i think we are amazed that they are only a joke and not considered a ******** joke.
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The 2014-2015 Football Thread
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i think we are amazed that they are only a joke and not considered a ******** joke.
Liverpool haven't spent particularly well, but a "joke"? I don't think so. There is a reasonable chance they will finish above teams who have spent more. Also, Rogers does not have complete control over signings, it's done by committee and it was clear, for example, that he did not want Balotelli. It would be wrong to lay blame for the entire transfer policy at Brendan's door.
Ferg stunk it up at Man Utd for a few years before he started winning anything. Managers always take the fall for player apathy, stupid boardroom decisions and meddling owners.
Rogers is inexperienced at the top level, and he will make some mistakes. But I am completely willing to give him time.
EDIT: Arsenal and Liverpool both lost this weekend, so two of the four English teams in the CL are in 7th and 11th places respectively in their domestic league . Meanwhile Man City are 3rd in the league behind Southampton and can't do anything in Europe.
Obviously I want to see Liverpool make the top four, but it would be really exciting to see Southampton make the CL. This league is usually depressingly predictable and it would be great to see new teams having success -especially, in Southampton's case, of beating the odds and playing good football while doing it.
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Starting to seem like Arsenal and Liverpool might not make it this year. S'oton and United might pip them. Early days of course. But you look at the way they're playing and consequently the confidence keeps tumbling.
Yes a lot of the top teams have key players missing but the damage might be done by the time they return
I think for Arsenal the game against United might prove decisive. If they lose then its probably game over. Unless something drastic happens.
It does increasingly look set to be the most boring campaign ever. At the top anyway. Shame really.
Yes a lot of the top teams have key players missing but the damage might be done by the time they return
I think for Arsenal the game against United might prove decisive. If they lose then its probably game over. Unless something drastic happens.
It does increasingly look set to be the most boring campaign ever. At the top anyway. Shame really.
EDIT: New England Revolution 3-1 Columbus
Columbus beat New England twice this season, but in a two-legged playoff Columbus go down 7-3 on aggregate, finishing today's match in New England with nine men. such is the unpredictability of MLS. It didn't help that Columbus were without the services of Federico Higuain due to a calf strain.
I can't be too upset. Columbus have new owners, a great new logo, and out new manager proved himself in his first season.
New England have one of the worst logos in MLS and play in a cavernous, empty NFL stadium with the wrong lines painted on it. Plus, they have a snowball's chance in hell of going anywhere in the playoffs.
Boring from the perspective of who will win, to be sure. Chelsea might win this one by miles.
But apart from Man City nothing is guaranteed. Anything less than 3rd-4th for Man Utd would be a massive failure given what they've spent, quality of opposition, lack of CL football and LVG's presence. Liverpool and Arsenal are flawed teams and cannot expect anything, but Spurs and Everton are also failing to take advantage, and until they stumble you can't say that Southampton have done a thing wrong in their remarkable run of results.
Columbus beat New England twice this season, but in a two-legged playoff Columbus go down 7-3 on aggregate, finishing today's match in New England with nine men.
such is the unpredictability of MLS. It didn't help that Columbus were without the services of Federico Higuain due to a calf strain.I can't be too upset. Columbus have new owners, a great new logo, and out new manager proved himself in his first season.
New England have one of the worst logos in MLS and play in a cavernous, empty NFL stadium with the wrong lines painted on it. Plus, they have a snowball's chance in hell of going anywhere in the playoffs.
Boring from the perspective of who will win, to be sure. Chelsea might win this one by miles.
But apart from Man City nothing is guaranteed. Anything less than 3rd-4th for Man Utd would be a massive failure given what they've spent, quality of opposition, lack of CL football and LVG's presence. Liverpool and Arsenal are flawed teams and cannot expect anything, but Spurs and Everton are also failing to take advantage, and until they stumble you can't say that Southampton have done a thing wrong in their remarkable run of results.
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United played a weak match vs crystal palace. 23 attempts, only 5 shots on goal. In that match, neither palace nor united were that good; united were just a tad better.
LvG moved Rooney back so Carrick could cover the defence - given the state of the latter at the moment. It didn't help the attack which also had the drag of RvP; poor movement, slowing the attack, not stretching the opposition etc. Mentioned before that he should be dropped; see whether LvG has the balls. Also, Di Maria should be taken off corners.
Elsewhere, Kramer scores the winner for Dortmund:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkAf6YGPonk
A good try, but there is something about Lee Dixon turning away then back:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpSo1aciPqU
Cheers,
OW
Elsewhere, Kramer scores the winner for Dortmund:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkAf6YGPonk
A good try, but there is something about Lee Dixon turning away then back:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpSo1aciPqU
Cheers,
OW
I'm hearing reports that Falcao's knee is still dodgy, it will be harder to drop RVP is Falcao has to take a break.
In both cases it's actually impossible to tell they are own goals; Kramer's goal is Xabi Alonso-esque.
In both cases it's actually impossible to tell they are own goals; Kramer's goal is Xabi Alonso-esque.
LvG should have dropped RvP during the WC.
It's also one of the major problems in the national team, RvP is not at this moment the player he once was, but nobody will drop him.
Lord Blackadder,
They could play Rooney behind Wilson, Mata behind Rooney, Mata behind Rooney and Wilson. I'd like to see Wilson involved; he can run with the ball, offer more movement, and is a decent poacher. The best thing about RvP at the moment is defending corners.
Sorry to see the Columbus result. Is the game worth watching - good match, goals, sendings off - or can I delete?
Happybunny,
How is Huntelaar??
Cheers,
OW
They could play Rooney behind Wilson, Mata behind Rooney, Mata behind Rooney and Wilson. I'd like to see Wilson involved; he can run with the ball, offer more movement, and is a decent poacher. The best thing about RvP at the moment is defending corners.
Sorry to see the Columbus result. Is the game worth watching - good match, goals, sendings off - or can I delete?
Happybunny,
How is Huntelaar?
?Cheers,
OW
It was a decent match, not exactly a classic but the scoreline flatters NE a bit. Columbus had a few key injuries and it hurt us in the end. The red card on Finlay was a terrible call.
Benching RVP would be a ballsy move, even though it makes sense given his form. Can LVG do it?
I think selling Ramos partly to blame for the current crisis at Hertha.
He had an outstanding season last year, scoring goals brutally effective.
As usual the 2. season is always the most difficult after promotion.
In the offensive midfield there is plenty of quality(Kalou, Stocker, Ronny,Ben-Hatira) but some transfer choices in the Hertha Squad are simply bizarre: Julian Schieber and Sandro Wagner are simply not good enough
Those 2 have "Preetz" written all over them
Currently the table is really close from 7th to 18th so firing Luhukay now would be a grave mistake. Getting the defense to stabilize,2-3 good results and hertha is back on track.
Bremen,HSV,Freiburg,Eintracht all have much worse squads in terms of composition this year
Agreed, but he was too good for Hertha, not sure about his contract situation though. The squad in general improved further (on paper!) so it's even worse doing worse than last year (Rückrunde)
Squad plays much worse than last year too and we still have to play against Bayern, Gladbach, Dortmund and Hoffenheim - though we're generally playing better against good teams. I for one think Preetz is doing a good job. His quarrel with Babbel (who has yet to find a job again) aside, we always had very decent squads, 1st and 2nd league as well. Schieber played well the start of the season but got dropped as soon as Kalou entered the stage. He's ok imo for certain situations, Wagner on the other hand....I'd agree that he isn't Bundesliga material.
Our table for the last 28 BL matches:
6-6-16 and a goal difference of 28-49
That's abysmal.
Used slow motion a couple of times trying to figure out why Finlay was sent off - even the commentators tagged it a bad call. From the 60 minutes highlights programme it seemed the keeper and defenders were doing their best to give New England opportunities - bad day at the office? Also, not sure how a gun salute would play in the EPL.
Cheers,
OW
Pretty much everyone, including the keeper, thought it was not a red card, and an independent review board agreed, rescinding the card yesterday.
As for the salute, maybe it wouldn't be a big deal in the EPL if it was done by men dressed in English Civil War-era outfits and firing wheel locks? But maybe Health and Safety would think even that too suggestive and/or dangerous...
Happybunny,
How is Huntelaar?
Cheers,
OW
Sorry I didn't see your post, It does seem as if RvP and JKH, are now best buds since RvP and JKH talked on the phone.
The knives are starting to come out for RvP, if against Latvia he fails he gone, and so are chances of the Netherlands qualifying. Guus staked his job on the outcome, he said there and then on TV.
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There is a rumour going round which nobody will confirm or deny, that the reason that KNVB gave the job to Guus Hiddink was that Ronald Koeman wanted to axe RvP ifrom the start he thought RvP was past his prime.
Sturridge is training again. Could be big news for Liverpool - if he can stay fit from here on out.
If Southampton's performances are anything to go by, Koeman knows what he is talking about.
If Southampton's performances are anything to go by, Koeman knows what he is talking about.
just a quick note, because I don't have time...
@ takao:
I forgot to mention, Eurosport is showing women CL, SV Neulengbach (AUT) vs Wolfsburg (GER) right now. I missed it myself. It is allready the 50th minute. I am surprised it is only 3:0 for Wolfsburg (first match was 4:0, which is still low result for a top team against a probably much less capable team. But I didn't see it, so maybe something has changed.).
@ takao:
I forgot to mention, Eurosport is showing women CL, SV Neulengbach (AUT) vs Wolfsburg (GER) right now. I missed it myself. It is allready the 50th minute. I am surprised it is only 3:0 for Wolfsburg (first match was 4:0, which is still low result for a top team against a probably much less capable team. But I didn't see it, so maybe something has changed.).
Roy Keane has allegedly been involved in some fisticuffs with a man who was looking for Roy to autograph a copy of his autobiography. Details sketchy but it sounds rather interesting...
On a grey, miserable, winter's day, thank you FIFA for being an organisation which keeps on giving. The FA's crime is being stupid enough to cooperate.
Happybunny,
Me quoting would've helped.
Manchester United play Southampton in 4 games time, RvP hat-trick. Mexico; training game?
Cheers,
OW
Happybunny,
Me quoting would've helped.
Manchester United play Southampton in 4 games time, RvP hat-trick.
Mexico; training game?Cheers,
OW
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