08/09 English Premier League

[malskelton]

Another season is nearly at it's end - the Champions were crowned on Saturday ( as difficult as this is to type, congratulations Man Utd ) ....... this coming weekend the important relegation places will be decided.

My local team are involved, Hull City. They need a result on Sunday against Man Utd to stay up - hopefully relegating Newcastle & Middlesbrough

Just wanted to highlight the end of season and hopefully give some of you a forum to air your thoughts on this season ........... Liverpool will come strong next year though

Mal Skelton

 

[Bugjam]

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My local team are involved, Hull City. They need a result on Sunday against Man Utd RESERVES to stay up - hopefully relegating Newcastle :banned: & Middlesbrough


Mal Skelton

Mal,

I corrected you original post

 

[JTMcCool]

Good luck to Hull City. I remember they started off the year hot, but apparently they cooled off considerably. Hopefully they avoid relegation.

 

[bigzippy]

Im just happy to get to the end of the season and know we are staying up (BWFC)

Lets hope that the barcodes go down and the sun tan man at Hull can keep his boys up!

 

[fuel_77]

Not a Newcastle fan in the slightest, but I hope Shearer does well to keep his 'god' status. I can only imagine the terror if they get relegated and Sunderland don't, haha!

Julian

 

[malskelton]

Not a Newcastle fan in the slightest, but I hope Shearer does well to keep his 'god' status. I can only imagine the terror if they get relegated and Sunderland don't, haha!

Julian

There's a possibility ( strong probability ) that two of the North East teams will go down - whether it's Newcastle / Sunderland I don't know, but Boro look doomed.

Being from the North East originally I know that the fans of either Sunderland / Newcastle would give a variety of body parts for the other to be relegated ........... forget friendly rivalries, they dislike each other with a passion.

Shearer knew what he was doing, if they go down he just says "what was I supposed to do in 8 games ?" and the fans will blame the conveyer belt of mangers over the last 12 months. If they stay up he's still the messiah !!

Mal Skelton

 

[malskelton]

Mal,

I corrected you original post

Benn .......... Man Utd's reserves and kids would still finish mid table !!

Don't get me wrong, I'm delighted that the defence probably won't have to face Rooney & Ronaldo - but I think I'd rather face them when they are winding down and trying not to get hurt than a bunch of reserves who are desperate to prove they are worth their place in the Champions League squad.

Honestly, being from the North East, I believe going down would be good for Newcastle. It would allow them to ditch the big salaries of players who don't perform ( Viduka, Smith, Butt, Duff, Owen, Martins etc etc etc ) and start again. The fans also need a reality check - they consider themselves a big club, despite having not won anything since the 1950's.

They have a big following - but that doesn't make them a big club.

I'm hoping that they follow the same path as Leeds

Mal Skelton

 

[Bugjam]

Despite being a Newcastle fan, I actually agree with you about relegation and have been saying this to colleagues for a while now.. I also believe that relegation could be a blessing in disguise, in that it would give the opportunity to clear out a lot of deadwood (Owen, Smith, Viduka etc etc).

I just hope that whoever is in charge next season (and I personally believe that Shearer won't walk away), is given time and money to make sweeping changes to the squad.

 

[fuel_77]

I hope Shearer walks away - I just want him back on the Beeb. MOTD ain't the same with Lee Dixon and Martin Keown. Without Shearer it's always Alan Hansen and Lawro - hardly an impartial view sometimes

And yes, Newcastle needs a change of blood in the worse way possible, let's just hope it doesn't take relegation!

Julian

 

[malskelton]

I hope Shearer walks away - I just want him back on the Beeb. MOTD ain't the same with Lee Dixon and Martin Keown. Without Shearer it's always Alan Hansen and Lawro - hardly an impartial view sometimes

And yes, Newcastle needs a change of blood in the worse way possible, let's just hope it doesn't take relegation!

Julian

With regards to MOTD, I miss the World Cup Finals where they had Martin O'Neill and Ian Wright on the panel .......... Gary Lineker was pulling his hair out trying to stick to schedules !!

Lee Dixon and Martin Keown belong to the George Graham-era personality-less Arsenal team, boring team, boring players ( except Merse and Wrighty ). In addition to them there's Dave Seamon, Winterburn, Alan Smith ...... not a great advert.

With regards to Newcastle going down - my belief is that they have had 15 years in the top flight, with crowds averaging around 50,000 per home game. Yet through mis-management and a string of unsuccessful managers they have found themselves in the relegation places. They don't deserve any favours or any sympathy if they go down - same as Boro.

I admit that Hull have been woeful since Xmas, but I firmly believe that newly promoted teams should be given the time to establish themselves. Perhaps a no relegation clause for the first season ?

Not sure - just fed up being able to predict the top four and bottom three in August.

I admire North American sports for the way it levels the playing field ( ie Pens being dire for years, now challenging for the cup .... same with the Hawks, Caps etc etc ). I realise you still get teams dominating, but not to the extent of Man Utd / Chelsea etc where their dominance is purely down to finances.

Don't know the answer ; salary caps ? overseas player limits ? homegrown players being given a chance ........ who knows.

Mal Skelton

 

[Avalanchefan21]

As much as I hate to say it, Newcastle and Boro are going down. Manure will send out its U19 team Sunday against Hull since they already won the league and are focusing on next Wednesday's final. What a great final... the two teams I hate most are playing for the Champions League.... sucks.

To be honest, the match I will be watching Saturday will be a duplex on GOLTV of Bayern/Stuttgart and Wolfsburg/Bremen. It's awesome that three teams can still win the league, I hope either Wolfsburg or Stuttgart takes it because I'm sick of seeing Bayern win the league. Without a doubt this is the League to pay attention to on Saturday.

 

[malskelton]

As much as I hate to say it, Newcastle and Boro are going down. Manure will send out its U19 team Sunday against Hull since they already won the league and are focusing on next Wednesday's final. What a great final... the two teams I hate most are playing for the Champions League.... sucks.

I had to live through the same torture last year with Man Utd & Chelsea - I didn't care who won, as long as it finished !!

Man Utd may send out it's U19 team ........... but they aren't bad. Rio has been told he has to prove his fitness for Wednesday, so he plays - Fletcher probably too since he won't be in Rome. Then you get players like Welbeck, Macheda, Rafael whoc are all busting a gut to get in the CL squad. Potential even for Anderson, Nani etc etc who are all full internationals - not the walk in the park Newcastle / Boro / Sunderland think it might be for Hull

Kids they may be, but Man Utd's kids aren't bad.

I think I would rather play Ronaldo who is frightened to get injured than kids with no fear and nothing to lose

Mal Skelton