new_era

nabeel said:

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll179/n...246/2007-08.jpg

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll179/n...46/untitled.jpg

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll179/n...jafri246/ff.jpg

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll179/n...afri246/gfg.jpg

Big four, eh

Eric, what sound or noise do you love?

The sound of people i don't like crying, like the tears running down their face actually make a sound, it's a sweet sound.

Won the FA Cup two years running with Ipswich, first season was obviously in the Championship, miracle, right? First season in the Premiership i finish 8th and win the FA Cup again, getting knocked out of the quarter finals of the uefa cup by Liverpool. Then, the bastards sack me by choosing not to renew my contract and hire fucking Sven Goren Eriksson, is that not a piss take?

First year i had 8 million to spend by only choosing to aim at the play-offs, spending only 5. Jordan Stewart (800k), Thomas Priskin (2mill) and i believe it's Vieira a guy from Uruguay plays for a Spanish team (1.3mill) and the rest on firing/hiring new staff.

Next year in the Premiership i get Flamini and Walcott on Loan, sign Van Jelle from Anderlecht(1mill) , Chris Kirkland (3mill) because Wigan got relegated and Kenwyne Jones (4.2mill) because he always seems to fall into the reserves and they sack me, harsh right?

I still don't understand why Keegan is now a 'god' again up in Newcastle, wins against Reading, Spurs and Fulham on the spin is pretty good yes but wouldn't you expect Newcastle to beat Fulham and Reading at home regardless of who's in charge? Where Newcastle are now is as good as it will get for them, maybe break into the top 10 next season? The fact is Keegan will walk out on them like he did before and he has every single job he's had in his career when things get tough, don't get me wrong he should of left the England job. Just my rant on Newcastle lol.

Plessis looked good for Liverpool yesterday, good win for Bruce against Birmingham. But that's relegation sorted as someone else rightly said a few posts above i think.

I can see Boro drawing with Man U today, Man U find Boro to be a bit of a bogey team don't they? Hope so anyway lol,

goes off to wait for Ronalso to win them the game once more

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yx3o1BANKY

Theres the Butters one.

I'd say that was probz the funniest episode of the series so far.

Butters was gold the whole song was hilarious. When there sitting in the office and the man says "hey it's the asshole kid" and Butters just says "that's butt sir" or something, was classic.

The I'm not your guy, friend, I'm not your friend pal was also gold.

I think Today just pretty much summed up why we are not a team who will gun for the top 6 this season, perhaps a top half finish but i cannot see us finishing in the play offs. Its that extra little bit of quality we lack and the quality that we do and can produce is not replicated consistently enough, or else players like Pablo would be playing for Premiership clubs.

The difference between us and the big spending clubs in the league is that we have obvious strengths, but we also unfortunately have obvious areas where we are woefully under equipped and patched up, areas like left midfield, the final ball, delivery into the box from wide areas, player runs in the final third and that general extra little bit of quality all over the park.

There is only so much Jim can do, with the lets face it the measly resources he is given in modern footballing terms, I personally think he has done a cracking job so far, but there is the question remaining whether he can take the team any further in a football world that is dominated by money as has been shown in what im sure for jim must have been immensely frustrating transfer sagas of Jeffers and more recently Navas.

I’m not one for Blaming Sheepy but this 'struggle on admirably' attitude I believe the club has i.e., not activity looking for investment, further collecting debt on a yearly basis, not providing funds for that extra little bit of quality is really cost us in terms of what we can hope for this season and seasons to come.

I just think today pretty much summed up our current position, a great manager with a good team, but missing that extra bit of quality in the big spending culture of modern football.

I for one don’t think Sheepy is a bad bloke, he is obviously an out and out town fan, but he and the rather unspectacular board of directors we have who lets face it are minted yet show little interest or backing are short sighted and have forgot the clubs ambition and realism for achieving promotion.

To achieve promotion we need fresh investment, new innovative ideas from a new chairmen and really financial backing to Jim to take us on to that extra level.

If Bent wasn't injured this wouldn't of even happened, but the fact is, England are never gonna reach the potential they have. Really, if Bent was fit it wouldn't of mattered he wouldn't of started, he never does despite being the top English Goalscorer last year and arguably the guy with the most potential to be a prolific England Goalscorer for some years, he's over looked because he doesn't play for the top 4-5. Shocked Heskey got the nod over Walcott though, he likes keeping the bench warm and staying up past his bed time. Looks like Heskey will have that job anyways, i hope so anyway. Let's bring back Sheringham, Gazza and Psycho to roll back the years.

Matt Derbyshire would have been a better choice just to give him the experience.

The injuries are bad yes but to be fair, the team he could pick could still be pretty strong.

David James

Micah Richards

Ashley Cole

John Terry

Rio Ferndinand

Shaun Wright-Phillips

Joe Cole

Steven Gerrard/Owen Hargreaves

Michael Carrick

Michael Owen

Andy Johnson/Peter Crouch(after suspension)

I think his line-up will be along the lines of that. On paper it isn't bad at all. We shouldn't be worried because the squad seems deflated of quality, we're fucking England for god sake playing against Russia and Israel at Home, we shouldn't have nothing to worry about. But because we have low confidence and a shit manager, it's panic buttons.

I've read a lot about Gary Neville aswell in the thread, consider Neville gone, Richards warrants a place over him, youth, better defender, bright future. Gary Neville must nip himself every morning 2 make sure he isn't dreaming. Hopefully, Stevie G will play and we can see what England are like in the middle without the Lampard/Gerrard combo.

I can't see the English National team coming close to a trophy anytime soon. There over hyped and over paid, but my god i can't help but love them lol. Now it's time for a change, give Maclaren the next two games, don't get 6 points sack him, simple. Harsh? No. His record already for England isn't good, but then replacement? Who knows, i'd love Wenger as the next manager but doubt that would happen.

There's my rant.

Anelka isn't going anywhere.

Bolton striker Nicolas Anelka has ended speculation over his future by signing a new contract that will keep him at the club until 2011.

Anelka, 28, has been linked with a move away from the Reebok, with several Premier League clubs interested.

But he said: "I seem to have been linked with every club in the country of late, but my heart is with Bolton.

Credit BBC Football

Bit of a random post but, Cardiff.

Their fans seem to be drooling over the Fowler/JFH partnership, yes a lot of quality, a lot better five years ago but, still could COULD be, at least has the potential to be the best strike partnership in the league.

BUT,

I also think it could send the club the other way. Let's be fair, those two will now be the bulk of the wage structure of the club, maybe even go as far to say those two would be on more money together then the rest of the squad put together, therefore they have the potential to cause some unrest and bring a lot of heat on to them and the management.

Fowler never stays fit, give him three four games and he'll be out, the same as Francis Jeffers! Who is out injured two games in to his Wednesday career. Plus, al be it through his injury record, Fowler hasn't prolific for maybe a decade, putting a lot of pressure on him and maybe even more so on Jimmy. I look forward to see how it goes for them, even though they shouldn't be in the ENGLISH league, but that's besides the point.

The Navas deal has fallen through has he is set to join Racing later today. The Ipswich board is really amusing now for the third team this Transfer Window they fail to land a First Team player, first Richard Wright and then Jeffers and now this. Again, all down to wages. I'm not upset at all that the Ipswich Powers That Be don't break the wage structure for anybody but we need to take some risks in getting back to the Premiership. I'm more disappointed about Navas then Wright and especially the Jeffers deals, now it's all Loan deals happening.

Jonathan Evans and Darron Gibson have been linked in the paper both from Manchester United. Davenport AGAIN and now Kyel Reid, both from West Ham are being linked. I doubt Evans is going anywhere because Sunderland were denied talking to him earlier in the Window. Matt Richards and George O'Callaghan are both going to Brighton apparently, 200,000 for the pair. GOC has rejected the first deal but remains in Brighton where Richards is set to travel to later today.

Edit: The Championship Manager Of The Month given to Dowie over Magilton, it's a kiss of death though so i'm not bothered but i find it interesting a point at Home to Hull is deemed a better result then a draw with Plymouth Away.

D'URSO YOUR A C*NT! D'URSO D'URSO YOUR A C*NT! LMAO. I love the North Stand.

Great performance and a clean sheet, deserved it. Apart from the freekick in the first half, Palace never looked like scoring, especially not from open play and the freekick was even comfortable for Alexander, but it needed the safe.

Jason De Vos, Tommy Miller, Owen Garvan, Jonathan Walters and Pablo Counago were all awesome, any i feel warranted man of the match, who did Sky give it to, does anybody know?

Counago looks so much more that a goalscorer, his flicks and touches are always good and he's been a handful whoever he plays against, Cort was frustrated at times and did a lot of moaning at his back 4, but in the first four games only scoring one, he was probz my pick for MOTM with Walters just behind him. He deserved his goal, he's a striker but been playin wide right in a 4-3-3/4-5-1 formation and he's been arguably our best player in the opening fixtures, i wasn't sure of him starting out wide but he maybe a key player for us this year.

Gary Roberts was the only poor player in an Ipswich shirt.

How was the keeper not sent off? It appeared he used both of his hands to block the ball outside his box, stopped an obvious goalscoring chance, straight red and i was in the exact opposite corner of the ground and i saw it. He was their best player on the park, looked a solid keeper even though he shouldn't have been on the pitch.

A well worked win, SUPER JIM MAGILTON!

I'd take 3 points from the next two games happily, even two. Watford and West Brom away, those two games could show us what Town are gonna do this year.

Clapham is a decent left back, best left wing back i've seen, could of easily made it in to the England squad anytime between 00-02 for Ipswich, but because he played for Ipswich, it was the left backs of Man U, Arsenal, Liverpool etc.

Same as Marcus Stewart top English goalscorer yet didn't even get picked for a Squad, kinda the same as Darren Bent last year, why do England not want to play their top goal scorer? Beyond me.

Good signing for Leeds though.

I still don't believe Liverpool will be a real threat to the title for a few years anyway, with or without Heinze. There's just something about them in the league that isn't as threatening as them in Europe. But, the team that will break the Chelsea/Man U top two will be Liverpool, my god that hurts me to say that. lol

It shouldn't be up to United to stop him moving to Liverpool, if the guy see's himself getting first team football and a better career, who are they to stop him just because their rivals want to buy him?

Just makes me hate them even more lol.

Tottenham manager Martin Jol is on the brink of the sack after he stunned chairman Daniel Levy by saying he wanted to sell star striker Dimitar Berbatov. (The Sun)

Jol could be forced out of White Hart Lane before Sunday's trip to Manchester United. (Daily Mirror)

Tottenham have drawn up a three-man shortlist to replace Jol - with Italy's World Cup-winning coach Marcello Lippi and Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp joining Sevilla manager Juande Ramos as candidates. (Daily Mail)

Surely this can't be true? I can't imagine him saying he'd want to sell Berbatov, but who knows? I wasn't sure if i should of put this in here or the Spurs thread. Is Lippi a realistic target? Even Ramos, who i believe ruled himself out of the job earlier in the week anyway and i can't see Redknapp leaving Portsmouth after all the buying he's done in the Summer to improve Portsmouth.

I personally think and hope, this is all crap. Jol is a good manager, one Spurs are lucky to have.

Manchester United have made an inquiry about Newcastle striker Obafemi Martins. (The Sun)

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is ready to up his bid for want-away Bolton striker Nicolas Anelka. (Daily Star)

I can't see Martins going anywhere, but Anelka, another signing i don't think would be great for United but Le Sulk will go in the blink of an eye. Interesting to see if these are true or just gossip.

Yakubu's move to Everton has collapsed because Southgate upped his price to 12 mill. (Numerous)

Callum Davenport 1mill (West Ham), Derek Riordan 600,000 (Celtic) and Ian Murray on Loan (Rangers) have all been linked with Ipswich over the last three days. Navas is also set to sign in the next few days after a 450,000 bid was accepted. Ipswich officials are still in Malaga as i type, great signing if he agrees personal terms.

I doubt the Davenport is true if Navas is signing, even though both would be welcome additions. Riordan has been linked with Leicester, Stoke and a few other Championship clubs i believe, we don't need another striker but again, he would add a bit more quality and depth to the squad. I haven't seen Murray play, he has also been linked with Naaaarich and Burnley.

People in Italics have missed a weeks worth of predictions and have their three lives cut down by one, so what are you left with?

_______________________

Week Three Predictions:

The Coca-Cola Football League Championship

Barnsley 1 v 1 Plymouth

Bristol City 1 v 2 Scunthorpe

Burnley 3 v 1 QPR

Cardiff 2 v 2 Coventry

Charlton 2 v 0 Sheff Wed

Hull 1 v 1 Norwich

Ipswich 3 v 1 Crystal Palace

Leicester 1 v 2 Watford

Preston 2 v 1 Colchester

Sheff Utd 3 v 2 West Brom

Southampton 2 v 1 Stoke

Wolverhampton 4 v 1 Blackpool

Coca-Cola Football League One

Cheltenham 1 v 1 Swindon

Crewe 2 v 2 Leyton Orient

Doncaster 2 v 0 Bournemouth

Huddersfield 3 v 1 Carlisle

Luton 3 v 0 Gillingham

Northampton 1 v 0 Yeovil

Nottm Forest 2 v 1 Leeds

Oldham 2 v 1 Bristol Rovers

Port Vale 1 v 3 Hartlepool

Southend 2 v 2 Millwall

Tranmere 3 v 1 Brighton

Walsall 1 v 2 Swansea

Coca-Cola Football League Two

Bradford 1 v 1 Wrexham

Brentford 2 v 0 Barnet

Chester 3 v 1 Dag & Red

Darlington 1 v 2 Notts County

Grimsby 1 v 0 Macclesfield

Hereford 4 v 2 Rochdale

Lincoln City 3 v 0 Accrington Stanley

Milton Keynes Dons 1 v 2 Shrewsbury

Morecambe 1 v 1 Mansfield

Peterborough 2 v 1 Chesterfield

Stockport 1 v 2 Rotherham

Wycombe 1 v 1 Bury

Fabian Wilnis blew it for us, still a point gained rather then 2 lost IMO.

Not many clubs will take anything away from Home Park.

Bring on Palace, first Town game on Sky.

Plymouth 0 - 1 Ipswich Town

Alan Lee - 2 minutes

What a start again, what Town will turn up? Hopefully last Saturday's. Miller drives Town forward, plays a 1 2 with Walters and Lee headers home a Tommy Miller cross.

Perhaps it's Man City breaking in to the top 4 and not Spurs.

Man U 4 points behind thats already two wins behind, it's way to early to call it an advantage but at the end of the day, it is lol.

I don't think Chelsea will lose to many this year, i can see Man U losing again Sunday and Chelsea winning, will it then be considered a laughable advantage? If it goes like i think and hope it does, i can't see Chelsea blowing it, even though it is early days.

Everton, Man City and Newcastle have all been better then Spurs, i have to agree with Hansen, there's no point in having the spectacular strike force if you can't defend and Spurs seem to be in the same ship as Chelsea, without King/Terry both teams seem to struggle defensively.

Still early days though.

Come on Chelsea

Grimsby don't "do" penalties so it was to be expected. Oh well, no more distraction from league and all that.

LOL you couldn't make it up.

ITFC = The Dark Horses Of The Championship lol

Hail Jim Magilton

2-2

Town are killing them, should of just had another. I'm not sure of the team it's pretty strong though, only just got back in from the girlfriends.

Tuesday, 14 August 2007

Accrington Stanley v Leicester

Barnsley v Darlington

Blackpool v Huddersfield

Brentford v Bristol City

Bristol Rovers v Crystal Palace

Bury v Carlisle

Cardiff v Brighton

Chester v Nottm Forest

Coventry v Notts County

Dag & Red v Luton

Doncaster v Lincoln City

Grimsby v Burnley

Hereford v Yeovil

Macclesfield v Leeds

Milton Keynes Dons v Ipswich

Northampton v Millwall

Norwich v Barnet

Oldham v Mansfield

Plymouth v Wycombe

Port Vale v Wrexham

Preston v Morecambe

QPR v Leyton Orient

Rochdale v Stoke

Scunthorpe v Hartlepool

Sheff Utd v Chesterfield

Shrewsbury v Colchester

Southend v Cheltenham

Stockport v Tranmere

Swansea v Walsall

Swindon v Charlton

Watford v Gillingham

West Brom v Bournemouth

Wednesday, 15 August 2007

Crewe v Hull

Wolverhampton v Bradford

Thursday, 16 August 2007

Rotherham v Sheff Wed

Couldn't be bothered with the scores, some interesting games tonight though. Will defferz be a few upsets along the way, think i predicted four or five. Good luck to everybody who's team is in the first round.

Ipswich will break their streak against losing to lower league teams in the Carling Cup tonight, will be a close game though, will be an edgy encounter to start with i believe. Only three or four changes to Saturday's team that smashed Wednesday on Saturday though, Sylvian Legwinski, Jamie Peters, Fabian Wilnis and Danny Haynes expected to come in for Owen Garvan, Jonathan Walters, Jason De Vos and Alan Lee.

If you get Tommy Miller on your shirt, do you become invisible?

Your not honestly telling me you think he went missing on Saturday? He earnt the ovation he got. In previous seasons, yes he did drop in and out of games, but this time around he has a manager who won't stand for any shit (see Amsterdam).

Early days and all that, but i think we are seeing a different Tommy this time.