Football 2013-2014

[WS_Jack_III]

Why oh why didn't Newcastle buy a striker. We're crap in the final third. What happened to Cisse! He has looked like a lost man for well over a year now.

[thetime]

Riise gives away a penalty in the last minute hmmmmm.

[Essex_George]

Riise gives away a penalty in the last minute hmmmmm.

[thetime]

It wasnt Riise. It was Riether.

[Jackmypie]

It's crazy to think spurs are now just 7 points off top. Where have they come from?! 2 months ago it looked like they'd be lucky to finish 6th.

[Wooderson]

Oh bollox...that ruins it.

[pink_triangle]

It's crazy to think spurs are now just 7 points off top. Where have they come from?! 2 months ago it looked like they'd be lucky to finish 6th.

[hot_ice]

Watched match of the day without knowing the results. As soon as I saw arsenal v man u was on 3rd, I said to my dad that's a 0-0 then! Unfortunately its same old arsenal who can't beat the big teams. It looked like they struggled for highlights.

[eFestivals]

I disagree about the sums needed to challenge for the top 4. To me those are the sums needed to be title challengers.

In many case, yes. When your squad is as threadbare as Utd's is, it's not.

I've read comments by plenty of Utd fans that say 11 senior different players have to go - and there's almost nothing in sale value to come from all of those 11 players.

Liverpool hit gold in one transfer window with sturridge and coutinhio but it wasn't 200 million in one year.

but they also had a very solid foundation to add those players to. They had been buildig up (tho not always well) their squad strength for a few years

Utd have no solid foundation to add to. They have Rooney, RVP and Mata - tho whether any of them will stick around after the summer remains to be seen.

Sturridge was a bit of a one-off, cos there's not so many goal-scorers around who were looking like they might be a goal machine if actually given a chance (did you know btw that he's only not scored in 2 games he's played in this season?).

And they got lucky with Coutinho. He's an ace player, a great buy.... but just look at all those who have not been good buys by Rodgers. For each gem, you also have to buy plenty of shite.

The likes of everton and spurs are contenders with solid but not spectacular squads.

You've been saying hat all season, but apart from a very brief spell for everton they've not been in contention. And along with saying that, you also said that liverpool would be out of the top for for good by xmas to allow in one of those or Utd. You were and are wrong on both counts.

(tho having said that, Spurs are starting to make me think they might challenge for 4th ... tho I still can't see them standing strong against any of the top 4. They'll still leak like a sieve as they did under AVB.)

[eFestivals]

Liverpool are always intetsting to watch, entertaining going forward but always look like a potential calamity in defence.

yep, tho that's a 100% back-up defence. None are the first choices.

[zahidf]

In many case, yes. When your squad is as threadbare as Utd's is, it's not.

I've read comments by plenty of Utd fans that say 11 senior different players have to go - and there's almost nothing in sale value to come from all of those 11 players.

but they also had a very solid foundation to add those players to. They had been buildig up (tho not always well) their squad strength for a few years

Utd have no solid foundation to add to. They have Rooney, RVP and Mata - tho whether any of them will stick around after the summer remains to be seen.

Sturridge was a bit of a one-off, cos there's not so many goal-scorers around who were looking like they might be a goal machine if actually given a chance (did you know btw that he's only not scored in 2 games he's played in this season?).

And they got lucky with Coutinho. He's an ace player, a great buy.... but just look at all those who have not been good buys by Rodgers. For each gem, you also have to buy plenty of shite.

You've been saying hat all season, but apart from a very brief spell for everton they've not been in contention. And along with saying that, you also said that liverpool would be out of the top for for good by xmas to allow in one of those or Utd. You were and are wrong on both counts.

(tho having said that, Spurs are starting to make me think they might challenge for 4th ... tho I still can't see them standing strong against any of the top 4. They'll still leak like a sieve as they did under AVB.)

[eFestivals]

It's in Liverpools hands if they want to win the title to an extent: they beat Chelsea and Man City, then i think they will be in with a good chance.

nah, can't see it myself. Just as with the teams below, the gap narrows, then it widens again.

Important win for them last night tho. That was a game they might have lost or draw in the past.

For the matches in the 2nd half of the season, they're currently 3 point up on the points return they got in the same matches in the first half of the season, so that gives them a bit of leeway for an unexpected result (which I'm sure will happen).

Arsenal fans i know were pretty pissed off with last night's performance. Playing for a draw against Man Utd at home is not really on!

it was a dull game. Edited February 13, 2014 by eFestivals

[pink_triangle]

In many case, yes. When your squad is as threadbare as Utd's is, it's not.

I've read comments by plenty of Utd fans that say 11 senior different players have to go - and there's almost nothing in sale value to come from all of those 11 players.

but they also had a very solid foundation to add those players to. They had been buildig up (tho not always well) their squad strength for a few years

Utd have no solid foundation to add to. They have Rooney, RVP and Mata - tho whether any of them will stick around after the summer remains to be seen.

And they got lucky with Coutinho. He's an ace player, a great buy.... but just look at all those who have not been good buys by Rodgers. For each gem, you also have to buy plenty of shite.

You've been saying hat all season, but apart from a very brief spell for everton they've not been in contention. And along with saying that, you also said that liverpool would be out of the top for for good by xmas to allow in one of those or Utd. You were and are wrong on both counts.

(tho having said that, Spurs are starting to make me think they might challenge for 4th ... tho I still can't see them standing strong against any of the top 4. They'll still leak like a sieve as they did under AVB.)

[eFestivals]

Liverpool and spurs have done better than I predicted, just as southampton haven't pushed on like you thought, as I said sometimes we get them right and sometimes wrong. Liverpool deserve 4th and spurs don't, spurs have tough run so we may see a gap.

Yep, I'll eat my words on soton. I stupidly forgot the second season syndrome.

And as I'm eating words I might as well do so on Gerrard, because he's definitely growing into the role. He's surprised me hugely, and while I know they'll be mis-timed tackles along the way like the one the other day, he's going to fit in there much better than I'd thought.

Fingers crossed that I don't have to eat my words on Spurs too.

[pink_triangle]

Arsenal fans i know were pretty pissed off with last night's performance. Playing for a draw against Man Utd at home is not really on!

[eFestivals]

It was typical toothless arsenal performance against a big side. Liverpool have at least gone for it, in losing efforts this season, arsenal just looked like they hoped something would happen. I think that's 11 out of 36 against top 7 last year and 8 out of 24 this season. The kallstrom signing was a bargain basement signing for a club needing to make a statement. Chelsea needed matic and got him, big difference.

and to an even greater extent, Utd need (a) Matic but instead got Mata.

Perspective is everything. Arsenal haven't done so badly.

[zahidf]

Yeah, mata was rubbish last night.

It's only 4 games, but i am going to start the ball rolling on calling him a massive flop.

Edited February 13, 2014 by zahidf

[eFestivals]

Yeah, mata was rubbish last night.

It's only 4 games, but i am going to start the ball rolling on calling him a massive flop.

whether he is or isn't a flop wasn't anything of my point. My point is that he's the wrong type of player for what they were needing; Matic would have been perfect as the type of player they are needing.

[adam1234]

whether he is or isn't a flop wasn't anything of my point. My point is that he's the wrong type of player for what they were needing; Matic would have been perfect as the type of player they are

needing.

Edited February 13, 2014 by adam1234

[The Nal]

whether he is or isn't a flop wasn't anything of my point. My point is that he's the wrong type of player for what they were needing; Matic would have been perfect as the type of player they are needing.

[eFestivals]

Tbf I think they did need a mata type (creative) player. They obviously don't fancy kagawa in that role and want to play Rooney up top.

and yet Kagawa is rated at one of the best in the world in that position by his previous manager. Is Mata actually any better?

I can't say i've seen enough of Kagawa to know, but I have seen that Mata is not as effective as he was at Chelsea, and that's the result of the players around him rather than him.

Get rid of de gea, vidic, kagawa, evra, Nani to generate some funds.

there is no value to be had from vidic and evra, and they won't get too much for Nani.

[eFestivals]

Utd aren't scoring enough goals. He'll help. This season is a write off now anyway. Players to be signed in the summer to compliment him.

Hopefully.

they aren't scoring goals and Mata hasn't changed that and won't change that as things stand.

I think there's yet another clue there for Moyes, if he fancies noticing.

[Wooderson]

Are Utd fans confident Moyes can turn it around?

[eFestivals]

Are Utd fans confident Moyes can turn it around?

Reading comments about matches on The Guardian's website tells me that more and more are losing all faith each week. The vast majority now think he's way out of his depth.

[thetime]

Reading comments about matches on The Guardian's website tells me that more and more are losing all faith each week. The vast majority now think he's way out of his depth.