Rather than lead off the mailbox with those missives on the big issue of the day, we are kicking off with all the (note: mostly short and sharp) commentaries which we found the most interesting...
If you have a contribution to make, drop us a line at theeditor@football365.com....
If The Colour Suits...
James Beattie has just signed for his third club with a home kit of red and white stripes (Southampton, Sheffield United, Stoke City). That's three out of his five total clubs, I believe.
Are there any more players who have played in the same design home shirt for three or more clubs?
Paul Bushnell, Manchester
Analogies Of The Day
Does Jose Mourinho remind anyone else of a guy who follows his ex-girlfriend
around telling her how she could have had it so much better, but how this other girl was way hotter anyway?
He clearly wants that job back.
Adithya Manohar
...For the love of god, can we stop labelling everything that comes out of Rafa or Sir's mouths as being "mind games".
Christ, it's like believing that a monkey is capable of modern performance art simply because it throws it's own s**t around.
Thanking everyone in advance,
Marv White, Pom in Melbourne
Chelsea's Problem Is...
I'm going to say something controversial, which will have most Chelsea fans, or perhaps all fans everywhere, thinking I must be insane, but here goes anyway.
Chelsea are missing Florent Malouda.
Now stop laughing and hear me out. Malouda is pants. However he does get wide, he does have to be marked, coz he MIGHT just do something good, and sometimes he will have 2 men on him, meaning a decent player is then left unmarked, to pick up the pieces of another shanked shot or miss-hit cross.
Alternatively, they could just be sh*t.
Andy Bull
It's That Time Of Year Again
From BBC's transfer gossip:
"Newcastle boss Joe Kinnear wants midfielder Nigel Quashie, whose three-month loan move to Birmingham from West Ham expires after this weekend, to help the Magpies stave off relegation. (Daily Mirror)"
Clearly, Nigel "relegated four times and would've scuppered West Ham's chances last time had he stayed fit" Quashie spends the first half of each season preparing a press release, which he fires off after Christmas to every Premier League club that has the potential to be relegated. Nobody who's seen this leaden-footed "perform" would contemplate jinxing the rest of their campaign by adding him to their squad but then again, he's a character, a leader, a man's man and all that guff so maybe Harry should buy him (again) instead.
Aidan, Wimbledon
We Suspect That There Must Be A Block For This Sort Of Idea
Ben from Guildford's question about Defoe and Spurs got me thinking about other potential player loans. Should my team Liverpool still be in the running for the title on the last day of the season but need Hull to get a result at home against United, is there anything to prevent us loaning the likes of Robbie Keane to Hull City for that game to bolster their attack?
I mean, it's not as though Rafa would play him in Liverpool's last game against Spurs so we might as well get some use out of the £20million we have spent on him.
Charlie (still thinking that Kuyt must play like Messi all week in training), Birmingham
Sticks And Stones...
Am I the only one getting seriously fed up with fans of various teams (United/Arsenal being prime culprits) whinging about 'offensive' songs coming from the opposition? Not too long ago we had hooligans, riots, racism, monkey chanting, pitch invasions etc. etc. and now they're getting their moral knickers in a twist about a song?? That's all it is, a song. All teams have them, and they do get sung. They aren't racist, so they're breaking no rules and no laws. You may not like it, but you can't stop opposition fans singing just because you don't like their songs.
I mean, where do you draw the line? Hillsborough/Munich are the ones that always get dragged up, but what about Bolton and Burnley fans singing songs about Jack Walker to Blackburn? Or singing songs about George Best to United? Once you start listening to the people who are offended by everything we'll end up with stadiums of fans all sitting quietly and politely applauding occasionally (i.e The Emirates). I'll inevitably be called ignorant, as bad as racism etc. by the Football Sanitisation Brigade but I'd rather risk a few people taking offense than take all the passion and crowd banter out of football.
Joe (Forum>>>>>Life) BWFC
The Point In Point Three Is Particularly Good
Cracking content yesterday, just catching up with it all now.
Random questions and comments:
1. Frank Lampard and the fat jokes. Is it because he used to be a bit chunky in his West Ham days, or is it because people think he is still genuinely fat? (Mr Mailbox Compiler you seem to take particular delight!)
2. On MOTD and other highlights packages, why do they not show the time? Is it because the editors like to show how excellent they are at making the highlights flow so it looks like a real game? (My belief) Or is it because, as my mate thinks (who has spent waaaaay too much time thinking about this), that some people - ie. the significantly less intelligent among us - might actually think the game is live?
3. Technology in football. Having come from Oz, where pretty much all codes (Aussie Rules, Rugby, etc) embrace latest technology and innovations (tribunals, restrospective penalties, Hawkeye etc) I am continually baffled at the lack of progress in this area. As an idea, Carling should push for some fancy new technological innovation in the Carling Cup, imagine the excitement and buzz it would add to the competition. The debate shouldn't be about whether we should use technology, it should be about what technology we should be using.
David, London, Gooner
This Is ManYoo-Centric But We'll Let It Run
Ronaldo gets world player of the year award! No great shock really and neither should it be! 42 goals in a season from the wing is amazing no matter how much you love him or hate him! Shearer (always great by the way) never got near that amount and took as many freekicks and penalties as Ronaldo did! Ronaldo is a bit of a pr**k though and I've said it before that he won his awards despite him being so.
Pure football wise, he was the best in 2008 and the one man's opinion I value more than anyone else's is my Dad's. He's had the privilege of seeing Edwards, Charlton, Best and Ronaldo and he thinks Best is the most talented player to grace the earth but Ronaldo is the best he's ever seen.
Maradona and Pele may have something to say about that but being the best of the 4 United I've mentioned isn't a bad start!
I'd love to hear from fellow United fans (or any fans really) who's Dad's have seen the best players ever play and what they think...
Tim (just love football) Collins
The PL To Come A Cropper In The CL
In between all the celebrations of the united fans at yesterdays result (and why shouldn't they celebrate) I was interested in Jose's opinion that United and Chelsea looked average. I may take him to task about the Chelsea comments because the team didn't even deserve that (they were pathetic), but I agree with him about United.
This season has definitely seen a step back in the quality of the teams and the football played in the PL. Now I know that will have fans of Aston Villa and some of the mid table teams reaching for their keyboards, but it's hard to come to any other conclusion. Yes Villa (and Liverpool) have made some improvement, but if you look at the quality of the football and games from our league it has definitely slipped back (by all accounts Liverpool were not much better than Chelsea on Saturday).
I think it points to another United trophy and taking Liverpool's record, but I think the quality of the league will have them suffering the "Celtic" effect. They will find it hard to reach the level required as no one is testing them.
So for me it's united to celebrate another title, but no CL crown this year (I'm sure they'll be happy with that!!)
Patrick Derham
That's Us Told
Dear Sirs,
In an article on your website you point to the fact that "Nani did not even make it out of the stands" as evidence of the strength of Man United's squad. Given that yours is a football website I'm surprised it has escaped your attention that Nani is, in fact, s**t. Thank you.
Brian Oliver
Agreeing With F365! Wonders Never Cease
Not sure I've ever agreed with any of Phillip Cornwall's comments on Chelsea before (Liverpool fans are generally to be ignored when speaking about Chelsea) but I had the same thought about Scolari. Chelsea are, to an even greater extent than all teams, a reflection of their manager:
Under Mourinho confident to the point of arrogant, audacious, ambitious and with a point to prove;
Under Grant dour and reliable, but with a spiky determination;
Under Scolari a team that has been-there, done-that and is just looking for one last big pay day before retiring, who don't really want to be there but carry on doing it just for the money (given public pronouncements, it's likely that at least 5-6 senior players fall into this category now, and are encouraged in this attitude by the manager)
The worrying question is where the team goes from here. Short of Mourinho returning, I can't think of many outstanding available managers around, and if we are to overhaul the team who's available? (especially given the very real signs that the purse-strings are being tightened by Abramovich and the new competition from Man City in the transfer market). Ferguson's comments at the start of the season about this Chelsea team being too old to really improve much are looking increasingly prescient.
Tim Colyer, Chelsea fan, London
...Never thought I would say this....I agree with Pete Gill, Chelsea do need pace out wide on the opposite flank to free up Joe Cole and offer something different. Seems a bit strange it comes in a piece that criticises Scolari though, it wasn't Big Phil that let Robben and Duff go. Stand up Jose Mourinho.
On another point can we know all agree that Avram Grant did a cracking job last year too?
Mark (would like to point out the "it wasn't in the spirit of the game" was
the reason given for disallowing the corner yesterday....discuss) Costello
Hmm. We're Not Sure About This One
Dear Sir / Madam,
Like so many others, I was deeply saddened to hear of the current plight of Paul Gascoigne. The man so obviously needs professional help, calm, friendship, love and support - perhaps in a quiet rehabilitation centre - to ease him back from the brink.
In my naivety, I just hoped that the media might back off and give him some time away from the spotlight - and yet what do I find when I take a look at the BBC News website?
Headlines such as "Gaza clinic destroyed in strike", "Gazan families pulling together", "Why Gaza war looks set to go on", "Gaza conflict:The Media war", with (presumably lurid) stories about a "Gaza Strip" and, perhaps worst of all, "Israeli tanks advance more deeply into Gaza".
Won't others join me in demanding that the UN steps in to give the poor man some peace?
Yours faithfully,
Chris Ryan, BRFC, Singapore
Back To The Stoke Debate
I am a Liverpool fan and I am obviously disappointed at no beating Stoke on two occasions this season. But you have to give them credit where it is due.
I have read a lot over the past few days about the manner in which Stoke play.
To me Stoke play to there strengths, solid in defence and midfield, well organised and have an excellent weapon in the Delap through in (what team wouldn't use this). Puils has made them hard to beat, which is the starting point that any team needs to survive their first season back in the top flight. If they survive then he can build on this solid core, and add to it, season by season.
Why should Stoke come out and play a wide open expansive game? It was Liverpool's inability to play well and create chances that was the issue on Saturday, not the manner which Stoke went about their business.
Mark (wishing the weekend had gone better) Frost
...They maybe fighting for relegation but one thing for sure about Stoke City is that their main intention since being promoted to the Premiership is that they were willing to play physical football, however, whenever the they can.
They have taken 4 points off a possible 6 from Liverpool, they physically beaten Arsenal, they made sure Man Utd will be leaving the Britannia Stadium with bumps and bruises, they convincingly beaten Villa and have frustrated Chelsea.
But the main problem for Stoke is their ability to score goals. Even though they have given the big 4 run for their money but have struggled in front of goals this season.
When they are not scoring, they play a dour, time wasting and physical brand of football. And so many clubs in the premiership have struggled to break them down when they are playing like they did against Liverpool.
Stoke have made sure that if they are going to get something out of their match against Liverpool, its going to be a draw and they have to play dour and physical against them. With the amount of Rugby League style tackles Stoke produced on Liverpool on Saturday night, Liverpool had no response to their physicality.
So the only way that clubs can beat Stoke is to play their game or physically out beat them.
Oz from Liverpool (The one in Sydney Australia... not the one from Merseyside)
...We'd quite like Stoke to stay up, thanks.
Nik Johnson, on behalf of the Football League
Haven't We Seen Your Before?
Re Ben in Guildford's question.
I can point him in the right direction.
In the 1998/1999 soon to be relegated Tottenham (I am a Spurs fan and wouldnt mind a season in the Championship) played now defunct Wimbledon on 6 occasions....
August 15 - League
January 16th - League
Now for the most ridiculous set of fixtures,at the time i doubt the players knew what match was in what competition...
January 23rd - FA Cup 4th round
January 27th - Worthington Cup Semi Final
February 2nd - FA Cup 4th round replay
February 16th - Worthington Cup Semi Final
Once every five days, god.
In total these awful games served up a grand total of 10 goals.
From the Spurs point of view Ginola,Armstrong,Walker and some bloke who now plays for Portsmouth all played in all 6 games, poor sods.I imagine some Wimbledon players played in all the games too but cant be bothered to look.
Ed (How can all these people be emailing from Cork? I am in Sydney and everyone here is from Cork,unless Cork is the biggest City in the world, although i thought that was Dublin, because it keeps Dublin. Please dont punish me for that appalling attempt at humour and not print this) Radwan
...Some Blackburn Rovers and Sunderland players will play one another 4 times this season - twice in league, once in Carling cup and once in FA cup. Could have been more if we'd got them in the 2 legged Carling cup semi.
Kim Croydon
...In response to Ben in Guildford, Titus Bramble plays against Wigan every week
D Macintosh
And Finally...The Sort Of Mail We Generally Kick Off With
I just cannot believe how some people are reacting to this weekend's results. Liverpool fans giving up on the title race?? Nonsense! Even if Manchester win their games in hand (and yes they probably will) they are top of the table by just 1 point. With 17 games to go in the season, the title chase is nowhere near finished.
Sure our performance against Stoke was dismal, but lets not forget how well a similar line up demolished Newcastle (aside from the back four, the only change was Riera coming in for Babel, and most would agree that's an improvement). So even without our big guns, there is certainly talent in the team. But sometimes a even good team has a bad day.
As for Rafa - his tactical decisions are so out of line with common sense that he's either lost the plot or has a master plan up his sleeve. But as a Liverpool fan with even the slightest bit of optimism, you have to lean towards the positive side and believe he knows exactly what he's doing.
So come on Liverpool fans - show some belief, show some positive thinking. We're still in it!
Aseem (this is only my first time writing in but its an important point so please post it!), Singapore
