Football 2014/15

[eFestivals]

Liverpool being investigated by UEFA for a breach of the FFP rules...

yep - £7M fine they risk getting, so I heard? Peanuts in the scheme of things.

It'll be Utd next year, if they manage to make top 4.

[zahidf]

Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal on the 5-3 defeat at Leicester: "We should have won last weekend - we had to win when we were 3-1 up.

"If we had we would have been two points off second place in the table. Because of the loss you are now questioning me. If we'd have won it would be different. You can't make one incident a regular one. We will overcome things. The season lasts more than one competition day."

EVERYTHING IS GOING TO PLAN. WE WILL WIN THE LEAGUE!

[strummer77]

Liverpool being investigated by UEFA for a breach of the FFP rules...

Apparently the club aren't concerned. Just have to provide evidence of the spending.

[TheGayTent]

Jammy bastards!

[The Nal]

Jammy bastards!

Yep. And WHAT was Rooney doing?!

[lharris92]

First time I'm actually really disappointed that we didn't get anything from a game against united... Considering before the game there was a fair chance of nicking a draw/win depending how it went.

[eFestivals]

Yep. And WHAT was Rooney doing?!

being a great captain...?

[thetime]

being a great captain...?

Keane was a great captain.

[thetime]

On the brightside man utd are top of the 4th place mini league.

[pink_triangle]

Captaincy is overrated, look at some of the best teams and it's hard to even remember who the captain was.

[thetime]

Captaincy is overrated, look at some of the best teams and it's hard to even remember who the captain was.

Depends what type of captain imo.

For example the gerrards, keanes and robsons of the world driving the team forward. I was watching the Chelsea v City game last week and Kompany is what a captain is all about. He was driving his team forward, leading by example.

Rooney is captain by default really, there isn't anyone else with pretty having a new team.

Edited September 28, 2014 by thetime

[pink_triangle]

Depends what type of captain imo.

For example the gerrards, keanes and robsons of the world driving the team forward. I was watching the Chelsea v City game last week and Kompany is what a captain is all about. He was driving his team forward, leading by example.

Rooney is captain by default really, there isn't anyone else with pretty having a new team.

I would argue they drive the teams forward because they are good footballers, rather than the fact they have a wristband. Of course if you take the best players out of a team it weakens them, however my belief is that if they didn't have the wristband they would play in exactly the same way. Its not like cricket where they influence decisions.

[ThomThomDrum]

On the brightside man utd are top of the 4th place mini league.

Dont know how bright that side is really considering Utd have not played a top team yet.

[eFestivals]

S

Dont know how bright that side is really considering Utd have not played a top team yet.

Surely QPR are a top team?

[pink_triangle]

Dont know how bright that side is really considering Utd have not played a top team yet.

I agree its pretty much an unknown how they will get on against the better teams. However it would be oversimplistic to suggest if they struggle against the mediocre they will struggle more against the better, as chelsea showed last season.

On another note if your everton and spurs looking to get into the champions league, what is the most realistic route, 4th in the premiership, or winnning the europa league? I actually think its pretty close, which means neither can take their foot of the gas in europe.

[thetime]

I agree its pretty much an unknown how they will get on against the better teams. However it would be oversimplistic to suggest if they struggle against the mediocre they will struggle more against the better, as chelsea showed last season.

On another note if your everton and spurs looking to get into the champions league, what is the most realistic route, 4th in the premiership, or winnning the europa league? I actually think its pretty close, which means neither can take their foot of the gas in europe.

Europe for me, Spurs lack of fire power and Everton will struggle squad wise with Europe.

Makes it even more of a joke that the cl 3rd place get a Europa spot in the new year.

Take Liverpool for example, they may have a better chance qualifying for next year's cl if they finish 3rd in there group. Realistically they're not going to win the cl, 4th is very much open between 4 teams.

[ThomThomDrum]

I'd say third and fourth open between five teams. I'm not sure arsenal are that much better to be a shoe in for top four. They are favourites of the five, yes but not that far in front.

LSD

I very much agree with this. They are not a foregone conclusion for the top four as far as im concerned, but would be the strongest team for 3rd/4th from what I see thus far, but defo not strong enough for them to be guaranteed the CL place.

[LondonTom]

Captaincy is overrated, look at some of the best teams and it's hard to even remember who the captain was.

But if you are put into that position, a position where you are the face of the team, should you really be making reckless tackles like that? It might only make a minimal different on game day but a Captain should be someone a bit more responsible. I think it sums up Rooney and why his never fully reached the heights of other world class players, he gets fustrated to quickly when its not going all his own way.

Bit gutted about the result as West Ham deserved at least the draw.

Has anyone actually seen the supposed incident of Sakho headbutting Luke Shaw?

Man Utd still looking fairly shit to me despite the win and it will be more luck than the tactical genius of LVG if they manage to get Top 4.

[ThomThomDrum]

But if you are put into that position, a position where you are the face of the team, should you really be making reckless tackles like that? It might only make a minimal different on game day but a Captain should be someone a bit more responsible.

Again, Roy Keane was a top top captain and was prone to the odd reckless tackle, so I would not agree with how you see a captain or how you think they should be.

For me a true captain should be able to lead first and foremost. All players on the team/in the club should look up to them even if they hate/fear them personally and so they have some level of respect/awe toward them. They are strong characters who motivate others my multiple means. Lead by example. Demand better of others. Give praise when truly warranted and needed. They are winners. They are those that never give up and as a result it rubs of on others. They bark orders and others listen. They see the game as more than what they solely contribute. They know how to assess a game from within and organize team mates accordingly, ensuring others are doing what they are supposed to.

In reality they are few and far between and just because you wear an armband it does not make you a "true captain" as I see it. Rooney is not a captain IMO. Very few players can make that grade. But when a team gets a true captain their influence on that team is utterly immeasurable and will very much strongly dictate how good that team/club performs. Get the right man as captain and I dont think their influence can be understated.

That said, probably 90% (a made up figure I plucked out of thin air!) of captains, maybe more, are just players with an armband and they are responsible for picking heads or tails.

[pink_triangle]

Again, Roy Keane was a top top captain and was prone to the odd reckless tackle, so I would not agree with how you see a captain or how you think they should be.

For me a true captain should be able to lead first and foremost. All players on the team/in the club should look up to them even if they hate/fear them personally and so they have some level of respect/awe toward them. They are strong characters who motivate others my multiple means. Lead by example. Demand better of others. Give praise when truly warranted and needed. They are winners. They are those that never give up and as a result it rubs of on others. They bark orders and others listen. They see the game as more than what they solely contribute. They know how to assess a game from within and organize team mates accordingly, ensuring others are doing what they are supposed to.

In reality they are few and far between and just because you wear an armband it does not make you a "true captain" as I see it. Rooney is not a captain IMO. Very few players can make that grade. But when a team gets a true captain their influence on that team is utterly immeasurable and will very much strongly dictate how good that team/club performs. Get the right man as captain and I dont think their influence can be understated.

That said, probably 90% (a made up figure I plucked out of thin air!) of captains, maybe more, are just players with an armband and they are responsible for picking heads or tails.

I look at a team like France in 1998 and they were full of leader eg Blanc, Desailly, Zidane, Deschamps. Im pretty sure it was Deschamps that was the captain but dont think he played any better for having thae armband or the others didnt realize their true potential as leaders because they didnt have the armband. No doubt having a team full of leaders is beenficial, but I dont think thats anything to do with a captaincy effect.

I know in Britain a lot is read into the captaincy, but abroad they generally just give it to the best or most experienced players, regardless of leadership skills. They dont seem to value the captaincy.

[pink_triangle]

Implementation of the Rooney rule swept under the carpet again. I persponally think its introductions would only benefit football in this country.

[kaosmark2]

I'm amazed at all this talk of Pardew potentially getting sacked. Surely everyone realises Ashley is too stingy to give him a payoff on a contract with 6 years left.

[LondonTom]

Implementation of the Rooney rule swept under the carpet again. I persponally think its introductions would only benefit football in this country.

I am not against it really as its quite a sensible implementation but I am wondering if this is a big problem as some make out overhere? Are there many black/minority coaches with the proper UEFA badges being overlooked??

Actually it would be intresting to see if the problem is ex players doing their coaching badges more than the interview process? It could be that far less non white players want to do them/get on the courses than the % of current players would suggest being avaliable for managerial careers.

Plus clubs seem to stick with managers they know/have heard of even if they are a bit shit. So maybe its something that will improve as the oldies retire and new managers come through?

[eFestivals]

I'm amazed at all this talk of Pardew potentially getting sacked. Surely everyone realises Ashley is too stingy to give him a payoff on a contract with 6 years left.

oh c'mon - we all know that 6 years only requires someone to pay-out on that 6 years if it's another club or the FA wanting him as England manager. There's only a year for Ashley to pay up if Ashley gives him the boot.

[kaosmark2]

oh c'mon - we all know that 6 years only requires someone to pay-out on that 6 years if it's another club or the FA wanting him as England manager. There's only a year for Ashley to pay up if Ashley gives him the boot.

My understanding was that it was a contract where the payoff was vastly reduced only if the targets that season hadn't been met. Last season we got a top 10 finish which was the contractual target and thus it's only if we get to the end of the season below target that he can be sacked with vastly reduced payout. Basically it has to get to the point of where relegation is so likely that that will cost him more money than sacking Pardew.