Premier League 2016/17

[The Lusophone]

32 minutes ago, MDK said:

It turns out that Pep is one of the best managers in the world when inheriting one of the best teams in a fairly non-competitive league.

And is he trying to make Zabaleta into his Lahm? 

It's going to be super interesting - if he does stay beyond this season - to see him have to build a team for the first time.

[MDK]

11 minutes ago, Mad Jack said:

It's going to be super interesting - if he does stay beyond this season - to see him have to build a team for the first time.

I wonder if he is regretting going to City and not waiting for the Arsenal job. That seems like a better fit for him.

[Nerf]

43 minutes ago, Mad Jack said:

It's going to be super interesting - if he does stay beyond this season - to see him have to build a team for the first time.

This is a bit of revisionism. He completely transformed the Barcelona team he inherited, and whether you class his time at Bayern as a failure or not, he drastically changed them as well. I know you don't like him, but let's not pretend that he's just played the hand he was dealt and never carved a team in his image before.

[The Lusophone]

29 minutes ago, Nerf said:

This is a bit of revisionism. He completely transformed the Barcelona team he inherited, and whether you class his time at Bayern as a failure or not, he drastically changed them as well. I know you don't like him, but let's not pretend that he's just played the hand he was dealt and never carved a team in his image before.

Pep's transfer policy 'success' - especially at Barcelona - is massively overstated. He signed Ibra for 50 million Euros plus Eto'o (Barca's top scorer the previous season), then sold him a year later for half that. He spent 25 million Euros on Dmytro Chygrynskiy - a signing so successful he played 12 times and left the club a year later. Or Keirrison, so brilliant a player that he never played for Barcelona and was last seen flying out to Thailand to negotiate a transfer there. Compatriot Henrique met a similar fate. Alexander Hleb did really well after his move - playing less than 20 times in four years. Afellay did slightly better, he played 21 times!

Pep had more success with promoting youth players than he did with transfers, arguably making just 6 successful signings - Cesc, Sanchez, Dani Alves, Pique (who was always going to rejoin Barca - the buy back clause in his Man Utd contract made sure of that), David Villa and Javier Mascherano. 6 signings in four seasons in charge isn't exactly a sterling strike rate.

At Bayern he spent at least 150 million Euros and failed to win the Champions League - which due to Bayern have historically dominating the Bundesliga - is essentially failing.

[Nerf]

Right, but I didn't argue transfer or on-field success, I said he transformed the sides from what he inherited, which he did.

[MDK]

Tom Davies was born on the same day that David Beckham kicked Diego Simeone in St. Etienne. Hope that stat cheered everyone up.

[Noah]

22 hours ago, Davidmarrio said:

SUPER JIMMY MILNER 

Apparently he's never lost a premier league game that he's scored in. Something like 46 games now.

[Cymbols]

He's tied Darius Vassell's record in that regard. 

[Noah]

I like stats.

[Gazz]

I've never lost a Premier League game.

[MDK]

You cant argue with that fact.

[Hobo]

Not finished the pentagon either.

[Lineker]

Vertonghen is facing two months out, minimum.

[DavidMarrio]

Looked a nasty injury when it happened on Saturday so I'm not surprised. 

[MDK]

16 minutes ago, Davidmarrio said:

Looked a nasty injury when it happened on Saturday so I'm not surprised. 

Yeah, I winced when I saw that. 

[Colly]

So not at all related to my fantasy team, who comes in for him?

[MDK]

19 minutes ago, Colly said:

So not at all related to my fantasy team, who comes in for him?

Kevin Wimmer, presumably. But I cant remember if he is still at Spurs because I'm getting confused with my FM game.

[Lineker]

He is still at Spurs. It'll be either him or Ben Davies (who plays in that position for the Welsh national team).

[MDK]

Dier can fill in there as well.

[Szumi]

Here's hoping young Carter Vickers gets a chance too