Angry fans
Today the Chelsea critics bite back; we argue over the weekend’s diving incidents; speculate on how the Kop choir will respond to being taken over by Arabs; there’s that rare thing — sympathy — for Graham Poll plus confusion over Thierry Henry and a ribald look at the new, green, eco-friendly, recycleable David James.
LIAM, can you ask Trizia from Chelsea — in the past 50 years how many Irish players played with Chelsea? Outside of Duff any person I have asked cannot give me even one name. They had no problem telling me of Cantwell, Dunne, Giles, Stapleton, Irwin, O’Shea and Keano with Man Utd. Brady, Quinn and O’Leary with Arsenal. Whelan, Highway, Aldridge and Houghton with Liverpool. Pat Jennings and the Blanchflowers with Spurs.
Then I suppose they played with the four most successful clubs in England in those last 50 years. All four clubs won the double and two were Champions of Europe. By the way Liam great to see your beloved Shamrock Rovers back in the top flight. Looking forward to seeing them back in the new look Cross next season.
She’s happy to oblige Pat. As tomorrow’s column is taking a pop at Arsenal here’s your list (internationals only). It even includes an Irishman who scored in a European final: Bambrick, Cascarino, D’Arcy, Dempsey, Donaghy, Duff, Ferris, Irving, Kirwan, Mulligan, Phelan, Townsend, Wilson, Whittaker. Oh, and Blanchflower managed them (badly, she says).
RONALDO. Should have been sent off for two acts of simulation. He’s a despicable cheat. Do you need a European coaching badge to get your players to perform like that?
SO Fergie says: It was a clear cut penalty and that “it looked as if the keeper hasn’t touched him but there was clearly intent. What is Cristiano supposed to do?” Bet he wouldn’t be saying that at Old Trafford. But, of course, they never get penalties like that given against them. Anyone remember Rooney against Arsenal last season?
AFTER watching the gravity-challenged Cristiano Ronaldo and the equally collapsible Tomas Rosicky, can we look forward to the newspapers relaunching their “kick out the divers campaign” this week? Oh no, I forgot, they don’t play in blue, do they?
Consistency is very important in refereeing Cork Blue. So have your customary red card. It’s what Liam would have wanted.
GRAHAM Poll. Not exactly having a great season is he? First the World Cup fiasco; then the strange sending off and subsequent row with the England captain. Now two rank decisions, and a dubious offside. Shouldn’t he have a spell in the lower decisions?
HAVING watched the Arsenal vs Tottenham game I found my admiration for Martin Jol enhanced by such sporting behaviour. Instead of bemoaning the decisions of the referee, he focused on his own team’s shortcomings. Having viewed all three moments can we still determine: Was Adebayor offside; did Chimbonda’s tackle constitute a tackle from behind which regardless of whether you make contact with the ball is outlawed from our game; was the Van Persie handball deliberate? I can’t decide after several replays and Mr Poll had none. Who would be a referee!
Certainly hasn’t been a great season for the Pollstar but, for what it’s worth, both the first Arsenal penalty and the Ronaldo tumble looked genuine. As regards Martin Jol he didn’t even warm up for the return bout with Wenger. Letter of the week to you Gunner.
WHEN Liverpool get taken over by the Arabs it will be interesting to see how the Kop works that into an anthem!
Midnight at the Oasis, send your camel to bed. Nope, it’ll never catch on. As for the Cup, is it going to be the Emirates versus, errr, the Emirates?
THIERRY Henry . . . although a great player has nothing of the captain about him. Arsenal are weak in central defence — although the January signing of Curtis Davies from West Bromwich Albion may do something to help this provided Wenger does the sensible thing and gets his cheque book out. Just how much “transition” can we afford?
Thierry’s va va is short of a voom this season. Simple answer . . . he’s been overplayed.
SIGNING Henrik Larsson for 12 games. Inspiration or desperation?
GETTING Larsson on loan is obviously a clever move, although it’s interesting that he, like Brian Laudrup before him in Glasgow, rejected the Premiership until their careers were in their twilight zone. But United need more depth if they are going to maintain their (soon to be) nine point lead over Chelsea.
Signing a player who was good enough to come off the bench and turn Champions League games against both Chelsea and Arsenal last season. What’s wrong with that?
PERHAPS Liverpool should arrange a court appearance every other week for Craig Bellamy — it seems to pay off.
Wasn’t it against Wigan last year that Peter Crouch started to turn into a goal machine?
MACCLESFIELD deserve a change of luck. They’ve had three players suffer from broken legs in the past fortnight so a draw at Stamford Bridge is a welcome change of fortune.
If they get a draw at Stamford Bridge it will be the result of the decade. But, ah yes, the magic of the Cup. Eees nice.
DAVID James wants football clubs to do more with renewable energy resources, and says they should follow Manchester City in installing wind turbines to drive their floodlights.
No doubt lots of supporters would have been willing to put their carbon footprint up his backside over the years for some of his goalkeeping howlers.
SO Thierry Henry has ruled himself out of next Sunday’s grudge match with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Call me cynical, but I’ll believe it when I see it.
Depends whether this week’s entente between manager and captain is cordiale or not Luke.
LOOKS like I touched a nerve with your Chelsea correspondent. Here are a couple of statistics for her: 8,923 and 19,211. Not just random numbers but Chelsea’s lowest gate and average attendance just twelve years ago when they were closer to Wimbledon in stature (ironic really as these days they are basically a Wimbledon with money). As you will notice my figures pertain to seasons in living memory and do not hark back to the pre war years when the data is known to be incomplete or even invented. She is right about one thing, the nonsense about attendances must stop and she must take the first step. If she seriously believes that Chelsea would have been champions without the Russian’s money then she is either in serious denial or she knows even less about football than many of us previously thought.
Straight red for you Gerry. You raised the question. She answered it. Size isn’t everything, but fifth in the all time rankings seems fair enough.
