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Post by Maximo Mark on May 25, 2014 19:55:38 GMT 1
If you think that's odd try following the Belgian system!
After the league finishes (16 teams, 30 matches) points are halved, the top 6 each play each other again twice in a mini league.
7th - 14th get put into two groups of four who play each other twice, the two group winners then play over two legs, the winners of that then play the lowest placed side from the top 6 mini league which haven't qualified for European competition, in a play-off for the last European spot!
15th and 16th get their points halved and play each other up to five(!) times, with the team finishing 16th getting relegated and the team finishing 15th going into a four-team play-off group from teams in the second division, which aren't the teams that finish 2nd-4th, but the three teams who have won each 'period' (1 - games 1-10, 2 - games 11-22, 3 games 23-34).
However, if a period is won by the league champions (yes, they do get to go up without playing any extra games!), the play-off spot goes to the highest placed side in the overall table which didn't win a period.
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Post by Maximo Mark on May 25, 2014 19:27:48 GMT 1
There's a version that's done the rounds over the internet since last night that's wrong. A shame they couldn't have made it accurate...
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Post by Maximo Mark on May 12, 2014 20:04:45 GMT 1
I'm not overly worried about either Italy or Uruguay to be honest. Uruguay aren't the team they were at the last World Cup and Italy are slow starters and it's not like they'll be used to the Manaus heat either.
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Post by Maximo Mark on May 12, 2014 19:58:11 GMT 1
The absolute perfect squad really, would maybe have gone for Cole but not to the point where his exclusion is a disappointment. Smalling isn't great but he's 4th choice centre half and 3rd choice right back, it's not like he's going to play! Him and Jones mean we can get away with an extra midfielder and only 7 defenders, always the best way!
My prediction from Feb was pretty good! 2 wrong!
Feb 20, 2014 21:30:06 GMT 1 Maximo Mark said:
As for England, there's no way Cleverly is going now. I'd be surprised (and disappointed) if Townsend goes too. Rooney, Sturridge, Lambert up front. Welbeck, Milner, Lallana + 2 of Ox, Sterling, Townsend, Lennon & Johnson for out wide. Walcott would go if fit but highly doubtful. Wilshere, Barkley, Carrick, Lampard & Gerrard for central (Henderson or Barry if injuries). Smalling, Jones, Jags, Cahill, Johnson, Baines and Cole. GKs pick themselves - Hart, Foster, Forster. Be surprised if that's not the squad TBH.
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Post by Maximo Mark on May 9, 2014 18:58:25 GMT 1
Team: Nottingham Forest
Division: The Championship
Best moment this season: Either Jack Hobbs late winner vs. Derby, or Billy Davies being sacked.
Worst: Losing 5-0 to Derby, though our continuously terrible results against the leagues worst teams has been awful all season.
Player of the season (your club): Andy Reid - in the form, fitness and shape of his life. A much deserved place in the divisions Team of the Season.
Player of the season (division): Either Craig Bryson or Kieran Trippier.
Young player of the season (club): Jamaal Lascelles. Being managed by Billy Davies a young centre half is always going to be behind any senior pros, so it took injuries/suspensions to 3 of the 4 above him to get his chance, but he took it well and has been in the team for most of the remainder of the season. The odd mistake and he's been too naive at times but you expect it from a player making the first appearances in pro football. He's shown why he's been linked with Arsenal, Everton and Spurs.
Young player of the season (division): Danny Ings
Have you still got the right manager? If your club changed managers, was it a good idea?: As our manager hasn't managed a game for us yet it's hard to say if he's right or not, but I'm positive about our chances at least as it looks like we're going to be bringing in a proper structure with a good coaching team. We did change manager and whilst results didn't get better, they were never likely to and didn't get worse either. Yes, it was absolutely the right decision.
Hopes for the summer: To keep hold of the majority of our best players, to get rid of most of our crap (we've a massive squad which is far too big), sign a decent striker and appoint a good quality Chief Exec.
Prospects for next season: Who knows! The league has been p*ss-poor this year so it was a missed opportunity, but I'm certainly more confident in the long-term future of the club that I was a year ago. If injuries are managed correctly next year top 6 should be certainly be a realistic aim.
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Post by Maximo Mark on May 9, 2014 18:32:25 GMT 1
As the above post doesn't seem to want to save anything I write, I'll try it unquoted!
There was nothing logical at all about Burnley's season. Dyche has done as good a job as I've ever known in football (over one season at least).
They were a mid-table team with a small squad. Take away their best midfielder, first choice goalkeeper and the divisions leading scorer. Don't give them a penny to spend. I'd predict them to get relegated again.
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Post by Maximo Mark on May 9, 2014 18:30:04 GMT 1
More surprisingly burnley. Most people predicted 18-24th. Just shiws how unpredictable the championship is
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Post by Maximo Mark on Mar 28, 2014 18:29:44 GMT 1
01 (01) Tokyo Police Club - Argentina (Parts I, II, III) (01) (11) (8 weeks) 02 (02) Danny Brown feat. Purity Ring - 25 Bucks (02) (08) 03 (03) Eternal Death - Head (03) (08) 04 (08) MS MR - Dance Yrself Clean (04) (05) 05 (11) Coldplay - Midnight (05) (04) 06 (14) Elbow - New York Morning (06) (06) 07 (05) Bombay Bicycle Club - Luna (03) (08) 08 (04) Elbow - Fly Boy Blue / Lunette (04) (10) 09 (12) Vancouver Sleep Clinic - Vapour (09) (04) 10 (06) iamamiwhoami - Fountain (04) (08)
11 (17) S O H N - Artifice (11) (03) 12 (07) Kids of the Apocalypse - Empire (07) (08) 13 (16) Silversun Pickups - Cannibal (13) (05) 14 (09) Jose Gonzalez - Step Out (09) (06) 15 (20) Big Deal - In Your Car (15) (03) 16 (10) Real Estate - Talking Backwards (02) (10) 17 (**) Say Lou Lou - Everything We Touch (17) (01) 18 (24) The Horrors - I See You (18) (03) 19 (19) Tourist feat. Will Heard - I Can't Keep Up (19) (04) 20 (28) Imagine Dragons - Demons (20) (02)
21 (15) Scavenger Hunt - Dreamers (15) (05) 22 (13) Up To No Good - I'll Be Gone (09) (07) 23 (26) Metronomy - Love Letters (23) (02) 24 (33) Grum - Tears (24) (02) 25 (23) Villagers - Occupy Your Mind (23) (04) 26 (34) Trust - Icabod (26) (02) 27 (**) V V Brown feat. Kele Okereke - Faith (27) (01) 28 (18) Wild Beasts - Wanderlust (11) (09) 29 (22) Made In Heights - Mantis (17) (07) 30 (35) Heterotic feat. Vezelay - Rain (30) (03)
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Post by Maximo Mark on Mar 27, 2014 22:48:14 GMT 1
I must admit it does disappoint me slightly though it is understandable, I guess that it's because the organisation he works for (local media, though Birtles does do Sky too) can't say it as they still need a relationship with the club. They have restricted access because they stick by the club, when Doughty sacked Davies they stuck by the club and defended them (why wouldn't they, they rely on the club's access). Then Billy returns and massively restricts their access because of what they said about him after they left, not allowed access to the manager or players, Radio Nottingham didn't secure commentary rights until less than 24 hours before the season started, they've never been able to interview a player or member of the coaching staff, neither have the Nottingham Post. If they continue to be negative and write anti-Billy articles it will only further damage their relationship with the club, as well as make them look pathetic to fans and observers who will say it's childish bickering.
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Post by Maximo Mark on Mar 27, 2014 22:12:15 GMT 1
Normally when a manger is sacked when most people think the team is doing well (say, 7th in the Championship) you'd expect to hear fellow managers and in particular, the LMA, offering their shock and support straight away. The silence really is deafening.
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Post by Maximo Mark on Mar 25, 2014 0:40:26 GMT 1
Talks with Warnock have reportedly broken down. I expect it's the fault of a referee or another manager. Definitely not Warnock's fault. Ever. At all. I can't say I'm too disappointed. I was quite open to the idea of him being here as it was A) only for 9 matches and B) would mean no more Davies. But I wouldn't have wanted anything more long term. Zola the current favourite, complete polar opposite from Davies!
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Post by Maximo Mark on Mar 24, 2014 19:23:52 GMT 1
How many managers have Forest had in the last few years now? Oh no, we've lost a few games, sack the manager, but we did that last month! Panic, Panic! If this stops Warnock commentating on games, then I'm ALL for it! Ultimately there's far more too it than results. Billy Davies is an odious cretin and will hopefully never work as a manager again. Any chairman who employs him needs their head testing and is utterly desperate. I wasn't bothered when he went the first time, certainly didn't want him back (I arrived to his first game five minutes after KO so I wouldn't have to see him presented or watch is video message) and am utterly, utterly delighted that he's now gone. To save time, I'll copy something I wrote elsewhere as to why I'm so glad. --- We've flattered to deceive all season. 7 million quid spent in the summer and we're in the same position with the same points as a year ago. We went 3 months without a home win. 6 points from 8 away games to the bottom 8 sides. 1 goal in the last 4 matches which was through blatant cheating. We've probably played 'well' about half a dozen times this season. He won't acknowledge or speak to the fans, or the media. Keeps playing a defender up front, or hoof ball up to a small striker, never starts our most prolific striker, sold our best midfielder on deadline day without ever replacing him, dropped our best player for two matches to play Halford and Derbyshire on the wing instead, throwing away the best chance of a cup run in years and probably for years, sacking every member of staff that was already here, having his son and nephew (who are both sh*te) play in the youth teams over players who made the youth cup QF 2 years ago and SF last year, got himself suspended for five matches (three FA charges in one season), appealed one charge to get back on the touchline and it's made sod all difference. Haplessly equalling your biggest ever loss to local rivals and then not even acknowledging travelling support or giving any kind of interview (to tv, radio or even club website) to apologise. Yeah we have an injury crisis with arguably 7 of our best XI injured, one of them he signed injured and four of them got injured for a short while, he then brought them back and within one game (or 90 minutes in Reid's case) picked up another injury which put them out for a hell of a lot longer. Yet he'll never accept any blame for this (or even think it's not coincidence), he just says it's no wonder we lose matches when we're having the play the players we are (mix of internationals, players signed for big fees, solid championship journeymen, excellent youth prospects - how terrible!), it's no wonder they're playing like they've got no motivation or idea. He's paranoid too, everything's about him, banning journalists for articles they wrote years ago, banning a cameraman after he was taking his photo (for the club programme!), getting his cronies to tell away fans to stop taking his photo when he's in the stand, recording every press conference filming journalists so he knows exactly who asks what, when. He got away with being a c*ck last time because we had an owner and chairman in particular that fans didn't like, so he could get them on his side. It won't work now, the fans love Fawaz, naive at times but a great bloke who's invested loads and who every single fan would pick over Davies. He's a brilliant manager to come in when you're in the sh*t, but his sides crumble every time there's pressure and expectation. When Derby were 2nd they fell apart and finished in the play-offs, when we were battling with WBA and Newcastle we fell apart and finished no where near, when we climbed to 2nd behind QPR we got 8 points from 12, when he came back and won 6 in a row to take us to the top 6 we won one of the last 8 to fall out. Now we're in touching distance of top 2, had a great January window and we've completely cocked it up. Players have no motivation and no clue. I've never heard a set of away fans sing "how sh*t must you be, we're DRAWING away" before we played Donny last week! Oh, and he employes his crook of a cousin (banned from practicing law after losing a shedload of clients money - still under investigation), who spends his time making an arse of himself with ridiculous statements on Twitter, promotes his agendas and invites fans into the boardroom/directors box as special treats (most of which are female, 20s and blonde). ------ This is a decent article: www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/championship/10718866/Billy-Davies-was-destined-for-failure-at-Nottingham-Forest-after-a-year-of-drama-fallouts-and-media-blackouts.html
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Post by Maximo Mark on Mar 24, 2014 19:03:01 GMT 1
Mcclaren isnt exactly doing a bad job at derby since he was sacked by forest. I have never understood appointing managers till the end of the season. So warnock has a positive effect and gets an average team to the playoff. They fluke it and get promoted, they either offer him a long term deal or start in a more conpetative league with an untried manager and both ways come back down and most likely sack that manager. Forest obviously are not ready for the big time, the best way is to build up momentum over a few successful seasons. I think davies has had time and money over his two spells to atleast challenge automatic promotion but has never been good enough. Why they brought him back is a mystery, why they want rid so shortly after is a mystery and what warnock will add over a 3 month contract is equally as mysterious. McClaren wasn't sacked he resigned. He left Forest with my respect, admitted he should never have took the job and he was completely unprepared for what the Championship was like. He's doing really well at Derby, and shown what a great coach he can be, but then their owners haven't given him £2m and £50k a week to spaff on Jonathan Greening, Ishmael Miller and Matt Derbyshire.
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Post by Maximo Mark on Mar 24, 2014 0:24:49 GMT 1
Oh there's a good reason why he's known as Colin, and I'd be worried/horrified if he were to be appointed long-term, but word seems to be that it's going to be until the end of the season and he could be involved in finding a long-term permanent manager. I'd be reasonably happy with that.
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Post by Maximo Mark on Mar 24, 2014 0:05:26 GMT 1
Neil Warnock to Forest? Not sure what's more surprising, him coming to Forest or the fact that I'll be pleased to see him here. I can't stand the bloke, which means he's infinitely preferable to the current incumbent.
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Post by Maximo Mark on Mar 22, 2014 21:20:45 GMT 1
You can discount us from the play-off picture anyway, well unless the "King" goes sometime soon.
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Post by Maximo Mark on Mar 12, 2014 22:08:05 GMT 1
01 (01) Tokyo Police Club - Argentina (Parts I, II, III) (01) (09) (6 weeks) 02 (02) Danny Brown feat. Purity Ring - 25 Bucks (02) (06) 03 (07) Eternal Death - Head (03) (06) 04 (03) Bombay Bicycle Club - Luna (03) (06) 05 (04) iamamiwhoami - Fountain (04) (06) 06 (09) Elbow - Fly Boy Blue / Lunette (06) (08) 07 (07) Kids of the Apocalypse - Empire (07) (06) 08 (05) Real Estate - Talking Backwards (02) (08) 09 (10) Up To No Good - I'll Be Gone (09) (05) 10 (14) Jose Gonzalez - Step Out (10) (04)
11 (12) Wild Beasts - Wanderlust (11) (07) 12 (11) Jagwar Ma - Uncertainty (11) (05) 13 (23) MS MR - Dance Yrself Clean (13) (03) 14 (19) Elbow - New York Morning (14) (03) 15 (20) Scavenger Hunt - Dreamers (15) (03) 16 (08) Keep Shelly In Athens - Old Time Glory (04) (07) 17 (30) Coldplay - Midnight (17) (02) 18 (26) Vancouver Sleep Clinic - Vapour (18) (02) 19 (17) Made In Heights - Mantis (17) (05) 20 (16) St. Lucia - Too Close (16) (04)
21 (29) Silversun Pickups - Cannibal (21) (03) 22 (13) Thumpers - Galore (04) (07) 23 (34) Tourist feat. Will Heard - I Can't Keep Up (23) (02) 24 (15) No Ceremony feat. James Vincent McMorrow - Away From Here (02) (11) 25 (**) S O H N - Artifice (25) (01) 26 (18) Arcade Fire - Afterlife (01) (15) (5 weeks) 27 (**) Big Deal - In Your Car (27) (01) 28 (31) Villagers - Occupy Your Mind (28) (02) 29 (21) Nicole Millar - Fall (02) (13) 30 (32) Blood Red Shoes - The Perfect Mess (30) (04)
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Post by Maximo Mark on Feb 21, 2014 18:28:06 GMT 1
Has to play a tonne of games, diddums, how much money is he on a week again? What does the money he earns have to do with anything? Because he earns more than most others he therefore can't get tired when his body is put through more than it is used to? How bizarre. Players are humans, not robots. As talented as they may be they don't just acclimatise to different ways of playing without feeling any effect. He's moved to a faster paced league (so uses more energy) where they play more games and don't have a break which he's used to. Surely the question should be why on earth wouldn't he feel the effects?!
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Post by Maximo Mark on Feb 20, 2014 21:30:06 GMT 1
It's no wonder foreign players fade in the second half of the season over here. Ozil has, for the last few years, played really well until Christmas, had a 2-4 week break, refreshed himself and then been at his best for the second half. He comes here, plays really well until Christmas and then when his body is used to a break, has to play a tonne of games. He got injured and was thrown straight back into it. It's not really surprising, happens quite a lot really. Silva went off the boil quite a bit two seasons ago, Hazard had a much better first half last season. Aguero's poorest spell for City was mid-December to mid-February of his first season.
As for England, there's no way Cleverly is going now. I'd be surprised (and disappointed) if Townsend goes too. Rooney, Sturridge, Lambert up front. Welbeck, Milner, Lallana + 2 of Ox, Sterling, Townsend, Lennon & Johnson for out wide. Walcott would go if fit but highly doubtful. Wilshere, Barkley, Carrick, Lampard & Gerrard for central (Henderson or Barry if injuries). Smalling, Jones, Jags, Cahill, Johnson, Baines and Cole. GKs pick themselves - Hart, Foster, Forster. Be surprised if that's not the squad TBH.
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Post by Maximo Mark on Feb 10, 2014 19:41:33 GMT 1
01 (01) Tokyo Police Club - Argentina (Parts I, II, III) (01) (05) (2 weeks) 02 (02) No Ceremony feat. James Vincent McMorrow - Away From Here (02) (07) 03 (06) Real Estate - Talking Backwards (03) (04) 04 (03) Arcade Fire - Afterlife (01) (11) (5 weeks) 05 (04) Nicole Millar - Fall (02) (09) 06 (13) Le Youth - Dance With Me (06) (03) 07 (05) Kye Kye - Honest Affection (05) (06) 08 (07) Maximo Park - Leave This Island (07) (06) 09 (18) Thumpers - Galore (09) (03) 10 (11) Tensnake feat. Fiora - No Relief (10) (05)
11 (09) Burial - Rival Dealer (09) (06) 12 (08) HAERTS - Hemiplegia (01) (14) (4 weeks) 13 (23) Kids of the Apocalypse - Empire (13) (02) 14 (22) Keep Shelly In Athens - Old Time Glory (14) (03) 15 (15) A Sunny Day In Glasgow - In Love With Useless (The Timeless Geometry in the Tradition of Passing) (15) (04) 16 (27) Danny Brown feat. Purity Ring - 25 Bucks (16) (02) 17 (10) The Naked & Famous - I Kill Giants (04) (11) 18 (30) Bombay Bicycle Club - Luna (18) (02) 19 (19) Breakdlaw feat. The Glitchfox - Paint Me Like a French Girl (19) (04) 20 (25) Elbow Fly Boy Blue / Lunette (20) (04)
21 (12) Lincoln Jesser - We'll Be Fine (07) (12) 22 (34) iamamiwhoami - Fountain (22) (02) 23 (28) Wild Beasts - Wanderlust (23) (03) 24 (14) Clean Bandit feat. Jess Glynne - Rather Be (09) (07) 25 (**) Jagwar Ma - Uncertainty (25) (01) 26 (17) Asgier - Torrent (17) (05) 27 (16) Crooked Colours - Come Down (03) (11) 28 (21) Say Lou Lou - Better In The Dark (07) (12) 29 (38) Eternal Death - Head (29) (02) 30 (**) Up To No Good - I'll Be Gone (30) (01)
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