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Football Thread 2013/14 |OT9|

C

Carbonox

Member
Sviatoslav said:
It's a miracle season, kinda like Newcastle 2011/12.
Click to expand...

twas a dark day in the premier league

image.php
 
J

jtb

Banned
Lightning said:
It's only been just over a season since he left. And he was fine his last season with us as well.

We need not overreact to this loss. It's not that bad and one of the hardest fixtures of the year out of the way.
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Yeah, we'll be fine. Just gotta hope no one gets injured over the break and keep picking up the points.

as a whole, it's been a good week. 2/3 of the big tests passed isn't bad at all.
 
Z

Zabojnik

Member
Conte 1 - 0 Benitez. We've been very careful up until now, hope we can be in the second half as well. Other than that it's the match I've been expecting, more or less. Both teams seem a bit tired, which is understandable.
 
Y

Yurt

il capo silenzioso
HT: Should be up by 3 to be honest..

Pirlo is running riot in there. Hamsik should be man marking him, Sir Rafa.
 
A

Arnie

Member
Yurt said:
HT: Should be up by 3 to be honest..

Pirlo is running riot in there. Hamsik should be man marking him, Sir Rafa.
Click to expand...
It's baffling me.

Pirlo' just drifting around making pockets for himself and nobody is picking him up. Hamsik's glancing at him but doing nothing. Rafa clearly doesn't want to stifle Napoli's attacking movement and shape going after Pirlo. Considering the number of chances Juve are creating he might change it at half time.
 
Y

Yurt

il capo silenzioso
Arnie said:
It's baffling me.

Pirlo' just drifting around making pockets for himself and nobody is picking him up. Hamsik's glancing at him but doing nothing. Rafa clearly doesn't want to stifle Napoli's attacking movement and shape going after Pirlo. Considering the number of chances Juve are creating he might change it at half time.
Click to expand...
On paper Hamsik is their 'free man', isn't he? Maybe Rafa is counting on his stealthy runs or something.

But so far it's clearly not working.
 
A

Arnie

Member
3Sixty said:
All comps is stupid.

Carling Cup shouldn't count for anything
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Sorry 360 but I think this attitude is naff.

Teams should take the Carling Cup seriously, especially a team such as Southampton who're trying to bridge the gap in terms of how their club is perceived. Sure, being 5th in the Premier League in January looks great, but add a cup win to that and you're instantly turning heads. Winning breeds success.

And you'd get to go see Southampton win something at Wembley. How can you discount the value of this?
Yurt said:
On paper Hamsik is their 'free man', isn't he? Maybe Rafa is counting on his stealthy runs or something.

But so far it's clearly not working.
Click to expand...
It seems a shame to neuter a player like Hamsik with such a grubby role. But as you say the more Pirlo cuts Napoli open the more it becomes a necessity. They need to stay in this.
 
C

Clegg

Member
Lightning said:
United didn't have to play Bayern Munich.
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That's irrelevant.

They should be able compete with the elite clubs in Europe and not get completely embarrassed by them. The same happened last season too. They spent £100m to resolve that and still got absolutely nowhere when they faced up to Munich.
 
3

3Sixty

Member
Arnie said:
Sorry 360 but I think this attitude is naff.

Teams should take the Carling Cup seriously, especially a team such as Southampton who're trying to bridge the gap in terms of how their club is perceived. Sure, being 5th in the Premier League in January looks great, but add a cup win to that and you're instantly turning heads. Winning breeds success.

And you'd get to go see Southampton win something at Wembley. How can you discount the value of this?
Click to expand...

We don't have a big enough squad to compete in the Carling Cup. Its as simple as that for me.
 
A

Arnie

Member
Clegg said:
That's irrelevant.

They should be able compete with the elite clubs in Europe and not get completely embarrassed by them. The same happened last season too. They spent £100m to resolve that and still got absolutely nowhere when they faced up to Munich.
Click to expand...

Be fair.

They're a club in transition with a new manager and an evolving squad. They shouldn't be expected to go toe to toe with the European Champions. Expect a financial value to immediately translate into footballing value is naive, just look at Spurs, just look at Liverpool a few years back.

Money doesn't translate to success. Smart coaching and scouting does. City aren't a well coached side, hence why Pellegrini was brought in. Coaching takes time, as does implementing new ideas. It can be instantaneous (Pochettino), but that's rare.

City bought well in the summer, with the exception of Jovetic. They'll find consistency at some point and when they do then they'll be a force.
 
J

jtb

Banned
Arnie said:
Be fair.

They're a club in transition with a new manager and an evolving squad. They shouldn't be expected to go toe to toe with the European Champions. Expect a financial value to immediately translate into footballing value is naive, just look at Spurs, just look at Liverpool a few years back.

Money doesn't translate to success. Smart coaching and scouting does. City aren't a well coached side, hence why Pellegrini was brought in. Coaching takes time, as does implementing new ideas. It can be instantaneous (Pochettino), but that's rare.

City bought well in the summer, with the exception of Jovetic. They'll find consistency at some point and when they do then they'll be a force.
Click to expand...

I dunno, I agree with Clegg. You spend 100m—not just this season, but every season—because you expect to win now. I attribute Spurs' current struggles far more to losing their best player for the past two seasons than to spending 100m. There's a void that, so far, has yet to be filled. City aren't in a position where they need to sell anyone; they buy who they want and they sell who they want. I think it's fair to expect more.
 
C

Clegg

Member
Arnie said:
Be fair.

They're a club in transition with a new manager and an evolving squad. They shouldn't be expected to go toe to toe with the European Champions. Expect a financial value to immediately translate into footballing value is naive, just look at Spurs, just look at Liverpool a few years back.

Money doesn't translate to success. Smart coaching and scouting does. City aren't a well coached side, hence why Pellegrini was brought in. Coaching takes time, as does implementing new ideas. It can be instantaneous (Pochettino), but that's rare.

City bought well in the summer, with the exception of Jovetic. They'll find consistency at some point and when they do then they'll be a force.
Click to expand...
I agree with everything you've said. Perhaps I'm reacting to the well worn cliche that City will be a better team once Mancini is gone. But right now there has been no real change. They look a bit more lethal at home, but as vulnerable as ever away, maybe even more so. They spend so much every season that they really should be doing better.

They've recruited well in a couple of areas, but have left midfield and defence vulnerable. Toure and Fernandinho are a good midfield pairing, but there is no decent alternative if one of them gets injured. It's the same with Kompany in defence. For all the money they've spent, they have some rather glaring weaknesses.
 
V

Vivalaraza

Member
Arnie said:
Be fair.

They're a club in transition with a new manager and an evolving squad. They shouldn't be expected to go toe to toe with the European Champions. Expect a financial value to immediately translate into footballing value is naive, just look at Spurs, just look at Liverpool a few years back.

Money doesn't translate to success. Smart coaching and scouting does. City aren't a well coached side, hence why Pellegrini was brought in. Coaching takes time, as does implementing new ideas. It can be instantaneous (Pochettino), but that's rare.

City bought well in the summer, with the exception of Jovetic. They'll find consistency at some point and when they do then they'll be a force.
Click to expand...

Tbh Pochettino had a good few months before the summer to get to know his team.

Has done really well, no doubts. But not quite as instant just because he had time to know his team, players and club before the summer which managers like Moyes/Greeny didn't.

Not to take any credit away from Saints and what they're doing, it's amazing. But I dunno if i'd say if it's been "instant".
 
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