BelfastBloke's Rolling Footie Thread 2013-14 Season

[Pan]

The rolling Football thread for Season '13-14 might as well start off in the traditional way with the same intro as did the original rolling Football thread all those seasons ago. But with the new tradition of leaving the musty changing room of Dadsnet...
We've been top heavy with premiership stuff but it's really for any footie played on the planet and beyond.

Footie fans please sign in with

1.Which team you support.
2.Which team(s) you loathe.
3.How you are getting your kids to follow the correct team.

1. A thought on the season (Premiership/Championship/Champions? League/FA Cup/League Cup/all leagues world wide.)

Reasons to be cheerful; Consecutive wins and a clean sheet: Competition for places: The Pride of Belgium: Wayne Rooney: a returning belief: a club track record of recovery: no-one else is exactly mashing the place up.

We are currently 8 pts off the Arse at the top. It's realist to hope/expect by pre-dinner aperitifs on Saturday we will be 6 points off whoever is setting the pace. That's nothing.

It's good to see Joe Hart out and about in Manchester today after his recent blunder.
He was spotted at HMV giving games away.

Joe Hart wanted to dress up as a ghost for Man. City's Halloween party.
Unfortunately, he hasn't got enough clean sheets.

Joe Hart does not realise he's been dropped.
Pellegrini told him but it went straight over his head.

Even more reasons to be cheerful Dan.

And in a packed programme today..

Sky Blues are 'home' to 2nd bottom of the table Notts County. A win will push them further up the table to at best 8th. Lazarus is making a bid to be the club mascot. Though at the moment he is busy at Old Trafford...

We are really going to miss Flamini today against Liverpool.

Wilshire also injured.

I've ordered a scoring draw, combined with bookings and sendings off, to deplete teams for future games. Wouldn't wish injuries on anyone on the pitch..... Whoops, just thought of one.

Yet what you received is Arsenal 8 POINTS ahead of ManUre.

Didn't see the match but DS said they were outplayed by Arsenal.

Days in the sun, my friend, days in the sun. Enjoy them whilst they briefly last......as we're due to collect 3 pts off you quite shortly.

Good first half from Man Utd - fell apart a little after half time by all accounts though, but nice to get another win under our belt.
Looks like we might be starting to gel at last and if we put together a good string of results the confidence and belief will follow.

Hopefully we can produce a result against Real Sociedad on Tuesday and we didn't get a bad draw against Stoke in the next round of the league cup.
Although it hits me in the pocket for extra fees (I pay for my DS's season ticket) I do want us to keep going in the cup competitions.

I am ignoring the results from The Council House and The Emirates today - shame that Pan's cosmic ordering scheme didn't come to fruition

I wouldn't worry too much about the 2nd half, with so many subs and the game wrapped up and with a game on Tuesday. I'm just wondering how long it will be before Fellani produces a good game, or Moyes faces up to the fact he was okay at Everton, but he just isn't a Man United player.

Pan - are you my DS in disguise ? He says the same about Fellani

I know we got through today ok but it would have been nice to add more to the goal difference second half as it may make a difference come May.
I'd have preferred a solid 1st half followed by a better 2nd half, followed by a stuffing for the Arse next weekend.

I was at the 8-2 battering two seasons ago with DS and it was just fabulous - DS was hoping to reach double figures

He's a wise boy who knows his stuff.

I know what you mean about giving Fulham a stuffing, but we can't have it all. Yet.
On that 8-2 day I was shuttling dd around two hospitals when she was quite ill - each time I got back in the car we'd scored yet again. dd was comfortable by the final whistle......she's a Red, and that day proved it.

No issue about DS knowing his stuff - he's a licensed FA coach and picks performances apart with a fine tooth comb. He's at Uni (near Manchester obviously so it's convenient for matches) studying Sports Science and wants to be a pro coach in the future.
Glad that wonderful day turned out to be a double whammy good one for you and your DD - it sticks in our memories too

ooh impressive! Nice to know my assessment is backed by a keen professional!

Well he's not a professional yet - he's completed his FA level 1 & 2 coaching badges (hence his licence) and now needs to start doing his youth badges before moving onto a specialism.
Ideally he'd like to be a goalkeeping expert because he considers it a key position often overlooked in coaching systems.

He's trying hard to find a youth team in the North West who'll let him volunteer with them so he can carry on with his professional development.

Even though he's offered his services free; he's DBS (was CRB) cleared and FA approved he's finding it hard as they all seem to prefer to stick with unqualified dads who they know

So far he's written to over 30 clubs and got 30 knockbacks so now he's trying local schools to see if they will be any more accommodating.

Obviously though, once he's England Manager I will expect the whole might of Mumsnet to be unequivocally behind him and not to utter a word of criticism

A work colleagues DH is a coach of sorts at Man U. Not sure what and how exactly. Has been for a while. I'd happily make some connection for your DS, if he/you think it worthwhile? It may come to nothing but I imagine it's an arena where connections are important.

Pan thank you very much - I've PM'd you with more details - you little star !

And back to you! We'll see what happens, but I'm sure we can sort something.

Well ain't this warm and fuzzy

And very Red. Being top by 5 points isn't enough?

Yet another 3 points for the mighty Coventry yesterday.
Loved the shame-faced look of Begovic yesterday. Sweeeet.

Will dip in and out of the Everton-Spurs game. Could be a good one..

Oh well, at least DS's Sunday U15s won this morning!

Any thoughts about how Spurs team doctor dealt with the goalie's injury?

I'm extremely surprised the player wasn't made to leave the field and a cervical collar fitted before allowing him to move.

I work with medics so will be keen to hear their take on this.

It appears contrary to everything I thought I knew about head injuries and loss of consciousness. To go back into the fray appears the very last option in those circs. The leaders ie captain and coach didn't lead very well imo.