FFL 2007 / 08 Week 3

Right, that’s it. I hereby resign the chairmanship for next season. Every year I do this I am languishing near the bottom. Getting tedious now and its only week three! For crying out loud none of my three forwards have played yet (Ronaldo, Eduardo and Yakubu). Is there something in having players with a vowel as the last letter in their name????

McNick retains his top spot with a credible 11 points and in the process retaining the accepted 10 points a week scoring rate to be a contender.

Both Theo and Rico close the gap at the top with a thumping 15 points each to gain the Rafa “I promise he is the missing piece of the jigsaw Mr. Chairman and this year we will win the title and no his name is not Djibril Cisse” Benitez award for manager of the week. Rico was thankful for Nani’s goal and Ferdinand’s clean sheet while Theo got 7 points from defence.

James made up for a poor two weeks with 14 with Anelka bringing instant dividends after his transfer.

Don, grateful that Nicky Shorey didn’t play against Wigan, still finished pointless (that’s without a point not you Don being meaningless or inane!!!) to win this week’s Sammy “why did I become a manager” Lee award.

Here is the table:

Diff			Total Points
	1st	Nick Ath	39
3	2nd	Theo	36
3	3rd	Stathi	36
4	4th	Rico	35
9	5th	Nick PC	30
19	6th	Mike	20
24	7th	James	15
26	8th	Sid	13
34	9th	Don	5

On the transfer front, there was a three-way battle for the services of “I’m staying, I’m going, I’m staying ‘cos I got a pay rise but I’m probably off in the summer” Berbatov.

Nick PC tried to offload Bianchi (£5.9m) but was usurped by my attempt to get rid of Eduardo (£6.8m). However the winner of the tussle was Sid who decided that Shevchenko (£7.1m) was surplus to requirements.

Sid predictably got Belletti having got rid of Ferreira.

Nick PC did manage to make one transfer bringing in Diouf for Ljungberg.

That’s it for this week.

Another funny - Triumph the Insult Comic Dog rips Star Wars nerds

I know I am clogging up the blog, but I keep getting these sent ot me and I have to share them. This one is seriously funny......................

Football Comedy

Some very funny clips here:

The greatest footballer ever....................

How we have gone a year without ANY clips on Maradona is a travesty!

Here are two clips. One is him in training - tennis ball kick-ups, skills etc. The other is THAT goal with Argentinian commentary. Best goal ever? I think so.....................

FFL 2007 / 08 Week Two

Here we go, it’s only week two and Mr Barwick of the FA has already got on the phone to the Mr. Hacket of the refs association and DEMANDED that the admittedly shit referee from Sunday’s game between the renty boys and LFC be demoted to refereeing Sunday League football for all eternity.

Fuck me some clubs get swift justice. Who did Zakora fall over against and get a penalty last season? (to name one such similar incident) What happened to the ref – nothing! And let’s not forget last week’s rant about a certain scally and his protestations to the ref that led to a goal from a free-kick that never was. Oh well, still 8 and half months left…………

On the FFL front, Stathi has forgotten about Rooney’s broken foot / toe / ankle (whatever it is this time) and stormed in with a stonking 15 points which was equalled by McNick’s champion looking team. (IMO)

As I said last week, if this season’s is about getting goals, then it seems that McNick and Stathi have the midfield and forward line to do just that. But there is a long way to go and injuries, loss of form, bad luck or (Sid's) karma can all have a decisive effect on the destination of the 13^th Dwight Yorke Cup.

However, top score this week goes to Theo with a score of 17. A 0-0 draw between Villa and the Geordies gave him six points which was supplemented by fat Frank’s two goals. Well done TC you are the recipient of this week’s ‘Sven award’ for manager of the week.

James got the Daniel Levy 'Vote of Confidence' award as he managed to get positive points this week. A grand total of 2 to leave him on 1 – a whopping 27 behind pacesetter McNick. Only one other manager managed to get into double figures this week – Nick PC - even though there were some midweek games.

Here is this week’s table:

Diff			Total Points
	1st	Nick Ath	28
1	2nd	Stathi	27
4	3rd	Nick PC	24
7	4th	Theo	21
8	5th	Rico	20
18	6th	Mike	10
19	7th	Sid	9
23	8th	Don	5
27	9th	James	1

On the transfer front, James has been busier that Harry Redkanpp on transfer deadline day. He has got rid of Berbatov, Owen and Reo-Coker and brought in Bent, Anleka and Malbranque.

A battle between McNick and Don for the services of Sibierski (of the Antoine variety)

Don tried to offload Carrick (3.8m) then Boa Morte (4m) but both bids failed as McNick’s bid of Cahill (4.4m) was superior in value terms.

Don was successful though in getting rid of Newcastle’s Cacapacacapacapcapcapa. In comes Dunne from city.

Already one manager has divulged they cannot wait for next season’s auction. I wonder who that is! Answers on a postcard please!

That’s all for this week.

Best youtube clip?

Quality stuff. Very clever - imo!

Before Carlton made it big on the Fresh Prince!!!

Quite funny

FFL 2007/08 Week 1

We are back and the controversey has started already! Can I ask something? Why is it the newspapers and the media were VERY eager to publish what Sanchez said about Arsenal's (foreign)'divers' and admonish them but there was not ONE mention of the ridiculous decision to award (English) Gerrard a free-kick?

In all of the Arsenal 'incidents' cited by Sanchez how many Arsenal players were flailing their arms about like a demented and rabid animal? None. As soon as Gerrard DEMANDS a free-kick he got it. The result? An admittedly brilliant free-kick winner. Is this what we are going to get this season? Oh well.................

FFL-wise, it was a bumper week for the two Nicks who scored 14 and 13. Interestingly, with Liuverpool and Chelsea both adopting a more attacking mindset, will this season's FFL King be the one with the best attack rather defence? Maybe. When was the last time Chelsea conceded twice at home. When did Liverpool and Chelsea both concede on the same day???? Something to ponder.

To emphasis this point, only Stathi's defence scored more than 2 this week. A sign of things to come? Too early to say I guess but only 14 of the 68 points scored (21%) were scored by the defence!

At the bottom this week is Dimitar Berabtov Fan Club chairman James wih a miserably -1.

I will send the spreadsheet today. Here are the scores:

Diff			Total Points
	1st	Nick PC	14
1	2nd	Nick Ath	13
2	3rd	Stathi	12
3	4th	Rico	11
7	5th	Mike	7
10	6th	Sid	4
10	7th	Theo	4
13	8th	Don	1
15	9th	James	-1

Transfer-wise it has been hectic.

No less than four bids for Shaun-Wright Phillips. Nick PC tried with N'Zogbia (3.7m) but was trumped by Don's bid of Carrick (3.8m) and then mine Pennant (3.9m). This rendered Nick PC's second choice irrelevant (Ljungberg 3.9) James tried a late bid with Reo-Coker (3.7m) and here I want to clarify something.
Transfers HAVE to be submitted to the assigned email address (its on the spreadsheet). In the event that this cannot happen then a text or a phonecall will suffice BEFORE the deadline.

How to go off jiggy jiggy!!!!

Not sure if this real or not but what a story.

Extract: "AN OHIO teen was severely traumatized after discovering the stars of a downloaded porno flick were none other than his own parents."

Click for more

Remember the name...

I know a lot can happen (he's only nine years old) but the fact is some of the skills this kid is pulling off in a match situation most people would struggle to do at the park!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZ_RS4Q1myc

Best thing EVER on the net.....................

How we have NOT put this up I'll never know. Apologies to the those who do not understand Greek............

The new 'San Giro'

LFC's new stadium plans have been announced. Gone are the toilet design and the wheely bin and in comes........................the 'padlock' (again very in keeping with its surroundings!!)

Seriously though the Kop end idea is an attempt to keep the traditions of the old stadium. Great idea. (I can't believe I just wrote that!)

I do have one concern, with all the glass that is surrounding the stadium, how long before it is bricked to bits????

Opinions? I think it is too far removed from a football stadium. Too American. I personally like the bowl design of Wembley and the Ali Baba Stadium.

Videprinter

Spot the difference.........

Image one.........












Image two...........













Answers to the following email:

WherecanIbuyaGilletteafterGillettehasboughtme@hotmail.com

Sky-jacked games in full (and Setanta too!)

SKY LIVE GAMES

Saturday 11 Sunderland v Tottenham 12.45pm TBC
Sunday 12 Chelsea v Birmingham City 1.30pm TBC
Sunday 12 Manchester United v Reading 4pm TBC
Tuesday 14 Tottenham v Everton 8pm TBC
Wednesday 15 Wigan Athletic v Middlesbrough 8pm TBC
Saturday 18 Portsmouth v Bolton 12.45pm TBC
Sunday 19 Manchester City v Man Utd 1.30pm TBC
Sunday 19 Liverpool v Chelsea 4pm TBC
Saturday 25 Sunderland v Liverpool 12.45pm TBC
Sunday 26 Man Utd v Tottenham 4pm TBC
SEPTEMBER
Sunday 2 Arsenal v Portsmouth 1.30pm TBC
Sunday 2 Aston Villa v Chelsea 4pm TBC
Saturday 15 Portsmouth v Liverpool 12.45pm TBC
Sunday 16 Manchester City v Aston Villa 4pm TBC
Sunday 23 Manchester United v Chelsea 4pm TBC
Saturday 29 Manchester City v Newcastle 12.45pm TBC
Sunday 30 Everton v Middlesbrough 4pm TBC
OCTOBER
Saturday 6 Manchester United v Wigan 12.45pm TBC
Sunday 7 Reading v Derby County 2pm TBC
Sunday 7 Fulham v Portsmouth 4.10pm TBC
Saturday 20 Everton v Liverpool 12.45pm TBC
Sunday 21 West Ham United v Sunderland 4pm TBC
Sunday 28 Bolton v Aston Villa 1.30pm TBC
Sunday 28 Liverpool v Arsenal 4pm TBC
NOVEMBER
Saturday 3 Arsenal v Manchester United 12.45pm TBC
Sunday 4 West Ham United v Bolton 4pm TBC
Saturday 10 Sunderland v Newcastle United 12.45pm TBC
Sunday 11 Birmingham City v Aston Villa 1pm TBC
Sunday 11 Portsmouth v Manchester City 4pm TBC
Saturday 24 Newcastle v Liverpool 12.45pm TBC
Sunday 25 West Ham United v Tottenham 1.30pm TBC
Sunday 25 Fulham v Blackburn Rovers 4pm TBC

SETANTA LIVE GAMES

Saturday, August 11th @ 5.15pm – Aston Villa v Liverpool
Saturday, August 18th @ 5.15pm – Newcastle United v Aston Villa
Saturday, August 25th @ 5.15pm – Everton v Blackburn Rovers
Sunday, August 26th @ 1.30pm – Middlesbrough v Newcastle United
SEPTEMBER
Saturday, September 1st @ 5.15pm – Manchester United v Sunderland
Saturday, September 15th @ 5.15pm – Chelsea v Blackburn Rovers
Monday, September 17th @ 8pm – Derby County v Newcastle United
Saturday, September 22nd @ 5.15pm – Fulham v Manchester City
Saturday, September 29th @ 5.15pm – Birmingham City v Manchester United
OCTOBER
Monday, October 1st @ 8pm – Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa
Sunday, October 7th @ 12noon – Arsenal v Sunderland
Saturday, October 20th @ 5.15pm – Aston Villa v Manchester United
Monday, October 22nd @ 8pm - Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur
Saturday, October 27th @ 5.15pm – Portsmouth v West Ham United
NOVEMBER
Saturday, November 3rd @ 5.15pm – Blackburn Rovers v Liverpool
Monday, November 5th @ 8pm – Manchester City v Sunderland
Saturday, November 10th @ 5.15pm – Liverpool v Fulham
Monday, November 12th @ 8pm – Reading v Arsenal
Saturday, November 24th @ 5.15pm – Derby County v Chelsea

Retiring shirts.........

Reports this morning suggest that Arsenal have been planning for life without striker Thierry Henry but no player had been given his old number 14 shirt. Fans have suggested retiring the number to mark the Frenchman's contribution to the club.



What do you think?

Imagine the Arsenal number 14 shirt not turning up in big games anymore!!!!!



And before JN bites back, the rumour that United have retired the number 9 is totally false since its present owner is currently on sick leave after fracturing his toe nail while sleeping!

From toilet to wheely bin...............

New images of Liverpool's proposed new stadium. A bit of an improvement from the toilet you can below to what can only be descirbed as something resembling a wheely bin!

Introducing the new LFC stadium

Also known as the Beardsley Stadium (so named as it is ugly as sin - my opinion of course)

Opinions?

This is what smoking crack does!!!

Evra lets rip on Hasselbaink and Lampard (when he was at Monaco before Champions League Semi against Chelsea)

RE: The Rams & Stagathon

Firstly, i'm sure you will all join me in congratulating the mighty Rams for reaching the promised land of The Premiership. Enjoy the ride my friend as the euphoria is lileky to be short-lived...

More importantly it has come to my attention that Sat 11th August is the first day of the 2007-08 Premiership season. We'll need to re-assess once the fixtures come out but if Spurs are at home then at least 5 of us have a problem. Ditto with Arsenal with 3 people.

Discuss.

MUFC songsheet for next season.........

No doubt the following will be sung at Old Trafford next season:

You robbed your own fans,
you robbed your your faaaaaaaaaaaaaans,
that day in Athens, you robbed your own fans
(to the tune of "we won it six......sorry, five times")

The fans with no shame,
the fans with no shaaaaaaaaaaaaaame,
they robbed thier mates to see the game,
the fans with no shame.
(same tune as above)

In your Liverpool slums,
you robbed your own fans for their tickets in Greece,
once more you deny it and blame the police,
in your Liverpool slums

The best one yet???

Fancy a bet??? Click on the picture to make it bigger.

Found another..........

Taken from the Liverpool website!!!!

And another........

I couldn't resist..........

If you click on this link you can see the Evertonians actually taking the picture:

LINK

It was inevitable................

After last night's 'Greek Tragedy' (or joy depending how you see things – thanks for text JN!) it would only be a matter of time before the plethora of email and txt 'jokes' started. Here we go:

1. When's the minute's silence?

2. Still depressed? Can't talk about it? Can't confide with friends or family? Then call 0800 10 10 10. That number again – 0800 won nothing, won nothing, won nothing!

3. The Easter bunny has been spotted running around Anfield. A spokeman for Merseyside police said it was just a case of mistaken identity, as the only person they could find with all their eggs in one basket was Liverpool manager Benitez.

4. What have Olivia Newton-John and Liverpool got in common? They both got f**ked in Greece.

Oh and best newspaper headline surely goes to the Mirror:

"Revenge as Kop come Acropolis"

Pieri scoops third FFL title

It was an FFL formality, but etiquette demands that we wait for the proper end to the season before handing the trophy over to Mike. Commiserations to Nick who appeared to be running away with it at one point, only to falter when it really counted.

Looking back on the season, you have to say that the acquisition of Robbie Keane was crucial. He scored 53 points since his transfer and was arguably the best striker in the Premiership in the last couple of months. Cech also played his part but some might rue letting Mike get him back so easily after his injury. Overall, a solid defence (Cech, Finnan and Ferdinand especially) and an excellent, consistent forward line (Rooney and Keane) made up for a very poor midfield. Once again, Mike has proved a determined and prescient manager and thoroughly deserves his third trophy [round of applause].

As for Nick, the transfers didn't quite work out (apart from Downing perhaps). Agger and Riise were excellent buys (especially since no one really fancied Agger) and Arteta was an astute choice too. Yakubu was raking in the points up until Easter, then gave up. If you want to blame anyone it has to be him, although Ballack was the laziest cunt in the league.

James's team hung around for much of the season and looked like launching a challenge for a while. Although nearly all his players were consistent, only Pedersen hit a really big score. Taylor was a great buy but the rest hit the 20s and 30s. Had Johnson and Bent been fit for the whole season though, he would probably have taken it.

As for the rest of us, not good enough is the verdict. That's why this game is so great. The final table looks like this:

		Total Points	Diff
1st	Mike	404
2nd	Nick Ach	395	9
3rd	James	387	17
4th	Nick Ath	349	55
5th	Sid	341	63
6th	Steve	336	68
7th	Rico	310	94
8th	Donald	288	116
9th	Theo	266	138
10th	Stathi	243	161

Incidentally, my spreadsheet died again after the last Premiership week. If it had happened a week earlier, there would have been no final table. Not from me anyway.

Also, I really can't be fucked with the scores again next season. Someone else's turn methinks.

Get in there

Glorious.

...and audited

Apologies to James for any hope I might have given him. Also, a strange assist for Lennon gives Nick a valuable 2 extra points, leaving him 6 behind Mike. However, with only Ashley Cole playing in the final, we can safely say that it's all over. Formal congratulations and a full summing up of the season will follow the FA Cup Final. So, the scores going into it are:

FFL 2006/07 LEAGUE TABLE			week39
		Total Points	Diff
1st	Mike	401
2nd	Nick Ach	395	6
3rd	James	387	14
4th	Nick Ath	347	54
5th	Sid	341	60
6th	Steve	330	71
7th	Rico	310	91
8th	Donald	285	116
9th	Theo	266	135
10th	Stathi	243	158

In a last ditch attempt to possibly salvage 2nd place, James buys Kalou for the final.

Provisionally...

...this is the pre-FA Cup final table, subject to an audit:

FFL 2006/07 LEAGUE TABLE			week39
		Total Points	Diff
1st	Mike	401
2nd	Nick Ach	393	8
3rd	James	392	9
4th	Nick Ath	344	57
5th	Sid	341	60
6th	Steve	330	71
7th	Rico	312	89
8th	Donald	283	118
9th	Theo	265	136
10th	Stathi	239	162

Mike has 2 United and Chelsea players (Cech, Joe Cole, Ferdinand and Rooney), Nick has Ashley Cole and James has none (Ballack is injured). Looks like Mike's trophy, barring an Ashley Cole hat-trick.

Ha ha..................

Michael Essien and his calculator (December 2006):

"We are much better than Manchester United. The difference in points in the Premiership is just a coincidence. Its just a matter of days before we are the leaders. I have done my calculations and we will finish at least five points clear of United at the top of the table"

Fancy owning a club for £35?

You've probably seen this already but if you haven't, it's quite interesting. They've got 11,500 subscribers so far and need 50,000 to make it happen. Barnet would be my choice, for obvious reasons.

Stathi, you surely must be interested. Don't you already own a plot of land on the moon? You'd only be left with a Learjet for the set.

Week 37

Little change in the 2-horse race at the top this week with Nick failing to capitalise on a poor showing by Mike's team: both scored a meagre 3 points. Mike can count himself a little lucky with Campbell not featuring in Portsmouth's leaky display against Everton.

So with just 1 week to go, things aren't looking too good for Nick. With Liverpool resting everyone, Yakubu drying up and Bolton leaking goals, Arteta is single-handedly keeping his team in it. Just. It looks as if team selection will be crucial in the games to come - will Fergy and Mourinho pick their best players?

So, the scores:

FFL 2006/07 LEAGUE TABLE			week38
		Total Points	Diff
1st	Mike	399
2nd	Nick Ach	388	11
3rd	James	378	21
4th	Nick Ath	336	63
5th	Sid	332	67
6th	Steve	319	80
7th	Rico	302	97
8th	Donald	273	126
9th	Theo	266	133
10th	Stathi	225	174

Congratulations to Steve again for the team of the week (15 points). A mini-renaissance has been going unnoticed there and he may even finish in 5th. And only 3 transfers away from a full set!

There were no transfers this week. I'll be surprised to see any more now.

'And now the end is near, so we face the final weekend...'

Is winning everything?

This post is slightly long, but stay with it. It is worth it.

Even though Theo from time to time reminds us about Blanchflower and his quote about the glory game, I thought it apt to print the quote in it entirety in order to give credence to a wonderful article further down from today’s Guardian:

Blanchflower: “The great fallacy is that the game is first and last about winning. It's nothing of the kind. The game is about glory. It is about doing things in style, with a flourish, about going out to beat the other lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom.”

Guardian Article: English teams are robbing game of skill, says Valdano

The former Real Madrid coach and World Cup winner Jorge Valdano has attacked Rafael Benítez and Jose Mourinho, insisting that they are ushering in a bleak future for football and likening the Champions League semi-final between Liverpool and Chelsea to "a shit hanging from a stick".

The Argentinian, who scored in the 1986 World Cup final and has a respected reputation as a football intellectual, claimed that Mourinho and Benítez mistrust talent because of their own failure to make it as players and said their approach is bad news for the game.

Writing in Spain's best-selling newspaper, Marca, Valdano insisted:

“Football is made up of subjective feeling, of suggestion - and, in that, Anfield is unbeatable. Put a shit hanging from a stick in the middle of this passionate, crazy stadium and there are people who will tell you it's a work of art. It's not: it's a shit hanging from a stick.

“Chelsea and Liverpool are the clearest, most exaggerated example of the way football is going: very intense, very collective, very tactical, very physical, and very direct," he added. "But, a short pass? Noooo. A feint? Noooo. A change of pace? Noooo. A one-two? A nutmeg? A backheel? Don't be ridiculous. None of that. The extreme control and seriousness with which both teams played the semi-final neutralised any creative licence, any moments of exquisite skill.

“If Didier Drogba was the best player in the first match it was purely because he was the one who ran the fastest, jumped the highest and crashed into people the hardest. Such extreme intensity wipes away talent, even leaving a player of Joe Cole's class disoriented. If football is going the way Chelsea and Liverpool are taking it, we had better be ready to wave goodbye to any expression of the cleverness and talent we have enjoyed for a century.”

Valdano explained why Benítez and Mourinho were to blame for the demise of flair and creativity. “The lives of Mourinho and Benítez have crossed in a world that is ever more scrutinised and exposed by the media, which is why they look at each other with such distrust," he wrote, "but they have two things in common: a previously denied, hitherto unsatisfied hunger for glory, and a desire to have everything under control.

“Both of those things stem from one key factor: neither Mourinho nor Benítez made it as a player. That has made them channel all their vanity into coaching. Those who did not have the talent to make it as players do not believe in the talent of players, they do not believe in the ability to improvise in order to win football matches. In short, Benítez and Mourinho are exactly the kind of coaches that Benítez and Mourinho would have needed to have made it as players.”

I have to say that after reading that, I had a warm glow in my heart!

Surely not a white kit for Arsenal??????

Is this for real? An Arsenal WHITE kit? Personally I think it looks rather nice but WHITE? PR disaster or masterstroke?

Expect the following scenario in North London over the summer:

"Mummy can I have the new Spurs kit please"
"Sure Stavro. I'll get it tonight when I do the shopping. What colour is it?"
"It's white mum"
"OK"

Mum comes home with the new Arsenal kit. Dad boots mum out. Kid is distraught and traumatised..............................

What a weekend.................

1) United beat the bitter blues at the council house

2)United win the title thanks to Arsenal

3) Brotherhood United through to the Cup Final on penalties

4) Cockney Rebel storms to win the 2000 Guineas (£330 win!)

A huge GET IN

Week 36

With the sun setting on another season, Mike consolidates his lead at the top. 11 points might not be much but there are only 2 games left for most teams. Robbie Keane once again did most of the damage and is without doubt the main vector in Mike's remarkable revival this season. With 50 points as a sub, he's easily the most successful transfer of the season, second only to Petr Cech (another Mike transfer). How people must be ruing not going in for him now (Cech that is).

Anyway, here are the scores:

FFL 2006/07 LEAGUE TABLE			week37
		Total Points	Diff
1st	Mike	396
2nd	Nick Ach	385	11
3rd	James	363	33
4th	Nick Ath	324	72
5th	Sid	321	75
6th	Steve	304	92
7th	Rico	297	99
8th	Donald	269	127
9th	Theo	257	139
10th	Stathi	218	178

There were no transfers to report this week.

Mike - are you sure you still want that photo of Kaka with his arms in the air on this blog?