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Football Thread 2014/15 |OT7| daily blind is a renegade of funk
- Thread starter Lana Del Rey
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He said within 5 working days, the longer it goes without a reply the worse it is right? I'm kinda expecting not to get it just seems too good to be true.
He scores some obscene goals
Eh, always allow the entire five days; they might just have lots of people to interview or things to sort out!
FlutterPuffs
Member
Best FIFA celebration is L2 + right stick pulled to the left.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCM6ROWoD5E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCM6ROWoD5E
Portugeezer
Member
Hopefully Thiago gets over his injuries. Genuinely one of the best CMs to watch.
For sure. There are some great ones, but the whole Scorpion thing was amazing.
Did you or anyone else have this poster?
I had it. So good, why is Figo the tallest though lol?
Yeah I will but just nervous about how well I did etc, personally I thought it went well. The group bit 1 of the women was quite commanding and wanted to point out everything without giving others to talk really but everything else was fine.
Just hope that they give me a chance.
Stay classy and stop quoting me and fuck Bayern.
Dat partnership between me and Wilbur. Cole and Yorke esque
Freewheelin'
Member
Found out today at work that my former manager died of cancer 
she hadn't been in since July so I thought she quit or was ill. She looked fine from what I remember
Funeral is on Monday
she hadn't been in since July so I thought she quit or was ill. She looked fine from what I remember
Funeral is on Monday
Horrible. R.I.PFound out today at work that my former manager died of cancer
she hadn't been in since July so I thought she quit or was ill. She looked fine from what I remember
Funeral is on Monday
Survivor. Legit. "Listen mode" makes you complacent. Much prefer the game without it.
Frustrated_me
Member
Was in NYC this weekend - Williamsburg, DUMBO (such an amazing neighbourhood), Manhattan but in Brooklyn in general.
This city really is the center of the universe, holy fuck. It had been over a decade since my last visit and MY GOD this city really never sleeps. There is literally something to do in every corner you turn.
This city really is the center of the universe, holy fuck. It had been over a decade since my last visit and MY GOD this city really never sleeps. There is literally something to do in every corner you turn.
Hixx claims another victim.
LabouredSubterfuge
Member
Why have Ogden and JJ written near identical articles on LvG?
Are United press releasing editorial content too now?
Edit: actually they're more different than I thought, nvm. Weird that they're both done like report cards. See that it's 3 months since 15th of July.
Are United press releasing editorial content too now?
Edit: actually they're more different than I thought, nvm. Weird that they're both done like report cards. See that it's 3 months since 15th of July.
Freewheelin'
Member
:lol at my penalty, so bad
JJ calling Rooney Master made me giggle
what. what happens if you partially tear your knee ligaments and don't get surgery?
He's like 7 goals away from being England's top scorer too isn't he
And he's doing it just to spite all of us, the fucking stats farmer/grinder.
It genuinely saddens me that years from now people will not know the whole story and the revisionists will run riot. Maradona good, Pele great, George Best, but Rooney FIRST.
Nathan, it's our duty as Junited bros to write it all down on the caves of London
Suen & Kip, any tips?
He's like 7 goals away from being England's top scorer too isn't he
And he's doing it just to spite all of us, the fucking stats farmer/grinder.
It genuinely saddens me that years from now people will not know the whole story and the revisionists will run riot. Maradona good, Pele great, George Best, but Rooney FIRST.
Nathan, it's our duty as Junited bros to write his whole story on the caves of London
Suen & Kip, any tips?
I will write a letter to his house and leave instructions for it to be delivered 100,000 years from now and when his great great great great great great grandchildren see it they will denounce his legacy and rename themselves Welbeck
FortuneFaded
Member
He'll make the switch to 4-3-3, they said. He'll give Pogba a more attacking role, they said. Too bad they were talking about Deschamps, not Allegri.
Its easier to attack more when you have Morgan behind you <3
The_Hitcher89
Member
Broder Salsa
Banned
Is that an own goal maybe? Need some super slo-mo
No it was Ronaldo.
FortuneFaded
Member
So I can pay 5 quid and we'll score at home. Can I put a £500 deposit and secure us promotion?
Broder Salsa
Banned
Terrible pricing all over England, should go to Portugal instead, look at that cheap ass season ticket for Sporting.
FortuneFaded
Member
I would pay not to watch Nani.
Vivalaraza
Member
So glad I don't have to come across any JJ articles anymore.
Spenk.
Spenk.
FortuneFaded
Member
Article in Private Eye about the Ricoh sale:
No you'll get some goals for your dosh but you have to factor in Wasps' tries now
sorry
PrematureQuiche
Member
Shame that F1 2014 looks like it's just a lazy re skin with the new cars. Hopefully the true next gen version next year will be awesome!
LabouredSubterfuge
Member
Could do better Louis van Gaals report card at Manchester United
Jamie Jackson
Manager warned it would take three months for his philosophy to take root, but there is still plenty of room for improvement
Mr Van Gaal arrived at Manchester United with high marks from all of his alma maters. At Ajax, Barcelona, AZ Alkmaar and Bayern Munich he rose to the top of the class, winning titles with a brand of football that was attractive. When at Ajax he also claimed the Champions League with a team made up of many young stars. All of this made Mr Van Gaal the perfect candidate to take over following the doomed tenure of Mr Moyes.
Mr Van Gaal stated on several occasions that three months were needed for his philosophy to take shape and, having taken over on 16 July, it is time for a mid-term report.
After winning every game on the tour of America, including the International Champions Cup final against Liverpool, eight matches have been played this season. The start was awful. An opening-day defeat to Swansea City was compounded by a 1-1 draw at Sunderland. Then came the 4-0 loss at MK Dons in the Capital One Cup and an uninspiring 0-0 draw at Burnley. At the fifth attempt the Dutchman finally won, a 4-0 defeat of Queens Park Rangers. But consistency was hard to find. After leading Leicester City 3-1, four goals were conceded in 26 second-half minutes.
However, his timescale of three months began to look achievable as the team bounced back with consecutive wins. West Ham United were defeated 2-1 despite Master Rooney being sent off then Everton were beaten by the same score. The side now stand in fourth place on 11 points, three behind Manchester City in second place, and eight away from the leaders, Chelsea.
Here is our mid-term report on Mr Van Gaal complete with grades:
Training
Mr Van Gaal does not fling himself around during these sessions as Mr Moyes did but does become involved. Whether on tour or at the clubs Carrington base he often stands by a goalpost to conduct a continuing dialogue with players who are either praised or severely scolded.
Since arriving Mr Van Gaal has shown a clear vision for the Aon training complex that has resulted in a £3m investment. The main pitches next to the Jimmy Murphy Centre have been torn up and replaced with the same Desso surface used at Old Trafford. Some £500,000 has been invested in a video system so players can be more closely scrutinised. After introducing double training sessions, sleeping pods are available for rest, while his sessions are a blend of the functional and innovative.
Most training ends with penalties being taken, while Mr Van Gaal, with whistle and clipboard in hand, often orchestrates odd-sided teams in matches of, for example, 10 v 8 or 4 v 5. He thinks nothing of devoting a whole session to the practising of corners or simple pass-and-move sequences that encourage quick crossing of the ball at a skeleton defence.
One serious frustration has been the number of injuries up to 10 players have been unavailable with many of these occurring during training. Mr Van Gaal has admitted puzzlement at this but is working hard to address the problem.
Grade: B-
Team hotel
Mr Van Gaal has proved a stickler for punctuality, politeness and decorum at the Lowry Hotel, where the squad gather before each home match. He insists staff are greeted whenever applicable as players arrive and has been known to upbraid some particularly the younger ones if this does not occur. He has proved courteous and warm, and has created an atmosphere in which the team are encouraged to talk spontaneously and without fear about the upcoming game.
He also uses this time to continue discussions which are not always directly about football. These include not just the squad, and training and medical staff, but everyone present at the team hotel. This contrasts with Mr Moyes who could, at times, be aloof with the clubs more junior employees.
Due to his familiarity with the Lowry, its staff and its daily routine he has also proved particularly helpful in ensuring Masters Falcao, Di María, Rojo, Shaw, Herrera and Blind settle in while they were staying there.
Grade: B
Match day
Again, Mr Van Gaal has put his stamp on this area of his duties. There has been an overhaul at the Theatre of Dreams, both behind the scenes and on the pitch. Unlike Mr Moyes or indeed Sir himself, the new manager is a permanent presence from start to finish of the pre-game warm-up. He can be seen chatting with his support staff but his primary aim is to keep a close eye on players as they go through their stretching and practice exercises, to read their body language and ensure they are 100% focused.
As throughout pre-season, Mr Van Gaal continues to insist that the match-day attacking unit run through basic free-kick, corner and set-piece sequences with these often aimed at placing the ball into the area for a goal-scoring opportunity. Once more, this is a departure from his immediate predecessors.
And again, unlike them, Mr Van Gaal is a particularly calm presence once a match commences, preferring to watch all 90 minutes from his seat. Only once has he moved from this position during the eight games. In the 73rd minute of the 2-1 win over Everton at home, the teams most recent outing, Mr Van Gaal was at last seen in the technical area giving instructions to Master Wilson who was about to enter for Master Falcao.
Away from public view Mr Van Gaal has also ordered that the creche for the teams children be remodelled into part of an extended medical room, while the players lounge has been relocated and is now used partly as a warm-up area and media interview room.
Grade: C+
Man-management
Senior executives at the club have been taken aback at how open Mr Van Gaal has been about players during press conferences. In America, Masters Shaw, Kagawa and Hernández were criticised for various reasons, a policy that has continued once the season started. Mr Van Gaal thought nothing of describing Master Falcao as a better striker than Master Rooney, who it should not be forgotten he appointed as team captain, after the 5-3 loss to Leicester. Yet the sense from the team is that they are happy as the manager balances criticism with praise. More than this, Mr Van Gaals style has provided the kind of leadership so obviously absent under Mr Moyes and players are embracing the chance to grow not only as footballers but on a personal level. While Mr Fergusons style was to avoid as much media contact with him and the squad as possible, executives have also noted how Mr Van Gaal believes players should fulfil media duties as part of them being able to take greater responsibility and ownership of being a Manchester United footballer.
This aspect of Mr Van Gaals challenges on becoming manager has perhaps been his most successful as the players continue to buy into his approach, despite the uneven results and his individual approach.
Grade: A-
Philosophy
As mentioned, Mr Van Gaal speaks often of his philosophy and it seems this has been the toughest element for his players to comprehend. There are two strands: a playing and mental aspect. When Mr Van Gaal instantly switched to an unfamiliar 3-5-2 shape in pre-season and for the opening four games he appeared decisive. Yet after winning none of these matches and losing two, Mr Van Gaal switched to the four-man defence he has since stuck with.
Did this suggest a muddled philosophy? Or a manager secure enough to change things if results were not attained and new recruits had arrived to allow him to do so? Given the upturn in the teams fortunes it is the latter, it would seem.
As for the mental side of his philosophy, Mr Van Gaal has talked of changing the players from being instinct-based when taking decisions to employing a more considered, thinking system. Again, this seems counter-intuitive and, it must be noted, players were initially privately concerned. But with the managers encouragement and his insistence that the squad watch individually tailored films on iPads and other personal consoles to improve their performances, his methods are beginning to bear fruit.
Grade: B
Overall
All in all Mr Van Gaal has made an encouraging start and it should also be noted this has been done while giving debuts to seven homegrown youngsters and a title challenge is still a distinct possibility.
Overall grade: B-
That's what they do every fucking year, fucking Codemasters fucking cunts.
PrematureQuiche
Member
Probably cause people like me still buy it! At least it only cost £14!
FlutterPuffs
Member
Wilbur, if you ever write an article like that I hope you accidentally pour some peri peri sauce on your dong.
The_Hitcher89
Member
Didn't read his opinion-piece on Moyes being well on track to become the next Ferguson, I take it
FortuneFaded
Member
I wouldn't be surprised if he already does that just for kicks.
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