Fulham Broadway

It's a question that has been argued over by football fans for decades – which is the greatest English club team of all time? Now, after inputting the results of more than 200,000 matches into his highly sophisticated computer model, one of the UK's leading sports statisticians believes he has the answer: it's the Chelsea side of 2006. Dr Ian McHale, Director of the Centre for Sports Business at Salford Business School, and Chair of the Royal Statistical Society's sports section, has developed a mathematical method for comparing the performance of every English Football League team, taking into account their varying prowess from season to season and the standard of opposition faced. Dr McHale explained: “The research looks to answer the ultimate football question – if you had to pick a side from one year to play for your life, who would you choose?” Analysing every English Football League, Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup match played since the foundation of the Football League in 1888 until the end of the 2011-12 season, Dr McHale has identified the year of maximum 'strength' or quality for each team, which can be objectively compared with sides from any era. By looking at 206,843 games in which 601,039 goals were scored, and including any team which has played at least 250 matches, Dr McHale's method suggests that José Mourinho's 2006 title-winning Chelsea is the greatest English domestic team of all time. Second in the list is 2008's Manchester United side, with the Arsenal 'Invincibles' of 2003-4 in third. All-time greatest English domestic football team (maximum annual strength) Ranking Team Year 1 Chelsea 2006 2 Manchester United 2008 3 Arsenal 2003 4 Liverpool 1987 5 Manchester City 2011 6 Manchester United 1998 7 Everton 1986 8 Leeds United 1969 9 Liverpool 1977 10 Preston North End 1888 So now we know :blue scalf:

I think the FFP has sharpened peoples decisions, and the board and 200+ scouts are under more pressure to make prudent and worthwhile sales and purchases, than before. Hopefully lessons have been learned post Torres as well.

Played 62 games for QPR and scored 1 goal...... . . . . . . . . . Guess who against ....

I think its banter Pizy -a gentle rebuff for the age jibe

Exactly. Then they will store it up for stories of players that have 'fallen out' with Jose

Nice bit of banter between the two -now wait for the corporate media to dress it up as all out nuclear war between Mourinho and Eto

''Oh fuck its Sergios birthday in 10 days , somebody at City better get to Greggs pronto'' classic

Legend for shooting someone whilst training :blue scalf:

Nice piece Josh. Hope you dont mind, but merged it with the Ashley Cole thread, just so we dont have loads of threads on the same topic.

Most footballers do not have the acumen to deal with their affairs and financial dealings, tax etc. If as an agent youre touting a player for say £40 000 000, you receive usually 10% of that transfer fee. Thats £4 000 000 for schmoozing, haggling and a few phone calls. Some agents represent dozens of players, eg Pini Zahavi, which make these agents some of the richest people in the world of football. Often wide boys who can talk the talk, but others have their dads or brothers as agents eg Anelka, Robben and Messi. So when criticising players for greed, it is wise to remember 'cui bono ?'

Ashley Cole, no number just a pic of a smoking cigarette

Love it. Yellow away is a long , proper chels, tradition. Doubtless you'll be adding it to your collection Steve ? Nice addition

Well you can be with a really fit bird, and physically everthings great. With those two, and I'm surmising here, when the fuckings died down, he was left with a Northern gobby racist tart.

People shouldnt blame players for being greedy, in nearly every case its the Mr 10%, or more like 15% nowadays, agents that whore their clients around.

Likes his fags apparently, like his mate, Rooney, and loads of rumours of a falling out with Jose, who is notoriously anti-smoking

With Ashleys indiscretions, and Cheryls racial abusing of toilet attendants, the relationship is probably irretrievable now

One of footballs best unkept secrets. When he came over to us at the end of the Cardiff game , it was obvious it adios Ashley. I do think theres more to this than meets the eye, and will be in the inevitable book when he retires.

I suppose the lesson learned is not to confuse ability on a football pitch and mental intelligence. Very few top players have both.

Even though hes 31 I would love to see him playing for us, and wouldnt be averse to chucking silly money to get him.

He had a lot of time for the fans, and the thing that sticks in the mind is the CL final penalty. Certain he was going to miss ! Some highlights https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0LamBfOyBc&list=FLSqyWWsKMLPzg2cKjd-Ei8A#t=6716 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwWNKU4Dv5M#t=23 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwWNKU4Dv5M#t=23

He was just on ch 4 news, saying he is just one more person working for world food programme, and that he is off to Africa in june, and will miss the World Cup. He also said fines like his £50 000 to the Fa should go to charities and good causes, not the FA that is awash with money. Well done Jose .

Very unfair question to Wenger as well from the media... '' Arsene, how does this compare to your previous cup wins ?'' How can you expect a man that old to remember that far back ?

Motorists were complaining all round Islington and Highbury yesterday about the hold ups from the Arse parade. '' Its a fucking nightmare if we have to put up with this every nine years''

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xqyyb9_ucl2012_sport best day of my life

It is ! An intelligent footballer, rarer than rocking horse shit. Liverpool pundits also include Mark 'slightly depressed' Lawrenson, and Phil 'proboscis monkey' Thomson.