English Football Thread 2013/14

[MasterBlaster76]

RvP out for a whole month - the Christmas period no less. Could this season get any worse?

 

[StinkyBoHoon]

it's a bad time to lose him, but I think persevering with a kagawa behind rooney formation is a better way for man U to go rather than relying on RvP springing up to score goals.

Arsenal are nailed on for the league I reckon, but I'm kinda peeved as my prediction about Ozil being unable to turn over their poor form against their peer teams seems to be spot on. he's been rubbish against city, just as he was against united. I can see them out in the next round of the CL but they should win the league being able to focus on it given they have been staggeringly consistent and lethal against anyone that's even slightly their inferior. I'd buy a striker in january just to make sure though.

 

[thedon5]

RVP is done at Man Utd. He's got his injuries back now. About as short term a signing as you'll get, ?20 m+ for one season. Again, it is hard to blame Moyes for this when Ferguson goes and spends that much on an old and injury-prone player to get one more title instead of buying some decent young players or at least younger players. He is probably enjoying this enhancement in his image to no end.

I'm not so sure about us getting knocked out of the CL early, we came so close in the last two seasons. Beating Bayern at the Allianz tells you that unfortunately we will be putting a lot of effort into that competition.

For the league, I am not so sure. I think we are nailed on second, looking at how Chelsea are playing they are lucky they aren't in mid-table with Man Utd and I can't see Liverpool or Spurs getting that high, I will get laughed at but Everton could challenge for those spots as well. Man City are just unstoppable at home and could win the league title on home form alone - the way they are going now you have to wonder if they will lose a game at home this season. Man City are definitely my favourites for now. Man Utd were lucky to see us off, and they simply aren't a top club in their current state so capitalised on a half-chance, we were blighted by an illness so a lot of players missed out and some played while ill too... Man City are ridiculous at home, so it was always going to be tough, even the most optimistic Arsenal fans had it down as a draw. Otherwise, we beat Liverpool and Tottenham and drew with Everton. I think we can beat most big teams at home. In the end though, what's most important is the points off those smaller teams that we have struggled to get in the past.

Ozil hasn't been himself at Arsenal, he has been improving recently but he's certainly not at his best yet, and we saw that at the Etihad.

I think we will end up beating Chelsea this weekend to stay at the top of the table though.

 

[MasterBlaster76]

it's a bad time to lose him, but I think persevering with a kagawa behind rooney formation is a better way for man U to go rather than relying on RvP springing up to score goals.

Arsenal are nailed on for the league I reckon, but I'm kinda peeved as my prediction about Ozil being unable to turn over their poor form against their peer teams seems to be spot on. he's been rubbish against city, just as he was against united. I can see them out in the next round of the CL but they should win the league being able to focus on it given they have been staggeringly consistent and lethal against anyone that's even slightly their inferior. I'd buy a striker in january just to make sure though.

Yeah; I guess the silver lining is we'll finally get to see what Kagawa's like in his proper position.

 

[StinkyBoHoon]

RVP is done at Man Utd. He's got his injuries back now. About as short term a signing as you'll get, ?20 m+ for one season. Again, it is hard to blame Moyes for this when Ferguson goes and spends that much on an old and injury-prone player to get one more title instead of buying some decent young players or at least younger players. He is probably enjoying this enhancement in his image to no end.

I'm not so sure about us getting knocked out of the CL early, we came so close in the last two seasons. Beating Bayern at the Allianz tells you that unfortunately we will be putting a lot of effort into that competition.

For the league, I am not so sure. I think we are nailed on second, looking at how Chelsea are playing they are lucky they aren't in mid-table with Man Utd and I can't see Liverpool or Spurs getting that high, I will get laughed at but Everton could challenge for those spots as well. Man City are just unstoppable at home and could win the league title on home form alone - the way they are going now you have to wonder if they will lose a game at home this season. Man City are definitely my favourites for now. Man Utd were lucky to see us off, and they simply aren't a top club in their current state so capitalised on a half-chance, we were blighted by an illness so a lot of players missed out and some played while ill too... Man City are ridiculous at home, so it was always going to be tough, even the most optimistic Arsenal fans had it down as a draw. Otherwise, we beat Liverpool and Tottenham and drew with Everton. I think we can beat most big teams at home. In the end though, what's most important is the points off those smaller teams that we have struggled to get in the past.

Ozil hasn't been himself at Arsenal, he has been improving recently but he's certainly not at his best yet, and we saw that at the Etihad.

I think we will end up beating Chelsea this weekend to stay at the top of the table though.

for me, what was best about the man u result for arsenal was that you instantly just went on another winning streak that made it insignificant, yet to see you troubled by anyone not targetting a top 4 finish, well except everton there at the weekend. man city still mess up away from home, if you're not doing that then you should last the pace. despite your gloating I hope you do because you play good football and your transfer ethos deserves it more than city.

I think with your next round opponent in the CL coming from Bayern, Barca, Madrid, PSG or Atletico, you won't need to worry about focusing on it, hell, you can never say never but I reckon they'll plough you.

RvP falls into my category of fergie acolytes that probably need to go for the good of the dressing room, he's an amazing player but in all honesty, fergie knew he was retiring, the board might have too, RvP was ?24m to win the 12/13 league and retire on a high. man u's problems can probably be traced back to agueros last minute goal against WBA as that summer would have probably seen a few guys leave and money be spent on a rebuild.

 

[thedon5]

Man City are improving away from home, you can count on them to at least get some wins away from home now.

Wenger will definitely put effort in to the CL, you can count on that.

And hey I try to keep the 'gloating' to a minimum, I ain't as much of a culprit as some other users here in previous years!

RVP shows the mistake Ferguson made though, fact is any manager in the world including Fergie would be struggling with this current side, it is a lot worse than last season and RVP was just too short-sighted a purchase for that amount of money. Moyes gets far too much blame, Ferguson deserves the bulk of it is what I'm trying to say. I'm sure any Man Utd fan would've taken 2nd or 3rd last season if it meant they'd be challenging for the next five years and possibly winning the 20th in that time anyway, right now that isn't looking too good.

 

[StinkyBoHoon]

sorry, I missed out a bit of that explanation, what I've head from a few sources is that fergie initially was set to go at the end of the 11/12 season, I'm 100% convinced this was the case, at the end of 11/12 man u was sitting pretty for a rebuild, Jones and De Gea had bedded in and both proved good signings for the future (Young less so), I think Nani was strongly linked with a move to juventus as well and there was about 50m in the bank. crucially, paul pogba was still on the books at that point. I mean, we've discussed possible midfield options for united but no one in the world fits the bill better than him.

but when it went down to the wire he held off any announcement and when city won it on the last day he decided to stay for an extra season. RvP was essentially a splash of cash designed to secure the league so he could win that year and nothing more. he also held off selling guys as starting fresh would have been riskier. I think that's what's put their squad out of synch. in the aftermath of berbatov they said they'd never spend big money on a player 28 or over again, but RvP was just that, so that money I think was initially in the bank for a new manager to spend but was spent on a short term solution. so a portion of the blame definitely lies on him because it was a selfish move and totally out of character to a transfer campaign he'd have run had he had another 5 seasons in him.

still think moyes has been guilty of hestitancy though, if Rio signs a new contract at any point this season we'll know he doesn't have to stomach to step into SAFs shoes.

should probably start a thread on the fsituation at man u because all roads seem to be leading back to it. Masterblaster? I'll leave the honours to you because you're the most high profile united fan on here.

 

[War]

Leon Osman may be 32 but he plays with the energy of 25 year old. You compare him to other actual under 30 English mid-fielders, like Cleverley, Henderson & Milner who have been around the national team - he is a way more complete player than them.

If Gerrard/Carrick/Wilshere/Barkely are the certainties to go to Brazil & maybe all of them start too in midfield - Osman IMO is he best mid-field backup to those 4.

 

[ste_mc_efc]

Leon Osman may be 32 but he plays with the energy of 25 year old.

he does, for about 20 minutes each half. then he treads water for the rest of the game.

 

[War]

RVP is done at Man Utd. He's got his injuries back now. About as short term a signing as you'll get, ?20 m+ for one season. Again, it is hard to blame Moyes for this when Ferguson goes and spends that much on an old and injury-prone player to get one more title instead of buying some decent young players or at least younger players. He is probably enjoying this enhancement in his image to no end.

While i won't go that far yet to say he is done & has got his injuries back now for certain - i think its a fair point you have raised about his injuries to a degree.

Most Man Utd fans may have thought he was past his injuries for sure - but with such a strong history with injuries & how they have crept up this season it would concern you.

United might hope he doesn't turn into another Owen Hargreaves.

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he does, for about 20 minutes each half. then he treads water for the rest of the game.

Well yea he doesn't go like a full train, running the park all game indeed - but as i said compared to actual younger English mid-fielders that have been selected - he brings more to the table than them.

 

[ste_mc_efc]

As a side note I haven't seen a midfielder cover as much ground as McCarthy in a long time, suppose it's necessary as Barry is pretty old, and Barkley is inexperienced.

 

[Skater]

Steve Clarke has been sacked by West Brom.

Ridiculous decision.

 

[ste_mc_efc]

If you spend 6 million on victor anichebe you are playing with fire, to be fair.

 

[Abhas]

Big Sam would be shitting bricks now. He paid 15 for Carroll.

 

[ste_mc_efc]

15 for him is fine, if you can get 30 games a season out of him.

problem is all of his eggs are in one lanky shaped basket. he has no goals without him.