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[Gandalf]

I think Smalling is nothing special tbh. Not good enough for the level United should chase. We're talking Bayern, Real, Barca here. United has the funds to get closer to those teams. Therefore their vision is baffling, no investments in defense but yet grabbing guys like Martial for god knows how much. There are guys like Hummels out there. Laporte.

Blind is an awful player. Memphis the same. They're both one trick ponies. I'd rather not have them in our national side, but we've got nothing else lol. But they aren't going to make United a better team. Memphis is too egocentric, Blind is too slow for a team that should play far from its own goal.

When you have to bring Fellaini, I think you've got a problem.

I'm not sure if you've seen us so far this season but Smalling has been one of our best players so far. He isn't the issue here. A world class partner for him would be ideal.

Blind has done really well at CB this season too. It's our lack of real quality depth that's cost us. Shaws injury really messed us up defensively. When we've had Darmian, Smalling, Blind, Shaw starting so far this season, we've look very strong at the back, apart from the Swansea blip.

Oh don't get me wrong, I agree. Fellaini isn't the answer. Neither is Valencia. Why we didn't get rid of him in our clear out I'll never know.

 

[Turok_TTZ]

Dat Fellaini technique. Seriously though, why do Man U never shoot on goal. They want to run the ball in the goal every time, you're not Barcelona just shoot the ball!

*checks wiki, sees manutd coach.*

*manutd coach is LVG*

you didn't expect this? get used to it already, it's year 2 underway for LVG. maybe you just dont understand his philosophy...

 

[Tubie]

9 goals scored today, zero conceded. All atop their group. La mejor liga del mundo.

Atletico keeps surprising me. I imagine Griezmann will go to an English club next season for 100m+ at this rate.

 

[Ape Gone Insane]

LOL

ok you are delusional, last year he started a riot because lucho sat him one game and then he threatened to leave for Chelsea just because of that. He didn't like all the attention Neymar was getting.

Don't really see how 'falling out' with Lucho is related to bad sportsmanship against teammates. And he was sat out for most of one game which consequently led to Barcelona losing. You should have told me you were part of the backroom staff to have all this inside scoop on him moving to Chelsea and how he feels about Neymar. Neymar, did you know, was also sat out.

I see you fail to mention mehssi kicking ball hard to crowd in frustration. so much for watching la liga for years, eh?

is okay. everyone has their biases.

Why would I mention that when I've said a few times now that he shows good sportsmanship consistently and isn't perfect.

To be perfectly clear, I am a Madrid supporter and I think Messi is the best player of all times.

But, he is in no way perfect on and off the field. I hate how Barca fans try to make him look like an angel when he's not.

He complains and asks for penalties just as much as any other player.

Literally, inventing things now:

I've been watching La Liga for years so yes, I do. I've watched him being stamped on by several guys in Atletico games and still continue in the box. I've watched him continue to dribble when most other players would go down. When he cries or whines, he usually has a perfectly legitimate reason for doing so. He's not perfect but he has good sportsmanship.

And he doesn't lose it with his teammates when they get goals and/or don't pass to him.

 

[Tubie]

Don't really see how 'falling out' with Lucho is related to bad sportsmanship against teammates. And he was sat out for one game which consequently led to Barcelona losing. You should have told me you were part of the backroom staff to have all this inside scoop on him moving to Chelsea and how he feels about Neymar. Neymar, did you know, was also sat out.



Why would I mention that when I've said a few times now that he shows good sportsmanship consistently and isn't perfect.



Literally, inventing things now:

You complain about Ronaldo when you have nothing to do with him or the game being played since you're a Barca supporter, just to bring up how Messi is so amazing and such a sportsman. Then you say Messi is not perfect but still better than Ronaldo somehow.

I'm telling you Messi is just as bad as Ronaldo in the sportsmanship regard, they both want to win and be the best so much that they act like idiots in high intensity situations.

Messi dives and yells at the ref all the time.

 

[KingSnake]

I've been watching La Liga for years so yes, I do. I've watched him being stamped on by several guys in Atletico games and still continue in the box. I've watched him continue to dribble when most other players would go down. When he cries or whines, he usually has a perfectly legitimate reason for doing so. He's not perfect but he has good sportsmanship.

And he doesn't lose it with his teammates when they get goals and/or don't pass to him.

There are several videos on youtube with insane dives of Messi (I didn't share them here because I don't approve of the language used). He complains a lot to the referees too (even when he's caught cheating/diving"). He's the best player in the world, but he uses all the tricks in the book too.

There are also some videos of him standing up and not falling when he can gain the ball, kind of a PR campaign from Barca supporters, but it doesn't mean that the dives cease to exist.

P.S. I hate Ronaldo's attitude sometimes, but he scores tons of goals, and unfair penalties are a very very little part of that.

 

[Turok_TTZ]

Don't really see how 'falling out' with Lucho is related to bad sportsmanship against teammates. And he was sat out for most of one game which consequently led to Barcelona losing. You should have told me you were part of the backroom staff to have all this inside scoop on him moving to Chelsea and how he feels about Neymar. Neymar, did you know, was also sat out.



Why would I mention that when I've said a few times now that he shows good sportsmanship consistently and isn't perfect.



Literally, inventing things now:

*Messi isn't perfect*

*Consistent Sportsmanship*

Pick one.

 

[Ape Gone Insane]

You complain about Ronaldo when you have nothing to do with him or the game being played since you're a Barca supporter, just to bring up how Messi is so amazing and such a sportsman. Then you say Messi is not perfect but still better than Ronaldo somehow.
.

Yes, that's correct. It's almost like there's a middle ground between being an angel and being a consistent/well-known diver who looks for penalties and demoralises his teammates.

Let's just agree to disagree, yeah?

*Messi isn't perfect*

*Consistent Sportsmanship*

Pick one.

Consistency does not imply absolute adherence.

 

[Cappa]

You often see Messi, the guy who Ronaldo is always compared to, consistently dive and lie for penalties on the field?

You can see the desperation in Ronaldo to become the top-scorer by any means necessary, even if it means lying or lambasting his own teammates.

Short answer yes.

 

[Tubie]

Yes, that's correct. It's almost like there's a middle ground between being an angel and being a consistent/well-known diver who looks for penalties and demoralises his teammates.

Let's just agree to disagree, yeah?



Consistency does not imply absolute adherence.

Sure man, Messi is the best at everything, no need for you to feel so insecure about him anymore

What a legend, the best football player in the world in history and also the best human being in the world at the same time. What a guy.

 

[Rhaknar]

Thanks for Mitroglou Fulham, 4 goals so far, 1 tonight in the CL game. Me likey

 

[Turok_TTZ]

Yes, that's correct. It's almost like there's a middle ground between being an angel and being a consistent/well-known diver who looks for penalties and demoralises his teammates.

Let's just agree to disagree, yeah?



Consistency does not imply absolute adherence.

I'll take that as a yes to the former then.

 

[Portugeezer]

Terrible start for the English clubs.

 

[la_briola]

How fitting, that if Ronaldo does something shady, we first need to look at Messi. Story of his (football) life.

 

[Jin_7]

La Liga >>> the world

It is known already. Way ahead in the 5 year ranking and current CL and EL winner,
but they also got some of the best acting divas.

It is known, just like the EPL being the best at wasting money,
Serie A being the best at inviting you to yummy food and the Bundesliga being the best league.

I hear that a lot.

-every player ever.

but it's much easier to always single out him.

Yeah, cause he is Ronaldo and stands out with his diva antics.

 

[Portugeezer]

Did Ronaldo score some goals? I guess he did, because people are butthurt as usual when he does.

 

[Jin_7]

Did Ronaldo score some goals? I guess he did, because people are butthurt as usual when he does.

He was my captain but no points for matchday 1. Of course I am.

 

[Tubie]

Did Ronaldo score some goals? I guess he did, because people are butthurt as usual when he does.

He has scored 8 goals in his last 2 matches so of course the Messi defense force came out full swing.

 

[Ape Gone Insane]

Sure man, Messi is the best at everything, no need for you to feel so insecure about him anymore

What a legend, the best football player in the world in history and also the best human being in the world at the same time. What a guy.

Nah, he's shit at headers, hard long shots and penalties, and his free kicking record overall is pretty poor. And I actually prefer Ronaldo off the pitch with his various involvements in humanitarian causes, the fun stunts he does where he dresses up as a beggar, not covering his body in ugly tattoos and his clean record when it comes to actually paying his taxes.

Believe it or not, not everything is about one team vs another mentality just because someone had the nerve to point out the flaws of a player's behaviour on the pitch compared to another's. Obviously he must be a biased Barcelona fanboy! But by all means, continue creating sarcastic strawmans if it makes you feel better.

 

[D4Danger]

Shaw suffered a double fracture

that's his season over

 

[AcridMeat]

Ape Gone Reasonable

Shaw suffered a double fracture

that's his season over

The fracture in his bone, and the fracture of his skin. D:

 

[Jarnet87]

We lose Shaw for the season and the opening game of the group stage, what a fucking day. We were done in by some sloppy passes and a lack of finishing. Depay and Mata had 2 fantastic chances. 5 games remaining. Wolfburg at Old Trafford next in a must win, the 3 home fixtures are all must wins plus some results @ CSKA and Wolfsburg if we want to qualify. I want to qualify or get 4th, no europa please.

 

[raven777]

Just woke up. I am not really feeling anything about the defeat, but Luke Shaw's injury is devastating. He was our best player so far this season. He is very young player with enormous talent and for him to get injured like that is really sad to see. I hope he gets back well.

 

[norinrad]

Smalling isn't shit, sorry. Rojo coming on made us look ALOT weaker at the back, which worried me as I wanted him in the starting line up a few weeks ago, before Blind put in some decent performances. Blind was goddamn awful after switching to LB. Maybe putting Rojo there would've been a better decision in hindsight.

We do need another quality CB as a starter, or cover at least. McNair isn't ready yet.

I thought Martial did OK, made a few chances, perhaps could've done better with his shot on goal.

Wolfsburg is now a must win. Which is annoying this early on in the group stage.

I still think Shaw's injury derailed them. It happens to all of us, even at work when someone suddenly collapses, it messes you up.

 

[brokenbeans]

Don't even give a shit about the result we can bounce back from this with some good home performances.

Just gutted about Shaw I really am god knows what it did to the players.

Soton next which is just plain weird.

Thought Martial and Depay looked good linking up even though watching Depay sometimes is bloody frustrating I've not seen him link up with Rooney like that.

I think Mata was affected by the injury his composure was just gone.

Lack of attacking options on the bench will be the death of us this season and you know what if it comes LVG deserves the heat.

 

[norinrad]

Don't even give a shit about the result we can bounce back from this with some good home performances.

Just gutted about Shaw I really am god knows what it did to the players.

Soton next which is just plain weird.

Thought Martial and Depay looked good linking up even though watching Depay sometimes is bloody frustrating I've not seen him link up with Rooney like that.

I think Mata was affected by the injury his composure was just gone.

Lack of attacking options on the bench will be the death of us this season and you know what if it comes LVG deserves the heat.

A 19 year old and a 21 year old will surely have a better understanding of themselves than with a 30 year old. In saying that, with Rooney playing behind those two at the N.10 position is going to gel nicely. Both have a lot to gain from a focused Rooney. Give it time, some of you are too impatient. Martial lacked support but he was quite good and can hold the ball. Rojo hasn't played in months and with Shaw out, he's got a lot of heavy lifting to do and i can see him also becoming quite good. He just needs to link up with the back three.

As for the bench, I have no idea why Valencia is still there. Time for LvG to change his mind about Wilson, god knows United don't have any options until January to offload the likes of Valencia.

 

[Lyng]

Don't even give a shit about the result we can bounce back from this with some good home performances.

Just gutted about Shaw I really am god knows what it did to the players.

Soton next which is just plain weird.

Thought Martial and Depay looked good linking up even though watching Depay sometimes is bloody frustrating I've not seen him link up with Rooney like that.

I think Mata was affected by the injury his composure was just gone.

Lack of attacking options on the bench will be the death of us this season and you know what if it comes LVG deserves the heat.

Yeah I agree, we definately need to break the bank in January to get some quality in.

 

[norinrad]

Yeah I agree, we definately need to break the bank in January to get some quality in.

Who do you have in mind? Personally i think either Reus or Muller will come as Shrek needs to retire. Both are young, though knowing LvG, he will not bring in any more established players. United will most likely get a young promising player. They are really done with established players and the 27+ crowd i think.

 

[Blablurn]

 

[MrKaepora]

Thank you for staying.

Our midfield is still strangely missing passes like there's no tomorrow.

 

[toythatkills]

I've been saying this for the past few seasons. Like Arsenal of 5 or 6 years ago. Trying to score the perfect goal by walking it in. I hate this style of football we play.

This has got to be the most bullshit line in football today. It was bullshit the first time someone said it about Arsenal, it was bullshit every time some no-mark commentator parroted it, and it's bullshit tonight when it'll get its weekly airing on talkSPORT.

Arsenal (and now United) aren't looking for the "perfect goal," they're not trying to score some aesthetically pleasing thing of beauty and be damned any other kind of strike. They're trying to play themselves into a position that will give them the greatest chance of scoring. Sometimes those moves will break down, but commentators speak as though if they shot three passes earlier they'd have been guaranteed a goal where actually three passes earlier they were in a shite position and a defender would have blocked it or the keeper would have had an easy save. A move that breaks down and a blocked shot are the same thing: not a goal.

The alternative to "perfect goals" isn't an extra 30 goals a season. I mean, look at this, it's the amount of goals per-season that Arsenal have scored in the Premier League for a little while.

14/15
71
68
72
74
72
83 (09/10)
68
74
63
68
87 (04/05)
73
85 (02/03)
79
63
00/01

Bar a couple of very lucrative seasons (mainly when Henry was being Henry), Arsenal have hovered around 70 goals scored in the Premier League every year for the last fifteen, whether they were "looking for the perfect goal" or not. I'm not sure when Arsenal began only scoring "perfect goals" but there's no way you can tell since they simply haven't been scoring vastly more or fewer goals, generally speaking, in any season for the last fifteen years. This kind of leads me to believe that their apparent doing so has literally no effect on the total amount of goals they score.

I guess in that case you could argue that shooting from miles out wouldn't make a difference, which is fair enough, but it still doesn't explain why this has been a stick used to beat Arsenal for the last however-long when it's a system of play which is clearly equally as effective as whatever the alternative is.

Apologies for that, I'm just so sick of hearing that line at this point.

 

[Gandalf]

I still think Shaw's injury derailed them. It happens to all of us, even at work when someone suddenly collapses, it messes you up.

Yeah, you're right there.

Just an all round shit night.

 

[LNBL]

Damn, we won! Team really fought for it and made most out of the minimal chances.

Poor Shaw though, horrible injury

 

[Jo Shishido's Cheeks]

Truly gutted about Shaw.

Phil Jones beginning training again is some great news now, I don't rate Rojo in the centre.

 

[Razor554]

Back in Rome tonite

6 years ago...

 

[Roberto Larcos]

Back in Rome tonite

6 years ago...

Messi had short hair 6 years ago? Man, time flies.

 

[Lyng]

Who do you have in mind? Personally i think either Reus or Muller will come as Shrek needs to retire. Both are young, though knowing LvG, he will not bring in any more established players. United will most likely get a young promising player. They are really done with established players and the 27+ crowd i think.

I dont see us signing Müller, quiet simply because Bayern wont sell him regardless of how much we are willing to pay.
Reus would be great, but I think Cavani and Griezmann are more realistic.

 

[Jarnet87]

I dont see us signing Müller, quiet simply because Bayern wont sell him regardless of how much we are willing to pay.
Reus would be great, but I think Cavani and Griezmann are more realistic.

I think it would be hard to get a Griezmann or Reus in January. A lot can change by December but at the moment Dortmund are competing for the Bundesliga title, Atletico less likely to match Madrid or Barca in the league but good chance of being in the round of 16. Of course Griezmann has the buyout clause so if we pay and he wants to go there isn't much Atletico can do.

 

[The_Hitcher89]

I think it would be hard to get a Griezmann or Reus in January. A lot can change by December but at the moment Dortmund are competing for the Bundesliga title, Atletico less likely to match Madrid or Barca in the league but good chance of being in the round of 16. Of course Griezmann has the buyout clause so if we pay and he wants to go there isn't much Atletico can do.

Assumably there's a sub-clause within buyout clauses that stops them from taking effect in January, or at least raises the price.

 

[longdi]

Messi had short hair 6 years ago? Man, time flies.

Messi also did not have shitty tattoos all over his body.

Blood donor Cristiano > faux fashion mehsi.

Btw i was thinking why Laliga > the world, and i say it is because of how shitty loliga revenue distribution is. The rest of the 18 clubs have long realised doing well in Europe earns more money. I bet going all the way to the QF of CL is a richer returns than winning the loliga.

This also have an added +ve effect for the 2 big clubs, in that they can save strength since they are competing against themselves in the league.

 

[Blablurn]

 

[Gambit]

This picture is stretched vertically, right? right?

 

[norinrad]

I dont see us signing Müller, quiet simply because Bayern wont sell him regardless of how much we are willing to pay.
Reus would be great, but I think Cavani and Griezmann are more realistic.

Cavani is an old man and unless its a free transfer or a Bastian like deal, i doubt United would waste money on him. I really see United going for a much younger player, but i could be wrong.

 

[toythatkills]

Arsenal's team for the first game of the Champion's League seems a bit brave.

It's not weak, but it's "weakened," a bizarre choice when you consider that this could be a game that knocks Arsenal out if they were to lose to Bayern twice.

 

[Roberto Larcos]

Arsenal's team for the first game of the Champion's League seems a bit brave.

It's not weak, but it's "weakened," a bizarre choice when you consider that this could be a game that knocks Arsenal out if they were to lose to Bayern twice.

Just checked the team - what's wrong with it? Looks like what was the first choice XI at the start of last season, minus Szczesny (replaced during the season) / Ramsey (contentious to say he's any better than Oxlade-Chamberlain on the right anyway). Gabriel for Mertesacker doesn't alter much in terms of overall defensive strength, in my opinion.

Also, for that scenario, Dinamo Zagreb would also need to beat Bayern home and away, while not dropping a single point to Olympiakos.

 

[toythatkills]

Just checked the team - what's wrong with it? Looks like what was the first choice XI at the start of last season, minus Ramsey (and it's contentious that he's any better than Oxlade-Chamberlain on the right anyway).

Also, for that scenario, Dinamo Zagreb would also need to beat Bayern home and away, while not dropping a single point to Olympiakos.

Well last time he played Gibbs/Debuchy in place of Monreal/Bellerin the team was utterly ineffective. I can't remember who the game was against now but I remember the performance.

Like I say, it's not like kids in the League Cup or anything, but it's certainly not as strong as it maybe should be. I guess he has an eye on Chelsea.

 

[Roberto Larcos]

Well last time he played Gibbs/Debuchy in place of Monreal/Bellerin the team was utterly ineffective. I can't remember who the game was against now but I remember the performance.

Like I say, it's not like kids in the League Cup or anything, but it's certainly not as strong as it maybe should be. I guess he has an eye on Chelsea.

I'd say Monreal > Gibbs, but Debuchy > Bellerín. Only way that side is even marginally weaker is Ospina playing over Cech and Arteta playing over Coquelin (and that one's splitting hairs - Arteta's passing game fits weaker teams better, and his on-pitch leadership is vital when Cech and Mertesacker aren't on the field).

 

[toythatkills]

I'd say Monreal > Gibbs, but Debuchy > Bellerín. Only way that side is even marginally weaker is Ospina playing over Cech and Arteta playing over Coquelin (and that one's splitting hairs - Arteta's passing game fits weaker teams better, and his on-pitch leadership is vital when Cech and Mertesacker aren't on the field).

Debuchy might be better than Bellerin on paper (debatable, but we'll assume it's true for the purpose of this post) but he doesn't fit as well into the Arsenal side as Bellerin. He doesn't go forward like Bellerin does, it unbalances the side, forces them to play differently and Arsenal don't do "playing differently" very well. Changing 50% of your back-four just seems like a risk, to me, in general.

It's a team that should definitely beat Zagreb, of course it is, but it could end up being harder work than it maybe should be. Or it could be like 6-0, who knows.

 

[la_briola]

There seems to be a brawl, or just police brutality.

Schreckliche Prügelszenen im Gästeblock in Piräus #OLYFCB #fcbayern #ChampionsLeague -- https://twitter.com/micmuc/status/644199480338857984

Looks bad, video inside.

 

[Roberto Larcos]

Debuchy might be better than Bellerin on paper (debatable, but we'll assume it's true for the purpose of this post) but he doesn't fit as well into the Arsenal side as Bellerin. He doesn't go forward like Bellerin does, it unbalances the side, forces them to play differently and Arsenal don't do "playing differently" very well. Changing 50% of your back-four just seems like a risk, to me, in general.

It's a team that should definitely beat Zagreb, of course it is, but it could end up being harder work than it maybe should be. Or it could be like 6-0, who knows.

That's why Gibbs comes in, and why you rarely see Gibbs and Bellerín start together. Gibbs gives more to the attack than Monreal, Debuchy gives more defensively than Bellerín. The composition is still the same, just the flank has changed.

It also allows Chamberlain or even Walcott to be played down the right instead of Ramsey. Ramsey contributes a lot more in defence, and can cover for Bellerín. Likewise, having Nacho on the left means we're not fucked if / when Özil doesn't track back, or Alexis loses it high up the pitch.