Football 17/18

[Hugh Jass]

2 hours ago, jyoung said:

Manchester United vs Madrid tonight. Predictions?

I predict I'll be watching the athletics.

[CRW5252]

1 hour ago, The Nal said:

Silly money, very reliant on speed, isn't getting any younger and is injured a lot. Has missed 50+ games for Madrid through injury.

Unplayable on his day but too much of a risk for the cash they would want. 

How much is being touted? I think he is worth the risk. It's not like they are short of money. If he is fit all season, they'll win the league. I think he'll adapt his game when he gets slower as well, just like Ronaldo has.

[jyoung]

There is literally nobody that comes close to the world class killer instinct that Ronaldo has though (exc. Messi) I don't see Bale in the same role, following the same path or ever being as important as CR7. Not digging him out or anything but its true.

Fair enough he's has some devastating moments where he has destroyed teams single handedly but how often and when did it last happen?

[CRW5252]

1 minute ago, jyoung said:

There is literally nobody that comes close to the world class killer instinct that Ronaldo has though (exc. Messi) I don't see Bale in the same role, following the same path or ever being as important as CR7. Not digging him out or anything but its true.

Fair enough he's has some devastating moments where he has destroyed teams single handedly but how often and when did it last happen?

He doesn't need to be as good as Ronaldo to be good enough for United. When he's playing in a team like Madrid it's very rare any player other than Ronaldo 'single handedly' wins games. At United he'd be the star man. He'll have a completely different role.

[lost]

ESPN reporting Coutinho done. £81.6m plus add ons.

[Dan R]

3 hours ago, lost said:

ESPN reporting Coutinho done. £81.6m plus add ons.

Wouldn't trust them tbh, the stance this afternoon coming out of Liverpool was that he wasn't for sale and that there weren't any plans to meet Barca. Plus it's less than £10m more than their original offer, Liverpool don't want to sell and know Barca have received an extra £200m since, they'd definitely be asking for more.

Saying this with confidence purely because I don't want it to be true.

[DareToDibble]

1 hour ago, Dan R said:

Wouldn't trust them tbh, the stance this afternoon coming out of Liverpool was that he wasn't for sale and that there weren't any plans to meet Barca. Plus it's less than £10m more than their original offer, Liverpool don't want to sell and know Barca have received an extra £200m since, they'd definitely be asking for more.

Saying this with confidence purely because I don't want it to be true.

Agreed. Especially given that the article states the info came from Barca sources. They are well known to use the press to pressure other teams into selling. Still don't think it'll happen (this season).

[ThomThomDrum]

Was not too impressed with Utd last night. Looks like watching their games this season could be a boring aul affair if one feels compelled. Well against good sides at least. Walls of red behind the ball is not a pretty site.....

[DareToDibble]

That's always been the way Mourinho plays to be fair. Even when he won the league with Chelsea is was based on strong defensive play.

Obviously people want attractive, attacking football. But i'd happily win the league by winning 1-0 every week. But then I've never seen us win the league in my adult life, so....

[thetime]

1 hour ago, ThomThomDrum said:

Was not too impressed with Utd last night. Looks like watching their games this season could be a boring aul affair if one feels compelled. Well against good sides at least. Walls of red behind the ball is not a pretty site.....

Don't forget he got over 100 goals with Madrid once... 

nal's fave line not mine, this is what I get with Jose.   

[eFestivals]

2 hours ago, ThomThomDrum said:

Utd last night. Looks like watching their games this season could be a boring aul affair

last season. season before. Season before that. And 2 decades more.

[The Nal]

Are people expecting a new team to come out all guns blazing against the best team in the world? 

I'll reserve judgement until I see a few league games. Couple of months.

[TheGayTent]

30 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

And 2 decades more.

Nothing like a bit of Aldershot bias 

Edited August 9, 2017 by TheGayTent

[eFestivals]

13 minutes ago, TheGayTent said:

Nothing like a bit of Aldershot bias 

hey, aldershot have been shit for a century+.

But today they're top of the league.

So it's all downhill from here.

[eFestivals]

37 minutes ago, The Nal said:

Are people expecting a new team to come out all guns blazing against the best team in the world? 

I'll reserve judgement until I see a few league games. Couple of months.

oh c'mon ... it's moaniho, it'll always be more of the parked bus than all guns blazing.

[jyoung]

I understand the 'attractive attacking football' debate but I don't subscribe to the religious following it sometimes receives. For sure, everybody likes to see their team score goals and especially when it's done in such sublime style.

But did any Man City fan really enjoy watching the team try to play out from the back last season? Everyone else loved it because it was a joke. Some pundits and fans talk about that style of football as though its the holy grail, the only authentic way to play and anyone who counters that style and wins in the process is cheating real football.

I honestly find that more boring than a team with strong defensive play that can absorb pressure from world class players and still find the win. 

[thetime]

15 minutes ago, jyoung said:

I understand the 'attractive attacking football' debate but I don't subscribe to the religious following it sometimes receives. For sure, everybody likes to see their team score goals and especially when it's done in such sublime style.

But did any Man City fan really enjoy watching the team try to play out from the back last season? Everyone else loved it because it was a joke. Some pundits and fans talk about that style of football as though its the holy grail, the only authentic way to play and anyone who counters that style and wins in the process is cheating real football.

I honestly find that more boring than a team with strong defensive play that can absorb pressure from world class players and still find the win. 

Depends if you're 1st or 6th..

[TheGayTent]

49 minutes ago, jyoung said:

I understand the 'attractive attacking football' debate but I don't subscribe to the religious following it sometimes receives. For sure, everybody likes to see their team score goals and especially when it's done in such sublime style.

But did any Man City fan really enjoy watching the team try to play out from the back last season? Everyone else loved it because it was a joke. Some pundits and fans talk about that style of football as though its the holy grail, the only authentic way to play and anyone who counters that style and wins in the process is cheating real football.

I honestly find that more boring than a team with strong defensive play that can absorb pressure from world class players and still find the win. 

For me it's about what plan a is and then how a team adapts. 

If Plan A is 'proper football' but that team adapts on ocassion due to particular circumstances (weather, sending off, the way the opposition sets up etc) then I'm fine with the adapting. 

If Plan A is hoofball for 38 games with little to no adapting then fuck right off. 

[eFestivals]

59 minutes ago, jyoung said:

I understand the 'attractive attacking football' debate but I don't subscribe to the religious following it sometimes receives.

it's the difference between a fan of football and a fan of a club.

I watch footie for the entertainment of it, and i want to see what I regard as attractive football.

I don't want to watch (plucked from the air) Stoke vs Bolton. There's  reason why.

[TheGayTent]

2 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

it's the difference between a fan of football and a fan of a club.

Not necessarily. 

2 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

I watch footie for the entertainment of it, and i want to see what I regard as attractive football.

That's subjective and the reason for the never ending debate. 

 

[eFestivals]

Just now, TheGayTent said:

Not necessarily. 

Not always, true ... but in general the fans of any club are much more forgiving about dire footie than a 'neutral'.

 

Just now, TheGayTent said:

That's subjective and the reason for the never ending debate. 

I don't disagree that what is attractive footie is subjective, but the idea that people prefer to watch what they regard as attractive footie is probably not.

[pink_triangle]

1 hour ago, eFestivals said:

hey, aldershot have been shit for a century+.

But today they're top of the league.

So it's all downhill from here.

Don't they start most season 1st based on the alphabet!

[zahidf]

1 hour ago, jyoung said:

I understand the 'attractive attacking football' debate but I don't subscribe to the religious following it sometimes receives. For sure, everybody likes to see their team score goals and especially when it's done in such sublime style.

But did any Man City fan really enjoy watching the team try to play out from the back last season? Everyone else loved it because it was a joke. Some pundits and fans talk about that style of football as though its the holy grail, the only authentic way to play and anyone who counters that style and wins in the process is cheating real football.

I honestly find that more boring than a team with strong defensive play that can absorb pressure from world class players and still find the win. 

Well i know Jose has some fans due to his approach...

As a neutral (Who wants Man Utd to fail) i much prefer a hard fought competitve football game with multiple chances on goal by both teams, bookings galore and perferably a large scoreline. A dull 0-0 draw because Man utd dobt want their opponent to get 3 points can piss off...

[pink_triangle]

30 minutes ago, TheGayTent said:

For me it's about what plan a is and then how a team adapts. 

If Plan A is 'proper football' but that team adapts on ocassion due to particular circumstances (weather, sending off, the way the opposition sets up etc) then I'm fine with the adapting. 

If Plan A is hoofball for 38 games with little to no adapting then fuck right off. 

Wrexham have been in the conference for longer than any other team in the league. If you offered me hoofball and a promotion I would snap your hand off!

[eFestivals]

10 minutes ago, pink_triangle said:

Don't they start most season 1st based on the alphabet!

before the first match, yeah.

But this season they're still top after 2 games, which is rather astounding.