The English Football Thread

[LAB 1,030]

Di Maria has been poor for a while. Poor decision-making. And many people here claimed he was better than Hazard on the basis of one excellent season at Real. Looks like he's back to being a gifted but frustrating player he was before last season.

Isn't this a bit rushed? He has just returned from injury. On his latest over-60-minutes matches he produced one assist for each one.

[Daniel1980 1,425]

Isn't this a bit rushed? He has just returned from injury. On his latest over-60-minutes matches he produced one assist for each one.

He's been meh for a while before his injury, too. But because of the immense hype he has around him people don't criticize him much. Mata's stats are good, too. Doesn't change the fact that he's been very poor.

[Dimitri 4]

Di maria is still struggling to get back on form. I was surprised that Man U was the favorite to win this game. Anyone who had seen the match against Liverpool knew that their 3-0 win was coincidental and mainly due to inability on behalf of Sterling/Ballo to score. It is amazing to me how Louis van Gaal changes players/tactics during the game. I remember during the last game Rooney asked for tactics clarifications like 3 times.

Amazing comeback from QPR, Charles Austin is turning eyes big time!

Silva returned just in time for City and he has been instrumental. I really love their attacking play. Also Nasri's game seems mature in the last couple of games and his contribution is also great.

[LAB 1,030]

He's been meh for a while before his injury, too. But because of the immense hype he has around him people don't criticize him much. Mata's stats are good, too. Doesn't change the fact that he's been very poor.

Still very early imo to say something like that. Mata has been in PL for years and we can safely judge.

[Daniel1980 1,425]

Still very early imo to say something like that. Mata has been in PL for years and we can safely judge.

Well, it's been half a season already.

Just a few quotes from Redcafe. They're biased, but even they can see it too:

Why was he taking a shot [and very weak ones at that] at every slightest opportunity? It's the sort of thing most United fans would kill Nani for.

**

A player who costs his money should play well anywhere, but van Gaal definitely hasn't used him well either. Nonetheless di Maria has to pick it up. Right now, Sanchez, Fabregas and Costa look like the much better transfers.

**

I saw a lot of him at Real Madrid prior to last season - which, admittedly, was said to have been his best - and he was nowhere near a £60m player. Real must have been pleasantly surprised we offered so much money.

**

I'm just not 100% convinced by him.

Not as this megastar talent, a notch below Ronaldo and Messi. Which is where the hype (and the fee) would put him. Not from what I've seen at United anyway.

Quick, direct, decent left foot and an eye for a pass but he seems quite easy to defend against. Not seen anything we didn't get from Nani on a good day and his good days don't look like they're any more frequent than Nani's good days.

Probably being overly negative and it was only a cameo today. Hopefully onwards and upwards from here.

**

I'm convinced he'll prove to be a top player for us if played through the middle. But I must say I'm very surprised at how average he is out wide. Thought his dribbling was much better than what he's shown so far, particularly in tight areas. He never seems to have complete control of the ball and I don't think I've seen him beat a fullback.

**

Is it just me or does he have some really lazy technique at times? Like with his shooting right after he came on. We're lucky his efforts reached the goal

And these are the fans that proclaimed him the Top 5 player in the world just a few months ago.

The truth is, Di Maria is an inferior dribbler to Eden and an inferior passer to Cesc, and he can be almost as selfish as Andre: he shoots when he should pass. Don't get me wrong: Di Maria is a very good player and at times a brilliant player, but sometimes people believe the hype too much and have unrealistic expectations. I watch La Liga too and I've seen his inconsistency for years. That's why I thought it was ridiculous when some people here said he was the best winger in the world and better than Hazard.

[LAB 1,030]

Well, it's been half a season already.

Just a few quotes from Redcafe. They're biased, but even they can see it too:

And these are the fans that proclaimed him the Top 5 player in the world just a few months ago.

The truth is, Di Maria is an inferior dribbler to Eden and an inferior passer to Cesc, and he can be almost as selfish as Andre: he shoots when he should pass. Don't get me wrong: Di Maria is a very good player and at times a brilliant player, but sometimes people believe the hype too much and have unrealistic expectations. I watch La Liga too and I've seen his inconsistency for years. That's why I thought it was ridiculous when people here said he was the best winger in the world and better than Hazard.

Not better than Hazard for sure. That's ridiculous to say given the fact that when Hazard reaches his age he will be even better.

But it seems unfair to me to say that he can't reach his last season performance standards. He started brightly imo. But then what can you expect from the overall performances Utd players can give atm? It's his first year in PL and in a very unbalanced team. They way he played before the injury was already looking too good to be true to me. I even dare to say that if we had signed him back in August he could have extended the excellent run from last season and World Cup performances.

[Daniel1980 1,425]

Not better than Hazard for sure. That's ridiculous to say given the fact that when Hazard reaches his age he will be even better.

But it seems unfair to me to say that he can't reach his last season performance standards. He started brightly imo. But then what can you expect from the overall performances Utd players can give atm? It's his first year in PL and in a very unbalanced team. They way he played before the injury was already looking too good to be true to me. I even dare to say that if we had signed him back in August he could have extended the excellent run from last season and World Cup performances.

That's the thing. He had only 1 excellent season -- last season -- so that season wasn't exactly "standard" for him. For that reason when he started brightly in the first few matches, I wasn't convinced he could keep it up. And so far, he returned to his previous performance standards: a few great matches, then a series of meh ones with an odd good match here and there. That's how he's been playing for Real before and how he's been this season for United even before the injury. Yeah, he's a great player, but not the player everyone hyped him to be. I don't think he'll ever be as good for United as he was for Madrid last season.

As for this being Di Maria's first year in PL in a very unbalanced team, that's true, but the same thing can be said about Sanchez but he's doing more than fine--and he was far cheaper than Di Maria. So far Di Maria was good enough but nowhere worth his price-tag and "Top 5 player in the world" hype. He needs to step up.

[Dimitri 4]

That's the thing. He had only 1 excellent season -- last season -- so that season wasn't exactly "standard" for him. For that reason when he started brightly in the first few matches, I wasn't convinced he could keep it up. And so far, he returned to his previous performance standards: a few great matches, then a series of meh ones with an odd good match here and there. That's how he's been playing for Real before and how he's been this season for United even before the injury. Yeah, he's a great player, but not the player everyone hyped him to be. I don't think he'll ever be as good for United as he was for Madrid last season.

As for this being Di Maria's first year in PL in a very unbalanced team, that's true, but the same thing can be said about Sanchez but he's doing more than fine--and he was far cheaper than Di Maria. So far Di Maria was good enough but nowhere worth his price-tag and "Top 5 player in the world" hype. He needs to step up.

For the past season and a half no one has managed to shine in this United Team and no one probably will if the injured players don't return and Luis come up with a more solid plan tactically. So far he has been struggling with injuries and no starting line-up has been the same for 2 consecutive games. Despite that, the 6 wins in a row is an achievement to my eyes and kudos to him.

I am not defending Di Maria's recent form but to my eyes any player who has been instrumental in winning the Ch.L, like he did the past season, is a top player and a superb athlete. See Drogba, Robben etc.

[Daniel1980 1,425]

For the past season and a half no one has managed to shine in this United Team and no one probably will if the injured players don't return and Luis come up with a more solid plan tactically. So far he has been struggling with injuries and no starting line-up has been the same for 2 consecutive games. 1) Despite that, the 6 wins in a row is an achievement to my eyes and kudos to him.

I am not defending Di Maria's recent form but to my eyes any player who has been instrumental in winning the Ch.L, like he did the past season, 2) is a top player and a superb athlete. See Drogba, Robben etc.

1) Kudos to him? He played only in 3 of those 6 wins. In 2 games, actually, since he was taken off after 10 minutes against Hull City.

2) I'm not saying he isn't a top player. But he's nowhere the top 5 player he's hyped to be. 1 excellent season at a ridiculously good team isn't enough to make him that. Madrid are doing fine enough without him.

[Dimitri 4]

1) Kudos to him? He played only in 3 of those 6 games. In 2 games, actually, since he was taken off after 10 minutes against Hull City.

2) I'm not saying he isn't a top player. But he's nowhere the top 5 player he's hyped to be. 1 excellent season in a ridiculously good team isn't enough to make him that.

1) I was referring to Luis (LFG)

[lionsden 4,689]

So far this season aguero and sanchez have been the two best and most consistent players in the league that it's not even debatable. Where would arsenal be without thw chilean and the amount of pts and games sergio has almost singlehandedly won for city is quite impressive and despite being injury prone, he has the best minute per goal rate in premier league history. Let that fact sink in for a minute.

[Madmax 9,219]

Anyone else like the look of Ayoze Perez? Puts himself about, decent technique, nose for goal ...

[Strike 7,489]

So far this season aguero and sanchez have been the two best and most consistent players in the league that it's not even debatable. Where would arsenal be without thw chilean and the amount of pts and games sergio has almost singlehandedly won for city is quite impressive and despite being injury prone, he has the best minute per goal rate in premier league history. Let that fact sink in for a minute.

Agree. and Nemanja Matic too

[Daniel1980 1,425]

Agree. and Nemanja Matic too

With all due respect to Matic, it's far easier to be consistent for defensive players than attacking and creative ones. And Matic had his share of poor matches too.

[Pizy 18,903]

Think Arsenal batter Liverpool today. Cant see how their defense deals with Alexis, Welbeck, Giroud etc.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

Riots in coming in Newcastle, lol!

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

'playing the game of their lives against Royal Blue shirts' is not even a joke now

[Laylabelle 9,534]

They played game of their lives.we played crap..again against 10

Be funny to see Liverpool loose but also arsenal for wenger.rather Liverpool.or a draw..

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Looks like Brendan Rogers is ready to give up

Jones

Sakho - Skrtel - Toure

Lucas - Gerrard - Henderson - Lallana

Sterling - Coutinho - Markovic

[Polo7 3,496]

Newcastle.....ugh. Sick of them notching it up a gear against us!