2013/2014 Season

[ca_gere]

http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/take-the-tube-from-thierry-henry-to-gareth-bale-change-at-george-graham--the-london-underground-map-with-a-difference-8812135.html

 

edit for those too lazy to click. It's a tube map with player names instead of station names. There's a logic behind it with lines being clubs and players who played for said club being stations. Or something. It's cool

Edited September 13, 2013 by ca_gere

[Soda Jerk]

Ashley Young is a fanny. He actually played well today, but he's more interested in looking for a trailing leg and going down than using the space he's created for himself by actually being a reasonably good footballer. His dive was a total shocker. I don't think he dived for the penalty that was given though. It was a certain goalscoring opportunity if he wasn't clattered into.

 

United looked excellent when Fellaini came on. Because Anderson was just terrible. Fell over the ball 3 times, and did little else.

[ca_gere]

Bosh... Bale debut goal.

[Lemonade]

I won 50 quid at the bookies today, would have been 100 if stinky old Man City could have just kicked the ball in the goal. KICK THE FUCKING BALL IN THE GOAL GUYS!

[Captain America]

Ashley Young is a fanny. He actually played well today, but he's more interested in looking for a trailing leg and going down than using the space he's created for himself by actually being a reasonably good footballer. His dive was a total shocker. I don't think he dived for the penalty that was given though. It was a certain goalscoring opportunity if he wasn't clattered into.

 

United looked excellent when Fellaini came on. Because Anderson was just terrible. Fell over the ball 3 times, and did little else.

 

Not sure I agree after the replays.  There was a defender in line at least so a yellow would have done if he gave a pen.

 

It wasn't a pen either though because it started outside the box.

 

Tough decision though, especially at Old Trafford.

[Soda Jerk]

The contact started outside the box, but if contact continued into the box, which it appeared to do, then it's a penalty, according to that ref that usually sticks his oar in on Sky Sports. Dermot Somethingsomething.

 

Still. Young should have been sent off and buried under the turf after the dive he was booked for. Just so bad. He rinsed 3 defenders to get to that position. He did so well. What a waste. Would have had a good chance to lash a shot on goal from there. That's pretty much his prime position to be effective. Fanny. Get rid. But who on earth would want to buy Ashley Young? More chance of selling Macheda.

 

 

Everton were ace last night. Mirallas is the boss. Gaz Baz's tackle on Eto'o as he struck at an open goal was magical. City look weak in midfield now he's gone. It'll give Pellegrini alot to think about if Barry has a cracking season at Everton. He was always great for City. Terrible for England though.

[Soda Jerk]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24116517

 

Dani Alves. Standup guy. Also didn't realise that's why he took the #22 shirt.

 

Bloke.

[Captain America]

I don't understand this idea that Brendon Rogers has made Liverpool play this attractive passing style of football that the media constantly portrays.

 

Every time you see them against a decent side they get passed off the pitch.  Swansea were passing it around them tonight.

 

Gerrard as well, as much as commentators crow on about him, the number of intercepted Hollywood passes is embarrassing.

 

There was one tonight he pinged it from his own side of the pitch left flank to the Swansea side right flank and the goon on commentary was already saying oh what a beautiful ball when the Swansea boy just wandered up to it and plucked it out the air a good ten yards before it would reach whoever he was aiming at.

[Mr Owl PhD]

I don't understand this idea that Brendon Rogers has made Liverpool play this attractive passing style of football that the media constantly portrays.

 

Every time you see them against a decent side they get passed off the pitch.  Swansea were passing it around them tonight.

 

Gerrard as well, as much as commentators crow on about him, the number of intercepted Hollywood passes is embarrassing.

 

There was one tonight he pinged it from his own side of the pitch left flank to the Swansea side right flank and the goon on commentary was already saying oh what a beautiful ball when the Swansea boy just wandered up to it and plucked it out the air a good ten yards before it would reach whoever he was aiming at.

 

They're nothing without Jonjo Shelvey.

[HeinzHines]

They're nothing without Jonjo Shelvey.

Luckily for Liverpool he was playing for both teams tonight, so they scraped a draw.

[fertuiee]

[The Milner]

[fertuiee]

I don't hate Liverpool, id like to see them successful again. Like I said it works most of the time for Liverpool, sometimes not, but internationally I think he's always been average, if not garbage, only my opinion, possibly due to the fact he's mostly been surrounded by average or less that average players. Bitter haha!

 

Lampard single handedly carried Chelsea? did we watch the same team? I would've scored 15/20 in the title winning sides! haha! That was a top class side wasn't it? Im sure Drogba, Cech and Makalele would have something to say about that.

 

I don't know either of them from adam, Lampard seemed a decent sort of bloke on that James Cordon quiz show?? doesn't detract from the fact he's bollocks for England.

[The Milner]

I never ment Lampard carried Chelsea, but i can see where the confusion comes from. He clearly never carried that team, but has been an incredible player for them, to be the clubs top ever goal scorer, without being a striker is one hell of an achievement. You dont get to that stage by being average.

 

Gerrard has never been an average player, at any point really. 

 

England havent played well for the past 20 years, i dont think thats anything to do with Lampard, or Gerrard but more the incompetent managers they have had who refused to believe they couldnt play well together. Remember this is the same national team that didnt think Scholes, possibly the best ever english midfielder, wasnt good enough to get a game, and when he did he was punted on the left wing. 

[fertuiee]

Fair comment, I am only saying what I've seen for the last 10 / 15 years or so and I cant agree more about "incompetent" managers, but they cant do anymore than play them together can they? whoever is running the side, that is what managers have done for the last 10 years or so, to little or no avail. There's not many sides with 2 "world class" midfielders that fail perennially, but that's just my opinion.  

 

I'm not sure how much "better" international teams worry about tactics, or what position there better players play in, within reason of course.

[Lemonade]

"Good players can always play together". One of my favourite MOTD cliches. See also:

 

"If you're good enough you're old enough".

 

"They're grinding out results and winning ugly, that's the sign of a championship winning team".

 

"There was no malice in it, he's not that sort of player".

[The Milner]

I think their biggest issue was they both wanted to play in the same position, which was an attacking mid just off the strikers, which is ok when you have one, with a Xabi Alonso or Makalele backing you up, but with two players doing the same they ended up in each others space constantly. A brave England manager would have dropped one for a more defensive mid to back them up, with the other coming off the bench, but such is the media power in England that no manager had the balls to do so, which would have probably improved both players international careers. The first loss with one on the bench would have been back page headlines for days after. 

 

Spain are a great example of it, you have Mata, one of the best midfielders in the EPL last season, but not a regular starter for Spain as to fit him in, they need to drop one of the other attacking mids. 

[Woodsinho]

A brave England manager would have dropped one for a more defensive mid to back them up, with the other coming off the bench, but such is the media power in England that no manager had the balls to do so

 

A brave England manager like Fabio Capello, who did, which resulted in Gaz Baz getting a fistful of caps. That was until the World Cup anyway, then he reverted to type and FUCK EVERYTHING I AM NOT WATCHING INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL ANY MORE.

[Soda Jerk]

Did anyone see the debate on Monday Night Football between Carragher and Neville? For a Scouser, I quite like Carragher, but he made himself look like a bit of a boob last night. He kept answering Neville's questions with questions, and just shouting things, kind of like how McManaman does on BT Sport. It basically it boiled down to who was better between Lampard, Gerrard and Scholes. Carragher seemed to rank Scholes as 3rd out of those three, which is like, totally mental. 11 titles, Carra. Eleven.

 

Carragher's response was "If Scholes was so good, then why did Fergie buy Veron?". Nice chat, Carra. Does a manager buying good players renounce the quality which is already there? Everytime the Liverpool manager bought a defender, was he really telling you that you're shit? Of course not. Besides. Veron was brought in because Scholes was doing so well playing in the middle of a 4-2-3-1 behind Van Nistelrooy and ended up scoring 20 goals without taking free kicks or penalties. Good return for an attacking midfielder. Veron just wasn't good enough to replace Scholes next to Keane. It turns out, nobody was.

 

Gerrard and Lampard were great. I don't think either of them have adapted too well to deeper roles over the past couple of years. Gerrard's sprays outwide are often terrible. Still great at lashing in corners though. They're both worth having on the pitch for set pieces and penalties alone, but passing from deep is erratic. Both were at their prime when they had the legs to play much higher up the pitch. Their traits primarily lie in attack.

Edited September 17, 2013 by Joda Serk

[Soda Jerk]

A brave England manager like Fabio Capello, who did, which resulted in Gaz Baz getting a fistful of caps. That was until the World Cup anyway, then he reverted to type and FUCK EVERYTHING I AM NOT WATCHING INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL ANY MORE.

 

He also put Stevie on the left wing loads too.

 

We just love putting key players who the team should be built around on the wing.

[The Milner]

A brave England manager like Fabio Capello, who did, which resulted in Gaz Baz getting a fistful of caps. That was until the World Cup anyway, then he reverted to type and FUCK EVERYTHING I AM NOT WATCHING INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL ANY MORE.

 

Barry isnt the worst player ever, he was outstanding at the weekend, but i know he is limited. Capello was the only one close to brave enough to do it, but like you say, when it mattered he just played the two of them anyway.

[The Milner]

Did anyone see the debate on Monday Night Football between Carragher and Neville? For a Scouser, I quite like Carragher, but he made himself look like a bit of a boob last night. He kept answering Neville's questions with questions, and just shouting things, kind of like how McManaman does on BT Sport. It basically it boiled down to who was better between Lampard, Gerrard and Scholes. Carragher seemed to rank Scholes as 3rd out of those three, which is like, totally mental. 11 titles, Carra. Eleven.

 

Carragher's response was "If Scholes was so good, then why did Fergie buy Veron?". Nice chat, Carra. Does a manager buying good players renounce the quality which is already there? Everytime the Liverpool manager bought a defender, was he really telling you that you're shit? Of course not. Besides. Veron was brought in because Scholes was doing so well playing in the middle of a 4-2-3-1 behind Van Nistelrooy and ended up scoring 20 goals without taking free kicks or penalties. Good return for an attacking midfielder. Veron just wasn't good enough to replace Scholes next to Keane. It turns out, nobody was.

 

Gerrard and Lampard were great. I don't think either of them have adapted too well to deeper roles over the past couple of years. Gerrard's sprays outwide are often terrible. Still great at lashing in corners though. They're both worth having on the pitch for set pieces and penalties alone, but passing from deep is erratic. Both were at their prime when they had the legs to play much higher up the pitch. Their traits primarily lie in attack.

 

Yeah, i've quite liked Carragher so far on Sky, but that was ludicrous, it was the bit when he said why did England play him left wing if he was so good, i almost threw my TV out the window. Scholes is known world wide as being one of the best ever English players, but because he didnt play for Lolerpool Jamie has his blinkers on. 

[Paranoid Android]

Saying that either Gerrard or Lampard are / were poor players is just mad. I can only imagine it comes from an extreme averse reaction to the idea they were over rated at times, which they may have been. However they are both great players. Always preferred Lamps myself but that is probably chelsea bias. Scholes is easily top out of those three though. Was it during Sven's reign that he stopped playing international football? Whoever was in charge they were stupid not to use him properly.

[Eupraxia]

[fertuiee]