Gooners Legends v Milan Glories just starting ITV4 could be interesting.

These international breaks are interminable, wish they would just start the season a bit later and have a 1 month or so period of international qualifiers to get them out of the way.

Quite surprised to see Man United acting so poorly with regard to the Busby family, they're supposed to be a club with a good reputation when it comes to legacy and that sort of thing. You can understand moving them out of the directors box given the need to blow smoke up the arses of corporate types with prime seats and the fact they're still giving them free season tickets in hospitality is positive, but removing the plaque dedicated to the only truly great Man United manager not named Ferguson in their history seems particularly needless, crass and a brainless PR own goal.

I'm always slightly wary with how those sorts of stories are reported. More often than not a negative spin is put on a nothing story.

Also today there's a story in The Sun claiming United players are being discouraged from swapping shirts to save costs. In the article it says they are only given four shirts for the whole season... That may have been true back in the day but I'm confident in saying they get at least two shirts per game nowadays. 

Speaking of smoke being blown up arses, I find it so amusing to go back in time to read about the man christened the next Duncan Edwards. So-called serious journalists writing up servile puff pieces about Man United players, why am I not surprised.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/philmcnulty/2011/12/phil_jones_destined_for_manche.html

We shouldn't crow too much, though, I remember when Gael Kakuta was tipped to be the next big thing at Chelsea.

3 hours ago, Charles Ryder said:

Quite surprised to see Man United acting so poorly with regard to the Busby family, they're supposed to be a club with a good reputation when it comes to legacy and that sort of thing. You can understand moving them out of the directors box given the need to blow smoke up the arses of corporate types with prime seats and the fact they're still giving them free season tickets in hospitality is positive, but removing the plaque dedicated to the only truly great Man United manager not named Ferguson in their history seems particularly needless, crass and a brainless PR own goal.

The story is crap, here is an explanation from redcafe

 

Quote

The term 'plaque' is not really accurate. In the director's box there are a number of seats with small name plaques on the underside. Since the leather seating went in there they had names on those seats. Some say 'Sir Alex Ferguson', 'Sir Bobby Charlton', others say 'Edwards Family', others said 'Busby Family'. The seats themselves can't be more than 10 years old, and the name plaque certainly hasn't been there for 50.

Sadly, last year both of Sir Matt's children died, but before then they could give those allocated seats out to family members if they were not going themselves. Now that they've died, and the grandchildren outnumber the amount of seats in the director's box and there's nobody to allocate them fairly, so United have given the family a number of season tickets instead, as they say in the article. It's just crap sensationalist journalism from the MEN again.

Edit: Here's a photo of the kind of seat name plate this 'plaque' actually is that the article refers to (no idea who the bloke is, by the way):

 

 

11 hours ago, ForeverCarefree said:

I'm always slightly wary with how those sorts of stories are reported. More often than not a negative spin is put on a nothing story.

Also today there's a story in The Sun claiming United players are being discouraged from swapping shirts to save costs. In the article it says they are only given four shirts for the whole season... That may have been true back in the day but I'm confident in saying they get at least two shirts per game nowadays. 

There wouldn't be a top-flight professional sportsperson or club that has to pay for his kit. It's almost invariably part of the kit sponsorship deal, whether that be in football, rugby, basketball etc.

Edited September 5, 20169 yr by SydneyChelsea

On 9/5/2016 at 04:06, Charles Ryder said:

Speaking of smoke being blown up arses, I find it so amusing to go back in time to read about the man christened the next Duncan Edwards. So-called serious journalists writing up servile puff pieces about Man United players, why am I not surprised.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/philmcnulty/2011/12/phil_jones_destined_for_manche.html

We shouldn't crow too much, though, I remember when Gael Kakuta was tipped to be the next big thing at Chelsea.

The black Zidane was how I heard him labelled at one time......

We hear a lot about fixture congestion, but the only reason that exists is because of these stupid international breaks. It's not club football that causes it, it's international football. 2 weeks of no club football just to fit in 1 round of world cup qualifiers ? what a waste of time. 2 league games and another round of League cup games could easily have fit in there.

I agree with what @Charles Ryder says, just start the season a bit later and play all of the international games before the season starts. It's boring waiting this long for club football to start up again and it's annoying that we get such a long international break after only 3 league games of the season.

41 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

We hear a lot about fixture congestion, but the only reason that exists is because of these stupid international breaks. It's not club football that causes it, it's international football. 2 weeks of no club football just to fit in 1 round of world cup qualifiers ? what a waste of time. 2 league games and another round of League cup games could easily have fit in there.

I agree with what @Charles Ryder says, just start the season a bit later and play all of the international games before the season starts. It's boring waiting this long for club football to start up again and it's annoying that we get such a long international break after only 3 league games of the season.

Agreed Scott. I feel like it can break up momentum too. 

Would really really really really love to see City beat Man U. Never hated City but was bitter how a club with no obvious personality/character were landing x factor players such as Kun and Silva. I really like Pep too because he looks like my dad lol. All i know in london are glory hunting fickle utd fans so i really hope they fail.

27 minutes ago, KonaKai Blue said:

I really like Pep too because he looks like my dad lol. All i know in london are glory hunting fickle utd fans so i really hope they fail.

As good a reason as any to want City to win... but I think a draw would be best for us. If we're going to challenge this year we need City/United to be dropping points at every opportunity.

Reports, albeit from the Mirror, that West Brom have approached Hodgson to replace Pulis as Pulis is once again in a standoff with the owners. 

If true, I hope it works out well for Hodgson. It's a shame that many people remember him now as the guy that lost to Iceland rather than the guy that took Fulham to the Europa League final and took West Brom from relegation fodder to mid table. I question whether he has the sharpness at his age; I hope he does. 

As for Pulis, he'll be employed again by January at the latest. Probably by one of the promoted teams or Watford. I hope it's a team that has yet to play Manchester City at home. Would love to see Pep get Crystanbuled. 

Also reports that Mike Phelan will be named "long term" manager at Hull after doing well as interim. The Hull owners are so messed up that I can't see why anyone would want that job. 

17 minutes ago, offside said:

It's a shame that many people remember him now as the guy that lost to Iceland rather than the guy that took Fulham to the Europa League final and took West Brom from relegation fodder to mid table.

Well there was also England's worst World Cup performance ever. I shall never forget him gushing about how proud he was of the lads after that glorious 0-0 against Costa Rica.

Not to mention this!

 

I reckon Jose will play safe, with Carrick and Felleani in the middle next to Pogba. I don't think the game will live up to its expectation, City will hold on the ball but won't have the killer touch because The Kun is out, United will be waiting for that turn over patiently for counter. If United lose due to a bad decision, expect Jose to install the siege mentality 

12 hours ago, icecoolguy22 said:

I reckon Jose will play safe, with Carrick and Felleani in the middle next to Pogba. I don't think the game will live up to its expectation, City will hold on the ball but won't have the killer touch because The Kun is out, United will be waiting for that turn over patiently for counter. If United lose due to a bad decision, expect Jose to install the siege mentality 

Couldn't agree more mate. Seems like more often than not the 'game(s) of the season' don't live up to the hype.

ABU !

 

 

Anyone watching Schalke-Bayern? Hoping my German faves can upset the apple cart a bit. Baba starting.

1 hour ago, Charles Ryder said:

Anyone watching Schalke-Bayern? Hoping my German faves can upset the apple cart a bit. Baba starting.

Yeah, good performance from Baba but none of the Schalke players really made a mistake or had a bad game.

It was an even match with chances on both sides. In the end Bayern overall quality won the game. Have to mention Alaba with a strong game who would suit perfect under Conte i think. (Alaba fan here)

Exciting game to watch even though it stayed 0-0 for so long, Schalke were unlucky not to get a point. Huntelaar going off injured stopped them from being able to play two up front and pressure Bayern high up the pitch as they had been doing so well up to that point.

 

Good result for Carlo.

Liverpool renovate their stadium, its still crap. 

 

Edited September 10, 20169 yr by kiwi1691

Debut for Bravo, it's going to be an interesting game. I hope the result would be draw (enjoyable 2-2).

Obviously big game in Manchester today, but the hype as expected is ridiculous...yes it has a say in title race and rivalry of managers is big talking point, but the Manchester derby has only been significant to the rest of the country for last few years as city have improved...it has t felt much of a fixture, in my lifetime anyway, before then..even now, I see none of the real hatred and intensity like we saw between chelsea and Tottenham last season at the bridge...this has been billed as biggest Derby in football and yet Celtic v rangers is a far greater rivalry game as far as I'm concerned

Edited September 10, 20169 yr by The Brit