c4countdown

Apart from a 45 minute break to watch Countdown, I've had the TV solidly locked to Setanta Sports News all day for transfer deadline day excitement.
As such, I can't think about anything apart from football right now. Hence this thread. Come join me if you love the beautiful game.

So what has your club done today? What do you make of the big transfers on the cards?

As a Liverpool fan, it's all about Keane today. I feel so sorry for the guy, must be so hard being rejected and basically classed a failure in such a public way by your boyhood dream club. 7 months ago he must have thought he had the rest of his career sorted, in a way that he had been aiming for since becoming a professional. Poor guy.

Personally, I was well happy to sign him at the time (although wasn't impressed by the price). Now I'm happy to see him go, apart from feeling bad for the guy.
It's absolutely key that Benitez signs someone else in the next hour (the links with Saviola I like) or he finally gives Babel a chance to prove his worth as a striker.

From the BBC website:
"Latest news on Keane and Liverpool is that an agreement has been made with Valencia over David Villa. This is why Liverpool are letting Keane leave. Villa and Torres up front, now that would scare me."

Blatantly will turn out to be rubbish, but just the thought of it makes me moist.

I am joining this thread and saying that Chelsea are ownage.

Kai Laddiman wrote:I am joining this thread and saying that Chelsea are ownage.

Come on Kai. No need to ruin my thread by telling lies.

No, seriously... any Chelsea-based transfer rumours?
I just heard you might be signing Ricardo Quaresma on loan, which would be a fantastic signing for anyone. I love the guy.

Matt Morrison wrote:From the BBC website:
"Latest news on Keane and Liverpool is that an agreement has been made with Valencia over David Villa. This is why Liverpool are letting Keane leave. Villa and Torres up front, now that would scare me."

Blatantly will turn out to be rubbish, but just the thought of it makes me moist.

Yes, sounds like the usual Villa rubbish. I agere with your summary of the Keane situation, and I still think he had a lot to offer at Liverpool (I'm also a fan). I don't agree that we need another striker. I've got a feeling Babel's time will come, although he hasn't impressed me this season as he did last season.

Jon O'Neill wrote:I don't agree that we need another striker. I've got a feeling Babel's time will come, although he hasn't impressed me this season as he did last season.

Absolutely, I've said the same thing myself.
I was so impressed with him in his first season, and was super excited when we signed him as I'd just been travelling Europe and watched some of him in the Under-21 European Championship whilst I was in Holland. But yes, this season he's been a big disappointment, but I can't help but think it's because he needs a real run in the squad to get some confidence. Essentially he's been treated by Benitez with a similar disrespect as Keane, it's just that with Keane the bigger name to most fans here it hasn't been made such a deal of outside of Liverpool fan circles.

I'm disappointed if we weren't involved in trying to get Quaresma on loan though, especially as we were linked with him in the past. Really hope Kuyt goes to Juventus in the summer too. I love the guy to bits but as long as he stays he's kind of stumping our development on the right wing which is a fairly important position for us.

Pretty disgusted at Liverpool's treatment of Keane, though I won't care at all if they get Villa.

As a West Ham fan, this was the day we were all dreading at Christmas . . . . end of transfer window; middle of relegation battle; Bellamy, Green, Upson, Collins all gone to Man City or the Spuds; and Shef U demanding £65m and another million everytime they think of something else in life they dont like.

Instead? 8 games unbeaten? A sound defence?? Carlton Cole scoring goals???Europe beckoning? £14m for Bellamy? And even funnier, Chelsea fans looking at our managerial team with envious eyes! And all this in January when we normally play with all the dedication of N'zogbia after a Kinnear news conference. Zola for Manager of the Month (except that will mean we will lose our next match . . . .)

PS Just WHY did Liverpool sell Keane? If Torres gets injured, what then??

I'm actually fighting back the tears when I think of Poor Keane warming the bench while picking up his enormous pay cheque every week. So very sad.

Jon Corby wrote:I'm actually fighting back the tears when I think of Poor Keane warming the bench while picking up his enormous pay cheque every week. So very sad.

Point taken. But we're not talking about Winston Bogarde here (remember him? Ranieri signed him for Chelsea on a free, tried to release him two weeks later and he refused to go basically saying "I'd rather sit and fester in the reserves and take my Chelsea pay cheque than go elsewhere and actually play some football because I'd only get half the cash"). The Bogarde kind of attitude is awful, and confirms most people's suspicions that footballers are money grabbing fucks. I don't see Keane as that type of player at all. Keane loves playing, and just because someone is willing to pay you fucking shitloads of money for doing something that you love, it doesn't mean you have to give up any hope of being treated with any respect.

So yeah, I still feel sorry for him! Even if he's not on the same sympathy level as an AIDS-riddled Ethiopian village.

Simon Cooper wrote:PS Just WHY did Liverpool sell Keane? If Torres gets injured, what then??

I would say "then we'll lose our chance at challenging for the title" but that statement would be a full month or more late.
I just hope (presuming we haven't secretly signed anyone) that Babel gets the run he deserves and needs.

Matt Morrison wrote:footballers are money grabbing fucks

Sorry Kai

Matt Morrison wrote:someone is willing to pay you fucking shitloads of money

Sorry Kai

Sorry Kai

Kai Laddiman wrote:

Matt Morrison wrote:footballers are money grabbing fucks

Sorry Kai

Matt Morrison wrote:someone is willing to pay you fucking shitloads of money

Sorry Kai

Sorry Kai

This thread appears to be struggling to gain a toehold of popularity.

As for Liverpool, Ngog for the win!

Ian Volante wrote:This thread appears to be struggling to gain a toehold of popularity.

If you have even a shred of doubt that a thread can survive with just one man's interest, then prepare to be amazed!
I'm not giving this baby up even if it's just somewhere to rant for my own off-chest-ness.
I really should be joining Corby et al on F365 forum but what can I say, I just love you guys too much.

Ian Volante wrote:As for Liverpool, Ngog for the win!

Right now, literally anyone for the win. Though preferably Carragher assisting Gerrard every time as they're in my dream team.

We should get a C4C fantasy league together. Reina has been a mainstay for me for years now, Gerrard has supplanted RIise in the last couple of years.

Maybe a Fantasy Countdown comp would work too, although I fear Rachel may feature heavily, and not in a manner conducive to think about team selections...

Ian Volante wrote:We should get a C4C fantasy league together.

If anyone is on the Official Fantasy Premier League, someone has set up a C4 Countdown FC league. The code to join up is 336517-73468.
Next season we should do something properly with prizes. I'd nominate myself to do the (frankly horrible) job of organising it, as I'm currently running a league on there at the moment (Manager of the Week cash prizes, and everything).

Ian Volante wrote:Reina has been a mainstay for me for years now, Gerrard has supplanted RIise in the last couple of years.

Yeah had Reina in for the last two seasons. Need to put Van Der Sar in this week though as Man U have a double game.
I forget to do my team on average about once every three weeks, getting bloody annoying!

Matt Morrison wrote:

Ian Volante wrote:We should get a C4C fantasy league together.

If anyone is on the Official Fantasy Premier League, someone has set up a C4 Countdown FC league. The code to join up is 336517-73468.
Next season we should do something properly with prizes. I'd nominate myself to do the (frankly horrible) job of organising it, as I'm currently running a league on there at the moment (Manager of the Week cash prizes, and everything).

Ian Volante wrote:Reina has been a mainstay for me for years now, Gerrard has supplanted RIise in the last couple of years.

Yeah had Reina in for the last two seasons. Need to put Van Der Sar in this week though as Man U have a double game.
I forget to do my team on average about once every three weeks, getting bloody annoying!

I'm on fantasyleague.com, so I set up my supersubs for ten days which is perfect. I get lazy if it's something I'm having to do every week...

I've done it! Check my appalling spending habits.

CHELSEA HAVE QUARESMA!!

Kai Laddiman wrote:CHELSEA HAVE QUARESMA!!

Don't worry, I'm sure the ointment will soon clear it up.

Chelsea have Quaresma, but Burnley have undersoil heating. Game on tonight, get down to the Turf!

If Quaresma was a flop in Serie A, then I'm fairly sure he's gonna be a flop in the Prem. I'll happily eat my humble pie in 5 months if I'm wrong.

Simon Cooper wrote:PS Just WHY did Liverpool sell Keane? If Torres gets injured, what then??

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 788422.stm

Jon O'Neill wrote:If Quaresma was a flop in Serie A, then I'm fairly sure he's gonna be a flop in the Prem. I'll happily eat my humble pie in 5 months if I'm wrong.

I saw someone make a good point yesterday along the lines of: if Mourinho can't get the best out of a player he already likes, who can?
Will be interesting to see as I've always wanted us (Liverpool) to get Quaresma.

Why Chelsea won't win the Prem this year:

United 3-0 Chelsea
Liver'poo' 2-0 Chelsea
Liver'poo' 1-0 Chelsea

Why Liver'poo' won't win the Prem this year:

Everton 1-1 Liver'poo' (twice) in comparison with United winning 1 nil on Saturday.

Why Man.U WILL win the Prem this year:

BECAUSE THEY'RE FLIPPIN' AWESOME- Inter are going down in the champo league, Spurs are going down in the Carling Cup and Derby/ Nottingham Forest are going down in the FA Cup.
Plus we've already got the WORLD CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP CUP and we're 2 points clear of Liver'poo' in the Prem with a game in hand.

Jon O'Neill wrote:

Simon Cooper wrote:PS Just WHY did Liverpool sell Keane? If Torres gets injured, what then??

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 788422.stm

Yeah, that'll be just fine if Liverpool draw Newcastle in the Champion's League . . .

Simon Cooper wrote:

Jon O'Neill wrote:

Simon Cooper wrote:PS Just WHY did Liverpool sell Keane? If Torres gets injured, what then??

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 788422.stm

Yeah, that'll be just fine if Liverpool draw Newcastle in the Champion's League . . .

It's got the point where we don't care who we draw in the Champions League, we fear no one. Not even Newcastle.
But this year with a slim chance in the league we definitely don't care about the Champions League as much as it warrants.

I can't believe nobody ahs mentioned the biggest news story of the Transfer Window!!!
The mighty Leyton Orient have signed young Chelsea midfielder Jimmy Smith. Earth-shattering!

Neil Zussman wrote:I can't believe nobody ahs mentioned the biggest news sotry of the Transfer Window!!!
The mighty Leyton Orient have signed young Chelsea midfielder Jimmy Smith. Earth-shattering!

Exciting times! Can i take a random stab in the dark and guess that you're an Orient fan? hehe
Not heard of James Smith, is he any good? loan or transfer?

Matt Morrison wrote:

Neil Zussman wrote:I can't believe nobody has mentioned the biggest news story of the Transfer Window!!!
The mighty Leyton Orient have signed young Chelsea midfielder Jimmy Smith. Earth-shattering!

Exciting times! Can i take a random stab in the dark and guess that you're an Orient fan? hehe

Yes. Blame my dad.

Matt Morrison wrote: Not heard of James Smith, is he any good? loan or transfer?

Any good? Not a clue. But I doubt it, if he's willing to come to us. And he's on loan, so if he is any good he'll be gone soon enough.

<insert generic "oh well, we can concentrate on the Premier League now" comment here>

Matt Morrison wrote:<insert generic "oh well, we can concentrate on the Premier League now" comment here>

Was anyone else watching on ITV and saw a VW ad instead of the goal

Fucking ITV, useless tossers

Jon Corby wrote:Was anyone else watching on ITV and saw a VW ad instead of the goal
Fucking ITV, useless tossers

Absolutely everyone. After the show there was about 5 minutes of a blank screen before they got the news up too. Awful.
I was in the middle of texting my brother "I bet while ITV are messing up their coverage they'll score the cun..." and they scored.

I'll tell you what pisses me off... "and somehow he managed to curl it into the top corner".
ITV especially but a lot of commentators are awful for missing glaringly obvious deflections and giving the shot massive undue credit when it wouldn't have gone in otherwise.

I was watching on Freeview when it went off, so assumed it was the Freeview that was wrong and went to analogue, which was OK so I saw the goal live. (Granada region.) Then switched back to Freeview, which was back on pictures for the action replay, but subtitles were off.

David Roe wrote:I was watching on Freeview when it went off, so assumed it was the Freeview that was wrong and went to analogue, which was OK so I saw the goal live. (Granada region.) Then switched back to Freeview, which was back on pictures for the action replay, but subtitles were off.

Yeah, it seems all ITV regions went for the break, some made it back just in time for the goal (literally about a half-second before the strike), and some (including my region) didn't.

Matt Morrison wrote:<insert generic "oh well, we can concentrate on the Premier League now" comment here>

Gerrard out for three weeks is far more painful than going out of the FA cup to a small club.

Congratulations to all you scummy United fans. I'm not bitter.

I'm an Arsenal fan. And, after the fifth draw in a row in the league, a very frustrated one at that! After the performance we put on against Roma in tha CL, it's amazing how we can't beat the likes of Sunderland and Fulham at home. We seem to be better suited to teams that want to try and beat us, hence they come forward and attack, rather than have 10 players camped in their own six yard box like most teams do that come to the Emirates. I don't blame the smaller teams for this tactic, just cant understand why, with the quality of the players we have, we can never find a way past them!

Great thread btw!

Steve Durney wrote:I'm an Arsenal fan. And, after the fifth draw in a row in the league, a very frustrated one at that! After the performance we put on against Roma in tha CL, it's amazing how we can't beat the likes of Sunderland and Fulham at home. We seem to be better suited to teams that want to try and beat us, hence they come forward and attack, rather than have 10 players camped in their own six yard box like most teams do that come to the Emirates. I don't blame the smaller teams for this tactic, just cant understand why, with the quality of the players we have, we can never find a way past them!

Great thread btw!

Thanks for the props Steve!

But yeah, basically - tell me about it. I think being an Arsenal fan has been fairly similar to being a Liverpool fan this year. So many awful results at home, draws are almost worse than losses in a way because they fill you with frustration about the missed opportunities.

What do you make of Arshavin?

Steve Durney wrote:We seem to be better suited to teams that want to try and beat us, hence they come forward and attack, rather than have 10 players camped in their own six yard box like most teams do that come to the Emirates. I don't blame the smaller teams for this tactic, just cant understand why, with the quality of the players we have, we can never find a way past them!

Having just re-read your message, apart from having to change "the Emirates" for "Anfield", this bit can be 100% applied to Liverpool. Which proves my point from the last post.
So many players performing under par... so many good performances providing under par results... "why?" sums it up. Grr.

Liverpool and Arsenal are going to be also-rans in the league for the foreseeable future.

Arsenal are just a shop window for mercenaries. The good 'uns move onto somewhere better, as mercenaries do. Liverpool play a spoiling style of football which isn't conducive to winning a large proportion of games which is what you need to win the league.

Craig Beevers wrote:Liverpool and Arsenal are going to be also-rans in the league for the foreseeable future.

Arsenal are just a shop window for mercenaries. The good 'uns move onto somewhere better, as mercenaries do. Liverpool play a spoiling style of football which isn't conducive to winning a large proportion of games which is what you need to win the league.

Very well said.

Steve Durney wrote:We seem to be better suited to teams that want to try and beat us, hence they come forward and attack, rather than have 10 players camped in their own six yard box like most teams do that come to the Emirates. I don't blame the smaller teams for this tactic, just cant understand why, with the quality of the players we have, we can never find a way past them!

You'll be able to test that out next Sunday in the Cup, Steve. Burnley will be coming to attack. After all, that's how we beat Chelsea.

(Sorry Kai!)

Matt Morrison wrote:

Steve Durney wrote:I'm an Arsenal fan. And, after the fifth draw in a row in the league, a very frustrated one at that! After the performance we put on against Roma in tha CL, it's amazing how we can't beat the likes of Sunderland and Fulham at home. We seem to be better suited to teams that want to try and beat us, hence they come forward and attack, rather than have 10 players camped in their own six yard box like most teams do that come to the Emirates. I don't blame the smaller teams for this tactic, just cant understand why, with the quality of the players we have, we can never find a way past them!

Great thread btw!

Thanks for the props Steve!

But yeah, basically - tell me about it. I think being an Arsenal fan has been fairly similar to being a Liverpool fan this year. So many awful results at home, draws are almost worse than losses in a way because they fill you with frustration about the missed opportunities.

What do you make of Arshavin?

Completely agree. If you'd converted just three or four of your ten draws you'd be serious title challengers. Can't see past Utd at the mo though.

Arshavin looks like he could be a really good signing, but maybe not until next season. He likes to shoot from outside the box, which is a rarity at Arsenal!

Do you think Rafa will stay?

Craig Beevers wrote:Liverpool and Arsenal are going to be also-rans in the league for the foreseeable future.

Arsenal are just a shop window for mercenaries. The good 'uns move onto somewhere better, as mercenaries do. Liverpool play a spoiling style of football which isn't conducive to winning a large proportion of games which is what you need to win the league.

Unfortunately, at the moment at least, i'm inclined to agree (About the title, not the mercenaries bit). We have the quality, and on our day can beat anybody but it's no good beating Man U and Chelsea when you drop points at home to Fulham, Sunderland, West Ham and Hull. We've had bad luck with injuries, but then who hasn't?! Last season we were 5 points clear in March (I think) so we can be serious challengers, we've just got to be more direct against teams that are gonna sit back, rather than do a hundred small passes on the edge of their box!

David Roe wrote:

Steve Durney wrote:We seem to be better suited to teams that want to try and beat us, hence they come forward and attack, rather than have 10 players camped in their own six yard box like most teams do that come to the Emirates. I don't blame the smaller teams for this tactic, just cant understand why, with the quality of the players we have, we can never find a way past them!

You'll be able to test that out next Sunday in the Cup, Steve. Burnley will be coming to attack. After all, that's how we beat Chelsea.

(Sorry Kai!)

I'm very confident on this one! Besides we owe you one for the Turf Moor debacle! (Though we did put out our under 5's!) We have a great cup record because teams have to go for it, and think Arsenal have got a great chance in the FA Cup this year. (Feel free to remind me of this when you dump us out next week!!)

Fucking hell, Ipswich 0-3 Saints. Three consecutive league wins!

Jon Corby wrote:Fucking hell, Ipswich 0-3 Saints. Three consecutive league wins!

Sorry Kai, but who cares?

Shame Damian doesn't come on any more. I'd like to tell him about Burnley beating his mob for the second time this season.

Winning 2-0 against Dorchester Town and then hearing the news that second-placed Hampton and Richmond got thrashed 4-0 by Welling United gives us an 8 point lead at the top

GO AFC WIMBLEDON!

Jon O'Neill wrote:

he mis-hit the ball. As did gerrard, torres and dossena

So long as Spurs hold on against Chelsea (or even if they don't), what a beautiful day. Gerrard for a hat trick tomorrow.

Matt Morrison wrote:So long as Spurs hold on against Chelsea (or even if they don't), what a beautiful day. Gerrard for a hat trick tomorrow.

BURN HIM !! BURN THE WITCH!!

Jon Corby wrote:

Matt Morrison wrote:So long as Spurs hold on against Chelsea (or even if they don't), what a beautiful day. Gerrard for a hat trick tomorrow.

BURN HIM !! BURN THE WITCH!!

Ha! Totally forgot I'd said that. Obviously I made him captain in my fantasy team cos I'm so damn clever.
I keep thinking to myself "God I would fucking love it if we could..." and then I realise I sound like Kevin Keegan.

Matt Morrison wrote:

Jon Corby wrote:

Matt Morrison wrote:So long as Spurs hold on against Chelsea (or even if they don't), what a beautiful day. Gerrard for a hat trick tomorrow.

BURN HIM !! BURN THE WITCH!!

Ha! Totally forgot I'd said that. Obviously I made him captain in my fantasy team cos I'm so damn clever.
I keep thinking to myself "God I would fucking love it if we could..." and then I realise I sound like Kevin Keegan.

Twas a very nice hat-trick, it took me into the last 128 of the knockout and into the world top 300 I think on fantasyleague.com. Shame in my friends' league there's someone in the top 10 though

Right, this is it. Two domestic games left this season, and only one matters. COME ON YOU CLARETS!

The football season's over. Time to go into hibernation until the start of pre-season!

Steve Durney wrote:The football season's over.

*Makes like Harvey Freeman*