Football The 2013 / 2014 Season Thread

[DaGaffer]

England were trying to play possession football and were just horrifically bad at it, but then again how often have that particular starting 11 played together? They got the job done, but its depressing to see that playing for 0-0 against the Ukraine is seen as acceptable. I look at the quality of Belgium (Belgium...ffs) and it makes me weep for English football.

 

[Aoami]

I agree with 2 up front, 3 in the middle was overload yesterday. There was a lot of time where at least one, sometimes 2 of gerrard, lampard and wilshere were not contributing at all. I'd have liked to see Defoe and Lambert, with Gerrard and Lampard in the middle. I still believe Gerrard and Lampard can play together, especially now that Gerrard has evolved to play a deeper role for both club and country.

It'll be interesting to see how we line up when everyone is fit again.

I'd like to see:

Hart
Johnson Jones Cahill Cole
Gerrard Lampard
Walcott Rooney Welbeck
Sturridge

Edit - Another horrible stat is that so far we've only beaten Moldova and San Marino in this group!

 

[DaGaffer]

I still believe Gerrard and Lampard can play together,

Well after a dozen years of trying, you and Roy Hodgson are the only ones.

 

[caLLous]

Yaya Sanogo picked up a back injury playing for France U21's. Giroud is Arsenal's only designated striker for the weekend. Well played in the transfer window, Arsene. Rosicky's injured too, apparently.

 

[soze]

Arsenal.com lists our strikers as:
Lukas Podolski
Olivier Giroud
Theo Walcott
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Yaya Sanogo
Nicklas Bendtner
Ju-Young Park
Ryo Miyaichi
Serge Gnabry

I still maintain we did not need to buy a new striker. Theo and the reserves will need to step up.

 

[caLLous]

Off the top of my head; 3 of those are definitely injured, Theo is potentially injured (after that tackle last night), 2 aren't fit and the rest aren't really proven in the prem yet. I think "need to step up" is an understatement.

(Zelalem is out for 6-8 weeks too.)

 

[Lethul]

This. Also exactly why he was perfect for Liverpool.

Shouldn't he be perfect for England aswell then? Or was yesterday a perfect result?

Hodgson is the master of lowering expectations

 

[eksdee]

Shouldn't he be perfect for England aswell then? Or was yesterday a perfect result?

Hodgson is the master of lowering expectations

England are the same as Liverpool in many respects and thereby the same problems arise - a team and players who believe they are far better than they are.

 

[caLLous]

 

[soze]

Off the top of my head; 3 of those are definitely injured, Theo is potentially injured (after that tackle last night), 2 aren't fit and the rest aren't really proven in the prem yet. I think "need to step up" is an understatement.

(Zelalem is out for 6-8 weeks too.)

I fecking hate reading anything you write

 

[Lethul]

England are the same as Liverpool in many respects and thereby the same problems arise - a team and players who believe they are far better than they are.

I maintain that the main problem is that you have a horrible manager, he might have been good 10-20 years ago but he is a dinosaur.
I'm absolutely sure someone like Hiddink could get Englands squad playing decent football.

Even Swedens managers tries to play good football!

 

[Raven]

England are the same as Liverpool in many respects and thereby the same problems arise - a team and players who believe they are far better than they are.

Yet will finish within 10 points of Chelsea this season. Liverpool used to be like that but they are actually a very good squad under a very good manager this season. They will certainly finish above Arsenal, maybe even UTD.

 

[Lethul]

Yet will finish within 10 points of Chelsea this season. Liverpool used to be like that but they are actually a very good squad under a very good manager this season. They will certainly finish above Arsenal, maybe even UTD.

Will I wish what you are saying would be true I think we are discussing Liverpool 2010~ squad (atleast me).

But I think Squad 2013 can show what the difference can be with a modern manager. I don't understand how anyone that wants England to qualify to Rio can say that Roy is a good manager. Imagine if England qualified and was to go up against the Brazilians and Argentinians with Roy in charge. Would not be pretty!

 

[soze]

I like Liverpool and I like how they play but they are a squad which is as thin on the ground in backup positions as we are with a manager who does not have 16 years experience in staying the the CL race. I think saying they will finish above Arsenal this early is a bit shortsighted.

 

[eksdee]

Yet will finish within 10 points of Chelsea this season. Liverpool used to be like that but they are actually a very good squad under a very good manager this season. They will certainly finish above Arsenal, maybe even UTD.

I don't disagree, I was talking in the context of Hodgson-era Liverpool. Rodgers has done a great job turning the club around.

 

[mr.Blacky]

Does anyone know if the Steve Harper's testimonial match is being streamed somewhere?

 

[Everz]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24035146

Zlatan.

 

[Billargh]

Should have been:
Young

 

[caLLous]

Arsenal have signed (10-year-old Romeo) Beckham (into their youth team).

And good news! Walcott, Wilshere, Rosicky and Ramsey are all apparent injury concerns for the weekend.

 

[caLLous]

Arsenal are top of the table!

 

[soze]

Arsenal have signed (10-year-old Romeo) Beckham (into their youth team).

And good news! Walcott, Wilshere, Rosicky and Ramsey are all apparent injury concerns for the weekend.

Don't matter we still beat you!

 

[Billargh]

10 seconds in is hilarious, I simply can't dislike Paolo.

 

[caLLous]

Real boss Carlo Ancelotti said Spurs could have received more than the £85.3m the Spanish club paid for Gareth Bale.

"We have paid what the market dictated," said the Italian. "I'm sure that there were teams that would have paid more money to Tottenham than us, but the player decided he wanted to come here."

I didn't see a big list of teams with higher bids for him or did I miss that?

 

[Raven]

He is talking out of his arse again.

 

[DaGaffer]

The only three teams apart from Real that could even contemplate that kind of a fee are City, PSG and Monaco (now that Anzi Macalalalacachalalalaca has run out of money), and as far as I'm aware none of those even showed an interest. United were rumoured to be interested (then again they're always rumoured to be interested, but Ed Woodward locked himself in the stationary cupboard by mistake back in June and no-one's found his dessicated body yet), but they'd never pay that kind of money for anyone.

 

[soze]

That is the same as the Ozil sleeps around and is unprofessional stories it is all just PR. The funny thing is if Bale had come from Man U, City, Chelsea or Arsenal there would not be an issue. It is only because a large portion of the RM fan base don't know who Spuds are that its a problem. If Bale had been in the CL last season they would be in love.

 

[Lethul]

10 seconds in is hilarious, I simply can't dislike Paolo.

What is the requirements for a testemonial?

 

[Raven]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24077728

I can't wait for this to start hitting RM/Barca, they can't get away with it for much longer.

 

[Raven]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/golf/24086103

Give up lad

 

[Calaen]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/golf/24086103

Give up lad

He's off a 2 handicap which is very good. Its his first pro appearance and he's by no means the worst in the field