Premiership 2007/08

[Thomas]

Must admit Lehmann does a great job of adding entertainment to the premiership. Cannot wait until Chelsea play Arsenal this season and the next antics between him and Drogba!

Seriously though you would expect him to be dropped for the next game after that clanger. Why he didn't parry it rather than go for a catch is beyond me.

[R.W.]

Personally, as much as Arsenal play 'beautiful' football, I prefer whatever is effective. Blackburn are good at being a physical team, and when done well, I enjoy watching it as much to be honest. I even used to like watching Bolton play under Allardyce, as it was commited and effective for the most part. Weird, maybe but meh, tis what I like.

Wenger just doesn't like it because Arsenal can only do what Arsenal do with time and space, and the best way to stop that is non-stop pressure and harassment, which is what Blackburn did, and Bolton used to do.....if it works, and is within the letter of the law, than why shouldn't they be told to go out and be physical?

Arsenal were just as physical as us to be fair (van Persie's challenge on Nelsen was particulary unpleasant), but Wenger's selective vision just chose to ignore it because we're the evil Blackburn bully-boys.

As, the Telegraph put it

"Selective vision has often troubled Arsene Wenger, most notably when it has involved the disciplinary shortcomings of his players, so it was perhaps unsurprising to hear the Arsenal manager accusing Blackburn of a "desire of violence" while at the same time omitting to mention the heavy-handed approach of his own team following this latest, ugly dust-up between the two clubs, yet to suggest that Blackburn were the sole perpetrators of the rough stuff would be to overlook the part played by his own players, who showed quite clearly that they will not be bullied out of games when they venture north of London"

[fineintent]

The worse case was from Arsenal/Bolton last year - Flamini and Faye I think? Both bad challenges, Faye's got a bit of the ball, and Wenger went off on one.

[R.W.]

These days it's just best to take what managers say with a pinch of salt. Mourinho claiming his team don't dive? Wenger's team haven't got a horrific disciplinary record? Benitez complaining about phantom decisions?

Makes me laugh really.

Still, always causes a good old discussion!

[9 to 5]

Yeah, Arsenal gave as much as they got just they chose to ignore that. They just have more divers than us so they make it look worse.

[Thrilla]

Robbie Savage's dive was incredibly ridicioulous though.

[9 to 5]

Oh aye, would never defend Savage against diving. But him aside, we don't we have any which is bloody good these days it seems. I think Samba trains it out of them myself. >_>

[R.W.]

It's why I'd rather see Mokoena playing than Savage - he's equally as good in the tackling role (if not better), doesn't run around like a headless chicken, and wouldn't be caught dead diving or feigning an injury. Plus he's more of a holding player, which would let Dunn (or a fit Reid) play to his attacking instincts a bit more

[new_era]

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.

[alldaws1]

Stop posting stories from newspapers, the majority are all nonsense anyway.

Yes, there's rumours going around that Jol's on his way out but I really don't see it happening, unless the board want to piss off 99% of Tottenham's fanbase.

[fineintent]

There's no smoke without fire. I hope he doesn't go, but it is possible.

[Baddar]

From sportinglife.com

"Gabriel Heinze has lost his bid to force Manchester United to sell him to Liverpool.

The Argentina defender had gone to a Premier League panel claiming United had written a letter allowing him to leave if another club offered a fee of £6.8million.

The panel have dismissed Heinze's case and backed United, who maintained they made it clear to the 29-year-old both orally and in writing that he would not be permitted to join one of their title rivals.

It now appears that if Heinze is intent on leaving the club he will have to move abroad."

Good

[Pesci]

Good. He's a great player and everything, but if he comes from Man Utd, I'm not interested.

As for Jol, I can't see them sacking him until mid-September at the earliest. You honestly can't sack a manager this early into the season, and as usual, the tabloids will be blowing every little comment made out of proportion.

[Adam]

Thats bullshit. Why do Man Utd have to do that? Basically puts Heinze's career in Man Utd's hands, which is stupid.

I really dont think we'll even BE title rivals this year, the side still isnt strong enough, even with Torres, Babel and Benayoun.

[new_era]

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.

[fineintent]

Thats bullshit. Why do Man Utd have to do that? Basically puts Heinze's career in Man Utd's hands, which is stupid.

[Sam]

Why should he be able to choose that he wants to leave and go to Liverpool?! He signed a contract for Man Utd and they're in charge of his future until that contract runs out. He knew that when he signed for them. It reeks of disloyalty by Heinze and I find it hard to see how he could possibly be accepted back into the fold. I hear he is a highly popular player at Utd but I still cant see the likes of Scholes, Giggs and Neville being to pleased to see him back at the club because of the lack of loyalty he has shown the club.

[ONO]

The release clause only relates to an international transfer.

Heinze agreed to that when he signed, his problem.

Edited August 21, 2007 by Lost Soul

[Pesci]

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

[Thrilla]

Why would Tottenham want to get rid of Jol? Who can they realistically bring in that could be better for them than him? Short-sightedness on the parts of fans and boards really annoys me.