Re: The EPL thread (I)

[Brass Monkey]

Made the most of limited talent he had. A bit like a Paul Collingwood...

Righto.

[Merlin]

Well, they are merlo....

Another joke?! Blimey ....

They're a mediocre bunch of expensive over-rated strollers amassed by the russian mafia when Bates jumped ship.

They still are.
PS Any idiot can run a club where money is no object.

Now ..... if you put the Gooners in the "one of the world's best clubs" category you won't have many detractors.

[Brass Monkey]

Apart from the people calling you a one-eyed c0ck-juggler.

[JKLever]

Made the most of limited talent he had. A bit like a Paul Collingwood...

Righto.

IMO, of course.

Nothing derogatory about that comparison either. He pretty much said the same thing in one of his biogs....

[Lara Lara Laughs]

Doesn't work.

Does

Oh, another question for you not to answer JK; how did Lampard manage to force another great midfielder, Michael Ballack, out of the club?

Ballacks 1st season. Not every foreign player settles in the rough and tumble gung ho prem.

Another. Why is Lampard an ever present, undroppable certainty for one of the best clubs in the world?

Because he's a good player and fits the chelski system well. Essien & Makelele sit back and let him go forward with no defensive worries....

No. Sean Wright Phillips is a good player. Michael Carrick is a good player. Tom Huddlestone is a good player. Gareth Barry is a good player. Lampard is a world class player. You're talking rubbish. With all Chelsea's spending and resources, you think they'd settle for simply a good player in midfield alongside Essien, Ballack, Cole and Makalele?

[Merlin]

Apart from the people calling you a one-eyed c0ck-juggler.

Now now Daniel ... just because you cocked it by getting it totally wrong with RobI ....

Don't tell me you are a myopic Chelski fan too (other than that Cobblers lot?

[Lara Lara Laughs]

Frank Lampard - David Platt for a new generation
http://www.thefootie.com/frank-lampard-david-platt-for-a-new-generation/

Doesn't work.

Oh, another question for you not to answer JK; how did Lampard manage to force another great midfielder, Michael Ballack, out of the club?

Another. Why is Lampard an ever present, undroppable certainty for one of the best clubs in the world?

Best joke for ages ....
Deserving of a goon as their manager.

Eh? I simply don't understand.

[Merlin]

That explains a helluva lot and why you rate Chelski.

[Lara Lara Laughs]

What other questions have i missed, all i'm hearing is a lot of white noise from someone who seems far too desperate to prove that fat Frank is more than just good.

You've missed about 10. You haven't made one decent point against Frank. The facts are staring you in the face. Every time the going gets tough you agree to disagree and play the personal opinion card.

[JKLever]

Doesn't work.

Does

Oh, another question for you not to answer JK; how did Lampard manage to force another great midfielder, Michael Ballack, out of the club?

Ballacks 1st season. Not every foreign player settles in the rough and tumble gung ho prem.

Another. Why is Lampard an ever present, undroppable certainty for one of the best clubs in the world?

Because he's a good player and fits the chelski system well. Essien & Makelele sit back and let him go forward with no defensive worries....

No. Sean Wright Phillips is a good player. Michael Carrick is a good player. Tom Huddlestone is a good player. Gareth Barry is a good player. Lampard is a world class player. You're talking rubbish. With all Chelsea's spending and resources, you think they'd settle for simply a good player in midfield alongside Essien, Ballack, Cole and Makalele?

So basically I countered all your arguments and you talk carp at me about how chelsea wouldn't let a mere 'good' player into their side?

Steve Sidwell anyone?

[Gary 111]

This passage I think is indicative of the way we look at midfielders in England written by Eamon Dunphy. And consequently time and time again we struggle to hold onto possession against top class sides:

And the other thing is that when he starts grafting and working for ninety minutes, he won't be able to do as much on the ball. Because he will be knackered when he gets it for a start. He will have spent two or three minutes trying to get it. And that determines what you can do on the ball.

If you are a midfield player there are two sides to the game. One is getting the ball and playing when you are on it; the other is getting it back when they have it. And the more you do to get it back, the less you are able to do when they have got it. And the less good positions you are going to be able to take. You might not be able to get on it as often as you would wish. Take Johnny Haynes. They used to say 'What a great player he is at finding space.' The reason he was able to find space was that when his opposite number had the ball, Haynes was nowhere near him. He was thirty yards away, waiting for the attack to break down so that he could have the ball. Of course he found space. But he didn't have to get back to deny other people space.

It's a question of what you have to do to stay in the game. I've found over the years that, although I've got a lot of skill and could be a very skillful player, I've never been allowed to indulge myself. I've always had to graft to get the ball back, to shut people down, to close it up, to make it tight for the opposition.

[Gary 111]

And where does this view lead you ultimately? You end up with a team of athletes (of which Lampard undoubtably is) who can run up and down for ninety minutes pounding the turf. You also eliminate flair and skill, you can't do anything on the ball you just stop the other side playing. Its Jack Charlton's Ireland.

You end up with players like Chris Waddle and John Barnes spending most of their careers forced to track back following full-back rather than anihilating wingers like they did for their club. You have Paul Scholes retiring at 29 because we'd rather have someone with longer legs pounding the turf rather than a player who can play the killer ball.

[JKLever]

What other questions have i missed, all i'm hearing is a lot of white noise from someone who seems far too desperate to prove that fat Frank is more than just good.

You've missed about 10. You haven't made one decent point against Frank. The facts are staring you in the face. Every time the going gets tough you agree to disagree and play the personal opinion card.

Because thats what they are you muppet, opinions. None of the things you've stated are anything but.

[Lara Lara Laughs]

That explains a helluva lot.

You're a funny man, Severus. A funny, funny man.

If you're seriously trying to argue that Chelsea aren't one of the best clubs in the world I might just have to track you down and beat you to death with a baseball bat in order to end your suffering.

[Brass Monkey]

JKL, yeah IMO he was easily world class and in my England midfield. He had limitations, don't get me wrong, but as you say like Collingwood he's better than good for whatever reason.

merlin, no, I'm not. I like Villa, but only just, I have no love for any Prem team. I just think a team that has been near imperious domestically for a few seasons has a better claim to greatness than a disgruntled sham who've had to rebuild(and are doing very well).

Lara, sweetheart, Barry is better than good.

[Lara Lara Laughs]

What other questions have i missed, all i'm hearing is a lot of white noise from someone who seems far too desperate to prove that fat Frank is more than just good.

You've missed about 10. You haven't made one decent point against Frank. The facts are staring you in the face. Every time the going gets tough you agree to disagree and play the personal opinion card.

Because thats what they are you muppet, opinions. None of the things you've stated are anything but.

WHAT?!:shock:

How are all the stats and facts my opinions? Pray tell.

[Merlin]

That explains a helluva lot.

You're a funny man, Severus. A funny, funny man.

If you're seriously trying to argue that Chelsea aren't one of the best clubs in the world I might just have to track you down and beat you to death with a baseball bat in order to end your suffering.

heh Heh.
One word for you ... Rosenborg.

Oh, and here's another ... Shevchenko!

[JKLever]

Ooh quoting opta stats at me?

So basic stats prove that a player is world class?

Ray Wilkins would've won most consistent passer of the ball for most of his career if they'd been around then.

Master of the 4 yard short pass without ever playing a killer ball

[Gary 111]

How are all the stats and facts my opinions? Pray tell.

Like the '9 out of 96' fact!

I'll have you know my opinion is more valid because i'm right 88.7% of the time. Fact!

[Lara Lara Laughs]

Gary. Interesting article and true of some midfielders but not Lampard. If you actually watch him play.

As far as I can tell, Charlton was a very similar player to Lampard, though of course, a better one.

[Lara Lara Laughs]

Ooh quoting opta stats at me?

So basic stats prove that a player is world class?

Ray Wilkins would've won most consistent passer of the ball for most of his career if they'd been around then.

Master of the 4 yard short pass without ever playing a killer ball

Childish. And irrelevant.

[Gary 111]

If Chelsea are so sh!t then how come Arsenal have consistently finished about 25 points behind them for the last 3 seasons?

[JKLever]

Ooh quoting opta stats at me?

So basic stats prove that a player is world class?

Ray Wilkins would've won most consistent passer of the ball for most of his career if they'd been around then.

Master of the 4 yard short pass without ever playing a killer ball

Childish. And irrelevant.

Neither, LLL

I've just told you quoting stats doesn't prove a player is world class.

[Lara Lara Laughs]

How are all the stats and facts my opinions? Pray tell.

Like the '9 out of 96' fact!

I'll have you know my opinion is more valid because i'm right 88.7% of the time. Fact!

It's a very low percentage. It was around 6.7% a year ago. It will be rouhgly the same now. Give or take.

[Lara Lara Laughs]

Ooh quoting opta stats at me?

So basic stats prove that a player is world class?

Ray Wilkins would've won most consistent passer of the ball for most of his career if they'd been around then.

Master of the 4 yard short pass without ever playing a killer ball

Childish. And irrelevant.

Neither, LLL

I've just told you quoting stats doesn't prove a player is world class.

No. It is childish and it is irrelevant. I shgouldn't ahve to explain why to you.

Please JKL (for the 5th time), show me another midfielder in the world that scores at the rate that Lampard does.

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