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Leeds lose points appeal - justice has been done

This is not a Leeds-baiting article. Far from it, COS thinks it’s a damn shame what’s been allowed to happen to this football club over the past few seasons, which has resulted in a double relegation, administration, desperation, frustration and now consolidation. Fans of the club thought that it might be a case of celebration after Ken Bates & Co appealed against their fifteen point deduction made at the start of the season, but Sky Sports report they’ll will have to tough it out in the play-offs if they are to be promoted this season.

Whatever the rights and wrongs were surrounding this deduction (which were in addition to the ten points docked towards the end of last season), it would have been one thing restoring some or all of the deficit in the early part of the season but not when there’s only one match of the regular season remaining. It simply wouldn’t have been fair to the likes of Carlisle, Doncaster and Nottingham Forest, teams who are on the verge of securing promotion through that second automatic spot.

The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators have therefore made the correct decision and it’s safe to assume that part of their thinking was an overturning of points would have almost certainly led to a series of counter-appeals by some or all of the teams mentioned above. The Football League will also breathe a sigh of relief that they have been found not guilty of acting unfairly towards Leeds in deducting the fifteen points.

United have a chance to now secure promotion to the Championship and will be favourites on the basis of their recent form, their huge following and perhaps the burning sense of injustice being felt at the club right now after this decision.

Crazy owner wants Mansfield Town to be Harchester United - quite literally

Sometimes you just couldn’t make it up. People would look at you strangely, men in white coats would form an orderly queue to take you away, you might even wonder whether your cup of tea had been spiked with a hallucinogenic substance. However, it well and truly appears as though the owner of Mansfield Town wants to do away with the club’s name, history, heritage, you name it and instead call the club Harchester United.

The fabulous Mansfield Chad report that power-hungry John Batchelor is intent on mixing things up at Field Mill in a big way. The team currently occupy 23rd place in League Two and seem destined to drop down to the Blue Square Premier next season. However, if the ‘massive Burnley fan’ is to have his way, the club will become virtually irrecognisable from the ones that the fans know and love right now.

He told Chad: “Do we want professional football in Mansfield or not?

“Speculation as to how we could do it is rife.

“I can’t confirm or deny anything, but this can only be a positive for the club.

“Harchester is a virtual club - Mansfield as a town and club would benefit from that name.

“Fans have to accept that to have a professional club, it has to be done on a commercial basis and be profitable - Harchester is easier to promote than Mansfield. It is as simple as that.

“This would help to make Mansfield more attractive to national concerns, rather than local business. This would help me.

“I don’t mind if the fans don’t like it or call me mad. I have been called worse and I am not in this to be popular to everyone - I tried that at York and it did not work.”

It gets better. Batchelor apparently has contacts with Red Star Belgrade after working in Serbia and has mooted the idea of an Anglo-European Cup, featuring footballing giants such as Partizan Belgrade and, wait for it, Chesterfield. Should be a crowd-puller and no mistake.

He told Chad: “”It would be great to have an Anglo-European Cup in pre-season and Chesterfield would be my first choice as the other English team involved.

“There could be two semi-finals and then a final played at Mansfield.

“Why can’t we bring Europe to Field Mill. It would fill the ground.”

At least the current stadium name is safe then! Are the above ideas that of a madman or does something drastic need to be done if smaller clubs such as Mansfield are to avoid going out of business? What would you choose to re-name your team or is the mere thought of this enough to make real football fans sick?

Where’s our Gazza?

Dazza gives us his opinions on Gazza, and the current crop of ne’erdowells.

Well I have just watched England toil to a 1-0 defeat to France. It was interesting on several fronts namely Beckham’s 100th cap, the camaraderie of the French and English with Sarkosy in Buckingham Palace and most obviously Capello’s lack of bravery in naming the same old formation with the same old attitude . . .

Watching England is like watching Pimp my wheels - you have the Rio who as captain sounded like Frankensteins ineligible twin , Ashley Cole - pea brain extrodinaire with a diamond in his ear worth more than my house and let’s not forget our top player Rooney - how outstanding was he? We do not want it enough - we lack passion and we are scared to succeed.

We simply do not have the bollox or the know how at international level to achieve anything and who can blame any of them for having no pride, fight or momentum when on £100K per week is a minimum. We may have the premiership but we also have the dipshit of all FA’s who continue to allow our home game to be dominated by excellent foreign talent who increase share prices, deliver entertainment but fail hand over foot to help any of our talented kids gain the opportunities that perhaps they need . . .

Play the kids , blood them, build for 2010 afresh. Give them the freedom to play, to experiment, to make mistakes, take the long term view. Stop being the same and being left behind - we need more than ever a manager with the bollox to see this through and an FA who can stop medelling and allow young English talent to learn their trade - then and just then we may have a chance . . .

Class in permanent - bling lasts as long as it does not rust…..

Spurs manager Juande Ramos eyeing Almeria duo

Juande Ramos appears to have taken a leaf out of Rafael Benitez’s transfer books. The Tottenham Hotspur manager has been reported by Sky Sports to be eyeing the Almeria duo Alvaro Negredo and Mane.

Negredo is a highly rated centre forward while his team mate Mane is a left back with a versatility to play in midfield. Ramos needs to shore up his backline and strengthen his attack and no doubt that these two players fit the bill.

But whether Ramos would be able to lure the layers to White Hart Lane is another thing altogether. Negredo has been impressive so far in his first ever season in La Liga after being transferred from Real Madrod’s B team Castilla to Almeria in the summer and has sparked interest in a number of top European clubs. Real though do have a buy back option although the player as well as Mane has a contract with the newly promoted Spanish first division side until 2010.

But the duo may well change their minds about sticking to their contract should Juande Ramos decide to go all out for them this month. After all, playing for Spurs in the Premiership would be a better option than fighting relegation in La Liga.

Watch Tottenham live online

Chelsea chasing Valencia’s Miguel

Chelsea were quiet in the transfer window in the summer and are relatively low profile this month too. Yet their scouts are searching throughout Europe the players that they would require to fill in certain gaps in the team for the rest of the season and one such player as identified by club manager Avram Grant is the Chelsea right back Miguel.

Sky Sports reports that Chelsea are eyeing Miguel and are inclined to sign him this month. Grant is not too sure about Portuguese international Paulo Ferreira in that position and although he has Juliano Belletti at his disposal, he would still like someone more solid..

Now that Valencia are going through an institutional crisis, Grant should be motivated to make the move. Of course the ideal player for Chelsea would be Dani Alves, whom many consider the best right back not only in La Liga but in the world, but he appears to be sticking to Sevilla at least for the rest of the season.

What do you think? Should Chelsea sign Miguel and instill more competition into the team? Would Miguel be a good signing for the Blues?

Watch Chelsea live online

Hughes’ comments do the trick, but Arsenal’s ‘Black Arts’ prove magical

Watch Arsenal live online

Watch Birmingham live online 

From The Terraces publishes UNEDITED submissions we receive from you, the readers. It’s your chance to show us how this football blogging is done right, or to embarrass yourself and your ancestors. Simply write to: editor[at]caughtoffside[dot]com.This time, Skis gives us his views on the Blackburn-Arsenal love-in.

Well done Mr Hughes, your pre-match ramblings had the desired effect on that most idiotic of referees, Mike “Mr Burns” Riley, with the man in black allowing a number of poor Blackburn challenges to go unpunished. We then had the Blackburn opener that was so blatantly offside that only a blind man or an utter moron could miss it when standing directly in line with it – I’m assuming all linesmen must be fully sighted, so we either had a moronic ‘assistant’, or one who didn’t want to rock the Hughes boat at all. Denilson’s red card was a red card in all fairness, or a second booking at least, but even this tackle came about in light of some major provocation from the Rovers thugs in the build up – they tried to wipe out the youngster Barazite three times before Denilson took his own retribution.

But no matter, as what we saw last night from an Arsenal squad with an average age of 19¾ was absolutely astonishing. The opening 20 minutes or so was some of the best football I’ve seen in a long time, and certainly the best this season, from ANY side. One and two touch football slicing the Rovers midfield and defence open with all the incisiveness of a surgeon’s scalpel through tender flesh, the Blackburn players really were chasing shadows. And to come back again from the adversity of conceding an offside goal and then going down to 10 men on the stroke of the end of normal time showed exactly what this current breed of Arsenal youngsters are all about. The spirit throughout the club, seemingly from top to bottom, is absolutely spot on, with everybody working hard for one another. Even the allegedly wantaway Diarra gave a performance that was nothing short of sensational, and the previously ridiculed Alex Song was the best player on the pitch, marshalling the defence and providing a real attacking threat as well.

Seeing Hughes’ face contort with rage as his side were torn apart must’ve been a joy to behold for Arsenal fans up and down the country, yet he still failed to show any humility after the match, claiming that this fledgling Arsenal side had been formed using “more money than he could even dream of.” Other than the ‘old man’ of the side, the 24 year old Eduardo, none of this Arsenal side cost much more than a kids’ t-shirt from Primark. But the Crozilian showed exactly why Arsene coveted him so much with two sublime finishes out of the very top drawer, caressing the ball past Friedel instead of attempting to bust the net like a lot of English strikers would. Fantastic stuff, and he will only get better.

If Arsene can somehow keep this group of ultra-talented individuals happy, then the future is very, very bright for the Arsenal…..and the future starts here.

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Read more Arsenal fans comments on the Arsenal section.

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Hughes’ Arsenal obsession reaches Ferguson proportions

Watch Blackburn live online

Watch Arsenal live online 

From The Terraces publishes UNEDITED submissions we receive from you, the readers. It’s your chance to show us how this football blogging is done right, or to embarrass yourself and your ancestors. Simply write to: editor[at]caughtoffside[dot]com.

This time, Skis gives us his views on Mark Hughes and his ‘inane ramblings’.

Mark Hughes’ latest inane ramblings about Arsenal’s rough play bears all the hallmarks of his former boss and mentor, the perpetually purple-nosed Ferguson. Now, we all know the mutual dislike between Arsenal and Hughes stretches back around 20 years, but to accuse Arsenal of being a dirty side is absolutely hilarious coming from him of all people.

The grey haired Welshman had this to say after Sunday’s match:

“Arsenal are a strong side and they certainly get their foot in. I watched the game yesterday and some of the tackles that were flying in were tackles that, maybe if Blackburn Rovers players were making similar tackles, then there would have been red cards involved.

“But maybe the top teams get a little bit of the benefit of the doubt in regards to how referees actually interpret things.

“Time and time again, I see referees calling over to big-name players and telling them just to calm down and have a stern word with them.

“We seem to get involved in games where we just get yellow cards straight away.

“We don’t have little chit-chats with the referee; the yellow and the red cards come out straight away.

“There is a feeling, possibly, from our point of view that maybe referees interpret the way we play rather differently to how they interpret other teams.”

Utter rubbish, Mark. If he’s seen challenges in that game worthy of a red card from an Arsenal man, then he was watching a different game. Much as I dislike Eboue as much as the next man, I honestly don’t think he went into that challenge with any malicious intent – for one, he’s generally more cowardly than to do something so blatantly and vicious, and for two, it was the kind of challenge that you see all the time up and down the country. ‘Brave’ John Terry was just unlucky that he got injured from it, that’s the only difference. And Cesc on Cole? Well, if that was a red card offence then you’d end up with 8-a-side every week.

The fact that Blackburn have received 4 reds in the last 7 matches can be no coincidence – 1 or 2 could be unlucky, but FOUR? Please. It’s just another case of an opposition manager blaming his own club’s faults on the Arsenal, and trying to influence officials to perhaps look at us in a different light. Ferguson did it, complaining about our ‘crazy’ fans (clearly a total lie), and now Hughes is doing it – he really is the perfect replacement for the old Scot at Old Trafford, isn’t he? And personally, I can’t wait for the time when we get to lock horns with him in that capacity – it will make victory even sweeter.

Let’s hope the kids can give Mr Hughes something else to grumble about tonight – my money’s on the great Dane doing the business again.

Arsenal’s Big Willy gives Cashley the Blues

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From The Terraces publishes UNEDITED submissions we receive from you, the readers. It’s your chance to show us how this football blogging is done right, or to embarrass yourself and your ancestors. Simply write to: editor[at]caughtoffside[dot]com.

This time, Skis gives us his views on one half of Grand Slam Sunday.

What a truly terrific victory it was on Sunday. Not even my commute from hell this morning could quite wipe the smirk off my face as I thought about just how gutted that little snide would be feeling right now. I must say I was quite disappointed for long spells with how mild the abuse of Cashley Hole was, but then I guess it’s quite difficult to focus your vitriol on one particular person when you have a team full of vile tossers like Chelsea do. I personally found myself expending a lot of energy on the spiteful, but oh so ‘brave’, John Terry, and his lardy partner in crime – a more despicable pair you couldn’t wish to find on a football pitch.

But away from my utter dislike for their players, we were treated to a full-blooded, exciting and nerve jangling football match which could, and probably should, have resulted in a few more goals. The first half was a cagey affair, with neither side wanting to commit too much forward, and Arsenal struggling with just Adebayor up front, despite the return of the 3 Amigos, Hleb, Cesc and Grimandi’s love-child, the excellent Flamini. A couple of long-range efforts were dealt with comfortably by Manuel, but other than that there wasn’t much to choose between the sides. Terry and Lumplard were whining about anything and everything, with The Brave One trying to intimidate Cesc with a thuggish challenge on the edge of the box, but the game took an extremely welcome turn in our favour when Eboue left his boot in and Terry wasn’t quite brave enough to continue. As you can tell, I have a problem with this whole ‘brave’ thing that the media have bestowed upon him. He had his head almost kicked off by Diaby in the Carling Cup Final, was knocked out and went to hospital for treatment – how is that brave? If he’d got up with a gaping head wound and continued to head the ball clear, leaving arcs of blood spattered on the ball, THAT would be brave. But going to hospital unconscious? Nothing brave about that I’m afraid. But I digress. Having taken out the Chelsea captain, Eboue, who I have to say is the player I have liked the least in my 30 years as an Arsenal fan, could have been forgiven for taking the applause and walking away from Arsenal for good – he’d be hard pressed to reach those dizzy heights of achievement again! And in the last minute of the half, an uncharacteristic flap by Cech, and Gallas was able to out muscle Terry’s replacement too easily and nod into an empty net. 1-0 to the Arsenal.

The second half was as frenetic as we’re likely to see this season, with few chances created early on, and a lot of the excitement caused by the utter clown in the middle masquerading as a referee. I mean, seriously, what was Wiley on? If this is one of the best we’ve got, then we’re in a whole heap of trouble, because he was nothing short of shambolic. And don’t even get me started on the linesman who didn’t make a single decision in the first half before looking at Wiley first. Then we had the incident that should’ve seen us seal the game. Eboue was taken out by little Joey Cole (great dive in the 1st half by the way Joey, full marks), and replaced by RVP. During the interval, while we waited for the stretcher-bearers, the crowd finally treated the little snide to a rousing rendition of, “Oh Ashley Cole, is a fucking arsehole”, and, on a bitterly cold evening it warmed the cockles, it really did. When the game restarted, Arsenal instantly looked more dangerous with the Dutchman joining Adebayor up top, and he should’ve finished matters after a quick break gave him an opportunity from 12 yards, but he right-footed it over the bar – on the left, it was a goal. Chelsea responded with an open-goal miss of their own, with the mini-Wright blasting wide from 3 yards, and then the sorry figure of Shevchenko headed tamely at Almunia. After this it was all us, with Rosicky stupidly getting himself offside before RVP ‘scored’, and then Adebayor being punished for nothing more sinister than being a hell of a lot stronger than Ben Haim – well done again, Mr Wiley. The match ended with Snidey Snide McSnide, the Snidiest of the Snide clan, being booted by the already legendary Francesc Fabregas Soler and responding with a pathetic bitch slap, and then a V-sign, for which he may now face charges, at the final whistle. And his afternoon was topped off very nicely indeed when the exceptional Gael Clichy netted the Man of the Match champagne from Sky. Quality.

Chelsea’s manager, Baron Greenback of Dangermouse infamy, had the following to say:

‘I think we deserved at least a draw. The first-half we defended very well. We held the ball and they didn’t create even once chance, not even the goal.

‘Second-half was even better. We created two great chances but Alumina (sp) today was good. He made two great saves so we deserved more and I am disappointed.’

Fair point on Almunia, but the rest is rubbish. I’ve been slaughtered on here before for saying how well I thought Almunia was doing, but I think he made another big step to winning people over yesterday. Great handling bar one powerful, swerving effort from the Ukrainian, and 2 or 3 very smart saves. I’m pleased for him, he’s a nice bloke and clearly cares for the Arsenal.

Bring on the Champions League contenders from down the road next Saturday – it should be another thoroughly enjoyable afternoon.

FROM THE TERRACES: A Critique Of The FA Numbskulls

From The Terraces publishes UNEDITED submissions we receive from you, the readers. It’s your chance to show us how this football blogging is done right, or to embarrass yourself and your ancestors.

Simply write to: editor[at]caughtoffside[dot]com.

This time, Darryn gives us his views on Mourinho.

Jose Mourinho turns down the England Job. What a shocker.

We all sit an our armchairs and wonder what fantastic offer Jose must have from Inter or Real or AC - and yet we seem to ignore the absolute truth slapping us all in our faces . . . The English FA.

The problem is in England we have an FA so far removed from it’s public that Stalin or Hitler would have breathed outwards with pride. Let us review the evidence.

1. The F.A is led by a group of people who know very little (if anything) about football - a governing body that has no technical or management experience of the very thing it governs . . .

2. The F.A is a global laughing stock. Former industrialists who ruled with a fist of iron in industries that dominated by fear and price - never opportunity and value.

And therefore I have a few questions . . .

Why is Brian Barwick leading the search for a new England Manager?
What qualifications does he have to recruit the elite football coach in English Football?
What credentials do any of the F.A have to lead our premier sport?
Why are the F.A only employing old people?
Are they all members of the same lodge?

And we wonder why Mourinho says no?

If you were Jose what would you do? I certainly would not look to progress my career under a bunch of imperialist dinosaurs? I am sure this makes Capello perfect!

In Praise Of Arsenal’s Enigmatic Alexander Hleb

From The Terraces publishes UNEDITED submissions we receive from you, the readers. It’s your chance to show us how this football blogging is done right, or to embarrass yourself and your ancestors.

Simply write to: editor[at]caughtoffside[dot]com.

This time, Skis gives us his views on Alex Hleb.

Alex Hleb, the Belarussian midfielder with the Twiglet-like legs, is rightly being acclaimed in all quarters for his quite magnificent displays this season. But it hasn’t always been like that. Another typically unheard of Wenger signing, though for a very atypical transfer fee of around £10 million, I was quickly drawn to this scruffy, seemingly undernourished chap. I’m not sure why, I just take a shine to certain players without having really seen them play, like I did with Limpar, Freddie etc. But then I did see him play, and my early affections were soon tinged with doubt. His debut was quiet but functional, but the 1-0 defeat away to Chelsea gave me some cause for concern. Despite being given a tremendous song by the travelling faithful (“..he came from Belarus, to sell cheap fags and booze”), his uncanny knack for gifting possession to the opposition was a worry, and so it went on for the remainder of his first season.

By the middle of last season, any patience I may have had with him had vanished, and I was by no means the only one amongst us at Ashburton. I will admit (as I hang my head in shame), that it reached the stage last season where I took to hurling abuse at him from the stands, referring to him only as “The Pleb”. It was just the sheer frustration of KNOWING that he had more skill than most Premiership players could even dream of, yet he couldn’t find a red shirt or beat a man to save his life. And then he reached his nadir when he conceded the utterly needless free-kick that eventually led to PSV knocking us out of Europe - why Alex, why?

And so to this season, and a conversation with an eternally optimistic mate (take a bow, Mr Little) about the problematic Pleb before the Fulham match. He claimed that the only reason young Alex was making so many mistakes, and gifting possession away more readily than a dodgy Labour Party donation, was because the REST OF THE TEAM were not yet as good as him, and therefore were making his quality balls look crap! Remarkable, I thought. Actually, that’s a lie. Utter bollocks, I thought, but, looking at him now, can such a theory be argued with? He isn’t doing a whole lot differently, he still appears to have velcro boots that make the ball stick, he still goes for the ‘eye of a needle’ pass whenever possible, and he still, infuriatingly, refuses to shoot until he’s sat the ‘keeper and half the defence on their arses – yet it’s all working!

So Alexander Hleb, I salute you – the man who was two years ahead of the most exciting young side this country has ever seen. Keep him fit for most of the season, and we’ll certainly be a threat to the Mancs and Chavsea right the way through to May.

Manchester United Boss Thinks Arsenal’s Stadium Is A Bit Of Shambles

From The Terraces publishes UNEDITED submissions we receive from you, the readers. It’s your chance to show us how this football blogging is done right, or to embarrass yourself and your ancestors.

Simply write to: editor[at]caughtoffside[dot]com.

This time, COS reader Jordan isn’t best pleased about Sir Alex’s post-match comments.

It would be foolish to challenge the passion of a Scot - let alone an alcoholic one. Upon Manchester United’s 2-2 draw at the Emirates Stadium, Sir Alex Ferguson, traditionally, criticised not only the opposition and referee, but also the actual security of this immaculate stadium - Ashburton Grove. The fuming red pigmentation on Ferguson’s nose had not been satisfied with the control of the passionate crowd at the Emirates:

“It is very difficult for the referee. On our bench, we were getting terrible abuse from people two or three feet away from us.

“There is a lack of security here. It is absolutely disgraceful the abuse you and your staff take. All sorts of things are been shouted and screamed at you and there is an absolute danger here.”

Ironic you say? Anyone of a sound mind would know that to endure 90 minutes of Football at Old Trafford as an opposing fan is similar to being tortured by the Vietminh. Maybe the nine glasses of double-strength whiskey influenced this declaration? With the press accusing ‘Didhedive’ Drogba of whinging and moaning, the focus really should be on this red-nosed Scot.

Whilst they say that alcohol can never get the best of you, the inflamed pigmentation and arteries to Ferguson’s face must really be preventing him from the subtleness in which we experienced when Manchester United were winning. Coincidence? I think not.

They say we must kill one to save many- or is it to kill many to save one? Well, in this case, should others be losing to Manchester United so that Sir Alex can both perform on the pitch and at home with his misses?

The answer to that in its most revised and censored way is - ‘Get F****d Sir Alex!’

Ten Reasons Why Arsenal Should Wish Arsene Wenger Had Left

From The Terraces publishes UNEDITED submissions we receive from you, the readers. It’s your chance to show us how this football blogging is done right, or to embarrass yourself and your ancestors.

Simply write to: editor[at]caughtoffside[dot]com.

This time, we can’t tell if it’s a bit of good fun or the deluded rantings of a mad man, but COS reader Scott is doing his best to make a case against Arsene Wenger’s recent contract extension. He even calls him a punani… twice.

1. He insists on his team pushing the ball around (the goal is an irrelevant object), moving frantically & needlessly; like Calum Best on a speed-dating session. What he thinks is high-tech dynamic football is as penetrating as a wooden spoon and creates nothing.

2. He drooled over Wayne Rooney after his magical debut goal, then sat on his thumb whilst Roon was being hawked to everyone from Manchester United to Newcastle.

3. The only player he did sign from Everton was Franny Jeffers for £8m. £8million!!!!!!!!!!!

4. He can’t deliver in Europe when the Liverpool’s boss, aka the “fat one” from a Zorro lookey-likey contest, did on his first go. How many tries does it take???

5. He can’t even deliver the Premier League anymore. LOSER.

6. Stupid hair that looks like a punani.

7. Too many trophies will create excessive cabinet repair cost that those darn stadium payments will not allow.

8. A desire to turn our glorious game into a non-contact sport.

9. He smells like a punani.

10. His name is Arsene, he manages Arsenal. A disgusting symmetry pounced upon by Arsenal fans. My level of disgust with this has only been topped by the realization that George Foreman has called all his umpteen children “George”.

Nobody Likes Spurs? Whose Fault Is That?

From The Terraces publishes UNEDITED submissions we receive from you, the readers. It’s your chance to show us how this football blogging is done right, or to embarrass yourself and your ancestors.

Simply write to: editor[at]caughtoffside[dot]com.

This time, COS reader and Arsenal supporter Kitson responds to Mr. C’s article “Nobody Likes Spurs, And We Don’t Care” with a message of peace, and a little aggro at the end.

What a cute article….& it gets even cuter with all the arguments & counter arguments…

Are you kidding? Winning the EPL? You gotta beat the defending champion to do that. Do they look beatable to you?? And this coming from a non Manchester United fan.

So what’s your point in the first place? Regarding Hammers & Evertonians digging Spurs? But you’re doing exactly the same digging into Arsenal, you get it?

Respect begets respect. You gotta respect other clubs first instead of constantly digging them, especially the fans of lesser clubs that you mentioned. They stick with their beloved clubs just like you with Tottenham, no matter rain or shine.

The main victim of most of the counter arguments is Arsenal. No English players; seems to be the main
battle cry. Are they to blame or is it a blinkered view about the technical quality of young English players available? Good established home grown talents are either overpriced or kept in the vault in their own respective clubs. To be fair, Arsenal paid a lot of dough for Walcott. To be even fairer, Arsenal contributed a lot to the development of many promising English youngsters. Those who cannot gain a first team place at Arsenal are sold/walk-for-free to other clubs to fulfil their destiny….Sidwell (Reading/Chelsea), Pennant (Blackburn/Liverpool), Bentley (Blackburn) etc.

Arsenal certainly did not restrict their development & career by letting them blossom at other clubs. Could the same be said of Chelsea? Think of SWP. Their transfer policy seemed to be using their cashloads to buy up talents even though they’re a surplus to their requirement. Their objective is to prevent other clubs access to such players. As such, they actually kill the career of so many young players.

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Liverpool’s Carragher Is No Bottler, Just Realistic

From The Terraces publishes UNEDITED submissions we receive from you, the readers. It’s your chance to show us how this football blogging is done right, or to embarrass yourself and your ancestors.

Simply write to: editor[at]caughtoffside[dot]com.

This time, COS reader and Jack responds to Adrian Durham’s criticism of Jamie Carragher. Oh, and probably Rufus too.

I find the accusations of Adrian Durham that Jamie Carragher is a ‘Bottler’ to be hilariously Ironic. Bottlers, Mr Durham, do not step up and take a penalty in a world cup quater final. Bottlers do not continue running in the last minutes of extra time despite having cramp in both legs.

Jamie Carragher is not a bottler. He is one of the worlds best defenders, who has decided that club is significantly better than others. And he isnt alone in the feeling. Ask anyone in the North West if they feel the ‘Three Lions’ spirit and you’ll find an answer that sounds roughly like no. By releasing himself from international duty, and the heavy training and flying that comes with it he will give himself another year minimum at the top level for his club.

Who can blame Jamie for being disillusioned with the England set up? Versatility can be a double edged sword - Just ask Gerrard who is forced to play DM because Lampard couldnt put a tackle in if the prize was a sausage roll. Carragher can accept being understudy for Ferdinand and Terry as they are both incredible Centre Backs. It is just insulting however, to throw in King who has just come back from a lengthly injury. Its a low blow for a defender who has proved himself against the very best Europe has to offer. What has King or Woodgate ever done in Domestic football? The answer amounts to nothing. And then McClaren goes and upstages himself by putting the distinctively average CB Wes Brown ahead of Carragher at RB.

Congratulations Carragher on doing what the majority of Liverpool fans already feel and sticking two fingers up to the National team.

Rufus: Jamie Carragher The Highly Paid Sunday League Footballer

From The Terraces publishes UNEDITED submissions we receive from you, the readers. It’s your chance to show us how this football blogging is done right, or to embarrass yourself and your ancestors.

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This time, COS reader and apparent Carragher-Hater Rufus couldn’t be happier to hear the Liverpool defender is putting an end to his England career.

So Jamie Carragher is so infuriated at being behind the likes of Tottenham’s Ledley King and part-time Manchester United footballer Wes Brown in the England defensive queue that he has decided to ‘throw his toys out of the pram’ and call time on his international career (if you can call what he has done thus far for England a career that is).

Now don’t get my wrong if i found myself behind Chelsea’s John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Middlesbrough’s Jonathan Woodgate, Ledley King and even afformentioned sorry excuse for a pro Wes Brown, i too would be angered, in fact i would be livid i would even consider hiring someone to do Steve McClaren-in (Terry Marsh style). However at some point during the thought process that went around Jamie C’s brain must have remembered that he himself is hardly the bees knees himself.

There are some who are fooled into thinking that because someone runs around like a blue arsed fly for 90 minutes hitting every ball out of the ground (forget those in Row Z, they are quite safe, low flying aircraft on the other hand should steer clear of Anfield of any other green field that this nutcase finds himself doing a fantastic impression of a chicken sans head), i am not one of them. What he gives in perspiration he takes away in ……ability!

Bootle Boy Carragher is very much the Sunday league footballer who has found himself being paid obscene amounts of money for basically doing what a drug crazed Chimp could be trained to do. He has no finesse, he has no ball control, he loves to score own-goals, and apparently he is still the holder of a Champions League Winners medal as Liverpool fans will constantly tell you, however winning a medal doesn’t necessarily equate to deserving one, the Reds let in three goals in the first half and without casting my mind back to much i am fairly certain that Jamie would have figured in them being conceded. Remember, Roque Junior is a World Cup winner.

I have to say though it was amusing listening to Talksports Adrian Durham trying hard to not appear shocked/scared when Jamie C called in and took offence to being called a ‘bottler’ and you have to give credit to Mr Carragher having the guts to call in and plead his case, however if you are of the opinion that his decision to retire from International football is one that is long overdue why not join this group of likeminded football fans

These smart or idiotic views are those of a COS reader, not the COS team. If you would like to send in your own smart or idiot views for From The Terraces , shoot an email to editor[at]caughtoffside[dot]com.

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