Football

[Eng274]

Is Sunderland AFC the new Manchester United 'retirement home' perchance??? Now Steve Bruce was a decent player, but as a Manager...not for me, a bit like Sam Allardyce, where's the trophies???

Tyneside in general seems to be turning into a knackers yard for Buster Bloodvessel's has-beens: Roy Keane managed Sunderland, Newcastle signed Nicky Butt..

Manchester City have concluded a naming rights deal with Etihad Airlines, their current sponsers, for their stadium to be re-named as THE ETIHAD STADIUM for a 10 year deal worth £ 1 5 0 M I L L I O N

Renaming a stadium for the sake of a sponsor isn't something I'd want my club to be doing - a stand dedicated to a former legend yes, but never the whole stadium. It just reeks of selling the club's soul, sort of. New-build stadia named after a sponsor are slightly different, but even they lack imagination "welcome to the Walkers stadium"... dear oh dear :roll:

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Arsene Wenger now says that he will do everything in his power to ensure that both Nasri and Fabregas will be at the Emirates in the coming season. This is a bit late in the day to make such a statement.

 

[class377man]

The thing is with stadiums that adopt a sponsor (as opposed to having it from the outset) is they never really catch on. When was the last time you heard anyone refer to the Sports Direct Stadium at St James Park, the Fitness First Stadium or the Matchroom Stadium?

Original sponsors like the Emirates and the Walkers (although that's changed now) stick though as there's nothing else to call them.

 

[valenta]

The thing is with stadiums that adopt a sponsor (as opposed to having it from the outset) is they never really catch on. When was the last time you heard anyone refer to the Sports Direct Stadium at St James Park, the Fitness First Stadium or the Matchroom Stadium?

Original sponsors like the Emirates and the Walkers (although that's changed now) stick though as there's nothing else to call them.

Though, you have to admit that "Etihad stadium" sounds a bit better than "Sports Direct Stadium." I believe Ashley refers to the stadium as Sport's Direct.com@ St James' Park.

 

[blackettstreet]

Its great for Sunderland that they have an owner with ambition, willing to spend money on his club. Something that is lacking from their rivals on the Tyne.

Great manager, and real team spirit....that is, until 'My Cashley' went and sold our captain But that's just fine .......... NOT!

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"welcome to the Walkers stadium"... dear oh dear :roll:

nothing on 'sportsdirect@St James' Park'

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

With regard to Samir Nasri, Manchester United state that a formal bid WAS made by them, despite the denials from the Emirates. Could be a little bit of Gallic cameraderie between Patrice Evra and the player to possibly move matters forward (not all French players play for Arsenal...it just seems like that):roll:

The last news out today was that he will be included in the Arsenal pre-season tour party.

This is going on, time wise, like the Charlie Adam move to Anfield, which did have a somewhat Caledonian player and manager influence on the final outcome of the transfer.
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WOMEN'S WORLD CUP

Ingerland ladies will bottle it like the Mens team

England beating France 1-0 in the quarter-final, with 4 minutes to go, concede an equaliser. Match being shown live on BBC2.

England in the "dreaded" penalty shoot-out....leading 3-2, with 2 penalties each to take. England miss their last 2 penalties and France are through to the semi-final.

What is it that affects any England team when penalties are involved?

 

[Zoe]

What is it that affects any England team when penalties are involved?

It's not just penalties but England also seem to be good at conceding goals in the last minutes.

In Euro 2004 England were 1 - 0 up against France at 90 minutes. France then score 2 goals in stoppage time.

Also in Euro 2004 England were leading Portugal 1 - 0 at 83 minutes only for Portugal to equalize and the match to go to penalties which England lost.

In the 2007 Under 21 European Championship England led the Netherlands 1 - 0 at 89 minutes then the Netherlands scored at it went to penalties. England this time were ahead in the penalty shootout with just 2 penalties remaining but then missed and ended up losing.

 

[blackettstreet]

Could be a little bit of Gallic cameraderie between Patrice Evra and the player to possibly move matters forward (not all French players play for Arsenal...it just seems like that):roll:

Arsenal should go for Evra, now they've lost Clichy. He's French... Can you imagine Sanga playing down flank and Evra down the other?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

WOMENS WORLD CUP...QUARTER FINALS

Australia..1.....Sweden..3

Sweden will now face Japan in the Semi-Final. Japan had beaten Germany in that quarter final yesterday, which as a shock result.

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Brazil..2.....U S A..2 (after extra time) U S A won 5-3 on penalties

U S A will now face France in the Semi-Final
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Arsenal should go for Evra, now they've lost Clichy.

Well, not quite this one, but during a press conference in Malaysia, Arsene Wenger finally confirmed the signing of Gervinho from Lille.

 

[valenta]

Televised fixtures have now been announced,
click for more info
Like last year, Newcastle have been chosen to "kick off" (excuse the pun) coverage.

 

[SS4]

Televised fixtures have now been announced,
click for more info
Like last year, Newcastle have been chosen to "kick off" (excuse the pun) coverage.

Sounds good until you see that 33 of 49 games involve Man Utd, Man City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool.

That is the reason I refuse to get sky sports and listen on local radio

 

[MidnightFlyer]

5LIVE used to be awesome for football, much more bearable and less-hyped than Sky made it. Unfortunately, 5LIVE lost the rights to about half of the Premier League matches, they now have to share them with TalkSh*te, which is probably the worst radio station in the history of broadcasting media.

 

[SS4]

5LIVE used to be awesome for football, much more bearable and less-hyped than Sky made it. Unfortunately, 5LIVE lost the rights to about half of the Premier League matches, they now have to share them with TalkSh*te, which is probably the worst radio station in the history of broadcasting media.

Agreed, they essentially lost their evening game on a Saturday and a Sunday lunchtime game last season.

I think talksport should rename themselves Sky Sports Radio since everyone knows that's what it is in reality. I stopped listening when they hired those two blokes that were fired from sky for being sexist.

 

[Oswyntail]

....
What is it that affects any England team when penalties are involved?

British sportsmen are OK until they have to think. When they can be effortlessly superior, they tend to stay that way; when that superiority is challenged, they crumble. Some honourable exceptions, but very few.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Agreed, they essentially lost their evening game on a Saturday and a Sunday lunchtime game last season.

I think talksport should rename themselves Sky Sports Radio since everyone knows that's what it is in reality. I stopped listening when they hired those two blokes that were fired from sky for being sexist.

Agreed, I believe they also took a couple of presenters off Sky Sports News (maybe the only decent thing about Sky, whilst it was still on Freeview). I once checked out the downloadable online magazine for TalkSport - to be honest it was just like a lads mag, full of absolute rubbish. 5LIVE is undoubtedly my first port of call for listening to football, I would only touch TalkSport if there was absolutely no other way of finding out about the game they were commentating on!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

ANOTHER ONE FROM THE "LAST-CHANCE" SALOON

Stoke City have signed defender Jonathon Woodgate from Tottenham Hotspur on a one year deal. This was a free transfer.

Long gone are the days when he was viewed as a long-term England centre-back, after Lee Bowyer and he hit the headlines for assaulting a member of the public

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Similarly with Ledley King, if he had stayed fit and in shape and wasn't so injury-prone, he would be one of the best centre-backs in the world today. his time with Real Madrid was poor though - I think he got named the worst-ever La Liga player!

 

[EM2]

With a fit King, Woodgate and Ferdinand, you'd never have seen John Terry anywhere near an England shirt!

 

[valenta]

With a fit King, Woodgate and Ferdinand, you'd never have seen John Terry anywhere near an England shirt!

Don't get me started on John Terry!

 

[Minilad]

And none of those were fit to pour Paul McGrath's pre match Guinness !!

 

[blackettstreet]

Don't get me started on John Terry!

maybe he should be a midfielder....he gets attacking ideas...

 

[valenta]

Talking about defenders "attacking" (so to speak.) Surely the answer to Newcastle's striking problems is to put Steven Taylor upfront!

 

[SS4]

And none of those were fit to pour Paul McGrath's pre match Guinness !!

Every other defender combined wouldn't be fit to pour Paul McGrath's pre match Guinness! I shall be very cheesed off if he isn't number one on the greatest player countdown over on facebook.

I get the impression that the England manager has been lazy recently, always picking the same players even when they have a poor run in form, slight injuries and even for friendlies when it would be better served to pick someone up and coming.
In other words Terry always gets in the England team because he plays for Chelsea and he's been in the team for a long time.

 

[valenta]

I get the impression that the England manager has been lazy recently, always picking the same players even when they have a poor run in form, slight injuries and even for friendlies when it would be better served to pick someone up and coming.
In other words Terry always gets in the England team because he plays for Chelsea and he's been in the team for a long time.

Couldn't agree more - far too many players are ovelooked just because they play for a lesser ranked club.

 

[blackettstreet]

Talking about defenders "attacking" (so to speak.) Surely the answer to Newcastle's striking problems is to put Steven Taylor upfront!

taylor up front and coloccini as a playmaker.....could be some beautiful football!

 

[valenta]

taylor up front and coloccini as a playmaker.....could be some beautiful football!

Coloccini also seems to be good at shooting, and Taylor is a better header of the ball than Ameobi!

 

[blackettstreet]

Coloccini also seems to be good at shooting, and Taylor is a better header of the ball than Ameobi!

coloccini looks born to be a playmaker....the way he set up barton vs. wolves

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

CHELSEA MIDFIELD WOES INCREASE

The operation on the right knee of Michael Essien to repair a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament is said to have been successful.

The injury occurred during a team training session. This particular operation usually required a six month recuperative period to fully heal.

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NEWS FROM THE NORTH-WEST

Manchester United feel that while Samir Nasri will possibly leave Arsenal, he will not be coming to Old Trafford now.

 

[313103]

NEWS FROM THE NORTH-WEST

Manchester United feel that while Samir Nasri will possibly leave Arsenal, he will not be coming to Old Trafford now.

I dont think for one minute that Nasri was ever going to OT, this was a Fergie ploy to unsettle the player to farce a rivals hand because he knows the damage he can cause especially to his own team. So you've got to hand it to Fergie he always gets what he wants. So before the season starts he has already rocked the boat at Arsenal (not that we aint gonna do anything anyway)

Nasri will probably go to Man City either in the next few weeks or next year. If he doesnt go before next year expect him to get some harsh criticism from the fans at the Emirates. My philosophy has always been if you dont want to play for the badge, leave and mind that the door that your closing doesnt knock you over on the way out.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

SOUTH AMERICAN SPECULATION

Reports from Brazil talk of the Sao Paulo club, Corinthians, making a bid of 40 million euros for the unsettled Manchester City player, Carlos Tevez, who wants to return to South America to be near his two daughters after his divorce. Tevez played for them between 2004-2007. Tevez made his last comment about returning to South America only two weeks ago, so this could be a strategy to unsettle him even further.
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FURTHER MID-DAY UPDATE TO THE ABOVE

Carlos Tevez's representative, Kia Joorabchian, has confirmed that contact has been made between Corinthians and Manchester City and a figure of £35 million has been mentioned.

Manchester City regard this bid as derisory and have immediatly rejected it as Carlos Tevez still has three years left on his contract and the cost of a replacement player would cost at least £45 million Carlos Tevez is currently with the Argentinian team squad at the Copa America...he will definitely be less than impressed by the rejected bid.
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I really will have to be careful with all my football "newsflashes", as the forum members on the various "newspaper" threads that recently appeared will be monitoring me...similar to the other press hacks.:roll::roll: