Football The 2015/2016 Season Thread

[Hawkwind]

watched it several times and no contact at all but from in real time I thought, "you dick, Mert!" and that it was a straight red. So not gonna blame Clattenburg, it looked like a foul. Replays show different and Costa being cheating c*nt is not exactly news.

Chelsea fans singing "He's done it again!" says it all, they must have seen the replays.

 

[caLLous]

Mertesacker was obviously nowhere near the ball.

 

[soze]

I am not saying he got the ball I'm saying he did not get any of Costa. He earned that. He could have stayed up easily. He decided to go down to get a player sent off he is scum. But great for Chelsea.

 

[caLLous]

He definitely made the most of it but Mertesacker would've known that he would do that 100% when he lunged in like that. A lot of teams have players that would've done exactly the same thing in Costa's position.

 

[soze]

Says it all about him got the chance for a one on one with the keeper but you would rather get someone sent off. That is scum. Anyone else is scum too.

 

[Billargh]

I still don't get why Per would make the tackle, conceding a goal is definitely better than being down to 10 men for 75 minutes.

 

[caLLous]

Says it all about him got the chance for a one on one with the keeper but you would rather get someone sent off. That is scum. Anyone else is scum too.

It's not exactly a revelation that Costa is a cunt.

 

[caLLous]

Yeah, Sanchez didn't make a meal of that at all.

 

[soze]

Yeah, Sanchez didn't make a meal of that at all.

But there was contact. Totally different. Shut up.

 

[Embattle]

Sorry but there wasn't a lot of contact but there was contact between Costa's trailing foot and Pers knee, even Henry and Carragher said it was a foul.....it was a stupid move either way.

I do feel Chelsea have typically played worse since gaining the advantage in both goals and number of players, I'm not impressed with our resolve. Arsenal are still well in this game.

 

[Embattle]

Fuck me we were terrible after gaining advantage.

 

[soze]

We deserved better than that. I still think Costa was looking for it before the smallest bit of contact. Two games for me ruined by Costas play acting.

 

[Shagrat]

15 games to go, Leics 3 points clear!!

 

[Lethul]

Agreed. Everyone gives him shit for not being good enough but it's retarded. Brenda got rid of Agger when him and Skrtel were a great defensive pairing.

I called it at the time - Rogers was a shit manager. He's left us with the worst Liverpool squad I've ever seen.

Skrtel have been crap for us with klopp, far to deep and constantly plays people onside. Surprisingly we have been best with sakho/LOVREN

 

[Hawkwind]

Mertesacker was obviously nowhere near the ball.

Do love the look on Merts face as Costa goes for the full 720 deg roll with a triple salko.

 

[CorNokZ]

Mertesacker was obviously nowhere near the ball.

Why does he look away just before he tackles?

 

[Moriath]

He is looking at the linesman to see if costa is onside

 

[caLLous]

Probably that, or he was looking to see if Koscielny was behind him and, if he was, Mertesacker would do the sensible thing and not lunge in to a tackle as the last man. Oh, no, wait...

 

[caLLous]

FA Football Association: Diego Costa to Recieve an official punishment.

 

[caLLous]

It looks like Woodward is trying to stand in the way of LvG resigning again.

It seems like there's a right power struggle going on at the top. Woodward is trying to save face because he was so gung-ho in getting Moyes out and appointing LvG and basically handing him a blank chequebook.

Woodward is solely responsible for Van Gaal’s future and who will manage United in the long term. Sir Alex Ferguson, the club’s most successful manager who is now a director, has no knowledge of Woodward’s thinking regarding Van Gaal. Woodward talks daily with Joe Glazer, the joint-chairman, and the American family will back Woodward whatever he decides.

When David Moyes, Van Gaal’s predecessor, was sacked Ferguson was unaware of the move and in his book, My Autobiography, made it clear other supposed powerful figures in the hierarchy were not consulted by Woodward either. Of a claimed hotel meeting, he wrote: “I would like to know which hotel, because I wasn’t there. Nor were [directors] Bobby Charlton, David Gill or Mike Edelson.”

 

[soze]

Probably that, or he was looking to see if Koscielny was behind him and, if he was, Mertesacker would do the sensible thing and not lunge in to a tackle as the last man. Oh, no, wait...

I think he was looking to see if he was getting a red. He was always going to make the tackle but he was looking to see if he had cover. Kos five yards further forward and it was a yellow. He should have just let Costa have the one on one. Even if he scores we are not down to 10.

 

[DaGaffer]

It looks like Woodward is trying to stand in the way of LvG resigning again.

It seems like there's a right power struggle going on at the top. Woodward is trying to save face because he was so gung-ho in getting Moyes out and appointing LvG and basically handing him a blank chequebook.

I'd be surprised if he's still there by the end of the week. Of course the big problem then is who succeeds him? Guardiola, Giggs or Mou? Half the board don't want Jose, Guardiola has probably already done a deal with City and Giggs won't want to be caretaker twice.

Problem for United, including the fans and a lot of the Board, is they want another dynasty, as it's now seen as part of the United DNA, and Mourinho is anathema to that.

 

[caLLous]

I'd be surprised if he's still there by the end of the week. Of course the big problem then is who succeeds him? Guardiola, Giggs or Mou? Half the board don't want Jose, Guardiola has probably already done a deal with City and Giggs won't want to be caretaker twice.

Problem for United, including the fans and a lot of the Board, is they want another dynasty, as it's now seen as part of the United DNA, and Mourinho is anathema to that.

I get why Woodward wouldn't want to replace a manager mid-season (even worse, in the last week of a transfer window) but is that it or is he just trying to save face because he went all-in with LvG? To add to the complexity, they've apparently become close friends (their wives also) and they regularly dine out as a foursome.

(that sounded proper "Hello magazine" but it could be affecting the work relationship)

 

[Bodhi]

I'd be surprised if he's still there by the end of the week. Of course the big problem then is who succeeds him? Guardiola, Giggs or Mou? Half the board don't want Jose, Guardiola has probably already done a deal with City and Giggs won't want to be caretaker twice.

Problem for United, including the fans and a lot of the Board, is they want another dynasty, as it's now seen as part of the United DNA, and Mourinho is anathema to that.

Sadly dynasties in modern football just don't happen any more - Pep and Jose tend to do 3 - 4 years max before moving on for the next challenge, and at the end of Jose's last stint he was the 4th longest serving manager in the Prem (iirc) after 2.5 years.

Jose wouldn't be the right fit whatsoever though - you'd win the league within the first 2 years, and that would make Chelsea fans very angry that our board don't have a clue.

 

[DaGaffer]

I get why Woodward wouldn't want to replace a manager mid-season (even worse, in the last week of a transfer window) but is that it or is he just trying to save face because he went all-in with LvG? To add to the complexity, they've apparently become close friends (their wives also) and they regularly dine out as a foursome.

(that sounded proper "Hello magazine" but it could be affecting the work relationship)

I think its probably out of Woodward's hands; LVG seems like the kind who knows his own mind and wouldn't offer his resignation lightly. As you say, bad timing, but at the moment he's actually doing United reputational damage; seeing them play like that is painful to watch, and its his methods that are causing it (for once I don't think this is a player power thing; they're trying to play his system and its just not happening)

 

[Scouse]

Funny eh?

 

[Scouse]

Stoke score from offside. Guess that's even funnier

 

[soze]

That did look rather obviously offside.

 

[Scouse]

I was going to say that this has penalties written all over it but Stoke have just started to play better.

 

[Scouse]

Benteke's responding to criticism by standing still looking terrified. I'm beginning to come round to @Raven's way of thinking.

He needs to fucking *move*. He did that much more when he joined...