we really give a fuck about what coleen bought when she went shopping?

Anyway, as long as they keep taking pictures of the wags wearing skimpy clothing, I'm happy.

 

[Mama Smurf]

I won't be able to see it, Portsmouth - Man Utd is on at the same time and interests me more.

Spurs - Everton tonight, Toulouse - Liverpool tomorrow afternoon, Portsmouth - Man Utd tomorrow evening, MyPa - Blackburn Thursday afternoon (live on Five) and then an annoying day of nothing until the weekend.

 

[Cornballer]

Just got home and saw this:

http://www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_1998855.html

U.S. to Host No. 1 Ranked Brazil in "Clash of Champions" on Sept. 9 at Soldier Field in Chicago

You should really check that out if there's any way to do it. All signs point to both teams bringing nearly full squads, so it will be a good test

Spoiler

beating

for the US.

 

[Osorio]

I have an appointment during the match, so I'm just going to watch the Setanta feed on TiVo tomorrow night. It sucks having to wait, though - so tempting to check the score.

Yep nobody better say anything about the Fulham-Bolton game tomorrow since it's delayed till 5 PM ET. Fat chance anybody would say anything though.

 

[Cornballer]

Yep nobody better say anything about the Fulham-Bolton game tomorrow since it's delayed till 5 PM ET. Fat chance anybody would say anything though.

:lol You'd better not come anywhere near this thread unless you want to have the score spoiled.

 

[Mama Smurf]

Just running the Keane comments through the bullshit-o-meter...

"Boohoo, no one wants to move to the north-east because it's cold and it rains and isn't exactly the culture capital of the country, anyone who does will pick Newcastle or Middlesbrough over us if they're interested too, can I manage Man Utd now please?"

 

[hadareud]

He has a point - but honestly, I wouldn't necessarily want to live in places like Sunderland or Newcastle and I fucking hate shopping. Constant rain and crime are not that inviting to me. And the thought of everyone talking like Alan Shearer is just frightening.

 

[psycho_snake]

I won't be able to see it, Portsmouth - Man Utd is on at the same time and interests me more.

Spurs - Everton tonight, Toulouse - Liverpool tomorrow afternoon, Portsmouth - Man Utd tomorrow evening, MyPa - Blackburn Thursday afternoon (live on Five) and then an annoying day of nothing until the weekend.

Thats the same plan that I have. Its really annoying that all the games are at the same time tomorrow. I wish they were spread out more, so that I could atleast watch one game before the other starts. Instead I can only watch one, which will obviously be the United - Portsmouth game, but i would have liked to watch reading vs chelsea or birmingham vs sunderland.

 

[Osorio]

:lol You'd better not come anywhere near this thread unless you want to have the score spoiled.

It's really hard to see this thread and not come in it when there's a new post. This blows.

 

[Osorio]

You should really check that out if there's any way to do it. All signs point to both teams bringing nearly full squads, so it will be a good test

Spoiler

beating

for the US.

USA upsets Brazil 2-1 with a goal by Clint Mathis. What? It can happen.

 

[the_id]

oh man. i didn't know such a thread existed in GAF! oh well, curse of being a noob.
*subscribing now*

next year is Euro 2008!

 

[psycho_snake]

He has a point - but honestly, I wouldn't necessarily want to live in places like Sunderland or Newcastle and I fucking hate shopping. Constant rain and crime are not that inviting to me. And the thought of everyone talking like Alan Shearer is just frightening.

Its not as bad as living in Liverpool, where everyone sounds like carra. It would be like living in a foreign country.

 

[psycho_snake]

oh man. i didn't know such a thread existed in GAF! oh well, curse of being a noob.
*subscribing now*

next year is Euro 2008!

*looks at englands qualifying table and englands injury lists*

Yeah I dont think I can get that exited about it anymore.

I'll obviously watch the euro, but if england dont make it, it will take a lot of the exitement out if it. I've really not thought about england not qualifying. I know that we;re in a bad situation, but I've been convincing myself that England can get out of it. We've got some of the best players in the world and it just feels like ther's no way that we cant qualify, even though we're in a mess.

 

[Mama Smurf]

Liverpool's alright, but it's not like you have to live in the actual town to join a club, just find somewhere nicer near enough to get to training. Like I'd probably live in Durham if I signed for Newcastle.

And Keane can talk, he still lives in Manchester and flies in to training everyday. Hardly a ringing endorsement for the players he wants to bring in. He probably only got Gordon because Sunderland seems like the Algarve compared to Scotland.

 

[psycho_snake]

Manchester is no london. There's nothing really special about the city, but i imagine its beter than living in sunderland.

Keane's probably living in manchester because thats where his family have been living for ages and they're settled, but that makes keane a hypocrite. He cant blame football players choosing to live in london because their parterns and family want to live there because him and his family are doing the same thing.

 

[psycho_snake]

lawrie sanchez apologised for called arsenal players divers.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_2661020,00.html

Lawrie Sanchez has apologised for accusing Arsenal players of diving during the 2-1 victory over Fulham on Sunday.

The Gunners equalised from the penalty spot after Kolo Toure was brought down by Carlos Bocanegra.

The Fulham boss spoke of simulation after the final whistle, questioning the penalty decision after three similar incidents of Arsenal players going down in the box had gone unpunished earlier in the game.

But he has now admitted he was wrong to speak out without seeing replays first, and concedes that Arsenal could have been awarded a penalty for a foul on Alexander Hleb in the first half.

"I've got to hold my hands up and say I was wrong to a certain extent," Sanchez told Sky Sports News.

"The incident regarding Hleb was probably a good shout for a penalty.

"My initial instinct as a manager is always to protect my own players so, without seeing the incident, I spoke perhaps a bit too rashly.

"That said, the one for the penalty I've seen them given and I've seen them not given.

"But I was speaking too much with adrenaline. Sometimes you shoot from the hip when you should wait a little bit longer."

Wrong to a certain extent? No you were completely wrong. You cant criticise anyone for anything until you've seen the incident properly yourself.

 

[Mama Smurf]

I'd prefer to live in Manchester than London, which I hate. If I was at a club in London I'd definitely be commuting from somewhere nicer around the edges every day.

 

[hadareud]

I was in Manchester only once for 3 days, but I quite enjoyed it. It struck me as a good place.

There's good areas in London too by the way, not all is bad. Not that I lived in those areas of London.

 

[Mama Smurf]

That's true, if I was some sort of £50,000 a week footballer living in London, I could avoid a lot of what I hate, like the tube.

 

[hadareud]

public transport and transport in general is an absolute disgrace in London of course.

It's horrible. Why they never built (or rather kept) a decent tram system I will never know. Things would be so much better.

 

[psycho_snake]

I'd prefer to live close to london that in manchester. I'm going to Uni in a years time and Bath will be my first choice. Its close to london and Ive heard its a really nice city. I'll probably end up going to Uni in manchester though. The city isnt that bad and ive heard that the nightlife is great. I've got friends their and my family has got an aapartment in there too, so if I decided to live outside the campus I'll be able to go to that flat and I wouldnt need to pay rent. Settling down in manchester would be a lot easier than settling down in Bath.

 

[hadareud]

Bath is a nice place. Not too far from me actually

 

[psycho_snake]

I was in Manchester only once for 3 days, but I quite enjoyed it. It struck me as a good place.

There's good areas in London too by the way, not all is bad. Not that I lived in those areas of London.

I'm guessing that those places cost a fortune to live in?

Thats one of the things thats keeping me away from living in or around london. Its an expensive place. If I study in london, then I'll only be able to afford a place on the outskirts, which measn that Ive got to get up early and spend god know how long in the bus or the tube to get to where i study. Thats why if I do go anywhere near london, its bath university. Its a nice city and if i can live in vath then transport to the Uni shouldnt be a problem.

where do you live had? I promise I wont stalk you.