Football The 2013 / 2014 Season Thread

[Raven]

He was good at the start of the season but "outstanding" is a bit strong, especially recently. It's only a retort after he moaned about Mourinho's tactics.

Maureen did get it totally wrong though.

 

[Ch3tan]

No her didn't. Hazard spoke out in the press against Jose's tactics, he then got a shut up via the same method. It's a lesson for hazard, nothing more.Jose protects his players from criticism fiercely, deflects blame a lot. He expects the same from his players.

 

[Bodhi]

His wife wants to go to PSG

FTFY

 

[Raven]

I meant the tactics...

ofc he is going to tell him to shut up.

 

[miri]

Think Hazard will definitely go at some point, but would be really surprised if it's this summer.

 

[soze]

LMAO

St Totteringham's Day is the day when Arsenal fans celebrate the fact that Tottenham can no longer catch Arsenal in the League. It is a movable feast, but usually falls in March, April or May. It is the day to collect on bets made by over-optimistic Spurs fans in the close season who think that "this is the year".

http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~mikepitt/totteringham.html

 

[caLLous]

It'll happen one of these years, don't you worry about that. And given the size difference in our clubs, it's kind of embarrassing for you that you feel the need to celebrate such an accomplishment.

Anyway, I think it's eclipsed this year by all the hilarity from the muppet gooners saying they were going to win the league tbh. I saw a graph from when you were x points in the lead until you were scrapping with Everton for 4th place, it was a beautiful thing.

 

[Embattle]

The thing is Hazard didn't say it in quite the way some places headlined it, which isn't that surprising. In reality it seemed like an attempt to save face when he didn't track the attacking player properly and thus two goals came from the resulting crosses, Jose has responded to clarify it and ultimately return the media circus focus back on himself.

 

[soze]

It'll happen one of these years, don't you worry about that. And given the size difference in our clubs, it's kind of embarrassing for you that you feel the need to celebrate such an accomplishment.

Anyway, I think it's eclipsed this year by all the hilarity from the muppet gooners saying they were going to win the league tbh. I saw a graph from when you were x points in the lead until you were scrapping with Everton for 4th place, it was a beautiful thing.

I disagree the muppet Spuds fans saying that you could win the league were far worse than us. At least we were top of the league when we said it.

 

[caLLous]

"Were" top of the league, before you took your customary position in 4th. Winning your annual equivalent of silverware - a CL spot.

I don't know one single Spurs fan that said we were going to win the league. Top 4 was definitely an expectation.

 

[Billargh]

I think Hazard will be off within the next two summers like.

 

[ileks]

Why does everyone seem to think Hazard will leave? Money or for footballing reasons?

 

[caLLous]

He's one of their highest earners isn't he? On £180k a week or something.

 

[ileks]

He's one of their highest earners isn't he? On £180k a week or something.

I think so yeah. Not sure who would offer him substantially more than that. I think he'll stay at Chelsea tbh. He's seemed really happy before the comments this week.

 

[Raven]

He is one of the few at Chelsea capable of playing exciting football. Sideshow can but he is perpetually played out of position.

 

[Moriath]

LMAO

St Totteringham's Day is the day when Arsenal fans celebrate the fact that Tottenham can no longer catch Arsenal in the League. It is a movable feast, but usually falls in March, April or May. It is the day to collect on bets made by over-optimistic Spurs fans in the close season who think that "this is the year".

http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~mikepitt/totteringham.html

That's mentioned a few posts back

 

[DaGaffer]

LMAO

St Totteringham's Day is the day when Arsenal fans celebrate the fact that Tottenham can no longer catch Arsenal in the League. It is a movable feast, but usually falls in March, April or May. It is the day to collect on bets made by over-optimistic Spurs fans in the close season who think that "this is the year".

http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~mikepitt/totteringham.html

Two bald men fighting over a comb.

 

[miri]

Interesting quote from the same press conference where Jose made those comments on Hazard:

Yet there was an admission, too, from the manager that pragmatism had driven his own outlook over recent weeks as he chose to postpone the development of the team's style of play to ensure they met their objective of qualifying for next season's Champions League as well as staying in contention in the domestic title race. That switch was made in recognition of his own side's lack of a prolific goalscorer. "I knew what I was doing," said Mourinho. "At a certain moment of the season I made the decision to stop that evolution in the style and philosophy of play and went in the direction I felt was the only way, with these players, we could get results.

"I felt this Premier League – more than the Champions league – was so dangerous because of the risk for the big teams to be out of the top four. Reaching the top four in the Premier League at this moment – it's not a cup, I don't want to get a bonus for finishing top four, no way, no way ... the moment I think like that I'm in trouble ... but the reality is this Premier League is a big risk with the danger of being out of the top four. At a certain moment, if you don't go for a bit more stability and [instead] develop a certain philosophy, it's a big risk. The difference from being champions and outside the top four is a small difference.

"We had lots of matches, and long periods this season, where we produced excellent football but we weren't the killer profile. We'd built certain bases which we need to recover next season, especially when we have this little, little transformation and improvement in our squad that we need. We need to go back to these bases that we worked and developed during most of the season. I adapted. The team became more strategical and less intuitive from a certain point of the season because we went for results. There are moments when you have to go in a strategical way if you want to compete for what we were competing for."

Must have been after they turned the cameras off for the written press section. If that means we'll be going for a more expansive style of play next season, all the better obviously. The first game of the season against Hull we played some wonderful football in the first half, but never seemed to be able to reproduce it effectively throughout the season. I guess a part of it is, as Jose says, lacking a prolific striiker but also Jose not knowing his best team.

 

[caLLous]

Swindon Town terminate Nile Ranger's contract with immediate effect

He's just a wrong 'un.

 

[caLLous]

CorNokZ right now.

 

[CorNokZ]

Cabrón

 

[Billargh]

Swindon Town terminate Nile Ranger's contract with immediate effect

He's just a wrong 'un.

I think that's the first article I've ever read about him that didn't have "ex Newcastle starlet" somewhere in it.

 

[Vladamir]

Thing with Hazard is, he was responsible for the first goal, and he probably knows that, so his comments are probably born out of frustration rather than a swipe at Mourinho, they have praised each other numerous times over the season so I don't think there's much in it.

Gary Neville's just summed it up nicely on twitter, he can either sulk and moan at Jose or he can do what Robben has done at Barca and change his game.

 

[Embattle]

More reports appearing that we've signed Diego Costa.

 

[caLLous]

Blimey, Birmingham could go down to League 1 today. I haven't been keeping track of the arse end of the Championship.

Also, I would not be at all surprised if Cardiff beat Newcastle.

 

[georgie]

Also, I would not be at all surprised if Cardiff beat Newcastle.

lol, I'd be fucking amazed!

 

[Vladamir]

More reports appearing that we've signed Diego Costa.

The only way I'm happy about this one is if Lukaku is staying, otherwise I think there could be a few fans on Mourinho's back for that one, I wasn't convinced by him in our games.

 

[Billargh]

lol, I'd be fucking amazed!

I've got money on you beating us today.

The only way I'm happy about this one is if Lukaku is staying, otherwise I think there could be a few fans on Mourinho's back for that one, I wasn't convinced by him in our games.

Remind us, what striker have you been impressed with vs your defence?

 

[caLLous]

lol, I'd be fucking amazed!

Seriously, have you seen Newcastle recently? You've been pretty bad but they have just been awful. They're happy just coasting along up there somewhere but you've got something to fight for so I think you'll win.

 

[Embattle]

The only way I'm happy about this one is if Lukaku is staying, otherwise I think there could be a few fans on Mourinho's back for that one, I wasn't convinced by him in our games.

Well nor was I but then that is only two games hence why earlier on in the thread I asked for more opinions from those who watch La Liga regularly although got no answer