2012/2013 Season Thread

[Moose]

I think people have to appreciate that he's done an ok job though.  He doesn't deserve to be hatefully told to leave by the fans.  From where we were under McGhee to now; he deserves plenty of credit. 

[Gypsum_Fantastic]

Yeah i cant see him doing that tho, right now the Spurs team is set up to accomodate him, and he seems to have a good relationship with AVB, i can see him staying at least another season.

 

Oh and screw you Gypsum and your bad rep!!

Casual racism disguised as banter will get you neg rep. Please feel free to neg rep me if it makes you feel better.

[Chris]

Aberdeen-mad has been getting progressively more anti-brown as the season's gone on (if it was ever pro-brown, fuck knows what happened to it's "positive" philosophy") so if that's any barometer of what most fans think then it seems his days are numbered.

 

Like, Moose I was amused by it to begin with but I'm starting to come round.  He's had his way with transfers, built his team and while you could argue over Christmas that we were hampered by injuries we're now almost back to full strength and results still aren't coming.  Not sure if forking out another severence package is going to do anyone any good but we certainly shouldn't be looking to extend his contract past the end of the season now.

[MattJimF]

Hasn't it been the case in the last few years that the team just end up not performing between Christmas and the split? 

 

They only really lost Ryan Fraser in January and I really doubt he was the linchpin holding the team together before January. So why have they gone to shit? has the formation they are playing changed in any drastic way?

[ca_gere]

I think Manchester United have too much class to resort to dealing with Daniel Levy. They know that they can still win numerous trophies and titles without Gareth Bale in their squad; spending over £60 million for a player just isn't really Manchester United's style, and it certainly is not conducive to their success.

 

I think most people can recognize that Tottenham are a significantly weakened team without Gareth Bale, and although this is a hypothetical suggestion, I don't believe Tottenham would be challenging for a top four position had they not had Gareth Bale playing for them this year, which highlights how valuable he is, really. That said, Tottenham have invested quite heavily in Bale, and I don't think they'd be out of order to look for £60 million plus for him. Naturally, I mean that in the context of today's market; I don't believe for a single second that any sportsman justifies a fee of £60 million in order to move clubs. But hey, supply and demand, and all that.

 

If he moves to another club this summer, I think the main contenders will be Real Madrid, Manchester City, and PSG. Clubs like Zenith and Anzhi will probably show an interest, but I sincerely doubt Bale would be interested in playing his football in Russia. He doesn't strike me as the type who would factor in remuneration as a deal breaker.

 

I love watching that unique and elegantly forceful way he has of running with the ball and drifting past opponents. He can fairly kick a football, too. I'd love to see him at Manchester United, but it's unlikely to happen. Besides, that'd just be unfair on the rest of the world if United signed Gareth Bale. They'd be even more formidable on the counter-attack.

 

Gareth Bale is a great bunch of lads. Fucking love that guy.

 

I'm not entirely sure SAF would really want him all that much. I mean, obviously he's one of the top talents in the world right now and any manager would jump at the chance to have him in their side but Ferguson isn't the type to mold a team around any one player - he's far too smart for that. Injuries, dips in form, etc - these things have to be taken into account and he's proved how effective his rotation system is in doing so. I'm not sure he'd want to mess with it too much. I'd guess he would prefer to bring in 2 or 3 great players he can use how he wants rather than one world-class player who needs special treatment.

 

You're bang on about his majestic but powerful style. It's an absolute joy to watch. I'm not too proud to admit I got a little bit emotional watching his champs league performance against inter - to me, that was one of the greatest performances I've ever seen. Football at it's most pure.

[The Milner]

Casual racism disguised as banter will get you neg rep. Please feel free to neg rep me if it makes you feel better.

 

Fair enough

[Adam Easy Wishes]

I think people have to appreciate that he's done an ok job though. He doesn't deserve to be hatefully told to leave by the fans. From where we were under McGhee to now; he deserves plenty of credit.

Exactly. He has instilled stability to the club where McGhee had us drastically off the rails.

He has his favourites that he will not drop and sets the team out in a negative, uncreative way, reliant on long balls into the 'big man', whether that's Magennis wide or playing off Mcginn in a 'front three' (read: five in midfield), or Vernon or Fallon playing upfront with McGinn.

We have been heavily reliant on McGinn's Magic Moments this season, without whom we would be totally fucked. We can't score at home because the team is set out first and foremost to be difficult to beat and relies on fast counter attacks, catching clogger centre halves out with the pace of McGinn/Hayes (but not Magennis who has been v.harshly treated in terms of starts/where he's been played this season IMO).

Being difficult to beat and attacking on the counter works to a degree away from home, because there is pressure on the home side to attack. When away teams come to Pittodrie and sit in and do the same then Aberdeen have no creativity in the middle of the park to dictate the game and create chances. So we too just sit in. Lost count of the number of 0-0/1-0 scorelines at home this season. If we win 1-0 then it's a MMM  normally. If we lose it's because the away team gains confidence at Aberdeen's lack of a threat and opens up in the last twenty minutes to sneak the win.

 

EDIT= Basically, it's a good time for him to leave. See out the season, go with the thanks of the fans for bringing the club back from the brink of being relegation fodder. Enjoy his retirement.

Edited February 27, 2013 by Adam Easy Wishes

[The Milner]

I actually think our position is false, because without McGinn and Fraser we would be a hell of a lot worse off right now. Fraser's impact was huge, even if he wasnt directly responsible for assists, he got players booked early, dragged them out of position, and had the confidence to nip past a player. Since he left no one has done his job in the team, Hayes has been a bit of a disapointment overall really, hasnt really given us what we wanted.

 

I think the end of the season is perfect for Brown moving on, we are much better off than when he came in, we have a solid enough squad, but we need someone to make us more dangerous going forward. Brown has always been a hard to beat first kinda guy, which is exactly what we needed when he came in, but i dont think he is the guy to take us onwards. Im not really sure who is to be honest, and without a bit of backing it will be very difficult for the next guy coming in.

 

First things first tho, they need to sort that fucking pitch out, what a disgrace that is, how can you expect anyone to play football on it?!

[Adam Easy Wishes]

I'm actually all for Derek Adams. Get his da' in as Director of Football, too, and he can take Vigurs and Lawson with him (also both Aberdeen loons).

 

I thought the three County had in the centre of the park last night were excellent (Vigurs, Lawson and Brittain), had Rae and Hughes chasing shadows.

[Soda Jerk]

I'm not entirely sure SAF would really want him all that much. I mean, obviously he's one of the top talents in the world right now and any manager would jump at the chance to have him in their side but Ferguson isn't the type to mold a team around any one player - he's far too smart for that. Injuries, dips in form, etc - these things have to be taken into account and he's proved how effective his rotation system is in doing so. I'm not sure he'd want to mess with it too much. I'd guess he would prefer to bring in 2 or 3 great players he can use how he wants rather than one world-class player who needs special treatment.

 

You're bang on about his majestic but powerful style. It's an absolute joy to watch. I'm not too proud to admit I got a little bit emotional watching his champs league performance against inter - to me, that was one of the greatest performances I've ever seen. Football at it's most pure.

 

I think I kind of disagree about Sir Alex molding his team around one player. I actually think it's something he's done for a long time now, even at the sacrifice of other top class players. The team of 2006-2009 was built around Ronaldo. Rooney, Saha and Tevez (and later Berbatov) were spared of their strongest positions and utilised as support players, which went against the strengths of Saha and Tevez, and to a lesser extent, Rooney. Tevez never really settled because he was never utilised properly. When Ronaldo left, Rooney was the focal point, and that didn't allow Berbatov to flourish, and he really struggled to fit in. The following season, the team was built around Berbatov as Rooney was in and out of the side, and often played in midfield, and it allowed Berbatov to end up as the joint top scorer in the league - funnily enough alongside Carlos Tevez. Last season, I don't think the team was built around anyone. A true transition period where I don't think Sir Alex knew his best XI, not to mention the crippling injuries forcing constant rotation. This year, it's RVP. Other strikers have been sacrificed, Rooney is playing everywhere, Welbeck is out wide, Hernandez, despite having the best goals-to-minutes ratio in the Premier League, can't get a start. It's very much what Sir Alex is willing to do, and IF Bale was to go to United, which I don't see as very likely at all, but if he did, I imagine it would be once RVP is beyond his prime years, as I can't imagine him pushing RVP and Rooney aside for the sake of Bale.

 

I don't think anyone outside of the oil-rich titans are dumb enough to do business with Levy though.

Edited February 27, 2013 by Joda Serk

[The Milner]

I'm actually all for Derek Adams. Get his da' in as Director of Football, too, and he can take Vigurs and Lawson with him (also both Aberdeen loons).

 

I thought the three County had in the centre of the park last night were excellent (Vigurs, Lawson and Brittain), had Rae and Hughes chasing shadows.

Yeah id agree, Adams would be a good shout for me and Vigurs is a fantasic player, definitely something we need. Not sure how keen he would be tho, i know his brother and i know he was badly treated by the dons when he was a kid.

[ca_gere]

I think I kind of disagree about Sir Alex molding his team around one player. I actually think it's something he's done for a long time now, even at the sacrifice of other top class players. The team of 2006-2009 was built around Ronaldo. Rooney, Saha and Tevez (and later Berbatov) were spared of their strongest positions and utilised as support players, which went against the strengths of Saha and Tevez, and to a lesser extent, Rooney. Tevez never really settled because he was never utilised properly. When Ronaldo left, Rooney was the focal point, and that didn't allow Berbatov to flourish, and he really struggled to fit in. The following season, the team was built around Berbatov as Rooney was in and out of the side, and often played in midfield, and it allowed Berbatov to end up as the joint top scorer in the league - funnily enough alongside Carlos Tevez. Last season, I don't think the team was built around anyone. A true transition period where I don't think Sir Alex knew his best XI, not to mention the crippling injuries forcing constant rotation. This year, it's RVP. Other strikers have been sacrificed, Rooney is playing everywhere, Welbeck is out wide, Hernandez, despite having the best goals-to-minutes ratio in the Premier League, can't get a start. It's very much what Sir Alex is willing to do, and IF Bale was to go to United, which I don't see as very likely at all, but if he did, I imagine it would be once RVP is beyond his prime years, as I can't imagine him pushing RVP and Rooney aside for the sake of Bale.

 

I don't think anyone outside of the oil-rich titans are dumb enough to do business with Levy though.

 

He definitely plays certain players to their strengths by sacrificing or minimizing roles of other players (often getting your carricks or your giggses to do very rigid shifts in MF for example) but Ronaldo in his prime excepted, it's not exactly an Adel Tarabt or Gareth Bale type freedom he gives players. It's fairly normal to alter the line-up to suit the forward line rather than the back - If Berbatov is playing you know you'll need a five man midfield, or if there's a great header of the ball up front you play wider, etc - but I wouldn't say he has distinct focal players. You watch Spurs and you see players slotting into the space left by Bale when he decides to go walk about. That doesn't happen at man utd (again, Ronaldo excepted). G.Nev was talking about this the other day (I forget where I saw it), saying that Ronaldo really shook things up, forcing him and other players out of position because he did what he wanted.

[Soda Jerk]

I suppose no one has been given the freedom Ronaldo had, who was even relieved of any kind of defensive duty and pressing, which is quite remarkable. I don't think it's out of the question for Sir Alex to build around Bale if he brought him in, but I think the fee is more impossible, and I think it would have to be when RVP has either left or is a bit part player. Saying that, I think Bale was still astonishingly good when he was a more disciplined winger, bombing past fullbacks with just a burst of pace, Valencia-style. He's a great crosser of the ball too, and a much better striker of the ball than most wingers. There's certainly alot of options where to play Bale.

 

 

In other news, The Norwegian Heskey, John Carew, is on trial at Inter Milan.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21600451

 

They'll stuff Spurs in the next round. Long ball. Head on it. No chance.

[Soda Jerk]

Giggs has signed another year extension, meaning he will play into his 40's.

 

Some interesting facts about Giggs:

 

Ryan Giggs has made more Premier League appearances than Manchester City.

 

In 23 years, Ryan Giggs has played alongside players born as early as 1957 and as late as 1994. If George Best had played for United for 23 seasons, his final season would have been under Fergie at United.

 

Between them both, Ryan Giggs and Steven Gerrard have 12 Premier League medals. 12 of them are Ryans. Arf.

[TR!ΔNGL€ T€€TH]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/mar/04/rangers-ibrox-rights-sports-direct

[waltz]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/mar/04/rangers-ibrox-rights-sports-direct

 

LOL

 

 

LOL

 

 

LOL

[Adam Easy Wishes]

LOL

[Soda Jerk]

[Soda Jerk]

Massive game tonight. Huge. BBC has reported even Mila Kunis is in attendance. She won't like Vicarage Road. Wednesday to scrape a score draw.

[delboy]

Those Manchester United berks are actually a bit crap.... get used to it cos once sir purple face steps down you'll be as good as Liverpool!

[Soda Jerk]

Crap? United played very well throughout. The sending off, which was totally bogus, changed everything, but even with 10 men, United still looked on top.

 

Robbed in the first leg. Varane should have gone for hacking down Evra. Robbed in the second leg. Never a red card for me. Crabby ex pros like Roy Keane reckon it's a red, but ex refs Poll and Gallagher think otherwise. United looked comfortable and were defending excellently. Conceded two in quick succession after the sending off, but still looked the most threatening throughout. Against Madrid with only 10 men was just too much.

 

Not sure how Nani can be off for that, but Vidic getting punched in the face by Lopez swinging at thin air goes unpunished. The pundits are throwing around "dangerous play", but lobbing a fist speculatively at someones head is about as dangerous as it gets.

[Captain America]

A decision goes against Manyoo.  You wouldn't see that in the Premier League.  They'd have got about 3 penalties to make up for it.

[Soda Jerk]

Poll's changed his mind now, and written an article stating the exact opposite. No wonder he gives out 3 yellow cards.

[Captain America]

 

Handled off the line?  I missed this during the game, just saw the gif after.

[The Milner]

Never a red card in a million years, if that is where football is now a days then we may as well all give up and play fucking cricket. That one moment changed the whole game, such a shame as it was a great contest between two great teams, ruined by a shite ref who got all leeds united during a big game.