The (Un) Official Football thread

[JD_B3E5]

I feel bad for Arsenal. They were pretty much how I thought a Premier League club should be run - they mostly made their own money and consistently did very well with young home grown players. Yes, these days they can't compete with the money of Man City, United and Chelsea (and I think that's a problem the FA needs to address). They've become a joke unfairly now I think, it's not like they've ever been in any danger of even finishing outside the European places. Granted, they've started to panic a bit, stopped planning and just wasting money, plus Tottenham kind of do what they did better, but I still think the whole thing is a bit overblown.

I feel bad for Leyton Orient. They could've been playing Championship football a few years ago.

[Gandalf the Red]

I knew someone that thought the Orient Express was a football special. That's actually true and not a joke.


Good news. Everton: Sam Allardyce wants to be 'long-term appointment'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43331659

[Tet]

A disappointing result, but ultimately, I'm not too unhappy. We acquitted ourselves well against a team that are probably in the top 3 in the world right now. Yes, we should have won, and had the chance to do so. But we didn't take it. So be it. Now we'll just concentrate on the league and the FA Cup and try again next season.

[houston4044]

A disappointing result, but ultimately, I'm not too unhappy. We acquitted ourselves well against a team that are probably in the top 3 in the world right now. Yes, we should have won, and had the chance to do so. But we didn't take it. So be it. Now we'll just concentrate on the league and the FA Cup and try again next season.

I'm still gutted about it but not ashamed of the result. We gave a good account of ourselves and were in contention over both legs rather than just hanging on throughout. Focus on top 4 and strengthen over the summer to give the CL and the prem a crack next year. If it meant risking the top 4 I wouldn't give much attention to the FA cup, rather another go in the CL than a cup.

[Gandalf the Red]

Arsenal showing them how to win in Italy. I would PMSL if they won it.

[houston4044]

First time in a long time a West Ham match was must see tv

[houston4044]

Week in the life of a Spurs fan

Cons:
Out of Europe
Kane is injured

Pros:
Arsenal fans have to travel to Moscow
Mourinho giving Charlie Sheen a run for his money in the public meltdown department

[Gandalf the Red]

Russia wants to expel 23 Englishmen.

They just need to wait until June and they will expel themselves.

[Black Wizard]

Russia wants to expel 23 Englishmen.

They just need to wait until June and they will expel themselves.

Not all of the British diplomats in Russia are necessarily English.

I'm pretty sure the Russian team will do a good job of expelling themselves from the World Cup. The current squad is nothing like as good as the one from 10 years ago.

[houston4044]

Great result yesterday, think we gave a very good account of ourselves and managed to have Chelsea on the back foot for most of the match, showed that we have plenty of goalscorers other than Kane. If we can keep it up and beat Utd at Old Trafford we could even feasibly finish 2nd which is no mean feat this season.

Also just seen that West Brom have sacked Pardew, guess they will try and bed in their manager now and try and hit the championship running next season. Can't see them attracting anyone of merit who could save them from relegation at this point.

[Tet]

showed that we have plenty of goalscorers other than Kane

It's not just that we can score without Kane. It's how we did it. Eriksen's goal and Dele's first were both spectacular.

[houston4044]

showed that we have plenty of goalscorers other than Kane

It's not just that we can score without Kane. It's how we did it. Eriksen's goal and Dele's first were both spectacular.

For sure, Eriksen is overlooked yet has a habit of scoring some great goals from range.

Got to admit, Chelsea fans have been very entertaining recently, you'd think they were getting relegated with some of the comments I've seen flyig around

[Matty_the_Emo_Slayer]

Yeah it's never nice winning the league one season then making a terrible attempt at retaining the title the next, but the situation's nowhere near as dire as it was for them in 2015-16 or for Leicester last year.

[Skippy]

Yeah it's never nice winning the league one season then making a terrible attempt at retaining the title the next, but the situation's nowhere near as dire as it was for them in 2015-16 or for Leicester last year.

It seems to be Chelsea's motto of "win one year implode the next". Have they won two in a row? There seems to be some underlying problem there, perhaps the same reason they can't keep a manager for more than a year or so.

[Matty_the_Emo_Slayer]

Yeah it's never nice winning the league one season then making a terrible attempt at retaining the title the next, but the situation's nowhere near as dire as it was for them in 2015-16 or for Leicester last year.

It seems to be Chelsea's motto of "win one year implode the next". Have they won two in a row? There seems to be some underlying problem there, perhaps the same reason they can't keep a manager for more than a year or so.

2004-05 and 2005-06 they went back to back. But it also happened to them with their first title win in 1954-55 where they finished 16th the following season. Until recently Man City also had a pretty tawdry record at defending the title- dropping to 13th after wininng in 1967-68 and are the only team to ever be relegated the season after a title win in 1937-1938. Leeds also took 2 big nosedives after winning the league- finished 13th in 1974-75 and 17th in 1992-93.