2015/2016 Barclays Premier League Thread

[devo22]

Kane lacks support and defenders have found a way to deal with him. Costa could theoretically be world class, but decides to be an ####### 9 out of 10 times instead. Likening those guys to Crosby, Stamkos and Giroux is pretty ridiculous. You know, even more ridiculous than comparing EPL strikers with NHL players and United fans with Oilers fans.

I still don't see the problem. Nobody is claiming that Martial is better than those guys. There's nothing factually wrong with the picture and I find it pretty ironic that a City fan is offended by it. It's not like City fans didn't mock United with a lot more pathetic and ridiculous stuff after buying their way to the top.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Tottenham welcomed #99 to town. Spelling his name right? Meh

[White Out 403]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

It was satire.

Where you at with the bet? 3:1?

How long you been a city fan?

Since last August. I went back to Cape Breton to vistin my now Wife's family and we made a stop in Halifax and Pier 21. I always knew, of course, that my Dido (grandfather in Ukrainian) lived in Manchester after the war and that's where he met my Baba (and where my Mom was born). But after seeing his papers at Pier 21 and my familys names occupations etc it made me want to connect with him in some way. My Dido was a huge soccer fan and follow both teams so I basically decided instead of just watching the BPL I'd follow a specific team, and I've read a hilarious and great article about why people should be a City fan not a United fan. So I ran with it.

What would the bet be?

[Slava]

I just wanted to post that I will be at the Tottenham/City game this Saturday. Pretty excited to watch live and soak in the atmosphere!

[Locke]

So theres rumours of Liverpool contacting Carlo Ancelotti.

[The Big Chill]

Originally Posted by Locke

So theres rumours of Liverpool contacting Carlo Ancelotti.

Rumours are flying everywhere about BR getting sacked. Not sure if any of them are from trusted sources or if it's all just speculation though. Ancelotti or Klopp would be huge upgrades.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by The Big Chill

Rumours are flying everywhere about BR getting sacked. Not sure if any of them are from trusted sources or if it's all just speculation though. Ancelotti or Klopp would be huge upgrades.

Unfortunately, and I say this as someone who didnt support the Rodgers hire initially and eventually came around and now gone full cirlce, but I think its time to move on.

It seems like sometimes he makes brilliant tactical decisions and sets his team up very well, but more and more those incidents are looking like accidents or one-offs because hes been the polar opposite of that lately.

Now, I remember that last season they started poorly and then went on a run to tear it up and contend only to fall short, so maybe this is a typical slow start, but you cant have that in this league, you cant make up the difference later, it doesnt work.

Furthermore, FFS the prize for winning the goddamn Europa league is a CL spot and still he mails it in. That is a winnable tournament.

When you look at England and see that City, United and Chelsea are spending to their hearts' content, Arsenal are always in there and theres only 4 spots (presumably going down to 3 in the near future) then you have to make some hard decisions and hes making bad ones.

Now, Rodgers cant take all of the blame, however they conduct player purchases has to take some too, Liverpool arent guilty of being Arsenal and not spending any money, they've splashed out some decent cash in the last few transfer windows, they've just done it rather poorly.

They've taken more of a scattergun approach by buying several players that fit positions rather than targeting specific players.

You've got teams like City, United and Chelsea who basically dont care what the price tag is, cheques are cheap and filling them in is easy, they want a player they pay for him, granted usually at steep premiums. Whereas Liverpool basically say:

"We've got £50M to spend and we need 3 LBs, a CM and a striker, they've got to fit under that."

And it isnt working, you wind up getting this random mish-mash of mid-tier players.

I wanted Rodgers to be the guy that was going to get things done for the next 10-15 years, I hate the constant carousel of managers, how can anyone give a rat's ass about a manager if they're constantly turned over?

You pick a guy to manage your club and hes your guy.

Ancelotti? Okay, but hes again more of a short-term guy, Liverpool arent going anywhere in the short-term. Honestly, they've spent all this money but this team needs to be torn apart and rebuilt again.

So that really leaves Klopp and I dont even know what to say to that. Klopp strikes me as the German Brendan Rodgers. Sometimes brilliant but also sometimes a disaster. Last year Dortmund were in a relegation battle, this year they're top of the table with, arguably, a worse squad, so whats the difference? Klopp. Is that good or bad?

But at least you might get some longevity out of him.

Then theres the rumours that hes angling for the Bayern job and Pep might become available. Thats madness because I dont think Pep would ever even consider the Liverpool job and I think that Bayern would be nuts to let him go now that they have him.

But I swear to Almighty God if I see Dejan Lovren pull another Sunday afternoon kickabout howler I'm going to fly there myself and kick him in the ankle.

Brendan, stopping trying to make Lovren a thing, Lovren will never be a thing. Get over it. What the hell did Sakho ever do to you? Play him Brendan....play Sakho. And Moreno.

[The Big Chill]

Well Lovren apparently injured his ankle yesterday, so Sakho should get his shot to take the job for now.

I liked the Rodgers hire at first. He is great at putting his foot in his mouth, but I don't really care so much about that as long as the results are ok. I was happy to see us go with a young manager with some new ideas after watching Hodgson and Kenny play lump-it-forward football.

Its clear now, though, that BR is done. He looks a beaten man at the moment, and I don't think he has the ability to turn it around. He's lost the fans, and by the looks of it, the players too. He changes formations and tactics several times throughout the game desperately trying to find something that works. Its not working.

I'd love to see us go out and get Klopp. He is not risk-free by any means, but he has achieved an enormous amount more then BR ever has. He coaches with a fire and passion that this team and fan base could really use right now. His last season doesn't really worry me.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by The Big Chill

Well Lovren apparently injured his ankle yesterday, so Sakho should get his shot to take the job for now.

I liked the Rodgers hire at first. He is great at putting his foot in his mouth, but I don't really care so much about that as long as the results are ok. I was happy to see us go with a young manager with some new ideas after watching Hodgson and Kenny play lump-it-forward football.

Its clear now, though, that BR is done. He looks a beaten man at the moment, and I don't think he has the ability to turn it around. He's lost the fans, and by the looks of it, the players too. He changes formations and tactics several times throughout the game desperately trying to find something that works. Its not working.

I'd love to see us go out and get Klopp. He is not risk-free by any means, but he has achieved an enormous amount more then BR ever has. He coaches with a fire and passion that this team and fan base could really use right now. His last season doesn't really worry me.

I have an alibi for that...

And I'll agree with that. Liverpool have looked too wooden, they lost that fire.

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by Locke

Unfortunately, and I say this as someone who didnt support the Rodgers hire initially and eventually came around and now gone full cirlce, but I think its time to move on.

It seems like sometimes he makes brilliant tactical decisions and sets his team up very well, but more and more those incidents are looking like accidents or one-offs because hes been the polar opposite of that lately.

Now, I remember that last season they started poorly and then went on a run to tear it up and contend only to fall short, so maybe this is a typical slow start, but you cant have that in this league, you cant make up the difference later, it doesnt work.

Furthermore, FFS the prize for winning the goddamn Europa league is a CL spot and still he mails it in. That is a winnable tournament.

When you look at England and see that City, United and Chelsea are spending to their hearts' content, Arsenal are always in there and theres only 4 spots (presumably going down to 3 in the near future) then you have to make some hard decisions and hes making bad ones.

Now, Rodgers cant take all of the blame, however they conduct player purchases has to take some too, Liverpool arent guilty of being Arsenal and not spending any money, they've splashed out some decent cash in the last few transfer windows, they've just done it rather poorly.

They've taken more of a scattergun approach by buying several players that fit positions rather than targeting specific players.

You've got teams like City, United and Chelsea who basically dont care what the price tag is, cheques are cheap and filling them in is easy, they want a player they pay for him, granted usually at steep premiums. Whereas Liverpool basically say:

"We've got £50M to spend and we need 3 LBs, a CM and a striker, they've got to fit under that."

And it isnt working, you wind up getting this random mish-mash of mid-tier players.

I wanted Rodgers to be the guy that was going to get things done for the next 10-15 years, I hate the constant carousel of managers, how can anyone give a rat's ass about a manager if they're constantly turned over?

You pick a guy to manage your club and hes your guy.

Ancelotti? Okay, but hes again more of a short-term guy, Liverpool arent going anywhere in the short-term. Honestly, they've spent all this money but this team needs to be torn apart and rebuilt again.

So that really leaves Klopp and I dont even know what to say to that. Klopp strikes me as the German Brendan Rodgers. Sometimes brilliant but also sometimes a disaster. Last year Dortmund were in a relegation battle, this year they're top of the table with, arguably, a worse squad, so whats the difference? Klopp. Is that good or bad?

But at least you might get some longevity out of him.

Then theres the rumours that hes angling for the Bayern job and Pep might become available. Thats madness because I dont think Pep would ever even consider the Liverpool job and I think that Bayern would be nuts to let him go now that they have him.

But I swear to Almighty God if I see Dejan Lovren pull another Sunday afternoon kickabout howler I'm going to fly there myself and kick him in the ankle.

Brendan, stopping trying to make Lovren a thing, Lovren will never be a thing. Get over it. What the hell did Sakho ever do to you? Play him Brendan....play Sakho. And Moreno.

Locke this is a pretty reasonable post. I would say that I think you underrate Klopp though. Last year I feel was a bit of an anomaly as his team had lots of injuries and were last place at Christmas. Yet, he still got them into Europa. They were also Bundesliga champions two years in row the seasons previous & a Champions League finalist. He also won a couple domestic cups.

That said, they aren't a piddly club with an 80k stadium, so the economics would be similar for him at Anfied.

I think he'd be a great long term choice for 'pool.

[cam_wmh]

woops, edited wrong post.

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by slava

i just wanted to post that i will be at the tottenham/city game this saturday. Pretty excited to watch live and soak in the atmosphere!

go spurs!!!!

[devo22]

Funny thing is I actually think Liverpool did fantastic this summer. Getting Clyne, Ings, Benteke, Firmino and Milner made a lot of sense and it should have given them a big boost. The problem was last summer, that was simply horrendous business from start to end.

Klopp to Liverpool would be a nightmare for me because I really like the guy. But from an objective standpoint, I think he'd be a perfect fit. I don't think he'd be successful at a club like Bayern, City or United right now because those clubs rely heavily on possession. Dortmund was at their best when they were a pressing machine with quick transition and excellent counter attacking. I think that would fit Liverpool, they have quick players (Ings, Firmino etc) to make this work.

Also it'd be a great fit in terms of philosophy in my opinion. Liverpool is a club with a lot of history and loyal fans and Klopp absolutely loves that stuff. That's another reason why I simply couldn't imagine him at clubs like City etc.

It just looks like it's bound to happen. Klopp is ready to work again and would cherish an opportunity in England, while Liverpool fans are sick and tired of Rodgers. No idea who wins the sack race this year, but outside of McClaren, Rodgers should be in the pole position right now.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

Locke this is a pretty reasonable post. I would say that I think you underrate Klopp though. Last year I feel was a bit of an anomaly as his team had lots of injuries and were last place at Christmas. Yet, he still got them into Europa. They were also Bundesliga champions two years in row the seasons previous & a Champions League finalist. He also won a couple domestic cups.

That said, they aren't a piddly club with an 80k stadium, so the economics would be similar for him at Anfied.

I think he'd be a great long term choice for 'pool.

Fair enough, and perhaps I am underrating him. Klopp always impressed me with his tactics and the way he managed not just his team but his whole club identity.

I will admit though, that horror-show last year is firmly in the back of my mind. I would love to know what the hell really happened there because when you're a manager trying to squeeze every last ounce out of your group that takes its toll.

Originally Posted by devo22

Funny thing is I actually think Liverpool did fantastic this summer. Getting Clyne, Ings, Benteke, Firmino and Milner made a lot of sense and it should have given them a big boost. The problem was last summer, that was simply horrendous business from start to end.

Klopp to Liverpool would be a nightmare for me because I really like the guy. But from an objective standpoint, I think he'd be a perfect fit. I don't think he'd be successful at a club like Bayern, City or United right now because those clubs rely heavily on possession. Dortmund was at their best when they were a pressing machine with quick transition and excellent counter attacking. I think that would fit Liverpool, they have quick players (Ings, Firmino etc) to make this work.

Also it'd be a great fit in terms of philosophy in my opinion. Liverpool is a club with a lot of history and loyal fans and Klopp absolutely loves that stuff. That's another reason why I simply couldn't imagine him at clubs like City etc.

It just looks like it's bound to happen. Klopp is ready to work again and would cherish an opportunity in England, while Liverpool fans are sick and tired of Rodgers. No idea who wins the sack race this year, but outside of McClaren, Rodgers should be in the pole position right now.

Yes, last year's purchases were just terrible. I have no idea what was going on there.

But again, do you start Danny Ings against Manchester United? I dont.

Of that group I think Clyne and Firmino have the ability to take the step to top-tier players, Milner and Benteke are what they are and are known quantities, they're mid-tier players, always have been and likely always will be.

I think Rodgers wins the sack race, to be honest. This is another year of...what? What has Rodgers promised? Whats his goal? He hasnt come out and said 'we're going to make Top 4!'

He hasnt even said that they're even trying for that. He isnt targeting the Europa league, it didnt look like hes making much of a case for the Capital One Cup, whats he aiming for?

More patience? Another burned year?

I think I could be happy with Klopp, this club just needs a change and everyone knows that nothing brings change quite like a German crossing the Rhine.

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Locke

I will admit though, that horror-show last year is firmly in the back of my mind. I would love to know what the hell really happened there because when you're a manager trying to squeeze every last ounce out of your group that takes its toll.

to be fair, they were incredibly unlucky in the first half of the season and lost quite a few games they should have won comfortably. With every loss, pressure and insecurity grew and they just spiraled down the standings. But give him credit, he picked up the pieces in the second half of the season. Finishing 7th was decent after that horrible first half.

Originally Posted by Locke

But again, do you start Danny Ings against Manchester United? I dont.

Up front to support Benteke and trouble Blind with his speed? Absolutely. But Rodgers had him play a lot more defensively, almost like a defensive midfielder. What the hell was that?

Fully understand your frustration with Rodgers. That guy would drive me insane if he was at "my" club.

[White Out 403]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

I can appreciate you liking your club, and choosing Manchester due to your heritage. But just 1 year in of being a fan, & patronizing United fans for acting glory hunters, doesn't give the best optics for a recent convert who's attached to the prem's current best club.


That said, with the tenured vet vs the unproven rookie; I'll settle with 2:1 odds. $40 if Martial wins, $20 if Aguero wins.

A win, is most goal scored over the season. Cups (both domestic, & european), & Premiereship.

I'll agree to those terms with the caveat that the bet is off if either player misses 25% or more of the season due to injury

[Locke]

Originally Posted by devo22

to be fair, they were incredibly unlucky in the first half of the season and lost quite a few games they should have won comfortably. With every loss, pressure and insecurity grew and they just spiraled down the standings. But give him credit, he picked up the pieces in the second half of the season. Finishing 7th was decent after that horrible first half.

Up front to support Benteke and trouble Blind with his speed? Absolutely. But Rodgers had him play a lot more defensively, almost like a defensive midfielder. What the hell was that?

Fully understand your frustration with Rodgers. That guy would drive me insane if he was at "my" club.

The United match was pretty much the definition of Rodgers' problem. He couldnt have managed to shoehorn another bad decision into that match.

Everything about it was wrong, and that on top of the fact that they havent played one good match yet this season.

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by Resurrection

I'll agree to those terms with the caveat that the bet is off if either player misses 25% or more of the season due to injury

Deal

[White Out 403]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

Deal

done

[d_phaneuf]

He might not last the long but it was pointed out on football weekly that if Liverpool lose to Southampton last month after buying half their team the past few years there is no chance Rodgers make it past that