2014/15 Barclay's Premier League Thread

[devo22]

United have had 56 percent ball possession, so van Gaal will probably be pleased. He'll prepare some nice statistics and hand them to the journalists so they can copy them again, no doubt.

by the way, I'm currently reading the autobiography of Sir Alex and while reading the chapter about the 2002-03 season today, I found this sentence:

Ball retention is a religion at Manchester United, but possession without penetration is a waste of time.

Sums it up perfectly.

[Barnet Flame]

Burnley have a player called Barnes who is so bad he wouldn't look out of place in the Utd line up.

[Barnet Flame]

Chelsea have a goal disallowed, a minute later Barry gets sent off and a minute after that Chelsea score.

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Barnet Flame

Burnley have a player called Barnes who is so bad he wouldn't look out of place in the Utd line up.

how dare you, he's Austrian and therefore great!

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

Despite being born in Bath to English parents, Barnes qualifies to represent Austria courtesy of his paternal grandmother, who was born in the country.

[cam_wmh]

Simeone or Klopp. PLEASE.


PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE

GOD DAMNIT PLEASE

[devo22]

why? We have this guy.

[d_phaneuf]

I didnt see today's game, the Phil Jones one isn't real is it?

that can't be true

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

Simeone or Klopp. PLEASE.


PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE

GOD DAMNIT PLEASE

the Simeone to Man City rumors already in full force

isn't the plan for Giggs to take over United whenever LVG is gone anyway?

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

I didnt see today's game, the Phil Jones one isn't real is it?

From the QPR game a bit back.
Seeing is believing.


And in case you are wondering the two arms in the air signal is for "I'm going to not get it past the first defender".

But there is some logic there, I mean that's one of the few places on the pitch where he won't injure himself.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Bagor

From the QPR game a bit back.
Seeing is believing.


And in case you are wondering the two arms in the air signal is for "I'm going to not get it past the first defender".

But there is some logic there, I mean that's one of the few places on the pitch where he won't injure himself.

I thought he was doing his best Camaro impression.

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by devo22

United have had 56 percent ball possession, so van Gaal will probably be pleased. He'll prepare some nice statistics and hand them to the journalists so they can copy them again, no doubt.

by the way, I'm currently reading the autobiography of Sir Alex and while reading the chapter about the 2002-03 season today, I found this sentence:

Ball retention is a religion at Manchester United, but possession without penetration is a waste of time.

Sums it up perfectly.

Just read this. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...ches-team.html

United have more points than any other club over the last 15 matches. Wonderful. LVG is going to flourish on that news, and insist it's his exceptional tactics that got them there.

SIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGH

[The Big Chill]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

Just read this. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...ches-team.html

United have more points than any other club over the last 15 matches. Wonderful. LVG is going to flourish on that news, and insist it's his exceptional tactics that got them there.

SIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGH

Will you want him out at the end of the season even if you guys finish in a CL spot? His football has been pretty dire but the results have been there recently.

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by The Big Chill

Will you want him out at the end of the season even if you guys finish in a CL spot? His football has been pretty dire but the results have been there recently.

Personally, I can't stand him. I think their position is very flattering

He's arrogant, emotionless, stubborn and too analytical for my liking. Repeating my earlier posts but I always like the managers that prowl the touchline, get involved in the game and react accordingly. If van Gaal was to get a 3 game touchline ban would he really be missed?

He then says that certain players have to prove themselves (Herrera) whilst RvP and Falcao are garbage on a weekly basis, yet nothing is said or done whilst the obvious solution lingers out of position.

And the play is dull, boring, safe and devoid of passion. Very reflective of him. I get this feeling that he has overcomplicated things and the players are confused as hell. It sure appears that way. And I honestly believe that players respond to and feed off the energy of their manager on the line. Case in point, Fergie. You got a sense of urgency from him, he encouraged risk taking.

His philosophy so far? If you're a creative player. You're on the bench. No risk taking allowed.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/f...-10042729.html

[devo22]

Originally Posted by The Big Chill

Will you want him out at the end of the season even if you guys finish in a CL spot? His football has been pretty dire but the results have been there recently.

it's a very good question. My brother is a huge Bayern Munich fan and when United appointed van Gaal last summer, he said something to me along the lines of "he's a good coach, but there'll be times when you hate him. A lot." Well, he's been right - I do kind of hate him. And that's weird because he kind of gets the job done. We need top 4, it's as simple as that ... that has always been the goal this season and a lot of money depends on it (if they fail to get CL football, they lose a chunk of the Adidas money). He also knows that he loses his job if they fail to reach the CL ... so my hope is that all this unadventurous, boring, play it safe football is a result of him trying to reach top 4, no matter how ugly it is.

Personally, I wouldn't be sad if he was canned despite finishing top 4. His football has been horrible to watch, and honestly, that's a big surprise. I expected attractive football from van Gaal, especially after buying creative players like di Maria and Herrera. I also don't really trust him with a chequebook, to be honest.

by the way, reading that United have got more points over the last 15 games than every other club was a big WTF-moment for me. Never ever had I expected that.

[devo22]

ESPN FC ‏@ESPNFC
BREAKING NEWS: Tim Sherwood has been announced as Aston Villa's new manager. #AVFC

[d_phaneuf]

[Swift]

I don't get the fascination with Tim Sherwood. He seems to have been associated with every mid level Premier League job that's come up recently, yet when he was in at Spurs temporarily, he seemed ridiculously out of his depth.

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by Cameron Swift

I don't get the fascination with Tim Sherwood. He seems to have been associated with every mid level Premier League job that's come up recently, yet when he was in at Spurs temporarily, he seemed ridiculously out of his depth.

he's taken the Redknapp route of being the media darling so they always pop his name up when a job comes up, yet Sherwood legitimately thinks he should already be managing a CL level club, he doesn't even have his badges

he gives the media great quotes (not in substance but in entertainment) he leaked a ton of stuff when he was at Spurs, and he's been leaking stuff through Sam Wallace at the independent for months now

I think as a youth coach he's great, his legacy at Spurs there looks excellent as he was in charge when Kane, Townsend, Bentaleb, Mason have all come through. As well as Josh Onomah who is probably the brightest u18 England prospect

But as a manager with tactics he's all attack, doesn't believe in DMs, and the only reason he had a good record at Spurs is because the talent was better than most of the teams they played (whenever they went up against a better or close to equal team in talent they got absolutely smashed)

[cam_wmh]

Couldn't find a thread for the next round (6th) of FA CUP.

Liverpool vs Blackburn Rovers
Bradford City vs Reading
Preston/Manchester United vs Arsenal ****
Aston Villa vs West Bromwich Albion

[cam_wmh]

With Jones not part of the starting 11, Rooney takes the games first corner.