Citeh vs LFC a question for the 'neutrals'

[The Camel]

its football, Sunday's exciting game was an anomaly, tonight's more like the norm.

The Premiership has been fantastic this season.

Man City, Tottenham and Arsenal are an absolute joy to watch.

Some of the most exciting games I've ever seen.

But the Carling Cup and even the FA Cup are a waste of time.

Let's just have the league and Europe.

Hi Keith,

How you been mate?

There have been 40 games in the Prem this season with either one goal or less and 7 that ended 3-2 either way, so tonight's game is nearer the norm. Tho Sundays FA cup game being a str8 knock out tie instead of tonight's 2 leg affair deffo makes a difference.

Those teams you listed are the best in the country and far more likely to provide good games but in general the entertainment value of football has declined in most major leagues in recent years if you use goals scored as the barometer. Probably because the best players end up at a small selection of clubs.

Take Spain for example, most people put La Liga forward as the best/most exciting league in the world but almost every game we see in the UK features Bacra or Real. No doubt they are the most exciting games goals wise but they aren't the norm. For all the plaudits given to La Liga there have been more 0-0 games there this season than any of the 5 big country leagues (23), Italy in second (20) and 58 games in Spain featured 1 goal or less. So the norm in that league too is for less scoring in games featuring average teams, the opposite of what we see on TV.

The main reason for the big drop in goals in Spain this season is prob the same reason as Engalnd, best players end up at big clubs but the other huge factor this year is the lack of money that these clubs now have to reinvest.

Hi Phil,

I can't remember a game this season between 2 of the top 6 which hasn't been fantastic. Chelsea v Arsenal, Man Utd v Arsenal, Utd v City, Tottenham v City etc etc.

Agreed an awful lot of the other teams are negative and produce boring matches, but the current top 6 (with the possible exception of Chelsea) include some of the best attacking footballers on the planet.

It really has been a joy to watch.

Best league in the world.

[NoflopsHomer]

Gonna admit Newcastle are half-decent yet Keith?

[The Camel]

Gonna admit Newcastle are half-decent yet Keith?

One good player, who is going to leave in the transfer window, doesn't make Newcastle a good team Floppy!

[NoflopsHomer]

Gonna admit Newcastle are half-decent yet Keith?

One good player, who is going to leave in the transfer window, doesn't make Newcastle a good team Floppy!

Who is that then?

[The Camel]

Gonna admit Newcastle are half-decent yet Keith?

One good player, who is going to leave in the transfer window, doesn't make Newcastle a good team Floppy!

Who is that then?

Ba obv.

Honest opinion about Newcastle is that Pardew has got them super fit. They run til the 90th minute and are very dangerous in the last 10 minutes of games.

Dropping Obertain has definitely improved the side, and Krul has been a pleasant surprise. Collocini has been good, definitely proved me wrong. And I have never seen a winger work as hard as Jonas does. Shame his end product doesn't match his effort.

However, you are still in a false position imo, not enough quality in the side, far too reliant on Ba's goals. Danny Simpson and Ryan Taylor + whoever plays alongside Demba aren't premiership standard.

Top half finish and Pardew deserves the freedom of the cty imo.

[NoflopsHomer]

No mention of Tiote or Cabaye? Tiote would probably get into any side in the Premiership bar Man City.

[toddswain]

After tonights game, pretty scummy by guys filming, so com Nasri is just like, top of the league, my cars faster than yours, cya later

[Horneris]

haha great vid, go on Samir!

[Solaris]

Prefer this video myself:

[Matt50]

I love the carling cup!!

[superwomble]

Gonna admit Newcastle are half-decent yet Keith?

One good player, who is going to leave in the transfer window, doesn't make Newcastle a good team Floppy!

Just seen your avatar and signature - nice

[pleno1]

Gonna admit Newcastle are half-decent yet Keith?

One good player, who is going to leave in the transfer window, doesn't make Newcastle a good team Floppy!

Who is that then?

Ba obv.

Honest opinion about Newcastle is that Pardew has got them super fit. They run til the 90th minute and are very dangerous in the last 10 minutes of games.

Dropping Obertain has definitely improved the side, and Krul has been a pleasant surprise. Collocini has been good, definitely proved me wrong. And I have never seen a winger work as hard as Jonas does. Shame his end product doesn't match his effort.

However, you are still in a false position imo, not enough quality in the side, far too reliant on Ba's goals. Danny Simpson and Ryan Taylor + whoever plays alongside Demba aren't premiership standard.

Top half finish and Pardew deserves the freedom of the cty imo.

Hi Keith,

I'm going to bite.

Little bit confused about your post here. How much of Newcastle have you seen this year?

I think you are missing out on one big piece of info here which is that there are ALOT of bad teams in the Prem this year. I think that if Pardew didn't manage to get us a top half finish he should seriously take a hard look at himself. I think anything less than 9th would be a huge underachievement.

Describing Collocini as "good" is the biggest understatement of the year, he has been the best defender in the premiership bar absolutely none.

Cabaye was without doubt the best buy in the summer, remember we bought him for 5m Euro's. Alongside Tiote they are the best midfield pairing in the premiership and compliment eachothers game fantastically. They would both get in any other side in the premiership. City included.

Yes Ba is good, but again that was a great buy that allowed us to spend money on other players.

Confused about the criticism of both Danny Simpson and Ryan Taylor they have both been almost ever present in the meanest defence in the country over the last 4 months. Simpson throws his body on the line and wins us points just like Ba does, I'm not sure if you saw the Man United match, but Simpsons clearance at 2-0 with 20 minutes to go was just as important for gaining 3 points as Ba's goal was in the first half.

We also have the best keeper in the premiership at the moment.

We also have Ben Arfa who is arguably the most talented player in the premiership who showed last week that he is coming back to his best and scored a goal that Messi would wank over.

With our policy of only buying players under 26, the future at NUFC looks extremely bright.

[Josedinho]

Love that Camel and pleno are back on this board.

[Solaris]

Describing Collocini as "good" is the biggest understatement of the year, he has been the best defender in the premiership bar absolutely none.

I take it you're a Newcastle fan?  

Christ, just got to the bit about Tiote and Cabaye being the best partnership in the league.

Oh dear.

Edit: Fuck me, just read it all.

Given what you've said Pleno

Your team is:

Krul

X X Collocini X
Ben Arfa Tiote Cabaye X
Ba X

So you're effectively 5 good players away from having the best team in the league? What a load of rubbish.

Also, as for the meanest defence bollocks, the following teams have a better defensive record than you lot in the league this season:

Man City
Man Utd
Spurs
Liverpool
Sunderland
Everton
Swansea

Whilst Chelsea have conceded exactly the same amount of goals.

[TheChipPrince]