2016-17 English Football Season Thread

[charliepanayi]

Discuss and stuff. Mourinho at Man Utd, Klopp at Liverpool for his first full season, West Ham in the Olympic Stadium, Arsenal signing no strikers again, Leicester defending their crown, Spurs finding new ways to mess things up. And so on.

[Bubba]

Man Utd!

[charliepanayi]

Brendan Rogers loses his first competitive game with Celtic, to Lincoln Red Imps from Gibraltar in a CL qualifier. Doh!

[Aerith's Knight]

I voted for the Spurs, but I have high hopes for Crystal Palace. You can do it, boys!

Also, United to lose the first match and immediate press hate. Leicester getting an injured player within seven matches. And Klopp to cry at 4 out of 5 Liverpool wins.

Middlesbrough to win against a major team like a boss in the first half of the season.

Those are my predictions, you can eat it.

[Old Manus]

"No embarrassment"

""I always felt this qualification phase would be based on the second legs at home"

It's like reading the Deluded Brendan Twitter account but in real life

[Psychotic]

I thought you loved Brendan you big dirty traitor. You're not an outstanding technician at all.

[Old Manus]

The Brendan I loved was about 3 stone heavier, had a shit barnet and didn't wear suits pitchside :smug:

[Psychotic]

Don't forget the veneers.

[Bubba]

Impin' ain't easy.

Unless you're playing Celtic.

[Psychotic]

FAO The Press: British managers are shit, that's why they don't get offered any TOP JOBS and that's why Allardici should under no circumstances be hired, hope that helps

[charliepanayi]

It's pretty embarrassing seeing people in the press trying to act like hiring Allardyce isn't the daftest idea ever.

[Aerith's Knight]

Siri's dead. Cortana's broken. Too lazy to google what the hell this Allardice is about.

Guess I'll just post something.

http://home.eyesonff.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=68086&d=1463499558

Never forget

[Psychotic]

It's pretty embarrassing seeing people in the press trying to act like hiring Allardyce isn't the daftest idea ever.Oh that's just the ground floor of this insanity. There's been some major calls for Steve Bruce and Glenn Hoddle in the media too.

[charliepanayi]

Steve Bruce? He couldn't even beat Arsenal in a cup final!

[Aerith's Knight]

Ah, you guys are talking about "Big Sam" as a national coach. That guy is disgusting with his chewing. Bah.

Don't you have some old players (like Gerrard) or something? Someone who can really inspire?

[charliepanayi]

They tried that with Keegan. Shearer wants the job, but even the FA aren't that mad at the moment.

[Rocket Edge]

Ah the new season. So much hopes, so much dreams...

Eh charlie, can you change the poll so we can see who voted who? I always prefer to see who has gone with which.

[Aerith's Knight]

I went with the Spurs! Because they have a Dutch striker now! : )

[Loony BoB]

Ah the new season. So much hopes, so much dreams...

Eh charlie, can you change the poll so we can see who voted who? I always prefer to see who has gone with which.
He can't, but with the right SQL query I think I can...

[Old Manus]

Only with a GUI interface made in Visual Basic.

[Loony BoB]

Exactly. Done.

[Formalhaut]

So Kante has left Leicester in favour for... ugh, Chelsea. And Mahrez is looking to leave as well.

TRAITORS.

[Psychotic]

Kante is a huge loss, for me he was Leicester's player of the season.

[charliepanayi]

Looks like Neymar is angling to join the list of great film performances by footballers:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mspnr56tnLA

[Psychotic]

Now that Liverpool have signed another Galactico in Ragnar Klavan, adding to the list of footballing gods and superstars Loris Karius, Joel Matip and Marko Grujic as well as our annual Southampton shopping spree, there is no doubt in my mind that This Year is Our Year and I have voted in the poll accordingly. Kneel before Ragnar.

[Bubba]

Just need Pogba's signature to confirm that we have already won this league before it's started!

Not a bad bit of business either. We give him to Juventus for free then buy him back for £100M. Well played, Utd. Well played.

[charliepanayi]

It's Big Sam! As if England wasn't enough of a laughing stock as it is.

[Bubba]

I'm too patriotic to stop watching England play international football. I'll just need to make sure I'm extremely drunk for the start of each game.

[Psychotic]

Can't be any worse than Roy "Northampton Town at home will be a formidable challenge" Hodgson.

[Old Manus]

As absolutely hilarious as Big Sam Allardyce: England Manager is (it's the kind of thing you'd see six seasons into a Football Manager game and have you chuckle at the lack of realism), I can sort of see the thinking behind it. The players seem as uninterested as they've ever been in playing for England, and trying to build some sort of tactical 'philosophy' for them to get behind is difficult when they only play together a handful of times a year. Woy tried to get the boys to play a more attacking game with the ball on the floor, and in my opinion for the most part it was working, but obviously they've decided to throw that out and just go back to basics with the hoofball they'd been doing for the 20 years prior. The thinking seems to be to go for an El Tel character who will galvanise the players to perform for the country, rather than emphasise any kind of tactical thought to people like Jamie Vardy. It may work but probably won't. Andy Carroll to get at least one more cap.

Also, Manchester United top kek. Ooonneee Huuunnddreeedd Miiillllliionnn Eeuuuuuuuurooooooooos. Every time I think they can't become any more like exactly what their fans spent the last 25 years being smug about not being (how's that for a boolean expression), something else happens. I still can't get over Jose Mourinho being their manager.

[Psychotic]

Never mind Andy Carroll, I'm annoyed that Mark Noble is getting a call up. It has been an endless source of joy to me to tell people he's just not that good when they demand his inclusion.

[charliepanayi]

Bump. Charity Shield this Sunday. And then the horror begins next weekend.

[Formalhaut]

Bump. Charity Shield this Sunday. And then the horror begins next weekend.

Oh wow, is it that time so soon?

[Bubba]

IT'S OOAAAANNNNN!!!!

[charliepanayi]

Top marks to Klopp:

https://twitter.com/MerseysideMarco/status/761996566878162944

[Psychotic]

Fucking love Klopp. On the subject, I just got back from watching us twat Barca. Messi, Suarez, Iniesta? None of them were as good as Kevin Stewart!

[Bubba]

Defending champions toppled.

Mourinho ushering in a new era of dominance for the Red Devils!

[Old Manus]

Liverpool's year confirmed

[Psychotic]

You should back that up with a framed shirt related bet.

[Psychotic]

I'm already fed up of hearing about how much Pogba cost. Every single thing he does is going to be framed around the price. Still, when in Rome - he's better value for money than John Stones, on whom Ashley Williams is an upgrade.

Manus, what the smurf is going on at Swansea? You okay?

[Bubba]

Yeah, I'm ready for the season to start now. This whole thing dragged on too long.

Man Utd to have unassailable lead to the top of the Premiership by March.

[Old Manus]

£20M for Ayew would be OK if Huw Jenkins was going to actually spend it on somebody decent, but he won't and instead we will get a few continental squad players who nobody has heard of for one or two million each, a 33 year old backup striker who will quickly turn out to be absolute toilet and leave next summer, and the rest of the money will mysteriously disappear (probably somewhere in Maryland). As for Ashley Williams, that is just beyond the pale shipping off your captain and best defender four days before the season starts, with no replacement. Amat will have to do a job at centre half but if he gets injured it's very much game over. We still need another right back, centre mid (should have got Allen back tbh) and I'll hold fire on judging Llorente until a few games in.

I've watched the yankee takeover mainly through the gaps in my fingers. Proof positive that collaborative shared ownership of a football club just cannot happen in the modern Premier League. Luckily the Supporter's Trust retain their 21% stake but virtually everything I've read about these two blokes is that they're at best unconcerned about the club itself and its fans, and at worst, a couple of asset strippers. They're not Vincent Tans though, I suppose. I've heard nothing about any money coming our way anyway. We'll see what happens. If you ask me the most pressing issue at the moment is that we still have a guy as manager who probably can't quite figure out himself (let alone the fans) how he is still there. Huw can try to be too 'shrewd chairman who moves in mysterious ways' for his own good sometimes.

[Old Manus]

Well no sooner do I write that does the Baston signing go through. I was ten years off with the 33-year-old quip but at a cool £15M you'd hope he nets some for us. It does worry me that the other team looking at him was Wolves, though...£12M from AshWills and £5M left from Ayew to sort out the back line.

[Aerith's Knight]

I guess they're doing all their buying now, before the pound drops even more. :)

[Crop]

I think we have a good chance of winning the league, but I feel the Europa will mess us up a bit on that front. Thursday night football is such dross.

[Psychotic]

I would be surprised if Mourinho takes the Europa seriously.

[Formalhaut]

He probably thinks it beneath him and won't put any effort it.

[Aerith's Knight]

I guess Depay will get some playtime then! :D

[The Captain]

Far Too Early And Subject To Change Pending Further Transfer Predictions For The Table:


1. Man City
2. Man Utd
3. Chelsea
4. Liverpool
5. Arsenal
6. Spurs
7. West Ham
8. Leicester
9. Everton
10. Stoke
11. Swansea
12. Crystal Palace
13. Southampton
14. Bournemouth
15. Sunderland
16. West Brom
17. Middlesborough
18. Burnley
19. Watford
20. Hull

Take care all.

[Rocket Edge]

Just a heads up. The EoFF Fantasy Football league is back so don't forget to enter your team's if you want to join before the season starts. If you're new and want the league code, PM me.

Also.. ~:bounce::spin: POGBA :spin::bounce:~

[Aerith's Knight]

I want to try the Fantasy football thing, how does that work?

[Rocket Edge]

Click here to play. (https://fantasy.premierleague.com/)

The goal of the game is to obtain as many points as you can by the end of the season. Things like goals scored, assists, clean sheets etc. give you points. I'll PM you the code to join our league.

[Psychotic]

I call this the fuck manus prediction: Liverpool top four, Swansea relegated. Oh, and Middlesbrough top 10. I know how much he hates boro.

[Aerith's Knight]

Hmm, too late to join the fantasy league this week, but I've joined for the next 37 rounds.

[Psychotic]

Oh good I've missed having 5 minutes of our Champions League quality attack eviscerate an opponent before 40 minutes of praying our Championship quality defence* don't smurf it all up.

*Ragnar Klavan excluded. Fucking boss.

[Aerith's Knight]

Great match, eye candy almost throughout the game. Same as last year, just two teams hammering into each other and see who gets the most goals, and screw defending!

Like a general that spend all his salaries on cavalry. By golly, I don't know if we'll win, but we'll get to charge! LEEEEEROY JENKINS!

[Rocket Edge]

Liverpool are just a joy to watch. So much gung-ho & movement up front!

[Old Manus]

I call this the fuck manus prediction: Liverpool top four, Swansea relegated. Oh, and Middlesbrough top 10. I know how much he hates boro.My first reaction was "I hate Middlesbrough?", before the awakening inside me of a feeling of hatred for Middlesbrough. Now I feel like I've hated Middlesbrough my whole life and I can't remember why.

[Loony BoB]

Wasn't fussed about Friday Night Football but then I discovered that Jeff Stelling and Rachel Riley are hosting and tbh I couldn't think of any two football show hosts I'd rather see/listen to.

And then they put on Redknapp/Henry/Carragher/Giggs for the couch to put a slight taint on that. I mean, I actually don't mind Redknapp and I like Henry. But Carragher and Giggs... ehhhh. Still better than what we usually see on other channels though. I'll take it. If only Neville was back for the commentating I'd be pretty much sorted.

[Psychotic]

Redknapp and Henry are two of the worst pundits there are. Banal lack of any insight from both, although Henry was a bit better at the Euros.

I have no idea how good Giggs is but Carragher is world class at it. The Carra - Neville double act is superb. Although I think they both bash their old clubs slightly too much to appear unbiased.

[Loony BoB]

Voice counts for a lot with me. It's the reason I absolutely can't stand a lot of ITV/BBC commentators - they just don't sound good on TV. Henry could talk all day, he's awesome for it. Redknapp for me is just a nice balance to the other guys for accents and sound. But Carragher I can't stand the voice of and Giggs has always been someone I'd much prefer watch than listen to. Also, poor choice of words, Giggs, at the start of the match: "We've all been players." Not like you were. :shifty:

It's why I like Neville so much. He's got a good voice for TV and he's a great pundit. Wish he'd come back. Leave management out, man, you could have a glorious career on Sky. :p

Ibra: Is there any way this guy won't end up the best value-for-money signing of the season? xD

I worry a bit for Lingaard, I really feel he offers something really, really worth having in the side and he now has to compete not just with Mata, but also with Mkhitaryan. :(

[Psychotic]

I don't know why I always forget that Liverpool are as limp as a dodgy burger van lettuce when it comes to teams that score early and then try to defend that lead but my life would be a lot happier if I didn't.

[Crop]

Gary Neville is back, he commentated on the Arsenal v Liverpool game last week.

Friday night football is great as a timeslot, but there is absolutely no reason to have 6 hosts/pundits for any game. Total overkill. It's like BT Sport today had 4 commentators for the match. 2 is the maximum.

[Aerith's Knight]

What is the .2 supposed to be? Old retired commentator who lives on their couch and spouts some nonsense every now and then?

[Crop]

Goddamn phone.

[Loony BoB]

Yeah, what, four commentators? Seriously? That's... strange. I'm always happy with two commentators provided their voices don't put me to sleep (I'm looking at you in particular, ITV). For pundits, I think 3 pundits and one host is fine, but I will never ever complain when the hosts are Stelling and Riley.

Ideal situation...

Hosts: Riley & Stelling (they don't have to both be there at the same time, one can host one thing and the other can host other stuff)
Commentary: Neville & Tyler
Pundits: Uhm. Hmm. This is the hard part. Neville, Ray Wilkins and uh... okay I'm just now realising that I just don't like many pundits at all.

[Aerith's Knight]

Goddamn phone.

And here I was hoping on a talking dog with insightful quips.

[Old Manus]

There are actually very few colour commentators that I like. They're all ex-players who don't have much of a clue what they're doing and revert to spending 90 minutes spouting clichés. Alan Smith is fucking insufferable, and I'm still thanking the heavens that the powers that be nipped in the bud the careers of Michael Owen (or did they?) and Phil Neville behind a microphone. As it happens, the only one I can think of right now who I think is actually alright is Stan Collymore.

[Psychotic]

I love a couple of old school ITV ones. David Pleat because of his endearing way of saying good evening everyone and pronouncing player's names woefully wrong. Used to love his Liverpool commentary - here comes Yossi Benny Noon, passing it to Dirk Kurt. But he's also got the biggest encyclopedia of football in the world right within in his brain. Any player who comes onto the pitch and there's Pleaty telling you about how many goals he got in his loan spell to some second division Austrian team.

The other? Playing Andy Townsend bingo is my absolute fucking favourite. I just wish he'd been commentating on something like World War 2. Remilitarisation of the Rhineland, Anschluss with Austria and acquiring Lebensraum for the Aryan people? Not for me, Clive. They need to get in and around the Czechoslovakia area. If anything they invaded the Sudetenland too well. The pinnacle? Dunkirk would've been met with a jubilant "That's better".

[Loony BoB]

I'm getting the impression that this may be one of the most underwhelming deadline days in United's history. Possibly for the entire PL, actually. The two biggest PL stories being a couple of players going somewhere in loan doesn't show much potential for shock. Still, will wait it out. Personally already happy with the United squad so just hoping the other clubs don't make any amazing signings. :shifty:

[Old Manus]

can't get over wilf going to stoke

[Formalhaut]

Is that a bad thing? Transfers always bore me immensely.

[Bubba]

Football

[Psychotic]

Sam Allardyce

[Bubba]

He plays where he wants
He plays where he waaaaaaants
He's Wayne Rooney
and he plays where he wants.

Well done, Sam. Confirming after only one competitive game that he's not the man for the job. Rooney is a very good player but I don't think he should be in England's first 11. Rooney was England's deepest outfield player at points the other night. Why? Because he has no discipline. Yes, it can be frustrating not receiving the ball often but you have to trust your other players. We'd be much better balanced without him in the team. That goes for Utd as well.

[Psychotic]

There are half a dozen players at both United and England who should be in the team ahead of him.

[Formalhaut]

This is going to sound rather anti-patriotic but England really didn't deserve to win that game. A last-minute gasp goal is hardly inspiring. I agree with Bubba; Rooney appears more and more redundant, and even detrimental, to the team as time goes on. Just let him go already!

[Psychotic]

This is going to sound rather anti-patriotic but England really didn't deserve to win that game.Hanging's too good for you, you monster.

[Old Manus]

Sorry guys I can't hear you above based Bale

[Psychotic]

By based Bale I assume you mean Jesus Allen.

[Loony BoB]

Can't say I watched the game, but I get the feeling that Rooney is getting more underrated than overrated because pretty much everyone and their uncles think he's this worthless player. If another player exactly like him popped in, I don't think many people would be so upset. Don't get me wrong, I don't think he's as good as many media outlets claim him to be, but I also don't think he's this player who is somehow stopping England from being better than they are at the moment. Similarly it seems that many players in the England team still heavily rate him, which I assume isn't for no reason whatsoever.

I'm not sure he'd walk into an England XI if I was to put one together but I'm not so certain that he'd be thrown out, either. He's definitely not the player he used to be, but I don't think he's suddenly some kind of ball and chain to England's success.

Also, FWIW, I do really feel he's a quality midfielder. The best? No. But England isn't exactly overflowing with world class midfielders, so I don't think he's that bad a starting option and - for reasons I don't and won't know - the England squad seem to really see him as a captain. Perhaps that's just because England lacks leaders in general. Dunno.

[Bubba]

Regardless of the end result, this has been a fantastic game!

[Loony BoB]

That was such a good game, I'm not even mad.

[Bubba]

That was such a good game, I'm not even mad.

I'm never upset when we get outplayed (unless it's Liverpool), they deserved it.

[Formalhaut]

I think I need a lie down.

[Psychotic]

Pre-empting the predictable media narrative now: Just because Claudio Bravo was bad it doesn't make Joe Hart good.

[Loony BoB]

Perspective: David De Gea's first game(s) for United.

[Psychotic]

I usually make a habit of not watching Liverpool v Leicester aka the Psychotic derby.. As it was the first game at the new remodeled Anfield I had to. I didn't enjoy it!

I'm sad about what's become of Leicester. I said last year that Kante > Mahrez and Vardy and I think it's being proven. Danny Drinkwater is somewhat overrated for being English and he was often exposed today. Kante was the real workhorse in the title winning team.

I'm also disturbed that Leicester have regressed into Pulis era Stoke. Long throw after long throw after long throw. That isn't going to cut it in the Champions League. I really hope it was for Liverpool's benefit given the shambolic defence. But then if you can only manage one (gifted) goal against a back four with James Milner and Lucas in I don't know what to say. On that subject,
Oh good I've missed having 5 minutes of our Champions League quality attack eviscerate an opponent before 40 minutes of praying our Championship quality defence don't smurf it all up.I think I'm just going to quote this after every Liverpool win. Good smurfing lord. I can use that phrase to describe Liverpool at both ends of the pitch today. If I was a neutral I'd love watching Liverpool because of the sublime incisive attacking play counterbalanced by absolute comedy troutshows at the back. I'm not a neutral and I hate it, and doubly hated it today.

[Formalhaut]

I'm sad about what's become of Leicester. I said last year that Kante > Mahrez and Vardy and I think it's being proven. Danny Drinkwater is somewhat overrated for being English and he was often exposed today. Kante was the real workhorse in the title winning team.

Yeah, it's business as usual sadly. They'll stay up I think, but either settle in mid to lower mid table. It's saddening.

[Psychotic]

Pre-empting the predictable media narrative now: Just because Claudio Bravo was bad it doesn't make Joe Hart good.And now Joe Hart has dropped a major clanger in Italy. It's almost as if it takes time to adjust to playing in a new team in a new country.

[Aerith's Knight]

Man, the derby was awesome. That interception by de Bruijne really shows that the next generation will have amazing quality as well.

Also, Ibrahimovic is a disgusting player and should be locked up together with the Man City keeper and Suarez. See who gets out alive.

[Loony BoB]

wait what did Ibra do?

I mean aside from score a cracker, miss a sitter and force a would-be goal to be called out because offside.

[Old Manus]

Maybe Scotland should leave the union after all so I can stop feeling referred embarrassment over how dreadful their football is

[Loony BoB]

Cel "If we were in the Premier League we'd win it" tic

[Psychotic]

Celtic should've joined English football when they had the chance - Scottish football has been left behind. Their idea of starting at the top was fanciful, but I think in the long term even going to the lower echelons of the footballing pyramid would've been a wise move. AFC Wimbledon have shown it's possible to reach the football league in a relatively short amount of time, and I don't doubt a club with the resources of Celtic could've made it up to the money shower that is the Premier League. Right now though they'd struggle at Championship level so I shudder to think of how the rest of the SPL would fare.
Cel "If we were in the Premier League we'd win it" ticWhen Scott "Not good enough for Aston Villa" Sinclair and Moussa "Not the real one" Dembele are your big signings, lol. Winning League One is a more realistic ambition.

[Aerith's Knight]

wait what did Ibra do?

I mean aside from score a cracker, miss a sitter and force a would-be goal to be called out because offside.

Kicking when down, stepping on ankles, every disgusting trick in the book. Similar to the horrible tackle the keeper did on Rooney, both should've been red cards.

[Loony BoB]

I remember him nipping at someone's ankle but I don't think it was horrible once I saw another angle, it wasn't going down onto so much as tripping/tapping in sideways, which every other player on the pitch (if not every player on the pitch) has almost certainly done this year at some point when chasing down another man. That was when he was chasing back for a ball that had been kept in touch near the goal line.

No idea about the other stuff.

[Aerith's Knight]

Big comeback on Real Madrid (pretty spectacular to watch), but the spurs sizzle out, sadly.

Didn't think Monaco was that big of a deal.

[Loony BoB]

So happy for Leicester. :)

Monaco aren't a shabby team by any means, and against Spurs I think they're likely to win their home games. Wasn't sure about the away though. Until Kane really gets back into his groove, I feel like Spurs are gonna struggle.

[Formalhaut]

Hey! Well done Leicester. Hopefully this will kick-start their stuttering start to the Premier League season.

[Psychotic]

Great game for City, wonderful debut. Did the city proud.
Monaco aren't a shabby team by any means, and against Spurs I think they're likely to win their home games. Wasn't sure about the away though. Until Kane really gets back into his groove, I feel like Spurs are gonna struggle.Playing at Wembley isn't necessarily a home advantage in the CL. Good little article from Ray Parlour about how Arsenal found it difficult: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/sep/14/ray-parlour-arsenal-wembley-tottenham-hard-lessons

[Bubba]

Man, I though I'd seen the last of Dirk Kuyt's ugly mug.

[Psychotic]

The man is a Terminator, he will not fucking stop. I think he's one of those players you can't help but love regardless of who you support. He just loves football and absolutely gives everything he's got in every game and doesn't want to stop anytime soon. It's hard not to admire that.

[Bubba]

I think he's one of those players you can't help but love regardless of who you support.

Hahahahaha!

Good one!

[Psychotic]

If you hate Dirk you basically hate football. Get out of this thread!

[Loony BoB]

There are players out there who I can't help but love, but Dirk isn't one of them - I mean, he seems like a cool enough bloke and all but I don't think he's that impacting a player on people who support different teams, especially rival teams. The players that can surpass those boundaries are extremely few indeed.

I mean, let's face it, he's no John O'Shea.

[Psychotic]

Well then you'd be wrong! https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/sep/15/dirk-kuyt-feyenoord-manchester-united-europa-league

He's more of a Park Ji Sung if you want a United comparison. But like actually good at football too.

[Loony BoB]

Of course they beat us, we don't have John O'Shea!

Honestly though, that game was seriously bad. Both teams were just... crap. It was not enjoyable to watch at all.

[Crop]

He's more of a Park Ji Sung if you want a United comparison. But like actually good at football too.

You go too far.

[Psychotic]

I'm sorry. I was hurt and just wanted to lash out.

[Bubba]

Pfft! Mickey Mouse cup anyway.

Unless we win it, of course.

[Psychotic]

Wait a minute, Brad Jones kept a clean sheet against you? Bloody hell.

[Loony BoB]

3 shots on target for both teams summed it up. There were no real solid obvious "so close" chances in the game for us, Ibra kicked a thumper of a free kick at one point that for a splitsecond I thought would go in, but it went straight down the throat of the keeper. It really was a nothing game. They didn't really threaten us much either - their goal was something I could see coming not because I felt they were threatening but because we were not, and in games we don't threaten much in, the other side tend sneak in a goal at some point, eventually.

[Psychotic]

What a smurfing goal. (https://my.mixtape.moe/qdoyjv.mp4)

[Loony BoB]

Is it Liverpool's year now? :o

Cracker, though.

[Psychotic]

Not at all! 3rd at best. I think perhaps it'll be 5th, with whoever finishes in 4th being made to work really hard for it.

[Aerith's Knight]

Great goal by Anderson. That's a Bergkamp goal, right there.

[Formalhaut]

Must say Everton are doing much better than they have been the past few seasons. They're currently sitting second, haven't lost a game yet and have a nice run of games for them coming up. What do you guys think of Koeman?

[Aerith's Knight]

Must say Everton are doing much better than they have been the past few seasons. They're currently sitting second, haven't lost a game yet and have a nice run of games for them coming up. What do you guys think of Koeman?

The same as last year, he does the best he can with what he gets. I don't know how he would manage a team of divas stars, like in the Manchester brothers, but for medium to high quality teams he gets the best out of it.

Should've been our national manager after LvG, to be honest.

[Psychotic]

What do you guys think of Koeman?He's in a different stratosphere to hacks like Martinez and Moyes. I'm not overly convinced of Everton's squad depth for them to sustain a challenge this season as one or two injuries will hit them hard. But Koeman could be building something there.

[Aerith's Knight]

Dear lord, goes to show what happens if you take out Blind. No oversight in the defense, De Gea had no chance stopping the balls.

The last penalty was kind of hilarious though. The guy wanted to run after the ball, looked at it, and then an immediate change of face and slammed into the ground.

[Psychotic]

RIP Wayne Rooney.

[Aerith's Knight]

RIP Wayne Rooney.

He can start an ''old-man'' club with Zlatan and they can talk to each other while they don't move anywhere.

[Bubba]

Mourinho out.

[Psychotic]

I know you mean it facetiously but I don't think it's unreasonable to ask whether he is as good a manager as he was, say, ten years ago. Not a bad manager, certainly, and indeed still a damn good one but after the unmitigated disaster that Chelsea had last season he doesn't seem quite right. The old Mourinho would've dropped Rooney in a heartbeat - look at how he wasn't afraid to drop huge names at Real like Casillas. Chelsea seems to have scarred him after he basically lost the entire dressing room.

In some ways I'm reminded of Wenger, which I don't think either man will thank me for. He was cutting edge and dominant in his time, but he hasn't changed and adapted as the game has. You compare that to Ferguson who was a phenomenon precisely because he reinvented and rebuilt his United side to be successful in different eras with some really different styles of play.

Time will tell I suppose and despite the crap week I still think United are dead certs to make the top four and will still challenge for the title.

[Old Manus]

Well at least it looks like we'll still be playing at a higher level than Cardiff next season

[Loony BoB]

To be fair to Mou, I'd say that he's done his fair share of using different styles as Real Madrid certainly didn't play the same way as Inter Milan - at least, to my knowledge.

But yeah, I've always said that I am wary of Mourinho as a manager of United. Still, he is the manager, and I'm willing to give anyone time to prove themselves.

[Psychotic]

Did he? I thought he played the standard Mourinho 4-5-1/4-3-3/4-2-3-1/whatever you want to call it wherever he went.

http://www.zonalmarking.net/2010/03/16/chelsea-0-1-inter-the-classic-smash-and-grab-0-1-from-mourinho/
http://www.zonalmarking.net/2013/05/01/real-madrid-2-0-dortmund-tactics/

Come to think of it it's the same for Rafa, he plays the exact same way. The pair of them had a lot of success at the same time and even managed a lot of the same clubs. Neither has hit the heights they did previously in recent years though.

[Loony BoB]

All I know is that the team I saw at Real Madrid was way different to the team I saw at Chelsea. I'm talking personnel as much as anything. Formation is important, sure, but the players will always dictate tactics. I mean, how many goals did strikers score for Mourinho at Chelsea? How many at Inter? Real? I'm confident the outcomes will be pretty different, yet all were effective. That's down to tactics.

Regardless, though, as much as I was/am wary of Mourinho, I rolled my eyes the moment we lost our third game and the media jumped on the "Mourinho has lost it!" bandwagon, after our early wins gave us a "Mourinho will take United to the title!" stuff. Just like with Moyes and LVG, give the bloody guy some time to see how he actually manages in the long run before you jump to conclusions.

There are also so many people who were crying about how he always says "the players" and "they" when we draw/lose, but "we" when we win. But any time an article quotes him saying "they" when we win or "we" when we lose? Nowhere to be seen. Every game.

But hey, median and fans are always gonna be fickle as hell.

Happy to give Mourinho a season before I really go crazy on my opinion on him. Also, some players will thrive under some managers, while some will falter. Cases in point: Januzaj under Moyes then LVG. LVG was also great at youth so that wasn't an excuse. Januzaj simply didn't work for him. And that's okay - sometimes you just have to let a player go to a different club in order for him to get the gametime and confidence they need. That's football. We'll have to wait and see who really does do well under Mourinho. I think at the moment everyone is waiting for the moment when Rooney is dropped, but I'm not sold that the replacements are going to be all that much better just yet. Time will tell. I mean, who do you put in his position? Mata? He's not been much better than Rooney this season, even when given the chance to play in that position. Pogba? Perhaps, but no matter what he does people will focus on the price tag and call him a flop because no midfielder can "prove" their £89m worth. Who else? Mickey? Maybe. He seems like he needs more time though, he was horrible when he started against City. Awful.

I'd love to see what happens if we get a front three of Martial-Rashford-Lingard like we sometimes did last season because the pace rocked a lot of sides. Not sure it'll happen while Ibra is banging in goals though - and fair enough, I guess.

I'm genuinely unsure how I'd play our team at the moment. I see the potential for a lot of formations but I genuinely don't have a clue what our best side would be.

[Psychotic]

You still love Lingard? I would've thought the disaster of a game he had at Man City has proven he's way out of his depth at this level. Sorry Daniel but he'll be at somewhere like West Ham or Sunderland by this time next year, quote this post with mockery if I'm wrong!

[Loony BoB]

One bad game on the wrong side of the pitch (he's a right midfielder, not a left on) and he's bad? :lol: He scored in the last two games he started before that one!

[Psychotic]

Well, we'll see, eh? :)

[Loony BoB]

FWIW, I've never felt he was a Ronaldo, but I do feel he has proven himself on the right side of midfield time and time again as a chance creator and taker. As for him being sold, I wouldn't be shocked because Mourinho will favour Mata and Mickey, but I don't think that would reflect on his ability so much as Mourinho's preference for players with famous names.

Lingard I feel is most certainly capable of performing to the level of Fletcher, Park, etc. in big games and little ones alike. He won't be super famous, but he will be far more consistent than the likes of, say, Nani or Depay.

[Psychotic]

Dunno, Jose seems to have taken a shine to Bailly and Rashford. He all but named Lingard as someone who disappointed him after the City game though, and barring injuries I don't think you'll be seeing much of him outside the cups and maybe off the bench.

[Loony BoB]

Bailly is a player he purchased, and for a good amount, too, so that's a no-brainer. Mickey has apparently not been match fit hence his lack of starts, and Mou wanted to prove to the fans that he would play Mata to try and play down their inability to work together or whatever. Otherwise, he's played all his purchases pretty much every game. I have little to complain about with Bailly, regardless. Mickey has yet to show his ability. Hopefully he won't be another Kagawa, struggling in the move from German to English football...

In fact, because Lingard is not a big name and Mickey is arguably the only player who performed worse than Lingard against City, I imagine we'll ignore the fact that Lingard has been great in all his other games while Mickey has continued to struggle, but will get untold amounts more chances. Also, he all but called out Shaw twice (and specifically him rather than both Lingard and Mickey vs. City) for our most recent game. Do we think that's the end of Shaw? Hell no. It's a fame thing, I really do believe it. By all accounts, Lingard proved himself last season to be a very good player on the right wing, and when combined with Rashford up front and Martial on the left we had fast, attacking talents on all three fronts. Lingard isn't as good as the other two but that's like saying Fletcher wasn't as good as Scholes. You need both kind of players. I don't want us to become Galacticos.

Again, noting Lingard was on the left vs. City when he is a right side winger - I've never seen him on the left before. He looked uncomfortable from the start. Meanwhile, he played the full game vs. City in March when we beat them at their ground, so he's capable at this level, yeah.

EDIT: To be clear, I agree we probably won't see much of him outside of cups and off the bench. I don't think that's a reflection on his ability but Mourinho's trust in young, home grown talents, especially those without a big name. The fact that Rashford has had to force his way into the side through the England U-21 side is another reflection of this.

[Old Manus]

I love the smell of column inches inspired by Yaya Toure's agent in the morning.

[Psychotic]

I particularly liked the idea that an apology owed if City do not win the CL without Yaya. Yes, because all those other European campaigns with him ended in glory.

[Loony BoB]

From what I understand, Pep, Yaya and Yaya's agent have all had apologies demanded from them now. Man, why didn't they just sell him?

[Psychotic]

Could've easily made £20m at least from a Chinese club for him.

[Crop]

Really really hope Fellani and Rooney get dropped. I'd play Blind as DM and Herrera and Pogba in the centre, Ibra up front with Rashford and Martial either side. Even if I love Rashford as an impact sub right now.

No need for either of those players anymore, they are stifling our game. We have better ones.

[Loony BoB]

Oddly enough, the majority opinion of United fans on forums I check out is that Fellaini is one of the few players who are actually performing consistently and to a decent standard.

I mean, don't get me wrong, these places don't like Fellaini much at all, but they still for the most part begrudgingly point to him as one of the better performers in our team right now.

General consensus regarding Rooney seems to be that he needs to be dropped, but nobody has good ideas for who could replace him or what our best team is.

I'm indifferent for the most part. I just want to see us play with more speed. I'm not a fan of having Ibra, Rooney and Mata regularly starting together. They're all good players but it leaves us with Martial as the only fast player on the pitch, and Martial has been off-form.

[charliepanayi]

So Arsenal's first few games saw them get stuffed by the one decent team we've played so far, and win against the less good teams. Sounds about right.

The next month or so sees the 20th anniversary of some momentous events:
- Newcastle 5 Man Utd 0
- Wenger becomes Arsenal manager
- Southampton 6 Man Utd 3

[Psychotic]

Southampton 6 Man Utd 3Ah yes, the time United changed kits entirely at half time.

[Bubba]

Southampton 6 Man Utd 3Ah yes, the time United changed kits entirely at half time.

Check your stats, man. We didn't change our kit at all in that game. We were just smurfing terrible.

The season before we were 3-0 down at half time because we were wearing our grey kit and as we all know... grey is the same as invisible. We changed kits at half time and we actually won the second half 1-0.

So there.

[Psychotic]

I remember the season when Liverpool had a grey kit so I know full well it really does affect your performances. We only won 1-4 at Old Trafford and Vidic only got the one red card against us that year ffs.

[Loony BoB]

idk which match you're talking about but I'm guessing Torres was playing if Vidic got sent off.

[Psychotic]

Honestly, I had years of Man United fans raving about how Vidic was the best CB in the Prem and it confused me to no end. The man just lost his mind when facing Torres. I just assume he was a god damn monster for the other 36 games a season.

[Loony BoB]

Honestly? Yeah, he was. xD Watching him against Torres baffled me just as much. It was like he just had this consistency and excellence that reached a certain limit and Torres was beyond that limit, and he couldn't compute how to adapt.

Thank goodness Torres got sold by Liverpool or he'd probably still be haunting us today.

[Bubba]

Vidic had like one bad game against Torres (the 1-4) and from that all I hear now is "Vidic couldn't cope with Torres!" Even though he dominated him in almost every other game.

[Psychotic]

Dunno, think he also made a mug of him when we had that terrible black and gold away kit (I define my seasons by away kit) too although pretty sure we lost. I think it was Rafa's last season actually so it was the beginning of the godawful years.

Plus the whole four red cards thing.

[Loony BoB]

Definitely referring to the red cards.

[Bubba]

The King is dead. Long live the King.

[Bubba]

Fuck me.

We're playing well but Leicester are awful.

[Loony BoB]

Crazy thing is we've missed some blatant chances, too.

[Psychotic]

RIP Wayne Rooney.

[Bubba]

RIP Wayne Rooney.

[Bubba]

There will be one goal at the most in this second half. 4-1 or 5-0.

Most likely though. It'll stay 4-0. Happy with that!

[Bubba]

There will be one goal at the most in this second half. 4-1 or 5-0.

I have never lost a bet when I place one mid-game. If you ever want to know the outcome of a game once it's started... come see your Dad. Or... someone's Dad.

I'm not convinced by Mourinho after that Sky interview. He said we started well? No we didn't. We were understandably nervous and Leicester could have taken advantage. The first goal gave us the confidence to start playing well. Leicester... well they just imploded in that first half. Our second goal was great. The last two... smurfing terrible defending, Gary.

[Loony BoB]

People read into interviews way too much.

More than happy with the result, personally! I think any United fan would have taken that.

[Psychotic]

Hey BoB do you still think David Moyes is a good manager? This isn't a rhetorical question, after the woeful start he's had at Sunderland I was just reminded that you defended him to the death against my endless criticism of the toilet water he served up at United. After the disaster that was his spell at Real Sociedad and now cowardly bollocks like this (http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37463820) I'm genuinely curious if you still think he's all that. On the one hand you could say the Sunderland job is a poisoned chalice, but on the other hand some truly smurfing awful managers have kept them up somehow too and Moyes himself was allowed to spunk £30m this summer, so.

I've always said he's a bang average (at best) whose achievements at Everton were vastly overplayed by the media and old boys network because he was British. Though tbf you can say the same of every British manager of the past few years - Redknapp, Allardyce, Hodgson et al. I mean ffs some papers legitimately touted Steve Bruce for the United and England jobs this summer.

[Bubba]

I know you called it Psy, but I was willing to give Moyes a chance. You were right. What the f**k is he doing managing at the top level? F**king waste of space.

[Formalhaut]

And now for something completely different.




Fifa disbands its anti-racism taskforce declaring that the job is done (https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/sep/25/fifa-anti-racism-task-force-russia-2018-world-cup).

"Fifa has disbanded its anti-racism task force, declaring the work complete despite ongoing concerns about discriminatory behaviour in Russia, the hosts of the 2018 World Cup.

Fifa has written to members of the task force to say that it has “completely fulfilled its temporary mission” and “is hereby dissolved and no longer in operation.”



Right (http://www.kickitout.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/KickItOut_AnnualReport2015-lowres.pdf). Job done (http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/racist-displays-by-fans-in-russian-football-double-in-the-past-season-as-2018-world-cup-approaches-a3134641.html). Nothing to see here (https://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/oct/18/manchester-city-russia-racism-yaya-toure-cska-moscow). Ta-ta.

[Loony BoB]

Wow.

[Psychotic]

Oh Fifa.

[Old Manus]

They'll be declaring that they're not corrupt anymore any day now.

[Loony BoB]

FIFA are basically turning into the lego community when they're singing Everything Is Awesome.

[Formalhaut]

Not to mention the amount of funding Kick It Out (https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2016/mar/12/kick-it-out-football-racism-tv-millions) gets, and the amount of homophobia (http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/homophobic-abuse-sport-football-stonewall-gay_uk_57e2328ee4b0e81629a827de) that goes on too.

[charliepanayi]

People still caring what FIFA are getting up to huh.

[Aerith's Knight]

I'm pretty sure they just figured out that trying to change football fans is like trying to change denizens of the internet. It's not gonna happen and it only costs money and time to try.

[charliepanayi]

I see the press here has already begun their usual efforts to totally undermine the England manager.

[Rocket Edge]

That's pretty bizarre what's coming out about big Sam. I laughed at the G-Nev bit. The English tabloids would glass their own mam for a headline.

[Psychotic]

"Prince Harry’s a naughty boy. He’s a very naughty boy, very naughty. He shows his bottom and all sorts." ~ Sam Allardyce, 2016.

Oo er.

[Old Manus]

He'll be declaring that the physically/mentally crippled are paying for misdeeds in a past life any day now.

[Psychotic]

A pint glass of wine you know. Pure Allardyce.

[Rocket Edge]

A pint glass of wine you know. Pure Allardyce.
It's hilarious. :lol:

I just thought that he'll forever be the England manager with a 100% record for the rest of his life if by the looks of it he gets the boot.

[charliepanayi]

Let's hear it for those caretaker England managers with win percentages of 0% - take a bow Howard Wilkinson, Peter Taylor and Stuart Pearce!

[Formalhaut]

Hey, looks like he'll be able to maintain his 100% record after all.


Sam Allardyce leaves England manager job after one game in charge (https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/sep/27/sam-allardyce-leaves-england-manager-role-fa)



Allardyce departs with Gareth Southgate taking charge of next four games
Manager's England tenure lasts a solitary game and 67 days



67 days is impressively short. Is that the shortest tenure for a non-caretaker England manager? My history knowledge is lacking.

EDIT: I should say, I find this entire episode absolutely hilarious.

[Psychotic]

The Age of Gareth Southgate has dawned.

[Formalhaut]

The Age of Gareth Southgate has dawned.

He probably won't stay manager for that long, at least until someone else comes in. Didn't he say in summer he was hesitant putting himself up England manager? Or something like that, I don't really follow sporting news that critically.

[charliepanayi]

Southgate will be caretaker manager until the spring it sounds like. And then what? Pardew? Bruce? Howe? Hoddle?? The inanimate carbon rod???

70672

[Aerith's Knight]

Don't be so sure, the NL is still set up with the caretaker manager. Nobody wants the job and the guy certainly isn't prepared.

[Formalhaut]

Oh, and Leicester won against Porto, which isn't a bad achievement. 1-0. They now sit top of their group, which is something I'd sure they'd love to replicate in the Premier League. At this point, top half is a decent challenge.

[Crop]

I'd hate to fill Big Sam's shoes, a 100% record is a hard act to follow.

[Psychotic]

Outstanding character > Pep.

[Old Manus]

Imagine my mirth when I turned over the Metro this morning and saw GET WENGER

[charliepanayi]

Like Wenger wants to deal with a media even more entitled than what he's already dealing with with Arsenal fans.

[Psychotic]

I'm up for Wenger. I want to see if he wears that bizarre caterpillar cocoon coat in the heat of the Qatar desert.

[charliepanayi]

I admire your optimism that he'd still be in the job after five years!

[Bubba]

Huge game tonight against Zorya Luhansk.

After the dark years of Moyes and Van Gaal, I thought we'd seen the last of the big European clubs coming to Old Trafford.

[Bubba]

Michael Oliver proving yet again he's not fit to referee at Premiership level. Never a penalty.

[Psychotic]

He's been shit but that was one of the better decisions tbh.

[Aerith's Knight]

The Stokes goal shows once more that you only need to outplay 1 Man United defender to get a free shot at the goal.

[Bubba]

Smurfing Joe Allen.

[Psychotic]

Don't know why you spunked £89m on a French knock off version of Joe Allen when you could've had the real thing for much less.

[Old Manus]

70709

[Psychotic]

I see you're taking Glen Johnson's return to the England squad badly.

PS: At least it wasn't Ryan Giggs, eh?

[Bubba]

Giggsy would have led Swansea into a top four finish this season before romping home as champions (by a fifteen point margin) next season.

You guys have missed out big time.

[Psychotic]

All joking aside, do you legitimately rate him as a coach? Like, if he'd been appointed instead of Mourinho this summer would you have been pleased? I have a negative perception of him as a coach but I do of course have my own biases so it'd be interesting to see what a United fan thinks. I just struggle to look past him being the assistant manager during the most atrocious seasons I've ever seen United have. The biggest blame does of course fall on the shoulders of Moyes and LvG respectively, but then if you want to absolve Giggs for the actual football then you do have to blame him for being so ineffective in his own role to have any sort of impact.

[Bubba]

It's difficult to tell. He does seem to have the right temperament for it but giving him a high profile job straight away would be the worst thing to do. I would be interested to see how he did at a sh*te club first. Swansea would have been perfect :p

[Loony BoB]

Impossible to rate someone as a manager when they've only ever been a manager for, what, three games or so. Giggs needs to be a manager before he can be rated as one. As a coach? Tough to say, really. We don't see what goes on in the background.

[Old Manus]

Neither does his wife

[Loony BoB]

He still has a wife?

[Rocket Edge]

It said a lot about Giggs that he would have taken the job at United to follow his own ambition rather than the greater good of the club over the summer bringing in a top coach. I was delighted he didn't get the job. As BoB said he needs to prove he can actually manage a club, any club first. If I was a Swansea fan I wouldn't want him either. He might turn out to be another Pep but it's too risky.

[Aerith's Knight]

First decisive win for the new NL. Just in time to get our ass kicked by France.

[Bubba]

Who the hell is this Eric Dier joker that's replaced the legend that is Wayne Rooney? Woeful display so far.

Southgate out.

[charliepanayi]

Can always rely on Scotland to be Scotland.

[Old Manus]

Not gonna lie, I'm a Brit. I've backed England since the first tournament I cared about back in 96. But smurf me they make it hard sometimes. Maybe it's partly because Wales are on a good trot at the moment but I can't watch England anymore because they are just so, so dour, turgid and generally trout that just watching it on TV makes me angry at how football can be done so wrongly. It's not even like the 2004-2012 period where they were just bang average - England are rubbish.

That wouldn't necessarily be a cause for crisis in itself, if it wasn't for waking up the morning after every game and seeing the front page of BBC Sport plastered with pictures of Wayne Rooney with his hands on his hips and yet another article by Phil McNulty explaining how he is SHOCKED, JUST SHOCKED I TELL YOU at RUDDERLESS ENGLAND'S NEW NEW NEW ERA failing YET AGAIN. At least when England are bad at cricket (not an uncommon sight) it's always done with a tongue in cheek 'heh, typical England amirite?' slant. International football isn't particularly great to watch at the best of times but I'm caring for it less and less as time goes on.

[Psychotic]

I can't watch them either. And, welp, yeah, fuck any media coverage of England.

The sad thing is it really doesn't have to be like that. There's no superstars like the Golden Generation™ but that's good, there could be a focus on the team instead. There's a lot of good young attacking players there playing for good attacking league teams. But for some reason it all just goes to hell.

[Loony BoB]

Simple solution I use: Don't watch international football. :D I mean I watch the odd game but I certainly don't watch it to support any particular team. Generally I just hope United players play well.

[charliepanayi]

Don't watch games involving England anyway. Or Scotland.

Look how happy San Marino were when they scored last night:

https://twitter.com/NOT_MOTD/status/785941058861621249

[Psychotic]

I don't know about that, international tournament football is actually the best football there is! It's just a shame that qualifying for them is such a drudgery. It's particularly annoying that it keeps happening just as you're starting to get into the league's new season.

[Formalhaut]

Qualifying for many tournaments is a chore. The actual World Cup is fun. But mostly I agree. Especially about England and Scotland.

[Crop]

I don't know about that, international tournament football is actually the best football there is!

Generally I'd agree with you, but the Euros were 90% dross. I don't think many would argue with that, except maybe Iceland and Wales.

[Aerith's Knight]

The qualifiers themselves are a joke as well. Italy and Spain in the same group, but group D and E are all B-teams. Teams that would normally not ever make it in.

Yet in the Asian qualifiers teams like North Korea gets in. Or Iran. I suppose they need a few sacrifices for the opening game, so that the referee doesn't have to blatantly cheat *cough*Brazil*cough*

[Loony BoB]

"This group has two big names, but this one doesn't" - they're all pulled out of hats in which they get into based on merit, last I checked. So I think that's pretty harsh to the teams that got in.

[Old Manus]

Hoo boy...

[Aerith's Knight]

"This group has two big names, but this one doesn't" - they're all pulled out of hats in which they get into based on merit, last I checked. So I think that's pretty harsh to the teams that got in.

As far as I know, what they usually do is to put the top teams from the FIFA ranking into their own seperate group. Then all the other teams are drawn from a hat (although god knows that can't be cheated).

You do this to avoid having France, Italy, and Spain all being in the same group, of which a maximum of 2 can progress. You do this avoid having Finals-type games played out in the bloody primaries. As well as insuring that even if you are good enough to be there, the rules and luck in the draw determine whether you can or cannot.

That way you also avoid having a group of top-ranking teams like Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Denmark, Kazachstan, and Armenia. Where the top team (Montenegro) is 105th of the FIFA world ranking.

[Bubba]

I think it's safe to say that Leicester City's 15 minutes of fame is over.

[Aerith's Knight]

I think it's safe to say that Leicester City's 15 minutes of fame is over.

Yeah, it was kind of depressing to watch.

[Psychotic]

Indeed. Although even if relegation happens it'll have been worth it.

[Aerith's Knight]

Everton - Man City was a good watch, though. Two stopped penalties, not what I'd thought would happen. Still, more stalling near the end, annoying.

[Psychotic]

I had a dream that Liverpool v United finished 3-2 to United with a late Wayne Rooney header being the decider. Posting this here so we know whether or not I'm psychic!

[Loony BoB]

That way you also avoid having a group of top-ranking teams like Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Denmark, Kazachstan, and Armenia. Where the top team (Montenegro) is 105th of the FIFA world ranking.
Poland - 21
Romania - 32
Denmark - 46
Montenegro - 74
Kazakhstan - 83
Armenia - 112

Just because Montenegro are top of the table after three games doesn't turn the whole group into a farce. They beat Denmark, drew with Romania, beat Kazakhstan. They are currently top on merit, and the group isn't lacking in competent teams. It is entirely possible for a low ranking team to perform well, and I love seeing it happen. Hell, I am so proud of NZ for finishing unbeaten at the 2010 World Cup. They drew with Italy, Paraguay and Slovakia when nobody really expected us to have a chance. No other team finished unbeaten. :D

"Small" teams should be applauded when they do well rather than their group derided.

[Aerith's Knight]

Poland - 21
Romania - 32
Denmark - 46
Montenegro - 74
Kazakhstan - 83
Armenia - 112

Just because Montenegro are top of the table after three games doesn't turn the whole group into a farce. They beat Denmark, drew with Romania, beat Kazakhstan. They are currently top on merit, and the group isn't lacking in competent teams. It is entirely possible for a low ranking team to perform well, and I love seeing it happen. Hell, I am so proud of NZ for finishing unbeaten at the 2010 World Cup. They drew with Italy, Paraguay and Slovakia when nobody really expected us to have a chance. No other team finished unbeaten. :D

"Small" teams should be applauded when they do well rather than their group derided.

Didn't even realize Poland had risen so far up the table, but that's beside the point.

The qualifiers are supposed to ensure that only the teams who have a certain standard of quality enter the world cup, so that every match is worth watching.. It's like the Champion's league in that sense.

By using a system that can set 2-3 teams that do have that quality in the same group, which ensures only 1 can pass, and 1 maybe, you are effectively eliminating strong teams before the tournament even starts. Having groups where if not the 1st, at least the 2nd place would be a doubtful team for the world cup (at best), makes it even more of an insult.

My point is that the randomness of the EU qualifiers, together with the qualifying system itself, can/will decrease the overall level, and therefore validity, of the "World cup".

I mean, you could have one group of France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, etc. And then another of a bunch of city states, Luxembourg, and Liechtenstein, and you basically say that the winner of that group deserves to be in the world cup.

tl;dr: I don't care about the individual countries that may or may not be performing well. The system is silly, and decreases the validity of the world cup, in the same way that the Baseball world cup doesn't mean that much because the biggest baseball country (USA) doesn't allow their players to join (as far as I know).

[Loony BoB]

I dunno man, looking at the system they used, it seems pretty legit.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_(UEFA)#First_round

If anything, the surprise was that Romania was ranked 8th in Europe THE WORLD (!?) at the time.

[Psychotic]

The Fifa rankings have always been broadly accurate but have the potential to throw up a few anomalies. Most people who watch football don't really give any sort of a smurf about them.

Anyway, I've already put my skills as a psychic on the line, let's put my skills as a pundit too. Liverpool to dominate the game, De Gea to make a string of saves, Man United fans will be having a meltdown on Twitter at the utter destruction that is going on. Which is a bit silly, really, they should just enjoy watching the skill of De Gea at work.

Around the 65th minute mark Liverpool look slightly confused and out of ideas. This is the time. United will score either by lumping the ball into the box for a big lump (and they have a lot of them) to head it in or someone like Rashford, Martial or - just to smurfing spite me - Lingard will drive in a low shot into one of the corners. 0-1. Our Year will be cancelled until 2018.

Paul Scholes, conversely, thinks Liverpool will win. Well, of course he does.

[Loony BoB]

It's a Liverpool vs. United game, so I'm predicting that something will happen and form will count for nothing. I'm not sure if that's good or bad.

Lingard getting a goal would be awesome. Apparently he was the best player in the recent England game? No idea if true, didn't watch it.

[Psychotic]

Nah, you can easily predict Liverpool v United in the league. It's the same bloody thing every year. I saw a cheerful stat that the last 10 league match ups had 7 United wins, 2 Liverpool wins (in that one season we were good and had Suarez) and 1 draw. The Europa League tie was the wildcard, this is pure bread and butter. If Liverpool win you can give me a Jesse Lingard avatar.

Also, second best. The True Captain of England, Sir Jordan of Henderson won the MotM! :p

[Bubba]

It's a strange one tonight. I'm normally dreading these games but I'm actually quite excited. I think it's because I'm certain Liverpool will win tonight. I will match you Psy and will agree to (once again) sport a Jordan Henderson avatar for a week if Utd win.

If it's a draw then BoB has to have a Nick Jonas avatar for a week for absolutely no reason.

[Crop]

I'll keep the unwavering faith over here on my own then. 2-1 United.

Always get pumped for this game, gives me a feeling no other game in the calendar does.

[Bubba]

gives me a feeling no other game in the calendar does.

Yup. Usually absolute terror.

[Psychotic]

You normally smack us, what are you so scared of! :lol: I do know the feeling all too well though. There's no rivalry in English football quite like it.

[Cell]

I'm struggling to see past Man City, their recent blip aside.

[Bubba]

I'm struggling to see past Man City, their recent blip aside.

Yeah, with you on that, my man. They're gonna walk it.

I'm not scared tonight. Well, I wasn't but now we've stared really well it's gonna make defeat even worse. You'll nick a goal when you've not deserved it and I'll be all depressed then turn up for work tomorrow hungover and unhappy.

[Psychotic]

I was totally wrong about the game. United playing at Anfield like Liverpool normally do with ridiculous pressing and Liverpool just forced to hopefully hoof it. First glimpse of what a Mourinho United might be capable of and it's ominous.

[Bubba]

Well, it was a half of two-thirds. So... a third.

But yeah, opening half hour from us was great but there weren't many chances created. We needed to score during that time.

This is could be a 0-0

[Psychotic]

One thing I'll say from experience of watching Liverpool is that playing at 100mph from the first whistle you can often gas early. Liverpool and Spurs both do it and both Klopp and Poch make them do double training sessions to boost the stamina. I don't know if Mourinho does the same and whether it's a good idea to do it right after the international break. Still, smurfing respect to him for having the balls to do that, that was impressive. I'm even impressed by the cynical gamebreaking fouls - this is not a dig - shades of Inter Milan Mourinho right there.

[Bubba]

Liverpool look strong now. This'll be 2-0. Goal with about ten mins to go then another in stoppage time.

[Bubba]

What

[Bubba]

A

[Bubba]

Save

[Bubba]

What

[Bubba]

A

[Bubba]

Tackle

[Bubba]

70780

[charliepanayi]

Well, that was utter bilge.

[Loony BoB]

I was busy helping people in FFXIV and lost track of time. Started watching the game at 86 minutes.

So I missed nothing, really.

[Psychotic]

Ander Herrera MotM? Honestly, this is why Carragher > Neville. No I don't care if you can understand his accent or not, the man isn't delusional! Of United's 3 man midfield, he ranked at #3 for his performance today. Yes, behind even Fellaini!

I had a pretty trout day of my own as a pundit though so who am I to judge though! Well, I was right that United would gas and I was right that De Gea would pull off some sick saves but that's about it. Draw a fair result, really.

e: Also apparently I know nothing about football, United fans are praising Herrera to the rafters (I am a big fan of him, check my post history! Just thought he was guff tonight) and Liverpool fans are saying United played like dogshit with 30% possession. I give up!

[Psychotic]

Also I like how many posts this one match generated despite it being one of the most dreary you'll see all year.

[Formalhaut]

This was... bleh? Two giants lock horns and refuse to budge. Such events can be very boring.