Forum menu
It was my daughters birthday yesterday, so we had a bit of a do, resulting in me not watching the match. Seems like I dodged a bullet there, and saved myself a lot of shouting at the telly. By all accounts it was possibly Uniteds worst ever Champions League performance
I’ve ranted before about Uniteds big-money signings going AWOL in big games. Sanchez has just joined Pogba and Lukaku in totally failing to deliver. Which you could tolerate if they looked like they were putting a shift in! But they don’t.
Pogba and Lukaku can both have great games, then the following week be totally anonymous and look like they cant really be arsed! Sanchez just looks anonymous
As a city fan, I had a theory about Sanchez,
nah its was more like when City bought tevez it was a statement -we can still get the best players. Its fair to say it has not worked.
Personally I dont think the players are poor. Name any man u player you think has improved under Jose? then remember it was LvG and Moyes there before him
I think he just needs very rigid players who do a job - say Matic types and then relies on a break. He does not have the players to do this - he thought Sanchez was but he loses possession too much. I also think his tactical approach is not as effective as it once was.
Ignoring all that its dull as ditch water to watch.
A view from the banks of the Tyne ...
Ignoring all that its dull as ditch water to watch.
That's the killer right there for me. Chatting with a Man U supporter in the office yesterday and all he could talk about was how much he wanted Utd to play like Liverpool are. Despite beating them at the weekend. We watch football for results, of course, but also we watch it to be entertained and Man U are just not entertaining at the moment. The suck the life out of the game and end up getting the win, great for points... terrible for entertainment.
Oh please...... just looked at their stats from the game and they had 17 goal attempts, albeit only 3 on target (not a good ratio that). Park the bus? You don't know you're born.
I've looked at the stats for Reading's last 8 games: TOTAL 69 shots (that's 8 and a bit a game) and 25 on target - just about 3/game. So while we might be more accurate with our shots, we only have one every 10 minutes, despite dominating possession in most games. The rest of the time we play keep ball in our half, attempting to lull the oppo to sleep before striking with amazing speed. How's that going then, Jaap?
(if you remove one bewildering outlier - Derby, where we had 16 shots and 7 on target, the stats drop further to 7 shots/game - one every 15 mins or so - and one on target every half played, give or take. I don't know what happened with Derby, maybe Stam had a day off although it should be noted we did score 3 goals)
Come and watch a game like Tuesdays vs Wolves - 2 shots all game, neither on target, you'll need valium to calm the excitement at Old Trafford once you see what your old boy's idea of entertainment is.
Why does it matter if you’re earning £250k a week or £350k a week when you’ve got £35m ?
Status in the dressing room. Weekly wage is out there on show for the world to see whereas net worth is not so obvious. See the post about flash cars outside modest houses. For a lot of people and not just footballers it's the visible (sometimes apparent) wealth that matters not the sum total of their worth.
Yeah but Messi or Ronaldo?
Yeah but Messi or Ronaldo?
Its amazing that it's even a question, seeing how Messi is such an amazing talent, but Ronnie has pushed him close!
So, following the dismal CL results this week, can Arsenal finish the job against Milan tonight? Home form has not been good, so think it could be edgy stuff!
Depends which Arsenal show up. You just never know....
Until very recently the home form has been very good indeed. It's the away form that was the problem!
it's Ronaldo by the way 🙂
It's the Arsenal way, try and mix things up a bit and keep it interesting
I wonder if Arsenal fans will be happy if they go out and Wenger steps down or if winning it and getting into the CL next year means he stays on longer...
friends wanted us to lose to Östersund, to force change. It was a hypothetical question I posed too, but he is unsackable.
I personally love the man but want him gone. nobody can go on forever. Look at Mourinho, a spent force.
Unsackable? ..perhaps and as far as Benitez is concerned in the eyes of most Newcastle supporters he is too ..whereas most ( all ) of the managers following Sir Bob have just been sackless..
I wonder if Arsenal fans will be happy if they go out and Wenger steps down or if winning it and getting into the CL next year means he stays on longer…
He should be judged on the premier league and on that basis of the past few years and especially this year, he has to step down. He should have gone a few years ago....even he must know that now!
Yeah but Messi or Ronaldo?
They are both phenomenal, Ronaldo does all the tricks and dazles with his footwork, it is obvious that he has magic in his feet. Messi does the opposite he makes the complicated look simple, he can have half the opposition team between him and the goal, and then he just runs though them all and puts it in the back of the net.
Ronaldo probably has more to his game, all the talent too, quicker, stronger, better in the air and can tackle.
But he's a cock. Messi every time. 😁
But he’s a cock. Messi every time.
Messi loves scoring, but he celebrates the same way with his team mates whether he scored or they did. Last night you could see he was chuffed Dembeli got a goal. Ronaldo scores he beats his chest and demands to be adored, when anyone else on the team scores, you can see he is seething that someone else is in the spotlight.
the eulogising of one and lazy caricatures of the other [ no mention of tax fraud I note in the selfless man] is, sadly, how most football chats end up
We are blessed to have two great payers who are both exceptional talents,that they are exceptional in different ways only adds to the luck we have to see them both playing at the same time.
Until very recently the home form has been very good indeed. It’s the away form that was the problem!
actually HYD, the commentator said last week (to my surprise) that we haven’t won a European tie at home for five years! So let’s hope we scrape through with a draw!
I watched the whole of the home match v Osterund and by the end hoped we had had gone out cos we were so embarrassingly appalling!
Apologies, home form this season. Damn lies and statistics!
I used to despise Ronaldo, I've kind of grown to admire his utter utter arrogance. The statues, the museums etc. Apparently he is the best at quickly working out your weakness ( as a defender not a human being, although that wouldn't surprise me) and just exploiting it and making a fool of you. Haha what a guy!
.
Cracking interview with Klopp on MOTD Premier League show just now. He seems like a top bloke.
Oh and well done Arsenal. I’d begun to feel sorry for their recent travails. The Europa League is their only route back into next year’s UCL and good luck to them for the rest of it.
We had the rub of the green last night . Welbz dat dive do'
Funny old dive though, I felt that the slight pull on his shoulder was enough to stop him from turning quickly and crossing. So he went down because he knew he’d been fouled. That’s my opinion anyway! 🙂
shame the british teams drew each other
Barcelona v Roma
Sevilla v Bayern Munich
Juventus v Real Madrid
Liverpool v Manchester City
So.. who'll make it through to the semi's?
Barca, Bayern, Real & City are my picks... the Sevilla/Bayern one being the hardest to call I think.
Bit of an arse - the one tie that neither team wanted. (I honestly think either side could have had a decent go at Barca, who seem to find a different gear for the UCL...City having more weapons for sure, but Liverpool have previous for knocking them out over two legs.)
English sides whittled very quickly from 5 to 1, come the semis. City should win over the two legs, it's difficult to see beyond that but they will have the Anfield game in January in the back of their minds. Should be good though, another two games between two teams playing attractive, fast football.
Yeah it is a real shame that Liverpool and city are meeting in the quarters. I think they both had a very real chance of going through. You can never be confident of beating barca, madrid or bayern though. Madrid have been pretty poor for most of the season, but brushed aside psg without much bother. But I think that Liverpool and especially city are in the mix with those teams this year.
Should be a good couple of games though, I slightly favour man city over 2 legs if both teams are at full strength, Mendy should be back for city by then. I hope they both are at full strength and that the game doesn't come down to injuries.
I'm a Liverpool fan but I think City will win fairly comfortably. Not only are they more consistent, they have the advantage of being able to rest players between the games. Liverpool have the small matter of a Merseyside derby between the two matches, and are battling for the 4th CL place. City will be pretty comfortable in the league, as they already are.
Never mind all that! Looks like Jose’s gone ‘Full Keegan’!!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43434736
What they plan on scoring goals?
I wonder how many Arsenal fans are booking flights to Moscow. Could be...interesting...although I'm sure Vlad won't want the embarrassment of English fans being battered (at least not before the start of the WC).
the Sevilla/Bayern one being the hardest to call I think.
Seville are not on a par with Bayern who should win easily
Juve v RM is the hardest to call
Jose’s gone ‘Full Keegan’!!
More benitez with his list than the full keegan
It’s a sort of Keegan/Benitez crossover. I wonder if our season will now follow a similar pattern to those two.
I think City v Liverpool should be an absolute corker over 2 legs
Yeah, bit too controlled to be full Keegan. Keegan/Benitez crossover is spot on. Luv it!!!
Looks like Jose’s gone ‘Full Keegan’!!
"Whoever follows me at Utd will inherit a group of players......."
what - and play them in a system that works to their strengths and creates a team that people want to see play.
That would be a fine 'eritage.
Well done to the lady in East Sussex who has just won a million on Sky Sports Super Six !
Results went pretty much in Newcastle's favour today without playing a game ..apart from the Bournmouth result ..probably the only time I have wanted Pardew to win since leaving Newcastle ..
In the Championship ..bye bye enjoy life in league 1 Mackems ..surely doomed and playing to an empty stadium at the end 🤣.
Sheesh, he's some player that Salah fella.
Sure is - worried he'll be playing in la liga next year?
be the year after
You'd have to think it's likely yes. Sad as I'd find it, you can't hate the best players for wanting big trophies.
He's the most like Messi I've seen, in terms of dribbling, close control etc. Seems pretty humble, too.
Felt I had to find this thread to add my praise. What a player, what a performance.
I was also hugely impressed by the xG number - having read about it earlier this week. It takes the chances created (eg: pull back to a player on the 6 yard box, header from a corner on the front post, shot from 25 yards, etc.) , compares statistically against a massive data set of similar chances and outcomes and assigns a likelihood of that being scored. Based on the chances created Liverpool had I think a 1.65 xG, yet scored 5. Mainly because not only if he an amazing player, tireless worker, but he is ruthless with the chances he gets
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40699431
I'm surprised Jose hasn't come out and taken any credit for making him the player he is today while he moulded his career at Chelsea 😁