2015/2016 Barclays Premier League Thread

[Barnet Flame]

http://newsthump.com/2016/05/15/susp...d-as-a-trophy/

This spoof was posted within an hour of the incident but I didn't think it appropriate to post it until we saw how this unfolded.

[Swift]

When I saw hordes of Man Utd fans leaving Old Trafford before kick off, I knew there was something up because they usually leave midway through the second half.

[devo22]

It seems to have finally happened. After months of speculation that Manchester United were interested in signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic once his contract with Paris Saint-Germain came to an end, the Premier League club have made him an offer of one year + another year optional.

According to RMC Sport and the very reliable Mohamed Bouhafsi (who broke the Martial to Manchester United story), the Red Devils are the only club in the mix capable of giving the Swedish striker the salary he wants (around €15m/year, which equates to around £225k/week).

While the financial terms are there, there remains a few doubts over the whole operation. The French radio station states that the current doubts over United’s managerial situation could be a problem, with Zlatan being very interested to team up with José Mourinho once again.

http://sportwitness.ning.com/forum/t...ne-year-extra-

so Mourinho+Ibrahimovic next season ... lovely. Hate both, but I'll take it over LVG every day.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by devo22

http://sportwitness.ning.com/forum/t...ne-year-extra-

so Mourinho+Ibrahimovic next season ... lovely. Hate both, but I'll take it over LVG every day.

I dont get the excitement for Mourinho. All season United fans were lamenting LvG's boring style of play, but Mourinho isnt notoriously any better, he parks the bus and hopes someone gets lucky which was pretty much what United fans got all last year.

Hes always good for an interview though.

[Senator Clay Davis]

They want Mourinho because he's a proven winner in the PL. Pretty sure at this point they'd take Satan himself if he was a big time winner. They just don't want to be looking up at City and Liverpool both for the coming years.

[GirlySports]

I'd rather have LVG then Mourinho. I think LVG can do something with this group. Mourinho will just park the bus and counter attack. Win the Athletico Madrid way.

[devo22]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

I'd rather have LVG then Mourinho. I think LVG can do something with this group. Mourinho will just park the bus and counter attack. Win the Athletico Madrid way.

no he can't. 46 league goals this year. Uniteds previous low in the PL was 58 (03/04). They had 62 in LVGs first year, which is third-worst.

2013-14: 38 games, 19-7-12, 64:43 goals, 64 points (Moyes/Giggs)
2015-16: 37 games, 18-9-10, 46:34 goals, 63 points (Van Gaal)

and that's after spending a ####load of money. At this point, I'd probably take a monkey over LVG. Mourinho might not be the highest-scoring coach in the world, but there's no way United would score even less under him than under van Gaal.

[Locke]

I dont deny that pretty much anything is an upgrade on LvG, it was time for something different.

[devo22]

another reason to get on the Mourinho bus.

David De Gea is likely to stay at Manchester United this summer in the event Jose Mourinho becomes the club’s next manager.

But the United goalkeeper’s future at Old Trafford will become much less certain if the club opt to keep faith with Louis van Gaal, whose prospects of seeing out the final year of his contract suffered another blow on Sunday with Champions League qualification now effectively out of reach.

[...]

Arguably the best goalkeeper in the world, De Gea is unhappy at the prospect of a second season in three without Champions League football. He is thought to be one of a number of players who will consider their futures should Van Gaal stay. United have privately dismissed claims that there is a release clause in the four-year contract De Gea signed 10 days after his proposed move to Real Madrid collapsed last September but the club’s hopes of keeping the Spaniard will be boosted dramatically if Mourinho takes over.

De Gea and Mourinho are both represented by Jorge Mendes, the Portuguese agent. The goalkeeper did not agitate for a move last summer and won plaudits from United’s hierarchy for the professional manner in which he handled the situation, even if Van Gaal’s decision not to consider him for selection at that time went down badly in the dressing room.

Real are believed to retain an interest in De Gea, although Keylor Navas has had an excellent season at the Bernabéu and they have been watching other goalkeeping targets, including Thibaut Courtois, of Chelsea.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/...f-louis-van-g/

[Locke]

Alright then, that seals it. Snap up Mourinho. This cant miss.

[devo22]

speaking of goalkeepers: reports in Germany say that Loris Karius has agreed terms in principle with Liverpool. Has a €10m clause in his contract with Mainz.

[nik-]

Madrid doesn't need De Gea, but that would be a total Perez move, so I can't rule it out.

[GirlySports]

ManU could still win 23-0. (19-0 would be suspecious)

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

I'd rather have LVG then Mourinho. I think LVG can do something with this group. Mourinho will just park the bus and counter attack. Win the Athletico Madrid way.

I would really be interested to hear you expand on that thought.

What are you seeing that everyone else is not?

[nik-]

LVG can do something with that group. Unfortunately that something is bore the tits off of everyone.

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by nik-

LVG can do something with that group. Unfortunately that something is bore the tits off of everyone.

There is a list of stats detailing just how impotent a side United has become under the Dutchman, such as them having fewer shots on target than Newcastle and going four months without scoring a first-half league goal. United need two goals against Bournemouth to match the same amount scored in home league games as York this season. York finished at the foot of the Football League pyramid.

This is an excellent read.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co....mouth-11337455

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Bagor

I would really be interested to hear you expand on that thought.

What are you seeing that everyone else is not?

Originally Posted by nik-

LVG can do something with that group. Unfortunately that something is bore the tits off of everyone.

I just think LVG still suits ManU better than Mourinho does. Van Gaal might have growing pains but he will attempt to develop young players. Two years on the job now, he understands the culture more. Mourinho is a manager that wins trophy for the fans but does not believe in youngsters. I'm not sure guys like Rashford or Martial fit into a Mourinho team. He will go buy more experienced replacements and he will abandon the academy.

It hasn't been an awful season. They have been ravaged by injuries and lost points to the lower teams because he had to change lineups over and over again. In matches against the 'big' teams, they did quite well. 6 points against Liverpool (lost in Europa though), 4 points against Man City, 3 points against Arsenal, 3 points against Spurs, 2 points against Leiceister, 2 points against Chelsea. Yes I agree that the attack has been flat but it can be better next year.

He got rid of a lot of garbage as well. RVP, Nani, Chicharito, Lindegaard, Di Maria, Evans, Rafael. I think he has a long term path to the future.

And they could still win the FA Cup.

I'd give him another year to see out his contract. If it fails then appoint Giggs and continue to build. I wouldn't hire Mourinho.

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

I just think LVG still suits ManU better than Mourinho does. Van Gaal might have growing pains but he will attempt to develop young players. Two years on the job now, he understands the culture more. Mourinho is a manager that wins trophy for the fans but does not believe in youngsters. I'm not sure guys like Rashford or Martial fit into a Mourinho team. He will go buy more experienced replacements and he will abandon the academy.

It hasn't been an awful season. They have been ravaged by injuries and lost points to the lower teams because he had to change lineups over and over again. In matches against the 'big' teams, they did quite well. 6 points against Liverpool (lost in Europa though), 4 points against Man City, 3 points against Arsenal, 3 points against Spurs, 2 points against Leiceister, 2 points against Chelsea. Yes I agree that the attack has been flat but it can be better next year.

He got rid of a lot of garbage as well. RVP, Nani, Chicharito, Lindegaard, Di Maria, Evans, Rafael. I think he has a long term path to the future.

And they could still win the FA Cup.

I'd give him another year to see out his contract. If it fails then appoint Giggs and continue to build. I wouldn't hire Mourinho.

Stopped reading here. Patently false.

[GirlySports]

I thought Mourinho's abysmal record of promoting youth at Chelsea was well known.

[devo22]

yeah it was. But Abramovich isn't exactly a patient guy and usually they just loan their youngsters to Vitesse or somewhere else. The other Chelsea coaches in the last 10 years haven't promoted youth either ... that's not how Chelsea operate.