Essien19

Hazard has been quite poor, imo.

Terry is here and not doing enough.

Bad day at the office, but these things happen. New manager, understandable that he needs more time to find his team: Arsenal and Pool are no pushovers. Game had traits of Arsenal vs. Van Gaal's United all over it, they also scored 3 goals in style, but overall wasn't of much use. For the life of me i don't understand why Willian didn't go for goal after Costa's pass, no surprise Costa talked to him afterwards. He worked hard, he's the best option available, imo. Cahill is a good lad and worked his socks off in the past, but for quite some time it's not working anymore. But i can't really fold him, he just doesn't know any better. But his mates aren't helping him either, remember him needing Courtois to come out but he went into hiding. Zouma and Terry will come back, Cahill's time is up. But no need for insults. Costa is reaching new heights. He's Chelsea's best player this season, have to respect him for what he's been doing so far. Outstanding! Fabregas should be benched again, offers little to nothing, Conte was right to bench him before, imo. Hazard, the boy isn't just that good, but with the ball at this feet, he can decide a game. Should be criticized, but no better option available. And of course he's a fan favorite, so i'll leave it there. Honeymoon is clearly over, bubble burst, but the attacking play has improved. The team will come good, people need to have some faith during a rough period. Team will finish within the top 4, imo. Had a good laugh reading that some individuals already want Conte's head, no time in modern day football, i guess. So many people seem to know better than most managers, praising the likes of Van Gaal while leaving out their flaws, can't stop shaking my head.

Keep calm, can still be overcome. Gesendet von meinem SM-G930F mit Tapatalk

Just apppreciating a good goal, mate.

Second goal, football doesn't get any better than this, one hell of an attacking play. Gesendet von meinem SM-G930F mit Tapatalk

Mourinho hasn't lost it, has he? World is finding out quickly. [emoji2] Gesendet von meinem SM-G930F mit Tapatalk

Can't remove Rooney from the lineup, can he? The love for Rojo is cringe. Things are looking quite underwhelming, just the way the rest of the league likes it. Lol Gesendet von meinem SM-G930F mit Tapatalk

Especially Tabloids look to be obsessed with Mounchester. I'm not surprised with the others, they have their inside man for three years, that'll always make a good story. Pressure today will be monumental, interesting to find out whether or not he'll make changes. It's a must win for them!

I haven't read the book you're talking about, just a few extracts. Maybe i should so that i can let you know my take on. But overall i wouldn't build my opinion based on one book which comes across (the aformentioned extracts) bitter and one sided. First and foremost Torres wans to sell copies and therefore he needs controversy. Still, as far as i know Mourinho didn't sue so it's not all made up out of thin air, but according to his advisor Palmares: In the end, it's he said she said, imo. Anyway i find it confusing that i haven't see any? picture of Mourinho and Ferguson together after he has become new manager. There was even one with Charlton, ffs. But today i think they get along, maybe a bit of a dislike, but 'hate' is too strong a word of. Back in the day i remember Ferguson saying that Mourinho can manage anywhere. I thought they meet up and maybe work a bit together. Looks not to be the case. Ferguson in 2016: He could be full of shit and got no other choice then coming up with stuff like this. But i for one wouldn't call the old man a blatant liar. You're right, the whole world saw Ferguson shaking his head. Isn't it more likely that it was based on the team's poor performance than only because of the coach? Mourinho in 2013 (event took place after the game against Man United): Ferguson didn't deny any of it to this day. Sure people can say Mourinho is such a bullshiter, the 'one of us', 'buillding a dynasty' all just words. But for me, i need more than Torres saying so to dismiss my knowledge. I'm under the impression that Rooney liked Van Gaal, he was still his captain and therefore 'he shall always play'. Nevertheless Rooney seemed close to joining Mourinho's Chelsea back in 2013. At least the thought enticed him, Gerrard backs that one up. Maybe Mourinho's man management turns him off now, because after a loss you wouldn't want to be around with Mourinho, one player mentioned that one, forgot who, though. Maybe now we'll get an open battle between Rooney's media imperium and Mourinho's trusted capos. I guess Mourinho fired first... -people wondering how Rooney's team is going to respond, there you have it. Still scratching my head that the man who benched Real's institution Casillas isn't following a harder line when it comes to Rooney. Bench him, ffs. Don't think Neville is in team Rooney, though, always speaking highly about the Portuguese and he knows what real management means. On the other hand, ginger prince Scholsey? Not sure.

The hunt has already started, it's gonna be a lot more fun if he catches one of them during the act. To be serious, i think the media is making things up. It's easy to write this kind of stuff when Jose is losing matches.

Individually speaking you do have a point there, but isn't it now the time where a (hopefully good) manager comes into play who can make up for a lot of things? If the system doesn't suit them it's all for nothing. You mentioned the Dutchman...after Ferguson had called it a day, there were rumours flying around about an unhappy and full of regrets for joining them in the first place Van Persie. It didn't come by surprise that in their following season it all went tits up. Don't you think that a class manager wouldn't have been able to squeeze at least one more (unbelievable) season out of him? Van Persie scored the goals, but Ferguson kept him in line and without a class manager, his downfall is there for everyone to see. Personally, i'd argue that United won the league because of Ferguson, he made every player better. Moyes couldn't. City last -and this year, it's a completely different ball game. Over the last decade could it be the case that there were spells where Chelsea sold themselves at less than their true value? I do think so! City has the foundation to build a similar case for quite some years. Spotting. With the emergence of Moyes a lot of expensive names were making the rounds and some guys were brushed aside. Van Gaal followed the tradition of the done and dusted ones. They learned the hard way that they'd better kept the likes of Evans, Nani, Chicharito and others instead of emptying their pockets for the Rojo's of this world. Point is, they weren't all bad. Back in 2013, three standout performers: Van Persie Carrick (massively underrated) De Gea ( performance curve only going upwards) Under the right management Evans, Jones, Smalling, Rafael, Evra, Young, Valencia, Young, Zaha, Nani, Chicharito could have played their part. Of course there was need to buy/sell, but not to reinvent the wheel, Moyes and later Van Gaal got it all wrong. Mourinho's pairing of Pogba & Schneiderlin isn't even a poor version of Carrick, tbf, Ferguson is gone for a while. Point is, City's had a better one, perhaps even Chelsea. But i wouldn't remove the tag quality when speaking about United's. That was right up with the best, the players had instilled the winning mentality and Rooney was on his way out, that has to count for something. I stand by my belief: the coaches have to shoulder most of the blame. Agree to disagree!

Tcha, have to give it to you boys, we all witnessed 'fabregasm'...on his day he's an outstanding player, problem is he hasn't been living up to his potential in the past. Sure he upped his game, even at the end of Mourinho's spell, but there's so much more to come, speaking of his age he should be more or less at the top of his game (consistently). In the past there were parts where he hadn't been good enough and looked out of sorts. When it's that time of the year again, i'd say, no fucks given. It's all good and well that Fabregas has been interacting with the fans, but just saying they should have done this or that doesn't cut it for me. Sure greeting the fans is a nice gesture, but when you lowered the standards the way he did, it's a bit of a farce, if you ask me. Still better than the likes of Hazard, but he's a smart man, calculated move, of course a smart one. At some point in life there's a bottleneck coming up and it's a matter of how you can deliver: this time, you can't talk your way out of it, imo. His job is still being a football player and the game is still played on the pitch, something that's even coming back to bite Mourinho (a bit) in the ass. Fabregas failed to let his football do the talking a lot of times, he's never going to reach those heights again he showed during his old Arsenal days, i've to accept that. But from time to time and carefully used: he's an important factor, doesn't take away the uncertainty that no one knows when he's in full swing. But enough is enough, he delivered the goods, thanks to him. Long may it continue for the sake of the club...

Lol Fabregas mad... Gesendet von meinem SM-G930F mit Tapatalk

Stunning. Have to give it to Fabregas this time.. Gesendet von meinem SM-G930F mit Tapatalk

Damn Costa... Gesendet von meinem SM-G930F mit Tapatalk

Can't shoot any better Gesendet von meinem SM-G930F mit Tapatalk

So we're back in business Gesendet von meinem SM-G930F mit Tapatalk

We can still turn it around, chill... Gesendet von meinem SM-G930F mit Tapatalk

He could have left out some parts, but the talking is still done on the pitch and he's looking alright to me. Difficult to find a good replacement, there's a reason why big clubs are after him. He acknowledges his contract and has a few years left on it. No one knows what's the situation in 2-3 years. This is one of the smaller problems, imo.

Sure, but don't you think that in the past Abramovich valued things which today he wouldn't? Just take a look at the transfer targets, big European players such as Torres or Shevchenko aren't on top of the to do list anymore, so something is different and personally i believe that it somehow also applies to the managers. I know you see it differently, but despite the shocking football for a short amount of time, i don't think that in today's game Abramovich would pull the trigger on Ancelotti. I'd go even further and believe that it could have been something special. Chelsea backed Conte in the transfer market, but there were times, where it could have been more, for example Villas-Boas. Most of the former managers had very good C.Vs. The thing with Fergie is, they had their ups and dows, but most of the crew always had his back. Ferguson came second or third three years in a row back in 2004-2006, some people thought that he had reached his expiry date, but guess what, he came out on top again. Afterwards they had a very good spell. But to do so, he needed trust and time. Point is, in the past it was the case that you always had to win something, a bit real-esque. This time around, it could be different. Mourinho survived a spell in which he won nothing, maybe only Mourinho gets away with it, but i think times are different.

I guess and according to pictures (sacking of Mourinho) the both of them get on quite well. Abramovich isn't picking the team, don't think any of the managers would have come to terms with, but it certainly improves his standing within the squad, imo. Gesendet von meinem SM-G930F mit Tapatalk

One of the busiest threads around the block, but only if United loses a game. [emoji4] Upcoming games won't be easy, opponents will be right up for it. Can't afford to lose, simply can't. I wonder what happens if Jose is too stubborn and refuses to change the lineups...

He left his successor with the league winning squad. It's not his fault that Moyes came up with the brilliant idea to kick out a lot of the staff members and going crosses all the way... i remember him taking a long holdiday before he even cared to show up. Giving Rooney the big contract was his decision, as well as buying Fellaini. Moyes still likes to talk about United and how bad they treated him. He seems not to take much blame. I wouldn't want to work for/with such a person. I think Ferguson would have continued to be right up there and getting the best out of players such as Van Persie or Evans. Zaha would have been an interesting one, imo. Sure Ferguson could have had more young guns, but they were top of the league, Moyes fucked up.

I call bullshit. Media also read Ancelotti's biography and could speculate based on that. Just like they do with the huge war chest every transfer window. It didn't work out against Pool, but overall i find the football quite good so far. Wasn't the news that Abramovich is fed up with the hire and fire? Gesendet von meinem SM-G930F mit Tapatalk