Football Thread 2014/15 |OT5| Place for normal, legit banter

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Blablurn said:
I have a bad feeling about todays game :( Jack pls. I don't think we are ready yet with all those injuries. But it's good to see Thiago back.
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Had the same feeling, but you being pessimistic makes me more optimistic again. :-P
Bayern will show their spirit.

With Pep being our coach, I don't think there's even a reason to guess the formation. We'll never get it right.

I just hope Götze is in the middle and Shaq on the bench. Robben left, Müller right? No idea how fit Robben is.
 
Yurt said:
I hope Tevez scoring a freekick signals the end of Bonucci's reign of terror over our set pieces
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One reason I'm glad Kroos left Bayern. His freekicks and corners were abysmal. Out of 100 setpieces he delivered 8 assists. Alsono had 3 setpieces and delivered one already.
 
Shanks D Zoro said:
But you are acting like Liverpoil are some automatic top 4 team now and that Arsenal are no concern for you. We have two first team starters out and everyone else just seems to be slight knocks. The only real time we will have to panic is when Mert or Kosc get injured for a long spell. I wouldn't go around thinking Liverpool are gonna get a top four place, because right now last season is looking like a fluke.
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I'd love to know how you've come up with that conclusion. Four games in to the league season, and we're on the same points as you having played tougher games. We were disappointing against Villa, but then you were similarly shit against Leicester and were lucky to get a draw. I don't think you can extrapolate from that one game to write off our entire season.
 
Jack cw said:
One reason I'm glad Kroos left Bayern. His freekicks and corners were abysmal. Out of 100 setpieces he delivered 8 assists. Alsono had 3 setpieces and delivered one already.
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There must be some stats out there as to who is best at these things, and surely each team keeps it's own?

One I've wanted to see is how often the keeper hoofing it forward has resulted in a goal for, against, keeping possession, losing possession.
 
Blablurn said:
I have a bad feeling about todays game :( Jack pls. I don't think we are ready yet with all those injuries. But it's good to see Thiago back.
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Bla pls. No insecurities. Mia san mia for a reason. The squad is still high quality and we made it with such a line up against Dortmund in the cup final. City wont be able to handle the pressing and positioning.
Gambit said:
Had the same feeling, but you being pessimistic makes me more optimistic again. :-P
Bayern will show their spirit.

With Pep being our coach, I don't think there's even a reason to guess the formation. We'll never get it right.

I just hope Götze is in the middle and Shaq on the bench. Robben left, Müller right? No idea how fit Robben is.
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Robben is fit for at least an hour I think. And games like this are a chance for Shaqiri to finally deliver.
 
LTWheels said:
I wouldn't call last season a fluke considering how long our run was and that we have been playing decently since the Jan we purchased Sturridge and Coutinho.

We started slow last season as well, grinding out nervy 1-0s until close to Christmas. We didn't see a performance like two weeks ago against Spurs until the Spurs game when AVB got sacked. In that sense that kind of performance has come earlier this season.

Ludo are a better team than people realise. They got to last 16 of Europa last season beating Lazio and PSV.

Our biggest problem is that Ballo seems to function better in a two rather than a lone striker. Sturridge and Allen's injuries have caused us some problems, especially as it means that the majority of our attacking like are brand new players who have never played wih each other or are unfit (Lallana, Markovic, Ballo). It's like we don't know how to play 4-3-3 anymore. Also Coutinho being shit hasn't helped.
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Last season Suarez was suspended at the start of it, came in October, and then started dominating teams single handed. You don't have a Suarez anymore, that Liverpool teams is as good as it's getting, Playing in Europe will drain your squad, just like it will drain our squad. You played Ludo at home, we played Dortmund away. Our hardest game of the group stages is out of the way, although all the away games will be hard,

United have all the advantages here. This week alone, how much energy did our teams expend here? Ramsey looked knackered when he came off the field. Any team, aside from Chelsea, thinking they have a foot in the top 4 reminds me of Brazil having one hand on the World Cup. Yeah sure Brazil had one hand on the world cup.. worked out so well and any of our top 4 challenges can go the exact same way.


Mastadon said:
I'd love to know how you've come up with that conclusion. Four games in to the league season, and we're on the same points as you having played tougher games. We were disappointing against Villa, but then you were similarly shit against Leicester and were lucky to get a draw. I don't think you can extrapolate from that one game to write off our entire season.
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Not sure how your games are tougher...
 
Shanks D Zoro said:
Yurt, how did Juve play? I had the misfortune of only being able to see Arsenal play. I had been hoping Juve would we it by 3 or 4 goals so when I saw the scoreline I was a bit worried.
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Decent. Which is not good enough.

I'm not sure if we were unlucky or just wasteful and lazy, but our strikers were always a step behind a sure sitter.
cartoon_soldier said:
Tevez wasn't taking your free kicks? Why?
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because he's too nice to shove Bonucci away. Leo genuinely (genuinely) thinks he's only second to Pirlo when it comes to passing and setpieces
 
Meier said:
Btw, if anyone wants to see the absolutely insane decision by the Ludogorets defender to interfere with the ball that was clearly going uninterrupted to the keeper, here's one I found: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HqWSwxj5bQ#t=140. The video is shit quality and they've flipped it or something but you get the gist. Liverpool were essentially just clearing it and accepting they were only getting a point.
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The defender wasn't aware of his surroundings, from that video it's clear that he wasn't aware of the keepers position
 
Meier said:
Btw, if anyone wants to see the absolutely insane decision by the Ludogorets defender to interfere with the ball that was clearly going uninterrupted to the keeper, here's one I found: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HqWSwxj5bQ#t=140. The video is shit quality and they've flipped it or something but you get the gist. Liverpool were essentially just clearing it and accepting they were only getting a point.
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Do you think Natastic was paid off as well with that Torres goal last season?
 
Lightning said:
Not sure how your games are tougher...
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Because on balance, Southampton, Spurs and Villa are probably better teams than Palace, Everton and Leicester?

Even if you don't think they were tougher, they're at least on par. All the teams we have played are currently above us both in the league.
 
Arsenal have been disappointing in pretty much every game. Liverpool smashed Spurs, and I think Spurs are actually looking really good this season, just without the results to match.
 
The FA want 50% less eu players because he thinks managers showing up to tribunals and convincing them is wrong, he wants strict criteria. I can only see this hurting everyone who isnt in the top 6 or so because only players lured by those will have the pedigree to auto pass.
 
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The Arsenal debate is a funny one, I do understand their perspective on things, and everyone's I suppose, when they question our ability to get a top four place this year. Saying that I genuinely have no doubts that this team will get better with each game it plays and the bedding in process will be finished by December. Whether we're still in the pack by then is certainly up for debate.

I'm of the opinion that we played well against City, despite losing, and the Spurs match was obviously a reminder of what we can achieve. We've had a really tough start, far tougher than Arsenal (City and Spurs away).

Whilst I get that bravado from Liverpool fans is misplaced at this stage, I'd say similar for Arsenal. Our £16 million striker scored with his only clear cut chance last night. Yours missed several and has a history of doing so. More worryingly is Welbeck is your first (only) real striking option until Christmas, whereas Balotelli is ours for two weeks.

On the subject of Balotelli I thought he was great last night. I saw a huge improvement in him from Saturday and if he keeps that up I'll be ecstatic. Ran for the team, pressed intelligently, was strong and took his chance.

On the tube so excuse any spelling errors.
 
Lightning said:
These sort of assessments at this point in the season are incredibly pointless. Almost as pointless as watching other teams results praying for any drop points.

Much like City against Stoke, Liverpool against Villa, at this stage of the season it's anyone's game, Counting injuries now as an advantage is grasping at the disappearing straws, Results and injuries in Feb/Mar are what matter.

Liverpool look incredibly average right now. So do United, Arsenal, City, Everton and Spurs. The only team impressing is Chelsea, everyone else look fragile in different areas.
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Well, I do agree somewhat (though a number of statistical models can already draw a great deal from the opening few games), but it's the football thread. Might as well talk about Football without prefacing everything with "The sample size is too small, but..."

Shanks D Zoro said:
But you are acting like Liverpoil are some automatic top 4 team now and that Arsenal are no concern for you. We have two first team starters out and everyone else just seems to be slight knocks. The only real time we will have to panic is when Mert or Kosc get injured for a long spell. I wouldn't go around thinking Liverpool are gonna get a top four place, because right now last season is looking like a fluke.
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Well, it's pretty basic reasoning. Liverpool finished 2nd last season and Arsenal 4th. With a general lack of data from this season, it makes sense to use what info we can from the previous season (and once again, I am of course using alternate statistics to simple positions). This info suggests that Arsenal are the team more likely to be at risk.

For what it's worth, I doubt United will end up troubling either team for their spot come the end of the season, though it's a weak assessment at the moment
 
Mastadon said:
I'd love to know how you've come up with that conclusion. Four games in to the league season, and we're on the same points as you having played tougher games. We were disappointing against Villa, but then you were similarly shit against Leicester and were lucky to get a draw. I don't think you can extrapolate from that one game to write off our entire season.
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Well sohois came to the conclusion that Arsenal were not gonna be a worry for fourth based on four games, so I felt it was only fair to use the same sample size to come to a conclusion about Liverpool. I could say that we are getting results while our new players are settling in, while Liverpool have lost two, including one at home.
 
KidA Seven said:
Ramsey has been crap to start the season. The formation has him playing closer to goal right?
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Yeah. Wenger wants to fit him and Wilshere in the team, but Wenger believes Wilshere will become a DM so it looks like he instructs him to play further back in the space Ramsey occupied last season.
 
Balotelli is weird.

He's selfish, so you'd think he'd look happier as the lone striker, where he is the player everyone looks to in attack, but he's too easily surrounded and negated.

Put him in a two, and he gets less of the ball maybe, but far more space, and more of the ball in good positions. Think him and Sturridge can develop a real good partnership. For that thouh, we need the diamond, and with that, we get bummed on the break against technically good teams.

Didn't take Moreno long to become a fan favourite. Bit of a communication breakdown before
the equaliser, everyone was playing it safe but Moreno saw space to sprint into, and once he was there, Sterling had to either pass to him, or at very least not lose the ball in a way which sets off an instant counterattack.

Not sure if when Sturridge is back, we should maybe limit the number of new players in the forward line at the same time. Bed Balotelli in first, then Lallana, then Markovic. Theoretically, we should have a squad to be able to handle that. Their lack of gametime together clearly had a big impact on the Villa performance, and yesterday (to a lesser extent)

Coutinho giving the ball away with 60% of his attempted sharp passes isn't helping though. No idea what's going on with him, these are real basics he's screwing up, passing on the floor to teammates when there's an opposition player stood bang inbetween them
 
FA plans to slash number of non-EU imported players in English football

The Football Association has unveiled detailed proposals to reduce the number of imported players coming into the English game from outside the European Union by up to 50%.

Under the plans, Football League clubs would be banned from signing non-EU players altogether and Premier League clubs would be prevented from sending them on loan. FA chairman Greg Dyke hopes the changes will help prevent “mediocre” overseas players from blocking the progress of homegrown talent.
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Less mediocre south americans, more Clevdoges and Welblols. Sounds like a good idea.
 
Shanks D Zoro said:
Well sohois came to the conclusion that Arsenal were not gonna be a worry for fourth based on four games, so I felt it was only fair to use the same sample size to come to a conclusion about Liverpool. I could say that we are getting results while our new players are settling in, while Liverpool have lost two, including one at home.
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Ah I see. FWIW I think Arsenal and Liverpool will comfortably finish in the top 4.

We're bedding in as many new players, if not more, as you are btw :P
 
Jack cw said:
One reason I'm glad Kroos left Bayern. His freekicks and corners were abysmal. Out of 100 setpieces he delivered 8 assists. Alsono had 3 setpieces and delivered one already.
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He did improve at the national team, though. At the world cup his setpieces were A-OK.

Jack cw said:
Robben is fit for at least an hour I think. And games like this are a chance for Shaqiri to finally deliver.
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Yes, another chance to squander. Gotta say, I am through with him. He's never gonna make it at Bayern. Wrong decision after wrong decision. (As always with such statements, I'd be very happy to be proven wrong tonight).
 
Any reason why Ozil isn't at least being played on the right with Sanchez left? Would surely help him gain a larger view of the pitch.
 
Saw an ad for Gone Girl, reminds me of Double Jeopardy except without the charisma of Tommy Lee Jones
 
“The images speak for themselves. I was on the ground helpless and he hit me with force between the legs, in my private parts,” Konate has told reporters after the game.

“It was crazy. I tried to ask him what he was doing, but he only looked at me without saying a word. I did not react as that is not my style, but maybe I should have. At the end of the match I swapped shirts with Giovinco, he’s a good boy.”
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yfaZMLs.gif


a worthy addition to Cunt XI

------------Costa---
Ribery-----Icardi--------------
Alba--Ramos--Pepe(c)--Licht
-------------Valdes-----
 
I don't think we will finish in the top 4 so you guys can stop your petty squabbles.

Liverpool are a better team than Arsenal though. Arsenal's problems are always the same. They're just weak.
 
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