http://s5.tinypic.com/dgo5g7.jpg

Have to change my scoreline prediction... Ferdinand is injured and they're starting with Drogba,


United to win 2-1.

I think you way overestimate the importance of "mind games" in any sport.

Do you?


I think you're wrong... They're crucially important, in many ways.


It's often said that teams are beaten before they've even stepped out at Old Trafford, for example. This is all psychological (mind games, whatever you want to call it). Why would so many of the most succesful managers waste their time saying all these things if it wasn't in order to get into the heads of others? It's to create a psychological advantage... also the reason why Ferguson criticises referees so often, some of them become 'scared' to give decisions against us, so we gain a few extra points a season. This is how it works, and if you don't think that happens, then you're kidding yourself.


Why do boxers spend weeks before a fight trying to belittle their opponents and talk themselves up?

The Ryder Cup is another where mind games play a huge part.

In fact, thinking of any sport... tennis, cricket, golf, football, boxing, snooker... whatever, if there's an edge to be gained from playing mind games, saying the right thing to disturb or get under the skin of the opponent, then it happens and it's important.

Mind games from James obv.

QFT



You're clueless... stick with first instincts.



Weeeeee!!! No stopping us now, we're champions.

lol I was just coming in to congratulate you on another good prediction and hoping LJ hadn't gotten into a sig bet, then I seen the change in predictions.

I really enjoyed the first half, nice and physical if not great chances.

Rooney not getting booked after his incident with Boswinga and his reaction to the ref was ridiculous. Then he did a nice dive to get Boswinga booked after conditioning the ref. The ref is useless.

Ronaldo's penalty claim and then booking him was crazy too.

And Belletti being on the pitch after his double tackle on Ronaldo was terrible, at least book him.

Ballack needed a booking too for that faggot ass dive.

LJ still has the sig from the last one. Obv he secretly LOVES Gary Neville and doesn't want to change it.


Rooney should have been booked for that, I agree... he has to learn, and refs need to book him for that kind of nonsense. It's not a good example for anyone to see, so just book him.


Generally though, if I was a Chelsea fan I'd be gutted after that performance. I mean, I did think the timing was right for United to put on a bit of a show and really kick start their season... this is the time when we normally do that and I thought this fixture, at home, was perfect.

But Chelsea looked totally deviod of any passion, any ideas, any creativity and heart. Compare the players to what they were about 2/3 seasons ago. The whole backbone of the team, to start with (Cech, Terry, Lampard, Drogba) didn't seem to 'want it' like they used to, just kind of blank expressions on their faces, and along with them... what does Mikel do exactly? Because I honestly don't know what his role is supposed to be. They've lost that air of invinsibility that Mourinho brought, and I'm not sure Scolari knows what he's doing. Maybe he needs a season or two, to aclimitize to the Premiership?

lol bold. Freudian slip?

They did look pretty bad. I don't think Mikel can be blamed, he was really good in the first half for closing and pressuring. The goals came from the wing which is a terrible sign for Chelsea but not Mikel. Chelsea should be worrying about the top teams skill to break them down, but even Fulham can bang them in from crosses. Obviously Essien is a huge force but with that midfield he should not have to be even mentioned.

They are still second anyway so lets not overlook them too much.

Jose was at the match. BBC said a quote like "The weekend was obviously Fergusons. He managed to make Benitez lose control, convincingly defeat Scolari and even make Mourihno unsettled at the site of an impressive victory"

And this is something which Chelsea seem to have forgotten about too... wing attackers. They seem to play far too central, and in recent times the only midfielders they've added are central midfielders (old ones too)..Ballack and Deco. They've sold Robben, Duff and SWP. Joe Cole is the only genuine wide player left isn't he?

I didn't mean that psychology was irrelevant in sports, simply overrated, especially when it pertains to managers/coaches.

If Man U win the league over Liverpool, it will be because they have a much more talented squad, not because Rafa responded (attacked is way too strong of a word, and lost control is preposterous) to Alex Ferguson.

I love Liverpool, and I still think they have a shot at winning the league, but they just don't have the talent of Man U. Alex Ferguson doesn't need to play mind games and I think that he'd be risking more by playing them than the potential gain.

As to the overemphasis of mind games, I think that football fans and analysts are some of the worst culprits of this. I think that the game is so fast and flowing that psychology plays less of a role than it would in something like baseball or golf. And I really don't think that that's close.


And for the record James, I'm not intending to insult you or anything. I think you're a pretty excellent poster in general and your football knowledge outstrips mine by a vast amount.

QFT. lol

Is no-one going to mention the absurd rumours circulating the press about Kaka and Man City? £100m and £500K a week wages. Now, I've stated in the past that any top player who ditches a big club to go to Man City is obviously just in it for the money but this scenario is one I might agree Kaka would have to give in to if it were true. That money is just astronomical and as good and important to Milan as he is for £100m even Milan (whos recent transfer policy, Pato aside, has been diabolical) could turn themselves back into a major European force over a summer.

And what a precident this would set. If Kaka goes for £100m how much for Ronaldo, Messi and Torres?

have to concur with the crowd. I like Liverpool a lot. But if they lose the crown to Man U it will be because Man U has double the talent.

I dont think a tie with Stoke is the end of the world either.

Excuses at the ready!

BS.

If Man U win this league again it will be because they haven't dropped points to the likes of Stoke, Middlesborough, Bolton and Wigan. They might have a better pool of players but its not an insane gap.

They also have the better manager. Mind games aside, SAF KNOWS his best team and when to play it and when to give fringe players a game but maintain a strong enough backbone that upsets don't occur too often. Rafa still puts out bizzare sides. One up front vs Stoke? Wtf? Is he worried about his opposition. What will he play against Madrid or MU? 5-5-0? He isn't as tactically adept for a Premiership title yet and the cracks are beginning to show. Methinks there is pressure from above (Hicks and Gillete, not SAF )

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Still typing? This better be good!

EDIT: Nothing James? All these Liverpool fans ripe for picking and you spend over 15 minutes typing only to delete it?

Heh, well thanks... not sure about the excellent poster bit, but no I'm not insulted by any stretch of the imagination. I actually prefer it in many ways (especially in this thread) if people disagree with me. That may sound strange, but I enjoy debating stuff about football, and I'm always arguing with my friends about most things associated with football anyway! It's all good, and welcomed, imo.





I'm reading different reports on this, and I guess I won't believe anything completely until I see him in a Man City shirt (lol, that would be crazy), or I hear him and Milan categorically state that he is staying at Milan. One report said he may go at the END of the season though.

It's pretty sick, the amount of money being spoken of. For 500k a week, there's not much I wouldn't do!


I'd be interested to know exactly what their budget is. Say, if they're prepared to pay £100m for Kaka, do they have another £100m for another midfielder if they could get him (Ronaldo, for example) and then another 100m for a striker.. then maybe £50m each for 2 world class defenders?

Also, what are the odds of Hughes being the manager come the start of next season?

lol! I've been doing a few diff things, I left the window open for about 10 mins while I had to take my drying out of the machine and put it all away!

Yes Man U has the better manager. And they have a much better pool of players. Man U's depth is outrageous (and that really starts to show up in a 38 game season). Every game they play they have two legit superstars on the bench. Thats the huge difference. Man U's starting 11 is only better than Liverpool's not way better.

I dont know what Rafa's deal is. I watch their games and they seem to always play hard and they seem to execute well. In that way, he seems great. But some of his tactical decisions and substitution decisions are so odd. They defy sense.

I would not be surprised if Man U overtakes Liverpool. I would not be surprised if Pool holds them off barely. I would be very surprised if Liverpool and Man U dont finish 1-2 in whatever order. Chelsea seems lost and Arsenal needs to start worrying about holding of Aston Villa for 4th.

And we're going to need that now, with a slightly worrying injury list growing. Rooney, Evra, Ferdinand, and possibly Tevez and Evans too. Also, Vidic out of the first leg against Inter.


I had to laugh at what I read this morning with City. Apparently, they've raised their bid for Kaka to £108m. Lol! What difference would that make, really??

What does the dialogue go like?

Arab: 'Hi, is this Milan?'

Milan President: 'Yes'

A: 'Your player... Kaka, I would like to buy, please'

MP: 'Oh, I don't think so'

A: 'I buy him. £100 Meeeeeelion pounds!!'

MP: 'Hmmm.. that's quite a lot, but I'm still not sure'

A: 'OK. How about... erm..... £108 Meeeeeeeeeeeellliiiion Pounds!!!!'

MP: Hangs up.



A: Looks around... 'Mr. Hughes!! Get me the number for Brazil.'

Mark Hughes: 'Yes, master'


I think it's all just crazy to be honest. Interesting to see what will happen though.

Yay, racism!

Oh get out of it... that's not racist, you Scottish ****!!

Did everyone know you can watch Premiership games on a Saturday, online... or am I just slow? I'm watching United on a live stream right now.

This is a great, and beautiful discovery for me!!

Uhhh how?!

Well, (a little bit stupidly, now I think about it) I haven't saved the exact link. Basically, I was on Justin.tv, and I noticed a channel there that was supposed to show the match. It wasn't working, but someone posted a link in the chatbox to where you can watch it... it was something like football.blogspot... something... It had UStream.tv in the corner, so I'm sure it'll be easy to find for next time. But the page I was on, on the blogspot site had links to all the games, so basically you can watch any Premier League game online, even if it's not on Sky or any tv channel.

www.myp2p.eu

Looking forward to Liverpool slipping further away in the title race tonight. I can't see them winning at Goodison tonight, no chance. Everton are so solid at the moment (havn't conceded a goal for 6 games). I'd like to think Everton will win, but Liverpool will probably nick something, so 1-1.


Watched the Spurs-Portsmouth match yesterday, and it was one of the best matches I've seen all season... both teams play good football. I don't know why they're so low in the table, and at least one of them isn't doing a lot better.


*edit - shit, it's at Anfield. Oh well, I'll still say it'll be a draw.

Damn injury list growing more.

1- Rooney
2- Ferdinand
3- Anderson
4- Hargreaves
5- Evans
6- Nani
7- Evra
8- Brown
9- Rafael
10- Foster (he may be third choice, but this is almost a full team out!)

Also, Vidic suspended for the first leg against Inter, so if we still have major defensive injuries then that's worrying.


I just hope we're able to cope with this.

I commend you on your restraint James. But don't you want to needle a liiiiittle bit about a certain draw at Anfield?

Well, I thought it would be a draw so it came as no surprise, honestly. Liverpool have come off the rails, unfortunately for you... and it's historically very hard to get that momentum back again. It really is a 2 horse race now, between us and Chelsea, so no need to needle a team who are not a threat at all (which obviously is the ultimate needle, haha!).





I stand by this too.

Though I obviously know that Liverpool are pretty big underdogs at this point, I don't think they can be completely written off yet. Hot streaks happen and crazier things have taken place in the sports world. I do think we still have a very decent shot to finish in the top 2 though, which is sort of the upside of what I thought this season would be anyway. I am not very high on Chelsea at the moment and think that us finishing above them is not out of the question.

I'll be honest with you, I hope you do challenge us all the way. Ultimately, I hope we win everything of course... but at heart I'm just a football fan so I want to see the best competition and drama, and everything that goes with it. That means more teams challenging, and a tighter league... and this is why the Premiership is the best league in the world at the moment.

Not Premiership, but Beckham scored for Milan today.

This is a quote from BBC: "I can't say what will happen," added Beckham, responding to growing speculation he might stay in Italy. "Even if my contract says that I'll be here until March. We'll have to see."


Any chance he turns his back on LA Galaxy?

Going to Europe in a few weeks with the gf. We just got tickets to the Man U - Fulham game Feb. 17th. I live in Ottawa so I've never had a chance to watch a game of this caliber live. I did get to watch a bunch of games in the U20 World Cup a couple summers ago but obviously not the same. So pumped.

Sweet!

Have a great time... we'll have a few back from inury by then too, maybe even Rooney, hopefully.

I hope he is too. Love Rooney. I play most like him, except I do everything half as good as him obviously.

dude, if you do everything half as good as him can you come for a trial at brentford?! (my team, league 2) even half as good as him, would make you a class player! rooney is still ridiculously underrated in my opinion, you only gotta look at that stat about united's results with/without him to see how important he is.

plus he has scored my favourite premier league goal, from an aesthetics point of view, against newcastle a view years back.

The Goal

Sigh...being a newcastle fan.....90% of the best goals in the premiership were scored against Newcastle. A few years ago the game was to try see a football add without a goal being scored against Newcastle.


They did a vote of the best goal and it was bergkamp against NEWCASTLE and the best match played: Liverpool beating Newcastle

Bastards! They burst my coupon last weekend.

And LOL @ fubar, half as good as Rooney. Maybe you should half it again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again...





























and again

Are you saying Fubar's real identity is Darren Bent??

Nah, I think fubar will be better than Darren Bent. Spurs are probably putting together a bid for him. Hence the trip to England with his girlfriend.

heh sorry mate, i know how that feels. was a charlton goal away from £1200 myself this weekend!

The Bergkamp goal is one of my favourite goals of all time.

To be fair to Newcastle, Shearer did score this goal which was pretty good.

This is the daddy though!

Whenever I think of best Premiership goals, I always think of this guy for some reason. Two great goals, and the second is just beyond belief.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JMuMtEVFwY

Whoever cannot watch the matches, this is always great for updates, witty presenter and people text in etc. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/e...rem/7856943.stm

now for steak and to watch the matches

And if you want to watch the matches, with English commentary, try this.

http://www.iraqgoals.com/en/ch2.html

lol @ Liverpool. Have they won a game since Rafa's outburst, by the way? Hmmm.


Third now. Ooops.

I still don't think it has much, if any at all, to do with the outburst. They just don't have the talent to continue to play up to their early season record, where they were quite clearly lucky. I'm hoping we can challenge for 2nd at this point.

By the way, thanks for posting the match link today. It was nice to be able to watch a bit live for once, even if it did go poorly.

Benitez's treatment of Keane has lost any respect I had for him. Obviously I'm Irish and really want Keane to do well but still. Who pays 20 million for a player and leaves him out of his squad. If Keane has been bad fair enough but you pay 20 mill for a player and then sub him constantly and rip all his confidence away. Its bad management.
Ferguson would never treat a 20 mill player like this. Kleberson got more chances and better respect than Keane.


The only way I could could Rafa some slack over this is if Rick Parry bought Keane without any Bentiez agreement and I really doubt thats the case

Liverpool have the talent but Benitez refuses to play it! Lucas and Mascherano against Wigan? C'mon now thats ultra negative thinking. And taking off Gerrard with 10 to go because he was tired? I don't think I've ever seen Gerrard tired on the pitch.

Benitez is losing his brain imo.

Dum de dum dum... hmmmm.


Well, I guess it's getting a bit boring up at the top, seeing as Utd have sealed the title.


5pts clear, both Arsenal and Villa drawing at home, and Chelsea/Liverpool playing each other tomorrow. Chelsea don't have a great record at Anfield, but I think they'll nick a win tomorrow, fwiw... 2-1 Chelsea. Not that it matters, we've won. We don't have anyone challenging us, everyone's just falling away.


The bottom could be more exciting than the top this season, Spurs and Newcastle flirting with relegation.