The problem with Holland is that as soon as they get off the plane they start arguing amongst each other and players either get sent home or refuse to play.  We shall see if it happens again but yea they have a nice team and a good manager, could be worth a punt.

But normally Arsenal play 3 in midfield, with the wide right and wide left player being purely attacking players along with the lone central striker, where as in 442 the wide players have to track back.
I think this suits Walcott a lot more than playing wide in a 442.
I've heard on numerous occasions in the past week that 'all he has is pace', well im sorry but Arsene Wenger would have had him shipped out long ago if his only attribute was pace. He proved against Croatia (and various times for Arsenal) that he can finish chances when he gets them. It's insane not taking him.

Walcott amassed a massive 2 assists and 3 goals this season. Even SWP, who isn't that good, managed 8 and 4...

Lennon played half a season and got 10 and 3...

Of course if we were basing it on that then Young would be the first choice.

I feel a bit sorry for Darren Bent and Michael Dawson - neither could have done more over the course of the last domestic season to stake a claim for a place on the flight to South Africa.

Bent featured for Sunderland in all 38 Premier League fixtures and scored 24 goals. Given the club, it's resources (compared to bigger clubs) and the poor season Bent was coming off for Spurs; his achievement during 2009/2010 season was outstanding.

Dawson was an important mainstay of the Spurs team that gained Champions League status - i think he would have been a deserving case for inclusion ahead of centre backs that did make the final selection.

Perhaps neither did enough during the International friendlies, but then again; surely you don't make vital decisions based upon performance in non-competitive pre-tournament matches...

It doesnt look nearly so different if you take away his league cup goals (4) apparently they are worth including and a goal against Barcelona in the CL isnt.  I love stats me and how they are so often manipulated.  He has also played significantly more games than walcott ironic given that his longest time out was after getting injured playing for England.

Walcott played less than half a season too you know.  Lennon and Walcott didnt play many games because they were injured.  SWP didnt play many games because he wasnt good enough to get into a team that finished below Arsenal and Tottenham.

All those stats were for league games only lifted straight from the stats section of Premierleague.com....There's no manipulation at all.

If you want to include all games then Walcott's record looks even worse. He only gains 2 goals and an assist.Lennon only played 2 extra games and got 2 assists. SWP gains 3 extra goals, not sure on the assists.

According to Premierleague.com he has played 30 11 sub games scored 4 http://www.premierleague.com/p...ers/0,,12306,00.html


Walcott has played 22 11 sub and scored 3

http://www.premierleague.com/p...6~34048~2009,00.html


Lennon played 22 2 as sub and scored 3

http://www.premierleague.com/p...6~24410~2009,00.html

This correlates with soccerbase too.  I dont know where you got your figures from.

So 11 full games versus 19 full games and 20 full games and he scored as many if not more.  I dont know what games the assists came from and I am not a great fan of the "assist" stat either since some players dont get the credit due at times.  His crossing has been poor but it has improved recently.

So your stats include league cup and FA cup goals and including all of them with an Arsenal player is stupid since first team players tend not to be picked for the league cup.  The youngsters play our league cup games and they tend to be against soft opposition.  Also given the accuracy of the previous stats....

Shows what stats mean because for me Lennon has had a good season and Walcotts not so but I would say SWP is a very lucky boy to be getting on that plane.


Edited after Disley corrected me.

I haven't had the time to check if this news story has already been posted, but it has just been posted on one of the accountancy websites that I use. It's probable this is the only time that I will ever post an accountancy news story on this Football thread but it is of interest.

In the Portsmouth administration the football creditors are expected to receive their full repayment of £22.4m funded by the Premier League’s deductions in the club's allocated TV revenue. However, unsecured creditors who are owed an estimated £83m are expected to be repaid around £16.5m over the lifetime of the CVA - usually five years.

In the CVA proposal document administrators claim that HMRC is taking action against the unfair advantages by football creditors.

"It is understood that a separate action is being initiated by HMRC against the football creditors rule, it is therefore not intended that a challenge to the football creditor rule will be undertaken by the future liquidators of the original company," it said.

The Premier League declined to comment on the details of the legal case.

 

(CVAs are Company Voluntary Arrangements which are agreements with creditors where a company has got into financial problems but there is a chance that the business can survive rather than having to go into liquidation)

Barcelona say they are in official talks with Arsenal over the sale of Cesc Fabregas.

So let me get this right Darlo. When a certain Spanish club illegally taps up and unsettles a contracted player of a PL club (let us for arguments sake call them Barcalona and Arsenal) then it's all  and .
But when a certain Spanish club illegally taps up and unsettles a contracted player of a PL club (let us for arguments sake call them Real Madrid and Man Utd) then that is wrong and unacceptable?
Double standards much??

It's not double standards because of course what Barcelona is doing is the same line as what Madrid did over Ronaldo.. was obvious he was going to leave like Fabregas I used them smileys as a way of saying goodbye to him.


Anyway Cesc has his wish and the cash can be used to get other players in so both parties got what they want....

CaptVimes, you just quoted the 2007/08 season for Walcott for some reason... The link shows he played 22 games (11 sub) and scored 3 in 2009/10. It is all league games only, it does not include cup games. I know this based on looking at my own clubs players. Kevin Davies won Bolton's golden boot for the season yet that website has Matty Taylor and Ivan Klasnic ahead of him in the top goalscorers chart, because it doesn't take into account cup games.

I think you've been reading my posts wrong. In my first post it's assists then goals, so the 10 and 3 for Lennon would be 10 assists and 3 goals, and it's the same for SWP, 8 assists and 4 goals, not the other way around.

I would say that assists are a pretty major part of a wingers game, but I guess that's just me.

I think the ranking numbers in the below images tell their own story. As I've said all along, Young should have been in there as well, and there's an obvious argument for taking Johnson ahead of SWP (experience probably played a major part). In fact it arguably should have been Milner, Lennon, Young and Johnson as the four wingers going to the World Cup with SWP filling the role of being cut from the 30 man squad. Walcott would not have even made the 30 based on this seasons form, and one goal against Barcelona doesn't change that.

Interesting - and further reason why Ashley Young should have been picked.

Interesting interpretation of something that hasn't happened!!


Just released official statement on Arsenal website

http://www.arsenal.com/news/ne...a-offer-for-fabregas

Fair enough they don't want to sell him.. he could stay to the end of his contract then decide to leave at the end of it because he will end up at the Nou Camp one day.


Even if he was to stay the endless speculation will appear in the papers every year and delighted the fans maybe it is annoying hence why Cristiano Ronaldo was finally sold because it was inevitable he would play for his boyhood club.. I wanted him to stay at the time not going to lie but now in hindsight realise it was the best move for player and club.

So basically the government wants to get first dibs on the carcass of a football club ahead of any other football clubs that may be creditors (highly likely) possibly also sending them into the spiralling pit of financial doom.  Am I reading that correctly?

From what I can see, SWP was chosen because of his form for England... not for our club. Its all well choosing someone who plays great for their club, but then it sucks when they turn out to not play their best when it comes to playing for their country.

Its like Barry, I would say he's been average for us... but after watching England without him against Mexico and Japan the midfield fell apart, could tell we were missing a holding midfielder. It didnt seem stable as you got both Gerrard and Lampard bombing forward. Barry is key to England...

But back to Wright-Phillips, he's not had a single bad game for England... hes been a threat down the wing and has scored goals. I admit he doesnt offer much more than goals/pace or played as many games as Walcott but he hasnt let down the side once, seems reliable and carrys alot of experience.

Did he deserve to get the nod ahead of Johnson? No
Did he deserve to get the nod ahead of Walcott? Yes

SSN yellow ticker - 'England squad depart for south africa'

Jeez, they must be bored

SWP definitely has had bad games for England, anyway im leaving it there.  Im getting behind the team now fed up with arguing it.

Not argueing... its just a discussion.

No surprise but the rumour on Twitter is that Rafa Benitez has been sacked as the Liverpool manager.

Yeah that rumours all over the place Darlo like the one that Arsenal have signed Joe Cole on a 3 year contract.
Makes you wonder if there is something in it when so many media outlets are running the same story.
One of the Rafa rumours is that the board are trying to force him out by not giving him any money for transfers. They badly want him to leave rather than sack him because his compensation will cost them so much

What??! Call yourself a Gooner? Don't you know that we apparently hate the England team so much that we sacrifice furry animals and tiny tiny babies in dark rituals to bring disaster down on them
Apparently...........

Hey Veggie.


If it's true then it's disappointing for Benitez because he has been given a lot of money to spend on transfers, some have been bargains some not so it's not as if he hasn't spent money on developing the team.. of course there is the situation with the owners, which is disappointing and they were hoping to get Mourinho according to the papers too who was always destined to go to Madrid at the end of the season anyway.

Liverpool need a clear out of some of the deadwood because it looks like Steven Gerrard could be off to Madrid and Torres has said he wants to stay plus Yossi Benayoun linked to Chelsea then now Rafa who's already been linked with Juventus and is now linked with Inter, as long as they don't get Capello.

I honestly hope Gerrard goes to Real Madrid. Liverpool are holding him back and if he wants to win something, Mourinho's the man to get the best out of him and re-uniting him with Xabi Alonso.
I like Gerrard (don't like Liverpool) and think his ability deserves more career honours than he has so far.

Hey Darlo
Sorry if I snapped at you earlier a bit over the Cesc thing - bit of a sore subject with us Gooners
I don't know what to think about Rafa. I do like him a lot, he seems like a decent man but I do think that a lot of Liverpools problems on the pitch are down to him.
He has spent a fortune on average, injury ridden players, alienated players he really needed like Alonso and makes astonishingly bad tactical decisions.
What would swing the board one way or the other I think is the likelihood of Torres and Gerrard either leaving or staying depending on whether Rafa is the manager. I think the board will do whatever it can to keep them

No worries considering whats happening don't think theres not much to be happy about until it is sorted out because it is distracting from the preparations for next season.



I like Rafa too, he's done what he could and IMO the players haven't took enough responsibility for their failure last season because Rafa has been left to take the blame.


Rafa messed up in terms of selling Robbie Keane and not finding a replacement then there was letting Alonso go.. it's confusing though because one minute Liverpool fans were on his side and blaming the owners then the next they're saying Rafa to go?.

Looks like Liverpool are deffo trying to get shot of him - even the Beeb are reporting it
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/h...iverpool/8719210.stm


Wonder if he would go for 3 mill?

If it's true that they want rid of him then 'you're just a fat Spanish waiter' suddenly seems even more apt....

LOL Disley - everytime he says the word Manager as Man er her I think of Manuel.
Morning everyone, Most of the papers have the Rafa story on the back pages so it looks genuine.

awwwwwwwwwwwwww i wanted rafa to stay - i think he is doing a great job

morning footie fans   vegggggggie

Barneyyyyyyyy
LTNS - hope you're well hun.
David Moyes has done a good bit of business with Beckford although I think that Becchio is the better player of that Leeds duo.
Was roundly cursing your girls when I went up to the cup final in Nottingham but we got our revenge the following week when we beat them at home which meant we won the league.
What are you hoping for this season?

good thanks veggie hope you are well too

think Beckford could be a good signing but will wait to reserve judgement on how he copes with the step up

Yakubu please get rid - apparently he was close to joining Spurs before he got injured, i never rated him before he came and think he is too lazy - doesnt try hard enough although he has got some good goals

Will be really disappointed if Arteta or Pienaar leave

For 2010/11 I am just hoping to remain injury free and get into Europe, with a few of the promising young lads breaking into the first team squad - think with the money City are spending it would be very difficult for us to get into the top 4

For the ladies, I am really pleased that we won the Cup and are hoping that we can challenge you again for the league - well done on that

What do you think your chances are for next year and for keeping Fabregas?

new away kit launched today

unlike the majority of our male fans - i like it

*goes to shops*

You need to hold on to those two Barney for sure. I think Everton had an even worse season injury wise than we did - it's so frustrating.
I think you have some great kids coming through, your academy is certainly working. It probably helps a lot that Liverpool have neglected theirs for the last few years - any kid in your area with a bit of knowledge will go for you rather than them.
As for Fabregas - who knows. It's clear that he has been actually illegally tapped up under the definition as his stupid father confirmed in an interview that Barca had contacted Cesc and basically told him to tell Arsenal he wanted out. Probably in order to drive down the price.
If he does stay it will only be for another season and the boss's contract is up at the end of next season so they could both go together - I really hope not.
Not sure what this season will bring - last season I felt optimistic at the start but not sure this time.
That kit  I do think that David James looks cute in his pink goalie top and I expect that Piennar and Fellani (sp) could carry your kit off quite well.

Yes, there are some really good kids coming through

We probably didnt have any more injuries than most other teams, but we havesuch a small squad and it was the key players that were injured, Cahill, Arteta, Fellaini, Jagielka amongst others

I really thought you would do well last year and would be challenging for the title

I like your manager - he doesnt talk BS like most of the others and is surely one of the longest standing managers now in the prem , i think that is key, you need to give managers time to settle in and even when going through a rough patch, stick with them

John Barnes for next Liverpool Manager he did such a good job at Tranmere Rovers

They could always give little Sammy Lee the job... He's a great manager...

WBA signed Pablo Ibanez from Atletico Madrid on a free transfer, will be shocked if as rumoured Sevilla sign Borja Valero.


Fabio Capello will be in charge of England to 2012, signed a new contract to put the Inter rumours aside.



Barns I do think Everton need another striker LOL because although Saha has improved on his fitness always a chance of him being injured since he's prone to it. 

Afternoon all.

We have finally signed Pablo Ibanez from Athletico Madrid!  As usual took long enough.  Di Mat is making the defence stronger though, which has to be a priority next season along with at least one more striker I feel and maybe, just maybe we can stay there.  I am starting to feel really positive about the whole thing and think that it could finally be our time for the Premier League.  

http://www.skysports.com/story...1688_6186106,00.html

In other Baggie news, Di Mat intends to play the same 4 ~ 5 ~ 1 system as last season, I think this may well work to our advantage, with a solid defence and a midfield that can score goals along with another decent striker, I personally would sell Luke Moore, I do not believe in getting on players backs, but he has not taken the chances he was given last season and should be sold on, use some of the money from the Greening transfer and look for a decent young striker either in this country or abroad to go alongside Miller and Bednar, both of whom I would keep.  

http://www.skysports.com/story...1688_6179690,00.html

Not keen on the odds at the bottom though!!!

Latest news regarding Rafa.

http://www.skysports.com/story...1688_6179690,00.html