Greenlizard0 Weekend Football Thread ** spoilers ** [27th Jan - 1st Feb 2012]

[red11]

[B][SIZE=3]Friday, 27 January[/SIZE][/B]

[B][U]Npower League One[/U][/B]

[B]19:45 |[/B] Chesterfield v Bournemouth

[B][SIZE=3]Saturday, 28 January[/SIZE][/B]

[B][U]Npower Championship[/U][/B]                      [B][U]Npower League One[/U][/B]

[B]15:00 |[/B] Peterborough v Portsmouth        [B]15:00 |[/B] Brentford v Wycombe
[B]15:00 |[/B] Reading v Bristol City           [B]15:00 |[/B] Exeter v Charlton
                                         [B]15:00 |[/B] Hartlepool v Carlisle
                                         [B]15:00 |[/B] Leyton Orient v Colchester
                                         [B]15:00 |[/B] Rochdale v Bury
                                         [B]15:00 |[/B] Tranmere v Huddersfield
                                         [B]15:00 |[/B] Yeovil v Preston
 
[B][U]Npower League Two[/U][/B]

[B]13:00 |[/B] Hereford v Shrewsbury
[B]15:00 |[/B] Accr' Stanley v Gillingham
[B]15:00 |[/B] AFC Wimbledon v Aldershot
[B]15:00 |[/B] Barnet v Crewe
[B]15:00 |[/B] Bristol Rovers v Bradford
[B]15:00 |[/B] Dag & Red v Rotherham
[B]15:00 |[/B] Macclesfield v Cheltenham
[B]15:00 |[/B] Port Vale v Plymouth
[B]15:00 |[/B] Torquay v Northampton

[B][SIZE=3]Sunday, 29 January[/SIZE][/B]

[B][U]Npower League Two[/U][/B]

[B]15:00 |[/B] Burton Albion v Oxford Utd

[B][SIZE=3]Tuesday, 31 January[/SIZE][/B]

[B][U]Barclays Premier League[/U][/B]                  [B][U]Npower Championship[/U][/B]

[B]19:45 |[/B] Swansea v Chelsea                [B]19:45 |[/B] Barnsley v Derby
[B]19:45 |[/B] Tottenham v Wigan                [B]19:45 |[/B] Hull v Doncaster
[B]19:45 |[/B] Wolverhampton v Liverpool        [B]19:45 |[/B] Ipswich v West Ham
[B]20:00 |[/B] Everton v Man City [B][COLOR="DeepSkyBlue"]5L[/COLOR][/B]  [B][COLOR="Red"]SS2/HD[/COLOR][/B]    [B]19:45 |[/B] Leeds v Birmingham
[B]20:00 |[/B] Man Utd v Stoke [B][COLOR="Lime"]5Le[/COLOR][/B]              [B]19:45 |[/B] Millwall v Watford
                                         [B]19:45 |[/B] Nott'm Forest v Burnley
                                         [B]19:45 |[/B] Southampton v Cardiff
                                         [B]20:00 |[/B] Blackpool v Coventry
                                         [B]20:00 |[/B] Crystal Palace v Brighton
 
[B][U]Npower League One[/U][/B]                        [B][U]Npower League Two[/U][/B]

[B]19:45 |[/B] Charlton v Bury                  [B]19:45 |[/B] Southend v Swindon
[B]19:45 |[/B] MK Dons v Sheffield Wed
[B]19:45 |[/B] Walsall v Notts County

[B][SIZE=3]Wednesday, 1 February[/SIZE][/B]
 
[B][U]Barclays Premier League[/U][/B]                  [B][U]Npower Championship[/U][/B]

[B]19:45 |[/B] Aston Villa v QPR                [B]19:45 |[/B] Leicester v Middlesbrough
[B]20:00 |[/B] Blackburn v Newcastle
[B]20:00 |[/B] Bolton v Arsenal [B][COLOR="Yellow"]TS[/COLOR][/B] 
[B]20:00 |[/B] Fulham v West Brom
[B]20:00 |[/B] Sunderland v Norwich [B][COLOR="Red"]SS2/HD[/COLOR][/B]

[B]TV:               Radio:                                        Tables:[/B]

[URL=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/5161070.stm][IMG]http://i45.tinypic.com/vdiiwn.gif[/IMG][/URL]        [URL=http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/bbc_radio_five_live/][IMG]http://i46.tinypic.com/20rs2z8.gif[/IMG][/URL]   [URL=http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/bbc_radio_five_live_sports_extra/][IMG]http://i48.tinypic.com/2rcwzo6.gif[/IMG][/URL]   [URL=http://www.talksport.co.uk/radio/listen-live][IMG]http://i47.tinypic.com/21ke43n.gif[/IMG][/URL]        [URL=http://www.skysports.com/football/leagues/0,19772,11065,00.html][IMG]http://i37.tinypic.com/mrg3e1.gif[/IMG][/URL]

 

[cheets64]

No FA CUP?

 

[No1newts]

Would hope for a point away to Blackburm, but after Fulham

 

[Azza]

A great build up to the match - http://skyplustv.sky.com/showpage/everton-v-manchester-city


Or not! What a depressing read

 

[Tom84]

Nothing would please me more than to see De Gea start Tuesday night but I think it's fairly obvious he only started against Liverpool because it was a cup tie. Alas I'd like to see;

---------------De Gea---------------
Rafael---Smalling---Evans---Evra
Valencia--Carrick--Scholes--Park
-------Berbatov---Hernandez-------

Subs: Lindegaard, Ferdinand, Fabio, Fryers, Giggs, Pogba, Welbeck

That's assuming obviously as per initial reports that Jones, Rooney & Nani will miss this game. Not sure whether Scholes or Giggs can start 2 games in 3 days these days but we dont have any other options from what I can see and Giggs is certainly going to be needed for Sunday.

 

[Tummy]

Are Samba Neville I and II fit?

 

[BaZ87]

Would Fergie start De Gea against Stoke after what happened on Saturday? Even if you win comfortably, all it takes is one throw or corner and people could be talking about De Gea again.

As for Liverpool, Gerrard reportedly come off vs Utd with a slight hamstring injury and is a doubt for Tuesday's game. He appeared to run off the pitch fairly comfortably so it can't be too serious but there's no point risking him. Hopefully Bellamy will be ok to start the game though.

 

[Tom84]

Yep Fabio made the bench against Liverpool and assuming he didn't take a knock during which Rafa completed 90 minutes (and was outstanding as well)

Fergie could well opt to bring Ferdinand back into the defence though and shift Smalling to RB but again I think we'd benefit from Rio playing Chelsea Sunday more

 

[Tummy]

I'd like to see Samba Nev I and II given more games. Evra has been well under par for a long time.

 

[Tummy]

Would Fergie start De Gea against Stoke after what happened on Saturday? Even if you win comfortably, all it takes is one throw or corner and people could be talking about De Gea again.

As for Liverpool, Gerrard reportedly come off vs Utd with a slight hamstring injury and is a doubt for Tuesday's game. He appeared to run off the pitch fairly comfortably so it can't be too serious but there's no point risking him. Hopefully Bellamy will be ok to start the game though.

Is it not a bit of a concern with Bellamy's knee's and Gerrard's injury's over the past few seasons? Might be me, but he seems to of being injured a lot.

 

[Tom84]

Would Fergie start De Gea against Stoke after what happened on Saturday? Even if you win comfortably, all it takes is one throw or corner and people could be talking about De Gea again.

Even had De Gea had a blinder Saturday I still think there is/was very little chance of him starting Tuesday night as well. Like I say De Gea got the nod Saturday because it was a cup tie and it's in cup ties most normal clubs use their second choice keepers in and that's what De Gea is now, he's number 2 and Lindegaard is number 1.

It really is hard to comprehend why Fergie has gone the way he has with De Gea, the whole situation stinks of 2003 when we had a promising young keeper (Tim Howard) and when he made mistakes (just one in Howard's case) we drop him. Howard never showed his early form for us again after that. You'd of thought Fergie would have learned and would have put a bit more faith in De Gea especially with the price tag he's come with but right now the only avenue I can see him getting the number 1 job back is when Lindegaard inevitably starts dropping clangers (although I'd argue he already has v City for Aguero's goal)

Hopefully I'll be proven wrong and there's a bigger picture for taking De Gea out of the firing when we did but right now I can only see a slippery slope which starts with a loan back to Spain swiftly followed by a sale

 

[Tom84]

I'd like to see Samba Nev I and II given more games. Evra has been well under par for a long time.

I'd definitely like to see more faith put in Rafa, seems Fergie's far too reluctant to do that though and takes the easy route of sticking Smalling out there. Problem with that though is will that effect Smalling development as being a long term replacement for Ferdinand in the centre of defence? I think Jones' form has certainly been effected by being played all over the place, he looked outstanding at CB at the start of the season recently though he's looked an accident waiting to happen (albeit that's most prominent when partnered with Ferdinand)

As for Fabio he's not up to Evra's standard (I dont think he ever will be either), Evra may have switched off for Kuyt's goal but it was only the week before he was MOTM against Arsenal.

 

[BaZ87]

Is it not a bit of a concern with Bellamy's knee's and Gerrard's injury's over the past few seasons? Might be me, but he seems to of being injured a lot.

Am I concerned about eithers injury problems? Not really. It was well known when we signed Bellamy that he's got dodgy knees and he'll struggle to play 2 games per week.

As for Gerrard, he's always picked up regular niggles so again that's nothing new. Before this reported hamstring injury, his last 2 injuries have been freak injuries too; he got infected scar tissue after his groin op and then got a cut on his ankle which ended up getting infected too.

 

[Purdy]

Lose/draw after winning two massive games, The Liverpool Way.

 

[Tom84]

You didn't actually beat City

 

[Tummy]

I'd definitely like to see more faith put in Rafa, seems Fergie's far too reluctant to do that though and takes the easy route of sticking Smalling out there. Problem with that though is will that effect Smalling development as being a long term replacement for Ferdinand in the centre of defence? I think Jones' form has certainly been effected by being played all over the place, he looked outstanding at CB at the start of the season recently though he's looked an accident waiting to happen (albeit that's most prominent when partnered with Ferdinand)

As for Fabio he's not up to Evra's standard (I dont think he ever will be either), Evra may have switched off for Kuyt's goal but it was only the week before he was MOTM against Arsenal.

I agree in parts. I don't think Fabio has been given enough of a chance yet. Evra might have been good against Arsenal but that doesn't some how make up for his loss of form over the last couple of seasons.

Jones and Smalling need to play in the middle of defence together and more often. Fabio and Rafa need to be given more chances playing at full back, maybe not against the 'top' half of the table but certainly against certain opposition.

Am I concerned about eithers injury problems? Not really. It was well known when we signed Bellamy that he's got dodgy knees and he'll struggle to play 2 games per week.

As for Gerrard, he's always picked up regular niggles so again that's nothing new. Before this reported hamstring injury, his last 2 injuries have been freak injuries too; he got infected scar tissue after his groin op and then got a cut on his ankle which ended up getting infected too.

Still injuries have stopped him playing as much, and as well as Liverpool have done without him (mainly due to Lucas's good form in the holding role) now they really need him back and he's at that age where he's going to pick up more niggling injuries anyway. I see your point though.

Bellamy, I kind of think he's knee's overplayed a bit.

 

[Tom84]

I agree that Fabio hasn't been given much of a look in, especially at LB being Evra's replacement. In fact I can probably count on one hand the amount of games Fabio has started at LB.

The thing with the twins is though is you cant rely on their fitness so as much as I'd like to see Rafa especially given more of a run at RB it's not great if you know one of your subs is going to have to be reserved for replacing him when he inevitably goes off injured. He's a great talent though, has everything in him to be the best RB in the league if he just stays fit and is given 30+ league games in a season.

 

[drunkenmaster]

Lets think about why Evra was good(but not that good) against Arsenal...... Arsenal thoroughly brilliant right side setup was, Walcott and Djourou.

Evra has been consistently awful for well over 18 months now and it's exactly that wondering off time and time again that has cost goals, it cost a goal against Walcott in the 8-2, and its cost many other goals. One good game in 50+ doesn't a come back make, especially when he makes the usual mistakes in the very next game AND his only good game in recent memory is against a woeful right winger and woeful right back.


Anyway, don't even care that Wycombe are bottom of the league, Brentford scored 5 goals, can't not be happy about that. They've looked good this season and were quite brilliant in the first half against Huddersfield(it was on tv, last Saturday was it) and a bit meh in the second half giving the game away. Hopefully a good win and some goals will give them a bit of a push for the play off's again as they were looking quite strong for 5th/6th till not that long ago, recent form has been a bit crap.

 

[Purdy]

You didn't actually beat City

Knew after I posted it you or Biz would nitpick , couldn't be arsed changing it lol.

 

[HangTime]

You'd of thought Fergie would have learned and would have put a bit more faith in De Gea especially with the price tag he's come with but right now the only avenue I can see him getting the number 1 job back is when Lindegaard inevitably starts dropping clangers

Pricetag shouldn't really come into it and I guess the problem is when it comes to keepers that when they drop a clanger it can result in a goal, whereas you might be able to carry a passenger say on the wing for a few games while they build up some form.

Personally I think De Gea is a great keeper but it might have done him good to have come a year earlier so he could have learnt the ropes in English football (playing domestic cup and understudy to VdS). Then again he may not have been happy to do that. To be honest I don't even think he's been that horrific but he is under intense scrutiny so any mistakes get highlighted.

Considering MU have already been knocked out of all the domestic cups realistically I suppose you'd have to say maybe De Gea could get some outings in the Europa league, which potentially might help him (and others) build up some confidence, as he probably won't have to deal with so much being 'thrown into the mixer'.

Then again I suppose to be #2 keeper at MU they must rate Lindergaard to some extent so who is to say he couldn't become a long-term solution given the opportunity?