The Barclays Premier League thread 2015/2016

[stokeriño]

33 minutes ago, David Marrio said:

The stat on MNF was quite mad in that only Mourinho and Ancelotti have lasted longer than 13 months since Mourinhos first stint at the club. 

True, but I would discount the handful that were designated as temporary even from the outset (Grant, Hiddink, Benitez). Maybe the policy of not appointing 'permanent' managers during mid-season and always waiting until the summer is part of the problem, but at least it's one by design and not more of the crazy trigger finger.

After that, you're left with Scolari, AVB and Di Matteo being short alongside Mourinho v1, Ancelotti and Mourinho v2. 50/50, maybe.   

The stat on MNF that was more mad was being ranked 20th in the league for % of games conceding two goals or more. Christ.

[Lineker]

We were excellent last night. Things are progressing nicely. Hope Villa get less shit from here on in!

[The Lusophone]

I think Villa could benefit from a few seasons in the Championship tbh... >_>

[Baddar]

Talking of stats, I saw some shocking ones on United regarding sideways and backwards passing, plus chances created/shots on target. Guess which two we're at the top for and the two we're at/near the bottom...

[Benji]

13 minutes ago, Mad Jack said:

I think Villa could benefit from a few seasons in the Championship tbh... >_>

They've been teetering near to falling for half a decade, it feels like something's got to make or break soon, especially with Benteke gone.

[The Lusophone]

28 minutes ago, Baddar said:

Talking of stats, I saw some shocking ones on United regarding sideways and backwards passing, plus chances created/shots on target. Guess which two we're at the top for and the two we're at/near the bottom...

I don't think I'd mind if we were winning games tbh. Winning the title with 30 1-0 wins or 30 5-0 wins doesn't matter to me, although the latter would certainly be more preferable.

[Baddar]

Absolutely. I love a possession game, but it's pointless when you're creating fuck all and drawing games 0-0. That and the fact that we only seem to be able to keep possession when we're comfortable in a game. Once a team starts pressing or gets a goal, we can't keep it for shit.

Tonight is going to be tough because CSKA will sit in and hit us on the break with their pace. If we keep persisting with Rooney instead of Martial as the striker when Martial was scoring goals from the get go there, I will lose the will to live. Rooney just isn't suited to a lone striker role at all. Especially when we have little or no width.

[The Lusophone]

I'm thinking drop Rooney entirely at this point, or play him deep in the role, behind Martial with Mata and Depay right and left. We play our best football when Mata is on point and Memphis looked excellent in the early going. Really need to get it together, especially if Liverpool come into the mix.

[Baddar]

I feel so sorry for Memphis. Fully expect him to go the way of Di Maria if he doesn't start getting games soon.

Can't see Rooney being dropped, but wouldn't mind him behind Martial or even as a strike partner. Can't see LVG wanting to play with TWO forwards though. We might actually pose a threat if we did that.  

[Gazz]

You can't drop Rooney, he's a legend and deserves our respect.

[The Lusophone]

11 minutes ago, Gazz said:

You can't drop Rooney, he's a legend and deserves our respect.

Can we give him an Undertaker like schedule though?

[Gazz]

Man Utd move the ball forward at about the same pace as Undertaker's entrance, so probably.

[Arjen Robben]

John Terry in danger of winning me over if he carries on dismissing Savage like that.

[DavidMarrio]

1 hour ago, Baddar said:

Absolutely. I love a possession game, but it's pointless when you're creating fuck all and drawing games 0-0. That and the fact that we only seem to be able to keep possession when we're comfortable in a game. Once a team starts pressing or gets a goal, we can't keep it for shit.

Tonight is going to be tough because CSKA will sit in and hit us on the break with their pace. If we keep persisting with Rooney instead of Martial as the striker when Martial was scoring goals from the get go there, I will lose the will to live. Rooney just isn't suited to a lone striker role at all. Especially when we have little or no width.

 

1 hour ago, Mad Jack said:

I'm thinking drop Rooney entirely at this point, or play him deep in the role, behind Martial with Mata and Depay right and left. We play our best football when Mata is on point and Memphis looked excellent in the early going. Really need to get it together, especially if Liverpool come into the mix.

See there's nothing wrong with keeping possession but its possession with no intent most of the time. Anyone can pass a ball sidewards and backwards. But you can play an attacking possession game...LVG just doesn't want to do that. Yeh winning games is always nice but for me I want the team to be at least some what entertaining in winning.

Martial needs to be up front as the striker. He's done well out wide on the left but Rooney should either be moved out of striker or dropped from the team. He's starting to become your version of Gerrard in which a lot of supporters can see he needs to be dropped or his role changing yet it doesn't happen.

Depay needs to step up, I know I don't watch as many United games as United fans would but for the majority of the time I've seen Depay play, he's been average.

[Baddar]

Depay was amazing in the CL Qualifier. Admittedly it was against lesser opposition. He does need to get used to the PL, and fast. You could say similar of LVG though, because he doesn't seem to have fully worked it out yet.

[Adam]

3 hours ago, Arjen Robben said:

John Terry in danger of winning me over if he carries on dismissing Savage like that.

Savage does annoy me, but I've never liked the argument of "that pundit talks rubbish, and it doesn't matter because he was a shit player". Pundits are there doing a job, and that job is to pass opinion and judgement on the game in the present day. Savage was a decent enough top flight player for a long time, and whether it's Thierry Henry or Matt Holland giving their opinion, then they're doing it as part of their job.

[Gazz]

Yeah, but most pundits are pundits because they don't have the drive, knowledge or acumen to be successful coaches.

My latest pundit gripe is abject failure of a football manager / coach Chris Waddle, whose tactical answer to every possible footballing equation is 'get it wide and cross it in'.

[MDK]

43 minutes ago, Gazz said:

Yeah, but most pundits are pundits because they don't have the drive, knowledge or acumen to be successful coaches.

My latest pundit gripe is abject failure of a football manager / coach Chris Waddle, whose tactical answer to every possible footballing equation is 'get it wide and cross it in'.

Chris Waddle learned everything he knows about coaching from John Barnes rap in World in Motion.

[Benji]

1 hour ago, Adam. said:

Savage does annoy me, but I've never liked the argument of "that pundit talks rubbish, and it doesn't matter because he was a shit player". Pundits are there doing a job, and that job is to pass opinion and judgement on the game in the present day. Savage was a decent enough top flight player for a long time, and whether it's Thierry Henry or Matt Holland giving their opinion, then they're doing it as part of their job.

Yeah, but Savage is also an absolute cock end. And I say that as a fan of the team he spent most of his career at.

[Adam]

1 hour ago, Gazz said:

Yeah, but most pundits are pundits because they don't have the drive, knowledge or acumen to be successful coaches.

Is that true? Even if it is, not every ex-footballer is obliged to want to become a coach, and isn't a failure or lesser person if they choose to do something else with their careers after retiring from playing. Some may just want to go into the broadcasting field as well. Kevin Kilbane got a degree in Professional Sports Writing & Broadcasting whilst still a player for the express purpose of going into the field he is now in.

I'm not outright defending Savage either, I've not forgotten how annoying he was as a player nevermind as a pundit, and he says many things I disagree with. However, John Terry is being harsh to suggest Savage "played at a very bad level" for his entire career. Savage played in the top flight for years, and for Terry to say what he did is massively insulting to the majority of the players he comes up against as a Chelsea player.