Football (Soccer to those across the pond)

[Tillane]

Certainly does. Just a shame Ba and Tiote are off to the Cup of Nations - they'll be a big miss...

[mosaix]

Originally Posted by Tillane

Newcastle United 3 - 0 Manchester United

If you'll excuse me a moment, I'm just going to make sure I haven't slipped into some kind of alternative universe.

Nope, apparently not. Well, in that case...

Ha. Ha ha. Hahahahahahahahaha!

Ahem. Sorry.

Only seen it on MOTD, Tillane but I thought Ba's goal was outstanding - a pleasue to watch.

[Tillane]

Yep. He's been a really good buy (if one can call a free transfer a buy). We do need another goalscorer, though - have to see what we can get in the sales...

[Rangerton]

Originally Posted by Tillane

We do need another goalscorer, though - have to see what we can get in the sales...

Tillane, you can have Louis Saha from us if you want

[Tillane]

Heh heh. Five or ten years ago, perhaps...

Oh, hang on. Didn't we...

[Connavar]

Originally Posted by Snowdog

But before moneybags Man City came along, it was moneybags Chelsea who had all the money, along with moneybags Man Utd. For years you could predict the top four placings (if not the order) and it became completely monotonous. In fact it's been getting worse, with only two teams having a realistic chance of winning the league. Because of inequalities in money. Now we have 6 teams fighting for a Champions League place.

Did you hate what Chelsea stood for before Man City got their new money? Or what Man Utd stood for? They were in exactly the same unfair dominant position financially, and were for years. Plus the only other team (apart from Arsenal) to win the Premier League (Blackburn) basically bought themselves the title.

The financial structure of the Premier League is all wrong, and has been since its inception. Far too much money goes to the top clubs and too little filters down through the leagues. That's true for most European leagues. I'd like to see a more level playing field but the rules were set by the big clubs for their own advantage. I also dislike the huge financial disparity caused when rich owners take over a club, but as the rules currently stand it's the only possible way any other club could have broken the Chelsea/Man Utd monopoly.

Yeah i hated what Chelsea stood for, City is just younger,newer version. Man U had Ferguson built his team for 20+ years. He earned the big money to dominate the league. He didnt spend billions of money in 3 seasons going from bad, regelation team like Wigan to leading the PL.

Its like saying Wenger didnt built Arsenal greatest 2004 team because he bought stars like Pires,Bergkamp. He and Wenger built their teams over the year.

Chelsea, City, Real Madrid, Inter is economic doping that Uefa is trying to remove.

Rules stand ? Sure top football is unbalanced between rich teams who are historically big like Man Utd and smaller teams. But that is no excuse for spending billions, economic doping. Only naive City fans can defend what the owners of City has done.

Hope Platini new rules will do something. I prefer Man Utd win the league than every other team going to rich oil shejks begging for big money to win league.

[Snowdog]

Originally Posted by Connavar

He didnt spend billions of money in 3 seasons going from bad, regelation team like Wigan to leading the PL.

It's just a question of scale. Fergie spent miilions - when millions gave him the same clout as City's billions do - buying the best players available, though he also undoubtedly has a talent for building teams. But until Chelsea came along Man U could outbid anyone. They also have a reputation of poaching all the best young players. Even clubs like Barca have complained about their youth policy - though that's a case of pot and kettle.

It should also be remembered that Man U were the first English club to sell out to a super rich owner. It was on the back of Martin Edwards selling some of his stake in the 1990s that Fergie was able to buy the players to start winning titles and he eventually sold his remaining stake for over £600m, a colossal sum at the time, which enabled Man U to continually break transfer records. I think it's fair to say that that was what started us down this road and I've no doubt that if the right offer comes along, the Glazers will sell out in turn.

Originally Posted by Connavar

Its like saying Wenger didnt built Arsenal greatest 2004 team because he bought stars like Pires,Bergkamp. He and Wenger built their teams over the year.

Quite agree. I specifically didn't mention Arsenal. They are the one top club who do things the right way. They have a strict wages policy and concentrate on developing young players, and making good players better.

Originally Posted by Connavar

Rules stand ? Sure top football is unbalanced between rich teams who are historically big like Man Utd and smaller teams. But that is no excuse for spending billions, economic doping. Only naive City fans can defend what the owners of City has done.

Well I'm not naive nor am I defending City or the way they got their money. I've already said I don't like the financial structure of the game. I'm merely pointing out that they are no different to Chelsea or Man U or indeed almost any other club who would do the same if they got the chance. You seem to think Man U are somehow different but as I've demonstrated above, they're not. If City won the league at least it would make a change. Or Spurs, Arsenal or Liverpool come to that. Just not Man U or Chelsea.

By the way, Man U are not 'historically big', though it may seem like it to someone younger than me. I remember when they were in the second division. It was that money in the '90s that allowed them to go from 'one among many' to the dominant position they have now.

[Lenny]

If only "historically big" still meant something! Back in the day (really back in the day), Burnley were one of the best teams in the country! Would that it was still the case. Though saying that, it was about fifty years between our first and second comings, so we're surely due a third now, right?

Regardless, I'll be happy when this current season is over and Blackburn, Bolton and Wigan (here's hoping that they don't pull they're usual Houdini on the last day) are back where they belong in the Championship, along with so many other Lancashire teams. If Leeds stay around and if some combination of Preston, Huddersfield, Bury and Oldham get promoted, well, a derby every week!

And if Burnley can get promotion whilst everyone else meets up in the Championship, it will be hilariously brilliant, for if there's one thing better than a derby week in, week out, it's watching from up high as the other teams in the county battle it out.

[mr kite]

At last something to smile about in Manchester

[Rangerton]

Originally Posted by mr kite

At last something to smile about in Manchester

What's that the easy 4th round draw

[alchemist]

There'll be troops coming back from Afghanistan to police that game.

[mosaix]

Manchester City 2 - 3 Manchester United

A thrilling game.

City dominated for the first nine minutes until Rooney scored a well placed header. A couple of minutes later our inspirational captain, Kompany was sent off for a two footed challenge. According to the radio it was a debatable red card, but that's no excuse, two footed challenges are always going to contentious. Milner moved to right-back and Richards to centre-back which more or less prevented the surging runs he usually provides.

Now down to ten men City were on the back foot for the rest of the first half with United dominating and scoring twice more before the break.

At half time Mancini put on Zabaleta and Savic and, with a reorganised defence, Richards was free to push forward and this soon resulted in him being brought down just outside the United box, Kolorov scoring a sublime free kick into the top right hand corner.

Scholes came out of retirement for United minutes later only to give the ball away, United's keeper spilled the resulting shot allowing Aguero a simple tap-in.

With minutes to go another free kick from Kolorov almost earned a draw but United's keeper wasn't going to be beaten the same way again.

United would have put the game beyond City's reach if it wasn't for Rooney selfishly going for the hat trick on a couple of occasions instead of passing to a better positioned team mate.

I only wish Mancini had reorganised the defence sooner instead of waiting until half time, when we were 3-0 down.

Gracious as ever, Ferguson said United made City look good in the second half. The man needs to grow up.

Stats: Possession 50% - 50% and this with City down to ten men for 80 minutes.

A difficult few games coming up for the Blues, Toure is away at the Africa's Cup and now Kompany faces a four match ban. I appreciate Kompany's commitment to the cause but sometimes he needs to be a little smarter.

[Snowdog]

Originally Posted by mosaix

Manchester City 2 - 3 Manchester United
Gracious as ever, Ferguson said United made City look good in the second half. The man needs to grow up.

Have you ever heard Ferguson praising a rival? Everything he says is designed to further United's cause. He's the master of psychological warfare and his comments after the match were intended to counter the people who were praising City's 10-man fightback.

I thought the sending-off was harsh but not unexpected in the current climate. I heard on the radio that the ref might be saying he made a mistake, but anyone who leaves his feet in a tackle today is giving the referee the option of dismissal. It's something players have to learn.

[Aun Doorback]

Proud of City. It's a performance that will only drive them on. I've heard that Bobby Charlton is taking his boots to the Liverpool game in case Fergie needs him!

CTID

[mosaix]

Just watched the game on the T.V.

Two things. First, you'd have thought United had just lost from Ferguson's attitude during the interview. He knows he's got some big problems.

Second, although I stand by what I said about Kompany, the red card does look a little harsh.