Football 2013-2014

[thetime]

Well Ryan Giggs has retired from playing.

Let's talk about his onfield exploits(I am sure others won't), what an amazing career and a great collection of medals.

Wonderful player in his pomp. My fave moments was seeing him score a free kick against Blackburn when we celebrated our first title in 26 years. Also scoring on his debut for Wales with a fantastic freekick from 30 yards and that goal in the FA Cup semi.

Will go down as a united legend and u there with Charlton, Best, Edwards and the likes.

Edited May 19, 2014 by thetime

[eFestivals]

I think a better manager than Moyes might got UTD to 4th this season.

It's hard to disagree with that, because of what Fergie managed to do with the same players in the season before.

And yet I find it really hard to see how anyone could have got them to 4th when you compare Utd's players against the players in other 'top' teams.

In fact, I find it hard to see them anywhere but 7th.

[mrtourette]

Will go down as a united legend and u there with Charlton, Best, Edwards and the like.

[strummer77]

I think a better manager than Moyes might got UTD to 4th this season. Too early to say how Gaal would go: i assume he wouldn;t have said yes unless he had some assurances of the size of their 'WARCHEST'

Edited May 19, 2014 by strummer77

[zahidf]

Well Ryan Giggs has retired from playing.

Let's talk about his onfield exploits(I am sure others won't), what an amazing career and a great collection of medals.

Wonderful player in his pomp. My fave moments was seeing him score a free kick against Blackburn when we celebrated our first title in 26 years. Also scoring on his debut for Wales with a fantastic freekick from 30 yards and that goal in the FA Cup semi.

Will go down as a united legend and u there with Charlton, Best, Edwards and the likes.

Edited May 19, 2014 by zahidf

[The Nal]

1991 to 2014 in the first team. Just amazing.

Favourite moments are similar to most Utd fans.

This moment represented when the title was won though.

Edited May 19, 2014 by The Nal

[zahidf]

I don't know about that last bit. Van Gaal has been looking for a job over here for a while. He wanted the Liverpool job in 2012 but didn't get it.

He won lot and lots in the 1990s, but will have to prove he's still got it. Be very interesting indeed.

[eFestivals]

So basically, Man Utd will have to be a better team than maybe Liverpool, Arsenal and Everton.

Nah.... even with £150M spent I reckon they'll struggle to surpass even Everton once Everton have made an upgrade or two of their own.

Remember, at the mo it's the same set of players who were failing under fergie until he dragged Scholes back to playing.

I think there's just too many weak spots across the whole squad for those to be easily patched. It's not impossible, but it will require perfect purchases - and there's very few managers who gets them all right.

[ThomThomDrum]

The Utd situation is so interesting. Right now we have no idea how it will pan out. Who will they buy? Will LVG and Giggs get on and work well together? Will Utd fail again? Two years in a row? Ill be eating popcorn watching for the next 12 months or so

One thing is for sure if LVG "fucks up" Giggs will try and benefit from it.

Giggs, great player and has amassed a horde of medals and trophies the likes that no one will come close to............ But he was an unlikable prick on the pitch, always moaning and an utter fuck off the pitch, fucking over members of his family in the most grotesque on manners

LVG, beware!

[eFestivals]

1991 to 2014 in the first team. Just amazing.

over twenty years banging them in, and now he's retired.

Still, I bet his wife and his brother are pleased about that.

[TheGayTent]

Nah.... even with £150M spent I reckon they'll struggle to surpass even Everton once Everton have made an upgrade or two of their own.

Remember, at the mo it's the same set of players who were failing under fergie until he dragged Scholes back to playing.

I think there's just too many weak spots across the whole squad for those to be easily patched. It's not impossible, but it will require perfect purchases - and there's very few managers who gets them all right.

[ThomThomDrum]

Bit of a risk with him being at the World cup first as well. Will lose a bit of steam that way in terms of summer transfers...

[eFestivals]

The Utd situation is so interesting. Right now we have no idea how it will pan out. Who will they buy? Will LVG and Giggs get on and work well together? Will Utd fail again? Two years in a row? Ill be eating popcorn watching for the next 12 months or so

One thing is for sure if LVG "fucks up" Giggs will try and benefit from it.

Giggs, great player and has amassed a horde of medals and trophies the likes that no one will come close to............ But he was an unlikable prick on the pitch, always moaning and an utter fuck off the pitch, fucking over members of his family in the most grotesque on manners

LVG, beware!

Yep, all of that.

And not forgetting that LvG is after his last payday before he retires, rather than him being hungry for glory.

It's all set-up to go horribly wrong.

It probably won't, but I'll keep my fingers crossed anyway.

[eFestivals]

Unless they keep their loan players Everton need a couple of very good signings just to stand still. They're hardly blessed with money. Not difficult to see a situation where by Man Utd finish above them next season.

true ... tho i'm guessing Barry will change to a perm, and as long as they get themselves a Lukaka replacement I don't see them going backwards under Martinez.

If nothing else, all of the "Martinez is better than Moyes" noises that came out of the club seems to suggest that the players will turn up more for Martinez than they would have Moyes.

[thetime]

true ... tho i'm guessing Barry will change to a perm, and as long as they get themselves a Lukaka replacement I don't see them going backwards under Martinez.

If nothing else, all of the "Martinez is better than Moyes" noises that came out of the club seems to suggest that the players will turn up more for Martinez than they would have Moyes.

[The Nal]

Arsenal could do with Milner.

[eFestivals]

Woodward would be very motivated not to fuck this transfer window up

Motivation can't cover for lack of ability.

Woodward is not "a football man", he's a businessman (in the true commercial sense). Doors will open for him because of the club he's from, but I'm not sure that's going to be enough based on the last two windows.

I'm struggling to see how he's going to manage to sign any "top top" players, because there's only dead history that's a draw.

[eFestivals]

Could all the Europa games be an issue though?

could be I guess, yep.

Tho if you're already thinking that's where Utd's salvation will come from then Utd are more fucked than even i'm thinking.

[eFestivals]

Arsenal could do with Milner.

yep, would be a brilliant signing for them I reckon.

I wonder if City are going to let him go? I guess they will, because they probably can't afford him to go for nothing next summer, given the FFP shite they're already in.

[thetime]

could be I guess, yep.

Tho if you're already thinking that's where Utd's salvation will come from then Utd are more fucked than even i'm thinking.

[zahidf]

over twenty years banging them in,

[ThomThomDrum]

Apparently PSG are ready to bid £50 million for Hazard. Good move for the player. Best he get away from Jose, but I will be sad to see him leave the EPL. Loved to watch him. Only nice thing about watching Chelsea games this season (with the exception of when they lost to "lesser teams")

[The Nal]

Motivation can't cover for lack of ability.

Woodward is not "a football man", he's a businessman (in the true commercial sense). Doors will open for him because of the club he's from, but I'm not sure that's going to be enough based on the last two windows.

I'm struggling to see how he's going to manage to sign any "top top" players, because there's only dead history that's a draw.

[thetime]

He's on 80 a week or something. As a sub. I reckon they have to start offloading these players alright.

Edited May 19, 2014 by thetime

[zahidf]

Apparently PSG are ready to bid £50 million for Hazard. Good move for the player. Best he get away from Jose, but I will be sad to see him leave the EPL. Loved to watch him. Only nice thing about watching Chelsea games this season (with the exception of when they lost to "lesser teams")