English Premier League EPL Thread

[heon123]

But then that means the glazers will need to cash a lot for ronaldo :/ . It's extremely likely and I wouldn't be surprised cr leaves in January. Gareth bale want to go to madrid and their preparing a 50 mil deal. If real don't renew his contract (I don't think he'll accept it anyway) then they will probably lose 50% of chance of wining the la Liga this year, not saying he's the whole team but he does play a vital role in madrid and he's the only won who can't put up a fair fight for Ba Lon dor and footballing in general.

 

[dino76m]

How much did he spend at Liverpool?

Enough to have built a team that could have dominated for several years, yet it never happened.

Or was that because of Fergie and the FA conspiring to prevent them from doing so?

rafa had to sell to buy always,he kept improving until the **** decision to buy keane from where everything went wrong, he wanted to sell alonso and get barry, but got keane and didnt get barry,and then keane was sold back in 6 months, ,following year alonso left,the replacement bought was Aquilani,sadly another poor buy,
there was a host of other poor signings in between most notably, Babel < ,reira, Dossena..which cost some money and utter flops like voronin, ngog, nunes gomes, pellegirini, moreientes...but they were bought for peanuts and to bolster the squad more than anything,
he never really had the cash to buy the players he really wanted specially in last season..
but that season he did a lot of signing like Shelvy, suso, sterling, and other youth players who are coming through now..
Suso has all the talent to become a good player for us only if Rafa was here , he always over achieved with what he had and quite a few Liverpool realise that now, considering how kennys signing were a utter flop and hodgson before that,AMong those, suares, enrique and hendorson are good enough, others have been completely poor

 

[thecorsair]

After SAF retires I reckon the best man for the job is Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. He's been successful at Molde or even Cantona who in charge for the chomos ATM. And no I don't think united will fall after sir retires. Mourinho said his next club will be blue, but we can never take his word since we can never take him seriously when the press is asking him question. Ronaldo in my opinion will return to united, he has stated already money isn't the problem and if it was he would have been at city or PSG by now? Anyone see the statue unveiling? Ronaldo praised SAF and owes him a lot. He was never loved in madrid as he was in Manchester United.

That's not going to happen as by his own admission Ole has said he needs a LOT more experience before he feels capable of taking on a job of that magnitude.

Two successive titles in Norway is a good start to his managerial career but that league is not a high enough standard to prepare him for managing in the Premier League and Champions League and he recognises that.

Cantona is also inexperienced in top level management ( The US league is a retirement home for has beens like Beckham ) which makes the appointment unlikely although I think he'd be a great coach for the younger players to learn from.

Fergie recently stated that whilst the door will always remain open Ronaldo is now virtually unbuyable and even if he became available there's no way United could afford him....look how many players they've missed out on in recent years and none of them cost as much as any potential fee Real would put on Ronaldo.

They won't fall when Fergie retires either as they're starting to do so already, the midfield and defence are piss poor which in turn restricts the ability of the strikers to do their damage.

 

[gypsycatcha]

How much did he spend at Liverpool?

Enough to have built a team that could have dominated for several years, yet it never happened.

Or was that because of Fergie and the FA conspiring to prevent them from doing so?

He spent a fair bit, around 200m but also sold a few too. ?He built a team that won the champions league, got to a final and were safely established as a top 4 side season in, season out.
Im sure alot of Liverpool fans would love to have that now!

 

[gypsycatcha]

But then that means the glazers will need to cash a lot for ronaldo :/ . It's extremely likely and I wouldn't be surprised cr leaves in January. Gareth bale want to go to madrid and their preparing a 50 mil deal. If real don't renew his contract (I don't think he'll accept it anyway) then they will probably lose 50% of chance of wining the la Liga this year, not saying he's the whole team but he does play a vital role in madrid and he's the only won who can't put up a fair fight for Ba Lon dor and footballing in general.

I cant see the Bale deal happening yet to be honest. He has said he'd like to play abroad at some point and the media/blogs keep repeating it like its new news.
If we finish low, which is quite possible , he may go end of the season but I reckon he will be at spurs a few more years.

I also dont see Ronaldo going back to United. If he were to be sold, I very much doubt it would be less than what he went for considering what he has achieved and United wouldn't pay that kind of money!

 

[thecorsair]

https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news...-guardiola-snub-chelsea-united-091938579.html

Given the source, it's probably BS but it would make a lot more sense for Pep to go to United than Chelsea as he'd be given the time to build his team.

EDIT
Ronaldo confirms a chat with Fergie during the week, but no transfer was discussed,
https://www1.skysports.com/football...-switch-from-Real-Madrid-to-Manchester-United

 

[heon123]

https://www.news.com.au/top-stories...ristiano-ronaldo/story-e6frfkp9-1226524340760


Wow, just wow.

Footballs become nothing but a simple dollar game.

Extremely gutted if this does end up happening.

 

[Wanderer]

Yeah there's no loyalty other than to the money.
As for Fergie's successor. Let's see if the rumours of Mourinhos pre contract with Utd is true. Personally I can only see Fergie leavin one way and that's on a stretcher. Sad but true

 

[thecorsair]

Personally I can only see Fergie leavin one way and that's on a stretcher. Sad but true

By which time he'll have undone most of the good work he's done as his refusal to sign some decent midfielders and defenders will have taken the club out of the top 4 and into the same mediocrity that Liverpool are now mired in.

He'll probably persist with Giggs and Scholes until they're into their 50's.

 

[thecorsair]

3 games in and this is how Benitez is doing,

A couple of 0-0's and a 3-1 defeat to West Ham.

Will he still have the job by Christmas?

Reading 3-4 Man Utd

A bonkers first half which should have ended 3-5 to United as RVP had a shot go over the line but it wasn't given....which proves that United don't always get the decisions.

The second half was a bit dull by comparison and the only major moment was RVP missing an open goal after latching onto a poor clearance.

United are scoring like crazy but the defense is shocking and it's gonna get pounded again before long, maybe even against City next week.

 

[VASith]

For ****s sake. Pretty pathetic. Good chance to pick up points and we bottle it. Love wegner but with moyes up for contract renewal we need to snag him. Doing more with half our salary.

 

[heon123]

3 games in and this is how Benitez is doing,

A couple of 0-0's and a 3-1 defeat to West Ham.

Will he still have the job by Christmas?

Reading 3-4 Man Utd

A bonkers first half which should have ended 3-5 to United as RVP had a shot go over the line but it wasn't given....which proves that United don't always get the decisions.

The second half was a bit dull by comparison and the only major moment was RVP missing an open goal after latching onto a poor clearance.


United are scoring like crazy but the defense is shocking and it's gonna get pounded again before long, maybe even against City next week.

VIDIC is training now and will probably return for the City game since it has been confirmed by ferguson he might get an appearance for the cluj game. Defense will be extremely tight when he comes back (that's what she said). As for the Ba Lon dor, hip the recipients came out. I think cr7 should get it. If messi does it will be absolutely criminal. Snijder was stolen a balondor in the 2009/2010 season because of this.

 

[thecorsair]

VIDIC is training now and will probably return for the City game since it has been confirmed by ferguson he might get an appearance for the cluj game. Defense will be extremely tight when he comes back (that's what she said). As for the Ba Lon dor, hip the recipients came out. I think cr7 should get it. If messi does it will be absolutely criminal. Snijder was stolen a balondor in the 2009/2010 season because of this.

Vidic can obviously make a difference but it's down to how quickly he'll be able to work off any rust from having not played for a while.

That said, I'd sooner have a rusty Vidic in the centre with Smalling or Jones than Ferdinand or Evans.

I also feel it's time for Fergie to stop feeling sorry for Fletcher and dump him as he does nothing but play the ball backwards or give the the ball away.

I know he's been ill and everything which is unfortunate but he's doing nothing for the team except contribute to the pedestrian nature of the midfield along with the ever useless Carrick....it's no wonder Rooney has to keep dropping back because those two are so negative.

Anderson of all people has actually improved a bit lately and was playing well yesterday until he got injured so I hope it's not too bad.

I'd also put De Gea back in goal as Lindegaard looks even more suspect on crosses.

I think this is the luckiest United team in years, they may not be getting help from officials but their league position is definitely assisted by Lady Luck.

 

[axecutioner18]

VIDIC is training now and will probably return for the City game since it has been confirmed by ferguson he might get an appearance for the cluj game. Defense will be extremely tight when he comes back (that's what she said). As for the Ba Lon dor, hip the recipients came out. I think cr7 should get it. If messi does it will be absolutely criminal. Snijder was stolen a balondor in the 2009/2010 season because of this.

And why should CR7 get it and not Messi? Sneijder's case was strong, CR7s isnt as much. And its the players and coaches whose votes are compiled for the awared so I dont see how emotions of fans like you and me can call it bias. CR7 would have a strong case if Messi went trophyless and without anything significant.
Messi won the Spanish Cup, broke a 40 year old record of highest goals in a season, is on the verge of equalling/breaking another 40/50 year old record of no. of goals in a calendar year... I say with achievements like this on an award that celebrates individual achievement and performance Messi is a stronger contender than CR7

 

[heon123]

It's true that Messi has talent and a really good one in fact. But Ronaldo is the result of hours of hard work after training, motivation to be the best and has gone through 3 professional clubs too do so while Messi was born with the talents Ronaldo could only dream of. If it was an award for personal honors I think Ronaldo should win, the balondor is nothing but a popularity contest and voters rejected ronaldo because he is to "aragont" and that messi is humble and nice.

 

[axecutioner18]

It's true that Messi has talent and a really good one in fact. But Ronaldo is the result of hours of hard work after training, motivation to be the best and has gone through 3 professional clubs too do so while Messi was born with the talents Ronaldo could only dream of. If it was an award for personal honors I think Ronaldo should win, the balondor is nothing but a popularity contest and voters rejected ronaldo because he is to "aragont" and that messi is humble and nice.

I dont really understand your reasoning. Maybe Ronaldo isnt as naturally talented as Messi but the deal is on the pitch both get the job done in their own way.
I dont know how long you have been watching football or how you really support the clubs but calling the balon d'or a popularity contest is a little too disrespectful maybe. Ill say lets leave the voting to the greats of football and the players and coaches and trust their judgement. If it was a popularity contest as you say I think Messi and Ronaldo wouldnt really even be nominated because I dont think both are very popular with their opponents.
As for Messi being humble and nice... all Id say is because Messi is naturally media shy and speaks very little he conforms to the image of the ideal player that most traditional fans like. Quiet, calm, letting his football do the talking... which is a vanishing quality these days with the rise of players like Nasri, Ballotelli, Barton etc etc.
And some yesteryear greats too are guiltily of trying to keep the limelight on them long after like Pele whose comments grow stupider and stupider as he grows older and more senile...

 

[thecorsair]

Messi seems to be a lot like Paul Scholes in that he doesn't seem intrested in being known for anything other than football.

I tend to prefer players like that over the ones that are too far up their own backside and obsessed with self promotion....Beckham is a classic example of how that kind of behavior can become irritating.

Ronaldo is something of an exception because unlike a lot of the self promoters he can back up what he says on the pitch and he maintains some respect for people.

It's the ones that think they're the centre of the world and can do what they like that are the real problem in the game.

When it comes down to awards it should be based on what a player does on the pitch and in that context there's little to choose between Messi or Ronaldo.

 

[RagingBull]

Messi easily beats Ronaldo IMO. Every time I watch Barca, Messi is a constant threat. Ronaldo can drift in & out of games. Against a well organised team sometimes you won't hardly see him at all, he'll likely still come up with a goal or two mind you, he takes his chances well but Messi will terrorise you no matter how solid you are. He's the best player I've ever seen

 

[thecorsair]

It's the first Manchester derby of the season tomorrow and given United's crappy defence & toothless midfield I'm expecting City to win comfortably.

It might not be as bad as last season's 6-1 humiliation but I think they'll get at least 3.

Fergie once boasted about wanting to knock Liverpool "off their f'ing perch" and he did it.

City are now doing the same to him, not as quickly as they'd like given the amount they've spent, but the balance of power is certainly shifting towards the blue half of Manchester.

 

[thecorsair]

Man City 2-3 Man United

I don't mind being wrong in situations like this

A 2 goal lead at half time was completely unexpected and it should have been 3 goals as they again had a goal disallowed that was later shown to be have been a wrong decision....the myth about all decisions going United's way has again been busted.

I would have been satisfied with a draw but RVP's free kick got a handy flick on from Nasri and ensured that the 3 points went to United....both teams had the same period to score so any claims of "Fergie time" will be as laughable as ever.

Disgusting behavior from the City fans at the end with the coin throwing but that's the bitter blues all over.