Thursday, December 27, 2007

Will Fabio give us quotes like these?


Read some of these quotes below. Now I know footballers (managers) are not the brightest bunch but can you really see the likes of Kilnsmann, Van Basten, Capello, Lippi, Hiddink etc etc coming out with amount of rubbish that came from the mouth of Kevin Keegan?

'It's like a toaster, the ref's shirt pocket. Every time there's a tackle, up pops a yellow card.'

'The ref was vertically 15 yards away.'

'There are two schools of thought on the way the rest of this half is going to develop; everybody's got their own opinion...'

'Goalkeepers aren't born today until they're in their late twenties or thirties.'

'This could be a repeat of the final.'

'The game has gone rather scrappy as both sides realise they could win this match or lose it.'

'I don't think there's anyone bigger or smaller than Maradona.'

'England can end the millenium as it started - as the greatest football nation in the world.'

'They compare Steve McManaman to Steve Heighway and he's nothing like him, but I can see why - it's because he's a bit different'

'Despite his white boots, he has real pace...'

'You can't do better than go away from home and get a draw...'

'He can't speak Turkey, but you can tell he's delighted.'

'There'll be no siestas in Madrid tonight.'

'...using his strength. And that is his strength, his strength.'

'One of his strengths is not heading'

'Gary always weighed up his options, especially when he had no choice.'

'I'm not disappointed - just disappointed.'

'The tide is very much in our court now.'

'Chile have three options - they could win or they could lose.'

'That would have been a goal if it wasn't saved.'

'I came to Nantes two years ago and it's much the same today, except that it's totally different.'

'A tremendous strike which hit the defender full on the arm - and it nearly came off.'

'The good news for Nigeria is that they're two-nil down very early in the game'

'The substitute is about to come on - he's a player who was left out of the starting line-up today.'

'That decision, for me, was almost certainly definitely wrong.'

'I know what is around the corner - I just don't know where the corner is. But the onus is on us to perform and we must control the bandwagon.'

'Hungary is very similar to Bulgaria. I know they're different countries...'

'In some ways, cramp is worse than having a broken leg.'

'The 33 or 34-year-olds will be 36 or 37 by the time the next World Cup comes around, if they're not careful.'

'England have the best fans in the world and Scotland's fans are second-to-none'

'It's understandable that people are keeping one eye on the pot and another up the chimney.'

'I'd love to be a mole on the wall in the Liverpool dressing room at half-time.'

'It could be far worse for me if it was easy for me.'

'Discipline is not only very important, it's crucial.'

'Young Gareth Barry - he's young'

'Argentina won't be at Euro 2000 because they're from South America.'

'They're the second best team in the world, and there's no higher praise than that.'

'You don't get two chances at this level, or at any other level for that matter.'

'You're not just getting international football, you're getting world football'

'Kanu, a guy with a heart as big as he is'

'Luis Figo is totally different to David Beckham, and vice versa'

'Football's always easier when you've got the ball'

'They don't come every three days, like they come after this one'

'I want more from David Beckham. I want him to improve on perfection.'

'The tide is very much in our court now.'

'There's a slight doubt about only one player, and that's Tony Adams, who definitely won't be playing tomorrow.'

'We have spent three matches chasing a football.'

'It’s no longer an 11 man game.'

'The Germans only have one player under 22, and he's 23'

'For some it's the ultimate job, for the others it's the last job.'

'I've had an interest in racing all my life, or longer really.'

'We managed to wrong a few rights.'

'We are three games without defeat is another way of looking at it. But if we are honest we have taken two points from nine'

'He'll also be very dangerous from set-pieces. That means he'll be a threat from free-kicks and corners in the final third of the field.'

'Danny Tiatto is not going to make a mistake on purpose'

'I'll never play at Wembley again, unless I play at Wembley again'

'You need 88 points for the title and we’ve got 61 at present with 16 games to go, but if you set targets you limit yourself'

'We deserved to win this game after hammering them 0-0 in the first half'

'He’s got a heart as big as his size, which isn’t big, but his heart’s bigger than that'

'Well, if that's true then it would be a big suprise, but then nothing surprises me in football these days.'

'You get bunches of players like you do bananas, though that is a bad comparison.'

'Not many teams will come to Arsenal and get anything, home or away'

'Shaun Wright-Phillips has got a big heart. It's as big as him, which isn't very big, but it's bigger'

'Nicolas Anelka left Arsenal for £23million and they built a training ground on him'

'As far as I'm concerned, Danny Tiatto doesn't exist'

'One team with destiny already decided...'

'Maine Road was a great football stadium but as time moved on it stayed where it is...'

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

FFL week 18

Right, let's get this over and done with. I've got the outlaws coming round in about an hour and haven't even started peeling potatoes. Fuck the herald angels sing.

No one got into double figures in a frankly shit week of fantasy football. Mick and Theo came closest, scoring 9 each. Again, I finished bottom with no points and more injuries. Theo was right - this game is utter shite and rather childish if you think about it. Here are the scores:


c FFL 2007/08
LEAGUE TABLE
Diff Total Points
1st Stathi 243
46 2nd Rico 197
63 3rd Mike 180
80 4th Nick Ath 163
83 5th Sid 160
84 6th Nick PC 159
## 7th James 139
## 8th Don 128
## 9th Theo 129

No transfers.

Merry Xmas.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

ffl week 17

Well, not much commentary is needed this week. Everyone saw the devastation wreaked by Stathi's team for themselves. One thing's for sure though: there'll be no Santa puns on this blog.

So, Stathi scores a massive 21 points. In a week in which only 1 other manager, James, gets into double figures (with 12). As for moi, it's a pathetic 4. Theo was right - it's a fucking stupid game for kids this FFL bollocks. Scores:

c FFL 2007/08
LEAGUE TABLE

Diff
Total Points

1st Stathi 236
47 2nd Rico 189
65 3rd Mike 171
73 4th Nick Ath 163
81 5th Sid 155
82 6th Nick PC 154
99 7th James 137
## 8th Don 121
## 9th Theo 120

Again, no transfers. What's the point, eh?

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Separated at birth?

Midfield class

I know its still early, I know its (very) biased but the future of midfield players in WORLD football is these two.


















We all know Cesc's qualities but anyone who has watched Anderson recently will reaslise why Ferguson paid so much for him.

Both can play with the ball at their feet. Both are two-footed. Both can pass - short and long. Both (to coin a Stathi-sim) are continuity players. One is 19 years old and has played here since September, while the other is 20. Both have the world at their feet.

Compare with these two:















Both are very good footballers. I'm not saying they are horrendous at what they do by any stretch of the imagination but they are as good as they are going to get. One is 27 years old and can't retain possession for his team and loves the 'hopeless but great when it comes off three times out of 20 forty yard pass' while the other is 30 years old next birthday and must be bricking it the day Makelele retires and is asked to track back.

On this Grand Slam, Super Doupa Sunday, both were OUTCLASSED by a younger player who possesses immeasurable more talent than either..........................

Let the debate begin.

Saturday, December 15, 2007

FFL Week 16

Apologies for the late posting of scores. I blame Christmas.

Well, another strange week. Mike's charge up the table continues with an impressive 15 points, in a week in which the next highest scorer was his brother with just 7. Everyone else scored 6 apart from Sid who only managed 3.

Scores:


FFL 2007/08
LEAGUE TABLE
Diff Total Points
1st Stathi 215
31 2nd Rico 184
50 3rd Mike 165
56 4th Nick Ath 159
68 5th Sid 147
70 6th Nick PC 145
90 7th James 125
## 8th Theo 114
## 9th Don 113

No transfers. That's all folks!

Wednesday, December 05, 2007

FFL Week 15

This season is turning out to be the FFL equivalent of Groundhog Day. This week, it's the bit where Bill Murray punches the guy in the face on his way to the park.

Again, almost everyone gets into double points - Theo, this time you really are the exception, with 8 points. Again, Stathi pulls ahead with a 20-points haul. Again, one of his players has an outstanding week. Since Week 4, he's had a player score at least 6 points (with the exception of Week 11). It started with Fabregas (7 points twice) with the baton subsequently handed to Lescott, Hreirdarsson, Rooney (twice), Jenas (yes, even fucking Jenas) and now Gerrard (2 goals and 4 assists in 2 games). This translates into the following weekly totals: 12, 15, 10, 08, 16, 15, 9, 15, 17, 24, 7, 16, 15 and 20. Consider also the fact that he's had injuries to contend with, most notably Rooney and more recently Fabregas and Jenas (not to mention Hreirdarsson losing his place).

Anyway, enough bullshit. Here are the scores:

FFL 2007/08
LEAGUE TABLE
Diff Total Points
1st Stathi 209
32 2nd Rico 177
56 3rd Nick Ath 153
59 4th Mike 150
65 5th Sid 144
70 6th Nick PC 139
96 7th James 113
## 8th Don 108
## 9th Theo 108

With January within touching distance, it's no surprise that no transfers were made this week. Tonight, it's Newcastle v Fabregas-free Arsenal. Sigh.