2015/2016 Barclays Premier League Thread

[GirlySports]

playing sunday after a thursday with the pace that a Klopp team requires is always tough, good to get 3 points.

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

in terms of playing abroad, that has everything to do with money, unless they are good enough to play for and wanted by Madrid or Barca where they get the same or better money they wont

Isn't that the problem in a nutshell right there? e.g. Stones could play for the next 5 years on a healthy contract at Everton and never see CL football as opposed to moving to say somewhere like Atletico and be guaranteed it. Sure he will come up against occasional top class opposition but nowhere near the level of the experience he would get from the CL.

For me if you take the truly world class English players in recent memory (Lineker, Gazza, Scholes and Shearer) the first two went off and challenged themselves abroad, Scholes had no need to as we was part of an elite team constantly pushing far in the CL and Shearer is an anomaly (and a headscratcher). Add Taffy Bale to that list now.

On the flip side, It's why Spurs and to an extent now Liverpool (although they temporarily have the Klopp effect) are caught in that downwards spiral where they will continue to fail to retain players and attract top quality so long as they continuously fail to qualify for the CL. Most top players want to play at the top level. Continuously.

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Bagor

Isn't that the problem in a nutshell right there? e.g. Stones could play for the next 5 years on a healthy contract at Everton and never see CL football as opposed to moving to say somewhere like Atletico and be guaranteed it. Sure he will come up against occasional top class opposition but nowhere near the level of the experience he would get from the CL.

there is zero chance that John Stones will still play at Everton next season and not move to a CL club. You can quote me on that

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by Bagor

Isn't that the problem in a nutshell right there? e.g. Stones could play for the next 5 years on a healthy contract at Everton and never see CL football as opposed to moving to say somewhere like Atletico and be guaranteed it. Sure he will come up against occasional top class opposition but nowhere near the level of the experience he would get from the CL.

For me if you take the truly world class English players in recent memory (Lineker, Gazza, Scholes and Shearer) the first two went off and challenged themselves abroad, Scholes had no need to as we was part of an elite team constantly pushing far in the CL and Shearer is an anomaly (and a headscratcher). Add Taffy Bale to that list now.

On the flip side, It's why Spurs and to an extent now Liverpool (although they temporarily have the Klopp effect) are caught in that downwards spiral where they will continue to fail to retain players and attract top quality so long as they continuously fail to qualify for the CL. Most top players want to play at the top level. Continuously.

Spurs and Liverpool, and Arsenal and Man United too (City and Chelsea dont because they pay silly wages) really only lose players to two clubs

those are effectively the two biggest clubs in the world

the above list is from 20 years ago, apart from Scholes, the money has only really been a big thing in the last 10-15 years

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by devo22

there is zero chance that John Stones will still play at Everton next season and not move to a CL club. You can quote me on that

I might just do that

[GirlySports]

So did spurs have to sell Bale? Would he have sulked?
Does Everton have to sell Stones?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Bagor

I might just do that

Well...yeah, calling Chelsea a CL club next season seems rather optimistic.

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by Bagor

I might just do that

Why would he go to a worse club?

[devo22]

it's the Daily Star, people ... even my 4 year old niece is a better source when it comes to transfer rumours.

Originally Posted by GirlySports

So did spurs have to sell Bale? Would he have sulked?
Does Everton have to sell Stones?

well, yeah. I guess you could force a player to stay, but that rarely helps. There's a lot of money involved these days and unfortunately player agents have way too much power ... they know how to feed stories to the media and create turmoil. So if the money is right, it just makes sense on every level. Everton did well to keep Stones this summer, but I doubt it'll happen again.

[devo22]

Stan Collymore absolutely nails it.

I watched Wayne Rooney against Leicester on Saturday and without doubt there are several issues about the way he’s playing at the moment which should cause concern for Manchester United.

1. He’s not getting in behind defenders at all with his runs.
2. He’s creating virtually nothing when he drops off.
3. The energy and graft which kept him in sides when neither of the above were happening wasn’t there either.

United fans now know it, they see it and they are right to question it.

[...]

But even now at international level with Harry Kane scoring, Sterling putting in City performances, Sturridge finally back fit and Vardy breaking records, are we really going to suggest a man leads us into Euro 2016 ahead of those guys because of past glories?

We have even got into the situation in the media whereby when Rooney scores, the automatic headline is “HE’S BACK.” We all salivate how the deluge of goals are coming to stick a V up to those who dared doubt him. But those goals from 4 or 5 years ago have dried up in truth.

We comfort ourselves with “He can play as a 10, yes definitely a 10” and convince ourselves there is still plenty for him to offer. But he has shown nothing other than a little running around, the odd drilled pass wide and that’s it! That’s what 300k a week buys you!

Look, I am a Rooney fan, but the reality is for whatever reason he just isn’t doing it. I think he’s just got a lot of football miles on the clock and his football age, because of his longevity, is late 30’s. And in a season where his stats alone could be the difference between winning the title and not, it would be remiss of Van Gaal not to at least do his star striker a favour and stick him on the bench for a spell to see if he reacts. If he doesn’t, then like Beckham, Stam, Keane and co., the cruel reality of great management needs to say one simple thing to Rooney.

You’re a club legend, but it’s time for you to go.

http://betting.boylesports.com/footb...he-door-pronto

[HarryH93]

Originally Posted by devo22

Stan Collymore absolutely nails it.

http://betting.boylesports.com/footb...he-door-pronto

I've been waiting to see Rooney get dropped to the bench for so long, it's about time it happens. I'm not a huge fan of managers letting club legends continue to play through their decline just because they are club legends. Rooney needs to sit for a few games. What does LVG have to lose? He's not contributing in any way.

It also doesn't help that United just loans/sells other strikers. Wilson is gone, and I knew that Hernandez leaving was going to hurt us. All United really has now is Martial. That's not enough. Wilson showed some promise, it would have been nice to keep him.

[cam_wmh]

Even Van Persie would be nice about now.

[GirlySports]

Di Maria would be nice now.

[Locke]

Its nice having Sturridge back. Hopefully he can stay healthy.

[Senator Clay Davis]

As soon as I saw he was trending on Twitter my first thought was "How hurt is he now?". He's great when he plays but he's ridiculously fragile.

[Locke]

Divock Origi hat-trick. Never thought I'd say that.

[Locke]

I cant find confirmation, but it looks like Liverpool draws Stoke in the Capital One Cup.

[Senator Clay Davis]

[devo22]

Marcos Rojo out with a "serious" shoulder injury ... that leaves United with one (ONE!!!) fit full-back. Great. I'm sure van Gaal will now switch to 5 at the back (Darmian - McNair - Smalling - Blind - Young) and kill the last bit of offense United have left.

Rooney injured too ... I won't shed a tear over this one though.

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by devo22

I'm sure van Gaal will now switch to 5 at the back.

Can you not.