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The 2014-2015 Football Thread
- Thread starter Jaffa Cake
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Huge performance from Bradford - despite Mou playing a B team Chelsea massively outgunned Bradford and yet were still spanked. Egg on Mou's face, always a pleasing state of affairs.
Similar stuff from Cambridge - they were not intimidated by their opponent.
Big opportunity for Liverpool now if they can win their game. 0-0 at halftime but Bolton are playing pretty well, chances for both sides.
EDIT: 0-0 and a replay for Bolton. Liverpool tried to Arsenal it into the net and continue to feel the lack of a useful forward. Sterling is wasted in a lone striker position. Rogers' decision to use Borini rather than Lambert was baffling against a lumbering but large and determined Bolton back line - as usual Borini ran around a lot but flubbed his shot on the winning goal twice. The second leg will be a really tough game for Liverpool. By then Chelsea will have knocked them out of the League Cup so the next match against Bolton is probably their best route to silverware.
Similar stuff from Cambridge - they were not intimidated by their opponent.
Big opportunity for Liverpool now if they can win their game. 0-0 at halftime but Bolton are playing pretty well, chances for both sides.
EDIT: 0-0 and a replay for Bolton. Liverpool tried to Arsenal it into the net and continue to feel the lack of a useful forward. Sterling is wasted in a lone striker position. Rogers' decision to use Borini rather than Lambert was baffling against a lumbering but large and determined Bolton back line - as usual Borini ran around a lot but flubbed his shot on the winning goal twice. The second leg will be a really tough game for Liverpool. By then Chelsea will have knocked them out of the League Cup so the next match against Bolton is probably their best route to silverware.
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Only 3 EPL sides made it through today. 5 knocked out, 3 pending.
Meanwhile Arsenal land their defensive target in a swap-ish deal
Ronaldo is really not handling his recent breakup well.
Meanwhile Arsenal land their defensive target in a swap-ish deal
Ronaldo is really not handling his recent breakup well.
Wow.
Swansea, Southampton, Spurs, City, and Chelsea have all been knocked out of the FA Cup.
Did not see that coming!
The Barcelona/Elche match was a slaughter with Barca winning 6-0, Messi and Neymar scored twice each.
Wow.
Swansea, Southampton, Spurs, City, and Chelsea have all been knocked out of the FA Cup.
he he he he....
If THE MASSIVE WEDNESDAY only had a little more pixie dust vs Man City...
That's because his opponents didn't have the decency to roll over for him and his stacked team of overdog plutocrat footballers. It's not like the richest teams really expect this to be a competition. :roll eyes:
Big Sam Allardici has become insufferable. Listening to him you'd think he'd invented football tactics.
He reminds me of Martinez of last season when they were pushing Arsenal for top 4 and went far in the cups.
Big Sam should enjoy his current form while it lasts. Its the EPL, the status quo always wins in the end and everything evens out.
Things went about as well as could be expected given Liverpool's total lack of a goalscorer - classic Chelsea though, dull, a little dirty, but effective. Never bet against a Mourinho team to grind out a result at Stamford Bridge - unless Bradford City is involved.
Sterling - he's too young to take on the level of responsibilities he's been given. In a season or three that may change. Playing alongside Suarez and Sturridge, he was under much less pressure and he played with more confidence - plus that attacking trio fed off each other to great effect. Now, he works with players who are technically skilled but not forwards, so some of the penetratioån has been lost and he is being asked to do much more. Sterling did a lot of creating last season because he had players running in front of him, and also got superb service for his own goals. Finally, opposing teams committed much of their resources to stopping Suarez and Sturridge, giving Sterling more opportunities. That has been lost and it shows.
To Rogers' (and the players' ) credit, the defending has improved of late, and the team possesses the ball better. Suarez was sold, Sturridge picked up a bad injury and all of the replacement forwards have been busts. A perfect storm.
Costa crossed the line with his stamps on Skrtel and Can - both yellow card offenses at least, he should have been sent off and should be slapped with a retrospective ban.
EDIT: The FA are indeed charging Costa with violent conduct, so he's likely to pick up a 3 match ban, missing the Man City match as well as the following two matches.
Sterling - he's too young to take on the level of responsibilities he's been given. In a season or three that may change. Playing alongside Suarez and Sturridge, he was under much less pressure and he played with more confidence - plus that attacking trio fed off each other to great effect. Now, he works with players who are technically skilled but not forwards, so some of the penetratioån has been lost and he is being asked to do much more. Sterling did a lot of creating last season because he had players running in front of him, and also got superb service for his own goals. Finally, opposing teams committed much of their resources to stopping Suarez and Sturridge, giving Sterling more opportunities. That has been lost and it shows.
To Rogers' (and the players' ) credit, the defending has improved of late, and the team possesses the ball better. Suarez was sold, Sturridge picked up a bad injury and all of the replacement forwards have been busts. A perfect storm.
Costa crossed the line with his stamps on Skrtel and Can - both yellow card offenses at least, he should have been sent off and should be slapped with a retrospective ban.
EDIT: The FA are indeed charging Costa with violent conduct, so he's likely to pick up a 3 match ban, missing the Man City match as well as the following two matches.
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It's not just an English thing though, there are plenty of other players dubbed the new Messi or Ronaldo who simply disappear, usually consigned to warming the benches of the bigger clubs and never fulfilling their potential
True. But the English media are arguably the worst culprits. And English players believe their own hype more often than not. But I agree. Another good example is Januzaj.
Justice is served: Diego Costa has been banned for three matches for his stamp on Can.
Mourinho almost never loses at Stamford Bridge, though he will be missing Costa and Fabregas. City never win without Yaya Toure, and he is at the African Cup of Nations.
City absolutely must win this game, but all signs point to a draw. All Mourinho has to do is park the bus and his title challenge remains safe.
Mourinho almost never loses at Stamford Bridge, though he will be missing Costa and Fabregas. City never win without Yaya Toure, and he is at the African Cup of Nations.
City absolutely must win this game, but all signs point to a draw. All Mourinho has to do is park the bus and his title challenge remains safe.
When it comes to Mourinho's Chelsea it's a question of whether they need to win or simply not lose. If it's the latter, they almost always succeed regardless of the circumstances.
Rafa Benitez got roasted at Liverpool for sometimes focusing on not losing rather than trying to win, but Mourinho is the ultimate embodiment of that philosophy. If Mourinho managed a smaller team with middling resources, he would preside over the most boring football in the world. He would make Pulis look like Guardiola.
I agree though, Man City still have the tools to crack Chelsea open - but they will have to be at the top of their game and put in a better performance than they've shown all season.
Rafa Benitez got roasted at Liverpool for sometimes focusing on not losing rather than trying to win, but Mourinho is the ultimate embodiment of that philosophy. If Mourinho managed a smaller team with middling resources, he would preside over the most boring football in the world. He would make Pulis look like Guardiola.
I agree though, Man City still have the tools to crack Chelsea open - but they will have to be at the top of their game and put in a better performance than they've shown all season.
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(Men: )
Wolfsburg's first match after the death of Junior Malanda (who died in a car crash, where he drove to fast) and the won 4:1 against Bayern!
Wolfsburg's first match after the death of Junior Malanda (who died in a car crash, where he drove to fast) and the won 4:1 against Bayern!
Liverpool's best performance of the season so far - they won the match without needing Sturridge but with a proper striker on this pitch for the first time since August Liverpool actually looked like a complete outfit.
The team has been playing well of late but Sturridge (providing he stays healthy) should give Liverpool the boost they need to at least finish the season on a high note. A top four finish is still unlikely, but maybe a Europa League Trophy is not totally out of the question? That would bring some real drama to the league table - especially if Man Utd finishes fourth....
Sterling and Coutinho were excellent, and Sturridge's introduction showed that they are even better when they can play behind a real striker.
This is a crazy result. Could it be rusty play after the winter break? Obviously the break did not have the same negative effect on Wolfsburg though...
The team has been playing well of late but Sturridge (providing he stays healthy) should give Liverpool the boost they need to at least finish the season on a high note. A top four finish is still unlikely, but maybe a Europa League Trophy is not totally out of the question? That would bring some real drama to the league table - especially if Man Utd finishes fourth....
Sterling and Coutinho were excellent, and Sturridge's introduction showed that they are even better when they can play behind a real striker.
This is a crazy result. Could it be rusty play after the winter break? Obviously the break did not have the same negative effect on Wolfsburg though...
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The German saying: sand in the gears has never been more appropriate
It can only mean that the championship will to the very least get a little more exciting in the coming weeks.
Dortmund is now last till tomorrow.
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