goodfootballerornot

Come on, admit it.  Anyone who saw Rooney go over said or thought the same.

That we are seemingly so reliant on one player for an England result is testament to this site (yes it is).  The players are not as good as the press makes them out to be and certainly not as they all seem to think.  There is a big hole in the squad for the world cup should Rooney miss it.   With others doubtful (Ashley Cole in particular) we are going to be reliant on Gerrard who despite his claims at being able to “turn it on” whenever he wants has been poor this season.  Lampard played in the right way has been brilliant for Chelsea, all be it sporadically.  All is not lost.  But there’s still some bum flexing to do while we wait for the news about an ankle.

Chelsea 2 – 0 Arsenal :  You could apply the same comments  to both teams as you could two years ago.  Arsenal can’t shoot or save and what Does Michal Ballack do apart from foul other players?

Hull 2-1 Man City:  To loose to the Championship team that is Hull should be an embarressment to a sqaud with such ambitions and money.  Mancini has a lot to prove now.

Man Utd 5-0 Portsmouth:  That Portsmouth are to be relegated is now a given.  And the title will be given to Man Utd if teams can’t start to play against them properly.  3 own goals are bad enough, game over.  For the league to have a squad that relies on the clogging ability of  Neville, Brown and Fletcher and that this team can be top shows how bad the rest are.  If not the players then the managers.

If you get a ban extended for your appeal against a ban being frivilous and you then appeal against the extention, is that frivilous or just taking the piss trying to get away with elbowing someone in the face?

So a transfer deadline passes with barely a whiff of interest.  Apart from Robbie, I used to support that club as a kid, Keane heading off to Celtic.  His journey north has always been expected but probably not at the very end of a January Transfer window.  One suspects a ploy to generate interest in the move of a player very much on the wane right now.  His move to Liverpool and back to Spurs and his subsequent lack of return to form is well know.  However what is less commented on is the Transfer polcies of Spurs and Harry Rednapp.  That ‘Arry was always going to plunder Defoe from Portsmouth was a given, but much of the rest of his transfers are questionable to say the least.   Wilson Palacios is the pick of the bunch who has been good, sometimes supurb as the motor in midfield.  But Crouch flatters to decieve and what on earth is Younis Kabul doing back in the squad?  He might have looked good at Portsmouth but I suspect he will be a bit dodgy, again.  Looking at it you can’t see much rhyme or reason to the signings, Eidur Gudjohnsen has been signed why exactly?

Well new season and the only real surprise is that Spurs managed to stay top.  If that Lennon fella keeps playing like that he should get a shout at a place in the England squad.

Liverpool are uninspiring to say the least.  They really only beat Bolton because they were a man up.

Same for Man Utd who were lucky to win (aren’t they always?) and Arsene Wenger was stupidly sent to the stands, where he had to stand in front of the ManU supporters, who obviously extended him a warm and friendly welcome.

Stoke I suppose are the other surprise, playing well one week and getting tonked the next.  If they can level out thier form and play reasonably consistently they will stay up for sure as they seem to have much more about them than the other so called “lesser” teams.

Please can Hull get relegated.  Awful football.

Oh dear.  Liverpool may be top of the table but the blew a chance for a 3 point lead agaisnt a sorry West Ham.  Robbie Keane is often a late starter goal wise but hes looking like a bad investment right now, I wonder if he regrets leaving Spurs yet?

Chelsea 1-2 Arsenal : Dodgy off sides or not, for Chelsea to blame the ref for their lack of ability to score against an Arsenal side who look very suspect all round is just poor indeed.

Man City 0-1 Man Utd : Rooney finally scores after six games to get the winner in a messy game which showed how much work City will need to do to compete despite any money they may have.  Ronaldos handling of the ball for his second yellow was just odd and rather silly.

Portsmouth 3-2 Blackburn : Good win for Pompey and Admans who finally gets a home win.  Blackburn fought hard but were unable to get the draw.  Time running out for Ince.

Tottenham 0-1 Everton : Not many chances all round with the Rednapp luck, magic touch or just not being Ramos running out here.  For a home game they would have wanted at least a point here.

Aston Villa 0-0 Fulham : Villa miss a chance to creep up a place, although credit to Fulham who are proving difficult to get results against.

Middlesbrough 0-0 Newcastle : Poor stuff all round in poor conditions.

Stoke 1-1 Hull  : Another game with few chances but at least the fans got to see their side get a goal.

Sunderland 1-4 Bolton : To get spanked by Bolton is embarrassing, especially when the manager has spent so much money and has such a large squad to draw from.  Keane deserves all the criticism he gets having had little so far.

Wigan 2-1 West Brom : Many more chances from two supposedly inferior sides – Boro and Toon take notes please.  Wigan were a bit lucky, but thats the game at times.

NEC 0-1 Tottenham : Not a great performance from Spurs but they deserved to win.  Gomes had a game without any sort of dodgy moment which should help Spurs.  Just a home game to get through and should do without too much trouble.

Portsmouth 2-2 AC Milan :  That Milan didn’t score till the 84th and 92nd minute to snatch a draw is the surprise of this one.   Slow, slow start for both sides and miserable conditions – why cant we build stadiums with covers for rain?  Tony Adams just doesn’t seem to have the luck to get a win with these sort of games.

Schalke 0-2 Man City : Little trouble for City without their very expensive signing.  Their shaky form in the league is baffling.

Bordeaux 1-1 Chelsea : Some ropey defending from Chelsea caused a bit of an upset for Scolari but considering how little they produced in attack for the first hour its a fair result.  A late sending off for Lampard had no effect on the game but he will miss the somewhat important last group game.

Liverpool 1-0 Marseille : Not a comfortable win and the ball pinged around a great deal with lots of flicks and back heels from both sides, flashy but mostly ineffectual compared to a normal pass.  Reina made some very good saves and could be the key to Liverpools domestic and Champions League success or failure.  Messy but somewhat entertaining.