Nah, I wouldn’t say he’s particularly injury prone.
It gets worse…LUFC don’t own Elland Rd - the council does. Fairly strategic parcels of land, ie ransom strips, around the stadium are owned by (and I love this) Peter Ridsdale.
There’s a Harvey Nicks in Leeds now you know - it’s still bloody grim up north though. They strangle kestrels and have all got black-lung.
I also think that Viduka is one of the lend/lease players, so they wouldn’t get any money for him, apart from the savings on the wage bill.
The bond is reasonably safe, assuming they don’t completely implode, and if their crowds in Div 1 are good. Although it means that one source of income is completely tied up.
What is more worrrying is the stupid contracts they have signed. They had 50+ company lease cars. They are still paying three managers (Vegetables, Local O’Leary and Reid) not to mention the outstanding lease payments on Keane and Fowler. (BTW we paid £4m for Keane not £7m, the fee could rise to £7m if ,and only if, we get into the champions league). And they rented goldfish.
Having said all that I think the hammers are possibly in a worse position.
Gerrard is THE most important player for england. We Have never lost when he’s played.
Beattie has scored more prem goals this season that Vassell Heskey (carthorse) and Rooney put together. Sven has, of course, dropped him. Silly Sven.
Thanks ruadh, that’s good to know.
Well, I tell you Owl, this England team is damn close to winning pots. It’s reaching its peak, now. But it has that one huge hole on the left-side through which the likes of France and Brazil can pour, and where we struggle to pressure opposition. Unless we plug it and use it better, we won’t match them in 2004 or 2006. After that, we start rebuilding again.
As to not losing with Gerrard playing; all anyone has to do to be able to claim that is to have missed the Brazil game as England haven’t lost any competitive game. We have great difficulty in conceding more than we score.
And is Gerrard anymore dispensable than Scholes, Beckham, Butt, Frankie Well’ard . . even Rooney if he’s not up front . . how embarrassing is it to have to hope someone like Dyer gets and stay fit (as we did for the World Cup) because no one else has a left boot! It’s utterly nuts!
So something has to be done. I agree Gerard is important. If he were to develop an understanding of the responsibilities of playing left-side diamond, then fine. But it’s not optional; he has to cover, protect, overlap, use to full advantage, everything that A.Cole or Bridge bring to the party. Otherwise the quality opposition run rings around us and we chug along like that three wheeled wagon.
Anyway, that’s what I think
On Leeds Disunited:
Like you, I think that Ridsdale thing is astonishing. Just remarkable. Didn’t know the coucil owned the land. It just gets sillier.
I fear they’re going to end up with a 45,000 crowd watching a bunch of 18-year old trainee’s on £500 a week. In Div Two.
Just because Celtic are ahead of their competition (5 points clear and ROMPING) doesn’t make Alan Thompson any less able to solve your left wing problem.
They and every other two-bob mob will just end up with a team full of jam rolls/czechs etc, and not bother with a youth set-up.
I agree that England have got a serious problem on the left. At root I think it starts with Ashley Cole. He simply isn’t good enough at defending to justify his place as a winger, nor good enough at attacking to justify his place. He gets pulled out of position and given that there is no DLM cover he looks like what he is - club level at best. In all honesty I think Bridge or even LeSaux could do a better job.
As you say, the rest of the team look pretty well sorted, with good options in all positions. As to who to play on the left I have no Idea. Maybe Hargreaves? I would give Lumpalard a go - he’s very talented and can defend. got to be worth a try?
Twisty, given the quality of our nearest competition this year I’m inclined to agree with OST.
You think that, I am inclined to agree.
However what a couple of web-mongs like us think doesn’t get the team picked.
Sven is a big club man. He doesn’t see beyond the top of the premiership.
David James would not be playing for England if he hadn’t broken in prior to WHams demotion.
Ditto; Joe Cole, Beattie, Carrick, Dunn. etc.
If thompson wants to play for erikson’s England he needs to move from a league that is percieved to be mickey-mouse.
I’m not saying it’s right. Just how it is.
mutter mutter gary fucking neville mutter mutter
For those who want to work in football (sorry arsene this post is not for you). Maybe Poyet could do it.
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Spain Norway 2-1
Not a bad result but when we scored the first goal(Iversen) I hoped for a draw and a better striker than Flo would have scored a second goal. But the victory was more than deserved and the Norwegian keeper had alot to do.
The referee Poll did his best to ruin the match with incompetense and awarding yellow cards based on the number of times players rolled on the ground. But the chance is still there as a 1-0 victory in Oslo is enough.
England 2 - 3 Denmark
England looked okay up front, but woeful in defence; the passing was rushed, the teamwork very poor. It was like watching a novice chess player, only thinking one move ahead, not any further. I really don’t think England have sufficient individual talent to do that for long without getting caught out. Beckham is a good captain and very good at set pieces, but he’s no Zidane. Rooney has potential, but I can’t see him and Owen together in one side, and Owen has the proven international goalscoring record (more than any other current England player). Terry and Lampard were decent enough.
I was so drunk after the vigorous 9.00am start in el boozer, I didn’t wake up in time for the footie. Least I think I was drunk, could barely see the mega screen for the clouds of grass . . . dear oh dear, what a morning . . .fwiw, I don’t watch the friendlies very much. Probably good to look at a couple of <Hoddle> “situations” </Hoddle> and firm up the squad players, though.
Only got one more of these early morning routines before the rugby finishes. Shame really, I’m almost getting up to speed. I think . . .
I don’t know what’s to be learned from friendlies. Even if Sven can get his best players, they have to be taken off at half time so Arsene/Fergie etc. don’t get upset. It would be more productive if he was able to use his nearly first team players and give them a full game. Of course the cynic in me says he has to play Beckham & co. to get the crowd interested. It’s all about money isn’t it?
V
Barks’ dog food - Obviously serious stuff for you – good luck
Just out of interest, I took a look at what odds were on offer for the second leg (quite fancying Norway for a 1-0). Not much but a couple of sites are offering odds . . . I can’t believe the prices . .
Blue Square . . . remember, it’s to qualify so no draw (goes to penalties, etc) :
Norway - 7/2
Spain – 1/6
- That’s outrageous . . . innit ?
Nil niiil to the sheepshaggers
Nil niiil to the sheepshaggers…
Christ that was close. When the Russian fans started throwing flares on the pitch bob-on 75 minutes the entire pub was shouting for abandonment (after 75 mins the result stands). And then Giggs gave a Ruski a cauliflower ear, loved it.
Roll on Wednesday - I think my seat is directly behind the cameras. When the camera pans to Ian Wyn Hughes I’ll jump on him and slap his head in jubilation if we win. Having said that, 0-0 away is a dangerous result. One away goal for the Rusks and it’s tricky.
And what about them Sweaties!
The highlight of the build up to Ireland’s meaningless friendly with Canada has been the ad on TV3 (Irish TV station) for their coverage:
Blank screen
Cue the music - Everything I Do, I Do it For You
Text on screen - “Bryan Adams is a Canadian”
Text changes - “On Tuesday, It’s Payback Time”
I didn’t see anything but the MOTD highlights. I have simply given up caring about friendlies.
I was in Brussels for the weekend and I wanted to go and see Racing Daring White Mollenbeek, but the wife “had views” about this.
However I did get to see the rugby in a (irish) pub full of frenchmen. Which was nice.
Rugby’s alright once you realise that it has exactly the same rule structure as Mornington Crescent.
The norwegians are 3/1 with william hill to win.
Stan Collymore si to be player manager at Sarfend,
…but ze man from Real Oviedo, he say “non”.
What the hell is Racing Daring White Mollenbeek when it’s at its mothers?
It’s Brussells second team - I really wanted to go - just to say I had seen Racing Daring White Mollenbeek. Alas; like my ambition to eat Bontcho Guentchev’s meatballs it was not to be.
The two teams I really, really, really want to see are Eleven Men in Flight and THe Botswana Meat Commission.
I’ll be going to Switzerland early next year. It would be my dream to see Young Boys of Berne get spanked by a Grasshopper.
In the Kuntz stadium?