tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post1115525936962763412..comments2024-02-09T08:02:58.200-05:00Comments on Fantasy Premier League Blog: First Impressions plus Champions League ThoughtsNeal Thurmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07585543708520268866noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-5640265716475978942011-03-14T14:11:13.065-04:002011-03-14T14:11:13.065-04:00maybe the problem was being outshout 19-0maybe the problem was being outshout 19-0Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-78456105417535474612011-03-12T22:32:23.791-05:002011-03-12T22:32:23.791-05:00GREAT post Neal and responses! truly good stuff!!...GREAT post Neal and responses! truly good stuff!!!!<br />sorry, nothing to add as I have no time.<br />TigersAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-24778135627127827752011-03-12T10:55:16.921-05:002011-03-12T10:55:16.921-05:00Great discussion, Neal. First, my Liverpool boys....Great discussion, Neal. First, my Liverpool boys. Gerrard's going nowhere. He's a Liverpool man through and through, playing for a Liverpool man through and through. Gerrard and Dalgleish are a married pair. Just because he's not scoring (which he came VERY close to twice against ManUtd) doesn't mean his role is any less vital. He's playing a deeper midfield role, and has been distributing beautifully alongside Lucas. I'm more than happy to see him sink deeper into midfield because it's obvious Miereles belongs further forward where Gerrard used to be. I know I'm a fan, I know that means obvious bias, but we've already done the double over Chelsea and taken the mickey out of ManUtd. With Arsenal (who we should have beat in the season opener) and Man City (who we need some redemption against) and Tottenham (who we put in a VERY good shift against) still left to play, I say we're legitimate title contenders next year again. If we can keep Reina, we're going to be a serious threat, and play some smashing good football. Carroll won EVERY ball in the air that came to him in the Europa Lg game. Can you imagine what him and Suarez on the pitch will look like, w/ Miereles in support and Gerrard orchestrating the midfield? I'm already looking forward to next season. <br /><br />On to Arsenal - the solution is simple. Fire your entire physio team. They must be absolutely AWFUL. Has any team in the Premier League ever had as much success as Arsenal with their most talented players only available for 2/3 of the season? Yes they need a keeper. But it's the physios who are ruining Arsenal! In any other occupation, this much failure to do your job gets you fired. I wouldn't go to Arsenal's physios if I had a cold.Geoffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03304923239651648459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-88641706350196702392011-03-10T16:36:53.966-05:002011-03-10T16:36:53.966-05:00oh come on. fist, RVP deserved the Red card much e...oh come on. fist, RVP deserved the Red card much earlier in the first half when he open fisted D.Alves in the face. No defence to his sending off as he should've been sent off much earlier. Messi should have gotten a penalty as well and you don't see Barca supporters complaining about that. The best won and the ref is not to blame because he was fair on both sides imo!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-33987971540352100222011-03-10T12:42:55.884-05:002011-03-10T12:42:55.884-05:00Thanks, Neal, for mentioning that horrible backhee...Thanks, Neal, for mentioning that horrible backheel from Fabregas, which looked as bad as Van der Sar's inexplicable bookie-payoff drop that led to the Man U-West Brom draw at Old Trafford. What I mean is that although RvP's dismissal was crucial to the match, it was a 50-50 call, and there were other factors that contributed to Arsenal's unhinging (a defensive strategy, for one). RvP had acted in frustration in a couple instances before the sending off, and although I think a stern "No more nonsense" would have been better from the ref, it is not unthinkable that RvP really was lashing at the ball in frustration, and that Busacca acted accordingly.<br /><br />@Tayo, getting back to fantasy football, I imagine this was a so-so week for most managers who double-stacked. Although I thought your team looked good, I added the caveat that "too many eggs in one basket" could come back to bite you. If there are only two DG teams in a game week, then experience has taught me to pick selectively from them and go for logical SGers elsewhere. (To be fair, though, even though Lampard or Duff would have been excellent choices, both of whom I included in my blog poll, Tévez proved a disaster for anyone who took the plunge.)Andrew N.https://www.blogger.com/profile/01672047903103673714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-89731809287712636812011-03-10T11:54:37.055-05:002011-03-10T11:54:37.055-05:00They really need a deadly striker, strikers like e...They really need a deadly striker, strikers like eto, inzaghi, live for the kind of pass Bendtner got towards the end of the match, they always expect the ball to get to them somehow. Their problem is numerous, Van Persie sure killed them.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-40483788347539375922011-03-10T08:07:41.746-05:002011-03-10T08:07:41.746-05:00As a long-time Liverpool fan (still smarting from ...As a long-time Liverpool fan (still smarting from the League championship loss in the last kick of the season to Arsenal in 1989), I get the hand-wringing...but if Arsenal are to show some steel finally and win something, right now is the time to do it. While we're all looking back gasping at losing to the team of the century, Man U is quietly stumbling down the stretch like they haven't done in a long time: losing 3 of the last 5? Arsenal is within 4 with a game in hand, and a home match coming with these same stumblers...as L'pool is out of contention for the honor this year I'm pulling for Arsenal to get back on the horse and take ManUre by a nose. Some confidence, y'all!!!'Pool fan for arsenalnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-65455634926371196302011-03-10T07:14:49.976-05:002011-03-10T07:14:49.976-05:00Advice to Arsenal fans:
DON'T expect anything ...Advice to Arsenal fans:<br />DON'T expect anything from your team; it's always heart-breaking...<br />Let whatever is won by the team be a bonus, seriously.Tayonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-46049081047889178842011-03-10T02:57:50.213-05:002011-03-10T02:57:50.213-05:00I agree with GunnerArt. Arsenal has its chances to...I agree with GunnerArt. Arsenal has its chances to beat Barcelona but lost to the better team. Let's move on. If Arsenal ends up winning the double this year, all will be forgiven and Wenger will once again bask in the glory of his "genius" and ability to deliver a championship team on a budget.<br /><br />Be happy with the good news that twice now Man U has lost following disappointing draws from Arsenal. So Lady Luck has not abandoned the Gunners.Mingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-41070199851967595992011-03-10T02:08:19.912-05:002011-03-10T02:08:19.912-05:00Did anyone remember this post????
I'm torn be...Did anyone remember this post????<br /><br />I'm torn between: Ridgewell + Carr vs. Coleman/Osman + Hitzlsperger...<br />Any advice much appreciated.<br />By the way, please rate the proposed team below:<br /><br />Howard / Baines, RoJo, Ridgewell, Carr / Arteta, Neville, Bentley / Beckford, Saha, Zigic<br /><br />Many thanks as always!<br /><br />OF COURSE, I DROPPED Coleman, Osman and Hitzlsperger FOR Ridgewell, Neville and Carr....<br /><br />Ggrrrrrrr!!!!<br /><br />I eventually scored 71.5 points with 11 double gamers. That has to be the worst score for a full double-game week. <br />Post your score if you did worse...Tayonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-64780568553181536962011-03-09T22:10:56.396-05:002011-03-09T22:10:56.396-05:00Also I can't wait till a healthy Ramsey replac...Also I can't wait till a healthy Ramsey replaces the ever-so-frustrating Diaby and Denilson (his game against Sunderland was one of the worst I have ever seen from an Arsenal player). <br /><br />A healthy Ramsey give you ball retention, scoring ability, passing range, and the one piece that glues everything together. Wilshere, as brilliant as he has been, is not as suited for this role as Ramsey. <br /><br />In short, Ramsey can give us another Cesc while Cesc is out/off.GunnerArthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01320672134220523845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-26817368308601910732011-03-09T22:03:13.729-05:002011-03-09T22:03:13.729-05:00One thing to consider is the congested schedule. N...One thing to consider is the congested schedule. No other team was playing as many games as Arsenal was in all four competition. It's much easier to cope when you have a fairly healthy squad but injuries to Cesc/RvP/walcott (and long term TV) have really slowed Arsenal's pace down. They looked so flat against Sunderland/Birmingham. The B team (Bendy, Rosicky, Diaby/Denilson) was also out of form/shape and not playing up to the expected standard until recent weeks. The gap between the A (in form then) and B team was huge. <br /><br />I was really happy immediately after the CL draw. As i said to my friend, it's the perfect scenario, you either prove your mantle and beat the best team in the world and go on win it all, or you get rightfully put in your place and then concentrate on the league. <br /><br />Now that there are only two competition remaining for Arsenal, I hope they make good use of rest for weeks when they only have to play a game every weekend. <br /><br />Let's see how Man U cope with CL/FA/EPL with all their injuries.GunnerArthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01320672134220523845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-46219034314140134242011-03-09T20:59:08.814-05:002011-03-09T20:59:08.814-05:00I'd say Arse are a very talented and deep team...I'd say Arse are a very talented and deep team with no clear leader and no clear matchwinner. If you have a Samuel Eto'o type who gets handed that counter chance Bendtner got at the end of the game yesterday, he remoreslessly buries it and sticks the knife in Barca's back. I almost think that instead of the defensive upgrade, they should pay over the odds for a lethal and durable striker (yeah, easier said than done) and just outscore everyone. Seems to be the way the game is going right now anyway, with the notable exception of Inter last year.<br /><br />Van Persie is a great striker when he's in form and not broken, but he's not on that level. Nobody on Arsenal is on that level, not even Cesc, at least yet. Barca has like 5 of those guys. Cesc wouldn't even start for Barca right now. Actually, who on Arsenal at all would start for Barca right now? Maybe Nasri over Pedro? Even that's a toss-up. You need at least 1, preferably 2 World-11-level players to really make a run at the CL (and you can get away with some weaknesses around them if you have them), but for all of their surfeit of young talent, Arsenal just don't have that.J. Dunnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07728330554794281678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-87100260932626288852011-03-09T17:54:04.554-05:002011-03-09T17:54:04.554-05:00song is not having the same year as he had last ye...song is not having the same year as he had last year. he was co-mvp in my book with cesc last year. he seems to have been given more room to roam forward, hence his scoring goals, but that leaves a whole in the middle.<br /><br />as far as winning and tradition go, chelsea before jose mourinho did not really win much nor made it to the champions league every year. as soon as chelsea got over the hurdle of winning the league, they became a dominant team. now even though they have thin team they are still in contention for the title. once arsenal get through it, it becomes self perpetrating.<br /><br />it is in their hands now, win out and arsenal are champs.greginhohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14205236554354845238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-37471993970670386192011-03-09T17:19:57.497-05:002011-03-09T17:19:57.497-05:00Might be a little early for Wilshere. How about Ve...Might be a little early for Wilshere. How about Vermaelen or Song in the short term?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-3279656740721664852011-03-09T17:10:53.216-05:002011-03-09T17:10:53.216-05:00Vieira was a pretty big deal during Arsenal's ...Vieira was a pretty big deal during Arsenal's Invincibles run. Claude Makelele was a pretty big deal in Mourniho's Chelsea years. Can Wilshere step into that role for this iteration of Arsenal?Chris O.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7984669.post-68835053089959785372011-03-09T16:49:12.555-05:002011-03-09T16:49:12.555-05:00Thanks, Neil, for your attempt to solve the insolu...Thanks, Neil, for your attempt to solve the insoluble. Here are two slight variants on your thoughts. <br /><br />Firstly, I get tired of watching Arsenal play games where they have overwhelming possession and shots on target but little result, and the standard media response is lack of finishing. Barcelona was in exactly the same position after 150 minutes of football but the media claims they 'deserved' the referee's blatantly bad call. <br /><br />Secondly, they need a leader - a 'take charge' guy who will 'kick arse' and drag the team into a fight. Where is Arsenal's Tony Adams, Roy Keane, John Terry, Nemanja Vidic, Kevin Nolan, Kevin Davies .....<br /><br />They have lots of pretty gold and silver, but no iron.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com