Don't you bite easily

I do enjoy shrimp, yes.

Arguably down to Torres injuries, and that's a shame, and with united being off-form recently Liverpool are unlucky not to be on top right now.

Still they're in with a shout, 7 games left and most of them winnable. Perhaps they're also the neutral's favourites to win the Champions League ..I wouldn't give up hope just yet...

as much as it pains me to admit it, i am worried. yesterday was like a cup final match, can't imagine we can do that week in week out, even with a relatively straight forward run in, if there is such a thing anymore. its definitely not over, we need trouble free games against porto, anything happens to ronaldo and we are in big trouble.

For reasons outlined in an earlier posting about the lack of competion and Man U being one of the main instigators in the changes which in my mind has ruined what was the world's best competition I cannot bring myself to care about the 'winners' of the 4 horse race.

If in these troubled times, people have to make hard decisions and decide not buy the SKY packages then those teams that have mortgaged their future's on the money will cease to exist and in Man U's case there would be no tears here.

Had a bit of the Newcastle game on the TV this weekend. The missus asked me why they are cheering for "She Ra?"
<true story>

i can't say i have ever really followed the politics of the sport that closely, i just love the game. i don't think you can say all elements of competition have disappeared, we have lost at places this year i would never have thought of, so have liverpool, chelsea and in particular arsenal. look at the cup run derby and burnley had, look where tottenham have been recently, who would have thought wigan would continue to be in the premiership, or fulham for that matter.
while i would not disagree that there are 4 major clubs, others will rise and fall, and these 4 will eventually fall into decline, its just the way of things, its not something any true fan would wish for on any club though.

Clubs don't play their first team in the Cup's any more, unless they happen to get to the semi's with the kids they play.

I love the game too, but what we see now is greed pure and simple.

Wigan got there because a single individual took an interest, his money cannot buy a title but success to them and to most clubs these days is to stay at the top division, no-one has a hope to win anything unless its something the '4' doesn't want.

The FA Cup was always a major trophy, it is not any more, hence they play the kids.

You get a place in the EUFA Cup, seen as a poor man's European trophy all they want is to be top 4 to get into the ironically named Champions League.

Over the last 10 years the FA Cup has lost all its magic.

The greed of Man U, Arsenal (and others, clubs like Tottenham thought they would be benefiting, unlucky them eh!).

Man U, what are they now? 600 million in debt?

What happens to Chelsea when Abromovich gets bored (or knocked off, you never know in Russia). The debts they have in buying up anyone who can kick a ball.

No, the premiership killed football, what we see now is a travesty compared to the actual competion we had.

The 16 years prior to 1977, 10 (TEN) different teams won the football league, the top 4 changed drastically each year.

In the 16 year period from 1977 to 1992, 6 teams won the League. The majority of which were Liverpool (this was exceptional and unknown as they built on the Shankley legacy).

In 1977 the 3 teams following Liverpool were Manchester City, Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion.

The following year it was Forest, with Liverpool, Everton and Man City.

Next season Liverpool won again with Forest, West Brom and Everton.

Next Liverpool again with Man U, Ipswich and Arsenal.

Teams such as Sheffield Wednesday, Norwich, West Ham all during those 16 years enjoyed a moment of success and a position in the top 4.

In the 16 years since the Premiership has played, 4 teams have won, these being Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal and the one off (3 years in) Blackburn.

1998 was the first season where Man Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool were the top 4.

Then Chelsea dropped out to allow Leeds and Newcastle to take the occasional berth in the top 4, with Man Utd, Arsenal and Liverpool.

Then Abromovich's money brought Chelsea back in by 2004, with Everton briefly pushing Liverpool out for 1 season, we have now suffered 3 successive seasons of the 'big 4' being the top 4.

By manipulating the money via the Champions League, making entry to that cash cow an each way bet, they have secured football and now act as if they own it by right.

With the television money hi-jacked from SKY the bigger teams fought out for massive prize money, then, when the Champions League was secured, the fight was always about who could claw their way in. As the top 4 gained entry and the prizes in the tens of millions this was always going to tip the cart.

Leeds United paid the ultimate price for gambling all on getting one of those berths, whose to say they would not be up there now as gluttonous pigs if Abromovich had not bought Chelsea a place.

Newcastle have not quite suffered as much but have suffered for failing.






There is no competition now.. to borrow an American expression, the Premiership sucks..

Yes, Man U loses occasionally, so does Liverpool, so does Aresenal and Chelsea, but they have effectively bought all the talent to ensure it does not happen enough to hurt them or threaten their position at the trough.

It comes to something when a 'big' team celebrates coming in 4th!!

The gap is now so big, its up to the 'big 4' to chuck it away rather than the other teams to fight their way in

Oh dear, look on the bright side. Swansea got a draw in Cardiff.

I don't think this is a bad thing.

Surely it gives the other team a better chance of winning.
It gives the 2nd string players a chance of playing alongside 1st team regulars, gaining valuable experience to allow them to progress to the 1st team if they do well.
Arsenal usually do well in cup competions with the youngsters. This would imply to me that our 'kids' are better than a lot of our opponent's 1st teams!

Should we just make the 2nd team players play reserve games and not give them a chance to develop further. A number of former Arsenal 2nd team players are now regular 1st team players at other Premier League clubs. Are these clubs settling for 2nd rate players, or were they good players who were unlucky not to get 1st team games.

wow. could i suggest lightening up a bit?

Why?

As a follower of a small team there's always a dream of bigger things. It hurts when something is stolen, even dreams.

Peter, given your recent posts, I thought you might be interesting in this table...

http://www.sport.co.uk/news/Football...nd_survey.aspx

... another view of the distortion of football by meg$$.

I will not draw undue attention to the fact that the Toon is only just clinging on to top flight status by this measure as well.

I believe in the latest figures they drop further.

Believe it or not, I've always supported Newcastle as a '2nd team' since school. 1969 was the time, 'Pop' Robson and Wyn James up front, Bobby Moncur holding the back line, thems were the days.

They stopped winning things as soon as I lent my support mind.

No, no, that was me. Although I was in the stand for the home legs of all the UEFA Cup (oh, allright, Fairs Cup) matches in the '69 winning season. (Apart from that whatsit called the Intertoto or summat, that was the last time they actually won anything).

<I think you meant Wyn Davies>.