[EN] Premier League 2004/05 (8 Viewers)

Nicole

Senior Member
Sep 16, 2004
7,561
++ [ originally posted by chxta ] ++
Tim Webber, a ManU fan sent this out to Goal.com

Chelsea are soon to be victims of a familiar theme to the Premiership. They are about to be struck down by a mystery and debilitating virus that amongst others has already afflicted Newcastle United and Arsenal.

Many had thought that a remedy had been discovered in varying London boroughs, but alas the relentless nature, and overpowering inevitability of things looks as though it is about to return.

Manchester United have smelt blood, they have stirred themselves over the last few months and are now hotly in pursuit of Chelsea. The title race is well and truly back on, and nobody can afford to overlook Ferguson’s men.

This particular tale certainly has a familiar theme. Manchester United have been written off before, time and time again. In fact it appears to be a favourite past time of a foolish number in the football establishment. The team that comes forward to challenge them become the media darlings of the day, we had Keegan’s Newcastle, Wenger’s, ahem.. unbeatables and now of course Chelsea.

All have strode to the top of the league, confidently, full of self-esteem and grasping an apparently unassailable lead. No-one can foresee a single defeat for them, let alone enough for anybody to close the gap. How many times will people say teams look unbeatable, look as though they won’t drop any points, are they aiming to look foolish? All it takes is one draw, an injured player and the whole thing can go look decidedly shaky.

Let’s face it Arsenal are gone, it is decidedly a two horse race now. But not from an even start. It is Manchester United chasing Chelsea and that’s what really makes it interesting. On an even keel, as at the start of the season United don’t seem to rouse themselves, it’s almost as though they like the hunt, the pursuit, the chase. All that is needed is a few good results and things start to snow-ball.

Chelsea are stuttering. Robben is injured, and while not as vital to a team as has been made out, his absence is important. Gone are the 4-0, 4-0, 4-1, scorelines of pre-Christmas, Chelsea have started trotting out the 1-0 wins again, and that is when Robben’s ability on the ball would have made the difference.

Mourinho didn’t want Duff near his side at the beginning of the season, he wanted two up with Cole fulfilling a Deco style role in behind. There have already been calls for a formation change. “Mr Mourinho, a phone call for you, it’s self-doubt.”

Wishful thinking some might say, but it isn’t. A lucky 1-0 against Blackburn, when Makelele should have been sent off (something he incidentally got away with following a kick on Ronaldo in the Carling Cup), followed by a 0-0 with the ‘massive’ Manchester City, when Fowler should clearly have scored with a header just before half time; all spells struggle for Chelsea.

United on the other hand are purring. Witness the ease with which Birmingham are beaten - they didn’t muster a shot on target. A win with 10 men at Anfield, without ever being threatened. And of course the win at Highbury.

The killer blow to Wenger and his men. 4-2, this wasn’t just a win this was a thrashing. Again down to ten, after Silvestre lost his remarkably big head, but the result was never in doubt. We went toe to toe with them and came out winners. Even John O’Shea scored.

If this all sounds a little too smug for words, then quite simply it’s because it is. United are winners, we know what winning is about and we are about to do it again. Ferguson has at last written off a whole portion of the squad and is playing those who deserve it, those who can do and will do the business. This is all with out Van Nistelrooy of course, so things can only get better.

We’ve been here we’ve done it. ’96, Cantona inspired, Newcastle cracked. ’03, things clicked into gear, Arsenal crumbled. Chelsea will do the same. Their demise will not be on the same scale as others, and I actually think that they’ll put up more of a fight. It will be a real battle. The key weeks are in April, when Chelsea travel to Old Trafford, and host Arsenal at Stamford Bridge, if they took 6 points there they would win it. But they won’t.

The nature of the leader-chaser scenario is what adds to the excitement. Once the lead begins to fall away it is almost inevitable. You know it is happening, you peddle the excuses to friends and colleagues but there is no getting away from it. We have been there too, Leeds ’92, and Arsenal ’98. It’s horrible. So to Chelsea: welcome to hell. You’re going to have to wait even longer for that first title for 50 odd years.
Couldnt agree more...brilliant articule, 100% accurate...and now Chelsea are faulting the injuries are coming, suspentions...the cradle is beginning to rock...!
 

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Nicole

Senior Member
Sep 16, 2004
7,561
What makes you thinking that? I really honestly dont think they will, they are beginning to faulter, I have seen it time and time again...like Tim Webber says, United perfer this situation, I can tell you right now for all Mourinho's arrogance...I will bet you anything he is starting to look over his shoulder now...and if he isnt...he is simple a fool! Write of Man Utd are your peril!!

(Fergie was right...Chelsea would find it difficult in the North of England...)
 

Nicole

Senior Member
Sep 16, 2004
7,561
so what? it does the exact same for every other CL team in every other country, Chelsea werent the only ones playing on the weekend, and it certainly wasnt the hardest game, afterall Newcastle are 12th! In the Premiership, and are playing crap, the fact they lost even with there '2nd' team just shows they couldnt handle the pressure!
 

Nicole

Senior Member
Sep 16, 2004
7,561
Well, United played Everton, which was easily harder for us then it was for Chelsea. And plus the game was very charged, thef act is that Chelsea couldnt handle it, and we're beaten by a very poor Newcastle team.
 

Stu

Senior Member
Jul 14, 2002
17,557
Nicole, in regards to your sig, Totti's 380 appearances are in all competitions while Losi's 386 are in Serie A alone, no? Totti has 305 appearances to his name in Calcio.
 

Nicole

Senior Member
Sep 16, 2004
7,561
Yep, I know that. I guess I didnt represent it right, it was much larger, but I couldnt fit it all in with the 5 line minimun rule on signitures.
 

Stu

Senior Member
Jul 14, 2002
17,557
++ [ originally posted by Nicole ] ++
Yep, I know that. I guess I didnt represent it right, it was much larger, but I couldnt fit it all in with the 5 line minimun rule on signitures.
Ah, ok.
 

Chxta

Onye kwe, Chi ya ekwe
Nov 1, 2004
12,088
Tim Webber again. I am beginning to like the guy, he is so... precise!

Just one night into the Champions League second round a familiar theme was emerging. The English league, once a bastion for goalkeeping, is severely lacking between the sticks.

Jerzy Dudek and Jens Lehmann have both come under the microscope once more, as perceived errors have threatened to de-rail their side’s campaigns. It is an all too familiar theme throughout the English game with no sign of abating.

The English national side and top division has long had a reputation for solidarity, composure and confidence between the sticks. When potentially the best goalkeeper of all time, Gordon Banks, was sold by Leicester it was because he was holding back Peter Shilton. Shilton fought tooth and nail in his formative international years with Ray Clemence for the number one jersey. Elsewhere in the league the great Pat Jennings plied his trade. From Shilton to the Premiership; and Seaman and Schmeichel came to the fore.

Two giant presences, two huge names with impeccable reputations and the ability to win game after game for club and international sides. But where have all the keepers gone? Admittedly Chelsea are unlikely to be found out on this score in the coming weeks. The giant Petr Cech has shown that his lack of experience is not a problem; his sheer size and presence have more than made up for his relative goalkeeping youth. In reserve they hold possibly the Premiership’s second best goalkeeper in Carlo Cudicini, who has never made the slightest impact on the Italian national squad.

But beyond Mourinho’s side there is a definite problem. Seaman and Schmeichel have never fully been replaced by their club sides, depending to an extent on how Fabien Barthez is viewed - Ferguson may wish he had the eccentric Frenchman in his squad today. Two of the top clubs in the land have serious goalkeeping problems.

At Manchester United, Roy Carroll continues to shred nerves and quicken heart-rates every time the ball comes near the United net. The appalling refereeing error that led to a disallowed goal by Tottenham seems to have overshadowed the sheer failure of Roy Carroll to catch the ball, and then manage to throw it over his own shoulder in a single move. Carroll refuses to sign a new contract with the club, because he believes that Ferguson doesn’t view him as a long term number one. You’re probably right Roy, but that’s your own fault for continually reminding him of your inadequacies.

Tim Howard has been sidelined following errors against Lyon in the early stages of the Champions League this year, yet following an even worse one from Carroll in the return match the Irishman stayed in the sticks. All this leads to the conclusion that there must be something else going on where the young American is concerned. Early promise was shown last season, and maybe the pressure has proved a little too much for him. Otherwise surely he is a better option then Carroll, who can’t kick the ball even remotely in the direction of his own players.

At Arsenal they have been having their own version of musical chairs. Lehmann, who spent most of last season seemingly trying to get sent off, began the campaign in the sticks. But after a rush of blood too many, was replaced by Almunia. It is unlikely that Mr Almunia is popular amongst the Spanish goalkeeping fraternity having dragged their collective name through the mud. He is not however reflective of the norm in Spain, where Canizares, Casillas and Valdes among others prove that there is a considerable goalkeeping force in La Liga.

Almunia was brought to Arsenal from Celta Vigo, but that does not offer the full story. Last season he was loaned out, as he could not get a game for his own club, oh and by the way they were relegated, did I mention that?

Almunia could well find himself back in goal for Arsenal’s weekend trip to Southampton after Lehmann’s performance on Tuesday night. At least Lehmann finally helped decide one issue. He has been stoking the flames in the German national squad for a few years now, professing to be better than number one, Oliver Kahn. At least he has helped to end that dispute in their head to head meeting in Munich.

Manchester United and Arsenal have certainly done themselves no favours whatsoever in their pursuit of honours, and one or both could find themselves pointing to the lack of a real presence between the sticks come the end of the season. So is this just a failure by these big two to recruit the right man? Well not if we glance at the Premiership as a whole it is not.

The best English goalkeeper playing at the moment appears to be Nigel Martyn. But age and circumstance suggest he will never get a look in at international level. He of course holds back Richard Wright, the once great hope of English goalkeeping, who along with the perpetually injured Nicky Weaver have dropped off the radar.

Paul Robinson appears to be the pick of the keepers outside of Chelsea, yet without ever fully inspiring confidence or suggesting he could be one of the world’s best. The fact that the previous England ‘keeper is more famously known as ‘calamity’ than David, suggests the problem runs deep. James continues to baffle in his ability to save and then stumble in a matter of minutes. With the exception of West Ham, who were relegated, he has often found himself surplus to requirements due to his lapses in concentration. James’ former club Liverpool have their own calamity goalkeepers currently, Dudek’s performances and Kirkland’s injuries put them up there as the leading exponents of the accident prone ‘keeper.

So to the rest of the Premiership. Shay Given is a creditable keeper, as is Mark Schwarzer, but again not really for the top clubs. Edwin Van der Saar has almost let his career wind down at Fulham, when holding the attributes to be a big player. Yet his failure at Juventus suggests he maybe lacked the necessary character or drive at the biggest clubs.

So it appears there is little in the way of great goalkeeping talent in the Premiership. When Dean Kiely of Charlton can tell his manager that he will always stay on his line because he doesn’t like coming for crosses, the standard is evident. This is supposedly one of the top goalkeepers in the country, yet he is not confident enough, or just not able, to come and catch a cross - it is ridiculous.

This week, with the resumption of the Champions League, more than ever we are struck by the realisation that this is not a general trend of football. Many in the country, champions of the English game, suggest it affects all. But it is quite simply not true. Over the two nights, Cech, Buffon, Casillas, Toldo, Dida, Valdes and Kahn prove that there are plenty of top talents out there, they just seem to be avoiding the Premiership these days.


And now he can add Roy Carrol to that list!:D
 

Nicole

Senior Member
Sep 16, 2004
7,561
I think it is very likely that Man Utd and Arsenal are going to spend big money on a new goalkeeper, who I dont know, we'll have to wait and see.

Like Tim Webber said, with Howard he was very good in goal at the start of his United carear, but a crisis of confidence destroyed that...
 

Turdhead

Chickenegro no funny
Jan 14, 2005
3,106
chxta will you **** off with these stupid posts. Other FORUM MEMBERS opinions dosent make yours any stronger you 'tard.

Fuck sake if we want to go read them we will do it. This kinda crap is the exact reason I dont visit those other boards. Christ!
 

Chxta

Onye kwe, Chi ya ekwe
Nov 1, 2004
12,088
++ [ originally posted by Blandest ] ++
chxta will you **** off with these stupid posts. Other FORUM MEMBERS opinions dosent make yours any stronger you 'tard.

Fuck sake if we want to go read them we will do it. This kinda crap is the exact reason I dont visit those other boards. Christ!
If you don't like it, don't read it.

I have said here before that I post interesting articles I come across so that everyone can share it with me. I have never once tried to pass of an article that wasn't mine as mine.

And I didn't insult you, so please grow up and behave like a self respecting person.
 

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