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

[Beans]

Scholes and Neville need to take the helm after van gal...

 

[abovelegit1]

Interesting facts.

Including Sunday's Clasico, Carlo has faced Barca 8 times & won only once. The last time he won was Oct 2004 in his Mlian days. This record does include 3 draws (1 with Milan & 2 other with PSG).

Tata is only the 4th manager to win both Clasicos in his first season. The other 3 were Pep, Van Gaal, & Terry Venables. Interesting enough, each of the other 3 coaches lead Barca to finish ahead of RM winning the title no less. :x

Now in reality this campaign, the league title is RM's to lose. They control their own destiny (as do Barca & Atletico Madridto a certain extent). I have hope, but RM should (in theory) win out. With apologies to my man abovelegit1 , the only thing that should/can hold back RM is Carlo.

You're making it out like I'm his biggest fan when all I did was fairly defend his tactical approach in one game against your criticism - what happened before and what happens after is irrelevant to the point of contention. Like Barça, RMCF actually don't control their own destiny, both can win out and still lose La Liga.

 

[jking0821]

Caught the better part of the derby yesterday. I understand the hate on moyes but City were the better team yesterday. I don't think talent wise united had any chance to win that game yesterday. No RVP, and any tactics you wanted probably weren't getting you a W. City were better...they had the better players who actually showed up and played.

When max effort is give by city they are one of the best teams in the world. Silva, when playing with passion is exceptional. And yesterday Silva, Dzeko and Nazri all looked motivated to win. And Yaya has been on fire. They were dominating yesterday. Fellaini was MIA for a lot of the game. Except with elbowing Zabaleta in the face

I still think box-to-box Yaya is one of the best midfielders in the world. And Nazri impressed me yesterday with his ability to attack down that left side.

 

[Kimchi Papi]

Sports fans/supporters being what they are, it's not too surprising that fans were cursing out SAF yesterday & attempting to tear down the "chosen one" banner. It's sad but not surprising. I hope some of the older more organized supporter groups reach out to people in an effort to make sure everyone's civilized. Cursing out SAF is ridiculous.

 

[Beans]

i don't see a problem with expressing ones distain.. we have been silent for far to long..

 

[Kimchi Papi]

For those interested in the behind the scenes look, check out Premier League 36 done by NBCSports. They did an excellent job last year focusing on individual players with the 36 series but it looks like this time they're focusing on teams. Sunday saw the premier episode featuring Man City. Very well done. Check our guides to see if it's one later if interested.

 

[fear the ibis]

Would pretty much take a miracle for City to not win the league now. Chelsea would have to win out AND have City drop 4 points. Not happening.


They'll win but we all know they're really the 2nd best team in the league.

 

[eiddyfouw]

Scholes and Neville need to take the helm after van gal...

The crazy part is that Van Gaal is willing to take the Spurs job but is rumoured to be holding out to hear if Moyes is sacked first.

Rumoured that he'd much prefer to come to United.

He's the exact kind of manager that United need. Look at what he did at Bayern....

2009-10 Van Gaal is brought in. Of course, money was spent, and big names were signed and great management decisions were made:

• Robben was signed amongst others.
• Several youth was brought into the squad which included Muller.
• Took Schweinsteiger off the wing, and converted him into the beast he is today in the midfield.

He went on to win Bundesliga, Pokal & Supercup. He was instrumental in the team that Heynckes had, because a lot of youth and key players were injected by him. He clearly has a stamp and impact on a team, management style and playing style.
Sure, he's a hard#$% and plenty of players have fallen out with him, but that's the sort of drive and temper that had players fighting for their lives under SAF.

Moyes has had an entire season, and yet til today, I haven't seen ANY tactics from him at all. If I was at least seeing some silky football/defensive central, but watching players mis-time throughballs, or get let down by their technical capabilities, I'd understand. But since he's arrived, I've seen NOTHING at all tactically, besides, go wide, boot it up to RVP and pray for individual talent.

Hell, I can go down the list...

Wenger- Silky football, quick one touch passes and runs
Mourinho- Solid defensive mindset, hit them on the counter, brilliant team selection
Pellegrini- High tempo, free-flowing football that allows players to flourish and score goals from wing-play and coming up the middle
Rodgers- lol a bit harder to see cause SAS is just telepathic, but he selects his team, formation and tactics to compliment their telepathy, he's got that high tempo, stretching defences, and striking on the counterattack down to a tee, which often covers his shaky defence.
Martinez- Found a perfect combination of work-rate and silkier football on a budget (I mean this cause he's not stacked with world class players), allowing free-flowing passes, runs and goals.
Moyes- ...

As we all know I hate Moyes, so you can say I'm biased, but objectively speaking, look at what he does management wise. ANYONE and I mean ANYONE can do what he's doing. I'm dead serious, if you put me, or any of you, or even our relegated comrade Jada in Moyes' shoes, any one of them would achieve the same results, cause the tactics are a joke and simply non-existent.

The idea of a manager sitting around for 10,15,20 years is a thing of the past. United are a listed entity now, and need to perform (I'm not saying win trophies every year) every year according to their financial and marketing obligations. The board look like old people struggling to use an internet and get with the times. To take United to the next frontier, they need to drop some of their old "hire him cause he's Scottish" culture, and keep their of winning culture.

 

[AZwildcats]

Man City still have Arsenal (away), Everton (away) and Liverpool (away) on the schedule. I can see them dropping points between those three games (although Arsenal may be a guaranteed win for them 

). Chelsea's most difficult game left in the league is away to Liverpool. I think the title is City's to lose, but Chelsea have a solid shot at it, that Aston Villa loss hurts though. All this is assuming both teams beat the other "easier" teams on their schedule

 

[fear the ibis]

Nah it's a wrap. Congrats to City on winning the title.

 

[Kimchi Papi]

Some inspiration for United fans...

View media item 880928

 

[tomdiginson]

Nah it's a wrap. Congrats to City Liverpool on winning the title.

Fixed

 

[Coupé It]

United needs to be United, not anyone else. This dude Moyes

Question for the United fans. What the hell has happened to Luis Nani? Is he in the doghouse? Blacklisted? I've been critical of him his whole career but no one can sit here and tell me that Antonio Valencia is better than Nani. Nani is a better dribbler, more balance, plus he has the potential to shoot from distance with either foot. I know he may not make the best decisions but he's a bigger threat on offense.

If it was me, I'd start Junuzan (sp?) on the left and Nani on the right. Get Mata off the wings too, put him in the no 10 position. Or Kagawa.

At least play him and find out if he has anything to offer before shipping him off, he did just sign a new contract.

 

[eiddyfouw]

United needs to be United, not anyone else. This dude Moyes

Question for the United fans. What the hell has happened to Luis Nani? Is he in the doghouse? Blacklisted? I've been critical of him his whole career but no one can sit here and tell me that Antonio Valencia is better than Nani. Nani is a better dribbler, more balance, plus he has the potential to shoot from distance with either foot. I know he may not make the best decisions but he's a bigger threat on offense.

If it was me, I'd start Junuzan (sp?) on the left and Nani on the right. Get Mata off the wings too, put him in the no 10 position. Or Kagawa.

At least play him and find out if he has anything to offer before shipping him off, he did just sign a new contract.

Injured for a lengthy time and lack of match fitness.

 

[Coupé It]

He can't still be injured is he? i've been asking since like December

 

[eiddyfouw]

He can't still be injured is he? i've been asking since like December

Match fitness, his last injury was a bad hammy injury, that's why he hasn't even been on a team sheet in ages.

 

[Coupé It]

Ah whatever.

Big game for Real today, its a tough match.

Also Porto vs Benfica at 5pm, Portuguese cup

 

[Coupé It]

I think Victor Valdes just tore his ACL

Poor guy, this could have been his last match.

 

[Sinner]

^ Is that what they're saying?  Yikes.

 

[dlo13]

Awkward/ugly looking landing...

 

[Coupé It]

^ Is that what they're saying?  Yikes.

No idea what they're saying, just my presumption from the way he landed and his pain after. Doesn't look good.

 

[chiva1908]

What game are y'all watching?

I started watching the Bayern Leverkusen game, switched to the Barca game, and now I'm watching this 'pool game...

 

[Sinner]

I have 'Pool on TV... tennis on the laptop....

 

[Coupé It]

Barca on my iPad, BeinSports.

Barca doctors are confirming its a tear of a CL. Don't know which CL it is yet. Maybe ACL, MCL, etc. It's bad tho, he'll be out for a while and likely miss the World Cup.

 

[rook]

Alot of injuries this year.

CR7 pls stay healthy