Wake up you footy fans!!!

so lacklustre · Post by **so lacklustre** » Sat Jul 31, 2004 5:20 pm

I'm Goon Squad (What else for an EC/Arsenal fan????????).

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Sat Jul 31, 2004 6:41 pm

Nice one! Should I rename the mighty Slaughters as The Ruud Five?

7 and rising. Can we get 10?

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Sat Jul 31, 2004 10:11 pm

Otis:

Saw your boys at Giants Stadium today against AC Milan. A sea of red replica shirts. I even saw one FORLAN - poor bastard.

In any case, it was a blistering hot day and a pre-season friendly, so it would be unfair to make any definitive judgements on the basis of this performance. But I will say this - you are screwed if Van Nistelrooy gets injured. A real lack of attacking flair, lots of misplaced passes. Very sloppy, all around. Bellion and Djemba-Djemba looked second rate.

The same goes for AC Milan. Kaka played like his name, Sheva tried to take two and three defenders on at a time. Crespo drifted in and out of the game (wow, that sounds familiar). Nesta made a terrible error to gift Scholes a goal.

It was a good day out in the sun, and a huge crowd (more than 73,000). But I hope AC Milan-Chelsea on Monday night in Philly is more entertaining.

Jackson Monk · Post by **Jackson Monk** » Sun Aug 01, 2004 5:07 am

The White Hot Laners are signed up.......just watch us go....(down)...

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Sun Aug 01, 2004 5:51 pm

Congrats, JM!

We'll probably lose the Community Shield too, and then win the league. Oh, I do want us to beat chelsea this season, even if Arse win the league. Djemb is/was a waste of time, should have been sold. Bellion not much better.

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Mon Aug 02, 2004 3:30 am

Otis Westinghouse wrote:Fun that the 'real name' thing is being adhered to by everyone.

My real name is verbal gymnastics. The other one is a pseudonym.

Do you think it's worth starting a new thread purely for this topic or shall we rely on the Forum contained within the League? Or just stay here?

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Mon Aug 02, 2004 6:25 pm

Given that most if not all of the footie posters here have signed up, I vote to stay here, so we can incorporate slagging off of each other's real and virtual teams in one forum. Plus the fun of the occasional message on the website too. OK by others?

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Tue Aug 03, 2004 2:10 pm

Otis Westinghouse wrote:Oh, I do want us to beat chelsea this season, even if Arse win the league. Djemb is/was a waste of time, should have been sold. Bellion not much better.

Just back from Philly, where I saw AC Milan-Chelsea last night. Great stadium, great seats, great game. Chelsea lost 2-3 on a late goal from a set piece by Shevchenko.

Two observations, which may or may not interest those in the fantasy league:

1) Carlo Cudicini will not be Chelsea's first choice GK this season. He looked shaky last night and Peter Cech, by contrast, looked very assured against Roma. Granted, AC Milan is better competition, but Carlo seems to have lost some sharpness. Don't expect him to earn you many points.

2) Didier Drogba will terrorize central defenders in the PL. He's much taller than I expected, quick (though not as fast as Cisse), strong as an ox, and can leap with the best of them - almost Michael Jordan-esque. He'll score a ton of goals with his head.

It was good to see a competitive friendly with lots of attacking play and goals scored, after that dire display at Giants Stadium on Saturday.

So I'm optimistic with Mourinho in charge. The team looks better organized, more fluid passing, better possession, lots of creativity.

so lacklustre · Post by **so lacklustre** » Tue Aug 03, 2004 3:13 pm

WSS - Did Joe Cole play? If so did he do any good? Do you think he might get a few starts this season?

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Tue Aug 03, 2004 6:04 pm

Cech is obviously worth the investment (in real and fantasy footie, I should think), and Cudicini is too good to settle for sub. He should keep his sharpness by going somewhere they need him.

Mourinho is obviously going to be a hot ticket this season, though we'll miss some of the insanity that led Ranieri to throw away a good chance in the Champs league. But you have to want to see it all go a bit pear-shaped after such obscene and wanton expenditure. Unless you're WSS, of course.

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Tue Aug 03, 2004 8:23 pm

so lacklustre wrote:WSS - Did Joe Cole play? If so did he do any good? Do you think he might get a few starts this season?

Yes, Cole did play, as a second half sub. I would expect him to get some starts this season. He didn't do much last night, but looked up for it in the previous match, against Roma, when he scored the opening goal.

And it looks as though Vieira is in fact off to Real Madrid. Who will Arse bring in to replace him at this late date?

so lacklustre · Post by **so lacklustre** » Wed Aug 04, 2004 7:03 am

Thanks for that WSS.

Yes I've been expecting Vierra to go for the past couple of weeks as he has not been denying the rumours. It looks as though they are going for Maniche who did very well at Euro 2004, but Vierra is irreplacable in my opinion. Still at least they haven't kept Parlour to cover for him!! Still think the Arsenal squad is good enough to win the top trophies this season as they have Silva & Edu already plus they have signed Flamini who sounds like a good prospect. Ljungberg was originally a central midfielder too and he can be very dangerous surging through the middle. I'm slightly surprised that Wenger hasn't got a new defender as cover but I'm sure he has his plans.

laughingcrow · Post by **laughingcrow** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 6:09 am

Was at Celtic 2 Newcastle 1 last night.... Kluivert played OK for the last half an hour, Butt fitted in well too, but James Milner will score a lot of points this season though IMHO.

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 8:49 am

Man, this is getting tricky. All of these injuries, uncertainty over Vieira and Owen, now Gravesen possibly off to Hamburg. I've been making transfers like a madman.

Gillibeanz · Post by **Gillibeanz** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 9:28 am

I have signed up - Otis I tried your code of 57712-11488 to get into the league with you guys from a few pages back but it said its not a valid code??

so lacklustre · Post by **so lacklustre** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 4:09 pm

Gilli, that happened to me first time I tried, try typing the code in rather than cutting and pasting or if you do cut and paste make sure that you haven't copied a space on the end. Welcome to the league.

Gillibeanz · Post by **Gillibeanz** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 4:17 pm

SLL: Thanks buddy - im in!!

CROW: Is that you under the Glasgow Flappers? If thats your real surname you have the same one as my partner who is also half scottish!

PlaythingOrPet · Post by **PlaythingOrPet** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 4:49 pm

Phew Gilli! The testosterone was getting unbearable in there.

Gillibeanz · Post by **Gillibeanz** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 5:21 pm

POP: Yeah it needed a whiff of perfume in there didn't it? Id' like to say we will whop their butts......but the chances are slim!

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 5:38 pm

Well done, Gilli. You can whop my butt any time you choose, darlin'!

I can't actually see the league right now. When I go to my team and click on 'Costellobsessives'. It just has a blank space. Wasn't like this last time I looked. Others having the same problem?

so lacklustre · Post by **so lacklustre** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 5:50 pm

Just tried it and it's working for me. Looks like Storm has joined as well.

stormwarning · Post by **stormwarning** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 5:57 pm

My team is made up of ex-Leeds players (except for two, Charlton & Clark(e) who have the same name as Leeds great. Doubt they'll get off the bench though )

Is it possible to be relegated from a Fantasy League ?

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 6:09 pm

No, but you can emulate the heroic achievement of a colleagvue last season who stayed rooted to the bottom for the whole season. Funny thing was he and I were the only two who refused to buy Henry in the whole league (he's a Spurs fan) but he was bottom and I crawled to the top. Once there I sold my soul and bought Henry toute suite, so I stayed at the top! shame I didn't make him captain that night against Leeds though...

I was in a Crouch End pub with a Leeds fan on Saturday, we arrived minutes before they got the goal. Hooray! Leeds for the Championship! There could have been another 5 goals in the game after that. Very odd for him watching an almost entirely unfamiliar Leeds squad.

Just checked. Damn, can't see the league listing at all. When I click on the league name, nothing comes up. I tried logging on via 'leagues' instead of 'my team', so at least I could access the forum (where I answered your q, L. Crow - glad to be of service, but it's all explained clearly in the rules!), but still no sight of the league. Hope this gets sorted soon!

laughingcrow · Post by **laughingcrow** » Wed Aug 11, 2004 10:02 am

Cheers Otis...lol....I did that typical blokey DIY instructions thing and didn't bother reading the rules.

laughingcrow · Post by **laughingcrow** » Wed Aug 11, 2004 4:50 pm

Absolutely chuffed for Shelbourne.....hoding Deportivo la coruna (semi-finalists of champs league, 3rd in the primeral liga) to a 0-0 draw at Landsdowne Road. Hope they can repeat the feat in Coruna!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wolves on the other hand....injuries, injuries, and excuses....1 point from 4 is 1 point from 4. Mehtinks the playoffs at best, and even then it will be tough.

Owen to Madrid? Anyone? A real shame for Liverpool that, in any other team in the prem the guy would score 30 goals a season.