Redknapp Relieved As 'Nightmare' Ends
Harry Redknapp and Milan Mandaric have been found not guilty of two counts of cheating the public revenue when Redknapp was manager of Portsmouth. The eight men and four women jurors returned a unanimous verdict and Redknapp said outside court: "It really has been a nightmare. It's been five years. It's a case that never should have come to court." We expect to hear much, much more in tomorrow's Sun...
A Mailbox Gloriously Free Of Race Issues
If you have anything to say on any subject, mail us at theeditor@football365.com
The Ultimate Argument Against Play-Offs
To all these people who would like the Premier League title to go to someone other than the best team in the competition each year: imagine a Premier League play-off final between Manchester Utd and Liverpool that was settled by a dodgy penalty. They'd have to close the Internet. Jon Gibson LFC
...The reason I don't want play-offs to decide the Premier League is that potentially a team would win the league by a fair few points across 38 games, and then in one play-off final, both teams play well, and the team who were top of the league lose to a single incorrect decision like the penalty given against Ferdinand against Newcastle in November.
Maybe decisions don't even themselves out completely over the course of a season, but most will have a fair few for and a fair few against and so it's unlikely that in the current system you could realistically point to a single decision and say it cost you the league (unless you're Alex Ferguson). It's more about your overall performance.
Andy, London
Save The Giantkilling For Knock-Outs
I may be wading into the play-off argument a little late, so apologies for that; but just thought I'd try and counter Seamus from Mayo and his argument that head-to-head games are somehow a better judge of teams than a league system. Personally, I believe the 'Most Consistent Points Grabber' over 38 games deserves the title.
A selection of Blackburn scores from this season:
Blackburn 1-2 Wolves
Blackburn 4-3 Arsenal
QPR 1-1 Blackburn
Blackburn 1-2 Bolton
Man Utd 2-3 Blackburn
Arsenal 7-1 Blackburn
Ridiculous anomalies can occur in a single game; it's what makes journalists/fans/BBC live-text editors salivate over fixtures in the FA Cup; hoping that Havant and Waterlooville might do Liverpool at Anfield, watching Chesterfield make a semi-final replay or Exeter City holding United at Old Trafford. Over a 38-game league these freak results get ironed out; the champions in May can lose to teams at the bottom whilst having 'a bad day at the office'. It's consistent good form that should be rewarded by the league, leave the giant-killing drama for the knock-out competitions (of which we have two).
To the contributor who thought Leeds winning the Super League from fifth place was a good thing; they finished 13 points behind league leaders Warrington - that's six wins and a draw off the chase in a 27-game league (the fact that there is an odd number of games should ring alarm bells at just how much rugby league has been b**tardised since the Sky era - play offs are a part of this b**tardry.)
Scof (that's M62 egg-chasing; not the game favoured by public schoolboys) Mann, BRFC, Manchester
...I just read Seamus from Mayo's justification for EPL play-offs - WTF ??
The EPL is huge all around the world and it is exactly because it is so competitive at all levels from top to bottom. This weekend was a prime example - Arsenal beat Blackburn 7-1 who have in turn beaten Man Utd 3-2 who had previously beaten Arsenal 8-2.
I am an ex-pat Spurs fan living in Aus where everything is decided by play-offs (AFL/A-League Football/Rugby League) and it is sh*te !
The reason the US and Australian sports like this format is that they have no concept of relegation/promotion which means a lot of the games at the end of the season are totally meaningless whereas generally in the EPL at least a dozen teams have something to play for after Easter. They also have the 'draft' system which encourages teams to throw in the towel towards the end of the campaign to get the best picks next time around.
We have already been brainwashed by the 'Champions League' concept that has nothing to do with being 'Champions' and although Spurs haven't won the league since the year before I was born, I still want them to win it properly rather that just over half a dozen over-hyped games at the end of a season just to suit TV.
IF IT AIN'T BROKE DON'T FIX IT !!
Angry from Sydney
Why The Media Should Take Some Blame
In response to your thought-provoking article on the media, I can understand the exasperation of managers sometimes. While there is no excuse for dodging questions about their teams' performances, it seems to me that post-match reporting is becoming increasingly petty and 'incident-based', rather than 'football-based'. More often than not they are questioned about fouls, offsides and red and yellow cards at the expense of questions about the football in general.
A new low was reached on Monday when Kenny Dalglish was being asked about Wayne Rooney's tweets. Disregarding the obvious hypocrisy, which I'm sure Mediawatch has/will point out, isn't it just an instant reaction from a clearly unqualified, albeit famous footballer who was irrelevant to the game in question? What is next, Ferguson being asked to comment on Ashley Young's webcam uploads? Rooney's tweet was one of the lead football stories in the Guardian, the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and the Sun websites the next day - pretty much unavoidable in the press. It made me want to stop reading about football. I haven't quite pulled myself away from your site yet though.
Dave
Stevie G For England Captain
Are you guys honestly calling for Ashley Cole to be captain over Steven Gerrard? This is the same Ashley Cole who's current club captain is John Terry? Seems a bit backward doesn't it?
Gerrard needs to be captain because he deserves it way more than any of the other candidates. He's probably one of the hungriest players on the England squad, which has honestly been a problem with England in the past. There are too many primadonnas, too many superstars. Gerrard's a stand-up player: he doesn't shoot people in locker rooms or cheat on his wife. Okay, maybe he beat up a guy in a bar, but he was found not guilty if my memory serves me right.
Real life aside, another thing about Gerrard that makes him a better candidate, is that he has the capability to really grab a game by its throat and turn things around. I think we've all seen him do this over and over again at Liverpool. Lately, he's been playing pretty nicely, especially after being injured for so long. I'd gladly take him over Lampard any day, as I think Gerrard's a more dynamic player. I'd trust Gerrard to link up better with strikers than Lampard. Gerrard, Rooney and Ashley Young can definitely cause chaos for defenders. But besides that, Gerrard would even be better at tracking back and helping break up counterattacks. Lampard is just so slow...
I'm not going to get ahead of myself, as much can happen in the next few months. Any one of England's potential Euro captains can get injured or start playing horribly. I'm making this argument on the assumption that Gerrard keeps up his form until then. Guess we'll have to see.
Zameer, Long Beach, CA
The Boy Who Had Cried Wolf
If you had given the Fire Brigade ten successive hoax calls, and the 11th was a genuine distress call, would you blame the emergency services if they didn't respond?
If you had cheated on your girlfriend on numerous occasions and she incorrectly accused you of doing so again, could you blame her if she ignored your plea of innocence and chucked you out?
If you had been charged with theft 25 times, and was subsequently incorrectly accused and sent down in court for one that you did not commit, would you really have a right to feel hard done by?
In other words, respect to Mr Poll with his comments on gamesmanship. I wholeheartedly agree.
Paul Dean
But Woy Had No Money...
In response to Oliver Dziggel's post about Kenny Vs Uncle Woy's records, I think comparing the two managers record is rather misguided. Why you ask! Well, how about the fact that one manager has spent £100m on a team that is still behind a London team that sold their two best players in the summer and look more disjointed that Bambi on ice at times. And behind another team that sold their best striker to who? Yep, the team that curently lies threee points behind them in the league.
I am a Livepool fan and I shudder to think what our team would look like if Rafa had that sort of money to spend. Despite some of his duds, when Rafa splashed large amounts of cash on a player, they were pretty much world-class (barring Aquaman). So in conclusion £100m and we have a winger in Downing that has no league goals or assists yet! A striker who seems to miss more golden opportunities than he converts and a £20m midfielder, who does...what does he actually do? And for all those talking about net spend, what Liverpool have done is comparable to selling your BMW and buying a skateboard with the same money!
Michael 'If we finish fourth all will be forgiven' Osafo
Some Wingers We Like
I'm a huge fan of the site but always thought myself less knowledgeable than all the other mailboxers. But today Jeremy Aves' mail on wingers got me thinking and I couldn't help but think of my beloved Napoli team. One player whose lungs are exceptional, who's legs never seem to tire, has a very good cross and a mean eye for goal. Step forward Christian Maggio. For those who don't know who he is, watch him tear Chelsea apart. Angelo (hope I get in first time) Matera
...In response to Jeremy Aves' mail about a lack of quality wingers outside of the European level, here's a bunch that aren't in top European sides that would improve the team I support - City.
Alessio Cerci
Jeremy Menez
Jesus Navas
Santi Cazorla
Matt Jarvis
Jose Antonio Reyes
Hulk (whether you consider Porto a top European club is debatable)
dos Santos (Tottenham aren't European yet, plus they don't use him, given his competition)
Landon Donovan
As you pointed out Clint Dempsey Etc.
All of these guys are as good as or better than AJ (our only real winger) and probably a lot more consistent.
I challenge you to name ten-odd keepers good enough for your team.
In response to everyone complaining about violent, reckless, stupid, incendiary, cheating, tweeting characters such as Dalglish, Suarez, Balotelli, Barton. I'd like to draw your attention to Vincent Kompamy. He's talented, composed, intelligent (he plays football at the highest level and studies) and boring as all hell. If football wasn't populated by morons what would we talk about?
Tom Wilson
There's Only Two John-Arne Riises
After reading Jeremy Aves (where have all the wingers gone?) from yesterday afternoon's mailbox, I had to write in about a scouse friend of mine.
His Premier League all star XI (did and still does) include John Arne Riise at both left back and left midfield.
The Ultimate Argument Against Play-Offs
To all these people who would like the Premier League title to go to someone other than the best team in the competition each year: imagine a Premier League play-off final between Manchester Utd and Liverpool that was settled by a dodgy penalty. They'd have to close the Internet. Jon Gibson LFC
...The reason I don't want play-offs to decide the Premier League is that potentially a team would win the league by a fair few points across 38 games, and then in one play-off final, both teams play well, and the team who were top of the league lose to a single incorrect decision like the penalty given against Ferdinand against Newcastle in November.
Maybe decisions don't even themselves out completely over the course of a season, but most will have a fair few for and a fair few against and so it's unlikely that in the current system you could realistically point to a single decision and say it cost you the league (unless you're Alex Ferguson). It's more about your overall performance.
Andy, London
Save The Giantkilling For Knock-Outs
I may be wading into the play-off argument a little late, so apologies for that; but just thought I'd try and counter Seamus from Mayo and his argument that head-to-head games are somehow a better judge of teams than a league system. Personally, I believe the 'Most Consistent Points Grabber' over 38 games deserves the title.
A selection of Blackburn scores from this season:
Blackburn 1-2 Wolves
Blackburn 4-3 Arsenal
QPR 1-1 Blackburn
Blackburn 1-2 Bolton
Man Utd 2-3 Blackburn
Arsenal 7-1 Blackburn
Ridiculous anomalies can occur in a single game; it's what makes journalists/fans/BBC live-text editors salivate over fixtures in the FA Cup; hoping that Havant and Waterlooville might do Liverpool at Anfield, watching Chesterfield make a semi-final replay or Exeter City holding United at Old Trafford. Over a 38-game league these freak results get ironed out; the champions in May can lose to teams at the bottom whilst having 'a bad day at the office'. It's consistent good form that should be rewarded by the league, leave the giant-killing drama for the knock-out competitions (of which we have two).
To the contributor who thought Leeds winning the Super League from fifth place was a good thing; they finished 13 points behind league leaders Warrington - that's six wins and a draw off the chase in a 27-game league (the fact that there is an odd number of games should ring alarm bells at just how much rugby league has been b**tardised since the Sky era - play offs are a part of this b**tardry.)
Scof (that's M62 egg-chasing; not the game favoured by public schoolboys) Mann, BRFC, Manchester
...I just read Seamus from Mayo's justification for EPL play-offs - WTF ??
The EPL is huge all around the world and it is exactly because it is so competitive at all levels from top to bottom. This weekend was a prime example - Arsenal beat Blackburn 7-1 who have in turn beaten Man Utd 3-2 who had previously beaten Arsenal 8-2.
I am an ex-pat Spurs fan living in Aus where everything is decided by play-offs (AFL/A-League Football/Rugby League) and it is sh*te !
The reason the US and Australian sports like this format is that they have no concept of relegation/promotion which means a lot of the games at the end of the season are totally meaningless whereas generally in the EPL at least a dozen teams have something to play for after Easter. They also have the 'draft' system which encourages teams to throw in the towel towards the end of the campaign to get the best picks next time around.
We have already been brainwashed by the 'Champions League' concept that has nothing to do with being 'Champions' and although Spurs haven't won the league since the year before I was born, I still want them to win it properly rather that just over half a dozen over-hyped games at the end of a season just to suit TV.
IF IT AIN'T BROKE DON'T FIX IT !!
Angry from Sydney
Why The Media Should Take Some Blame
In response to your thought-provoking article on the media, I can understand the exasperation of managers sometimes. While there is no excuse for dodging questions about their teams' performances, it seems to me that post-match reporting is becoming increasingly petty and 'incident-based', rather than 'football-based'. More often than not they are questioned about fouls, offsides and red and yellow cards at the expense of questions about the football in general.
A new low was reached on Monday when Kenny Dalglish was being asked about Wayne Rooney's tweets. Disregarding the obvious hypocrisy, which I'm sure Mediawatch has/will point out, isn't it just an instant reaction from a clearly unqualified, albeit famous footballer who was irrelevant to the game in question? What is next, Ferguson being asked to comment on Ashley Young's webcam uploads? Rooney's tweet was one of the lead football stories in the Guardian, the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and the Sun websites the next day - pretty much unavoidable in the press. It made me want to stop reading about football. I haven't quite pulled myself away from your site yet though.
Dave
Stevie G For England Captain
Are you guys honestly calling for Ashley Cole to be captain over Steven Gerrard? This is the same Ashley Cole who's current club captain is John Terry? Seems a bit backward doesn't it?
Gerrard needs to be captain because he deserves it way more than any of the other candidates. He's probably one of the hungriest players on the England squad, which has honestly been a problem with England in the past. There are too many primadonnas, too many superstars. Gerrard's a stand-up player: he doesn't shoot people in locker rooms or cheat on his wife. Okay, maybe he beat up a guy in a bar, but he was found not guilty if my memory serves me right.
Real life aside, another thing about Gerrard that makes him a better candidate, is that he has the capability to really grab a game by its throat and turn things around. I think we've all seen him do this over and over again at Liverpool. Lately, he's been playing pretty nicely, especially after being injured for so long. I'd gladly take him over Lampard any day, as I think Gerrard's a more dynamic player. I'd trust Gerrard to link up better with strikers than Lampard. Gerrard, Rooney and Ashley Young can definitely cause chaos for defenders. But besides that, Gerrard would even be better at tracking back and helping break up counterattacks. Lampard is just so slow...
I'm not going to get ahead of myself, as much can happen in the next few months. Any one of England's potential Euro captains can get injured or start playing horribly. I'm making this argument on the assumption that Gerrard keeps up his form until then. Guess we'll have to see.
Zameer, Long Beach, CA
The Boy Who Had Cried Wolf
If you had given the Fire Brigade ten successive hoax calls, and the 11th was a genuine distress call, would you blame the emergency services if they didn't respond?
If you had cheated on your girlfriend on numerous occasions and she incorrectly accused you of doing so again, could you blame her if she ignored your plea of innocence and chucked you out?
If you had been charged with theft 25 times, and was subsequently incorrectly accused and sent down in court for one that you did not commit, would you really have a right to feel hard done by?
In other words, respect to Mr Poll with his comments on gamesmanship. I wholeheartedly agree.
Paul Dean
But Woy Had No Money...
In response to Oliver Dziggel's post about Kenny Vs Uncle Woy's records, I think comparing the two managers record is rather misguided. Why you ask! Well, how about the fact that one manager has spent £100m on a team that is still behind a London team that sold their two best players in the summer and look more disjointed that Bambi on ice at times. And behind another team that sold their best striker to who? Yep, the team that curently lies threee points behind them in the league.
I am a Livepool fan and I shudder to think what our team would look like if Rafa had that sort of money to spend. Despite some of his duds, when Rafa splashed large amounts of cash on a player, they were pretty much world-class (barring Aquaman). So in conclusion £100m and we have a winger in Downing that has no league goals or assists yet! A striker who seems to miss more golden opportunities than he converts and a £20m midfielder, who does...what does he actually do? And for all those talking about net spend, what Liverpool have done is comparable to selling your BMW and buying a skateboard with the same money!
Michael 'If we finish fourth all will be forgiven' Osafo
Some Wingers We Like
I'm a huge fan of the site but always thought myself less knowledgeable than all the other mailboxers. But today Jeremy Aves' mail on wingers got me thinking and I couldn't help but think of my beloved Napoli team. One player whose lungs are exceptional, who's legs never seem to tire, has a very good cross and a mean eye for goal. Step forward Christian Maggio. For those who don't know who he is, watch him tear Chelsea apart. Angelo (hope I get in first time) Matera
...In response to Jeremy Aves' mail about a lack of quality wingers outside of the European level, here's a bunch that aren't in top European sides that would improve the team I support - City.
Alessio Cerci
Jeremy Menez
Jesus Navas
Santi Cazorla
Matt Jarvis
Jose Antonio Reyes
Hulk (whether you consider Porto a top European club is debatable)
dos Santos (Tottenham aren't European yet, plus they don't use him, given his competition)
Landon Donovan
As you pointed out Clint Dempsey Etc.
All of these guys are as good as or better than AJ (our only real winger) and probably a lot more consistent.
I challenge you to name ten-odd keepers good enough for your team.
In response to everyone complaining about violent, reckless, stupid, incendiary, cheating, tweeting characters such as Dalglish, Suarez, Balotelli, Barton. I'd like to draw your attention to Vincent Kompamy. He's talented, composed, intelligent (he plays football at the highest level and studies) and boring as all hell. If football wasn't populated by morons what would we talk about?
Tom Wilson
There's Only Two John-Arne Riises
After reading Jeremy Aves (where have all the wingers gone?) from yesterday afternoon's mailbox, I had to write in about a scouse friend of mine.
His Premier League all star XI (did and still does) include John Arne Riise at both left back and left midfield.
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