2015/2016 Barclays Premier League Thread

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by devo22

because he had freaking Vidic and Ferdinand ahead of him. Ferguson was pissed when Pique wanted to leave because he knew he had a lot of talent, but you can't really blame the player for not beating out the best CB pairing at the time.

Did you read the post that was in response to. Context is everything.

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

I dont even know how this is an argument

the 2009 CL final in Pep's first year

the starting XI was

Henry/Eto'o/Messi
Xavi/Busquets/Iniesta
Sylvinho/Puyol/Toure/Alves
Valdes

what do all of those players have in common except Pique? they were at the club before Pep arrived, Busquets if you want to add a 2nd, but he wasn't 'unheard of' he was the captain of Barcelona B

What is your argument or are you making my point for me?
All those players and the team had never dominated. Until then.
Btw, Alves wasn't there.

Are you another one that is suggesting it is as simple as having the talent.
That Rodgers could have won the treble with that team? That he contributed nothing? What is your point?

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Bagor

And regarding this Spanish national team argument. If it was so straightforward as having members of the national team from that era =success where did Madrid go wrong?

After all they had a similar representation. Why didn't they dominate at the same level as Barca?

They didn't have nearly the engine of that Spanish National team that Barcelona did.

Madrid had Alonso, Casillas, and Ramos.

Barca had Puyol & Pique (so 2 of your back 4), Busquests & Xavi ( 2 of your 3 midfielders), and Iniesta & Pedro (2 of your 3 forwards).

So you take 6 starters off the World Cup winning team. Then throw Messi on top of that, plus all the $$ that you need to fill your roster out as needed.

3 league titles, and 2 champions league titles in 4 seasons was a great feat but the guy had one of the greatest collections of talent ever at his disposal. A group of players that not only won at the club level, but happened to also win 3 straight major national tournaments.

He's a great coach when you have the talent but he hasn't proven that he is able to build a team or win without having the best squad in the world at his disposal. And in both cases where he had the best squad, he didn't really have to build the squad.

Look at the players he used at Barcelona, of the top 10 players that he played in his time there he only brought in one on a transfer - Dani Alves. The rest were either players on that roster, Barca youth players, or were purchased earlier in the summer before his promotion (Pique & Keita).

http://www.transfermarkt.com/pep-gua...wettbewerb_id=

[devo22]

two United goals. What year is it?

Martial is the real deal.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by devo22

two United goals. What year is it?

Martial is the real deal.

Van Gaal contract extension! But seriously getting Martial no doubt was a brilliant move.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Vardy with an absolutely brilliant strike from 30 yards out.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Vardy with an absolutely brilliant strike from 30 yards out.

https://streamable.com/jc52

[The Big Chill]

Leicester just won't go away. Liverpool completely dominating, can't score, Leicester go up 1-0 with a brilliant goal.

[devo22]

Originally Posted by nik-

https://streamable.com/jc52

and this goal just sums them up. Power, pace, directness ... it's almost like you're watching a team from a different era.

[Swift]

Damn, Leicester are going to win the league aren't they?

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Bagor

Maybe but he sure as hell deserves more credit than he gets for his Barca dominance.

What we are all arguing is that they have been just as dominant since he left though.

In his 4 years at Barca they had 3 league titles and 2 champions league wins.

In the 3 completed seasons since he left they have 2 league titles and a Champions League title. Plus they are on pace for a 3rd La Liga crown this season, and they could still win that second Champions League as well.

If they win both (which is possible) then they would have an identical 3 La Liga titles and 2 CL titles in the 4 years after he left.

Look at Barca now. They are just as dominant with Luis Enrique as their manager. This was a guy who left Roma after a being a dissapointment in his one season there, and then lead Celta Vigo to a 9th place finish.

Now he is on pace to win his 2nd La Liga title in as many seasons, already has one Champions League title, and is is a pretty good to spot to potentially get a 2nd in his 2nd year there.

It's the same thing at Bayern. They were dominant when he got there, and they will likely be dominant once he is gone.

I am sure that Pep is a great coach, but he has had the benefit of coaching teams that have ridiculous talent that was there when he arrived.

[SuperMatt18]

In on-topic conversation that Jaime Vardy strike is ridiculous.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by Cameron Swift

Damn, Leicester are going to win the league aren't they?

They'll certainly be right there. Pretty sure when the season started that no one had a top 3 of Leicester, City and Spurs with 14 games left, but here we are.

[Locke]

Balls. Thats not gone well.

[The Big Chill]

Originally Posted by Locke

Balls. Thats not gone well.

It went about as expected though. Liverpool control the game in terms of possession but lack the quality to score goals, Leicester hit back on the break with pace and win the game.

It'll be interesting to see how this plays out for Leicester. I don't think this style will work for them long term, but with CL footy and a bunch of money, its possible that they can improve their team and be highly competitive again next season. Of course that will depend on having a really smart summer of keeping key players and spending wisely.

[Pagal4321]

Checks the calendar. Checks the table.

Yup, it's February and Arsenal are fighting for 4th place. Seems about status quo.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by The Big Chill

It went about as expected though. Liverpool control the game in terms of possession but lack the quality to score goals, Leicester hit back on the break with pace and win the game.

It'll be interesting to see how this plays out for Leicester. I don't think this style will work for them long term, but with CL footy and a bunch of money, its possible that they can improve their team and be highly competitive again next season. Of course that will depend on having a really smart summer of keeping key players and spending wisely.

That Italian counter attacking style can be deadly if you have the team to play with the structure that is needed in the defensive third, and you have the strikers that are prolific enough to bury their chances - Leicester has both of those things going for them right now.

Top of the table will still be a tough go for them with City, United, Arsenal, and Chelsea all on the road to go. However if they can win one of those two games coming up then they will be in really good shape. Champions League looks like a no doubter at this point.

[Johnny199r]

Originally Posted by Cameron Swift

Damn, Leicester are going to win the league aren't they?

It would be great if they won the league. But if they don't, it would be awesome if they snagged a champions league spot. Think how much money they'd get.

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by Bagor

What is your argument or are you making my point for me?
All those players and the team had never dominated. Until then.
Btw, Alves wasn't there.

Are you another one that is suggesting it is as simple as having the talent.
That Rodgers could have won the treble with that team? That he contributed nothing? What is your point?

I had Alves written should have been Pique, second part moved it to Pique

my point is that those are all veteran world class players, which is the argument people are making

in that team you have the best spanish midfielder of all time, arguably the 2nd best

you have Messi coming in to his own with in his 3rd full season with the main club, you have one of the top 5 strikers ever in Henry, and one of the top 3 strikers in the world at that time in Eto'o

he won with a stacked team, that is the point everyone else is making, he can win with a stacked team. He's never had to build a team like Fergie (multiple times with United) or Wenger, or Mourinho, or Allegri etc.

I don't think this can be argued, Pep has never coached a team in any league where he didn't have a gap in talent to 2nd place

every other manager above has done that (plus others) and overperformed, maybe Pep could do it, but he doesn't want to take the chance it seems

[d_phaneuf]

Also Barca's domininace really started the year after, and again I give most credit to the 21 year old Argentine who scored 47,53, and 73 goals the next 3 seasons

Playing in front of, again, arguably the two best spanish midfielders of all time