The 2017-2018 Football Thread

[Fizzoid]

Agreed about Wilshere, if he's fit he might be worth taking a a squad player. He's certainly one of England's most skilful midfielders IF he's fit, and IF he's having one of those games.

The problem is, it's 2 big IFs, and you need both to become a reality if he's worth taking

I'm not convinced about Welbeck either...

 

[Apple fanboy]

So Moyes has gone. Apparently we are in talks with Pellagrini. But wages are an issue.
Doesn't he realise if we spend all our cash on his wages we will have nothing left for players?

Well we will see I guess. We are also interested in Benitez, but I suspect he'd rather stick with Newcastle if they have new owners in the wings (with deep pockets!).

 

[Scepticalscribe]

So Moyes has gone. Apparently we are in talks with Pellagrini. But wages are an issue.
Doesn't he realise if we spend all our cash on his wages we will have nothing left for players?

Well we will see I guess. We are also interested in Benitez, but I suspect he'd rather stick with Newcastle if they have new owners in the wings (with deep pockets!).

From what I saw of West Ham this past season, I'd like to see some of those players prove that they are worth such wages.

If you want a good manager, pay him properly. Or else, retain Moyes, who did rather well in the circumstances.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

If you want a good manager, pay him properly. Or else, retain Moyes, who did rather well in the circumstances.

Assuming there was difference over wage demands, Moyes might have been sending the message "I don't need this job, so if you want me to continue working here under these conditions you're going to have to make it worth my while. Take it or leave it."

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Assuming there was difference over wage demands, Moyes might have been sending the message "I don't need this job, so if you want me to continue working here under these conditions you're going to have to make it worth my while. Take it or leave it."

That angle hadn't occurred to me.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Assuming there was difference over wage demands, Moyes might have been sending the message "I don't need this job, so if you want me to continue working here under these conditions you're going to have to make it worth my while. Take it or leave it."

To be honest I'm not sure if he walked or if he was pushed. I suspect if (and knowing our owners, thats a big if) we tried to keep him, it may well have been the length of contract offered that was the stumbling block.
I suspect we would have offered him a year, he probably wanted three.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

To be honest I'm not sure if he walked or if he was pushed. I suspect if (and knowing our owners, thats a big if) we tried to keep him, it may well have been the length of contract offered that was the stumbling block.
I suspect we would have offered him a year, he probably wanted three.

Nobody really comes out looking great. Moyes is not the best manager out there, but the club could easily have done worse, and it is clear that at least some of the squad underperformed.

The owners are once again exposed to the ire of the fans by their inability to get the most out of their resources.

 

[Silencio]

Agreed about Wilshere, if he's fit he might be worth taking a a squad player. He's certainly one of England's most skilful midfielders IF he's fit, and IF he's having one of those games.

The problem is, it's 2 big IFs, and you need both to become a reality if he's worth taking

I'm not convinced about Welbeck either...

Welbeck has to be fifth choice out of the forwards Southgate selected. Kane, Vardy, Sterling, and Rashford are all far better options.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Welbeck has to be fifth choice out of the forwards Southgate selected. Kane, Vardy, Sterling, and Rashford are all far better options.

They are. But I would worry if Kane was injured.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

They are. But I would worry if Kane was injured.

At the risk of sounding dismissive, I don't think losing one of Rashford / Vardy / Kane to injury will make any difference in where England finish in the World Cup.

They have a decent squad, roughly top 10 in the world on a good day, but England have zero chance of winning the World Cup and only a remote chance of making the final. A good showing in the quarterfinals would be a satisfactory performance; an appearance in the semifinals would be a substantial overachievement.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

At the risk of sounding dismissive, I don't think losing one of Rashford / Vardy / Kane to injury will make any difference in where England finish in the World Cup.

They have a decent squad, roughly top 10 in the world on a good day, but England have zero chance of winning the World Cup and only a remote chance of making the final. A good showing in the quarterfinals would be a satisfactory performance; an appearance in the semifinals would be a substantial overachievement.

Yes.

Agreed: I second this.

Actually, I remember England reaching the semi-final in 1990 - they were a very good team with some fine players, but the entitled sense of expectation from both fans and elements of the media was unbelievable, as was the completely ludicrous reaction to their defeat (yes, penalties again). And Bobby Robson was a fine manager at that time.

Reaching the semi-finals at any time is a very impressive achievement.

 

[Apple fanboy]

At the risk of sounding dismissive, I don't think losing one of Rashford / Vardy / Kane to injury will make any difference in where England finish in the World Cup.

They have a decent squad, roughly top 10 in the world on a good day, but England have zero chance of winning the World Cup and only a remote chance of making the final. A good showing in the quarterfinals would be a satisfactory performance; an appearance in the semifinals would be a substantial overachievement.

Not dismissive at all. I don't know one Englishman who believes we have a squad to win the World Cup.
But I think a lot of our players are not as good as squads gone by.
But I'll enjoy it whilst it lasts!

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Looking through Brazil's squad - my goodness, they are stacked with talent, as if we didn't know that. There will not be a repeat of 2014 for Brazil, surely.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Looking through Brazil's squad - my goodness, they are stacked with talent, as if we didn't know that. There will not be a repeat of 2014 for Brazil, surely.

Your tip for the winner then? Can't see it in Russia somehow.
I'm thinking Spain or Germany.

 

[Alphazoid]

Still not sure how Lallana who has barely kicked a ball this season gets into the reserves list whilst Wilshere is left out completely.

In other news; Arteta looks set to become Arsenal head coach

 

[Apple fanboy]

Probably not going to be an exciting cup, but is still the only thing worth watching today!

Not a fan of either team, so don't really care who wins.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Just back, and have just learned that Chelsea have when the FA Cup. Good.

I don't like Mr Mourinho, and it is nice to see Mr Conte depart with something positive in the area of silverware.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Just back, and have just learned that Chelsea have when the FA Cup. Good.

I don't like Mr Mourinho, and it is nice to see Mr Conte depart with something positive in the area of silverware.

It wasn't a great game tbh. As widely predicted.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Chelsea win a dull FA Cup final...the best thing I can say about it is that Hazard gets some recognition for what has been a good season for him in a very up-and-down Chelsea team.

For as bad as Chelsea were against Newcastle, and with Conte phoning it in, I am surprised Mourinho failed to get Man Utd to make a bigger impression on this match.

Your tip for the winner then? Can't see it in Russia somehow.
I'm thinking Spain or Germany.

My money is still on Germany, but Brazil are certainly contenders.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

......
For as bad as Chelsea were against Newcastle, and with Conte phoning it in, I am surprised Mourinho failed to get Man Utd to make a bigger impression on this match.

I'm not.

The man is exceptionally negative, he has favourites and those he humiliates and isolates, - this is no way to retain the loyalty and respect of your players - and his team has rarely played as a fully formed unit, but rather, as disjointed individuals, some occasionally talented.

I think it telling that gifted individuals such as Sanchez (who was always much more dominant and influential on a game in his Arsenal days) and Pogba had such a limited impact.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

I'm not.

The man is exceptionally negative, he has favourites and those he humiliates and isolates, - this is no way to retain the loyalty and respect of your players - and his team has rarely played as a fully formed unit, but rather, as disjointed individuals, some occasionally talented.

I think it telling that gifted individuals such as Sanchez (who was always much more dominant and influential on a game in his Arsenal days) and Pogba had such a limited impact.

It was a fitting end to the season for Man Utd. They have accumulated an impressive number of points, but virtually everyone has agreed that Mourinho plays boring, defensive football with an eye-wateringly expensive squad that should be capable of much more. He has made Man Utd extremely hard to beat, but also clumsy and inefficient going forward. And then, of course, is the added complication that Mourinho is unlikeable and always wears out his welcome. A conundrum.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

It was a fitting end to the season for Man Utd. They have accumulated an impressive number of points, but virtually everyone has agreed that Mourinho plays boring, defensive football with an eye-wateringly expensive squad that should be capable of much more. He has made Man Utd extremely hard to beat, but also clumsy and inefficient going forward. And then, of course, is the added complication that Mourinho is unlikeable and always wears out his welcome. A conundrum.

Players - even very good ones - leave a period under the management of someone like Guardiola a better player, more skilled, more adventurous, more confident - he has the knack of bringing out the best in players, and their enthusiasm for him as a coach tells its own tale. And he finds the grit that becomes the pearl for most players and encourages them to dig it out, work on it and believe in themselves.

Mourinho, on the other hand, seems to diminish players, they become a lot less than they could be, less confident, less accomplished, less daring; Sanchez isn't the force he was as a sulky genius under Wenger; likewise, Pogba is not the player he could be and should be.

So, yes, serves Mourinho right.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Players - even very good ones - leave a period under the management of someone like Guardiola a better player, more skilled, more adventurous, more confident - he has the knack of bringing out the best in players, and their enthusiasm for him as a coach tells its own tale. And he finds the grit that becomes the pearl for most players and encourages them to dig it out, work on it and believe in themselves.

Mourinho, on the other hand, seems to diminish players, they become a lot less than they could be, les confident, less accomplished, less daring; Sanchez isn't the force he was as a sulky genius under Wenger; likewise, Pogba is not the player he could be and should be.

So, yes, serves Mourinho right.

Pogba missed a sitter yesterday. Totally free header that Andy Carroll would have buried.

Agree on Sanchez. Apart from money, I'm not sure why anyone would sign for Mourino. Well maybe a defensive player!

 

[pachyderm]

Who won?

 

[Apple fanboy]

Who won?

Chelsea. First half penalty.