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The 2014-2015 Football Thread
- Thread starter Jaffa Cake
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Jozy Altidore needs to get out of Sunderland ASAP. The English have labelled him failure and he'll never win anyone over there. He ought to go somewhere else - Germany, France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands - anywhere but England. Sunderland are a poor team and I think Jozy shoulders a very unfair portion of it.
United looked ponderous again. Looks like Di Maria will be coming though, LvG has a very expensive squad to work with now.
United looked ponderous again. Looks like Di Maria will be coming though, LvG has a very expensive squad to work with now.
Columbus 3-0 Dallas
The big news this weekend is not the 3-0 win against Dallas (though that is welcome news!). No, the big news is that Columbus has sold star defender (and Costa Rican World Cup hero) Giancarlo Gonzalez to Seria A outfit Palermo for a rumored $5m.
Normally I'd be happy about selling a player for ten times what we paid for him, but Columbus' incompetence during the transfer market has left me deflated. We just sold our best defender and failed to buy anyone at a time when the club was in desperate need of a striker. Our attempt to sign Mix Diskerud was a big public failure, and he wasn't a striker anyway.
The Crew are in fourth place in the East now, a playoff spot looks attainable but we are well off the pace of the top teams. There is talk that players will be brought in but at this point there is a danger of panic-buying.
Berhalter has introduced a pretty effective system at the club and seems tactically astute, but without new signings this team is in danger of stagnating and and/or running into injury trouble.
The big news this weekend is not the 3-0 win against Dallas (though that is welcome news!). No, the big news is that Columbus has sold star defender (and Costa Rican World Cup hero) Giancarlo Gonzalez to Seria A outfit Palermo for a rumored $5m.
Normally I'd be happy about selling a player for ten times what we paid for him, but Columbus' incompetence during the transfer market has left me deflated. We just sold our best defender and failed to buy anyone at a time when the club was in desperate need of a striker. Our attempt to sign Mix Diskerud was a big public failure, and he wasn't a striker anyway.
The Crew are in fourth place in the East now, a playoff spot looks attainable but we are well off the pace of the top teams. There is talk that players will be brought in but at this point there is a danger of panic-buying.
Berhalter has introduced a pretty effective system at the club and seems tactically astute, but without new signings this team is in danger of stagnating and and/or running into injury trouble.
I couldn't agree more about Jozy Altidore, at AZ he was good for 24 goals, and even allowing for the higher level of EPL, he's gone off the boil. I think that the style of play doesn't suit him in the UK.
Louis van Gaal is finding out that the EPL is not an easy place to be right now.
As to your problem with Columbus selling their best players, it's a problem which has stalked the smaller leagues of Europe for years.
Just when you get a reasonable team together and start winning a few matches, along come the major clubs with large check books, and you have to start again.
Just a note to Jaffa.
PEC Zwolle are clear top of the Eredivisie after three matches.
It's the Best League in the World, don't you know.
More like, he's finding out that working under Woodward and the Glazers is not so easy, and working with such an unbalanced and too-frequently-injured squad is not so easy, either.
Once again, Woodward left the business very late, but I have to say that Di Maria is a much better buy than Fellaini. He's very expensive, but I think he'll be worth it.
Now, about that midfield and defense I can't see Vidal or Benatia coming. Will Nigel De Jong, of all people, be the savior? Hold our breath until winter and make sure Strootman is fully recovered from his knee injury?
Liverpool suffered a few mistakes at the back, but make no mistake, this is all about City's unlimited resources. They have two full teams' worth of world class players to call upon. Liverpool didn't play that badly but were comprehensively beaten in the end. If it wasn't for Chelsea I'd say City could go unbeaten this season.
It should be clear to all now that only Chelsea and Man City have any realistic shot at the title. They are the new world order in England and I can't see that changing in the foreseeable future. As long as the oil and gas keep flowing, anyway. They are rich among the rich.
Maybe Johnson's injury will open the door to Manquillo to come in and show us what he's got. Johnson still adds value going forward but remains a liability in defense. Balotelli is yet to arrive as well.
It should be clear to all now that only Chelsea and Man City have any realistic shot at the title. They are the new world order in England and I can't see that changing in the foreseeable future. As long as the oil and gas keep flowing, anyway. They are rich among the rich.
Maybe Johnson's injury will open the door to Manquillo to come in and show us what he's got. Johnson still adds value going forward but remains a liability in defense. Balotelli is yet to arrive as well.
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Liverpool will do well but bar twist of fate they won't win the title. Shame really.
They've spent £117m this window, and United look set to rev up to £136m. Yet neither side is nowhere near the finished article for the EPL title
Mind boggling really.
Meanwhile United have agreed the Di Maria fee. (spoiler alert; its high)
They've spent £117m this window, and United look set to rev up to £136m. Yet neither side is nowhere near the finished article for the EPL title
Mind boggling really.
Meanwhile United have agreed the Di Maria fee. (spoiler alert; its high)
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Man City and Chelsea have been dropping huge sums every year for quite a few years now though, and that's the difference. Even their cast-off players are better than most teams' starters. Liverpool, on the other hand, declined at the end of the Benitez years and have essentially rebuilt gradually from scratch - often with bargain buys rather than simply robbing everyone of their best players through sheer financial might. Man Utd will probably find that they have to do the same, and their recruitment policy has been very scattershot.
Make no mistake, Liverpool and especially Man Utd are very rich clubs - but the clubs at the top of the pile these days are far richer still. Man Utd might have world-beating revenue but Man City can and will always outspend them as long as the sheik is running things.
Man City's squad depth is astounding. The only real shock in Man City's case is their consistent failure in Europe.
Make no mistake, Liverpool and especially Man Utd are very rich clubs - but the clubs at the top of the pile these days are far richer still. Man Utd might have world-beating revenue but Man City can and will always outspend them as long as the sheik is running things.
Man City's squad depth is astounding. The only real shock in Man City's case is their consistent failure in Europe.
agreed. man u, it seems to me, are struggling to find/redfine their identity as a club in the post AF years.
it might be one or two more low top end to mid table seasons ahead. then again they may win the whole schlemiel
btw. the german U20 women have won the final against Nigeria after extra time with 1:0 (tough game, nice to watch, contenders on par).
This is the third title for a german women U20 team (not that it is unlikely that a german women side will win an inertnational torunament, but still).
Also the third title for the DFB in 2 month:
(men a-team world cup, U19 men and U20 women)
(as if it wouldn't go without it, Germany lost one more player of the already inury prone defense and had to sent a first time player on the pitch)
France one third place over north korea.
This is the third title for a german women U20 team (not that it is unlikely that a german women side will win an inertnational torunament, but still).
Also the third title for the DFB in 2 month:
(men a-team world cup, U19 men and U20 women)
(as if it wouldn't go without it, Germany lost one more player of the already inury prone defense and had to sent a first time player on the pitch)
France one third place over north korea.
Quite the rout. MK Dons should have had a penalty to boot. Plenty of new faces in LvG's side, but also a few players who should be able to get the job done.
MK Dons' keeper had a great match.
MK Dons' keeper had a great match.
Good day to return.
Hilarious media reaction to the MK Dons game; sense of perspective has left the building.
Di Maria; quality ball in is worth the money - no problem if he delivers.
Goodbye Anderson and Hernandez - Wilson is ahead. Michael Keane has already shown he isn't ready and Powell still seems to think a shot and a flick are enough. Evans is fine when he isn't the most experienced centre back.
Re the squads of Chelsea and Manchester City; 4 injuries will be classed as crisis by the media.
Cheers,
OW
Hilarious media reaction to the MK Dons game; sense of perspective has left the building.
Di Maria; quality ball in is worth the money - no problem if he delivers.
Goodbye Anderson and Hernandez - Wilson is ahead. Michael Keane has already shown he isn't ready and Powell still seems to think a shot and a flick are enough. Evans is fine when he isn't the most experienced centre back.
Re the squads of Chelsea and Manchester City; 4 injuries will be classed as crisis by the media.
Cheers,
OW
Good day to return.
Hilarious media reaction to the MK Dons game; sense of perspective has left the building.
They built LvG's Man Utd up to stratospheric heights in the summer (I recall pundits on TalkSport seriously tipping them for the title); now they will switch the hype machine to 'crisis mode'.
Man Utd would probably be willing to pay almost any price to get back on track, so if Di Maria can help spur a rapid revival his fee will seem a bargain. But if that does happen it will require major contributions from the other big money signings - RVP, Mata, Shaw...Fellaini?
Like Liverpool last season, Man Utd have an obvious problem at the back. I don't see that defense in the Champions League, whatever they might be able to muster in attack.
And by the managers. I'm sure that Pellegrini will moan about injured players if Man City get dumped out of Europe early again. Ditto Mourinho. But neither really has an excuse - given the money they've spent anything less than a quarterfinal appearance is abject failure.
what is really funny to me is that most teams would have to sit it out while Manure can simply write a check oh well.
They have the players to get on the end of a through ball/cross, it's the quality of the supply.
Defence; one more centre back and it will be fine - though Bayern just reduced the pool. If what I read was correct, the Netherlands switched to 3 5 2 because Strootman was injured; LvG may change to 4 3 3 when he gets the required midfielder. He's struggling re a centre back bringing the ball out in the 3 5 2.
---
pachyderm,
Money; even little Crapton Outhouse FC would spend the money if they had it.
Cheers,
OW
Meanwhile, in the Champions League, Maribor defeated Celtic 1-0 and won the tie 2-1 on aggregate. Celtic's season is essentially over.
I still think Arsenal should win this tie. But with Everton picking up Eto'o they are now a more serious threat for a top four finish. Spurs are also looking pretty good at the moment and Man Utd may right the ship somewhat. Arsenal and Liverpool are going to have to work hard to stay in the Champions League spots.
Milan are bidding for Torres...I may get laughed out of town but perhaps Arsenal should take a punt? Torres is a proper No 9 and apart from actually scoring goals he still looks like a useful player. Plus Arsenal can't afford to be too picky now.
Milan are bidding for Torres...I may get laughed out of town but perhaps Arsenal should take a punt? Torres is a proper No 9 and apart from actually scoring goals he still looks like a useful player. Plus Arsenal can't afford to be too picky now.
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Indeed they cant afford to be picky. Might be why they're being linked with the amazing Nikola Zigic.
To me Eto'o is just picking up cheques now based on past glory and is well beyond past it. Everton still don't have the depth and experience to maintain a top 4 assault. Barkley's injury has already weakened them significantly. And their rearguard is old.
Spurs look a dark horse. But they still don't have a 20+ goals a season source. And there are arguably better midfields and defences in the top 5.
To me Eto'o is just picking up cheques now based on past glory and is well beyond past it. Everton still don't have the depth and experience to maintain a top 4 assault. Barkley's injury has already weakened them significantly. And their rearguard is old.
Spurs look a dark horse. But they still don't have a 20+ goals a season source. And there are arguably better midfields and defences in the top 5.
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