Football

Leeds! Leeds! Leeds!!

I've always watched football since Euro 96... ahhhh those were th days!!

Yeah. I must admit I'm worried about Carroll. Hopefully the goal will give him some confidence, but I'm not sure if he's properly fit.

I ❤️ Suarez - Fernando who?!?

H is a Villa fan, and I've caught the bug since being with him and now follow them as much as he does. He also keeps an eye on Kidderminster Harriers, as that's where he was brought up.

Im not a big fan of footie but out of anyone I support Liverpool (my dads team). OH supports Chelsea, I live in Leicester but don't follow them either.

OH is a Colchester fan, and I've been to see them looooads of times. Only games I've ever been to.

I am a Man U fan, a 'proper' one whos is from the south and never been to Old Trafford. I chose them because of David Beckham, although I'm more of a Lampard girl now!

So the transfer window slams shut at 11pm tonight. What are you hoping for with your team?

I hope (LFC fan) that Raul stays, the likes of Cole go (basically anyone from Hodgson's time at the club) and we sign another striker.

As a newcastle fan it would be nice if we tried not to sell anymore of our best players/ give them away. Stopped buying goalkeepers i think we now have 5 (one is on loan though), a striker would be really handy as well. Can we have Caroll back?

As long as we get our money back! Maybe he just needs longer to settle in or isn't 100% fit, but I don't rate him at the moment.

But he works as eye candy no?

I am also a scouser fan (it came with the marriage contract!!!)

Mr C is a footie coach too so there is always something footie related going on!

Very true Mrs C. I also have my eye on Raul....

I wonder how long Chelski will hang onto T***** for? He's done bugger all since he's been there. So pleased we have Suarez instead of him - not only is he an amazing player, he would also work well as a Freddie Mercury lookalike. ?

I'm wishing Raul the best of luck there and hope he's a big a success as the other turncoats - Torres and Benayoun...

I'm not bitter....

Man Utd supporter from very young. Been relagated with them (it hurt) although the highs of the last 20 years have offset the disappointments of the previous 20.

Through my corporate side, I have been quite involved with a football projects called Your Game which had me around the UK on events where we brought disparate parts of community together using football as the cohesive tool. Many premier teams helped launch this including Aston Villa, Liverpool, Man Utd and Newcastle (I got to play on their first team indoor training pitch). Additionally, Shefield Utd, Orient and Southampton all helped the launch year. The very over riding point was that it didn't matter what colour, race, language or origin the person was, on the football pitch all were treated equally, often by people that would "sometimes" have issues with those of different origins. It was a fantastic insight as to how something as simple as football could be a common "language" to break down barriers.

Classic example was at the Aston Villa Academy where one person commented that there were gang members in different teams who traditionally hated each other and would normally fight, actually shaking hands with each other at the end of a match.

Back to the original Q...Man Utd...although I believe that a strong Liverpool helps focus my team to perform better....something that hasn't happened for a couple of years....

We support Falkirk in this house, cos thats where my OH is from. Other than that I do have a 2nd team in Inverness Caley Thistle, as its the nearest to local team we have (100miles)

I used to hate footie until I met OH he is an avid Man U supporter as are his Dad and brother. So now when the footie is on I watch it with him and get just as passionate with him (me more actually with shouting at the TV haha ?).

So that's why Barcelona kicked your arse in the Champions League final - Liverpool had a crap squad and you lost your focus! Haha!

Fear not, if you've seen Liverpool's squad lately, you'll see that it's strong and your focus will be better as a result.

Liverpool would IMHO be in a better position now if the comeback in the Champions League hadn't happened. Rafa was allowed too many years extra as a result. What Liverpool needed was Dalgleish 3 years ago rather than what the got. Rafa did Liverpool few favours.

FWIW, last season my team were lucky more than once in a year where few English teams performed well and consistently in the domestic league.

Man City have started well although I wonder if they are a team of individuals rather than cohesive

Arsenal have papered over some cracks although have lost better players than they brought in.

Spurs will not do better than last season

Liverpool will do better although probably still lack enough high end players to win the league as they possibly do not have depth of squad.

Man Utd have a lot of youth that will possibly be "found out", specifically in Europe. Hernadez against Barcelon in last years final was a prime example...young player against experienced defenders stepping up to catch him offside so many times...IMHO Berbatov would have been a better option.

Peter

btw, I have worked in Liverpool in a non photography capacity on a project to bring the youth forward in football and give them opportunities.....(and Newcastle, Manchester, Sheffield, Southampton, Birmingham and East London)

Liverpool would have been in a better position now if the owners had gone sooner. Who knows what went on behind the scenes with them and Rafa? I've heard a few rumours and if true, Rafa's hands were tied when it came to transfers etc.

Rafa may have had his moments and may have dragged LFC down, but I am very impressed with the love he has shown for the club after he left and also for the city.

Liverpool won't win the league this season, I'm just hoping for a top four finish.

King Kenny is amazing....

No chance of them winning the league, but definitely a top 4 finish, it will be Man U, chelsea or city second and you lot 4th, now you have a certain Mr Downing who i am happy to say is a mate of mine, boro through and through and was gutted when he left but so pleased for how his career is panning out, especially with the European qualifiers.

I think that this is quite likely. Getting back in the CL is an imperative for them.

I wonder what would happen to King Kenny if we didn't?

I think that he has a lot of "credit" in the supporters bank IYSWIM....They would still see him as their saviour in the long term..... On an important note though, the management team needs to do something to either expand/redevelop Anfield or get a new ground to get the extra revenue stream that would be created through gate receipts.

I think after what he did for the people of Liverpool with Hillsborough, he will always be their saviour.

Isn't there talk of expanding Anfield? I hope they don't groundshare with Everton....

When I was doing a Premier League corporate with the people of Liverpool in 2006, there was talk of groundshare in a redevopment of the waterfront area to the east of The Albert Dock. That fell through. In reality though, some well known European clubs do groundshare with great success. If an 80K capacity new stadium was the option of groundshare, would this be too big a price to pay for pride? (possibly it may well be, although the extra revenue stream also invaluable)

I have nothing against Everton, or Man United for that matter, but I hope that Liverpool extend Anfield or build a new stadium for themselves. I just don't like the idea of a groundshare. If it was the only option, then it would be sensible to go with it....

Puristically, its best to have a home that you don't share. Costwise though, sometimes its an option to consider if the ultimate benefit is to the teams revenue income. To this end I also wonder why the new Emirates was limited to 60K when they could have had more paying supporters if it had been higher...seems short sighted. It leaves Arsenal 15K short of Old Trafford who are now looking to redelop and extend the South Stand to up the capacity of the stadium to 90K.

BUMP!

Anyone else cheering on Barcelona tonight?

Who will win the Premiership?

Will Liverpool beat Chelsea in the FA Cup final?

Trickers, congratulations about Reading being promoted!

Cheers Moo. I had a very happy husband and daughter last night!

I can imagine.

Mr Moo was not so happy as Brighton are out of the promotion places.

With any luck, no.

? [:'(]

There will be murder at the FA cup final because of the disgusting behaviour of a small section of the Chelsea fans shouting abuse during the minutes silence for Hillsborough on Sunday. Completely disrepectful vile behaviour. I really wish my husband wasn't going. There is bound to be trouble.

I'm from a family of Everton supporters so I say, C'mon Chelsea!