2011-2012 English Football Season and STEWART DOWNING WHAT ON EARTH Thread

[Loony BoB]

In all honesty, I have no issue if we don't get a marquee signing. Park, Evra, Vidic, Chicharito, Smalling - all fairly cheap. We tend to get really good results out of those that cost us less than £10m. So if we can, by all means, sign another unknown, Fergie!

For what it's worth, Jones is capable of playing in midfield and did so for many games last season (or so I'm told by a Blackburn fan). I imagine he is our Hargo replacement more than a Brown replacement, but you never know until SAF starts playing him in games. We definitely need a creative player to be brought in, though. I'm not sure we need two - Cleverley will likely take on the Gibson role and from what little I've seen, he's definitely better, more tricks and dribbling in his game, and still creative. Then there's that criminal Morrison guy who is supposedly amazing, but will probably only feature in the odd Carling Cup game. Still, we'll have to see how things go. There's a lot of summer to come yet.

[champagne supernova]

Arsenal need more bad losers | Life's A Pitch

Interesting for Charlie. Says much that we are aware of (Arsenal need more grit), but I think the comment about the players being pampered and not being forced to acknowledge mistakes etc is also a flaw in the Wenger philosophy.

Phil Jones is a solid defender and good on the ball, but he isn't what United need. We need someone like Iniesta or like Scholes was a few years ago - always moving into space so a team mate can give him a pass, seeing the game several steps ahead and able to work an opening. Phil Jones isn't going to do that. Fletcher has got the energy and the movement, but his vision is a bit less clear-cut (although he does have his moments) and Anderson is Brazilian, so there is potential for him to be awesome if he gets over his injuries.

But there are the youngsters. Apparently Cleverley did well on loan at Wigan. And Ferguson has been right about introducing youngsters before. I would still like a midfield signing, but we'll see.

[charliepanayi]

That article doesn't tell me much of interest at all, it's the usual desperately vague 'oh they need some players who are tougher' which sounds like the sort of thing the English press always says about the national side - I'd settle for better defence and a decent sports psychologist!

[Psychotic]

What Arsenal need to do is sell Fabregas. All this "will he, won't he?" crap every Summer and his subsequent sulking has a huge effect on team morale. When they see that their Captain doesn't want to be there, and doesn't give a trout, what hope at inspiring them does he have? What they should do is take Barca for every penny. Look at us and Torres. £50m (ha ha ha!) reinvested in better players (Well... Suarez at the very least) and the team's attitude after January was completely different. We were a whole new team, scoring at will, and there was a real positive vibe around the place once the pouting little ponce had gone. Him flopping at Chelsea was just the icing on the cake Mind you, he's had a Summer to rest and sadly, I expect him to flourish next season. I hope not, but I think he will.

...went off on a tangent there. Arsenal need to sell Fabregas; I hope they don't.

[DK]

More importantly they need to keep ahold of Nasri, this is absolutely essential for the survival of Roberto Mancini.

[Heath]

I meant poorest financially, but thanks for the faith!

You'll spend more money than us this season!

I'm hurt by the lack of Everton included in the poll. I can only assume this is because we all know Everton will win the league and so you just put the other teams in there to make it look like there'll be competition this year.

As for my footballing summer, I've settled into that routine of checking the BBC Football gossip page every day, not seeing any reference to Everton, going to a suitably pessimistic fan site (Toffeeweb usually) to read a couple of fan articles about how Everton would have a better transfer budget if they went on the dole and then trying to convince myself that if Yakubu comes back to Everton because we can't palm him off to Leicester then it'll just be like a new signing. I'm starting to doubt we'll even spend the £2/3m we got for selling Pienaar to Spurs, which was a pathetic affair in itself.

And then I usually have a couple of whiskies to get me through the rest of the morning.

Edit: Also the Chuckle Brothers signature/avatar combo being sported by Paul and Dan is absolutely beautiful. I almost want to try and find a picture of that angry bloke who was their boss in every episode to join in.

[DK]

http://youtu.be/LnKW-yVTSrM

Can we get this guy commentating on Match of the Day? What a hero xD also ahahah best penalty

[champagne supernova]

BBC Sport - Ferguson backs Tom Cleverley for England call-up

Cleverley it is then.

[Bred Pit]

I think it is very difficult to predict before time. It is very tough to
select a team that win this league. Competetion is very tough among the team.

[Psychotic]

I think it is very difficult to predict before time. It is very tough to
select a team that win this league. Competetion is very tough among the team.

You're a Spurs fan, aren't you? We need one of those around here.

[Rocket Edge]

Balotelli acting like a complete retard (Video at bottom).

Did you people hear about this? I can't believe he attempted this & that he wonders why he is taken off. Total disrespect for LA Galaxy. Mancini was so right to take him off.

[charliepanayi]

I don't know, it was only a friendly. The guy is clearly a bit crazy though.

[Psychotic]

Nothing wrong with that, or with that random backheel penalty the other week. I don't get how it's disrespectful. He tried something, failed and ended up looking like a twat, the game goes on.

[DK]

Yep, if it had gone in majority of people would have been crowing about how it was the greatest thing they'd ever seen. And it would have been awesome. But yeah Super Mario is insane and it's great.

[champagne supernova]

I will always remember Balotelli for replying to the police's question of, "Why do you have several thousand pounds worth of cash on to you?" with, "Because I'm rich."

What. A. (Blue)Tit.