*Official* English Football Season 2014-15

[Pothas]

He was one of the forerunners of it really. It is probably his most hateable attribute actually. One of those people who is more unpleasant when trying to be chummy than when he is in full-on rant mode.

I still remember that time he spent several minutes on Match of the Day 2 trying to convince how everyone how Shola Ameobi was one of the best players in the Premiership though. That was funny, so it redeems him a little in my eyes.

I saw him at the London Sports Writing festival last year and he was kind of funny, but in a I really would not want this man to manage my side kind of way.

 

[Pothas]

Yes, good point that.

It is also very unusual to here from a British based pundit, especially one that is employed to sell the Premiership as the most important thing in the world.

World Cup at Christmas would be so great, live Boxing day test but better. Obviously they would not actually schedule it for then but even a January one would be fine and would avoid the whole European based players being knackered for it problem.

 

[grecian]

The slave labour and dreadful human rights record still makes me think it's an hideous idea. Neville may well believe what he's saying, but I bet he'll get employment out there, nice jolly for him in the cold winter months.

 

[Uppercut]

The slave labour and dreadful human rights record still makes me think it's an hideous idea. Neville may well believe what he's saying, but I bet he'll get employment out there, nice jolly for him in the cold winter months.

But he didn't say they should have given it to Qatar?

The political question is over whether giving them the tournament will bring the society forward or simply lend legitimacy to a corrupt regime. For Qatar you could make a decent case either way but for Russia it's only ever going to be the latter. So it's strange how much more unpopular the Qatar World Cup is.

 

[Neil Pickup]

If Matt Grimes doesn't play regularly in the Prem, then I will be hugely surprised, went to my first match 38 years ago, would say I really had an idea of who was good about 10 years later, but he's the best youngster we've produced in that time, by miles.

Honestly he dictates matches from the centre of the park like a veteran, yet has the energy and vibrancy of youth. Touch, technique, awareness, it's all there, in a role you don't normally mature in until later. Oh and his set-pieces are high-quality, which doesn't hurt.

I haven't seen the boy play a great deal but from everything I've read he sounds special.

I hope we get a stack of cash for him after he gets us promoted.

 

[sledger]

But he didn't say they should have given it to Qatar?

The political question is over whether giving them the tournament will bring the society forward or simply lend legitimacy to a corrupt regime. For Qatar you could make a decent case either way but for Russia it's only ever going to be the latter. So it's strange how much more unpopular the Qatar World Cup is.

Depends who you speak to about it I suspect. I wouldn't be surprised if the louts you meet in the pub don't like the Qatar WC for similar reasons as to why they don't like Britain being in the EU, or Asian gangs, or whatever.

 

[grecian]

I haven't seen the boy play a great deal but from everything I've read he sounds special.

I hope we get a stack of cash for him after he gets us promoted.

I'm not sure if true, but on Exeweb someone said they asked for odds on him playing for England full-squad, and Skybet offered 6-1, that's pretty damn skinny.

I'd be shocked if he wasn't gone in the window, hope we can keep him until the end of the season though. Tis has pretty much said he thinks he a million-pound player, so I don't see us selling him cheap.

 

[Uppercut]

Rodgers looks like he might be resting players for the weekend this evening against Real Madrid. Thoughts on that? You'd have to think it'll go down terribly with the fans, who already seem to be getting surprisingly impatient with him.

 

[Uppercut]

Depends who you speak to about it I suspect. I wouldn't be surprised if the louts you meet in the pub don't like the Qatar WC for similar reasons as to why they don't like Britain being in the EU, or Asian gangs, or whatever.

I guess there's a racial element to some of it, but even the broadsheets despise the Qatar World Cup without batting an eyelid at Russia. I think a lot of the animosity comes from the fact that England bid for the 2022 World Cup but not the 2018 one, which we haven't really got over.

 

[sledger]

Rodgers looks like he might be resting players for the weekend this evening against Real Madrid. Thoughts on that? You'd have to think it'll go down terribly with the fans, who already seem to be getting surprisingly impatient with him.

In practical terms I think it makes a lot of sense. They're overwhelmingly likely to get beat whether they go with their strongest line up or their second XI, so saving the legs of the key players is far from a terrible idea in this respect. Symbolically it looks really bad though. It's basically throwing the towel in and openly acknowledging that they can't compete before the match has even started. I wouldn't be at all happy if Arsenal attempted something similar.

 

[GIMH]

I guess there's a racial element to some of it, but even the broadsheets despise the Qatar World Cup without batting an eyelid at Russia. I think a lot of the animosity comes from the fact that England bid for the 2022 World Cup but not the 2018 one, which we haven't really got over.

Nah, we didn't, we bid for 2018

 

[GIMH]

In practical terms I think it makes a lot of sense. They're overwhelmingly likely to get beat whether they go with their strongest line up or their second XI, so saving the legs of the key players is far from a terrible idea in this respect. Symbolically it looks really bad though. It's basically throwing the towel in and openly acknowledging that they can't compete before the match has even started. I wouldn't be at all happy if Arsenal attempted something similar.

Holloway got a big fine at Blackpool for doing similar IIRC

 

[sledger]

I guess there's a racial element to some of it, but even the broadsheets despise the Qatar World Cup without batting an eyelid at Russia. I think a lot of the animosity comes from the fact that England bid for the 2022 World Cup but not the 2018 one, which we haven't really got over.

I suspect, to put it diplomatically, the fact that Qatar have a very limited footballing presence/history has something to do with it also.

 

[sledger]

Holloway got a big fine at Blackpool for doing similar IIRC

It was only about £25k iirc. Which, when you consider the cost of Premiership survival/relegation, is an absolute pittance. I expect Blackpool would have happily paid that fine one hundred times over if it meant that resting key players for certain games kept them up.

In the event Liverpool do rest a load of players this evening it'll be interesting to see if UEFA levy any sort of penalty.

 

[sledger]

the alternative to Qatar was Australia

(which they'd probably end up holding in November or at North Sydney Oval)

The Aussie team has at least qualified for World Cups before though tbf.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

yeah so did a hurricane there.

Anyway it was a ridiculously uninspiring field for 2022

 

[Eds]

Rodgers is talking about resting Gerrard and possibly Sterling. He won't be playing the reserves against Real Madrid ffs.

 

[Uppercut]

Rodgers is talking about resting Gerrard and possibly Sterling. He won't be playing the reserves against Real Madrid ffs.

That still strikes me as absolutely crazy. It's a logical enough move from a footballing perspective, but in terms of Liverpool's internal politics it's an insane move.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

So admitting he can't win then and the game on Saturday v Chelsea is a bigger game.

No Gerrard, Henderson or Sterling. Balotelli dropped as well. Borini up front.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Haha I think it's the correct decision really seeing as they would likely get walloped whatever side they pick, but I really doubt the hardcore Liverpool support will see it that way. Given that I don't think it's a good idea from Rodgers' point of view.