Football 2011-2012

[sifi]

I agree. Not giving managers time is just stupid.

I think the difference with Gerrard and Giggs is Giggs has intelligence and discipline. Gerrard lacks in that.

Edited May 30, 2012 by sifi

[kaosmark2]

Is this the same Giggs who showed so much intelligence and discipline in his private life?

[thetime]

Is this the same Giggs who showed so much intelligence and discipline in his private life?

[pink_triangle]

Liverpool need to give rodgers a fair crack of the whip and a good 3 years at least, as lets be honest there needs to be an overhaul at liverpool with gerrard coming to the end at the top level(although people been saying that about giggs for nearly 10 years).

[thetime]

Big difference there Giggs is given nowhere near the influence that Gerrard has at liverpool. The last few years he has been an important squad player but the squad can cope without him. When fit Liverpool almost completely revolve themselves around Stevie G, fine 3 or 4 years ago but he has got worse every season for the last few years and you have to question this influence.

As for Rodgers, he is clever for taking the job as swansea could be in for second season syndrome. Im not completely convinced about him, following welsh football closely I get the impression that Swansea are a very well run club and the foundations put in place by the board and previous manager make it an easy environment to be succesfull and maybe make him look better than he is. I still think of liverpool as a big club and think Rodgers should have proven himself at a villa size team before getting the liverpool job. I think that they should have gone for someone with a proven track record, however its good to see a british manager being given a chance and hopefully he will sign Joe Allen as I think he could flourish at liverpool.

On another note I heard today that Woy will be comfortably the best paid manager at the euros. When will the English FA learn that paying a manager more doesnt make them better. Does anyone serioulsy think he would have turned down a 2 year contract on equal wages to the current world cup and former champions league winning manager.

[ste4_20]

there was an article along those lines in today's Guardian, that Utd don't have the money for marquee signings any more. Looks like the next few years at Utd will be about trying to manage things carefully and not have a decline.

Perhaps Whelan was right when he said that Fergie's done at the end of next season.

[Benj]

As for Rodgers, he is clever for taking the job as swansea could be in for second season syndrome.

[Benj]

there was an article along those lines in today's Guardian, that Utd don't have the money for marquee signings any more. Looks like the next few years at Utd will be about trying to manage things carefully and not have a decline.

[The Nal]

You've been saying the same thing for the last 3-4 years though, a period in which they have won two titles and missed another by a whisker

20-25 million squad investment a year will be enough to keep them there or there abouts around the 85 point mark I reckon. As you say yourself, you don't need to spend much when you already have the squad in place

[thetime]

De Gea, Jones, Smalling, Rafael, Hernandez, Cleverley, Welbeck and now Kagawa (who loooks a steal at 12m) - all 23 or under, in addition to Nani, Rooney, Valencia and maybe Baines - all 27 or under. Will be interesting to see how it pans out.

Edited May 31, 2012 by thetime

[The Nal]

Still got the problem area of centre midfield to sort out, screaming out for someone like modric.

[eFestivals]

But I'm confident with a couple of the young players there.

Utd fans have been saying that for years, and so very very few *really* come thru.

[thetime]

Love the xenophobia/racism from people talking about this being deal based on shirt sales.

[kaosmark2]

Love the xenophobia/racism from people talking about this being deal based on shirt sales. Same thing with Park - who has played over 200 games for the club, won 4 leagues and a Champions League and played in some very important games. People still say its for shirt sales in Asia.

[The Nal]

A tad strong dont you think?

Edited May 31, 2012 by The Nal

[kaosmark2]

EVERY signing takes other commercial factors into consideration. At one stage Arshavin, despite being completely shit, was number 10 in world shirt sales. But people didn't say Wenger only bought him to sell shirts did they? Despite Russia having a population of 143 million. Why didn't they? His skin colour may be a reason for that. In my opinion.

[eFestivals]

Red Nev, Blue Nev, Scholes, Giggs, Beckham, Butt, Welbeck, Cleverley, Brown, O'Shea, Evans, Fletcher, Gibson, Pique, Gillespie, Rossi, Danny Simpson, Shawcross, Pugh, Bardsley, Richardson, Frazier Campbell........

what is wrong is your take on what I'm saying.

A simple look at that list gets to show they're either some of the early-90s 'kids', or players who are deemed not good enough for Man Utd because they've been sold.

There's a few exceptions to that, but not many and they're not major players.

[The Nal]

what is wrong is your take on what I'm saying.

A simple look at that list gets to show they're either some of the early-90s 'kids', or players who are deemed not good enough for Man Utd because they've been sold.

There's a few exceptions to that, but not many and they're not major players.

Edited May 31, 2012 by The Nal

[eFestivals]

But its certainly more than any other team. Never mind a team thats been so successful.

With 'the kids' taken out of that, is it? Is it really? And with 'the kids' taken out of that, those players have almost no part in any of Utd's success.

There's almost no new 'kids' come thru in over a decade, and those that have play a bit part.

For years Utd fans have been saying there's great kids coming thru, just as you've done today. Who? And why will those be a success where all those others haven't been?

[pink_triangle]

Thats just wrong. They dont have to be from within 2 minutes of the stadium. Signing a player at 17 or 18 and bringing them through means they're still part of the youth system.

[The Nal]

Lampard ruled out. Whos playing in midfield for England then? Gerrard and Hendo?

[eFestivals]

Lampard ruled out. Whos playing in midfield for England then? Gerrard and Hendo?

Doubt Henderson will get a kick.

For defensive midfielders there's all these as possible: Gerrard, Milner, Parker, The Ox, Jones, Jags ... and probably some others I've forgotten.

For forward-midfielders there's all these as possible: Gerrard, Milner, Walcott, Young, Downing, and The Ox.

Whatever formation is used and however those players are used, I can't see Henderson getting a kick before any of those. He's not going to play.

[Kyelo]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18284627

Lukaku basically saying what I said way back in this thread. At first you sign for a club like City/Chelsea/Real and think it's great, then after a year on the bench you get pissed off and think "If only I took that other contract that although less pay, would have meant much more playing time!"

[kaosmark2]

Doubt Henderson will get a kick.

For defensive midfielders there's all these as possible: Gerrard, Milner, Parker, The Ox, Jones, Jags ... and probably some others I've forgotten.

For forward-midfielders there's all these as possible: Gerrard, Milner, Walcott, Young, Downing, and The Ox.

Whatever formation is used and however those players are used, I can't see Henderson getting a kick before any of those. He's not going to play.

[thetime]

Its more scary the thought of englands front 6 players having 4 liverpool players in there.

Edited May 31, 2012 by thetime