Football 16-17

[TheGayTent]

1 minute ago, eFestivals said:

All the same it was much better than the dire stuff in the summer and in the games since. It looks like Southgate is starting to have a good effect

Do you think he should be appointed full time....?

[eFestivals]

Just now, TheGayTent said:

Do you think he should be appointed full time....?

I don't really have a problem with it if he is, and there doesn't seem to be any better candidates.

I think the art of management is, with very few exceptions (Fergie, not many others), mostly about a good fit between the manager and players, where what the manager wants to do suits the players he has available, so it clicks and works.

(clicking into this thread, seeing it was you, I was thinking good words about Lallana was what caused you to post )

 

[big__phil]

6 minutes ago, TheGayTent said:

Do you think he should be appointed full time....?

I'd give it to him. We've had managers from all around Europe who have won plenty of trophies, and we've also managers who've had of international experience. None really worked (although Sven's era is starting to look like pretty good), so we might as well try someone from within the system. (Granted, you could point at McClaren as someone promoted from within which didn't work, but the England setup has changed a bit since those days.)

To be honest, whoever is in charge will always face the same problems. There's no manager in the world who is going to make our players any better, it's simply a case of trying to get the best out of them. What's the best this group could do? Quarter finals? Semis at a stretch?

[TheGayTent]

10 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

I don't really have a problem with it if he is, 

 

Hilarious

[zahidf]

18 minutes ago, TheGayTent said:

Do you think he should be appointed full time....?

If they are intent on 'English only', he seems fine (though id prefer eddie howe). 

They are better options if they broaden it out though. Laurent Blanc and peeligrini come to mind

[eFestivals]

16 minutes ago, TheGayTent said:

Hilarious

because...?

What did you miss about me saying I'd accept Big Sam or Steve Bruce?

The options are limited - there's no stand-out candidate - and Southgate hasn't been a total fuck-up. 

22 minutes ago, big__phil said:

None really worked (although Sven's era is starting to look like pretty good)

Sven had the better players at their prime, so I reckon he only really performed at the level of others.

 

[TheGayTent]

30 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

because...?

 

Because of your previous thoughts on him

[eFestivals]

7 minutes ago, TheGayTent said:

Because of your previous thoughts on him

What, that he wasn't a great club manager?

Nor has Sam or Steve been.

As Ive always said, the choices are limited, and there's no stand-out. On that basis, along with the FA (hopefully) not being stupid enough to use up the available candidates and be left with nothing at all, I put Sam and Steve in front of Southgate simply because of their age and that the chance to have them as manager isn't (or wasn't, for Sam) going to be for too much longer.

I didn't have any particular issue with Southgate, I merely felt others were in the queue before him, and that there was nothing about what he might bring that should see him jump the queue.

With him in the role and doing OK, he might as well continue now.

 

Edited November 16, 2016 by eFestivals

[thetime]

Wasn't the majority  discounting Chelsea a month ago?

[zahidf]

12 minutes ago, thetime said:

Wasn't the majority  discounting Chelsea a month ago?

They had been tonked by liverpool and arsenal

Now they are 6 games with no goals conceded and with a 17-0 total. Their 3-4-3 formation works!

[eFestivals]

13 hours ago, thetime said:

Wasn't the majority  discounting Chelsea a month ago?

it's been pretty obvious for about a month (since after the Arsenal game) they were heading to around the top somewhere.

I'm pretty sure I made a post when they moved into the top four that we now had the finishing top 4 in the top 4 positions (not necessarily in the finishing position for each).

I'd say it's still pretty hard to judge which spot each team will be in because there's a long way to go, but right now it's Chelsea and Liverpool who looking the strongest - which is probably different to how anyone thought pre-season.

[Hugh Jass]

I had a fiver on City/Newcastle/Sc**thorpe/Plymouth before the season started, it's worth a few grand. This could be very, very exciting.

[pink_triangle]

Any thoughts on premiership relegation this season? At present Im predicting Hull, Boro and Swansea, although wouldnt be too surprised if Leicester went from relegation zone to champions to relegated.

[The Nal]

5 minutes ago, pink_triangle said:

Any thoughts on premiership relegation this season? At present Im predicting Hull, Boro and Swansea, although wouldnt be too surprised if Leicester went from relegation zone to champions to relegated.

Was thinking the exact same yesterday and had a look at fixtures. Agree with the first 3 ish but think Leicester will be ok and Id add Sunderland in there. They've still only won two games against Bournmouth and dreadful Hull. 

Swansea have a huge 6 weeks ahead against teams they need to pick up points from - Palace, Spurs, Sunderland, West Brom, Boro, West Ham, Bournmouth, Palace. Then they're into games vs Arsenal, Liverpool Southampton, City, Leicester and Chelsea. In a row, up until the end of Feb. 

Hull have a similar run. Sunderlands and Boros are more varied. 

[mjsell]

I feel like you are all being quite harsh on Boro. They will be in the fight obviously, but I have been pretty impressed with them this season - just need to start picking up points aginst the lesser teams. 

I've got Hull and Swansea going down. And one of Sunderland, Palace, Boro or Burnley battling it out for the last spot. I hope West Brom go down though - even though I really feel for their supporters, the lack of entertainment must drive them to insanity.

Blockbuster of a game tonight.: Burnley v West Brom - its got classic written all over it.

 

[pink_triangle]

15 minutes ago, mjsell said:

I feel like you are all being quite harsh on Boro. They will be in the fight obviously, but I have been pretty impressed with them this season - just need to start picking up points aginst the lesser teams. 

I've got Hull and Swansea going down. And one of Sunderland, Palace, Boro or Burnley battling it out for the last spot. I hope West Brom go down though - even though I really feel for their supporters, the lack of entertainment must drive them to insanity.

Blockbuster of a game tonight.: Burnley v West Brom - its got classic written all over it.

 

Forgot about Burnley! I will swap them for Boro.

[TheGayTent]

So much still depends on January for me. 

[eFestivals]

1 minute ago, TheGayTent said:

So much still depends on January for me. 

Yep. I'd say Moyes is down, but he might spend his way out of it.

[mjsell]

3 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

Yep. I'd say Moyes is down, but he might spend his way out of it.

I don't think Sunderland are down at this point. They have found something with Anichebe and Defoe up top. With someone like Defoe in your team you are always going to get goals, and now he has someone who helps occupy centre backs and hold up play he is far more free to do damage. They will have to fight there way out but I know I'd rather have their team than Hull, Swansea, Burnley and Boro's. Goals keep you up.

[The Nal]

49 minutes ago, mjsell said:

I feel like you are all being quite harsh on Boro. They will be in the fight obviously, but I have been pretty impressed with them this season - just need to start picking up points aginst the lesser teams. 

They've only won two games and scored 10 goals. Only conceded 13 though which is solid.

Worst attacking team in the league but one of the best defensive records. 

Edited November 21, 2016 by The Nal

[pink_triangle]

Leicester are the club that I find interesting because while most clubs are always looking to improve on what they have done previously, they are a team who will most likely never get close to 2015/2016 again without a huge influx of money. They will probably return back to being a premiership/championship yoyo team.

[eFestivals]

2 minutes ago, pink_triangle said:

Leicester are the club that I find interesting because while most clubs are always looking to improve on what they have done previously, they are a team who will most likely never get close to 2015/2016 again without a huge influx of money. They will probably return back to being a premiership/championship yoyo team.

you're probably right, tho I think it's going to take more than this season to see them fall so far. There's enough of a want-to-win core carried over from last season to see them thru this one.

 

[ThomThomDrum]

 This is brilliant!

 

[mjsell]

48 minutes ago, The Nal said:

They've only won two games and scored 10 goals. Only conceded 13 though which is solid.

Worst attacking team in the league but one of the best defensive records. 

Yeah I've been impressed with them until the final third. Negredo looks all at sea, don't see why they don't give Jordan Rhodes a proper go. Defensively they look brilliant - Gibson especially (its players like him that should be in the England squad ahead of the likes of Jagielka)

And they very easily should have beaten Arsenal a few weeks back. I've never seen someone live with the pure pace of Adama Traore and I watch the likes of Bellerin, Walcott, Chamberlain etc on a regular basis. He is blisteringly quick - just needs the end product.

Edited November 21, 2016 by mjsell

[TheGayTent]

56 minutes ago, mjsell said:

don't see why they don't give Jordan Rhodes a proper go. 

Because he's about as good as Zaza.