Chelsea have 'God Mode'! Kill the Ref!

Wildrider · Post by **Wildrider** » Fri Dec 30, 2005 5:34 pm

As a football fan, I'm one of the 97% of fans who never witnesses their club acheiving anything other than the odd promotion (Although this season is all my dreams come true thus far).

I have hated Man Utd and Arsenal in the past, not only for their 'ability', but for the seemingly unwavering bias in their favour from officials. Now Chelsea have joined this elite cadre.

Add in the the glory hunting fans to the equation, (Where did all these Chelsea fans come from? It was only John Major and his mates before wasn't it?) and you have a recipe for malevolence.

I used to think John Terry was a quality player, but after his week in week out handballs, I think of him as dishonest and a cheat,
unless of course he's wearing an England shirt. If Arry De Zeuw had done that two handed dive thing, straight red, penalty, no question. It's not his fault completely spineless refs are always pissing me off. (Unless we're playing Fulham!)

My point in this rant is, I'm a football fan, I love it when games are close and leagues are close. I love the unexpected and the thrill of seeing an underdog triumph.

When teams get big decisions because of their status rather than actual events it pisses me off.

I still haven't got over Chesterfield being raped by a referee in the FA Cup final and it's happening week in week out with Chelsea.

The real reward for Chelsea's success is they get the 'God Mode' cheat and can do no wrong in the eyes of refs and we all suffer for it, just like Man Utd did.....

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Fri Dec 30, 2005 6:21 pm

It was the semi-final, munky-boi!

And on the subject of Chelski/Chelscum (delete as applicable), God damn was I proud of us on Boxing Day. Us and Wigan, the two teams who haven't just written off three points against them all season so far. And we were missing our actual players, instead relying on Zatiyah (I think he pays us to play. Only possible explanation, surely?).

But yeh, the ref bias thing is a bit of a pain. We would have had a penalty but for the ref (I'm not saying we would have drawn for definite, but we would have had another chance). Like you say, it seems to be a champion thing - a couple of years ago we played Arsenal, and the ref gave probably the most biased performance I've ever seen, including giving Arsenal an utterly fictional penalty, and denying us a stone-cold one on the grounds that Patrick Viera wasn't too keen on the idea.

Of course, the amusing thing is that if Arsenal had lost their unbeaten record against us, Manchester United wouldn't have been so keyed up and Arsenal's season might not have fallen apart like a G2 Slingshot.

Wildrider · Post by **Wildrider** » Fri Dec 30, 2005 9:33 pm

Originally posted by Cliffjumper
It was the semi-final, munky-boi!

Ah I totally knew that! Who was that tough defender whose goal was disallowed? Sean Dyche?

I continue to get impressed by some of the American players, I've been aware of McBride thanks to Champ Manager for a few years, but he really is a warrior, especially in the air.

Come along way since Alexi Lalas haven't they? It's interesting to plot the evolution of American football via the players that have (dis)graced our shores.

John Harkes > Kasey Keller > Cobi Jones (Ahahhahahaha)> Brad Friedel > Joe Max Moore (Great name!) > Brian McBride!

I discount Howard on the basis that he ousted Carroll for a time and have probably forgotten some other no marks, but the standard is getting better.

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 8:39 am

It's mad to think John Harkes was only about a decade or so ago, isn't it? He was like an oddity amongst oddities for a few years... I think on a technicality Roy Wegerle predates him, but he didn't play for the USA team for a while - he had some mad, complicated set-up wich meant he was possibly eligible for Germany, England and South Africa as well...

I've got to say, I've got a bit of a soft spot for the US team. They're up against it in such a generally apathetic country, and as such don't have that sort-of arrogance/"U-S-A!" factor to them, and they are developing nicely... They were quite impressive at WC '02, and bluntly would have made better finalists than Let's Hope Michael Ballack's On Form. McBride's actually turning into a decent player, bit of your euphemistic Classic English Centre Forward but without the elbows.

I like the influx of overseas players over the past decade, it gives you something to watch out for in world cup/euro games. You can get involved because Norway have so-and-so who turns out for such-and-such Premier team - you're not just watching 22 chaps you might not have heard of. Back in the early 1990s anyone non-British was something of a novelty, regardless of whether they were actually any good. Now there's such a blend - Zeshty Lemon actually turned out for Pakistan the other day. Amazing really. Bet Zat's wishing he'd thought of that instead of being England's tallest ever player for 24 hours...

Halfshell · Post by **Halfshell** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 10:57 am

Bloody Premiership whingers.

Chelsea have done a Rangers. I accept this and simply wait to see how far down the league Arsenal finish. Then I laugh.

Saints finished above Arsenal in the league about 12 years ago.

I'm still crying inside about the fact that, in the space of two-and-a-half seasons, my beloved Saints have gone from solid-mid-table-Premiership-comfort to my-god-I-want-to-cry-Championship-ineptitude.

Still, at least we edged a victory over languishing-near-the-foot-of-the-table Brighton...

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 1:29 pm

Hopefully Burley will be given a chance to shine... though he wasn't absolutely amazing at Derby, who were in the same "cut the old Premier costs" mess. If you lot can hold onto Walcott and the other young players though January and then the summer (no offence, but I think even the play-offs would need an excellent run of form, and aside from Reading at the top and Crewe at the bottom, the rest of the Championship appears to be a total free-for-all.

As a segue (well, this topic is one big segue, so ner) anyone feeling really sorry for Mick McCarthy? I mean, he works a Miracle and wins the Championship for Sunderland with someone else's leftovers, is given such staggering funds his big buys are a Blackburn reserve and borrowing a guy that Liverpool blatantly don't want, unsurprisingly the team are fathoms out of their depth, and they're thinking of sacking the poor guy?

Halfshell · Post by **Halfshell** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 1:41 pm

Originally posted by Cliffjumper
(no offence, but I think even the play-offs would need an excellent run of form

None taken. We've been abysmal overarall this season. I'm beginning to give up hope of seeing the Premiership again on recent form... I can't help but look at Sheffield Wednesday.

Fortunately somebody at the club has been paying attention and realised that we had three players working miracles for other clubs, recalled them from loan and started playing them. And hey, look at that - it worked. Still not sure what Harry had against Dexter...

Any thought of Mick McCarthy being sacked is blasphemous. It's like Wigan qualifying for the Champs League and Paul Jewell being given the boot for not winning the thing.

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 2:20 pm

Aye, Redknapp seemed to be phoning it in at Southampton, especially once you'd gone down... Burley's biggest problem is going to be getting morale off the floor, and Harry's stock cast [Fuller, Quashie] will probably have itchy feet now... I do think you have the basis of a sound team, it;s just weeding out the lazy bastards and hooking it all up. Though that said, the Championship is utter chaos... All three teams last year were unlucky to go down, had fairly calm summers (all things considered... no Leeds-style "oh, there goes your entire first team" fiascos"... Palace and Norwich lost hardly any key players) and yet they're lost in mid-table... I mean, eh?

The one manager I do think has a bit of an inflated rep at the mo (aside from Graeme "I won things at Rangers" Souness, anyway) is Moyes... I mean, fair play for finding a system that briefly worked (and let's be honest, from January last year, Everton were holding on), but the money he's spent on dodgy players and the lack of plan B... well, it's a bit rubbish.

Wildrider · Post by **Wildrider** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 11:57 pm

Originally posted by Brendocon
It's like Wigan qualifying for the Champs League and Paul Jewell being given the boot for not winning the thing.

Don't tempt the Whelan, he'll sack anyone! Even the Jewell in the latics crown isn't impervious to Whelan's impatience. He's got a taste for the big time now.

I've always liked Mick McCarthy, especially after he sent Roy Keane back from the World Cup, man's a legend in my book. Sunderland have a spattering of good players Elliot, Lawrence and Whitehead have shown they have the ability and Arca performs when he can be arsed. Overall team is very poor though, a bit Swindon Town under Hoddle. Stead is Fjortoft Mark 2....

I'd love to know how the hell Newcastle aren't bottom of the Premiership. I have never seen a defence so poor in all my days. Sunderland have no fight after they let the first goal in, but Newcastle's defence are just abysmal, specifically Bramble, why they sold O'Brien and kept that tit I'll never know.

Incidentally anyone got any views on the transfer window? I'd like to see Dean Ashton back in the premiership. As a student in Crewe they flogged us season tickets for £50, so I've seen him for the last wo years of his Alex career and he's worth the 7million. Phil Jagielka, Dave Kitson and Lee Trundle could also step up if they get impatient.

As for Crewe, totally spineless that lot. Steve Jones is pretty good though. Gradi's got that team by the balls, he gets a hefty percentage of every player he sells that he's brought through the ranks slow suffocation with a very low wage cap.

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 4:52 am

Newcastle will probably start struggling now Owen's out... I can't see Souey being given any cash for the transfer window. I read somewhere that only Mourinho's spent more over the past year...

For the transfer window, I'm mainly hoping we can pick up a good centre-half (if you read through that match reports on the Guardian site, Zat Knight has seriously cost us points in something like 5 of the last 6 matches) with a bit of steel, and hang on to Diop, Malbranque and Boa.

Ashton... is odd. He seems to have not actually done that well this season in the Championship, and I think Norwich will only sell him for a lot of money.

Wildrider · Post by **Wildrider** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 6:37 am

Yeah you'd think Ashton would flourish in the Norwich Championship team. Watching Crewe he could be a bit lazy and showboat when he felt like it. When they bungeed back from League one he was trying overheads and all sorts in the firat game back. He used to always nick a few even in a piss poor relegation doomed Alex team, so his failure to be very prolific has stumped me little.

He was a local lad so they forgave him anything there, his partnership with Hulse was very prolific. Both big lads, Hulse the workhorse who panicked when one on one with the keeper and the flamboyant Ashton who could stick it in from anywhere, if he helt like it.

My favourite memories of my days watching Crewe as a way to pass the time all centered around Geoff Thomas's final season, that guy oozed class and was sprightly for 38. Shame he got leukaemia, there's something surreal about 500 alex fans chanting "Super Geoff etc" on a wintery 1-0 away win at Stockport
and big Geoff running over to take a bow at full time, heh quality.

Kind of makes up fo his miss against France, well nearly...

Getaway · Post by **Getaway** » Fri Jan 06, 2006 1:12 am

Cliffy the latest Fulham transfer gossip I've heard is that you are tyring to buy the Champions league winner Traore off us....you poor sods.

Liverpool and Man Utd look like they are having good transfer windows so far, Liverpool have replaced Josemi who was arse with Kronkamp who should be better and if the dutch fans are right may even be as good as Finnan. Also Agger is being signed who is decent and we've got Balanos from Deportivo Saprissa. Man Utd have got an awesome centre back in Vidic and an amazing left back in Evra, but what about heinze when he recovers from his injury?

Newcastle look to be signing Marseilles centre back Meite, he's not bad definitly an improvemnt over Bramble. Chelsea have signed Maniche as if they needed yet another outstanding midfielder.

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 5:31 pm

I know... I mean, can you imagine a central defence pairing of Kenigut and Djimi? Hopefully they'd run into each other and end up critical or something. Apparently we've signed a New Zealander... clearly Cookie thinks that the key to Bolton's success is just having lots of people from really weird countries (yeh, you're all freaks. Want to make something of it? DEUTSCHLAND DEUTSCHLAND LA LA LA). I still haven't seen that Czech keeper we bought a year ago, who seems to have been injured so often we've had to actually pay Cardiff for their spare 'keeper. Still got Magnets Crossley though... I thought he was dead until he turned up last year

We'll have Finnan back if you lot don't want him though... nice of Al Fayed to put a lock on the piggy bannk as soon as we don't have a manager whose transfer strategy is simply to buy everyone French he can... Aside from a good centre half, all we need to do is hang on to our best players and get a little luck.

I seriously think my mum would be a better defensive alternative for Newcastle than Titus. Though Newcastle want to give Souness the boot now... he has no clue on the transfer market as he's proved at several clubs now (Boumsong can be added to the likes of Torben Piechnik, Corrado Grabbi et al), and needs to be moved out so someone else can bring in two or three defenders, a holding midfielder and a respectable striker to back up Shearer and Owen. But half of it's Souness alone... look how well Blackburn have done since with the addition of a handful of players and clearing out a little dead wood.

Getaway · Post by **Getaway** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 11:46 pm

I mostly agree with you, but if you look at the Newcastle side on paper its actually pretty good. A midfield of Luque, Emre, Parker and Solano supporting Shearer and Owen is superb, many of these are Souness signings. In the defence Taylor looks alright and Given is mint, but the rest...and to think that Boumsong was one of the most highly rated centre backs around when he chose to sign for Rangers...

Looks like Fulham might now sign Antti Niemi from Southampton for 1 million, wonder what Brend thinks about that, sort out your defence a bit and discover a new less mercenary Saha and Fulham could easily be a top 8 team, theres plenty of guile and goals in midfield.

And a separate note how good was the Liverpool/Luton game it had it all all though the ref was a bit poor neither penalty should have been given and if he was to have given them then there should have been red cards, he also should have sent off Sissoko at the weekend.

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Sun Jan 08, 2006 2:46 pm

Aye, I meant to post about the Liverpool v Luton game... first geninely enthralling 90 minutes of footie I've seen for years. Respect to both teams for being so entertaining. I seriously tip Luton for play-offs, and if they were to get promoted, survival. A good game, Luton made Liverpool play but it wasn't one of those hollow matches where the big team fielded a shadow side. Liverpool deserve a chunk of credit for not patronising Luton, frankly, and the last goal was a lot more difficult than it looked (Gerrard's reaction was also fantastic, as was Alonso's other goal). A really great game - no twats dribbling over to the corner flag for the last 10 minutes. It's good to see Liverpool can play both ways, and nobody had a shocker. Shame Chelsea have such a head-start or we could have a good battle for the Premier.

The ref's blunders were a little irritating, but at least they were sort-of balanced out... Gerrard seemed to have ran into the back of the Luton had, while Howard blatantly tripped trying not to stand on Carson... Refs in general really appear to be on drugs this season all considered. There seem to be a lot of bookings for walking off the field slowly (don't get me wrong, a good idea, but other things should have priority) and then there are all sorts of crazy tackles (such as Essien) that seem to be being dealt with the week after the incident.

Nice results for Nuneaton and Torquay, too... Middlesbrough this season typify everything that's wrong with the Premier, and Torquay should really have slaughtered Brum.

Niemi... well, he's great, and better than our 19 first-team keepers, but I really don't think a 'keeper should have been our priority. Sorry Brend, but 'least you have Smithy. Mind, £1m isn't much considering that last summer Man Utd and a couple of others were allegedly interested. Mind, we didn't get an awful lot for Van der Sar...

Halfshell · Post by **Halfshell** » Sun Jan 08, 2006 10:05 pm

The Niemi thing is a bit odd. Most of the newspaper speculation seems to be based around the watertight theory that we've just bought a new keeper, therefore one of them's on the way out.

But seeing as the new guy we bought is only 18 and we sold Alan Blayney to Donny Rovers a few days beforehand, I'm kinda seeing holes in the logic. Especially as these are the same newspapers who seem to think that clubs actually have to pay us anything for Walcott, despite him not having signed professionally yet and being free to go wherever he wants for a tribunal-decided fee.

That said, if Antti wants to go (which he's said several times he doesn't want to do, and he's retired from International football so doesn't actually need to do it for that level... but hey, wouldn't be the first time a player's lied to suck up to the fans) I can't think of many clubs I'd rather he heads to than Fulham.

Burley seriously needs to trim the squad down, not just for salary purposes but for competition purposes. Squad's far too big (despite about 20 players leaving in the summer) so nobody knows that a good run of form will get them in the team... ergo people don't bother trying. Delap needs to go, on the basis that he's paid too much and is utter rubbish. Oaks is probably out at the end of his contract (this summer) which'll be a shame. Fuller should never have been signed. We need a left back and a new centre forward.

On the upside, it's good to see Baird back in the team, and Blackstock being given another chance. Nate Dyer looks gold, and Drew Surman deserves a shot. McGoldrick should hopefully be thrown in by the end of the season. Griffit is a player I'm interested in - whether he gets a chance. He recently criticised Harry for not giving him a chance - the reason was supposedly attitude problems, which Griffit denies. But he of course denies it through an interpreter after about three years with the club, so there's blatantly an issue somewhere.

We need Svensson fit again. And Claus needs shooting. Seriously.

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 4:50 am

Oh, wonderful.
http://football.guardian.co.uk/Match_Re ... 82,00.html

I'm ready to have a good ol' mock at the MU Rowdies or Spurs, and we go and lose to bloody Orient, despite having an extra day off. Suppose we can concentrate on being plucky losers against bigger teams, then getting turned over by Sunderland now, eh? Wonderful...

I was thinking the same about Walcott, but wasn't sure if the rules had changed since I last heard something along those lines... With any luck Theo's got the sense to realise the offers aren't going anywhere, and first team football (which I don't believe he'd be guaranteed at any of the teams linked to him... hey, anyone remember that Shaun Wright-Phillips chap who used to play for Man City? Yes you do, Bradley's brother, plays for the Chelsea reserves), especially in the Championship, is what he needs right now. Like I say, someone with that sort of talent must realise the offers will still be there in a few years.

There, I've possibly typed enough to forget that once again we selected the likes of Sylvian Legwinski and suprisingly found the aged, overpaid Tigana reject doesn't like the ol' work aspect of the game. Anyone not actually suprised about the United-Burton game? Same basic team of confidence-less nobodies who did the same against Exeter, really. If you were a centre-half at United and Ferdinand was being picked ahead of you, you'd have no confidence either. Has Solksjaer even played a reserve match recently? A bunch of keyed-up Conference defenders aren't exactly an easy start back after a year or so. Sad thing is Burton should have had a penalty. That would have been a winner for everyone, frankly. Now, Fergie will play Rooney et al in the replay, Burton will be slaughtered and a past-it manager will keep is job.

I actually turned over from the Spurs/Lineker game at half-time, believing Spurs to be in total control. D, and indeed, 'oh.

Dammit, we still lost at home to ****ing Orient, though, didn't we?

Wildrider · Post by **Wildrider** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 2:59 pm

Dammit I love FA Cup weekend! I thought we'd get no shocks at all after Saturday. Although once again I shot myself in the foot, I praise Hulse earlier in the thread and the bastard scores against us!

Poor old Fulham, sorry about that Cliffster, but we all need a shock, Leeds will probably stuff us in the replay if it makes you feel any better. Why buy Warner at all though, if you were pilfering Niemi? Crossley wont retire, ever....

All in all a good weekend, nice to put a face to the name Gez Murphy he was a favourite of mine on Champ Manager! That game is the ultimate info base.

My two favourite things about this weekend are McCarthy's post match deadpan interview.
"Well we're on a roll now, bring on Chelsea..."

Oh and anytime Martin Jol talks is pure comedy gold, if he chuckles as well it's a bonus, I adore his 'comedy' dutch accent, I keep thinking of that Fast show or Enfield sketch about the two cops from Amsterdam.

"I mean yesh we lost to Leischester, but you know buddy we alwaysh have porno ander Micael Carrick."

Sixswitch · Post by **Sixswitch** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 6:39 pm

Originally posted by Wildrider

"I mean yesh we lost to Leischester, but you know buddy we alwaysh have porno ander Micael Carrick."

He's Avid Merrion. He even looks a little bit like him.

Wildrider · Post by **Wildrider** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 10:58 pm

Well milk me silly if and call me a mountain gloat, but have we just nobbled Arsenal's reserve team in the first leg of the Sunny Delight Cup! We're on course for our (read mine) first cup final EVER?!

Damn throw me an Arsenal fan!! Where's Jets gone?