The Ultimate Football Thread 2013-2014 Vol. 4 EPL, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A etc

[Thierry Henry]

That WHU/WBA game was highly entertaining, much better than Chelsea/Arsenal earlier this week.

That Berahino kid is going to be something.

 

[Kimchi Papi]

WHAT?!?!!!! AVB needs to be more hard headed & arrogant? That's precisely what's done him in at Chelsea & now the Spurs. Despite having world class players, he's looked so breath takingly out of his depth that it was actually sad & embarrassing to see. If you don't see that, I won't bother going into further detail. If you want him back with the Dragons, have at it. That dude is as big a dud as I've ever seen manage in any sport. You & I will agree to disagree my fine footy friend.

Team's and World Class Players he's managed.

1) He was at Chelsea for 7 months, a dysfunctional organization that was firing managers left and right (Scolari, Ancelotti, etc) because the owner is a lunatic who felt like an idiot after he left Mourinho leave in 07.

2) He was at Spurs for a little over a year. First year not so bad, this year he was given 7 new players from all over Europe and now that more information has come out - he didn't want to make half of those signings. He wasn't given control.

3) That Porto 2010-2011 was easily the most talented team he's ever managed with world class players. It was a tragedy Porto finished 3rd the year before and weren't allowed to go into the Champions League. You're talking about a team with Falcao, Hulk, Moutinho, Guarin, James Rodriguez, etc. What did I see him do with world class players? I saw him go undefeated in a whole season, manage a squad that ran through everything they touched and he won the treble. I've never seen a better Porto team in my life and better disciplined. That goes for the teams we won champions league's with, that goes for Mourinho's team, and that goes for anything else I've ever seen with Porto.

You have no idea what you're talking about Psk, talking about how sad and embarrassing he is ? You don't even watch English football, I'm sure you barely watched the Spurs. You don't know AVB and the way he manages. You have to be confused or either reading up on too much propaganda.

1. Let's be frank, Abramovich was stupid for hiring AVB after managing 1 season. It's like hiring a 30 year old to be CEO after 1 good year managing a division within a company that had a stellar staff. During his time there, AVB was the almost the sole reason for the dysfunction with the Blues. He kept trying to fit square pegs into round holes by employing the same 4-3-3 he used at Porto when he had the likes of Hulk, Falcao, Mourinho which clearly wasn't going to work and he refused to adapt. He also did a fantastic job of alienating players just as he did with the Spurs. See a recurring theme yet?

2. Tactically, he constantly makes horrible decisions & even worse, he sticks with it even when its clearly not working. I've never seen a manager make that mistake as badly as he does. I remember his Chelsea side was beating Man U 3-nil during his time there, Fergie brought on Chicha & dropped Rooney back. AVB should've countered by dropping someone back to cover Rooney. Did he? No, he kept his Porto 4-3-3 giving Rooney tons of space & went on to score 3 goals for the tie.

Fast forward to the game against Liverpool this campaign. Did he make any adjustments to account for Suarez? He continued his high press with no one to cover Suarez & what was the outcome?!?! AVB just stood in the technical area like a bump on a pickle. He didn't make any adjustments what so ever despite his team losing form on the pitch & looking lost for most of the game. See a reoccurring theme yet?

3. I've been watching footy for a long time. Not just La Liga but everything I can. My view of footy is well rounded if I do say so myself & I'm not really one for hyperbole as I've think I've demonstrated. I call em like I see em without the typical crassness sports fans can get so let's be honest here. Outside of the Dragons, Benfica, & occasionally Sporting CP, the other Primeira Liga teams can't compete with those teams. Porto for the preceding several years & up to that point were by a wide margin the most talent laden team in Primeira Liga so much so they pretty much won the league 6-7 times in a 10 year period (as I recall off the top of my head). If ever there was a time you could put anyone in to manage a side like you've intimated, it was that year. That squad was monstrous. It's clearly evident after seeing AVB manage sides after his time at Porto.

If you can't see that because of your romantic view & love for Porto (which I respect), then again we'll agree to disagree.

 

[Sinner]

Wow, Evra really switched-off there... 

 

[Coupé It]

What am I supposed to see? What certain members of the English propaganda have flooded your mind with?

I don't know what you want me to say, I've said AVB should have never left Porto that soon. He wasn't ready yet. I've said he was too young. I'm just defending his character and what I've seen him do which you and English media outlets have attacked so harshly for some reason.

But when you say things like "He's never managed world class players well, he's a dud.." and your building up his persona to be someone he's not - I have to sit here and defend him, because I've seen and heard much more out of him than you have. The love I have for Porto has nothing to do with it. You clearly have the agenda here, not me.

Go see how well Spurs do now, Spurs aren't good, that just what it is. They never have been.

 

[dlo13]

Joe Hart just took a knee to the face. Nasty gash under his eye. Ouch.
Appears his face won out over Jerome's knee, tho.

 

[Kimchi Papi]

What am I supposed to see? What certain members of the English propaganda have flooded your mind with?

I don't know what you want me to say, I've said AVB should have never left Porto that soon. He wasn't ready yet. I've said he was too young. I'm just defending his character and what I've seen him do which you and English media outlets have attacked so harshly for some reason.

But when you say things like "He's never managed world class players well, he's a dud.." and your building up his persona to be someone he's not - I have to sit here and defend him, because I've seen and heard much more out of him than you have. The love I have for Porto has nothing to do with it. You clearly have the agenda here, not me.

Go see how well Spurs do now, Spurs aren't good, that just what it is. They never have been.

I never said he's never managed world class players. I said despite having them (world class players), he has shown at his stops in the Prem he doesn't know what to do with them.

At school or at work, if you saw something wasn't working & leading you to failure, would you continue to use the same process that led you to that point?

I feel like I've got you all angry....Chill out & listen to some fado dude... Love me some fado...

 

[Beans]

United

 

[Kimchi Papi]

Joe Hart just took a knee to the face. Nasty gash under his eye. Ouch.
Appears his face won out over Jerome's knee, tho.

Talk about taking one for the team... It looks like they used some kind of medical glue in lieu of stitches to band that area under the eye together...

 

[dlo13]

That late through ball by Fernandino deserved better.

Just looking at the Norwich/United stats...they really that much better? Dominating on shots/corners.

 

[Sinner]

United

 

[Thierry Henry]

Milner has been a workhorse out there. Fernandinho has been City's best player so far in the 1st half. He should have scored on that flick he gave to himself.

Joe Hart just took a knee to the face. Nasty gash under his eye. Ouch.
Appears his face won out over Jerome's knee, tho.

In my opinion it wasn't as bad as the knee Lukaku gave Lloris.Hart looks like he's got a tough jaw though, pause.

 

[sammydavisjr]

Welbeck!!!!! Great move!

 

[Sinner]

Lucky break, but Welbz!

 

[Sinner]

Adnan... for Shinji.

 

[dlo13]

City get their goal. Palace still testing Hart, tho. Few decent shots from distance.

 

[Sinner]

Huddlestone's celebration! 

 

 

[Sinner]

A weak-win, but a win's a win, I suppose.  

 

[fear the ibis]

76 - Manchester United have not conceded a penalty in any of their last 76 Premier League games.

 

[champcruthik]

Joe Hart has slightly turned a corner after the early season growing pains. I was worried about his long-term form. City will need him to challenge for the domestic title.

The Kompany and Lescott partnership provides memories of 2011 when City won the league. Rocks in defense.

 

[fear the ibis]

Jozy



Really entertaining match so far.

 

[Beans]

another 3 points.. and moyes got it right with the subs

 

[champcruthik]

Moyes seems off the hot seat. Finally figuring it out after a rocky start. Distrust and impatience from United supporters.

 

[Coupé It]

Psk, Dude I don't get mad on here, it's just debate. I just think for damn sure certain members of the English media were after AVB for the wrong reasons. Doesn't matter either, Spurs are always going to suck anyways lol.

 

[Sinner]

Moyes seems off the hot seat. Finally figuring it out after a rocky start. Distrust and impatience from United supporters.

They've been getting the results, but hardly in a convincing manner.  Backline still needs a lot of work. 

 

[Kimchi Papi]

Psk, Dude I don't get mad on here, it's just debate. I just think for damn sure certain members of the English media were after AVB for the wrong reasons. Doesn't matter either, Spurs are always going to suck anyways lol.

I don't base my opinions on anything the media says/writes especially the British papers & the Spanish (Madrid based) press & yes the Spurs will not be any better under Sherwood than they were under AVB.

Wow, nice goal from Cardiff's Cambell. Sucks that Tan is going to think he made the right decision.