The English Football Thread

[Special Juan 27,100]

Honeymoon period over.

[Jase 43,479]

4 hours ago, communicate said:

One thing I realize about Ole. He is like fans dream manager. Say all the correct thing that fans want to hear. Grit, United way, run more, work harder, care about the badge plus he is a club legend. 

But this kind of thing are just empty. Yes in short term they are good but in long term you need to proper build up, how can we score, how do we want to defend. Otherwise you just sound like pundits. 

The funny thing now is, Solskjaer is saying the same things that Mourinho used to say when he was in charge. But one got hammered from all directions for it while the other is getting praised to the heavens. 

Also, I might be proven wrong in the future but right now, Solskjaer doesn't seem to be a man of his own, a manager with his own ideas etc. He just wants to replicate Ferguson, from the things he used to do to the things he used to say. 

[Tomo 21,681]

20 minutes ago, Jason said:

The funny thing now is, Solskjaer is saying the same things that Mourinho used to say when he was in charge. But one got hammered from all directions for it while the other is getting praised to the heavens. 

Also, I might be proven wrong in the future but right now, Solskjaer doesn't seem to be a man of his own, a manager with his own ideas etc. He just wants to replicate Ferguson, from the things he used to do to the things he used to say. 

As soon as the permanent deal was announced things went to shit, exactly like Liverpool and Kenny.

Hopefully OGS is as wasteful in the market and sets the club back years like Dalglish did.

[communicate 2,703]

3 hours ago, Jason said:

The funny thing now is, Solskjaer is saying the same things that Mourinho used to say when he was in charge. But one got hammered from all directions for it while the other is getting praised to the heavens. 

Also, I might be proven wrong in the future but right now, Solskjaer doesn't seem to be a man of his own, a manager with his own ideas etc. He just wants to replicate Ferguson, from the things he used to do to the things he used to say. 

He is a united legend and most pundits are his peers and friends. They won't attack him. Plus he is beloved by United fans so they won't criticize him either.

People keep saying winning is the most important thing, yes on short term. But it is a dangerous proposition to keep winning when you keep creating less chances than your opp, eventually your luck will run out. 

 

[Jase 43,479]

8 hours ago, Tomo said:

As soon as the permanent deal was announced things went to shit, exactly like Liverpool and Kenny.

Our board are bad but it takes some doing for United to "outshine" them. They said they will take their time and think thoroughly before hiring their next permanent manager at the end of the season but succumbed to pressure from the fans, media etc and hired Solskjaer. Situation so similar to Di Matteo back in 2012. And if this is true, then it's really  from Woodward... 

8 hours ago, Tomo said:

Hopefully OGS is as wasteful in the market and sets the club back years like Dalglish did.

If United don't finish in the top 4, then I find it hard to see why would players want to go there when (a) there are more attractive options in the likes of Man City, Liverpool, Real Madrid, (b) supposedly their best player in Pogba wants to leave and (c) Solskjaer's selling point is basically trying to do what Ferguson did. Not even a fan of them and his rhetoric has bored me to death.

[Jase 43,479]

5 hours ago, communicate said:

He is a united legend and most pundits are his peers and friends. They won't attack him. Plus he is beloved by United fans so they won't criticize him either.

It's typical, isn't it? When United had that good run, it's all because how great Solskjaer is bla bla bla. Now they're having this bad run and Solskjaer gets absolved of the blame, it's all the players' fault and even he is openly calling out the players. What's the difference really between him and Mourinho?

5 hours ago, communicate said:

People keep saying winning is the most important thing, yes on short term. But it is a dangerous proposition to keep winning when you keep creating less chances than your opp, eventually your luck will run out. 

 

[Strike 6,961]

Even after a bumper weekend, Chelsea still does not have everything in their hands in the top 4 race. One tough game vs Man United away to deal with as well where I will tear my hair out when Sarri plays a false 9 and we have another toothless performance in front of goal.  

[Laylabelle 9,296]

13 hours ago, Strike said:

Even after a bumper weekend, Chelsea still does not have everything in their hands in the top 4 race. One tough game vs Man United away to deal with as well where I will tear my hair out when Sarri plays a false 9 and we have another toothless performance in front of goal.  

Turns out don't have to worry about next week tripping us up. Tough game against Man U.. We made this a tough game! 

What a load of crap. They drop points so we do as well. 

Meh we don't deserve 4th or look like we'll cope 

[1905didierblue 748]

Well, that's that. Gone.

No more hoping from me for top4.

 

[1905didierblue 748]

Come to think of it. Is missing out on top4 and CL, really that bad at the moment.

1. We clearly don't have a good enough squad to be competing against the likes of pool, city, Barca, real etc. 

2. We have a transfer ban coming up. It can go 2 ways, we get banned for the upcoming windows or we get to buy players this window. In the first case, we can actually reboot. We can have kids like Tammy, Reece James, dujon Sterling, Mason mount, ampadu settle in and get a taste of big European nights. In the case of latter and us having cl, we might do an overkill and buy the likes of morata, drinkwater etc, which will end up screwing us even more in the long term.

If the whole season was not one, today definitely was an eye opener. A rude awakening and a slap on the face. We are no longer an elite club. Infact, we are no where near an elite club. We really need to have a reboot, which can't be possible if we keep repeating the same mistakes. It's time to take a step back or maybe 3/4 steps back. Just think long term and implement it.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

3 hours ago, bakayokofan said:

Come to think of it. Is missing out on top4 and CL, really that bad at the moment.

1. We clearly don't have a good enough squad to be competing against the likes of pool, city, Barca, real etc. 

2. We have a transfer ban coming up. It can go 2 ways, we get banned for the upcoming windows or we get to buy players this window. In the first case, we can actually reboot. We can have kids like Tammy, Reece James, dujon Sterling, Mason mount, ampadu settle in and get a taste of big European nights. In the case of latter and us having cl, we might do an overkill and buy the likes of morata, drinkwater etc, which will end up screwing us even more in the long term.

If the whole season was not one, today definitely was an eye opener. A rude awakening and a slap on the face. We are no longer an elite club. Infact, we are no where near an elite club. We really need to have a reboot, which can't be possible if we keep repeating the same mistakes. It's time to take a step back or maybe 3/4 steps back. Just think long term and implement it.

Next year is absolute must to qualify for CL then. If we were 3 years without CL and top 4, no way we can convince top players to come here (its already hard) and that would mean couple average seasons until we rebuild (it took Liverpool quite some time, while United and Arsenal are still trying to find a way). 

Playing with many youngsters will be absolutely suicidal. Even the likes of Everton or Bournemoth produce maybe a player every couple seasons and they dont compete for top spots. It would be impossible for us to compete for top 4 and develop couple youngsters. 

Maybe Odoi (who is injured) along with RLC were our best bets to make them established quality players next season. James being the underdog for that. Playing more than that will certainly make us very weak.

I would love for us to just go all out and develop generation for the future if we cant buy anyone, but this isnt fifa. We would end below 15th if we did that. 

[Vesper 27,310]

20 minutes ago, BlueLyon said:

Next year is absolute must to qualify for CL then.

Not to be a debbie downer, but with Eden leaving, the bans, CHO wrecked for months and our team as is

we have almost zero chance at top 4 next season

all the other top 6 cubs are going to massive reload, especially Manure and Spuds, Arse too, and we are not remotely close to the dipper or shitty atm

if Pulisic is a bust

our starting wingers are Pedro and Willian most every game due to CHO blowing up his Achilles tonight, with RLC played out of position as only other backup besides CP till CHO recovers

we have zero backup DMF to Jorginho unless Ampadu comes good (or we recall, lolol Bakayoko OR play DRINKWATER, lol)

we must recall Zouma and pray Rudiger stays healthy as Luiz (thank dog) walks on a free (grrrrrrrr, we should have sold him to PSG last summer) as we will NEVER (IF WE DO I AM DONE) give him a 3 year extension he is demanding

we may have to renew Higs after all, as I see no pathways for Bats or Morata to come good for us and that is £80m or so we need to cash in on for 2020, so that leaves him, Tammy and Giroud as our CF's, eeeeeek

and we are fucked at LB unless the midget Jay Dasilva explodes out of the aether

[Vesper 27,310]

just saw this

WELSH CUNTS

I cannot believe them!!!!

so so fucked they may not be relegated

this makes me burn with anger

Cardiff insist they will not pay a cent for Emiliano Sala in papers handed to FIFA

https://www.foxsports.com.au/football/premier-league/teams/cardiff-city/cardiff-insist-they-will-not-pay-a-cent-for-emiliano-sala-in-papers-handed-to-fifa/news-story/9ee348511df5342d744eb7c656e5fa43

absolute FUCKERS!!

the FA should give them a points reduction and knock down to 3rd division

I said this was going to happen the day or two after he died

DISGRACE to the UK

SHAME!!!!!!

 

[1905didierblue 748]

1 hour ago, BlueLyon said:

Next year is absolute must to qualify for CL then. If we were 3 years without CL and top 4, no way we can convince top players to come here (its already hard) and that would mean couple average seasons until we rebuild (it took Liverpool quite some time, while United and Arsenal are still trying to find a way). 

Playing with many youngsters will be absolutely suicidal. Even the likes of Everton or Bournemoth produce maybe a player every couple seasons and they dont compete for top spots. It would be impossible for us to compete for top 4 and develop couple youngsters. 

Maybe Odoi (who is injured) along with RLC were our best bets to make them established quality players next season. James being the underdog for that. Playing more than that will certainly make us very weak.

I would love for us to just go all out and develop generation for the future if we cant buy anyone, but this isnt fifa. We would end below 15th if we did that. 

Mate what are we debating here? Do you actually think we can qualify for CL next year without hazard and with a transfer ban?

Do you seriously think we can qualify for CL with the likes of 

ST - giroud, higuain (not sure if we can buy him), michy/Tammy

Wingers - Pedro (lol), willian, CHo, pulisic

Mid- jante, jorginho, RLC, Barkley

Lb- Alonso, Emerson

Rb - azpi, Zappa/James

Cb- Luiz, Rudi, zouma, ac

Do you actually think this squad has the goals, attacking threat, defensive quality, midfield cover to get top4. Our players can have the seasons of their lives but still not get top4. 

I also don't agree that CL is the be all and end all of player recruitment now.look at the likes of Ruben neves, moutinho playing for wolves. Endless examples. 

Lastly, everton and Bournemouth don't have multiple title winning youth squads. Just look at the ajax tram and compare it with the u-19 team that our youth team beat 2 or 3 years ago. We have exceptional talents. I don't see how playing Reece James and dujon Sterling over the likes of Zappa and Alonso can be detrimental to our top4 chances.

For CM, we will have RLC, Barkley, Kante, jorginho. DD will not be played and baka maybe bought by Ac. So Mason and ampadu are our best bets.

I am simply being realistic. We have a bang average squad without hazard. Hell, we won't make top4 with him this season and the last, how do you expect us to make top4 without him (when we can't buy players). We might as well give some youth olayers at least a chance. Specially in positions where we know we have absolutely average players and  deadwood. 

With/without transfer bans, I don't want Pedro, higuain, kova, Alonso, Luiz, Zappa in our squad next season. Each of them needs to be thrown out and replaced by a youngster. 

 

 

[BlueLyon 9,359]

8 hours ago, bakayokofan said:

Mate what are we debating here? Do you actually think we can qualify for CL next year without hazard and with a transfer ban?

Do you seriously think we can qualify for CL with the likes of 

ST - giroud, higuain (not sure if we can buy him), michy/Tammy

Wingers - Pedro (lol), willian, CHo, pulisic

Mid- jante, jorginho, RLC, Barkley

Lb- Alonso, Emerson

Rb - azpi, Zappa/James

Cb- Luiz, Rudi, zouma, ac

Do you actually think this squad has the goals, attacking threat, defensive quality, midfield cover to get top4. Our players can have the seasons of their lives but still not get top4. 

I also don't agree that CL is the be all and end all of player recruitment now.look at the likes of Ruben neves, moutinho playing for wolves. Endless examples. 

Lastly, everton and Bournemouth don't have multiple title winning youth squads. Just look at the ajax tram and compare it with the u-19 team that our youth team beat 2 or 3 years ago. We have exceptional talents. I don't see how playing Reece James and dujon Sterling over the likes of Zappa and Alonso can be detrimental to our top4 chances.

For CM, we will have RLC, Barkley, Kante, jorginho. DD will not be played and baka maybe bought by Ac. So Mason and ampadu are our best bets.

I am simply being realistic. We have a bang average squad without hazard. Hell, we won't make top4 with him this season and the last, how do you expect us to make top4 without him (when we can't buy players). We might as well give some youth olayers at least a chance. Specially in positions where we know we have absolutely average players and  deadwood. 

With/without transfer bans, I don't want Pedro, higuain, kova, Alonso, Luiz, Zappa in our squad next season. Each of them needs to be thrown out and replaced by a youngster. 

 

 

With our senior squad and hopefuly second season improvement under Sarri (otherwise whats the point?), we can at least hope for top 4 or anywhere near it.

If we replace Willian, Pedro, Giroud, Luiz, Azpi etc with the likes of Dujon, Tammy, Tomori,...we will end up 18th or maybe even relegation.

I dont want to downplay our youth potential, but if anyone believes we can survive PL by replacing most of senior players with youth, there is literaly zero chance. If these players had experience of playing in PL or first tier leagues abroad, then perhaps. But most are still green as hell. 

If anything we would completely ruin their development because I can assure you with all those kids we wont be having results and once that happens the media and fans will put massive pressure on them, at which point everything will collapse. This isnt Dutch league, nor german league where you can play bunch of kids and succeed. 

At best we can hope RLC, Odoi and maybe James to get their chance next season along with Pulisic and then in 2020/21 we add Tomori, Mount and Tammy if they perform well on loans. Ampadu as well. I dont have massive trust in AC, but lets say he too develops in good CB by that time. Edit: with Kovacic not staying, we would probably have to keep Mount as backup, but I doubt he would be anything more than that next season sadly.

Essentialy giving us this lineup for the future

Kepa

James-Christensen/Zouma-Tomori-X

Mount-Ampadu-RLC

Pulisic-Tammy-Odoi 

But if you think that lineup cab cut it straight next season and remain in PL, you are dead wrong mate. Id love to see it, but it would be our doom. Maybe if we had two or three senior Terry material leaders, it might work, but we dont.

If ban sticks, Id go with

Azpi-Zouma-Rudiger-Emerson

Kante-Jorginho-RLC

Pulisic-Giroud-Odoi 

James to rotate with Azpi. 

This brings integration of 2/3 new players into first 11 which is maximum for successful transition. Many clubs have tried to replace their entire teams and failed to succeed. Just look at Fulham. They brought several talented players, but it didnt work.

[Fulham Broadway 16,393]

Brighton giving Sp*rs a game of it so far despite Danny Roses dive to get a free kick

[1905didierblue 748]

7 hours ago, BlueLyon said:

With our senior squad and hopefuly second season improvement under Sarri (otherwise whats the point?), we can at least hope for top 4 or anywhere near it.

If we replace Willian, Pedro, Giroud, Luiz, Azpi etc with the likes of Dujon, Tammy, Tomori,...we will end up 18th or maybe even relegation.

I dont want to downplay our youth potential, but if anyone believes we can survive PL by replacing most of senior players with youth, there is literaly zero chance. If these players had experience of playing in PL or first tier leagues abroad, then perhaps. But most are still green as hell. 

If anything we would completely ruin their development because I can assure you with all those kids we wont be having results and once that happens the media and fans will put massive pressure on them, at which point everything will collapse. This isnt Dutch league, nor german league where you can play bunch of kids and succeed. 

At best we can hope RLC, Odoi and maybe James to get their chance next season along with Pulisic and then in 2020/21 we add Tomori, Mount and Tammy if they perform well on loans. Ampadu as well. I dont have massive trust in AC, but lets say he too develops in good CB by that time. Edit: with Kovacic not staying, we would probably have to keep Mount as backup, but I doubt he would be anything more than that next season sadly.

Essentialy giving us this lineup for the future

Kepa

James-Christensen/Zouma-Tomori-X

Mount-Ampadu-RLC

Pulisic-Tammy-Odoi 

But if you think that lineup cab cut it straight next season and remain in PL, you are dead wrong mate. Id love to see it, but it would be our doom. Maybe if we had two or three senior Terry material leaders, it might work, but we dont.

If ban sticks, Id go with

Azpi-Zouma-Rudiger-Emerson

Kante-Jorginho-RLC

Pulisic-Giroud-Odoi 

James to rotate with Azpi. 

This brings integration of 2/3 new players into first 11 which is maximum for successful transition. Many clubs have tried to replace their entire teams and failed to succeed. Just look at Fulham. They brought several talented players, but it didnt work.

Never said we should Chuck out giroud, azpi, willian. Have always said that Reece James should take Zappa's role in the squad. Absolutely no point in buying crass and over the hill players like higuain, give that spot to Tammy. Dujon as the 2nd LB instead of Alonso.

My first team does not change one bit but the team to play in league cups and europas has a lot of youth squad players so I don't know where you get the idea that I am trying to make grand changes to the first team. I have always maintained that we need to sell/let go off the Deadwood like Pedro, Alonso, Zappa, higuain, kova, luiz.

[MoroccanBlue 5,195]

If Spurs draw and Arsenal+United lose tomorrow, I'd lose my shit