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[Wilbur]

98th minute, hardly any stoppages yet the ref signalled 5 minutes then gave a penalty in the 97th min

Feels nice not to be ashamed of the team though we actually looked like a team

Oh by the way Wilbury I feel I should tell you, I once stole a metal chicken thingy from Nandos

You cunt

Although I don't even know where they're kept at my restaurant

 

[kingellesar]

Holy fucking cow, Gervinho is getting an orange man of the match card in Ultimate Team. Hhaahahaha, someone post the gif!

 

[Kyoufu]

Holy fucking cow, Gervinho is getting an orange man of the match card in Ultimate Team. Hhaahahaha, someone post the gif!

 

[Clegg]

You cunt

Although I don't even know where they're kept at my restaurant

They're afraid you'll try to stick them up your bum.

 

[kingellesar]

Perfect.

The one card no one would want on Fifa Should have -100 finishing

 

[Vivalaraza]

Viva.

The 6 Nations starts on the 2nd of Feb.

You should watch it.

Yeah I will be I'm confident of England's chances.

 

[Arnie]

Football is football.

True, and if you begin to climb the table on the back of good performances from these players after they've been grafted into your squad, then so be it.

If these players struggle to integrate, and your team doesn't manage to improve dramatically in the few remaining months, then I won't be at all surprised. Obviously you're due an improvement with the return of Cabaye and Ben Arfa, but I don't believe these wholesale imports from Ligue 1 are the right way to go, personally.

 

[Vivalaraza]

:lol Sky Italy reckon Saints will bid 12m Euro for Coutinho.

 

[Timurid]

You don't make any sense at all.

We are not buying players because they are from Ligue 1, we are buying players because they fit or system, needs and situation. End of story.

If you want to convince yourself that our only criteria this window has been where they play, then you are being ridiculous.

Gouffran and Haidara are the kind of players that we have been buying for the past few years now. Young, cheap and full of potential. Why those players in particular make you mad is beyond me.

Gouffran and Potential lololololololol

 

[The_Hitcher89]

Capra Demon was easy. Helped by me accidentally killing one of the dogs when I was aiming at the other

 

[Clegg]

Yeah I will be I'm confident of England's chances.

Maybe. On paper, this is England's strongest squad in a good few years.

But I can't see past France. Their clubs are doing very well in the European Cup and when the clubs are performing well so too does the national team.

I don't think they'll get the Grand Slam though.

 

[Wilbur]

we can make Wilbury support them.

Sounds like a made up thing to me. I'll do it. What is it?

Big Harlequins fan. I live in Twickenham. Been watching the play every since the days of Richmond being in the league. Quins and Liverpool are the only teams for me. It's great seeing how Harlequins have rebuilt the club from the ground up ever since they got relegated to now being a dominant team. After experiencing all that it makes me excited to see Liverpool start to rebuild themselves.

I'm in Twickenham/Teddington every day of my life haha

They're afraid you'll try to stick them up your bum.

I don't want anything up there. Ever. Not even like, a raisin or something small.

 

[Kyoufu]

True, and if you begin to climb the table on the back of good performances from these players after they've been grafted into your squad, then so be it.

If these players struggle to integrate, and your team doesn't manage to improve dramatically in the few remaining months, then I won't be at all surprised. Obviously you're due an improvement with the return of Cabaye and Ben Arfa, but I don't believe these wholesale imports from Ligue 1 are the right way to go, personally.

I would love a core group of English players but unfortunately we can't pay the prices asked for good ones. Selling Nolan/Barton could be seen as a mistake, but if we climb to safety then I won't be fussed.

I'd let Cabaye ram me up the bum.

 

[Clegg]

Sounds like a made up thing to me. I'll do it. What is it?

An Irish rugby team that have struggled badly for decades.

But recently there have been signs of improvement due to the high quality of youth and academy graduates they've succesfully integrated into their squad.

They're the perfect team for you.

 

[Wilbur]

An Irish rugby team that have struggled badly for decades.

But recently there have been signs of improvement due to the high quality of youth and academy graduates they've succesfully integrated into their squad.

They're the perfect team for you.

pls stop

You'll give people the wrong impression

 

[Mangoverboard]

An Irish rugby team that have struggled badly for decades.

But recently there have been signs of improvement due to the high quality of youth and academy graduates they've succesfully integrated into their squad.

They're the perfect team for you.

Do it Wilbz. Love them.

 

[ShogunX]

Probably something to do with us both being LFC nutters but I know exactly what Arnie is getting at.

The QPR comparison comes from inflating the squad with a lot of signings in a short space of time and then hoping everything comes together in an unlikely fashion. I'm sure Graham Carr has done a lot of homework on the players brought in and his track record suggests he knows what he is doing.

 

[Wilbur]

I get where Arnie's coming from too, but where I think it's different is that they're not looking to overhaul the entire first team like QPR did; Mbiwa and Sissoko will be great first team additions and that's it.

 

[adriano999]

:lol Sky Italy reckon Saints will bid 12m Euro for Coutinho.

Same bid we rejected 2 weeks ago

 

[Freewheelin']

DJANGO!

"I like the way you die, boy."

So so good.

 

[Kyoufu]

Probably something to do with us both being LFC nutters but I know exactly what Arnie is getting at.

The QPR comparison comes from inflating the squad with a lot of signings in a short space of time and then hoping everything comes together in an unlikely fashion. I'm sure Graham Carr has done a lot of homework on the players brought in and his track record suggests he knows what he is doing.

I understand. I'm hopeful they'll settle in. Some have previous played together/against each other in Ligue 1/National Team.

Of course, I still think we're likely to go down because these lot should have been signed a long time ago.

Ashley's incompetence could be our downfall.

 

[Arnie]

Probably something to do with us both being LFC nutters but I know exactly what Arnie is getting at.

I get where Arnie's coming from too

I understand.

 

[PowderedToast]

Probably something to do with us both being LFC nutters but I know exactly what Arnie is getting at.

The QPR comparison comes from inflating the squad with a lot of signings in a short space of time and then hoping everything comes together in an unlikely fashion. I'm sure Graham Carr has done a lot of homework on the players brought in and his track record suggests he knows what he is doing.

pardew and the board are likely in panic mode. if either wigan or reading win their next game and newcastle loses, they drop into the relegation zone. it's extremely tight down there.

 

[Arnie]

it's extremely tight down there.

 

[Kyoufu]

I still reckon Arnie hates France.

Explains his lack of love for cheese!

 

[Yen]

Is anyone awesome enough to make the background of my avatar transparent?

No, I'm not.

 

[Billy Big Bollocks]

I just ended up watching the highlights of a match from the early 1998 season between Arsenal and Man Utd (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Bi4VyTyUi0)

I thought three things by the end of it:

• The Arsenal and Man Utd teams of 1998 would have annihilated their modern counterparts, and those weren't even their best teams. Patrick Viera truly lives up to the name of Patrick Viera, he was absolutely beasting the midfield like no other supposed Patrick Viera of the modern era has ever done. Man Utd had Keane, Giggs and Beckham (Scholes wasn't even playing) and they won the title the season this game was played in. The football was technical, pacy, strong and there was some bite to it as well, players who were there for more than the money. There was also a sign of things to come as a young Anelka and Ljungberg both played in the match, perhaps Arsene's disappointing youth players of late have simply been down to bad luck rather than losing his eye for a good player.
• The commentary by Alan Parry, I felt, was wonderful simply because there wasn't a colour commentator there to spout his opinion, repeat what had already been described and ultimately be an annoying influence.You look nowadays at colour "commentators" like Niall Quinn who does an absolutely torrid job and can honestly make a game quite unenjoyable by speaking over the top of it. I honestly think Sky should stop being the port of call for ex-footballers trying to get some cash in between management jobs and just have the one commentator on a match, doing what they do best. It's all the more disappointing that commentators like Motson have retired from doing live football on television.
• Arsenal and Man Utd were rich clubs at the time because of their large fan bases, but damn if foreign billionaires haven't completely corrupted the top level of the English game. Man City and Chelsea have both bought their way to the title, leaving other clubs trailing in their wake, it's only because of their enduring popularity 15-20 years ago that clubs like Arsenal (who are struggling to do so now) and Man Utd are able to compete on their level financially. There are teams like Everton and Swansea who get by admirably with low budgets and good management though, which is a fresh sight to see. Obviously it was the instantiation of the PL that brought this situation about, we even catch Parry musing about Beckham's transfer fee were he to ever be sold. I honestly think that football is going to crash, badly, in the future. We've already seen what happens when the money runs out, like with my Portsmouth, financial destitution and relegation. What happens when one of the "big" (i.e. propped up by a rich owner) clubs goes bust? I honestly think that domestic financial fair play is the way to go, perhaps even take the approach that Germany takes and require fans to have a 51% stake in the club (not that any PL club would agree to that).

Kind of a lot to interpret from a 26 minute highlights package, but I think it needs to be said.

I love watching these videos, this is one of my favourite matches from that time between Chelsea who had an excellent team back then and the CL winning Utd team (minus a certain Danish keeper)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7P6wlcFFd0
Watch Dennis Wises tackle around 7m30s and the little pinch he gives Nicky Butt

 

[Yen]

Btw, Kyoufo, Arnie hates black people, and presumably the French as well.
Ignore him.

 

[Arnie]

I still reckon Arnie hates France.

Explains his lack of love for cheese!

What the country lacks in road signs it makes up for in supermarkets; as a child I used to love the ascending supermarche, hypermarche, ultramarche system of classing their supermarkets depending on size. Reminded me of Pokemon.

Btw, Kyoufo, Arnie hates black people, and presumably the French as well.

 

[choodi]

True, and if you begin to climb the table on the back of good performances from these players after they've been grafted into your squad, then so be it.

If these players struggle to integrate, and your team doesn't manage to improve dramatically in the few remaining months, then I won't be at all surprised. Obviously you're due an improvement with the return of Cabaye and Ben Arfa, but I don't believe these wholesale imports from Ligue 1 are the right way to go, personally.

In my opinion, buying players in January is rarely a good idea, but when you have the injury problems that we have had, then it is necessary.

As I said, buying players that are familiar with existing players in the squad and familiar with the other players you are buying is probably a sound strategy for minimizing the risk of buying in January. In our price range, that happens to be French-based players.

If that annoys you, then so be it, but don't compare us to Qpr.

 

[kharma45]

Viva.

The 6 Nations starts on the 2nd of Feb.

You should watch it.

I'm tempted to have a go at a proper OT for it this year.

 

[Freewheelin']

Testing Hitcher's avatar 123

 

[Arnie]

If that annoys you, then so be it, but don't compare us to Qpr.

We've already established that the comparison is valid, people understand the comparison, although each one of us have different interpretations of how the situation will play out. It's irking me that you're putting all your eggs in the Ligue 1 basket, because I think it's a flawed strategy.

Again, we'll see. When I said that QPR would drop people said my prediction was unfounded, and that the sheer weight of transfers would pull them into Premier League safety.

 

[Clegg]

I'm tempted to have a go at a proper OT for it this year.

Plz do.

 

[kharma45]

Plz do.

And even a general rugby one too, I'll have to see if I can find the stones to make my first ever thread.

 

[Clegg]

And even a general rugby one too, I'll have to see if I can find the stones to make my first ever thread.

I'd stick with the 6 Nations one.

I don't think there is enough interest in rugby on GAF to warrant a club rugby thread.

 

[Kyoufu]

We've already established that the comparison is valid, people understand the comparison, although each one of us have different interpretations of how the situation will play out. It's irking me that you're putting all your eggs in the Ligue 1 basket, because I think it's a flawed strategy.

Again, we'll see. When I said that QPR would drop people said my prediction was unfounded, and that the sheer weight of transfers would pull them into Premier League safety.

Nah. When Wilbury said QPR would be mid table I laughed. They have absolutely no scouting sense.

Mark Hughes basically slapped a dozen players on a dartboard and had at it. Those players weren't even scouted. They were offered by agents.

Also remember that those QPR players are on ridonculous wages. Some of them did not care about the club or football in general.

Look at Hoilett for example. Snubbed Liverpool, Newcastle, Reading etc for a big fat wage at QPR. What a chump.

We're at least going for some sort of squad chemistry.

 

[Clegg]

Twitter abuzz with Jovetic to Arsenal rumours.

 

[kharma45]

I'd stick with the 6 Nations one.

I don't think there is enough interest in rugby on GAF to warrant a club rugby thread.

Aye you're probably right, we can try a 6 Nations one first at least

There was an OT last year so I'll look at it to find out where to improve if we do make one.

 

[Salvadora]

Twitter abuzz with Jovetic to Arsenal rumours.

Arsenal are swooping!

 

[Arnie]

Twitter abuzz with Jovetic to Arsenal rumours.

That's key, I reckon.

 

[Clegg]

That's key, I reckon.

I like animal metaphors.

And transfer muppetry.

 

[Kyoufu]

Arsenal are swooping!

How did Wenger not bid on Mbiwa? Crazy man.

 

[Empty]

I just ended up watching the highlights of a match from the early 1998 season between Arsenal and Man Utd (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Bi4VyTyUi0)

I thought three things by the end of it:

• The Arsenal and Man Utd teams of 1998 would have annihilated their modern counterparts, and those weren't even their best teams. Patrick Viera truly lives up to the name of Patrick Viera, he was absolutely beasting the midfield like no other supposed Patrick Viera of the modern era has ever done. Man Utd had Keane, Giggs and Beckham (Scholes wasn't even playing) and they won the title the season this game was played in. The football was technical, pacy, strong and there was some bite to it as well, players who were there for more than the money. There was also a sign of things to come as a young Anelka and Ljungberg both played in the match, perhaps Arsene's disappointing youth players of late have simply been down to bad luck rather than losing his eye for a good player.
• The commentary by Alan Parry, I felt, was wonderful simply because there wasn't a colour commentator there to spout his opinion, repeat what had already been described and ultimately be an annoying influence.You look nowadays at colour "commentators" like Niall Quinn who does an absolutely torrid job and can honestly make a game quite unenjoyable by speaking over the top of it. I honestly think Sky should stop being the port of call for ex-footballers trying to get some cash in between management jobs and just have the one commentator on a match, doing what they do best. It's all the more disappointing that commentators like Motson have retired from doing live football on television.
• Arsenal and Man Utd were rich clubs at the time because of their large fan bases, but damn if foreign billionaires haven't completely corrupted the top level of the English game. Man City and Chelsea have both bought their way to the title, leaving other clubs trailing in their wake, it's only because of their enduring popularity 15-20 years ago that clubs like Arsenal (who are struggling to do so now) and Man Utd are able to compete on their level financially. There are teams like Everton and Swansea who get by admirably with low budgets and good management though, which is a fresh sight to see. Obviously it was the instantiation of the PL that brought this situation about, we even catch Parry musing about Beckham's transfer fee were he to ever be sold. I honestly think that football is going to crash, badly, in the future. We've already seen what happens when the money runs out, like with my Portsmouth, financial destitution and relegation. What happens when one of the "big" (i.e. propped up by a rich owner) clubs goes bust? I honestly think that domestic financial fair play is the way to go, perhaps even take the approach that Germany takes and require fans to have a 51% stake in the club (not that any PL club would agree to that).

Kind of a lot to interpret from a 26 minute highlights package, but I think it needs to be said.

great post, though i don't agree with all your conclusions. i'm really enjoying this match and the commentary point is spot on.

fergie got his tactics so wrong in the first half. gaf would be fuming lol

 

[Baconsaurus Rex]

Testing Hitcher's avatar 123

Teh fuk is dat

 

[ShogunX]

Teh fuk is dat

Looks like the Maiden in black from Demon souls.

 

[Salvadora]

How did Wenger not bid on Mbiwa? Crazy man.

I'm not really sure. I haven't seen enough to determine whether it was a mistake but Wenger was well aware of him and his desire to move so maybe he just didn't want him. Arsene felt we didn't need a defensive signing as well probably.

 

[Sage00]

Samaras' New Ad :lol :lol

 

[Hixx]

linked with mcgeady again in Russian press... Wasn't too keen in summer but think he'd be a decent option right now.

 

[Kyoufu]

I'm not really sure. I haven't seen enough to determine whether it was a mistake but Wenger was well aware of him and his desire to move so maybe he just didn't want him. Arsene felt we didn't need a defensive signing as well probably.

You need Hatem Ben Arfa. Cazorla ain't as good (but having both would be immense)

When we go down you should buy him.