Official Premiership 2008/09 thread

[Summers]

(Y)

[therockbox]

Dossena's goal line clearance from the Rangers game.

[Guest Kou]

My 08/09 predictions:

1. Hull

2-20. Who cares

>_>

[ONO]

Loads of Villa fans pissed off O'Neill aint spending the supposed "big" money that is there. Some even calling for him to be sacked.

:/

[9 to 5]

That's okay, because Ince has sold Freidel and brought in a cheap, younger good replacement and got rid of want-away Bentley, some fans want Ince to get the chop.

[Thrilla]

I'm quite intrigued by the signing of Villanueva though, he appears to have quite the following online but he's not someone I've ever really heard of. From the clips I've seen on YouTube though, he seems to be a Juninho-esque player, which could prove interesting.

[9 to 5]

Whist YouTube can never give anyone a full idea about a player, it is the closest thing we can use to judge him before he comes here. The guy seems like he can use both feet even if his left is clearly his strongest, pacey, got alot of tricks and perhaps most importantly he gets up and gets on with things when floored by a defender. Alot of foreigners would just let the fear take over them in such a case. With Villanueva, I don't have that doubt about him.

Even if it does go tits up and somehow he isn't the next great South American superstar it will only cost us 400k or so for the season. If he is the new Maradona, ours for 4m.

[IAceI]

Shame. We have Roy Keane who can do no wrong.

Ever.

Actually most of Roy Keane's criticisms came from pundits whinging about him spending stupid money. But he was man enough to admit he panic-bought last year and he would try to make sure that all his signings this year were more worthy. Still, everyone will always have their critics, I'm just happy we don't have a manager we're calling for to be sacked. The last Sunderland manager I didn't want sacked was Peter Reid. Which is dating back a bit.

[alldaws1]

So Paul Robinson got his Blackburn career off to a good start by letting four goals in against Wolves, then >_>

[cmb211087]

He had two midfielders playing infront of him within our 4 man defense. Seriously the game was pathetic, strikers in midfield, mokoena playing in defense (he is so shit I wouldn't even sell him because that is not fair on the team who buys him). Atleast now we have Simpson from United and Carlos we may actually be able to have a team that doesn't get patched together. Wolves absolutely dominated us. Oh and it was not Robinsons first game for us.

[alldaws1]

Technically, I didn't say it was his first game for Rovers. Plus, I didn't know it wasn't his first game for Rovers >_>

[cmb211087]

True well the first game was against Northwich on thursday I think it was, he let one in but it was a big deflection which not many keepers would have saved

Oh and we also lost 4-2 to blackpool today in a behind closed doors game, in which around 5 trialists and mostly reserves played. Yay for us and losing to championship teams.

[9 to 5]

Robinson did let in four, but it wasn't his fault.

Edit - Oh aye, in his first game he did let one in but it was one of those "free-kicks that hits the wall and deflects into the other side of the goal" type of goals that no keeper could stop. Made an excellent save just after that mind you. So far, happy enough with Robinson. The fact we haven't had the chance to play anywhere near our best defense hasn't helped us, but last season we got murdered 5-0 by some Greek team pre-season and we still did fine.

Edited August 4, 2008 by 9 to 5

[AJ]

Doubt anyone else is watching here but me, but WHAT A HIT by Darren Gibson for ManU in their friendly against Peterbrough a couple minutes ago. Left footed 30 yard top corner effort. T'was a thing of beauty indeed.

Seen quite a few promising looking players in these pre-season games.

[alldaws1]

Paul Robinson is really unlucky with long shots and deflections. I can remember plenty of times for Spurs when massive deflections have made him powerless to prevent a shot going in and the same for long shots that come out of nowhere and are generally unstoppable, they always seem to happen to him.

[Lord Nibbler]

Doubt anyone else is watching here but me, but WHAT A HIT by Darren Gibson for ManU in their friendly against Peterbrough a couple minutes ago. Left footed 30 yard top corner effort. T'was a thing of beauty indeed.

Seen quite a few promising looking players in these pre-season games.

Saw the goal on the local news last night. Did you see the whole game? Apparently Rafael looked good.

[The Future]

Saw most of the match, Kusczack pulled off some good saves and Gibsons goal was amazing.

[alldaws1]

Didn't know where to post this as we don't have a general international football thread do we? But it involves Carlton Cole so I'll post it here.

In a bizarre move, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has called up an ineligible player for their forthcoming 2010 World Cup qualifiers.

West Ham United striker Carlton Cole is in the squad for the games against South Africa in September and Sierra Leone in October.

Cole, who has a Nigerian father and Sierra Leonean mother, has played for England at under-21 level.

But he cannot switch allegiance to Nigeria as he is now 24 years old.

Fifa allows players who have represented one country at junior level to switch to another country.

But the statutes of world football's governing body state that this can only happen if they are still under the age of 21.

Cole, whose full name is Carlton Cole Okirie, was born in England.

In the past, he had apparently been keen on playing for Nigeria, but he accepted an England under-21 call-up when he felt he had been overlooked by the Super Eagles.

Another surprise name included in the 20-man squad released by the NFF is defender Daniel Ola, who holds a Ghanaian passport.

The former Lazio and Chievo player, is now with Italian Serie B club AC Cesena.

Newcastle United striker Obafemi Martins, who missed all four first round qualifiers in June due to injury, has been recalled.

After winning all four of their matches so far in their group, Nigeria are have already ensured their place in the second phase of the combined 2010 World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Source: BBC Sport

Who cares about the rules and regulations, take him, we're not ever going to need him >_>

[IAceI]

Haha that's quality. I'd love it if they just started calling up random people. Shinsuke Nakamura gets a call up next.

[ONO]

Ince facing mutiny: Blackburn stars don't rate their new boss

Blackburn manager Paul Ince faces a battle to win over a significant number of his players who are not impressed by the way he has tried to impose his personality on the club.

Ince is preparing for his first season as a top-flight manager and was a surprise choice to replace Mark Hughes, despite success in the lower divisions.

Some players have been less than enthusiastic about Ince's approach to training, which is said to vary drastically from Hughes's meticulous, scientific method, while others have complained that the former Manchester United midfielder is too egotistical.

While it is not yet a full-blown rebellion, a good start to the season is crucial if matters are to settle down.

Ince's assistant Ray Mathias has been put in charge of the majority of the training, just as he was when the two worked well together at League Two clubs MK Dons and Macclesfield.

This approach has been successful at United, for example, where Sir Alex Ferguson's former No 2 Carlos Queiroz took most of the training. It is also normal for players to moan about a new manager as he looks to shake them from established routines and impose his personality.

Nevertheless, it is clear that the relatively inexperienced Ince, only 40, faces a challenge if he is to have his squad fully onside for the first Premier League fixture at Everton a week on Saturday.

Ince has seen two of the club's most important players leave, with winger David Bentley sold to Tottenham and goalkeeper Brad Friedel to Aston Villa.

Bentley is believed to have shown dissent in his last days at Rovers, walking off in disgust when a trainer ordered him to do 20 press-ups as punishment for having his arms folded.

One senior player said: 'We've gone from a well-organised, well-drilled back-room staff to one that feels like it's been patched together. A lot of us wanted to give him a chance to see how it worked out, but it's not looking too good.'

Ince has also lost chief scout Mike Rigg, who is expected to become the fifth member of Rovers support staff to link up with former boss Hughes at Manchester City.

Ince is trying to keep on board striker Roque Santa Cruz - despite interest from City and United - and also hopes to get another forward, Benni McCarthy, in shape after being disappointed with the South African's condition following the summer break.

Ince landed right back Danny Simpson, 21, on a season's loan from United and welcomed highly-rated 22-year-old Ghana midfielder Anthony Annan for a week's trial.

Norwegian side Start want £2million for Annan, who partnered Michael Essien in the Africa Cup of Nations. The player has also attracted interest from Chelsea and Borussia Dortmund.

Ince is giving trials to Bordeaux defender Paul Baysse, 20, and Lens midfielder Julien Sable, 27, but new midfielder Carlos Villanueva has been forced to stay away after being struck by chicken pox.

Uh oh. Guvnor.