All things Football (soccer) related

[NavalNewZ]

Fun to see a few upsets in the FA cup. I enjoy underdogs doing ok, unless its against my team Just about to watch league cup semi - Man City v Burton. City have gone with strong attacking line up. I predict pain for Burton. 4-0 this game, and 0-1 on the return leg. I saw a German coach quoted as saying that Liverpool are being found out. Apparently their front players project their movements in a predictable way, and if the opposition hinder the midfield, its starvation for Salah and crew.Over reaction to the Man City and Wolves victories?

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: NavalNewZ

Fun to see a few upsets in the FA cup. I enjoy underdogs doing ok, unless its against my team Just about to watch league cup semi - Man City v Burton. City have gone with strong attacking line up. I predict pain for Burton. 4-0 this game, and 0-1 on the return leg. I saw a German coach quoted as saying that Liverpool are being found out. Apparently their front players project their movements in a predictable way, and if the opposition hinder the midfield, its starvation for Salah and crew.Over reaction to the Man City and Wolves victories?

warspite1

Probably. The Wolves game doesn't count - the team was seriously weakened. But the Man City game needs to be put in perspective. Liverpool could easily have won that game - but the breaks went to City.

As for tactics, Liverpool at their best are fearsome in the closing down of the opposition. Spurs never got a sniff at Wembley - they were excellent.

Cutting off the midfield to starve the attack? Isn't the result the same for most teams? It's being able to do that that is easier said than done.

Anyway interesting second half to the Premier League ahead with City and Liverpool battling it out for the title, United looking to get into the top four after their poor start, and Arsenal and Chelsea hunting down Tottenham for the final CL place.

[Orm]

Isn't it a bit early to declare it a two-team race for the title?

[NavalNewZ]

.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Orm

Isn't it a bit early to declare it a two-team race for the title?

warspite1

Maybe, but not in my opinion. Manchester United have too big a gap to make up. Chelsea less so, but they need a striker in January if they are to challenge. Spurs and Arsenal (and Chelsea if they don’t get a striker) are nowhere near consistent/good enough to challenge.

[TulliusDetritus]

ORIGINAL: terje439

ORIGINAL: TulliusDetritus

The beast is unleashed [...] Ole's horde scores 5 goals.

As a norwegian - agree

Ole's horde seems insatiable. They claimed another poor victim

It's showing what those who pay attention already knew: "big names" are good for the non sophisticated ones.

And yet two striking cases are there: Mr -Nobodies- Guardiola (or Fraudiola if you dislike his brand of football) and Zidane. Somehow someone was brave enough to appoint them... and there goes the big names are a safe bet thing.

[Orm]

Are you saying that Guardiola, and Zidane, were nobodies, and unknowns, when they were hired by Manchester City, and Real Madrid?

Edit: Both Guardialo, and Zidane, were big names in my humble opinion.

[TulliusDetritus]

As coaches, they were total nobodies. A risky move to appoint them but looks like it paid dividends. I watched plenty of football since the late 70's and the list of big names that failed is just huge. Everyone wins until... they stop winning. It's life. I too have seen plenty of nobodies doing well. It's life again. The rule is that there are no rules.

Ole has already won a league in Norway with Molde if I am not mistaken. A level above Guardiola and Zidane when both were appointed Clowns-in-Chief.

[TulliusDetritus]

edit: when they were hired the first time aka two aristocratic teams (Barcelona and Real). United is certainly a part of this aristocracy, along with Liverpool et al

[Orm]

ORIGINAL: TulliusDetritus

edit: when they were hired the first time aka two aristocratic teams (Barcelona and Real). United is certainly a part of this aristocracy, along with Liverpool et al

Both of team were managers for their respective clubs reserve teams. So it wasn't like their managerial skills were completely unknown when they were hired for the main team.

[TulliusDetritus]

Barcelona / Real Madrid B is synonymous of weak nobodies, I'm sorry. And playing in inferior divisions. From there straight to the elite...

[Orm]

ORIGINAL: TulliusDetritus

Barcelona / Real Madrid B is synonymous of weak nobodies, I'm sorry. And playing in inferior divisions. From there straight to the elite...

I am agreeing that the B teams are relatively weak teams. The point I was trying to make is that they were advanced within the organization. The clubs had a chance to see how they managed the weaker teams. They also had a long career as football players for respective club. So, for the clubs, they were not unknowns. The clubs, I argue, knew them very well before they were advanced to manage the main team.

[TulliusDetritus]

Yes, they were indeed part of the organisation. But you know this is basically meaningless as clubs tend to hire "big names".

Minimum we should expect these guys coaching [1st division] relegation fodder miserables or mid table teams. This might give them some "elite" experience. What Mourinho did before getting the job at Oporto. Or Ole for that matter.

But Guardiola and Zidane had zero experience at elite level.

[warspite1]

...and that is the end of Spurs hopes of a top 4 finish, much less a trophy.

Harry Kane out until March at least......

Boringly predictable that the muppets who refuse to admit his quality, are now gloating that Spurs' season is finished without him. Bunch of morons - too stupid to even realise their own contradiction.

I really hate stooooopid football [:(]

[shunwick]

4-0, 4-0. 4-0, 4-0.....

We won a game of football! We actually won, really, seriously ...

4-0

We stuffed Barnet... like a turkey...

What a wonderful game this football thingy is....

Best wishes,
Steve

[VPaulus]

Spurs next coach:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KeG_i8CWE8

[loki100]

ORIGINAL: VPaulus

Spurs next coach:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KeG_i8CWE8

can we please keep our current one - I rather like him

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: loki100

ORIGINAL: VPaulus

Spurs next coach:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KeG_i8CWE8

can we please keep our current one - I rather like him

warspite1

Quite.

[warspite1]

...and Dele Alli is out until March too.... [:(]

[warspite1]

Well the wheels came off our season in rather spectacular fashion didn't they? [8|] Chances of qualifying for the CL next season? That would be slim to zero.... [:(]

I really hate stoooopid football, though might not have mentioned that previously....