2015/2016 Barclays Premier League Thread

[Johnny199r]

Why would any club pay that much for Sterling? Doesn't make sense.

[cheevers]

Between getting Milner, Gomez and Firmino and getting rid of Gerrard and Sterling for the crazy fee, Liverpool has had a great summer.

[devo22]

Manchester United have signed Morgan Schneiderlin.

James Robson ✔ @JamesRobsonMEN
United have agreed a deal for Schneiderlin. Medical already taken place

Craig Norwood @CraigNorwood
Morgan Schneiderlin arrived into Carrington five-minutes after Bastian Schweinsteiger this evening. Medical done, now a #MUFC player.

Darmian, Schweinsteiger, Schneiderlin ... what a weekend.

[d_phaneuf]

Schweiny, Schneiderlien, Carrick, Herrera, Blind

Wouldn't call it a great midfield but it's definitely deep

[The Big Chill]

200,000 pounds per week for Sterling. That's a lot of pressure on a 20 year old.

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

Schweiny, Schneiderlien, Carrick, Herrera, Blind

Wouldn't call it a great midfield but it's definitely deep

You wouldn't call it great? That's a troll effort right?

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

You wouldn't call it great? That's a troll effort right?

Schweiny if he was 27 I would

but to me there's no elite player there

Chelsea/City both still a step above in England, and most big European teams too

[devo22]

well Carrick-Fellaini-Herrera was already decent last season and now they have added two quality players ... IMO Schneiderlin is the 2nd best DM in the league (behind Matic), while Schweinsteiger is a leader and fighter who has won it all. Chelsea surely is the only team in the league that can field something similar in quality as Schneiderlin-Schweinsteiger-Herrera, but United have more depth with Carrick, Fellaini and Blind.

in either case, impressive stuff by United ... three signings in three days is incredible. And the cherry on the cake for me is that City spent about the same money for one player with attitude problems as United did for those three players: Darmian 13m, Schweinsteiger 14m, Schneiderlin 24m - that's 51m combined while City shelled out 49m for Sterling. Crazy stuff.

[d_phaneuf]

Id take Toure/Fernandinho, I'm not trying to say it's a bad midfield

But just for a team who have aspirations of a CL win not just qualification, I think they need better

not to put down the Schniederlien signing, he can be an excellent deep lying CM, but they still need their number 1 guy (a Febregas, Toure, Busquets, Modric, Kroos, Pogba)

The guy I am surprised we havent heard them more linked with is Verratti, if PSG really want Di Maria that's who I would demand back

[Bagor]

What also helps is no RvP, Falcao and Nani at the moment to pay the new guy's salaries.

Fantastic bit of business by Liverpool considering (a) the player wanted out, (b) the fans had turned against him, (c) there were no other bidders (that we know of) and (d) to take him on their tour would have been bad for team morale. You would have thought given all that, that City would have been in the driving seat regarding negotiations but Liverpool done well to sit tight and dictate the terms of sale. Plus my own personal (f) I feel he's overrated.

United doing well but they badly need a quality striker, CB and eventually a goalie.

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by Bagor

What also helps is no RvP, Falcao and Nani at the moment to pay the new guy's salaries.

Fantastic bit of business by Liverpool considering (a) the player wanted out, (b) the fans had turned against him, (c) there were no other bidders (that we know of) and (d) to take him on their tour would have been bad for team morale. You would have thought given all that, that City would have been in the driving seat regarding negotiations but Liverpool done well to sit tight and dictate the terms of sale. Plus my own personal (f) I feel he's overrated.

United doing well but they badly need a quality striker, CB and eventually a goalie.

(g) he's English. Chitty desperately need English

[d_phaneuf]

imagine if someone came on the scene like Rooney did after the 04 Euro's

might go for 100m pounds today to City, surprised they dont just name less than 25 players like Chelsea have in the squad, the rule is only 17 foreign born, not must have 8 English

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

Id take Toure/Fernandinho, I'm not trying to say it's a bad midfield

You say you would take Schweinsteiger of two years ago at 27 and then proceed to say you'd prefer 32 year old Toure. What was it exactly about Toure's downside of a season last year that impressed you?

[d_phaneuf]

from late february last year

I think he still put up 10 goals and 6 assists and played over 30 games, when he plays City are infinitely better

Whereas Schweinsteiger has only played more than 23 league games once in the last 4 or 5 years

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

from late february last year

I think he still put up 10 goals and 6 assists and played over 30 games, when he plays City are infinitely better

Whereas Schweinsteiger has only played more than 23 league games once in the last 4 or 5 years

Using your with/without data above, United won 72% of their games with Carrick last season. Toure was 10% worse.

So which United CB's pull down the average to "good", due to Carrick inflating it?

[cam_wmh]

And carrick's 72% winning percentage over a full 38 games?

Enough for second in the table

[Bagor]

I'm not arguing that he isn't an essential part of city's setup and doesn't make them better.

What I am saying is this. (1) Schweinsteiger is a better player and (2) Toure is very much on the downslope of his career and I'm basing that on his performances last season. His role of play has a sell by date and I feel he is quickly approaching his, and it comes quick at the top in that position.

Sure he is an essential part of city but last season he was nowhere close to being as effective and competitive as years before.

Straight up question. If Spurs had the choice between the two tomorrow, would you prefer they signed the 32 year old Toure?

[d_phaneuf]

Id take Toure over Schweinsteiger, now and in their prime

not to put down Schwein in his prime, he was probably one of the top 10 CMs in the world, I just think that Toure brings a bit more. But it's close and I wouldn't be surprised if anyone went the other way

now it would just be down to the fact that Toure has proven a better capability to stay healthy, that extra 10 games in a league season is a lot

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

Id take Toure over Schweinsteiger, now and in their prime

not to put down Schwein in his prime, he was probably one of the top 10 CMs in the world, I just think that Toure brings a bit more. But it's close and I wouldn't be surprised if anyone went the other way

now it would just be down to the fact that Toure has proven a better capability to stay healthy, that extra 10 games in a league season is a lot

So Toure is marginally better than Schwein. Fair comment

Address Carrick then? His team's winning % are than what was posted in that graphic you shared. Or, Schneiderlin. I rate them both better than Fernadinho.

And with the missed games that Carrick & Schwein have been having of late, there's enough depth (Schneiderlin, Herrera etc; )to make up for it.

And there you see, why it's so difficult to rate City's midfield as better than United's.

[d_phaneuf]

Carrick started 16 games last year, his winning percentage is great but for playing a half season I dont think his impact can be compared to Toure

I said United's is deeper, over a full season that might be better, certainly safer at the moment

I should have clarified when healthy or maybe with a best XI City's is better

Plus they probably aren't done spending yet, I don't expect them to go in to next season with just Toure, Fernandinho, and Fernando