Rival Watch / Other Teams

[Mantis]

I think we have a wonderful opportunity to extend our advantage at the top of the table today. We need a win. Draw is ok but not really good enough. Loss definitely not good enough and highlights concerns over our home form.

 

[Arsenal87]

I think we have a wonderful opportunity to extend our advantage at the top of the table today. We need a win. Draw is ok but not really good enough. Loss definitely not good enough and highlights concerns over our home form.

If we were playing Hull away next week, a draw would be ok, but we're playing United, even though they are **** right now, it's still always a challenge up there and they have the players who can hurt us, and the United game also comes right after we play a tough European game to one of the best European sides out there. It's always hard to play away from home right after a European away game, in this case that European away game is Dortmund, and the away league game is United, so it's highly likely we lose points next week.

Now if we don't lose next week, and get something, and even the 3 points, then it makes winning today all the more better.

 

[omogooner]

Here's why I think a point will be bad:

1-We've lost our last 2 home games against the big teams, so we need a win, which will show we're the real deal, and also build confidence in the team that they know they can beat the big teams.

2-Chelsea lost today, it's important to build some space between us, going 5 points above them.

3-It's all the more important we build a 5 point gap on Chelsea, and get maximum points today, because we play United away next week, right after we play Dortmund in a very tough European encounter, so the chances of us dropping points at United are very very high (plus our record there has been **** anyways). If we fail to get maximum points today, and next week, that's a lot points dropped, and no ground made on Chelsea, heck they can be above us come the end of next next week.

4-When you want to win the title, you need to beat your rivals, and need to pick up all points when other rivals drop points, everything's set for us today to move ahead of 2 rivals by beating Liverpool, and by Chelsea losing we gain 3 points on them. We will not win the league if we don't beat the big teams, it's as simple as that.

You say we have lost 2 big home games. I disagree. We lost against Dortmund, we were the better side... I accept it was a big Champions League game, we were undone by our naivety I think. Chelsea in the mickey mouse cup was not a big game.
I disagree we need to make a statement of intent by beating Liverpool. I would much rather we rather went about business quietly. The season is long, no need to frothing in the mouth now and getting all excited. No matter how many points we build at this early stage, it is surmountable. Manure, Citeh all the usual big boys will be there or thereabouts at the business end of the season.
Can we not mention winning the league at this early stage? I disagree you have to beat your rivals to win the league.

 

[omogooner]

Here's why I think a point will be bad:

1-We've lost our last 2 home games against the big teams, so we need a win, which will show we're the real deal, and also build confidence in the team that they know they can beat the big teams.

2-Chelsea lost today, it's important to build some space between us, going 5 points above them.

3-It's all the more important we build a 5 point gap on Chelsea, and get maximum points today, because we play United away next week, right after we play Dortmund in a very tough European encounter, so the chances of us dropping points at United are very very high (plus our record there has been **** anyways). If we fail to get maximum points today, and next week, that's a lot points dropped, and no ground made on Chelsea, heck they can be above us come the end of next next week.

4-When you want to win the title, you need to beat your rivals, and need to pick up all points when other rivals drop points, everything's set for us today to move ahead of 2 rivals by beating Liverpool, and by Chelsea losing we gain 3 points on them. We will not win the league if we don't beat the big teams, it's as simple as that.

You say we have lost 2 big home games. I disagree. We lost against Dortmund, we were the better side... I accept it was a big Champions League game, we were undone by our naivety I think. Chelsea in the mickey mouse cup was not a big game.
I disagree we need to make a statement of intent by beating Liverpool. I would much rather we rather went about business quietly. The season is long, no need to frothing in the mouth now and getting all excited. No matter how many points we build at this early stage, it is surmountable. Manure, Citeh all the usual big boys will be there or thereabouts at the business end of the season.
Can we not mention winning the league at this early stage? I disagree you have to beat your rivals to win the league.

 

[PINKIE]

Win is vital today, I don't think a draw is good enough to be honest.

 

[Arsenal87]

You say we have lost 2 big home games. I disagree. We lost against Dortmund, we were the better side... I accept it was a big Champions League game, we were undone by our naivety I think. Chelsea in the mickey mouse cup was not a big game.
I disagree we need to make a statement of intent by beating Liverpool. I would much rather we rather went about business quietly. The season is long, no need to frothing in the mouth now and getting all excited. No matter how many points we build at this early stage, it is surmountable. Manure, Citeh all the usual big boys will be there or thereabouts at the business end of the season.
Can we not mention winning the league at this early stage? I disagree you have to beat your rivals to win the league.

Ok this claim that we were the better side means NOTHING when you lose, we lost fair and square to Dortmund, simple as that, don't invent new criteria's to try and come up with some other alternative, we lost the game against a big team at home, end of story. The fact we were the 'better' team, which I don't think we were, should make the loss even more bad, because we played good, and STILL lost. Stop making excuses. I remember in 2005 we got slaughtered by United in the cup final, but guess what? We won the game, and won the cup, that's all that matters, nobody is going to put it down in the record books that "United were better team" the record books only record an Arsenal win and a trophy added to our cabinet.

As for the 'micky mouse' cup, for a team that hasn't won anything in 8 years, we're not really in a position to be putting down cup competitions, Chelsea at home is a big game, and this competition represented a chance for us to win a trophy, and we lost.

 

[Sanj]

Asmir Begovic has scored for Stoke.

 

[Han Shot First]

Am i reading this right? Begovic has scored for Stoke?

 

[Arsenal87]

Am I the only one here who thinks playing Chelsea in ANY competitive game is a big game? The Carling Cup may be 4th priority on the list of things, though we're not really in a position to be making that choice right now, but nonetheless, it's Chelsea, a major derby rival, and it's a competitive game, not a friendly, so how the **** is that not a 'big' game? People go on about casual fans ruining the game, but this talk right here is what you'd expect from casual fans!

 

[remembercolinlee]

Am i reading this right? Begovic has scored for Stoke?

yep...beautiful flowing move just like whilsheres goal a few weeks back



































































actual it was wind assisted hoof from his own box ... very stoke

 

[Mantis]

Begovic goal measured at 100 yards. From inside his own area. Typical Stoke goal

 

[Mantis]

And Begovic has as many goals from open play this season as Loldado does.

 

[Sanj]

Both City and United having a comfortable afternoon today.

 

[Mantis]

Fulham have been desperately poor.

 

[Sanj]

Fat Jol on the verge of the sack, no doubt.

 

[Arsenal87]

I doubt Fulham will sack Jol, who better can they get? He's not going to get them relegated, he's provided them stability, sacking him may put them in a worse position.

 

[Mantis]

Fat Jol on the verge of the sack, no doubt.

Unless he can engineer a turnaround of Lazarus like proportions. Can't see it. Manure will be fired up next week for our visit though, that's for sure.

 

[Arsenal87]

Holy crap United are slaughtering them, what a bunch of useless dicks are Fulham.

 

[Sanj]

Hughes and Roy did a much better job than Jol, and they were working on a similar budget.

 

[TheOXOCube:5pur2]

Jol FFS