English Football Thread! 2006-2007 Season

[Psychotic]

Apparently Liverpool are very close to a takeover by the world's fifth-richest man, who goes by the easy to remember name of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum. His wealth totally outstrips Abramovich's.

Ugh. With this and the abandoning of Anfield for a 60,000 stadium, it feels like the soul is being ripped out of the club, and there is no club in England with a soul like Liverpool's. I'm all for glory days at Anfield Road, really I am, but not at this price.

I can only hope we don't become a bunch of diving whining cheats like Chelsea are, and that we don't get <img src="/xxx.gif"><img src="/xxx.gif"><img src="/xxx.gif"><img src="/xxx.gif">s like Mourinho and Peter Kenyon in. I'm still going to support the club no matter what, though, and will until the day I die.

Anywho, it seems we're letting the kids have a run in the Champions League on Tuesday. Squad:

Dudek, Agger, Riise, Alonso, Crouch, Fowler, Pennant, Bellamy, Kuyt, Carragher, Paletta, Luis Garcia, Guthrie, Peltier, Darby, Martin, Anderson, Roque.

I am looking forward to seeing Paul Anderson play, but then anyone who has seen the English football threads over the past two years should already know that

[The Captain]

I think it's a good move to get some of the younger guys some playing time, especially since we've already clinched a spot in the next round.

As for the takeover.... it's a very complex problem. For one, the way the EPL looks like it's going, you need to have some sort of rich owner to afford to compete with the spending of Man Utd and Chelsea, but like Paul said, the price to pay might be too steep. To draw a parallel, this has really been hit home the last few years in American Major League Baseball, where a few teams, such as the Yankees and Red Sox have a seemingly overwhelming amount of money to spend and thus usually end up with the two best lineups, whilst other squads have to be much more cut-throat and shrewd, but never enjoy the consistent level of success. As a lifelong Yankees fan, I've been very sad to watch my team go from a ball club to a high priced all-star team with no chemistry. I fear that money eventually does that as you pass over players that might not have eye-popping stats but make up for it in chemistry and intangibles. However, the silver lining is that just because a team becomes wealthy doesn't mean they always win, as the past few World Series have shown.

In the end, if Liverpool uses the money to regain an equal footing with Man Utd, Chelsea and the others, it makes sense because they need to level that playing field, but they also have to remember that they are Liverpool and a lot of the allure comes from their history which is filled with great players and teams, and not with just rich ones or overwhelming stats.

Take care all.

[Psychotic]

And after all that, Paul Anderson didn't play. Good to see Miki Roque get a chance though.

Dunno what Rafa was doing playing Guthrie on the left, though. Surely the logical thing to do would be to play Agger at left back, Riise on the left of midfield, Carra in the centre of defence and Guthrie in the centre, but apparently not.

Why is Gabriel Paletta trying to be Mauricio Pellegrino?

[Bart's Friend Milhouse]

Guthrie, Roque, Paletta, Paul Anderson? Are you speaking in tongues

Didn't see the Liverpool match (will watch highlights tonight), but congratulations for making the knock out phase. Was also nice to see Robbie Fowler net a couple, reminds me of the good old '97 days when he was scoring by the bucketful.
And how about a round of applause for Spartak Moscow for making the UEFA cup

[Cuchulainn]

I AM BACK FROM A GREAT SLUMBER!!...though I doubt I was missed....

Man U better beat Benfica tomorrow.....

I'm going to the derby so my presence alone should inspire them to thrash City.

[Jess]

I hope we can beat Reading tonight, although it's unlikely, but I feel uncomfortable with us in the bottom three.

Oh, and for smurfs sake about Keiron Dyer - not again!

[Bart's Friend Milhouse]

Er, Liverpool played yesterday

[Jess]

Er, Liverpool played yesterday

This is Psychotic's doing.

I'm a Newcastle fan!

EDIT: Yes! We win and we're up and out of the relegation zone yet again. ^_^

1-0 to us, firstly - Sibierski.
1-1. Harper
2-1 to Reading, Harper again.
2-2, penalty Oba Martins!
3-2 to us, Emre.

I'm so happy!

[The Captain]

Another sound effort at Anfield today.



Take care all.

[Psychotic]

And another 4-0. Looks like we're finally finding some form.

[Resha]

I hate Chelsea. Arrogant @%@*s. The newspapers are full of Mourinho "dismissing" Arsenal. *shnip* Was that inappropriate language?! My bad.

[charliepanayi]

Nothing new there from Mourinho. Though I do think we'll be be bloody lucky to even get a draw today. Hell, we'll be lucky to score!

[Resha]

Have faith in us, Charlie chica. I believe we can do it. Miracles are just coincidental smurf-ups, or so they say...

[charliepanayi]

Well we got the draw, which in the circumstances isn't too bad. But curse us for not keeping that lead! Still considering what things have been like for us in the last six weeks or so, this is one of the better moments of the season so far comparatively.

[Rocket Edge]

God, Essien's goal was incredable! Either way i'm happy with a draw, It's setting us (Man U) up nicely for the title with the blues dropping points.