The Football Thread - Season 2016/2017

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Llamaman said:
The ref in the Barca game? I hear the two penalties were a bit iffy...
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Wouldn't surprise me. Think there has been a regular supply of brown envelopes to Uefa. Arsenal and Chelsea have been on the receiving end a few times.
 
decided to turn the game off early, in the hope that i'll miss a 3 goal comeback again :D doubt it though
 
Great result. Pity the players didn't make that sort of effort for Ranieri. No doubts in my mind now that they cost him his job.
 
Gaz J said:
Great result. Pity the players didn't make that sort of effort for Ranieri. No doubts in my mind now that they cost him his job.
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What insight, what certainty, what crap. Do you not think that virtually every manager that loses his job it is the fault of the players ? Of course it is. Does that mean that all players are scheming 'machiavellian' dipsh**s who decide it is time for a change ? Of course not.
I am a LCFC supporter born & raised in the county and trust me we all love Claudio Ranieri but the truth is Claudio was a lucky man to arrive at Leicester when he did. It is well documented he changed very little, the backroom staff, the players, the playing system. Nigel Peason built that team and the fantastic escape from relegation forged a team spirit and camaraderie that carried them to the premier league title.
This season it has all gone sour, there are many reasons I'm sure but unlike you I don't have a crystal ball giving me all the answers. However It is well documented that Claudio has resorted to his 'alter ego' aka the tinkerman, new systems, new tactics confusing the players and indeed the fans.
Ultimately the only recourse the owners have (all owners not just Leicester's) is to change the manager. Craig Shakesphere has immediately resorted to what the team know best, with immediate improvement.
Again I am under no illusions, this is an average team capable of raising their game and beating most teams on their day but ultimately most fans well be happy to retain their premiership status.

P.S Middlesbrough sack Aitor Karanka. If they win a couple of matches does it mean they had stopped trying for Karanka ?
 
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My opinion. Your opinion. Unlike you however I'm not behaving like an asshole saying it.
 
Nigel Pearson played and was captain at Middlesbrough, a good fit for next manager ?
 
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simon ess said:
I'm beginning to think Wenger can't survive this.

3-1 down at West Brom
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I hope he can't but fear he will stay as he can't see the damage he is doing. I mean, those 2 corners, what a joke. How can a team defend like that. Not a clue.
 
I know all the teams are inconsistent in terms of the 'top 4' struggle but you get the feeling that was a sore one far Arsenal.
 
Sad times because Arsenal have always been my 2nd team mainly because I love the way they play football when at or anything like their best.

So are the players culpable for not 'putting it all on the line' for Wenger and Arsenal or is it Wengers fault for failure to motivate players that are obviously capable of better. Fans will always demand a change of manager because frankly they have no other option.
 
badlywornroy said:
Sad times because Arsenal have always been my 2nd team mainly because I love the way they play football when at or anything like their best.

So are the players culpable for not 'putting it all on the line' for Wenger and Arsenal or is it Wengers fault for failure to motivate players that are obviously capable of better. Fans will always demand a change of manager because frankly they have no other option.
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Its down to the manager. You just need to look at the things that are down to him:

Players - most have not been good enough, simple. He was so lucky to inherit such a strong backline and Bergkamp and did make some great signings like Henry and Viera, but that seems to have deserted him. He moans about money but then wastes it on players like Gabriel who would be lucky to get into Sunderlands back line. Far too many players (especially defensively) have not made it, for years we have been crying out for decent signings at the back, but Cahill was "£2m too much" or something. Out of our back line, only Koscielny (maybe) could get into any other top 6 side, Bellerin for a start has no clue how to defend.

Selection - Not playing Sanchez v Liverpool, Ox not getting as many games as he should, Coquelin still being in the team, Gabriel at RB and Ospina ahead of Cech for cup games we need to win... baffling!

Tactics - When plan A works we can look great, but no plan B, C or D. Non injury subs are normally 70 mins + and we cannot defend at set pieces at all

Motivation - Cannot seem to motivate at all and seems totally deluded and unable to accept responsibility.
 
How am I meant to choose between City & Liverpool tomorrow
 
cambsno said:
Its down to the manager. You just need to look at the things that are down to him: .
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Alan Shearer said on MOTD "Arsenal's players have spoken today, in that game and judging by that performance and recent performances they don't want him in that job"

In most cases as I said in my earlier post when talking about Claudio Ranieri, players get managers sacked. Consciously or unconsciously it all comes down to their performances.
 
I saw the Wenger out aeroplane when leaving the photography show.

Wenger in I say. I'm very happy if he hasn't a clue :D
 
'United haven't lost in the league since October'

There's a jinx.
 
Mourinho. Celebrating like a lunatic in front of all of the Boro staff and then walking down the tunnel as he did so and before the game ends. Classless.... whatever people think about Ferguson he showed class towards other managers and staff and respected that MUFC was more important than one person.
 
cambsno said:
Its down to the manager. You just need to look at the things that are down to him:

Players - most have not been good enough, simple. He was so lucky to inherit such a strong backline and Bergkamp and did make some great signings like Henry and Viera, but that seems to have deserted him. He moans about money but then wastes it on players like Gabriel who would be lucky to get into Sunderlands back line. Far too many players (especially defensively) have not made it, for years we have been crying out for decent signings at the back, but Cahill was "£2m too much" or something. Out of our back line, only Koscielny (maybe) could get into any other top 6 side, Bellerin for a start has no clue how to defend.

Selection - Not playing Sanchez v Liverpool, Ox not getting as many games as he should, Coquelin still being in the team, Gabriel at RB and Ospina ahead of Cech for cup games we need to win... baffling!

Tactics - When plan A works we can look great, but no plan B, C or D. Non injury subs are normally 70 mins + and we cannot defend at set pieces at all

Motivation - Cannot seem to motivate at all and seems totally deluded and unable to accept responsibility.
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I'm still trying to work out how Ramsey gets in the starting line up week in, week out. He has been poor for too long.

Of all of our players, I think only Kos, Sanchez, Ozil & Ox would get a look in at any of the other Top 6 clubs. We have no leaders, we need a World class striker, keeper and defensive midfielder. But mostly, Wenger needs to listen to Steve Bold, the man who was in one of the best defences in the league. But no, he must have that bloody zonal marking - it's out of date and other teams know how to exploit it....
 
Quiz time.

On Talk Sport on Thursday night they were talking about how much money teenagers can make when they sign their first professional contract. Apparently big clubs are chucking money at their academy players in the hope that one of them will be the next Harry Kane, but 99% of them will never make it at the top level. One of the presenters (can't remember who) said if you get a bunch of 18 year old footballers, get them to write down how much they're making, then come back in 15 years time and ask them which of their contracts was the best, nearly all will say the first one.

And here's the quiz bit. They said things had got to the stage where there was a footballer in England who has never played a first team game but is a multi millionaire. But then they had an advert break and I reached my destination, so I never found out..... who?
 
StewartR said:
And here's the quiz bit. They said things had got to the stage where there was a footballer in England who has never played a first team game but is a multi millionaire. But then they had an advert break and I reached my destination, so I never found out..... who?
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is this the young Chelsea lad? I've heard them talking about him occasionally for a while
 
Jelster said:
Wenger needs to listen to Steve Bold, the man who was in one of the best defences in the league. But no, he must have that bloody zonal marking - it's out of date and other teams know how to exploit it....
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Do Bould and Wenger even speak to each other? :thinking: I think in the however many years I've seen them sitting next to each other on the bench during their games, and you seem to always get a view or two during every highlight package, I think I have seen them speak once or twice. :rolleyes: Bould is there though, and has been for many year's, and he has to be a culpable as Wenger for how good or bad their defence is imho.
 
Patrick Bamford?? Now at Boro? Been everywhere on loan. But never played for his host club.
 
It may have been Bamford I was thinking of, but having re -read Stewart's post, I think I misunderstood it.
 
Blue Moon 7 said:
Patrick Bamford?? Now at Boro? Been everywhere on loan. But never played for his host club.
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There was another young Chel$ki player I had at the back of my mind rather than Bamford who was paid a load of money, but I've just had a bit of a search and couldn't find it. Unfortunately if you do a search for money and Chelsea youth player you get a lot of results for the alleged child abuse that possibly went on there in the past.
 
With apologies to Monty Python

Fans: Trouble at mill.
Wenger: Oh no - what kind of trouble? I see no trouble
Fans: We can't defend one on't cross's wit zonal marking
Wenger: Pardon?
Fans: One on't cross, we can't defend, goal. Zonal marking poor
Wenger: I don't understand what you're saying. I didn't see it
Fans: [slightly irritatedly and with exaggeratedly clear accent] With your zonal marking system we can't defend crosses into the box
Wenger: Well what on earth does that mean?
Fans: FFS! There's was trouble at the mill, that's all
Wenger: I didn't expect a kind of Spanish Inquisition. Now about my new contract...
 
Eagles!

Fair play to Allardyce - when he first started I thought his heart wasn't in it, but he's proved me wrong with committed team performances and 4 wins on the bounce.
 
I haven't seen any video footage, but Moyes 'banter' with a female reporter, 'threatening' to give her "a slap" has surely been blown out of proportion, hasn't it?
 
nickEnackEnoo said:
I haven't seen any video footage, but Moyes 'banter' with a female reporter, 'threatening' to give her "a slap" has surely been blown out of proportion, hasn't it?
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Of course it has, same as anything these days, people should lighten up a bit!
 
nickEnackEnoo said:
I haven't seen any video footage, but Moyes 'banter' with a female reporter, 'threatening' to give her "a slap" has surely been blown out of proportion, hasn't it?
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I saw it yesterday. Fuss about nothing.
It's just another `outrage` by someone who was offended on behalf of someone else. Pathetic really. :rolleyes:
 
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