The English Football Thread

[Fernando 6,454]

1 hour ago, Tomo said:

Also if Arsenal finish second it might convince the board to give Wenger a new deal, or is that one wish too far?

You have to say one thing. As much as we make fun of Wenger and so does Mourinho he has never had a season like ours. 

The Special One could not do what the specialist in failure does, consistency in finishing top 4. 

And must of us agree that if we don't win anything but finishing in top 4 would be okay. Anything out of that would be catastrophe, like this season. 

 

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

8 hours ago, xPetrCechx said:

Fans that stayed to listen to pellegrini in his last home game.

So called 'classy' fans that at Emptihad

[Jase 43,479]

6 hours ago, Tomo said:

Also if Arsenal finish second it might convince the board to give Wenger a new deal, or is that one wish too far?

Like finishing second or third is going to make any difference. The Arsenal board are just happy that Wenger is making profit for them every season.

[Iggy Doonican 4,186]

Danny Murphy said on Match of the Day that Man City not qualifying for the Champions League wouldn't be a disaster. Got to disagree there at the very least it's hugely embarrassing for a club who have spent eye watering amounts of dosh on tossers like Sterling. As for Manuel Pellegrini we were linked with him for a while personally I'd prefer Manuel from Fawlty Towers then that huge underachiever.

[Blue_Fox_ 2,086]

10 hours ago, Fernando said:

You have to say one thing. As much as we make fun of Wenger and so does Mourinho he has never had a season like ours. 

The Special One could not do what the specialist in failure does, consistency in finishing top 4. 

And must of us agree that if we don't win anything but finishing in top 4 would be okay. Anything out of that would be catastrophe, like this season. 

 

Yeah....wonder if Wenger could achieve top four with our team, or wonder if Mourinho could win the league with his team at first try, without choking massively after Wenger has been trying for over a decade, or who knows, maybe not waste a CL spot for england and choke massively in the last 16 in the first game... I wonder....

[LDN Blue 7,903]

2 hours ago, Iggy Doonican said:

Danny Murphy said on Match of the Day that Man City not qualifying for the Champions League wouldn't be a disaster. Got to disagree there at the very least it's hugely embarrassing for a club who have spent eye watering amounts of dosh on tossers like Sterling. As for Manuel Pellegrini we were linked with him for a while personally I'd prefer Manuel from Fawlty Towers then that huge underachiever.

Embarrassing, yes. A disaster? Not really.

This has been the most unpredictable season we've had in a long time. Were it not for Leicester the top 4 would be much more favourable for City, United and Arsenal. This year we've had Tottenham and Leicester more or less replace Chelsea and City. But with two giants out of the CL, it makes the domestic run in a bit more exciting. I don't think it's even a deal breaker for Pep, he'll have that first season to build himself a solid foundation and enter the 2017-18 competition in a better prepared way? Who knows tbh. 

[LDN Blue 7,903]

10 hours ago, Fernando said:

The Special One could not do what the specialist in failure does, consistency in finishing top 4. 

Lol mate, I strongly have to disagree.

Wenger could only dream to have such a remarkable 12 years where he's only once finished outside the top 4. In that time his success alone in EVERY country he's been too, both domestically and in Europe speaks for itself. 

There will be a season where Wenger will bottle top 4, if he doesn't retire/leave by then. Will you then change your mind regarding that?

[Fernando 6,454]

35 minutes ago, LDN Blue said:

Lol mate, I strongly have to disagree.

Wenger could only dream to have such a remarkable 12 years where he's only once finished outside the top 4. In that time his success alone in EVERY country he's been too, both domestically and in Europe speaks for itself. 

There will be a season where Wenger will bottle top 4, if he doesn't retire/leave by then. Will you then change your mind regarding that?

No because the case we have fallen this season is due to we didn't spend right?

And how much does Arsenal have been spending for all those years?  

Again if the whole down turn of this season is because we didn't spend that much then why don't you take that stick to measure Wenger as well?

And yes not winning anything is by no mean justifiable but at least being consistent for so many years to get a top 4 is really good. I mean we used to also make fun of top 4 being a trophy but for us being out of the CL it sure feels like it now....

[Special Juan 27,424]

Please United get fourth because City missing out ahead of Pep's arrival will be fucking comedy.

[Iggy Doonican 4,186]

1 hour ago, Special Juan said:

Please United get fourth because City missing out ahead of Pep's arrival will be fucking comedy.

Comedy Gold.

[Jase 43,479]

2 hours ago, Fernando said:

No because the case we have fallen this season is due to we didn't spend right?

And how much does Arsenal have been spending for all those years?  

Again if the whole down turn of this season is because we didn't spend that much then why don't you take that stick to measure Wenger as well?

And yes not winning anything is by no mean justifiable but at least being consistent for so many years to get a top 4 is really good. I mean we used to also make fun of top 4 being a trophy but for us being out of the CL it sure feels like it now....

Finishing in the top 4 and qualifying for the Champions League is nice but if you aren't going to be competitive in it, then what's the point of getting into the competition for 20 straight seasons? Wenger's record has been atrocious in that time - 2 semi finals and 1 final in 20 years. And that's without mentioning the fact that they have been knocked in the last 16 in each of the last six season.

I'm also not sure why have people taken Mourinho's 'Specialist in Failure' comment out of context. Sure, he has failed miserably this season and made himself look like a fool with the statement (one that was made 2 years ago!) but the point of that was Wenger barely wins trophies these days. He's barely come close to winning the league in the last decade or the Champions League in the last 2 decades and his constant excuse about how other clubs have bigger spending power is stupid especially when we've seen what the likes of Leicester, Spurs, Dortmund, Atletico etc have done.

[Fernando 6,454]

48 minutes ago, Jason said:

Finishing in the top 4 and qualifying for the Champions League is nice but if you aren't going to be competitive in it, then what's the point of getting into the competition for 20 straight seasons? Wenger's record has been atrocious in that time - 2 semi finals and 1 final in 20 years. And that's without mentioning the fact that they have been knocked in the last 16 in each of the last six season.

I'm also not sure why have people taken Mourinho's 'Specialist in Failure' comment out of context. Sure, he has failed miserably this season and made himself look like a fool with the statement (one that was made 2 years ago!) but the point of that was Wenger barely wins trophies these days. He's barely come close to winning the league in the last decade or the Champions League in the last 2 decades and his constant excuse about how other clubs have bigger spending power is stupid especially when we've seen what the likes of Leicester, Spurs, Dortmund, Atletico etc have done.

Yes but in this age of money cl is already a trophy in itself. 

Look at the difference it would be for us. Not in cl we can't attract as top players we would like to.

Not to mention the money getting from being the CL. The money itself makes things like FA, capita one worthless as even they are trophy they don't pay as much. 

I rather be in the CL then win a capital one trophie. 

Again I'm not denying that not winning much in those years is justifiable but you still got to give credit for getting in cl all those times. 

 

[Jase 43,479]

10 minutes ago, Fernando said:

Yes but in this age of money cl is already a trophy in itself. 

Look at the difference it would be for us. Not in cl we can't attract as top players we would like to.

Not to mention the money getting from being the CL. The money itself makes things like FA, carling worthless as even they are trophy they don't pay as much. 

 

Again I'm not denying that not winning much in those years is justifiable but you still got to give credit for getting in cl all those times. 

With the money that's coming in from the new TV deal, the Champions League one is nothing. Sure, qualifying for that competition and the attraction it brings is big for players but players aren't stupid either. They aren't just going to join a club because they're in the Champions League. They will also consider other factors. And yes, not being in the Champions League will hurt us in attracting top players but it's not a complete disaster and if we show the right ambition and desire to get back to the top, players will still come. There's only so many players a club can fit in. Maybe your expectations are different but to me, it's pointless if you qualify for the Champions League for 20 straight seasons but aren't competitive at all. It's like you're just happy at being there and don't have desire to push on further. It's one of the reasons why Arsenal fans have grown fed up of Wenger.

[Last Sicarius 610]

 

Six years.. :/ Drogba, Lampard, Cole, Anelka, Malouda... good old Chelsea gone and last Terry i going too :<

[KevinAshburner 1,270]

west ham united sold 53,000 season tickets for 2016/2017 premier league season at the London Olympic Stadium.

 

West Ham sell more than 50,000 season tickets for Olympic Stadium

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/may/09/west-ham-sell-more-than-50000-season-tickets-for-olympic-stadium

 

Olympic Stadium: West Ham sell out over 50,000 season tickets for next season

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36245311

 

West Ham confirm 52,000 season tickets sold at Olympic Stadium as Karren Brady reveals ambition to become 'one of the top 10 most successful clubs in Europe'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3579850/West-Ham-confirm-52-000-season-tickets-sold-Olympic-Stadium-Karren-Brady-reveals-ambition-one-10-successful-clubs-Europe.html

[Captain Ahmed 528]

On this day in 2010; Chelsea were crowned Premier League Champions after an 8-0 victory over Wigan. #TalkChelsea.net

 

[Laylabelle 9,351]

Awwww was there that day :-D remember the Drogba penalty drama lol. We ended it in style!

[LDN Blue 7,903]

22 hours ago, Fernando said:

No because the case we have fallen this season is due to we didn't spend right?

Yeah to an extent, of course.

22 hours ago, Fernando said:

Again if the whole down turn of this season is because we didn't spend that much then why don't you take that stick to measure Wenger as well?

And yes not winning anything is by no mean justifiable but at least being consistent for so many years to get a top 4 is really good. I mean we used to also make fun of top 4 being a trophy but for us being out of the CL it sure feels like it now....

Yeah fourth is the minimum you'd expect from a club with such a massive reputation and through our own internal combustion we've royally screwed that up. 

But that still doesn't excuse the expectations Wenger has continued to underperform with. Take this season alone; in a season where two of the heaviest spenders in the last 10 years have done awfully it was his to lose. Lack of investment on the first team, other than to goalkeeping department cos him titles and trophies. 

Honestly, I don't mind us being out of Europe for a season (EL included). Gives us a clean slate to focus solely on domestic success, which in turn will secure champions league football for the following year. And if we do that, if we win 2-3 trophies next year while finishing top 4, that will put us above Arsenal in whichever way they can spin it.