English Football Thread 2012/2013

[MasterBlaster76]

Everton have a couple of key players missing, but our defence is in a mess - again!

I'm getting 2-1 to Utd.

 

[Umair7]

We Should Buy A CB

 

[shravi]

A very interesting formation used by SAF today and interesting deployment of Valencia at RB and Carrick at CB. Wonder what his plans are to incorporate Rooney and RVP into the same XI.

 

[Epic]

Fellainiii. 1-0 Everton, looks like RVP is getting ready to come on, unleash the beast.

 

[puddleduck]

Spurs unable to pick up points in games they control. Arsenal failing to score when dominant. Man City finding ways to win. Liverpool flattering to deceive. Man U unable to control the midfield and create goal scoring chances...

Did last season even end?

Chelsea must be fancying their chances of finishing top 4 outright this season, whilst Man City have to be favourites again.

 

[War]

Yea well, i'm willing to ignore that United defeat as opening day rustiness, we all know how difficult Everton are at home.

However i like the formation United used today, very fluid 4-3-3 system and once they get Ferdinand, Jones, Smalling, Evans back to sure up the defence, they should be fine.

 

[Dr. Pepper]

All I have to say about that game is Rooney was absolute shite once again. Embarrassingly unfit and consistently poor. I had hoped that signing RVP would have been the kick up the arse he needed but it obviously wasn't. The rest will improve and I fully expect Utd to play much fluid, dominant football throughout the season.

 

[Lee1981]

Well deserved win for Everton

Utd looked poor, early days though,

Rooney was pants, the new Japanese guy looked
pretty good can see him being very useful

I don't believe all the crap in the papers saying its utd
title just because they bought RVP, it's a long season
and as Saturdays results showed anyone can beat anyone
on there day.

Still think Chelsea will be challenging don't see it as just the
Manchester clubs,

 

[puddleduck]

Rooney has been crap more than he's been sensational for a while now. His first touch and close control is shockingly bad for a player who the English press consistently try and rate in the top few players in world football.

He seems to be getting worse with each season as well, maybe needs to get out of England and go play abroad.

 

[barmyarmy]

My first venture into the thread this season (I wait 'til the home tests are over!). Going to be an interesting one. City haven't really strengthened, Utd have up front but not at the back and Chelsea may have got some great signings but their defence is creaking with age too.
Quite excited about the Everton side this year. Cahill has been going downhill so no harm off-loading him and Rodwell hasn't really produced enough to go for ?15m but if he wants to warm the City bench then fine by me. Maybe they'll loan him back to us?
More important was who we kept. Not just Baines, Fellanini and Jagielka but most importantly Moyes. Naismith has the potential to be a great signing. Most Scottish players have found it hard reproducing their form south of the border but hopefully he'll be the exception.
Watched the game tonight and felt we could have been 2 up at half time. Ended up hanging on a bit in the last 20 but Utd were always going to come hard at us once we scored. Carrick and Valencia in defence = problems if you ask me.
We've got an excellent record against the top 4 in recent years; it's the mid-table teams we seem to drop unnecessary points against. Considering how much money everyone around us has spent it will be tough to get in the top 5 for European football but I reckon that still has to be the target. That and finishing above Liverpool.

 

[War]

Man U unable to control the midfield and create goal scoring chances...

Last season they didn't control the mid-field yea, but today they looked better in mid-field better than at any point last season.

The way Everton played was very similar to how Chelsea played for Barca in the Champions League semi, rough, rugged and defending for their lives and the superior mid-field for once couldn't break them down.

 

[puddleduck]

... and how many genuine chances did they create with that midfield control? Exactly the same problems as last year (although it's early days yet obviously).

Without some help from the woodwork and a storming performance from De Gea, could have been over long before the last 20 minutes of Utd pressure.

 

[barmyarmy]

The way Everton played was very similar to how Chelsea played for Barca in the Champions League semi, rough, rugged and defending for their lives and the superior mid-field for once couldn't break them down.

How dare you?
Chelsea played like that for 180 minutes. We did for about 15 at the end due to fatigue. Don't compare us to Chelsea...

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@War - in your domestic teams you appear to be supporting Utd, City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool. How does that work exactly?

 

[War]

Rooney has been crap more than he's been sensational for a while now. His first touch and close control is shockingly bad for a player who the English press consistently try and rate in the top few players in world football.

He seems to be getting worse with each season as well, maybe needs to get out of England and go play abroad.

Easy now my friend, for all of last season Rooney was brilliant, so its not really accurate to say he his first touch and control has been crap for a while. That's a massive exaggeration since in case you forget in two over the last three seasons Rooney had scored 30 goals in a season.

Rooney looked bad in the EURO's yes after being inactive for a while and a bit to his own indulgence by going off to Vegas and partying. Plus yes he had a average night today (not sure how much he played in pre-season) and that's about it.

The only period in recent memory when Rooney was awful was the back end of 2009/10 season to the start of 2010/11 season when he injured himself in the champions league quarter final vs Munich, which also was the period when he threatened to leave United.

 

[War]

... and how many genuine chances did they create with that midfield control? Exactly the same problems as last year (although it's early days yet obviously).

Without some help from the woodwork and a storming performance from De Gea, could have been over long before the last 20 minutes of Utd pressure.

Ha well Barca didn't create any chances either with their control vs Chelsea, it happens.

But really its not the same as last year, the only time last year when United mid-field looked that good, was early only when they were beating Arsenal 8-2 and Chelsea 5-3 before Cleverley got injured. Then afterwards it just looked weak even when Scholes came back.

Unless something crazy happen, their was enough evidence today, to suggest that United mid-field will do damage to much teams this year.

@War - in your domestic teams you appear to be supporting Utd, City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool. How does that work exactly.

Ha nah man, i don't have no club i support with vigour and tribalism that most people in England have, even though technically i grew up in Manchester and a default United fan.

I enjoy watching all the big clubs, especially when the English players in them shine. The England national team is my main football team.