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fathomer1

Listed below are comments made by fathomer1 between Monday, 1st June 2009 and Monday, 19th October 2009.

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Not so Big Four 2:11pm on 19 Oct 2009 Great blog as ever robbo. However, I'll say it again (and again) there is no point in talking up 'the rest' or talking down the 'big four' until May. As in another blog, we've seen and heard all this before - and the results, as it were, speak for themselves. Teams like Villa, Everton, even God help us, Big Sams Bolton have all flattered to deceive before xmas, came down like the decos after it.

Why? Because of three key factors.

First, Spin. It's not new to football, and footballs more honest characters (sadly all long in the past now..) have openly admitted their teams have kept on top of the pack because of who, rather than what they are.

Second, strength in depth. All of the big four can ride out bad spells of injury and keep players fit when it counts because they have huge squads of first choice players. Not bit part, 'would never make it in the first team otherwise' players.

Third, experience. Because of the repetition of their success over the last decade they all know how do deal with pressure, even the 'big deal' pressure of finishing in the top four. As both Arsenal and Liverpool have shown in recent years......

I say big deal because, well, it is! Yes there are mega bucks to be had, but in football terms?! Once upon a time if you said you' had a good season by finishing fourth you'd be larfed at!

Is Robbo right though? Actually, yes. Increasingly in recent years the Big Four have seen the top talent going elsewhere in Europe, and not be replaced. Their squads are either getting on (Utd, Chelsea), too inexperienced (Arsenal), or too full of average players propped up by a few of real star quality (Liverpool). But are the rest getting better? Well, no. City look ok, Villa and Sunderland work hard, but true top four replacements? Not really. Yet.

Notice I didn't mention Spurs there.......

That's because every top side they've met has stuffed them. They may get results against the every growing number of dross sides in the EPL, but top four? Probably not.

Keep it up Robbo!
Man City challenge is no fake 11:08am on 17 Oct 2009 Interesting article, not sure I would subscribe to many (if any) of it's conclusions though. Before the City fans start howling in indignation, let's put a few known facts on the table.

First, the only time it's worth assessing a teams performance, it's ability to challenge, is in May, not at any time before. Yes a team can play well in that time, but any pretensions to being in the title race or finishing among the CL places will not be revealed until the period when it counts - at the end of the season.

Second, we have heard all this before, many times in recent years. Various names have been touted as 'top four challengers' or 'serious contenders' thus far none of those have delivered when it counts.

Third, the only time over the last decade a team has 'broken in' it has been an 'old name' ie Everton in recent years, never a team from outside the traditional 'big five'(Liverpool, Utd, Arsenal, Everton, Spurs).

Let me state right now, on City themselves, I hope Phil is right. Regardless of the dodgy approach of 'spending your way to success' it will be a breath of fresh air if City do 'break in'. Oh, and by the way I do not subscribe to the view that 'buying success' is either new, or wrong. History shows though, that it is not a reliable way of achieving long term success........ I hope therefore that the new regimes statements about keeping City's excellent academy running rings true.

City though do still have some formidable hurdles to overcome. They have bought some quality players, but question marks hang over more than a few them - hence why they were sold. Lets' just look a t a couple of them as examples. Adebayor is the easiest target, and the one that potentially cause the biggest headaches - apart from the C/H pairing. When things are going well, he's dynamite. Yes his conversion rate is dismal (16 chances 1 goal) but if he scores 25- 30 goals this season, will City fans care? However, if things don't go well, expect him to vanish on the pitch and the transfer rumblings to start.

The pairing of Toure and Lescott though may well be more costly. This is for the reason Phil has given above. Toure, who I know much better, is NOT, and never has been a C/H leader. He shone at Arsenal when partnered with natural leaders (Campbell being the key one) but the problems with his performance (and thus his eventual release) have been the result of the fact that no replacement was found to partner him. Time has shown he will not change. So, can Lescott become that C/H leader? At the end of last season many Everton fans were rumbling that the loss of Jagielka was critical for the same reason. Lescott needs a 'leader' to play alongside. If he can't adjust to that role (because Toure won't)it's this area that ultimately may sabotage City's hopes. Watch out the rest of us in January if Hughes decides that it's exactly that problem that's costing City points. :)

One thing is certain though, for City fans it's going to be fun!
Will Upton Park violence scupper 2018 bid? 7:56pm on 26 Aug 2009 I think the words 'oh brother' just about sums up the reaction to last nights hooliganism. Or, 'here we go again' and I'm not talking about the violence.

What is it about the English and washing our dirty linen in public, not to mention the cringe inducing hand wringing that follows such moments? Yes, football hooligans are bad news, yes they are a pain, but let's get real here. Our hooligans, despite their write up, are NO WORSE than anyone else's.

An outrageous statement? A blinkered view? I think not. Anyone who's studied hooliganism as an international phenomena knows that there are in fact WORSE sets of hoolies elsewhere in the World, not least on the European mainland. The single worst match for violence I have ever seen was Feyenoord vs PVS many moons ago when the whole stadium (and in the streets outside it was worse!) was a sea of writhing, kicking, punching Neanderthals (this is the same Feyenoord who battered the daylights out of Spurs fans - twice)yet did that result in front page news? Not a bit of it.

Recently Italy was the scene of appalling, racist led, organised hooliganism, so bad it led to a raft of fixtures being cancelled. But do we hear of Italy being threatened with bans? Spanish fans have not only long had notorious 'ultra's who would put the fear of God into the average English fan never mind Spanish, yet does Spain indulge in a national inquest whenever violence breaks out? More importantly has Spain been 'really' punished over their fans racist behaviour at internationals. No and no.

I am not advocating ignoring such disgusting actions by a mindless minority, nor should such behaviour be ignored in an attempt to gloss over what has sadly been a blight on football since it's early days. What I am saying, is as long as we call it the 'English disease', we make a huge national deal out of it, we react with hysteria, it plays right into the hands of those who love to bash English football, and would love to see us lose the very thing such misguided overreaction is seeking to preserve - our World cup bid.

It's time to deal with the issue the continental way. Deal with it, but do it in house, without drawing unwelcome attention to it.

Which to be fair to the Police and FA. that's exactly what they have been doing for over a decade.
Arsenal will not miss Adebayor 1:42pm on 16 Jul 2009 Like the majority, not sad to see him go. In fact, as Phil rightly say's. I'm more worried that he'd stay! People talk of the '30 goals' but again, as someone pointed out a) he missed about 30 to get that many and b) those goals dried up as soon as his ego got too big. After finding out he was ahead of Ronaldo in March, he dried up.

When Milan came in, he made it clear he wanted to go, and frankly, that being the case, he should have gone there and then - as last season he was dismal. This time the misses continued, but the finishing was lame.

I know in the modern game, post Bosmann, and post common sense in the Sky era, the words 'players' and 'loyalty' are rarely found in the same sentence (unless the price is right) but the fans haven't moved on, I'm pleased to say, and if a player flouts himself, or his evil twin, sorry agent, touts his name around the EPL and elsewhere while still under contract, then they can expect the cold shoulder.

And that's what's happened to Adebayor.
News of the World bugged Sun editor 1:21pm on 11 Jul 2009 Good article tbh. Funny how so many Tories seem to find it worthy of criticism, whereas we know full well, if the story was about Brown, even if it was TEN years old they would be working themselves up into a self righteous lather.....

The importance of the issue is, is that on the one hand, did the Police handle things correctly, on the other is a senior advisor to our future PM, fit for purpose? If the Police as seems likely did erm, 'botch' the investigation that has real political implications for post May 2010, and Coulson is either incompetent ('I didn't know!') or involved in activities that again don't bode well for the future. The answer in both cases is, whatever happens now, probably no, so why is it 'irrelevant'?!

As for the Newspapers, it's no surprise that are prepared top pay for muck raking, in particular Pro Tory muck raking, but it could have severe implications if certain Newspapers are seen to have 'gone over the top', both for the industry and again for what happens after May 2010.

No-one, trusts the current govt, with good reason, so it's a poor look out if even before they are elected the Conservative party is seen to be up to their old tricks. This time however, we have a much more sceptical electorate, and I hope as such, we will not be lumbered with them for another 17 years of dreary excuses, defence by attack on their opponents (the unions - and anyone else who stands up to them) and policies that would be an embarrassment to even the most deluded right wing US administration.

If muck raking and splashing out a fortune on it, with the potential for a drop in sales if the whole mess gets bigger isn't business news, well, what is?
Review of the week 11:05pm on 10 Jul 2009 Liverpool and Manchester, two great cities, and, apart from the weather I would heartily recommend them both. Full of history, great nightlife, cheap housing, and no, not always in 'grotty areas', and with populations that by and large love a laugh.

What lets both cities down is the behaviour of some of the 'red teams' in both cities fans.

In two out of three forums I'm on, those two sets of fans ALONE, have caused so much aggravation through their high handed behaviour and sadly through bickering with one another, that the football areas have been shut down. On the other, the football section has been slid off to the 'chat area' after constant complaints over abusive posts when people refused to accept their views.

Much as I would like (love?) to blame other fans, in particular Spurs of course, and Chelsea's mob, sadly, I can't. By and large those sets of fans behave well enough online as do other teams fans.

And I'm sad to say, the same behaviour goes on here........

The answer?

I'm sorry, but if you can't accept others views without being abusive or attempting to belittle just to justify your point, well, take it elsewhere.

Oh, and good piece Chris!
Review of the week 7:14pm on 10 Jul 2009 @thomthomtiger et al, sorry for voicing my opinion, I realise that that voicing views that don't sit well with certain clubs supporters is strictly verboten. No names, no packdrill.

Oh hell, no, sorry I don't apologize.

Owen has been out of form for years, his pace has gone, he's a crock, and his attitude stinks. He's been accused of dodging games (both for club and country) by people who know the game better than YOU.

Regardless of whether or not he arrived for free, he is still picking up a wage, and brings ALL that baggage with him.

I'm sorry if those are concepts difficult to understand, and that may sound a bit patronizing, but when people tell me I'm talking drivel simply because I don't say things that conform to their jaundiced views, well, hey ho.

Oh, and my club is Arsenal, and no, even for free I wouldn't want him.

We've enough baggage already.......
Review of the week 09:42am on 10 Jul 2009 Apparently that line 'they're not laughing now' is correct. At least among Utd fans. It seems sales of Owen shirts, (advance orders - allegedly) are non existent.

Wonder why that could be?

Perhaps after all the media spin dies down, not least on here, and the dust settles (we cannot ever say Fergie has made a duff buy - can we?) the realisation, that has already it seems, dawned on Utds fans, will sink in that Fergie has indeed made a bit of a blooper.

For me, I was just glad Owen didn't sign for our lot.

Perhaps there is a God then, after all.
Owen worth Man Utd gamble 8:00pm on 03 Jul 2009 Not really sure where Phil is getting his vibe from here? Liverpool fans admitted when Owen went to Real that it was a case of 'thanks and goodbye' as many felt that they had seen the best of him even before his last season with them, never mind what's happened since.

An average season in Spain, followed by a dismal track record in Newcastle, where no excuses can hide the now gone pace, and fact that the injuries have too often been used as a way of avoiding being thrown into the mixer when Newcastle needed him most.

Will he be success at Utd? Hopefully for Michael Owen yes, but the facts, not the drivel in the glossy brochure and the over optimistic spiel here and in Phil's other article, suggest otherwise.

One wonders if either Fergie has lost the plot, or this is just to get up Liverpool's nose - whether they wanted the player or not. :)
Mawhinney tackles the big issues 1:07pm on 01 Jun 2009 A good article from Paul that highlights many of the problems facing ALL of the league, not just those with a 'begging bowl'.

Couple of points there, since the EPL is wildly in debt, on the one side due to inflated wages and on the other due to dodgy investors bringing debt with them, and is currently only kept afloat by TV revenue NOT by gate receipts and 'merchandise' ie actual 'over the counter' income, I hardly think they can be held up as 'a good business model' as compared to the Football League.

Any organisation that is (totally) reliant on the generosity of megalomaniac billionaires (be that Sky or 'investors') rather than what it can actually afford by prudent use of income either from the punters of advertisers is living in cloud cuckoo land not the 'real business world'.

I don't rate Mr Mawhinny either, but what Gartside is proposing makes no sense even in terms of what it claims to be doing. How exactly will a two tier EPL benefit the lesser lights? By giving more money to the top tier (because I can't see one single big four team signing up otherwise)? By bringing in two awesomely average Scottish sides with dodgy support? At the expense of er, whom Mr Gartside? By effectively muscling out 'the rest'? Does he really think (and i mean that in both senses) for a minute that somehow the bigger clubs playing less games will make them less dominant? C'mon...........

At Less Mawhinney accepts there is a problem, listening to the head in the sand merchants in the EPL, you'd think there was no global recession at all......

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