2015/2016 Barclays Premier League Thread

[devo22]

not dangerous? Wow. They hit woodwork twice and Herrera had a sitter ...

not defending United/van Gaal here, but let's not get carried away. They could have easily won today.

hope van Gaal gets the sack tomorrow, everything else will be disappointing.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by devo22

not dangerous? Wow. They hit woodwork twice and Herrera had a sitter ...

not defending United/van Gaal here, but let's not get carried away. They could have easily won today.

hope van Gaal gets the sack tomorrow, everything else will be disappointing.

I doubt it. As you guys have said, that was a pretty good performance from United all things considered so it probably bought van Gaal some more time.

[Addick]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

based on how they handled Moyes though they seem to be stubborn with firings

they didn't let him go until it was mathematically impossible to win the league

I admire their resolution. Boards and clubs are much too quick to dismiss managers instead of giving them the time to try and sort out issues with the team. Providing time will not always result in the manager turning things around but it provides much needed stability in an increasingly volatile and short-term environment.

[GirlySports]

that was an awful game too.

maybe playing too many games this week.

[Bagor]

Double post.

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by Addick

I admire their resolution. Boards and clubs are much too quick to dismiss managers instead of giving them the time to try and sort out issues with the team. Providing time will not always result in the manager turning things around but it provides much needed stability in an increasingly volatile and short-term environment.

I suppose too, they can look back at this exact time of year in 1989 when United were fighting relegation and they stood behind Fergie when all and everyone wanted him gone and what could not have been if they had acted then. That and 'that Mark Robins goal'.

Having said that SAF was always a man of passion, a man of action and a man with a plan. I don't see any positive to keeping LVG at all. I just don't.
Besides, he has no plans to stick around anyways so stability doesn't really factor in.






http://www.theguardian.com/football/...erguson-banner

I just hope the board are seeing something in van Gaal that we aren't.

[Locke]

Two 1-0 wins during the Christmas season. I'll take that.

I dont even know what to say about Benteke. Hes scored both goals for Liverpool's wins but hes also missed on 2 breakaways and one literally open net.

I didnt think Liverpool would tie United again any time this season.

[The Big Chill]

Originally Posted by Locke

Two 1-0 wins during the Christmas season. I'll take that.

I dont even know what to say about Benteke. Hes scored both goals for Liverpool's wins but hes also missed on 2 breakaways and one literally open net.

I didnt think Liverpool would tie United again any time this season.

Ya its odd to criticize a guy when he's scored both goals in back-to-back 1-0 wins, but those misses were awful. I'll have no complaints if he keeps putting one in the back of the net each game though, especially when our 3 other strikers are out injured.

[devo22]

it's called "doing a Mario Gomez". Score the game-winner, but miss a couple golden chances and get criticized for not scoring two more.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Definitely love that we can't see half the games right now because TSN needs WJHC on all 5 channels...

[devo22]

Uniteds have failed to score in the first half time in each of their last 9 home games now.

0-0 Manchester City
0-0 Middlesbrough
0-0 CSKA
0-0 West Bromwich
0-0 PSV
0-0 West Ham
0-1 Norwich
0-0 Chelsea
0-0 Swansea

... wow. Oh and yeah, it's the same dire #### today as always. Really just shows how bad Chelsea is because United actually looked kind of decent against them.

[Senator Clay Davis]

And without Martial, where would they be this year? Where Chelsea is?

[devo22]

difficult to say. In terms of goals, he hasn't made that big of a difference: they were already winning against Liverpool when he scored, and his goal against Norwich didn't prevent the loss. He scored twice against Southampton, they probably would have lost this one without him. So ... 3 points based on his goals (plus whatever they get today after that go ahead goal). Surely more based on his overall play, but it's tough to say.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Though to be fair today Ashley Young really has been the difference maker creating chances out wide with quality crosses and cuts in.

[devo22]

yeah, van Gaals gameplan surely was:

Phase 1: get the ball to Young
Phase 2: ???
Phase 3: profit

Swansea tie it up. Great header by Sigurdsson.

[Senator Clay Davis]

That's probably the best goal Rooney has scored in a while.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Wow almost a goalie goal at the gun for Swansea. United finally back in the win column.

[Slava]

Tottenham seems to have a dangerous habit shaping up here. They come out and look dominating and aggressive for the first half. The fail to capitalize, and then seemingly the other squad adjusts and the second half is largely a completely different game. Today they were somewhat lucky to come away with a draw despite a first half where they were crushing Everton everywhere but the scoreboard. The Everton goal was a beauty, and it wasn't really reflective of the game at that point. And Dele Alli connected in stoppage time of the first half to even things up in what was otherwise pure domination by Spurs.

The second half though was completely different. I don't know if guys were tired, or complacent, but Everton made some adjustments and it was really their half. They weren't anywhere near as dominant as Tottenham had been in the first half, but between a few tactical changes and then a pair of substitutions they were the better team.

It's hard to say its a personnel issue, but I do wonder about their depth in general. when they take a player like Alli off they don't really have anyone who inspires a lot of confidence. They obviously need someone behind Kane (who was invisible from about 25-30 minute onward) and maybe just a little more creative/offensive depth in general.

[cam_wmh]

Del Ali is a player. United should buy him.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

Del Ali is a player. United should buy him.

I read somewhere that they knew he was going to be good. Of course they did That's why they let Spurs buy him for $5mm!

On a tangent, I think that this will be an interesting week. Spurs play Leicester next Sunday in the FA Cup and then again on Wednesday. Vardy is out now with groin surgery (1-2 weeks?!), so that could pose a bit of a problem for them. Regardless though, I can't see running the same squad out there for the full 90 minutes each match. It will be interesting to see whether this presses them to act in the transfer market or what line-up we see Sunday. Maybe the same team that beat Monaco in Europa makes sense though, with Son in for Kane or something like that.