World Soccer Thread IV

[Imran Siddiqui]

Against a squad which looks like they aren't meant for the Premiership at all, who went down in a man with 15 minutes to go? Pool only had 6 shots on goal in that game.

And obviously you've never seen an Italian football match, where a team with more shots and possession can get dominated by the other team, based on defensive play and counterattack.

Though don't take my word for it:

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=184245&cc=5901

Benitez said: 'We did not play with any fluidity, but after an international week when lots of the players have been involved in 90 minutes of matches, it is important just to win.

And of course Chelsea played Wigan on the road, while Liverpool was at home against Sunderland .

The point is that you are criticizing Chelsea for their performances. Chelsea's match against Wigan was no worse than Liverpool's showing against Sunderland. And Arsenal is quite a bit tougher to play against than 'Boro, believe it or not.

[MikeH]

The Wigan game was an awful performance.

The Arsenal match was boring but professional. They didn't have a real goalscoring opportunity all match.

We weren't rampant but we controlled the game and we had better chances than Arsenal. We got the 'lucky' goal because we captialised on their brief lapse and got the ball into the danger area. A draw would probably have been fair (we drew twice in the league last season) and I'd have taken a draw before the game.

Arsenal are still a very good side. So I don't think the performance was as bad as you make out. Wasn't perfect but it was effective.

[Urban Ranger]

Wenger is right, Drogba shouldn't be allowed to be at that place, though nobody on Gunner's active roaster could stop him one-on-one, plus the fact that that was a free kick that was allowed to be kicked quickly instead of waiting for the whistle. Robben still sucked, though.

[MikeH]

I was surprised he started with Crespo after the way Drogba battered Senderos in the Charity Shield.

[C0ckney]

that's the luck thing mike, you've got 6 points from performances which might have left you with just 2 on another day.

[MikeH]

That luck can be the difference between being Champions and not, and it evens out over the season.

That said though, the better the team the more often they get lucky.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by MikeH
I was surprised he started with Crespo after the way Drogba battered Senderos in the Charity Shield.

Crespo did win the match against Wigan for Chelsea.

[CerberusIV]

Looks like Michael Owen is on his way to Newcastle (or maybe not).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/4179194.stm

I suspect Benitez will be pleased since he clearly doesn't want Owen back. I wonder what odds you can get on Shearer being made player-coach and Souness being shown the door by Christmas?

[Imran Siddiqui]

Man, the rumor has been Owen to Newcastle for so long, I'm not going to get my hopes up. Something will derail it, like Fat Freddy offering too little (like he did for Luque).

I wonder what odds you can get on Shearer being made player-coach and Souness being shown the door by Christmas?

Without another striker? Pretty good...

[duke o' york]

I doubt that we've offered too little, since it's a club record (ie, more than £15m), and Real have accepted it. Now it's all down to whether Owen will come, or more precisely, whether Liverpool can afford whatever we've offered.

I'd love Owen to come though.

[Imran Siddiqui]

I didn't specify to WHO he'd offer too little. FF would probably try to lowball Owen .

Owen, however, has talked only about a loan to NUFC. We'll see if that changes.

[duke o' york]

I bloody hope so!

:desperate:

[Imran Siddiqui]

Same here... If Owen agrees to a straight transfer then we'll be reasonably ok even if we have no more changes (upper half of the tier). It'd be Owen with Shearer up top with Ameobi and Chopra (if they ever get healthy) backing up. Milner can move back to midfield.

Of course we'd still have to get more strikers, but it wouldn't be so urgent as it is now.

[duke o' york]

As urgent as a new centre-back then.

[Footie Mad]

No real surprises in the Champions League Qualifiers, an injury struck Everton not managing to get past Villareal.