The English Football Thread

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

So after the entire circus over Cahill's dive, no outrage when it comes to Bardsley's intended leg-breaker, blatant tug on Costa's shirt as last man when already on a yellow, or Charlie Adam shaping up to elbow Schurrle in the face?

English media bias, sigh.

[lucio 5,418]

Vidal/javi Martinez/Willian carvalho

playing martinez and matic would be cheating. the other teams midfielders would drop out before the game.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Thing is, I don't think it's an 'intended leg-breaker'. Gary Neville did an interesting analysis on it, albeit he's slightly bias being a former RB, but he suggested as it's a side-foot challenge it's not actually as malicious as it looks. Bardsley believes the ball is going out and when he realises it isn't, he tries to put it out. Because he can't get enough pace to cover the ground, it ends up being late and lunges through Hazard. But he hasn't gone in with his studs. Going in with the side of his boot seems intentional so that he doesn't cause a lot of damage to Hazard. in case he did mistime the challenge.

Agree on other counts though.

I agree that it wasn't as dangerous as it looked in real time, but completely disagree that it was mistimed. I am certain that he knew exactly what he was doing and that was to just hack Hazard down, because the ball had long gone before he launched into the tackle. It wasn't at Eden's feet. Yes, his studs were not up, but it was knee-high and with absolutely zero intention of winning the ball. Red all day, for me.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

In other news, Heskey joins Bolton. Surprised he's still playing, but to be fair, his 'game' never exactly relied on pace, did it?

[Liquidator 5,176]

is Martin Tyler the worst commentator in the world? His bias is absolutely unreal. On Sky Sports they are showing a rerun of our win at Anfield last season. Unreal bias- instantly assuming a foul on a Liverpool player is a penalty and then instantly dismissing our penalty calls. Also sounds disappointed when we score yet explodes with joy when Liverpool score against City. Still happens this season too, he's a fucking smug idiot and a biased Liverpool one at that

[samzilla 517]

Lampard to decide in the next few days if he is staying with Citeh or not.

If he stays at City for the rest of the season, if I was a NYCFC fan I'd be pretty pissed. I imagine a lot of season tickets were sold based on his name.

[didierforever 7,349]

playing martinez and matic would be cheating. the other teams midfielders would drop out before the game.

true that. but considering that pep does not seem to rate him much as a midfielder, if we are able to get him for anything around the fees of matic, it would be another absolute STEAL!!!!

[lucio 5,418]

is Martin Tyler the worst commentator in the world? His bias is absolutely unreal. On Sky Sports they are showing a rerun of our win at Anfield last season. Unreal bias- instantly assuming a foul on a Liverpool player is a penalty and then instantly dismissing our penalty calls. Also sounds disappointed when we score yet explodes with joy when Liverpool score against City. Still happens this season too, he's a fucking smug idiot and a biased Liverpool one at that

he is probably the best. at least in this country

[Liquidator 5,176]

he is probably the best. at least in this country

I don't understand why people think that though? He's far more biased than any BBC commentator

[lucio 5,418]

I don't understand why people think that though? He's far more biased than any BBC commentator

ive never noticed any bias in the big games at all. and he actually sounds good

[Sheva. 5,373]

I don't understand why people think that though? He's far more biased than any BBC commentator

He's good, but I noticed his bias against Chelsea.

Just this last game, he kept going on about the Chelsea bench pressuring the 4th official, and how it's no coincidence players have been getting sent off against Chelsea.

[samzilla 517]

I don't think NYCFC fans are going to be the only ones who will be pissed...

Naturally. But speaking from a strictly MLS perspective.

[nadavTKL 1,787]

NYCFC fans? are'nt they a completely new club?

[Madmax 9,219]

is Martin Tyler the worst commentator in the world? His bias is absolutely unreal. On Sky Sports they are showing a rerun of our win at Anfield last season. Unreal bias- instantly assuming a foul on a Liverpool player is a penalty and then instantly dismissing our penalty calls. Also sounds disappointed when we score yet explodes with joy when Liverpool score against City. Still happens this season too, he's a fucking smug idiot and a biased Liverpool one at that

You should've listened to him for the Stoke game going on and on about who and how many are off the Chelsea bench protesting against refereeing decisions. He even managed to make Andy Townsend sat alongside him not sound like an insufferable tit.

[samzilla 517]

NYCFC fans? are'nt they a completely new club?

They are, but of course they already have fans.

1.) New York has a huge population of 20 million (for example canada's entire population is ~35 million).

2.) They've been promoted heavily.

Would an MLS club wait until the season opens with an empty stadium to start gaining fans?

[nadavTKL 1,787]

They are, but of course they already have fans.

1.) New York has a huge population of 20 million (for example canada's entire population is ~35 million).

2.) They've been promoted heavily.

Would an MLS club wait until the season opens with an empty stadium to start gaining fans?

Thats not real fans.. just people who're excited to see the new team and the players. I doubt they care about the club.

[samzilla 517]

Thats not real fans.. just people who're excited to see the new team and the players. I doubt they care about the club.

Okay, if a fan can't exist until after the team has kicked a ball, then let me change the word from fan to person:

If I'm a person who plunked down thousands of dollars for season tickets on the promise of seeing Frank Lampard, I'd be pissed off if I didn't get to see Frank Lampard, fan or not. I'd feel cheated and ripped off.

ps- Sounds like we're just disussing the definition of fan, rather than the issue at hand for people that plunked down hard earned money based on certain promises from the MLS and NYCFC. On the topic of the definition of a fan, I would still say someone can be a fan before a team has taken the field. For example, when I was a kid, I was a huge fan of basketball. Vancouver was announced to be getting an NBA team. You better believe I was a fan of that team before tip-off had ever occurred. When the new owner lied about keeping the team in Van and moved it to Memphis, I hated the Memphis Grizzlies with a passion before they had ever done anything either.

[nadavTKL 1,787]

Okay, if a fan can't exist until after the team has kicked a ball, then let me change the word from fan to person:

If I'm a person who plunked down thousands of dollars for season tickets on the promise of seeing Frank Lampard, I'd be pissed off if I didn't get to see Frank Lampard, fan or not. I'd feel cheated and ripped off.

ps- Sounds like we're just disussing the definition of fan, rather than the issue at hand for people that plunked down hard earned money based on certain promises from the MLS and NYCFC. On the topic of the definition of a fan, I would still say someone can be a fan before a team has taken the field. For example, when I was a kid, I was a huge fan of basketball. Vancouver was announced to be getting an NBA team. You better believe I was a fan of that team before tip-off had ever occurred. When the new owner lied about keeping the team in Van and moved it to Memphis, I hated the Memphis Grizzlies with a passion before they had ever done anything either.

A new football (or soccer..) club for New York isnt like an NBA team for Vancouver, especially for a kid from Vancouver i assume. MLS already have NY Red Bulls. anyway i agree that it could piss off people, i just questioned the word "fans".

Anyway 2, American sport is so plastic... your team could move around the country, i dont know its all so fake for me.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

A new football (or soccer..) club for New York isnt like an NBA team for Vancouver, especially for a kid from Vancouver i assume. MLS already have NY Red Bulls. anyway i agree that it could piss off people, i just questioned the word "fans".

Anyway 2, American sport is so plastic... your team could move around the country, i dont know its all so fake for me.

Yeah but, all clubs have to start from somewhere right? Many fans with one club in their cities may not like that current club so would fancy the rivalry.. After all, rivalry makes football.

[samzilla 517]

A new football (or soccer..) club for New York isnt like an NBA team for Vancouver, especially for a kid from Vancouver i assume. MLS already have NY Red Bulls. anyway i agree that it could piss off people, i just questioned the word "fans".

Anyway 2, American sport is so plastic... your team could move around the country, i dont know its all so fake for me.

Fair play. I don't think we disagree all that much. We're basically on the same page. But again, New York has a population of 20 million. From a quick google search, I see England has a population of ~54 million. If one team is enough to satisfy 20 million people, then we could argue the premier league only needs 2.7 teams.