Football 2013

[JillD66]

At last - the weeks of anxiety are over - Aldershot Town are back playing!

I thought I'd share this little gem with all you League team followers - we are now in Conference with a starter of minus 10 points!

However - on Saturday we gained 1 point away at Grimsby and last night 3 points at home to Dartford - so now we are only minus 6!! It was a great match last night - the team had only together for 5 days but played a good passing game.

I rashly managed to book a Getaway cruise so my next match will be September. My own fault but I'll try to enjoy the holiday!

[Frank Manning]

GFW, SIL and family are what? Watford? Who are they? Whoops did I hear six goals past the Cherries?

As a Luton Town follower we delight in seeing anyone beat Watford, you let us down!

Never mind in umpty tump ( According to my brother never ), years the Hatters may get back into the Football League, and can show the Cherries how to beat Watford.

[gfwgfw]

Hey Ho and Good Evening

The gorgeous Jennifer Aniston has turned into a Hornet. . . . . supporter

Source - Today's most read UK Newspaper

"The Daily Mail"

[gfwgfw]

. . . . and it all starts tomorrow in earnest and one of the London teams will be winning the honours of being the Premiership Champions

[gfwgfw]

. . . . and where is our dear Paul the Eagle ?

[The Monocled Mutineer]

The absence of this rather dull game that the media gives undue attention to, even often leading on news bulletins, seems all too short.

It is all rather like the Summer School holidays. I noted that July had not even expired and yet the likes of Asda and Tesco were advertising on Meridian South (ITV) 'Back to School' clothes - and the children don't go back to September down here!

Still, I suppose this is all fair-game, given that the major supermarkets will want to fill half the shelves with Xmas merchandise come September - after all, given our 24/7 retail 'culture', on the 1st of September there will be only 115 shopping days to Christmas.

[oldbluefox]

We're playing the Sheep today. I just hope it's a more engaging game than last week's against Leeds.

[oldbluefox]

Good result for usu against the Sheep. Only one goal in it but it's always good to win a derby match (no pun intended) against local rivals when you're away from home.

It sounds like there was an epic match at Reading where Watford came from behind to get a draw.

What about all the other teams - Ipswich, Bournemouth, Huddersfield, Luton, Aldershot? Any I have missed?

And I think I saw a Stoke badge around.................

[Manoverboard]

Seems the Cherries are coming back for more on Aug 28th, in the Capital One Cup

Could however be a different result this time round as Zola will field a very different team to the one that played in the Championship game.

[Quizzical Bob]

Good result for usu against the Sheep. Only one goal in it but it's always good to win a derby match (no pun intended) against local rivals when you're away from home.

It sounds like there was an epic match at Reading where Watford came from behind to get a draw.

What about all the other teams - Ipswich, Bournemouth, Huddersfield, Luton, Aldershot? Any I have missed?

And I think I saw a Stoke badge around.................

Mighty Saints at WBA?

[Romig1]

QB, I saw the Saints on MOTD last night. Well done Ricky Lambert a fantastic week for him no doubt and - a genuine pro if ever there was one. Huddersfield attempted to sign him from Bristol, and he's definitely one that got away.

For the record Foxy, Town got a great 3 points away at Millwall, which considering we lost 4-0 there last year is a good result. If I were to be a big negative so early in the season I would say that I'd like some other players to get some goals.... 4 scored this season... and all by James Vaughan.

Great result by Leicester yesterday.

[oldbluefox]

The New Den is not an easy place to go to so that was a good result. I think they took 6 points off us last season. Can we tempt you to take Neil Danns off us? We don't even seem to be able to give him away because of his big wages. Thank you Sven.

I was pleased to see Ricky Lambert having such a good week. It's been a fairy tale rise to fame for him and well done Roy Hodgson for bringing him into the squad at the ripe old age of 31. The Saints seem to have adapted well to life in the Prem. It's good to see one of the smaller clubs doing well with the big boys. Well done to them.

It seems Paul Konchesky may be on his way out of Leicester. QPR perhaps? That will help us meet the FFP regulations by taking yet another of Sven's high earners off the books.

[Romig1]

The New Den is not an easy place to go to so that was a good result. I think they took 6 points off us last season. Can we tempt you to take Neil Danns off us? We don't even seem to be able to give him away because of his big wages. Thank you Sven.

I was pleased to see Ricky Lambert having such a good week. It's been a fairy tale rise to fame for him and well done Roy Hodgson for bringing him into the squad at the ripe old age of 31. The Saints seem to have adapted well to life in the Prem. It's good to see one of the smaller clubs doing well with the big boys. Well done to them.

It seems Paul Konchesky may be on his way out of Leicester. QPR perhaps? That will help us meet the FFP regulations by taking yet another of Sven's high earners off the books.

Sorry Foxy - we have more than enough midfielders now - having bought Adam Hamill and Jonathon Hogg - to compliment our already bursting midfield contingent. Hamill is currently playing wing-back in our new 3-5-2 formation!

[oldbluefox]

Is everybody onto 3-5-2? Oddly enough we are trying it out but I'm not convinced about it unless you have the players with the nouse and the stamina to run up and down. And if you've got players of that calibre you could play virtually any system. Apart from when they line up I cannot really tell what system these teams are playing no matter how many fancy graphics the pundits present. When you're on the attack your defenders move upfield, when you're defending your attackers drop back.

It's either a case of The Emperor's New Clothes or the finer points of the beautiful game wasted on me.

[barney]

Hooray. Our season actually started Saturday !!!

An excellent performance against a much fancied Brentford side.

We conceded a late, and I do mean late, equaliser. 95th minute when the ref only indicated 4 mins ad on, but overall, our team played brilliantly

And about time soon

I'm taking my life in my hands and venturing down to deepest, darkest Wiltshire to watch us smash Swindon.
They are a funny old lot down there. Count the fingers

Well done to Huddersfield at Millwall. Anyone who beats Millwall is ok in my book

BTW Foxy - we played straight 4-4-2

[oldbluefox]

Congratulations Barney and commiserations on conceding a late goal. It's nice when they go your way but a right sickener when they go against you.

What's 4-4-2? I much prefer the old fashioned hoof-it-and-run football, no teams mentioned!!

[RB1961]

Arsenal picked up there first points today and I have to say that they did look good value for the win however Mr Wenger has got to strengthen the squad.
Good win on Wednesday in Turkey so hopefully he can rest some of the players for the second leg to keep them fresh for Saturday against the bale less spuds.
Not sure if they will show the game on Adonia.

RB

[Manoverboard]

Good results for Huddersfield and the Foxes I noted ...

[barney]

Terriers - what the hell is going on ???? - 5 ???

Decent away point for us at Swindon (Spurs reserves)

They had seven, yes seven Spurs players on the pitch. Four on loan and three freebies.

[gfwgfw]

Good results for Huddersfield and the Foxes I noted ...

. . . . and a bleedy concerning defeat for the Cheeries

[Romig1]

Indeed it was a good day for the Terriers (and a bad day for Bournemouth) - sorry gfw.

It made a change for us to be the dominant partner in a "spanking"...Lord knows we were on the receiving end of a few last season.

Foxy, there is definitely a complete change in the formation we now play. The 3 centre-backs do spread out when we have the ball, freeing up men to pass to in the midfield. The 2 wing-backs play higher up the pitch, but drop back when the opposition have possession.

It would appear that Robins has banned the long ball from the back (unless absolutely needed), such is the way in which we are playing it across the back as and until there is a forward pass available (which of course depends on having some mobile midfielders and wing-backs).

Yesterday was a joy to behold - from the kick off we retained the ball for 13 passes which culminated in a corner for us. For the past 5 seasons or so we have simply kicked the ball deep into the wide area of the opposition's half - hoping that we can pick up scraps there.

Moby, can I just say "thanks" to Watford for selling Hogg to us...yesterday was the first time I saw him play...and he loos pretty good. He very nearly scored from a corner drilled out to him outside the penalty area - the control was instant, and the shot superb - only a flying save from the keeper prevented what could have been the goal of the season.

Nice to see a couple of other names on the scoresheet too...although James Vaughan did manage a hat-trick. That's 7 goals already this season...you can see why we were so keen to bring him back this season -a class player.

[Romig1]

Forgot to mention, that Bournemouth did look a decent side too - despite the scoreline (which didn't flatter us, btw).

The little winger Ryan Fraser looks a great player - he put the ball in the box just about every time he got possession, and is a tricky opponent. Reasons to be cheerful for the future I would suggest...

[gfwgfw]

Hi Rob

You are so kind, but two it does look a tad shaky for the Cherries, even today's weather has come out in sympathy dark and dismal

Kindest regards

Graham

[Romig1]

I disagree gfw.
There was enough in their performance to suggest that they have the skill to survive at this level. They do need to tighten up at the back a touch though. I understand they had a defender ruled out of the team at late notice yesterday, which can't have helped their preparations. Eddie Howe has got them playing good football, and I hope they manage to stay up. It's still early days, and there's plenty of points to play for yet.

I notice that Forest are winning at Watford at the mo....

[barney]

My sons friend plays for The Cherries Romig

Arter. Don't know if he played yesterday?

At 23 years old, he's already had the highs and lows of a footballers life.

At Charlton from age eight. Released at seventeen. Fell into non league. Bournemouth took a punt on him. Now talking of move to West Ham.

Do you think you can hang on to Vaughn?
If he keeps scoring like this, the Prem boys will be sniffing around