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[Hixx]

Have people that say this actually seen Johnson play within the last year-and-a-half? Seems like everyone just have one default mode when it comes to Johnson - good attacker but can't defend, damn whatever evidence might contradict that. I'm not saying he is better than Richards at defending but he is in the end a superior right-back.

It's called opinions. And yes, I see a lot of Liverpool as they seem to be on the TV every other week. I'd take Richards over Johnson every time. He is more than competent with the ball and he is a better defender than Johnson. Plus he's a decent centre half so he offers cover in another position.

Roy just did a swear on the training stream :O

 

[neoanarch]

Papers today are saying RDM will rejected a 1 year if offered he wants a long-term one...

HA. That is funy. Anyone doubt RDM would pounce at a one year deal? It would be silly to turn it down unless he got a credible offer from somewhere else already.

 

[LegoArmo]

I watch almost every Liverpool game, his positioning is terrible. Looked better when he played on the left, honestly, and more of a wing-back than anything.

Richards strength and ability to just run through people is immense.

 

[Jeff Albertson]

We are a shambles of a club.

Season tickets aren't even on sale at present even if you wanted them

They did an early bird price freeze when they thought we were safe and then pulled it and since haven't released prices

Couldn't make it up

 

[Yen]

So hyped for Prometheus! Better be a 2D screening at night (on release).

 

[Choc]

HA. That is funy. Anyone doubt RDM would pounce at a one year deal? It would be silly to turn it down unl;ess he got a credible offer from somewhere else already.

a 1 year deal is probably smart on Chelseas part in a way.

he is unproven in some ways and they dont want a huge pay out to get rid of him

The greatest manager of recent times Guardiola (last 5 years) was on a 1 year deal, its not all bad RDM

And also i can see Liverpool offering 1 year only, and any other big club for that possibly. Why?

The Pep factor. He's gotta go somewhere in 12 months if he comes back

edit: jeff guardian had the prices the other day?

 

[Empty]

watching roy run training is weirdly fascinating

 

[Hixx]

HA. That is funy. Anyone doubt RDM would pounce at a one year deal? It would be silly to turn it down unl;ess he got a credible offer from somewhere else already.

A 1 year deal feels a bit like Chelsea bowing to the pressure and having an easy get out... I can see why RDM would turn it down. But it's also probably the best he can hope for at Chelsea.

 

[Choc]

if he really thinks he can hack it and do well, take the 1 year deal and prove the doubters wrong. What RDM needs to realise is multi-year deals mean nothing @ chelsea. Wasnt AVB like 3 years? and gone after 9 months. Chelsea clearly don't care.

He does deserve a shot imo.

 

[GorillaJu]

I watch almost every Liverpool game, his positioning is terrible. Looked better when he played on the left, honestly, and more of a wing-back than anything.

Richards strength and ability to just run through people is immense.

Yeah, he's fantastic at barging down the wing and falling down in the box.

My goodness, he has to be one of the most overrated players on here.

 

[Yen]

a 1 year deal is probably smart on Chelseas part in a way.

he is unproven in some ways and they dont want a huge pay out to get rid of him

The greatest manager of recent times Guardiola (last 5 years) was on a 1 year deal, its not all bad RDM

And also i can see Liverpool offering 1 year only, and any other big club for that possibly. Why?

The Pep factor. He's gotta go somewhere in 12 months if he comes back

edit: jeff guardian had the prices the other day?

Pep had a one year deal so he had more power than previous managers. Power hungry presidents wouldn't want to upset the world's best manager if they knew he could walk away at any time.

 

[Choc]

Pep had a one year deal so he had more power than previous managers. Power hungry presidents wouldn't want to upset the world's best manager if they knew he could walk away at any time.

fair point, but what about year 1?

 

[Yen]

fair point, but what about year 1?

Fairly unproven at the very top level, like RdM and Martinez would be.

 

[Hixx]

I think the people who want England to play like Stoke might get their way.

Roy's banging on '4 touches then the 5th must go forward. I'm not interested in seeing how long you can play it along the back 4. Get it forward, we can flick it on, maybe Gerrard and ??? can push up and help'

 

[LegoArmo]

Yeah, he's fantastic at barging down the wing and falling down in the box.

My goodness, he has to be one of the most overrated players on here.

Yeah, well, he pays for his toilet seats, so there.

 

[Yen]

I think the people who want England to play like Stoke might get their way.

Roy's banging on '4 touches then the 5th must go forward. I'm not interested in seeing how long you can play it along the back 4. Get it forward, we can flick it on, maybe Gerrard and ??? can push up and help'

It's still not Stoke enough. Davies, Shawcross etc

 

[Carbonox]

Tiote is happy with Newcastle's success last season and is looking forward to Europa League football with them next season. Guess that's an indication that he has no desire to leave. Of course, a ridiculous offer could come in and we may accept but at least we know where he stands in terms of what he wants to do.

If we do keep him, that would be great. I just hope Pardew stops with the bullshit and keeps to the 4-3-3 formation that had us playing our best football.

 

[Ushojax]

My goodness, he has to be one of the most overrated players on here.

Obviously he is overrated, Mancini has dropped him and so have England. Still better than Glen Johnson, according to the official league stats. Both Johnson and Richards are miles off the top ranked defenders.

 

[dc89]

So G. Johnson has an infected toe. What the hell is that?

Has he got a ingrown toe nail? If he has that needs removing and he'll be out for 2 weeks.

Or has his toe got the T-Virus?

 

[Empty]

I think the people who want England to play like Stoke might get their way.

Roy's banging on '4 touches then the 5th must go forward. I'm not interested in seeing how long you can play it along the back 4. Get it forward, we can flick it on, maybe Gerrard and ??? can push up and help'

best bit was when he told hart to boot it long to big jermaine

 

[LegoArmo]

Obviously he is overrated, Mancini has dropped him and so have England. Still better than Glen Johnson, according to the official league stats. Both Johnson and Richards are miles off the top ranked defenders.

That says Evra is the best defender in the league, who knew?

 

[WJD]

Oldish news but lol at Dowd failing a fitness test. Fergie was right.

 

[Salvadora]

Where are you guys watching this?

 

[Choc]

Dowd failed the FIFA fitness test?

how the heck did he get the FA CUp final

 

[Hixx]

best bit was when he told hart to boot it long to big jermaine

haha

'I'm not interested in keep ball'

Some people are going to be livid

Where are you guys watching this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=XDXvZMKg0Ys

 

[GorillaJu]

2 goals for big Andy so far. Go LFC players!

Where are you guys watching this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=XDXvZMKg0Ys

 

[Ushojax]

That says Evra is the best defender in the league, who knew?

Obviously the stats aren't everything, Evra has been a bit crap but always works hard (plus he's played 37/38) , that's going to be reflected. My point was just to show how Johnson and Richards are both far lower in the rankings than Walker, Simpson, Hibbert etc.

 

[GorillaJu]

Obviously the stats aren't everything, Evra has been a bit crap but always works hard, that's going to be reflected. My point was just to show how Johnson and Richards are both far lower in the rankings than Walker, Simpson, Hibbert etc.

Ushojax, big upping Walker? Never heard such a thing :lol

You think Walker, Hibbert and Simpson are the best right backs?

 

[LegoArmo]

BELT IT!

 

[José Mourinho]

If true I don't know why Bobby D would turn down a 1 year deal. It doesn't mean anything at this club. They could offer him a 20 year deal and still fire him in 6 months if things don't go to plan. Each managerial deal is as secure as the next at Chelsea, that's to say they aren't.

 

[Hixx]

Ushojax, big upping Walker? Never heard such a thing :lol

You think Walker, Hibbert and Simpson are the best right backs?

Oh, the irony.

-

Another pre-season friendly at Hartlepool this season. Was great last year with the local cross-dressing mentalist in top form hahaha

 

[Ushojax]

Ushojax, big upping Walker? Never heard such a thing :lol

You think Walker, Hibbert and Simpson are the best right backs?

I think Walker is, as do Mancini, Hodgson, G.Neville and just about everybody else who's had to pick their best right-back, but that's not what I'm saying with those stats. Simply that Richards and Johnson have had mediocre seasons and are rightly down the pecking order at the moment.

 

[GorillaJu]

Oh, the irony.

-

Another pre-season friendly at Hartlepool this season. Was great last year with the local cross-dressing mentalist in top form hahaha

Defending someone that people love to attack is not exactly the same as using every opportunity to proclaim superiority for a player by virtue of the fact that he plays for your team

There is a fact to consider, and that is that every England and Liverpool manager has had Glen Johnson as their first choice right back, up until now. But I'm sure you guys are right.

 

[Choc]

Sunderland has a new kit deal with Adidas

 

[dc89]

Oldish news but lol at Dowd failing a fitness test. Fergie was right.

I read on BBC earlier that they are going to start doing drug tests for officials too.

Performance enhancing drugs wouldn't be a bad thing for refs it helps with decisions.

 

[LegoArmo]

I read on BBC earlier that they are going to start doing drug tests for officials too.

Performance enhancing drugs wouldn't be a bad thing for refs it helps with decisions.

I guess for their health, old men shouldn't be running around a football pitch for 90 minutes anyway. Need some younger referees.

 

[dc89]

Yeah, he's fantastic at barging down the wing and falling down in the box.

My goodness, he has to be one of the most overrated players on here.

Please tell me you're not talking about Richards..

 

[Hixx]

Sunderland has a new kit deal with Adidas

"The home kit will be revealed on July 18th."

Ridiculous that. Especially considering numerous people have confirmed they're already manufactured and literally just sitting in a warehouse in Manchester.

 

[fadetoblack]

Noticed this in the FA's statement on Barton:


Now he should have been banned, and was. But surely they can't say what they've said there? Seems to me that they're basically saying the profile of the match played a part in the punishment. All incidents in all games should be judged by the same criteria, surely?

Probably you're right in spirit but not in practice. The FA is a company trying to protect it's brand. I don't think we should expect evenhanded rules when financial interests are at stake. In the same way we don't expect, or want, refs to call every shirt tug in the box as a penalty based what we consider to be a foul, we probably shouldn't expect the FA to be wholly evenhanded when it comes to protecting their financial interests. The difference is all in perception: not in how the FA sees the foul but how people might see the FA. They've surely gone overboard with the ban but from their perspective it was probably better to over punish than under punish. Same ban would not have applied to some shitty third league game, or even a meaningless bottom half-of-the-table dump-and-chase fest. And they have no obligation to apply their rules evenly. It isn't as if they were applying the law of the land, as it were.

 

[dc89]

I guess for their health, old men shouldn't be running around a football pitch for 90 minutes anyway. Need some younger referees.

Didn't we have a young ref in the PL. he made so many mistakes he was dropped down to football league.

I'm all for younger refs but when you go too young will they be respected by the players?

Maybe it's wrong to liken it to AVB but I believe he had a hard time with the Chelsea players partly due to his age.

Do any other top leagues have good young refs?

 

[Choc]

Stuart Atwell is still on the Elite panel aged 26

he is also FIFA badged.

I believe he is the young bloke you reference

Also, there is a few referees i know who smash the FIFA fitness test easily and are rather large. It's not impossible and dowd would have to pass it year in year out to get on the Elite Panel to ref premier league

FWIW i can pass it fairly easily but my first few times was mental.

he won't be on the Elite Panel until he passes it, thats all this means.

The FIFA fitness test is not easy. A lot of elite athletes imo would fail it.

i've always found it interesting we are not tested for Performance Drugs. At the elite level, every thing you do including fitness is analysed. I wouldn't be surprised if some are on PED.

Whether you can suspend an official for PED? hmmmmmm would be interesting to see if WADA has jurisdiction.


In Australia in my league we have 19 year olds refereeing 28-30 year olds and they gain respect. How? getting the decisions right and not putting up with shit. Anyone can gain respect as a referee if you don't put up with crap. Players try it on ALL THE TIME, but if you ignore it or get up them, you are fine and the yrespect you. Some players i've noticed won't respect you until you caution them for dissent. Then they know how far they can push you.

 

[Hixx]

Didn't we have a young ref in the PL. he made so many mistakes he was dropped down to football league.

I'm all for younger refs but when you go too young will they be respected by the players?

Maybe it's wrong to liken it to AVB but I believe he had a hard time with the Chelsea players partly due to his age.

Do any other top leagues have good young refs?

We have a good young ref in the PL now. Michael Oliver.

 

[The Atticus]

Is it true that Lavezzi has a £25m release clause?

 

[GorillaJu]

Is it true that Lavezzi has a £25m release clause?

True or not, that's about how much money he'd be bought for, regardless. He's a great player, but should go for 22-25m, even though I'm sure Napoli would like to ask for 30+

 

[LegoArmo]

Yeah, by younger, I don't necessarily mean schoolboys, just that there's a difference between someone like Howard Webb and someone like Phil Dowd.

It's not just the 9 year age gap though.

 

[Hixx]

Steve Bruce to Hull according to Sunderland Echo journo. About right, will probably get them up in a season or two.

 

[Broder Salsa]

Chelsea set to release Salomon Kalou and Jose Bosingwa

Hopefully this is pulled straight of the article writers ass

"Florent Malouda, Michael Essien and Paulo Ferreira all have one year remaining at the club and are likely to be invited for new contract talks over the summer."

Why the fuck would Chelsea invite Malouda and Ferreira to new contract talks? Malouda hasn't been playing and has been shit all season. Ferreira couldn't get onto a championship side. Essien? Well, I love the dude, if he can find his old form then I wouldn't mind seeing him staying.

Noticed this in the FA's statement on Barton:


Now he should have been banned, and was. But surely they can't say what they've said there? Seems to me that they're basically saying the profile of the match played a part in the punishment. All incidents in all games should be judged by the same criteria, surely?

That does indeed seem pretty dumb.

 

[LegoArmo]

Hopefully this is pulled straight of the article writers ass

"Florent Malouda, Michael Essien and Paulo Ferreira all have one year remaining at the club and are likely to be invited for new contract talks over the summer."

Why the fuck would Chelsea invite Malouda and Ferreira to new contract talks? Malouda hasn't been playing and has been shit all season. Ferreira couldn't get onto a championship side. Essien? Well, I love the dude, if he can find his old form then I wouldn't mind seeing him staying.

They could be talks to say "look, you make decent back up, but you're going to have to take a 50% pay cut if you want to stay here".

 

[neoanarch]

How is Dowd still refereeing? The mandatory retirement age is 45.

 

[Choc]

Noticed this in the FA's statement on Barton:


Now he should have been banned, and was. But surely they can't say what they've said there? Seems to me that they're basically saying the profile of the match played a part in the punishment. All incidents in all games should be judged by the same criteria, surely?

FIFA mandates it. FA might get a nice letter over that. Ridiculous.