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The 2014-2015 Football Thread

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Slimmyhendrix said:
If Arsne doesn't get a top 3 finish this season I think they will oust him. Just think his time is done and after getting some good prospects he hasn't been able to do much with them.
Love that man tantrum today when Alexis was fouled and Arsne took it into his own hands outside the technical area lol
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Think Le Professieur has too much tenure for that to happen.

His future is in his own hands as the board have repeatedly maintained. It's too much of a positive symbiotic relationship. He makes them a lot of money (Kroenke just pocketed £3m btw) and they in turn give him free reign over everything to do with the club.

Probably should just sit back, get comfy, and wait for the latest 3yrs to run out. Then hope for a change. In the interim, the billionaires and marketing machines will sit at the summit.

#Apathy
 
It's unfortunate that football is the least "for profit" sport imo next to nascar but it seems like players now days are more for just collecting their paychecks because coaches just don't have control over them to put them in line.

I have seen how Arsne has been benching Alexis because of his lack of game play but it doesn't seem to do anything as when he plays not much happens or he doesn't make a play.
 
pachyderm said:
at least we can excited about two thigs:

who will finish 4th?

where will man u end up?
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Answers: Man Utd, and 4th. :(

Where else could they possibly end up given the money they've spent? Anything less would be a huge public failure.

The creation of the Premier League and now the subsequent establishment of FFP has essentially locked the biggest clubs in at the top forever. The top clubs got to the top through spending, but now that's not allowed. There's no way in, and it is all but impossible to fall out - save through colossal mismanagement or the death of a sugar-daddy owner.

Arsenal and Liverpool are the two clubs that defy that logic, in different ways. Arsenal are only the 8th biggest spenders since 1992, but have won the league three times. Liverpool have spent more than any other club never to have won the Premier League (and have spent nearly three times as much as Arsenal), Istanbul 2005 notwithstanding. Interestingly, Hull City are 11th on the list of top spenders since 1992 (among the current crop of top division clubs.

In terms of transfer fees, the amount of money a club spends is directly proportional to its chances of winning the league (or any other major trophy). Any fan who says otherwise is deluded.
 
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Today is a big day for the Columbus Crew.

For starters, we've just re-signed former Columbus striker Kei Kamara, who had been released by Middlesbrough in August. He's 30 and has never had a great strike rate, but our situation up top is dire. Perhaps he'll find a happy hunting ground.

But the BIG news is that the club are re-branding today:

Crew Press Office said:
The Columbus Crew today announced that Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman and Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber are joining team Investor-Operator and Chairman Anthony Precourt to unveil its new visual and brand identity at an exclusive reveal event on Wednesday, October 8 at the LC Pavilion (405 Neil Avenue, Columbus), beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET.
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I have no inside knowledge of the club and as far as I'm aware there has been no leak, so I have no idea what's in store. I hope I like it.

I'm expecting a new crest, possibly a tweaking of the name. We'll see! For you European fans, imagine this is some time between 1870 and 1910, when most European clubs were formed. Exciting times as kits, names, crests and home stadia were shuffled around.

Say Goodbye to what is now going to be referred to as the "old" or "original" crest (sometimes maliciously referred to as the "Village People crest"):

ColumbusCCrest1.gif
 
Losing The Big Ö for three months may be no bad thing. I'm starting to suspect that he really isn't the right player for Arsenal (and/or that Arsenal aren't the right team for him) and that he's going to be out the door sooner rather than later.

This could be good news for the development of Wilshere (who I'm also losing faith in) and in particular The Ox. Oh, and Diaby.

:)

Walcott should be back by the end of the month, and I reckon that he's more important to Arsenal that Özil ever will be.
 
Not really fussed about Ozil's loss, and Ramsey was already out of form anyway. Our best midfielders have been Wilshere, Ox and Cazorla. Might actually bring some balance to the team. Ox on the right, Alexis on the left, Wilshere and Cazorla in the middle.

But please, no more injuries. Its becoming a massive piss-take.

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Lord Blackadder said:
Answers: Man Utd, and 4th. :(

Where else could they possibly end up given the money they've spent? Anything less would be a huge public failure.
.
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If Liverpool get into gear i'd still fancy them. I'm still not convinced about United...based on the fact that a lot of teams can go to OT and get a result. And i don't see them strengthening significantly in Jan either.
 
Still wondering why managers (Löw and Wenger) keep playing Özil on the left wing. That's not his position and has been common knowlegde for quite some time now. You don't play Walcott as a playmaker / #10 either. Löw I could understand a bit because of Reus' injury but no idea about Wenger.

Haven't seen them for a while now but remember he got much flac after they played vs BVB and although the entire team played abysmal the main problem was that defence and midfield were poorly linked and couldn't play out one decent attack from goalie to Welbeck while Dortmund pressed. And that'd be Arteta/Flamini/Ramsey + defenders mainly. A left wing can do little in such a situation. Probably shouldn't have spend that much on Özil and Sanchez anyway when other positions are lacking in depth and quality.

my2c :D
 
If Liverpool get into gear i'd still fancy them. I'm still not convinced about United...based on the fact that a lot of teams can go to OT and get a result. And i don't see them strengthening significantly in Jan either.

It's not impossible, but I consider it unlikely. Rogers is still getting to grips with fixture congestion, Liverpool's strikers are either hurt or unproductive and the defense remains unreliable. The squad needs time, probably months, possibly the rest of the season, to become a cohesive unit. I would not be at all surprised if Liverpool find themselves in the Europa League next season.

oscillatewildly said:
Second last season plus 115/120m spent, a colossal screw up if Liverpool don't finish top.
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Ah, but Man Utd's net spending has been double that of Liverpool's over the last five seasons. Based on the spending = league position model* (and factoring Arsenal in as an aberration since they ALWAYS finish top in the four), Liverpool should finish fifth and Man Utd should be third.

Even without the Suarez sale Man Utd have still outspent Liverpool.

Furthermore, Man Utd have killer forwards and a crap defense. Liverpool finished second last year on the same model. I see no reason why Utd can't do the same this season.

*Interestingly, this model only seems relevant to the top four (or the CL qualifying slots in other leagues). Places 5-20 seem to be determined by more "traditional" factors such as financial sustainability, management and ownership - because middling and small teams just can't afford to operate at a loss for years like the big boys.
 
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Net spending tends to be about the selling side; Manchester United v Chelsea in the recent window. How is Liverpool's gross from 1990, from the start of the Premier League, 15 years up to this summer, 10 years up to this summer, 5 years up to this summer? The spending to the recent window bagged the honours in the museums and history books plus 2nd and 7th in 2013/14. Those are the positions to which the summer spending has been added. I expect Manchester United to finish 3rd, 2nd if they can add a 'Strootman' in January and injuries to the defence at least halve. Liverpool should win it.

Good luck re the badge.

Cheers,
OW
 
Sick of the Landon Donovan retiring BS. I'll be glad to see him go. Maybe I'm the only one besides Jurgen who doesn't think he deserves all the hype.
 
Jaffa Cake said:
Yep, it's a new Crew...

First thoughts - not bad, but my eye is really drawn to the gap between the 'CREW' and the 'SC'. That part just looks unbalanced to me...
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I could be wrong, but based on the press releases it seems the crest was done largely in-house. I'm pretty happy with it. It's quite German. I see your point with the gap, but it probably won't be as noticeable on a shirt.

The fan reaction seems positive overall, Interested to see what the shirts look like.

oscillatewildly said:
Net spending tends to be about the selling side; Manchester United v Chelsea in the recent window. How is Liverpool's gross from 1990, from the start of the Premier League, 15 years up to this summer, 10 years up to this summer, 5 years up to this summer? The spending to the recent window bagged the honours in the museums and history books plus 2nd and 7th in 2013/14. Those are the positions to which the summer spending has been added. I expect Manchester United to finish 3rd, 2nd if they can add a 'Strootman' in January and injuries to the defence at least halve. Liverpool should win it.

Good luck re the badge.

Cheers,
OW
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Since 2003, Chelsea and Man Utd have been the top gross and net spenders, with Man City elbowing them aside once the Sheik showed up. Liverpool have spent an awful lot for a club that never won the Premier League - more than anyone else in that category. But even their gross spending has not exceeded that of Man Utd (not to mention Chelsea and Man City) over the last ten years. Under FSG, that looks set to potentially change, though again the clubs above Liverpool have a big advantage due to FFP.

Arsenal are the only club that can truly claim that they win without outspending their direct opponents (with the important caveats that they are still in the top fraction of 1% of spenders in England, and they haven't won the league for years).

Tilpots said:
Sick of the Landon Donovan retiring BS. I'll be glad to see him go. Maybe I'm the only one besides Jurgen who doesn't think he deserves all the hype.
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He does deserve the hype for the most part, but much of that hype is for past deeds. So, as far has him retiring goes I'm fine with that. He and Klinsmann were never going to really gel and there could only ever be one winner in that battle.
 
Tilpots said:
Sick of the Landon Donovan retiring BS. I'll be glad to see him go. Maybe I'm the only one besides Jurgen who doesn't think he deserves all the hype.
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he hehe.

somewhat agreed. i still would have loved to have him in the WC.

the new Crew crest is nice.
 
 
Kariya said:
Meanwhile Di Matteo takes over the helm at Shalke.

Good gig for him. No British media, only need to contend with Bayern and Dortmund. Good squad and CL football.
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Schalke coach is a notorious "ejection seat" position. In Germany it's one of the worst at the moment (apart of HSV,1860, and untill a few years ago, FC Köln).
In Munich & Dortmund there is collosal external pressure but they are internally much more stable

less than 10 days before getting fired Schalke did win against their arch rival Dortmund !!! And they still were ahead of them in the table as well, while having 10 players injured.
 
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