Mekong

Here's a debate I had on a gooner forum and will bring it here. If America took up football in earnest. By that I mean, it became as popular as American football, basketball and baseball and our best athletes added football to sports they wanted to enter professionally, where do you thnk America would be internationally ranked or how good (or bad) would we be?

Well according to latest FIFA rankings http://www.fifa.com/worldranking/rankingtable/index.html USA are 13th and England are 17th so arguably USA are better than England at the moment. If you look at how the co-officients are calculated, whilst by no means 100% perfect, I think this is a fair reflection.

If America was serious about Football and made it a college sport along side American Football, Basketball, Baseball and Ice Hockey, and awarded scholarships based on Football I could see them being top six and potential World Cup Semi Finalists in 9-13 years time but that would require a change in the American mindset about how Football is perceived, is it still classed as "A Game for Girls" over there?

Back to Premier League viewing in Thailand, if you have a Smartphone or a Tablet with you and get an AIS SIM card you can download AIS BPL app for free then 199 Baht / Month to watch all games and repeats, it also applies on PAYG packages, it only applies to AIS.

I wil be on a flight to LOS tonight and will miss the live showing of the greatest football club in the known and unknown universe, The only club in England known as 'The', the club Gooners love and all others envy and strive to be, The Arsenal, if the game is being shown live I will miss it. Can anyone check the schedule if you can and let me know what time it will be replayed? I assume it will be shown again on Sunday at some point if not Monday.

Steve

It's all changed this season games are not shown on TRUE Vision anymore but a new satellite broadcaster Cable Thai Holdings (CTH) which I doubt is installed in any hotels and only a handful of bars have it yet. CTH online schedule only lists live broadcasts times even though games are repeated throughout the following week.

Have a good trip.

Zaad,

I don't blame Moyes at all he identified his targets but it was screwed up by 3 Planks (Edward Woodward) the new chief executive, Whilst Woodward may be good at tying up sponsorship deals with Aeroflot and Taiwanese tyre manufactures but he has to realise that off field financial results are directly proportional to on field performances. The importance of David Gill stepping down this summer is often overlooked.

Even though I have no proof to back it up, but my gut feeling is that Fellaini is a Fergie signing, he did go in for him is 2008 but was not prepared to match the 15 Million Everton paid for him at the time, sort of "David I want you to take over from me but you HAVE to bring Fellaini with you", that wouldn't surprise me one little bit.

Even a blind man could see that defensive midfield has been United's achilles heel and was a gap that need filling for a few years now and in my opinion Fellaini was the best option available. I must confess that I have not seen play that much, only in games against United (obviously) where he always gave us a torrid time and in games against teams I consider to be our rivals, City, Arsenal and Chelsea as well as the Merseyside derby. I wouldn't say that he bossed every game but he came out on top more often than not and whilst not on par with say Keane, Vierra, Yaya Tourre just yet he has the potential to reach that level and he is still only 25. Another advantage is that his signing takes a load off Carrick and frees him up from his defensive duties.

Missing out on other targets for creative midfield players could be a blessing in disguise as it will offer more game time for Kagawa and hopefully Adnan Januzaj will get a few games, I wouldn't want a repeat of the Podgba situation and lose Januzaj for the same reasons, oh and he is Belgium as well the same as Fellaini. He is not been named in the squad but he does not have to be as an 18 year old who has been at United for over 2 years he is classed as a home grown player and is eligible for any domestic game.

For this to work Rooney needs to be more disciplined, he does have a tendency to drop into midfield to come looking for the ball and basically get in the way some times, don't get me wrong I rate Rooney and I think his work rate is admirable but we need to retain our shape more and if after say 75 minutes United are chasing the game then he can drop back.

There are rumours that United may bid again for Herrera in the January transfer window, Bilbao are not it Europe this Season so he would not be cup tied for champions league but for me it's a catch 22 situation. If United are there or there about in the League and through to the knockout stages of Champions League then why would we need him, whereas if United are off the pace in the League and didn't qualify for the knockout stages why would he want to join United.

It's going to be an eventful Season thats for sure and all we can do now is wait and see.

Zaad, very happy with Ozil, a bit expensive but a good buy!

Limbo,

Do you think this may be a new chant at the Emirates

"Cazorla to the left of me, Ozil to the right, here I am stuck in the middle Giroud"

Sorry Couldn't resist it

Good question Zaad,

Now I have had time to reflect on the situation and my knee has stopped jerking so to speak I am asking myself do we need an Ozil when we have Kagawa? His performances at Dortmund were on par with Ozil. OK he was a little below par last season but was never giver a fixed role.

Could Fellaini be the new Robson or Keane the midfield enforcer we have been missing for years, what Vierra was for Arsenal and what Yaya is for City, only time will tell, I can only hope.

If I was picking the team, I would go 4-3-1-2, rely on the wing backs for the width Fellaini as holding midfield freeing up carrick and whoever to be more attacking minded, Kagawa in the hole then any one of 5 for the upfront pairing , (OK RvP + 1). He also needs new blood on the Bench, Zaha, Lingard Adnan etc so we could switch to a 4-4-2 or a 4-5-1 if required, but I am not picking the team am I.

I am still prepared to give Moyes until New Year before I pass opinion on him, I am still a "Glass Half Full" mentality but if he ever stats Giggs, Wellbeck and Young together again the glass would not be half empty it would be lying in 1,000 broken pieces and I may be having to look at replacing my iPad screen again.

Overall United do have a strong squad, the question is can Moyes utilise them correctly

Blame Scoobydoo for this one.

He set me off on his TT Race thread in "Sports & Leisure" forum which in turn I replied to with one of my fave VDO's of the Mountain Circuit which has this music as the background music this is the VDO but for full effect see my second posting on Scooby Snacks thread, brings a whole new meaning to the song.

I have been trying to find out this tune for 2 years now, it's now my new ringtone

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDJpf2mQ0w4

Neil Young did write 'a man needs a maid'.....

Very disappointed to be honest given the players United have been linked to over the transfer window they end up with Fellaini at the last minute, which to me is a panic buy.

I blame Ed Woodward for this and not Moyes.

Hmmm, wrong on all counts it seams. Liverpool 1 v 0 Man U and Arsenal 1 v 0 The Scum so The Scum will be 6th come Monday morning. Wasn't wanting Man U to lose as would have preferred a draw but if one team had to win I'd prefer it to be Liverpool.

Munchie, now you know the reason why my wife limits me to 50 Baht bets haha.

Well United were utter shite today, as soon as I saw the starting line up including Giggs and Young in midfield my expectations dropped. As I have said time and time again United need new blood in midfield.

Enjoyed the North London Derby, very good game, if it hat not been for Hugo Lloris in the spurs goal it could have easily been 3-0 to Arsenal he was man of the match.

Great Broadcaster

What a lot of people forget about Frostie is how he started out at Cambridge Footlights the university comedy club which also gave us Monty Python.

He started out on TV in satire and had a very dry sense of humour and the British Sarcasm that I find amusing it was only later in his career when he got into serious broadcasting. Of all the interviews he ever did there are two that stand out in my mind, Margret Thatcher, Falklands War and the sinking of the Belgrano, she was squirming in her seat which was nice to see. The other being his "Nixon Interviews" he came the closest of anyone to get Nixon to implicate himself and his involvement in Watergate.

For me Liverpool v United always will be the game of the Season always bigger than the Manchester Derby.

The history between to two cities goes back way before football and they are less than 35 Miles apart.

Maybe you need to be from either Salford or Liverpool to fully understand the feeling, well up for this game.

I cannot see Liverpool scoring against United, Chelsea didn't manage it yet put 2 past Bayern on Friday. As previously stated I do believe that the choices available to Moyes for the back 4 is the envy of most European clubs.

Liverpool had a difficult time against Notts County Midweek in the Mickey Mouse Cup and the game went to extra time, their best defender Tourre is now out injured and they picked up another couple of knocks, I can see it being a 1-0 to United.

I stand by my prediction that Spurs will be top of the Table come Monday Morning

Citeh yet again failed to impress today against Hull who were holding their own for the first 65 minutes.

Ben Arfa's goal against Fulham was quiet special but outdone by O'Keefes strike for Palace.

Hopefully tomorrow's football will be a bit better, I bet SKY are already calling it Super Sunday, United visit Anfield, always a special game to me followed by the North London Derby, I would not be surprised to see Spurs top of the League tomorrow evening.

Obviously she had not taste, most would have gone for the Lamborghini, you need to pick your ladies with better taste.

Welcome Back.

washing the dog.

 

Haha the size of your dog I would not call that housework

Only a Second chance? Fark I have been lucky only on number five now, or is that six? Not really sure if my Girlfriend and I in Korea back in 88 were technically married, but I do have a Daughter there.

Can I change my vote?

The wife and I are out of the house most of the day, in fact more often than not I am in a different country. Laundry goes to the local Laundrette, which I pay for, most of the time we eat out, which I pay for, thats a no brainer so many places to eat within 2 minutes walk of where we live. I pay all the bills and so on.

So whilst not physically sharing household tasks per se, I do save the wife the hassle of going to the local market buying ingredients cooking and washing up etc by eating out most of the time.

So I would say now 50-50, I am often away from home, Laundry is done outside, we dine out most times etc actual in the house she is the one with the broom sweeping up after me or wearing rubber gloves to clean the bathroom but overall there is minimal housework to be done.

Now that the transfer window is about to slam shut, would not that break the glass?, and United are once again being linked with three midfielders.

Ander Herrara from Bilbao, he is not worth the

Zaad,

As much as my heart would love United to win it again, my head tells me that United would be very lucky to get past the last 8 so I wont be wasting my 50 Baht on them.

I admit that there are stronger teams / squads in Europe than United, in fact I would now say that Spurs have a stronger squad in the Premier League now with the signing of Eriksen alongside Lamela and Chiriches, at least I am a realist.

Mrs M has now allowed me to double up my bet and also have 50 Baht on Spurs as well an accumulator bet all or nothing, so it my predictions come true and it is a Spurs / Bayern double I will be available for palm reading and fortune telling sessions on Silom from next June.

The Football season starts in just over one hours time with the draw, some of us big teams are used to it whereby recent newcomers such as citeh great it with apprehension, Sorry 163 I could not resist that little dig hehe.

There is no such thing as a "Group of Death" if you are going to win ole big ears then you have to beat any team put in front of you.

My Money, well the 50 Baht my wife allows me to gamble, is on Bayern to become the first team to retain the trophy, lets see what the drew brings up.

Limbo

If EUFA fair play rules were to be implemented believe it or not United would come out winners, whilst will not deny the debt exists the debt is in the name of the owners and not the club itself, and it is actually USD 371 Million and falling, they took out a loan on their assets and appear to be succeeding. Contrary to popular belief United as a club are not in debt where as the club owners the Glaziers are using the assets to finance other investments.

On paper (do we still use that) there are only two teams in the Premier League who could touch United's financial model, Ironically your Team Arsenal and Zaad's team Villa. I think that Wenger has done an excellent job at Arsenal, moving them from Highbury to the Emirates whilst still keeping the team competitive and Learner at Villa has been very shrewd in his investments and is now allowing Lambert to do his job.

I know this may sound strange coming from a United fan, but as I have always said I am a Football fan who supports my local club, just so happens to be United, but I do respect other clubs and how they perform both on and off the field. I enjoy watching Arsenal play when they hit top gear and Villa have always been my second team, they bring youth through, many people say West Ham is the Second team but for me it's always been Villa.

Zaad,

Just have a 1,000 Baht bet with Limbo over the outcome of the Villa v Arsenal game at Villa Park, debt solved.

And who can forget the best band of all time "The Muppets"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ip5e9NUvX6A

Zaad,

I hear what you are saying mate but as stated the missed (sic!) Terry offence in the Villa game was the first on e this season that springs to mind, if I was only talking about a United game then yes go ahead and accuse me of being myopic but I see it week in and week out against many teams.

Cheers

Kong