[Archived] Other Premier League Happenings

[neekoy]

I wouldn't be suprised to see Newcastle beat Villa. Didn't he and Shearer spend time on the sofa together? Tough job for Hull unless Ferguson literally fields his reserves. An interesting weekend in store. Glad we are only involved in a supporting role!

Why not? They have a CL final to rest up for and it certainly wouldn't bother United if Newcastle went down. It would hopefully bring a smile to their faces.

[neekoy]

Messi would not be as consistent in this league as what Ronaldo is - no way in this world. I hope someone English signs him to prove to you wrong.

Spain is a 2 team league - Barca & Madrid

Italy is a 3 team league - Milan, Inter & Juve

Germany/ France/ Holland - is just crap.

What? I don't know why people think the defences of the PL are the best in the world, the certainly are the most physical but they are no where near as tactically driven as other leagues. PL defences are about getting behind the ball and playing for a counter attack, other then Arsenal possession of the football is a no go zone.

Do you actually watch any other football or are you just shooting from the hip/lips? Whilst the leagues are dominated by the teams you have listed, for the same period of time as the PL has been around, the Spanish league has had 5 different winners, 8 different runner ups and 11 different 3rd place teams. You would probably find about the same in Italy. If Rovers played in a similar competitive league we could have qualified for CL football.

The German, French and Dutch leagues are excellent competitions to watch. I am a massive fan or the Bundesliga and Ligue A in particular. They are not tactically rigid and whilst there are more turnovers you get to see better individual skill on the ball. Also both leagues have a constantly changing top half.

Messi would slaughter the Premier League, all this "tough defences" talk is crap, go watch the Primera Division in Argentina or some Copa America football and see the physical nature of those challenges, it's sometimes like watching 11 Bartons run around.

[T4E]

Fulham playing like pansies up at St James' Park. Forget about them winning there.

The Maltese Nostradamus strikes again

[Hughesy]

I watched the La Liga every single week, aswell as the Seria A. That’s what a foreign dish gets you on the foreign channels.

Im sorry but the defences of our top clubs are better. Otherwise how do you explain the following:

Barca scored 6 was it against Madrid in 1 game, 4 against Bayern in 1 game, 5 against Lyon in 1 game, 4 against Valencia in 1 game – yet they managed 1 against Chelsea in 2 games this season and 0 against United in 2 games last season. In all those games Im yet to see MESSI ‘slaughter’ those defences – why?

[philipl]

The Maltese Nostradamus strikes again

Just like chucking those in to keep folks like you happy.

Anyway Fulham really were patsying about at the start of the game. Just shows how dire Newcastle are.

I've deliberately left a few good predictions on the dingle thread for you forensic whizzes to copy and paste when the Blades thrash them.

[modes98]

In all those games Im yet to see MESSI ‘slaughter’ those defences – why?

Because he doesn't get the time and space he gets in spain, and to be fair thats a fast paced league. No doubting he is amazingly talented but you put him under pressure from the second he gets the ball, which is what premiership defences do and he struggles to have a big impact, then he starts to come inside to find space.

[Hughesy]

So is that not better defending? Stopping your opponents attacking play?

[modes98]

So is that not better defending? Stopping your opponents attacking play?

I was agreeing with your point

[cletus]

Just an observation.....

My good lady works over in Salford (you can see Old Trafford from her office window)

....anyway, an emergency cropped up on saturday evening (6.30ish) & we had to pop over to Salford for an hour or two.

When she had finished what she had to do, we took a detour from our normal route......to see what was happening over at Old trafford.

Guess what we saw?????

Absolutely nothing!!! The place was dead. The streets were empty, Old Trafford was locked up & lights off & the pubs were all closed.

It was like a match hadn`t taken place.......nevermind a championship party!!

I said to my good lady "In any other town or city across England, there would be great celebrations & street parties if their team had won the league. The place would be in full swing"

Old Trafford, Manchester........nothing!

That`s why i loath Manchester United the club & it`s fans.

[riverside returns]

Even their fans have to get home sometime, long way to London and Dublin

[DE.]

Celebrations in general, even from my actual Manc friends, not just OOT supporters, have been subdued this year. It's just not that special to them anymore, which is pretty sad.

[1864roverite]

But then again there is NOTHING special about Mankchester United at all

The last plane out was 5.30pm.

The buses stopped running at 5.35pm.

No clamour for any taxis after 5.36pm.

pub trade is on a downer anyway !!!

[T4E]

Extremely loud rendition of "Cheer Up Alan Shearer" has been ringing out around Fratton Park for the last 10 minutes!

[Ste B]

Watching Pompey.. It seems their fans also want Sunderland to win, just to make sure Shearer (ex Soton of course) goes down.

[T4E]

No one likes Newcastle. It's fantastic.

[brfcshabba]

Goal for Sunderland, cracking play from Davenport

Goal for Portsmouth

1-1

Sunderland are rubbish

2-1 Portsmouth

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

3-1 Pompy. Gonna be a nervy last day for Sunderland.

[T4E]

Sbragia being interviewed on Setanta, they're trying to get him to make negative comments about the referee and he's not playing a long at all, refreshingly honest and not whining at all even though he may have had right to.

Wonder if Sam will bring him to Ewood should he leave Sunderland?

[philipl]

In the unlikely event of Hull and Newcastle both winning Sumderland are absolute gonners. Chelsea will destroy them on Sunday even with a bunch of reserves.

Rovers down to 15th but chasing a cool couple of million against WBA.

[Hughesy]

Highest we can now finish is 13th after that!!

[Beta Ray Bill]

Although Pompey winning takes them above us, I'm fairly happy.

Having faith in Rovers to stay up this weekend, had a little flutter on the results that mattered to us...

Hull to draw at Bolton ... check

Fulham to beat the Barcodes ... check

Boro to draw against Villa ... check

Pompey to beat Sunderland ... check

result being I'm £140 better off than I was on Friday. Pity Rovers lost as that would have been nearly two grand. Still, musn't grumble.

[LeChuck]

As Wigan are playing Portsmouth I believe the highest we can finish is 13th (barring HUGE change in goal difference), although I haven't properly worked that out. Either way, if we win we can't fail to finish above one of them, so it's important we win. Can't see Bolton winning at City either, so potentially there is £1.5 million to play for against West Brom.

[Hughesy]

Like I said before highest we can finish is 13th. The goal difference is never going to happen is it, unless of course MGP finds his shooting boots again.

James now also out of England quals

[neekoy]

I watched the La Liga every single week, aswell as the Seria A. That’s what a foreign dish gets you on the foreign channels.

Im sorry but the defences of our top clubs are better. Otherwise how do you explain the following:

Barca scored 6 was it against Madrid in 1 game, 4 against Bayern in 1 game, 5 against Lyon in 1 game, 4 against Valencia in 1 game – yet they managed 1 against Chelsea in 2 games this season and 0 against United in 2 games last season. In all those games Im yet to see MESSI ‘slaughter’ those defences – why?

Tactical defence where you have quality defenders one on one with attackers leads to either the attacking player winning or the defensive player winning. I watched the majority of those games you talked about and there wasn't any negative football played barring what I saw for United and Chelsea against Barca.

It is like saying that because Blackburn gets 11 men behind the ball and plays one up front in attack and only has one goal scored against us because of makes us a world class defence

[Eddie]

English clubs are better defensively. I'm not sure anyone from the back four of Barcelona would make the United side apart from right back if United really wanted to attack with Alves. Vidic, Ferdinand and Terry are certainly amongst the best central defenders around and the Ferdinand and Vidic partnership is the best in Europe. If English sides aren't better at defending, are they better in midfield or attack then? If not, how would you explain Premier league dominance in Europe?