Football 2012-2013

[strummer77]

My view has always been that just because someone is a good manager, it doesnt mean they have the potential to be a good manager at any club, anywhere in the world. Some managers are good matches for certain clubs, rafa and chelsea are just not a good fit. The likes of swansea dont just look at the quality of a manager but how they fit the philosophy of the club and it works. Looking at chelsea, I dont have a clue what their philosophy is from the managers they have appointed.

Edited March 1, 2013 by strummer77

[thetime]

Swansea are a great model of how manager's should fit. Us picking Hodgson was an example of not really thinking about it.

[strummer77]

It will be interesting how long liverpool rodgers gets at your place as hes changing your style, philosophy etc etc.

It might take 3 or 4 seasons to come together and buying a fair amount of flops. Will he be given time or given the sack, ferguson would not be given 6/7 years in todays football.

[thetime]

It will be the same at United

[pink_triangle]

Its not managers though is it? Rafa and maybe grant but cant remember avram grant getting booed. I cant remember many other managers getting booed at chelsea, in the end of the day rafa made a rod for his own back.

[strummer77]

That will be the premier league era of fan, the ones that have become fans since the glory years and the same ones who wanted fergie gone around 2002-2004.

The older ones like myself are bit more sensible and realise things will change, diluted success and it will be an important appointment. Fans forget from 1968 - 1990 man utd won 3 fa cups and thats it.

[lharris92]

finally an away win!

[pehaw]

That will be the premier league era of fan, the ones that have become fans since the glory years and the same ones who wanted fergie gone around 2002-2004.

The older ones like myself are bit more sensible and realise things will change, diluted success and it will be an important appointment. Fans forget from 1968 - 1990 man utd won 3 fa cups and thats it.

[strummer77]

Despite me being a man who thinks Dalglish deserved an extra year, I think those denying progress under Rodgers are crazy. Another good performance, and a first win at Wigan since 07.

Keeping Luis next year might be impossible however...

[pink_triangle]

Despite me being a man who thinks Dalglish deserved an extra year, I think those denying progress under Rodgers are crazy. Another good performance, and a first win at Wigan since 07.

Keeping Luis next year might be impossible however...

[strummer77]

Edit: I have somehow messed the formatting of this post up.

Edited March 3, 2013 by strummer77

[strummer77]

Call me crazy but I am still in the "unconvinced" category. On points per game basis liverpool are due (at present) to finish about 5 points ahead of last season, but last season 5 points less was in the context of reaching 2 cup finals. Liverpool have defintely become more clinical against teams in the bottom (unsure if results against the top half have improved in terms of points) half of the table.

[pink_triangle]

Crazy was a bit much, really it was a dig at the minority of fans who criticise him whatever he does. I just think we look more of a team and we're scoring a lot more goals. Mentally against the top sides we need some strengthening, but if we keep Suarez I can't see us starting the season so badly. I think we only got about 10 points from our last 1 games last year, so I would hope we make ground on that.

On another note, Spurs v Arsenal today. On paper I cannot see past Spurs, but for that very reason i can almost see Arsenal stealing it.

[strummer77]

i would agree fans who criticise him for every disappointing result are wrong. Im still in the undecided category based on results due to the relatively short time frame to judge, my gut instinct is still telling me he wont improve the team significantly without a huge cash injection. I wouldnt have given him the job, but now he is in post, there isnt really the evidence to either get rid of him or extend his contract.

[strummer77]

As a neutral (although admitedly with liverpool being a fairly local premiership side, so I would like them to do well) I dont see too much difference from last season, apart from beating the lesser teams a bit more clinically, In terms of progress its hard to judge how kenny would have done this season to make the true comparison.

[thetime]

Fantastic result for spurs, ive always had a soft spot for spurs and hoping they get 4th after last year.

The way there playing I wouldnt rule out 2nd.

[pink_triangle]

Fantastic result for spurs, ive always had a soft spot for spurs and hoping they get 4th after last year.

The way there playing I wouldnt rule out 2nd.

[strummer77]

Are they playing that great? They seem to win every game by one goal and most games I have seen (including today) they could easily have dropped points. If Bales goals dry up then theres every chance wins could become draws. I personally dont think theres any chance of them overtaking city.

[thetime]

They have a tough-ish four or five games coming up don't they?

[thetime]

Are they playing that great?

[pink_triangle]

Do they have to? Most people have been saying man utd have been play rubbish for 5 years.

Defoes back aswel, blessing in disguise defoe getting injured as he was looking a bit jaded.

[thetime]

Probably not to finish in the top 4, but to overtake city I think they will need to play very well over the end of the season. They also have a tough run of games coming up.

[strummer77]

Yeah its asking alot to finish above city, depends how motivated city will be if they have lost title with 5 or 6 games to go.

[kaosmark2]

Call me crazy but I am still in the "unconvinced" category. On points per game basis liverpool are due (at present) to finish about 5 points ahead of last season, but last season 5 points less was in the context of reaching 2 cup finals. Liverpool have defintely become more clinical against teams in the bottom (unsure if results against the top half have improved in terms of points) half of the table. However this is almost purely down to Suarez having a better season than last time. Is Suarez having a better season because of Rogers? Or is it just regression to the mean and the fact a top player like suarez was likely to have a better season than last whoever was the manager? Probably need another season to make much of a judgement, as you say its possible suarez wont stay anywa.

[eFestivals]

Suarez also had an 8-game ban last season and Gerrard was injured for most of it and out of form for the rest.

Frankly, I would have expected more than a 5-point improvement on those 2 factors alone.

what you've missed from this year is the change of manager. That might not seem that relevant but...

Liverpool were 9 points behind top-4 four weeks into the season. Today they're 12 points behind top-4.

And during the time between now and then, they've also gone thru a very poor patch when they started to drop in the table again.

The remaining fixtures are pretty kind to Liverpool (compared to the teams in the top-7 who they're battling with for their finishing position), and they're playing their strongest footie of the season right now too.

Bearing in mind the remaining fixtures, I'd say there's a strong likelihood that their worst finishing position will be 9 points less than whoever is 4th, and (they look like they're on a good run) closer still isn't stupidly unlikely - but it's also all dependent on what those other teams do.

So anyway, if they finish 9 points off 4th then they shouldn't think of it as too bad a season on the pitch, especially when bearing in mind the lack of striking options Rodgers was left with until January (for whatever reasons). With Courtinho and Sturridge they've definitely acquired some of what they were missing, so next season should see a better improvement providing they keep Suarez.

Having managed to big-up Rodgers with all that (which wasn't what I was thinking when I started writing it ), there's something about his manner that i dislike a LOT from how I see him on TV. But his manner looks like it works with the players, cos further credit should go his way for how he's got improvements and returns-to-form out of some of the more suspect members of the squad.

Next up, they need a defence.

Edited March 4, 2013 by eFestivals