Mancini takes blame for City loss

[Win2Win Racing]

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini takes full responsibility for their 3-0 Premier League defeat at Liverpool.

More... (http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/9454868.stm)

[MattR]

That's big of him as their manager!

[Win2Win]

If it was ManU it'd be the refs fault :biggrin:

[MattR]

That's true!

[scoobydoo]

If it was ManU it'd be the refs fault :biggrin:


That's true!

:censored::censored::censored::censored::censored::headbange:headbange:headbange:headbange:biggrin:

[MattR]

:laugh

[Win2Win]

At least Chelsea can now concentrate on a place in the EUFA Cup next season :1056158225:

[scoobydoo]

That was a strange game, Chelsea started so well...I was worried. I think Utd deserved it over the 2 legs but imho, Chelsea are a pale shadow of even their team last season, let alone Jose's days. Now Utd have a bogey German side, eveyone expects them to go through but I do think they will this time, might have too much for Schalke. As for the other semi, cant see anything other than a Barcelona win, by 3 clear goals I think. There is no team with a defence capable of stopping them this season I dont think.

[Win2Win]

I'd never underestimate any team at this stage of the CL, ManU will probably be underpriced.

[MattR]

You would think Schalke would be as easy a team as you could get at this stage BUT i'm sure Inter thought that too!

Read an interesting stat on Messi this week. He has scored 95 goals in his last 100 games. That is just crazy. It's not as if he's a goal hanger either. He makes a hell of a lot too. I never saw Pele other than old footage, did see Maradona 'live' as it were but I honestly think Messi will end up being hailed as the best. He's still only 23! What I like about him too is that he just appears to want to play football, he invariably will stay on his feet if he has a chance to score (there was an early chance against Arsenal when most players would have gone down in the area where he continued on) and he doesn't roll around on the floor like a prima donna when he gets kicked.

Was just checking his record out ....

He's played 260 games for Barcelona and scored 175 goals with 72 assists as well! And he's getting better it appears, his record for the last 2 seasons and this season to date he's scored 133 goals in 150 games :yikes: and made just the 52 goals.

Still I have to say that Nicolas Bendtner is probably a better all round player (in his own mind!) :biggrin:

[Win2Win]

Hopefully he'll be in the Prem next season.... playing for Blackpool or Stoke :ooo

[mathare]

I honestly think Messi will end up being hailed as the best. He's still only 23!It's amazing to think he's still so young isn't it? If he was English just think how much press he would have had over here. Probably enough to ruin the guy! :laugh

[scoobydoo]

You would think Schalke would be as easy a team as you could get at this stage BUT i'm sure Inter thought that too! Utd have awful record against Germans if you look so it wouldnt surprise me hugely if Schalke go through, I recall Leverkusen in 2002.I just think they will do it this time around.



Read an interesting stat on Messi this week. He has scored 95 goals in his last 100 games. That is just crazy. It's not as if he's a goal hanger either. He makes a hell of a lot too. I never saw Pele other than old footage, did see Maradona 'live' as it were but I honestly think Messi will end up being hailed as the best. He's still only 23! What I like about him too is that he just appears to want to play football, he invariably will stay on his feet if he has a chance to score (there was an early chance against Arsenal when most players would have gone down in the area where he continued on) and he doesn't roll around on the floor like a prima donna when he gets kicked.

Was just checking his record out ....

He's played 260 games for Barcelona and scored 175 goals with 72 assists as well! And he's getting better it appears, his record for the last 2 seasons and this season to date he's scored 133 goals in 150 games :yikes: and made just the 52 goals.

Still I have to say that Nicolas Bendtner is probably a better all round player (in his own mind!) :biggrin: I agree with nearly everything here Matt, even the last bit! :biggrin: However he has to win a World Cup I think, to be considered better than Maradona. Although, at 23 he has time on his side but his performances for Argentina haven't been great have they. What we dont really know is how Messi does in an average side...or maybe we do at International level?

[mathare]

To some extent I think it is fairer to base opinion of a player around their club form rather than international form. It takes a decent side to win a World Cup or any major tournament really. One player can't do it alone. Sometimes you get a stand-out player in an otherwise average side and even though they can maybe inspire those around them a solid team with no stars will usually beat any average side with one or two star players.

And of course a player is stuck with their international side and can't switch (except in extreme and bizarre circumstances). If the players around you at international level are average you have to suck it up and accept it. At club level you have a word in your agent's ear and you're soon at Barcelona, Man Utd or whoever, surrounded by other star players.

My point is that Messi may not shine in an average side but what does that matter? You can choose your club team mates but not your international ones and while the rest of the Argentina side may not be good enough to give Messi that World Cup win his talent deserves his club record is outstanding and I prefer to judge him on that.

[scoobydoo]

My point is that Messi may not shine in an average side but what does that matter? You can choose your club team mates but not your international ones and while the rest of the Argentina side may not be good enough to give Messi that World Cup win his talent deserves his club record is outstanding and I prefer to judge him on that.

He would definitely rather be judged on his club form than his international form so you would have his vote mat. :wink:

[MattR]

To be fair Scooby he's still scored 16 in 55 games for Argentina which isn't too shabby, and the last couple of international managers reluctance to play Riquelme when he was in his prime hurt Argentina a lot I think.

Also he's been top scorer in the champions league for a couple of season's hasn't he? So he is doing it week in week out in the best or second best league in the world (depending on your view) and in the top club competition in the world. I'm sure a world cup win would be the icing on the cake but he can't win it alone like Mat says. Plus if he hadn't cheated by scoring with his hand and Terry bloody Fenwick had pulled him down insteading of letting him run past him maybe Maradona wouldn't have won one either! :laugh

Like Mat says a player can only lift his team mates so far if they don't have the ability. I could use Prosinecki as a perfect example when he played for Pompey, he was obviously past his best but still a fantastic player but even he could only lift the shower of :censored: around him so far. He also gave Crouch his best goalscoring season ever by making just about all his 19 goals.

[scoobydoo]

Oh dont get me wrong, he is the best player around now and I'm honestly not bothered who is regarded as the better player Matt, believe me on that...it is subjective anyway. I hate Maradona with a passion for what he did to England in '86 but I still accept him as the best I have ever seen in my lifetime....some may differ. That Argentina team wasnt that good in '86, nor was that Napoli side outstanding either that won the league. You could be right, Messi may go onto to be the best ever...time will tell. As a person, Messi seems outstanding next to the 'handball' man though, that I agree on. :smile:

[mathare]

You have to admit, 52 goals in one season (across all competitions) is pretty damn impressive. There's no doubt that Messi is something special

[scoobydoo]

You have to admit, 52 goals in one season (across all competitions) is pretty damn impressive. There's no doubt that Messi is something special

Very, seems unstoppable at the moment doesnt he. I reckon Scholes will get marking job on him should they both make the final :biggrin:

[Win2Win]

It'll be fun to watch ManU get beaten by Barca in the final... although that's if Barc can stay on their feet long enough to play football :rolleyes:

[mathare]

Very, seems unstoppable at the moment doesnt he. I reckon Scholes will get marking job on him should they both make the final :biggrin:Talking of Scholes, reckon he's out the door (or retiring) this summer? He's always said that he wanted to play for Oldham hasn't he? Wonder if he will try and get a season in with them before he hangs up his boots. I can't see it happening though and reckon he'll just retire at the end of the season.

[scoobydoo]

Talking of Scholes, reckon he's out the door (or retiring) this summer? He's always said that he wanted to play for Oldham hasn't he? Wonder if he will try and get a season in with them before he hangs up his boots. I can't see it happening though and reckon he'll just retire at the end of the season.

Yeah I can see him just retiring Mat, think it will happen at the end of this season. Just can't him dropping down the leagues to play, as much as he loves Oldham.

[MattR]

Much as I've always liked and admired Scholes, I don't think leaving him to tackle someone is getting the best out of him - or likely to leave him on the pitch long!


Messi's goals record is simply incredible no doubt about it.

[mathare]

Yeah I can see him just retiring Mat, think it will happen at the end of this season. Just can't him dropping down the leagues to play, as much as he loves Oldham.Yep, confirmed this morning. He'll join the coaching staff at Old Trafford next season

[scoobydoo]

Yep, confirmed this morning. He'll join the coaching staff at Old Trafford next season

Yes just read that, I did think he would. He would hardly have played for United next season and not in key games I dont think, he has done the right thing in my opinion. Shame they couldn't have traded him for Xavi! :biggrin:

[MattR]

What a great player he was for both Man Utd and England and never a bad word heard about him either. From comments it seems he was respected and liked throughout the game. Shame he retired so early for England. Lucky we had Gareth Barry to step into his shoes wasn't it :rolleyes: Never did learn how to tackle though! :laugh