# English Premier League and Football in General **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 1, 2005, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867 "2005-02-01T22:49:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 21
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/401 "2005-03-15T12:16:37Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > Oh and Friedl is better than Robinson? If you believe that my good friend, I have an email from a Nigerian contact which offers a seriously good chance to get rich. You’d be a fool not to take him up on his generous offer. Actually, he was insinuating that Timmy or Kasey are better than Robbenson, since Friedel is now retired. I read that more as “goalkeeper is the only spot where we have a serious chance at being nearly as good”. > [@](#): > > South Korea really isn’t turning into an appealing trip - it is all cars and dogs isn’t it? We are playing in Mauritius too. That’s a bit more like it. I’d definitely take Mauritius over Inchon, unless you fancy Korean women, and even then… ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/402 "2005-03-15T13:05:53Z")
[Totally Off Topic] **Garius** , I just got an email bounced back saying your mailbox is full. Please check on that. [/TOT] ---
**Author:** ![Legolamb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4491bb/32.png) [@Legolamb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legolamb)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/403 "2005-03-15T13:20:31Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > Actually, he was insinuating that Timmy or Kasey are better than Robbenson, since Friedel is now retired. 😕 A couple of years ago Friedel was undoubtably one of the best in the world, but Howard and Keller? One’s a clown and the other’s just as beyond his prime as Friedel - and wasn’t as good as him to start with. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/404 "2005-03-15T13:24:53Z")
> [@Legolamb](#): > > 😕 > A couple of years ago Friedel was undoubtably one of the best in the world, but Howard and Keller? One’s a clown and the other’s just as beyond his prime as Friedel - and wasn’t as good as him to start with. It’s not what I said, it’s just that you can’t say Friedel is better than Robinson unless he un-retires, and even the argument is specious. I would say that BA does somehow to manage to get the maximum value of what he puts on the field, including using defenders that seem horribly out of their element but generally (with glaring exceptions) do a good job of at least frustrating the better teams they’ve faced. ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/405 "2005-03-15T14:40:47Z")
[ot] **Shibb** - try now [/ot] ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/406 "2005-03-15T14:55:24Z")
Can I please ask you all not to mention Casey Keller again. I’m just about recovered from the last time I saw him. Robinson is streets better than Keller - and Fergie wants to buy him - which means at least one other person thinks he’s better than Timmy Tourettes. But all in all the only players in the USA team that might make an England squad are the keepers (unless you’ve got a demon left winger I’ve never heard of). ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/407 "2005-03-15T15:48:51Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > But all in all the only players in the USA team that might make an England squad are the keepers (unless you’ve got a demon left winger I’ve never heard of). DMB might be able to fill that role sometime in the not-too-distant future. [OT] **Garius** - Sent [/OT] ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/408 "2005-03-15T17:48:39Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > DMB might be able to fill that role sometime in the not-too-distant future. Who he? ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/409 "2005-03-15T18:48:11Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > Who he? DaMarcus Beasley, currently plays with PSV Eindhoeven. Smallish, very fast, left footed (although I think PSV play him on the right), has had several CL goals and assists although he mostly shares time with Farfan. You may get to see him if one of the English sides draws PSV for the next round. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/410 "2005-03-15T21:29:55Z")
> [@garius](#): > > I should have made that clearer. I don’t mean people such as yourself, or **Shibb** or pretty much any of the other lads in this thread. I mean fariweather fans and the people who have no knowledge of the game but have picked up the result and think it was actually a fair representation of the comparative state of the teams. > > To take the Australia example again, i got no end of stick from a couple of the tealeafs who work here (and in the pubs i drink at) after that result. I didn’t mind it from a few of them who were only having a laugh, and knew that it was a mickey mouse game. But there were a helluvah lot though who _genuinely_ believed that it showed that Australia were the superior team. I suppose you would run into Americans acting like that in England. Here in the States, the only people paying enough attention are the ones who know better than to take the result seriously. Mostly. ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/411 "2005-03-16T11:19:04Z")
Well Chelsea beat West Brom - the only suprise being that it was only 1-0. Tonight I have to go all the way to South East London to sit in a cowshed and bite my fingernails. THis is a real “must win” for both us and Charlton - Especially as it seems that 'boro are collapsing. I’m not confident - these are always the games we manage to bugger up. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/412 "2005-03-16T12:54:53Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > Well Chelsea beat West Brom - the only suprise being that it was only 1-0. They managed to make WBA look pretty good, actually, in the spots I saw. Only about 30-40 minutes of the middle. Is it too late for Chelsea to have a late season collapse? ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/413 "2005-03-16T18:49:21Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > They managed to make WBA look pretty good, actually, in the spots I saw. Only about 30-40 minutes of the middle. Is it too late for Chelsea to have a late season collapse? I would think not, considering that they still have yet to play Crystal Palace and Brum at home and Southhampton away. As has been mostly the case recently in the Premier league, the most intrigue is at the bottom of the table and mildly so mid-upper-table as teams vie to “get into Europe”. (Note: Regarding USA versus England, my only poiint about Goalkeepers was that it was really the only position the US could rightfully claim they can field world class talent. We do have talent at other postions, but it has yet to really prove itself in the bigger leagues. I also think TIm Howard has gotten a raw deal, he is not pants! :)) ---
**Author:** ![Legolamb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4491bb/32.png) [@Legolamb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legolamb)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/414 "2005-03-16T19:22:36Z")
> [@Gangster Octopus](#): > > (Note: Regarding USA versus England, my only poiint about Goalkeepers was that it was really the only position the US could rightfully claim they can field world class talent. We do have talent at other postions, but it has yet to really prove itself in the bigger leagues. I also think TIm Howard has gotten a raw deal, he is not pants! :)) Ah. Gotcha. My bad. I’d had a couple of beers then and afternoon drinking generally doesn’t agree with me. Clearly it does nothing for my reading comprehension either. And yes, Howard isn’t pants otherwise he wouldn’t be playing for arguably the most famous football team in the world. Of course neither was Barthez and you couldn’t exactly call him a reliable keeper… ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2005, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/415 "2005-03-17T01:48:01Z")
Got to agree that Howard and Barthez (especially) weren’t that bad. I think old Fergie has personality clashes with some players (ok, pretty obvious, but still) - it’s galling to see Stam playing for Milan. **Owl** , Mauritius would be much more your cup of Rosy, me old China. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2005, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/416 "2005-03-17T03:42:32Z")
> [@Ivar](#): > > I’m assuming you’re Sp\*rs GOD NO! I’m Magpies. > [@Legolamb](#): > > I do not think that team are as good as you think they are. No, I do. I mean to compare them to Mexico. In a European context, I guess they are as good as Sweden or Denmark. > [@roger thornhill](#): > > is that his precious Paul Robinson is the world’s best goalkeeper Except for the fact that Ireland’s Shay Given is ;). > [@Legolamb](#): > > A couple of years ago Friedel was undoubtably one of the best in the world, but Howard and Keller? One’s a clown and the other’s just as beyond his prime as Friedel - and wasn’t as good as him to start with. Actually in the late 90s and early 00s (until the World Cup), Keller was our #1 keeper. He started most of the fixtures until Friedal started in WC 2002. ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2005, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/417 "2005-03-17T03:50:17Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > Except for the fact that Ireland’s Shay Given is. Correction. He’s the world’s best goalkeeping midget. And he’s a mate of the Great One, so he’s okay - for a bogman. Make your you set your TiVo for the semi-final. Should be a goal fest. ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2005, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/418 "2005-03-17T10:45:10Z")
Bollocks to the lot of it! When does the cricket season start? At least Hampshire never give me false hopes. **roger** The only problem with Mauritius is that the missus will want to come along - which sort of defeats the object. ---
**Author:** ![Ithaka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Ithaka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ithaka)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2005, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/419 "2005-03-17T10:48:09Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > Bollocks to the lot of it! When does the cricket season start? At least Hampshire never give me false hopes. Well, normally I’d celebrate a Spurs loss, but did you have to lose to Charlton? Never mind, at least you know you’ll be there next season. ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2005, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/420 "2005-03-17T11:19:22Z")
I should have learned by now I really should. Every time we take a step forward we fluff our lines. I’ve had five bleedin’ decades of this to get used to it - and yet I’m always suprised. It’s always the two-bob diddy teams that do it too. Saints, Charlton, Newcastle (yes they are a diddy team - St James Park was half empty last night for a European game - “best fans in the world” my arse.) Oh well. At least we have our dignity. Oh. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867.md?page=20) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867.md?page=22)