Archive for the ‘Discussion’ Category

Arsenal slumped to a 2-1 defeat at home to Manchester United as boos rang out after Arsene Wenger inexplicably substituted Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain with the score at 1-1

The nippy, technically astute youngster was having his best ever game in an Arsenal shirt and after much persistence from the hosts, set up striker Robin Van Persie for the equaliser in the second half.

Following the expected rejuvenation which came courtesy of ‘RVP’s’ fine finish and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s equally fine run-turned-assist, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger bizarrely chose to substitute the Arsenal winger to the horror of Gunners fans everywhere.

Thunderous boos rang out with stunned Arsenal (and Manchester United) fans baffled by Wenger’s decision to take off the best player on the pitch.

In came Andriy Arshavin, on stayed the hopelessly ineffective Theo Walcott, and minutes later United winger Antonio Valencia gleefully sidestepped a poor Arshavin tackle to burst into the Arsenal box as Danny Welbeck slammed home the winner.

So Why Did Wenger Take off Oxlade-Chamberlain?

 Read the full article

Glen Johnson is the subject of much discussion after Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini slammed a tackle he made during Liverpool’s 1-0 League Cup semi-final win at Eastlands.

Johnson leapt into a two-footed tackle on Joleon Lescott during a fiery second half.

Enraged, City boss Roberto Mancini suggested that Johnson’s tackle was a far more dangerous than the one which got his own defender Vincent Kompany sent off against Manchester United at the weekend.

So have your say with In The Stands below. Which was a worse tackle, Glen Johnson’s on Lescott or Vincent Kompany’s on Nani?

Vincent Kompany was controversially dismissed by referee Chris Foy as Manchester United grabbed 3-2 win over Manchester City in a pulsating FA Cup 3rd Round clash.

The City captain went in for a challenge on United winger Nani in the 12th minute but referee Chris Foy pulled play back before showing Kompany a straight red-card despite contact with Nani being minimal.

Stunned, the Belgium international dejectedly trotted off surprised at a decision which quite frankly looked extremely harsh.

A super motivated United side were already 1-0 up at the time courtesy of Wayne Rooney’s superb header with Sir Alex Ferguson’s men going on to seal a narrow 3-2 victory and passage into the FA Cup 4th Round.

But was Vincent Kompany’s red card justified or not? Let In The Stands know what you think…

Football is a game full of Arseholes, even Messi (especially Messi). Please don’t exit page just yet, I do go on to explain…

Gareth Bale. He’s a nice guy. He’s dedicated to the game. He always gives 100%. He doesn’t drink. And he never draws any bad press. But when he was younger, he was that guy. You know the guy; the one who is infinitely better than anyone in your P.E class. The one who walked around school like he owned the place because he was more athletically advanced than you. Two times a week when you were tied by the national curriculum to play sport he would always be nominated as captain, called over by a dejected reject of a sportsman teacher, who, couldn’t do, so he…I’m sure you know the saying. It would then be Gareth’s responsibility – his superior duty – to weed out the goods from the shits; from those who could kick a leather sphere in a coherent fashion and those who could, well, not. 

 Read the full article

Arsenal are set to offer club legend Thierry Henry a two-month loan deal but is coach Arsene Wenger right to resign the French striker?

There can be no doubt that Thierry Henry is Arsenal’s greatest ever forward and having been voted as the Premier League’s best ever foreign import in a SKY One poll – is, was and will forever be a name associated with greatness within English football.

226 goals, tons of assists, PFA Player of The Year awards, Golden Boots, not one but two Goal of the Seasons, twice runners-up in the FIFA World Player of The Year, jaw-droppingly great goals and a trophy cabinet boasting every single major cup in world football.

Those are but some of the accolades bestowing ‘Titi’ – that is Thierry Henry for those non-Gooners not familiar with the Paris-born star’s nickname in the North London terraces.

With such a celebrated list it would be hard to imagine why the news that Arsenal are set to offer Henry a two-month loan deal has not got Arsenal fans everywhere particularly stirred.

 Read the full article

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has been banned for 8 games and fined £40,000 for racially abusing Patrice Evra and In The Stands’ Rolly Pelovangu pulls no punches in debating the FA decision.

‘Negrito’. That is the word allegedly in contention following Luis Suarez’s eight game ban after racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra during Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Manchester United at Anfield back in September.

Most onlookers will be able to recall the second half confrontation between both Suarez and Evra which occurred in the United box. Although seemingly innocuous at the time, after the match, Evra was quick to report that he had been racially abused by the Liverpool number 7.

Of course such allegations are, were and must be taken very seriously and a resolute Patrice Evra refused to back down despite receiving little support from his team-mates – none of whom claimed to have heard the disputed word.

Videos soon followed and Suarez was caught red-handed ushering the word ‘Negrito’ over, and over, and over again. Ten times to be precise.

 Read the full article

Barcelona face Santos in the Club World Cup final on Sunday in a match which pits South American superstars Lionel Messi and Neymar face-to-face for the first time ever at club level.

The two clubs are the apotheosis in terms of quality in both their respected continents with Santos having won their third Copa Libertadores this year whilst Barcelona conquered Europe on their way to winning the 2011 UEFA Champions League.

Of course the names besetting both squads is like a football roll-call of class, quality and skill, but two names in particular standout above all – namely, Lionel Messi and Neymar.

The South American duo are amongst the most talked about players in world football at present and the good news is that football fans the world over will get to see the pair up against each other for the first time ever in Sunday’s Club World Cup final.

Santos secured their place in Sunday’s final largely thanks to a brilliant individual performance from Neymar.

 Read the full article

The UEFA Champions League last 16 draw takes place on Friday in Nyon with the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea and Napoli awaiting their fate in the knockout round.

Two seeding pots have been formed, one consisting of group winners and the others of runners-up as follows:

Group winners: Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Benfica, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Arsenal, APOEL and Barcelona.

Group runners-up: Napoli, CSKA Moscow, Basel, Lyon, Bayer Leverkusen, Marseille, Zenit St Petersburg and AC Milan.

As typical of the draw, seeded group winners will be away in the round of 16 first legs which will be played on February 14/15 and 21/22, with the return matches taking place on March 6/7 and 13/14.

No team can play a club which have emerged from their group nor can they be drawn against any side from the same country until at least the quarter-finals.

The remainder of the draw will be held on March 16 with the final taking place in Munich’s Allianz Arena on May 19.

 Read the full article

Once again Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo went missing as Jose Mourinho’s men were beaten 3-1 by Barcelona in the El Clasico begging the question can he perform in big matches?

For many onlookers Barcelona’s 3-1 win over Real Madrid in Saturday’s El Clasico brought up many talking points typical of such a titanic European clash.

We all knew that Lionel Messi is a better team player than Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Saturday only served to reinforce just why ‘The Flea’ is going to win the 2011 FIFA Ballon d’Or.

Likewise, Barcelona showed the entire continent why they are not quite ready to forfeit their Spanish (and European) crown just yet – if that was ever in doubt.

However, the biggest thing to emerge was that never-ending question on the lips of every Madrid, Barca, Manchester United and Portugal fan – indeed, everybody with an in-depth liking of the beautiful game; can Cristiano Ronaldo perform in the big games? Is Ronaldo a big match choker? And finally, is the pressure of high-profile matches too much for the world’s most expensive ever player?

 Read the full article

The two teams of Manchester unceremoniously crashed out of the Champions League on Thursday and luckily for you Matt Pottinger has written a few brilliant words about it. 

Empires don’t collapse overnight, they crumble over time. The Manchester clubs limping out of the Champions League group stages marks a footnote in footballing history. The pillars of European football are eroding.

Investing in English clubs is a saturated market. Real Madrid and Barcelona’s hegemony over Spanish football makes La Liga an unappetising prospect. The nouveau riche must look elsewhere.

This is why the final 16 of the Champions League has taken an interesting shape this season. For the first time in this format of the competition (the one group-stage since 2003-04) only nine teams have made it through from the big four European nations of England, Spain, Italy and Germany. Previous seasons’ have had 11s, 12s and one 10.

Nine different nations are represented in this year’s final 16, a feat repeated only once before.

 Read the full article

A 2-1 defeat to FC Basel saw Manchester United eliminated from the UEFA Champions League meaning that Fergie’s men will be playing in the Europa League from now on.

The chickens have surely come home to roost. Sir Alex Ferguson’s men were left wanting on a bitterly disappointing night in Basel as last season’s runners-up crashed out of the UEFA Champions League and into the micky-mouse Lea…sorry Europa League.

A Shock? Yes, that cannot be denied. Deserved? That in itself is debatable. Expected? Well, that depends on how closely you have been watching the Red Devils in recent months.

We at In The Stands are far from surprised; in fact, United’s elimination from Europe’s elite cup competition has aided in shedding some much needed light on the problems currently besetting Fergie’s men.

Here are some reasons as to why Manchester United will be playing European football on a Thursday night from now on. Try not to laugh too hard at the back there!

 Read the full article

The 2011 FIFA Ballon d’Or will be decided between three contenders Lionel Messi, Xavi and Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo. But who will win?

In a month which will seen billions of people around the globe celebrate the birth of Christ, the football world was reminded of the day that three very special (almost Christ-like stars) men from the Europe will sit in the stable of greatness as the World Player of The Year is named.

Theology aside, the similarities bestowing the football world to this most sacred of Christian festivals cannot be more stark.

For soon, very soon, three kings of football are to be paid homage and praised for their services to something even more special – the game itself.

FIFA Ballon d’Or 2011 Contenders

For those who are unaware, the official FIFA Ballon d’Or winner, is to be decided very soon – January in fact.

The nominees include of course three of the games finest players at present, all emanating from La Liga’s premier clubs i.e. Barcelona and Real Madrid.

 Read the full article