tenthreeleader Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 Watching Manchester United today was 90 minutes of my life I can never get back. Credit West Ham but that was a Moyes Red Devil team out there. No imagination, get to the byline and cross, weak in possession and unwilling to get stuck in unless in last-ditch defending. And I think it's time to end the idea of Wayne Rooney as a midfielder. Unless he's in a number ten role, he needs to be off a striker or in a position to do something with the ball. For years teams have been looking for ways to take him out of a game and it turns out putting him wide in a 4-4-2 is all it takes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CFuller Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 And I think it's time to end the idea of Wayne Rooney as a midfielder. Unless he's in a number ten role, he needs to be off a striker or in a position to do something with the ball. For years teams have been looking for ways to take him out of a game and it turns out putting him wide in a 4-4-2 is all it takes. That's exactly what I'm thinking. I've watched Wayne Rooney countless times, and I can't remember him being this anonymous in too many previous matches. I read earlier today that Louis van Gaal has previously moulded the likes of Edgar Davids and Frank Rijkaard into new positions during their careers, but Wayne Rooney will always be a number 10. What are your thoughts on Luke Shaw and how his first season at Old Trafford has gone? I know it's still quite early to judge Shaw, but in my opinion, he has got a lot of maturing to do if he is to justify that huge price Manchester United paid for him. That second yellow card against West Ham was needless so late in the game, and the tackle on Stewart Downing might have warranted a red card on its own. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenthreeleader Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 For me it's too still early to tell on Shaw since he hasn't had a run of games in the team without injury, but I saw flashes from him today that showed he might be coming along. I like his industry when he gets forward but you're quite right, the second yellow was really, really bad. Part of the problem for United in my view is that there are times when Valencia playing right back has been the better of United's fullback options. And if LvG really wants to give Falcao a stretch of games, I think 3-5-2 actually makes sense, especially if there's a true number ten (hint hint). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WLKRAS Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 I disagree. Man Utd's poor performance today is not because Rooney was in midfield. Falcao having the first touch of a Donkey and van Persie looking like he's about 100 years old were more detrimental. I think Rooney could play the Deep Lying Playmaker role (to keep it in FM terms). He's got the passing ability, he's got the positional sense and the ability to switch the game. He could be United's Pirlo. Having said that, at the moment, with Falcao and van Persie in the form they are, yes Rooney should play up front. But as the lone striker, Mata in behind from the left, Di Maria from the right. Herrera, Carrick and Blind as a midfield three. Valencia is no right back and shouldn't be playing there. Not conviced yet by Shaw, but he's still young. My concern for United would still be the central pairing at the back. Rojo doesn't convince me at all. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
copperhorse21 Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 I agree with WLKRAS and 10-3 and Fuller in that Rooney wasn't the exclusive issue with today's dismal performance. For me, the issue is with LvG. For me, it's the mentality of the squad. I read that under Moyes, there was all the tactics training involved in stopping the other team for scoring whereas Ferguson expected his team to find ways to exploit the other team's weaknesses. For me, under LvG, there is such an obsession with holding onto the ball at all costs that the risk-taking is removed. Shaw, Rooney, DiMaria, Mata, Herrera, Carrick, Blind, and many others are stifled. It reminds me of watching Capello manage England. Man Utd pay millions for players with specific attributes and then seem to ask them to stifle what made them special in the first place because it's all about LvG's philosophy and that philosophy trumps all. Let the horses run and play players in their best positions regardless of their age and regardless of who else is in the squad in that game. IF Man Utd need to play against a top quality opponent and lock down the opportunities, select a team to do that. However, if you need to unlock a team with an organized defense involving two banks of four, then select the squad to do that. For crying out loud, if you pay unholy sums of money in transfer fees for attacking players, then expect them to play stifled and risk-free, then you get the mid-table results. Without DeGea in goal this season, Man Utd would be mid-table. I'll be the first to shout from the rooftops as loud as my voice can reach "OUT VAN GAAL!!!" Players pick up and absorb the attributes of their managers. First Moyes' fear of losing matches, now it's LvG's fear of losing possession and losing balance. I want a manager who exudes passion from the sidelines and who is brave enough to risk losing in order to reap the reward that comes from attacking risks. While many managers can sit nonchalantly on the sidelines and say it effuses composure, I'm still waiting to hear passion explode from LvG. Unfortunately, since it's all about brand management, I'm stuck with LvG until season's end and one place short of Champions League qualification. Who next? I've got a short list if United fail at Champions League Qualification... It includes a short list of names...Aitor Karanka (1st choice at Middlesbrough currently); Mark Hughes (2nd choice with Stoke); and Sean Dyche (3rd with Burnley); my Dark Horse would be Jurgen Klinsmann (but why would he leave the cushy confines of US Soccer for Man United?) Of course, as soon as Giggs is qualified, I want him managing the squad...but he's not ready yet, I don't think... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenthreeleader Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 I disagree. Man Utd's poor performance today is not because Rooney was in midfield. Falcao having the first touch of a Donkey and van Persie looking like he's about 100 years old were more detrimental. I think Rooney could play the Deep Lying Playmaker role (to keep it in FM terms). He's got the passing ability, he's got the positional sense and the ability to switch the game. He could be United's Pirlo. Having said that, at the moment, with Falcao and van Persie in the form they are, yes Rooney should play up front. But as the lone striker, Mata in behind from the left, Di Maria from the right. Herrera, Carrick and Blind as a midfield three. Valencia is no right back and shouldn't be playing there. Not conviced yet by Shaw, but he's still young. My concern for United would still be the central pairing at the back. Rojo doesn't convince me at all. I wasn't blaming Rooney for United's showing. I was merely saying that I feel there's a better way to use him. I'm in agreement regarding the wing backs. But there have been times that Valencia has been pretty decent back there, and that's odd given it's not his natural position. Like your idea about the midfield. Falcao not scoring when sent through by Van Persie was really bad. He has to bury that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenthreeleader Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 I agree with WLKRAS and 10-3 and Fuller in that Rooney wasn't the exclusive issue with today's dismal performance. For me, the issue is with LvG. It was interesting today to watch United, a team based on possession, when they didn't have it for long stretches. They looked lost. The graphics said they had 52 percent possession in the first half and I wondered aloud if I was watching the same game as the stat keepers. I'm not ready to blow the whistle on Van Gaal, not even close to it. But I'd like to see him turn all that talent loose once. And if you're talking about managers, if Jurgen Klopp doesn't get Dortmund going pretty soon, he may be looking for something to do Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
copperhorse21 Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 What was also interesting to watch was Nigel Pearson's conduct versus James McCarthy. I'll be very interested to see what kind of punishment will be handed out, irrespective of whatever was written in the official's reports. I'm grateful that cameras could record it all because, otherwise, I think McCarthy's treatment would have been even more ignored than it appears to be initially. IF Pardew got his punishment for a head nudge, what will pinning a player to the ground with a forearm result in? Granted, he was taken down from behind accidentally and may have even been hurting a bit in the moment... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CFuller Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 What was also interesting to watch was Nigel Pearson's conduct versus James McCarthy. I'll be very interested to see what kind of punishment will be handed out, irrespective of whatever was written in the official's reports. I'm grateful that cameras could record it all because, otherwise, I think McCarthy's treatment would have been even more ignored than it appears to be initially. IF Pardew got his punishment for a head nudge, what will pinning a player to the ground with a forearm result in? Granted, he was taken down from behind accidentally and may have even been hurting a bit in the moment... It was James McArthur, actually, but Pearson pinning him down was worse than Pardew headbutting Meyler in my opinion. Bearing in mind his altercation with a Leicester supporter earlier this season and the Foxes' current form, Nigel Pearson will be a very lucky man if he keeps his job. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenthreeleader Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 If I had to guess, if (and when) Leicester lose to Arsenal tomorrow he's gone. But then as the prediction pool clearly shows, guessing is not my strong suit. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terk Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Lambert sacked then. That was bloody inevitable. I haven't seen a side as anaemic and uninspiring in years. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenthreeleader Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Lambert sacked then. That was bloody inevitable. I haven't seen a side as anaemic and uninspiring in years. You haven't watched United much lately, have you? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terk Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 You haven't watched United much lately, have you? Even as a Liverpool fan I can't stoop so low as to compare United and Villa Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenthreeleader Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Yeah, I know. There are some things too dreadful for comparison. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairycull Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Feel sorry for Lambert. Wasn't given the money to do be in a position to do a good job. and in the Premier League you gotta pay for it to win it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balthazars Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Feel sorry for Lambert. Wasn't given the money to do be in a position to do a good job. and in the Premier League you gotta pay for it to win it. I don't feel sorry for him at all. Sure, he's had to live with a tight budget, but so have plenty of other managers in the league. The result has been two seasons of absolute mind-numbing tedium. They were lucky to not get relegated last season, but they look odds-on for the drop this season in my opinion simply because the team is utterly incapable of scoring goals. Lambert bought mostly old journeymen, hoping that the younger players at the club would somehow push on. However, the youth aren't looking too good and the journeymen tend to fade too easily when the pressure is on. The team is in dire straights, and whoever takes charge has a heck of a job on their hands to try and keep them up. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenthreeleader Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 I don't feel sorry for him at all. Sure, he's had to live with a tight budget, but so have plenty of other managers in the league. The result has been two seasons of absolute mind-numbing tedium. They were lucky to not get relegated last season, but they look odds-on for the drop this season in my opinion simply because the team is utterly incapable of scoring goals. Lambert bought mostly old journeymen, hoping that the younger players at the club would somehow push on. However, the youth aren't looking too good and the journeymen tend to fade too easily when the pressure is on. The team is in dire straights, and whoever takes charge has a heck of a job on their hands to try and keep them up. 'Arry's available. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
copperhorse21 Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 I think I recall that Brendan Rodgers and Paul Lambert were both hailed as talented managers about the same time. My, how their paths have diverged...I think Tim Sherwood would be perfect for the non-investing owner, Randy Lerner. It's a job that allows for experimentation because anyone knowledgeable of football knows the situation at Villa and wouldn't blame him if he failed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairycull Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 maybe Ally McCoist hahaha. Lerner seems to enjoy employing managers with an old firm connection. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenthreeleader Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 I'll say this for Ally: he may be a crap manager but he knows how to handle management-induced crises. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HorusFM Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 I think we're gonna go for Redknapp in the summer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terk Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 No chance, Redknapp won't move from the south coast. I actually think Newcastle might be making a sensible appointment as I've got a feeling they'll go for Remi Garde. He said he wanted a year out of the game, and my guess is that's why they've appointed Carver until the summer as Garde won't come until then. Howver, I REALLY, REALLY want you to appoint Ally McCoist. For lolz. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
salkster2102 Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 So does anyone actually believe Redknapp left QPR to have knee surgery? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celtic_1967 Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Howver, I REALLY, REALLY want you to appoint Ally McCoist. For lolz. A thousand times this. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenthreeleader Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Howver, I REALLY, REALLY want you to appoint Ally McCoist. For lolz. It's a fair trade. They loaned us their reserve team, we should give them Super Ally in appreciation. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terk Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Timmy's back! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenArsenal Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 God bless Aston Villa. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenArsenal Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 So does anyone actually believe Redknapp left QPR to have knee surgery? Yeah, right. As far as excuses go, that has probably been one of the more creative ones yet. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WLKRAS Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Oh lord, Tactics Tim... Wonder if he'll bring the gillet. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
copperhorse21 Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 I think I recall that Brendan Rodgers and Paul Lambert were both hailed as talented managers about the same time. My, how their paths have diverged...I think Tim Sherwood would be perfect for the non-investing owner, Randy Lerner. It's a job that allows for experimentation because anyone knowledgeable of football knows the situation at Villa and wouldn't blame him if he failed. I make a lot of predictions on here and not many of them seem to come true. However, I'm glad one of them worked out for me. Now, will it work out for all the Villa Fans? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CFuller Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Ugh, Aston Villa are so awful to watch. Surely they can't play any worse than this under Tim Sherwood... Am I the only person here who thinks that Aston Villa could do with a season (or two) outside the Premier League? Relegation will hurt them in the short-term, definitely, but they'd have a chance to rebuild their team around a talented crop of young players. They could then come back in their best shape since the Martin O'Neill era. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CFuller Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 Dreadful performance tonight. Absolutely terrible. We shouldn't be losing 3-1 at home to a team like Monaco. We needed to sign a top centre-back last month, but Arsene Wenger didn't. He signed Gabriel Paulista. Gabriel didn't play tonight, but I don't think he would have made a blind bit of difference to our defensive fortunes. I really do not see how we can make substantial impress domestically and in Europe while Wenger is still manager. Thanks for the memories, Arsene, but I think it'd be best if you step down in the summer. We need a fresh approach and new ideas - from someone like Jurgen Klopp, perhaps. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenthreeleader Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 If Klopp doesn't get Dortmund relegated, he's doing well. Not real certain how the wheels can come off a good side like that one. But he says he's never left a contract and he has time left on his current one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balthazars Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 Dreadful performance tonight. Absolutely terrible. We shouldn't be losing 3-1 at home to a team like Monaco.We needed to sign a top centre-back last month, but Arsene Wenger didn't. He signed Gabriel Paulista. Gabriel didn't play tonight, but I don't think he would have made a blind bit of difference to our defensive fortunes. I really do not see how we can make substantial impress domestically and in Europe while Wenger is still manager. Thanks for the memories, Arsene, but I think it'd be best if you step down in the summer. We need a fresh approach and new ideas - from someone like Jurgen Klopp, perhaps. To be fair I don't know how much of this was really the manager's fault. I find it hard to believe that he told the team to play like that. The pace of the game was slow as heck, and nothing like how we've played recently. It looked like the players took 'patience' to mean 'pedestrian'. Monaco had the rub of the green as well, which didn't help. Scored a deflected goal from their only real shot of the match thus far. Of course, that just meant we played into their hands in the second half. They score a good goal on the counter. We get one back to hopefully give ourselves a shout for the second leg, but then for some reason continue to try and bomb up the pitch playing in a haphazard, careless style; give the ball away again and then concede on the break at the death. We missed a few sitters (Welbeck twice, including the second which was blocked by Walcott, and Giroud, particularly the deflection from Sanchez's shot) too, which also did not help at all. If those two chances had been buried, we would have maybe even found a winner, or at least gone into the second leg with a chance. That said, the tie is over, again, because of an awful performance at home. It's dissapointing as heck, but I'll be honest, I don't mind sticking with Wenger because honestly who is out there who is guaranteed to be an improvement over him? Klopp won't leave until his contact expires - I believe him to be a man of his word, like Wenger, who has also never broken a contact - and his team has been pretty bad this season, so he's not exactly infallible. There isn't really anyone else with experience at a top-level club that I can think of that I would feel certain to be an 'upgrade' on Wenger. Otherwise, you're then looking at someone unproven at this level, which then becomes a big gamble because they could fail spectacularly. United are really the only other club to have been in the situation like this with a long-serving manager being replaced - they tried the latter (up and coming manager without experience at the top level) and it failed pretty spectacularly. They've gone the second route (big-name manager in England for the first time) and it's been so-so (decent results, but the style is pretty dire and not a lot of people are particularly convinced, and he still might 'fail' in terms of getting them back to the Champions League). It's not a guarantee things get better. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CFuller Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 That is quite well put, Balthazars, but I am still worried about the direction in which we are going. This has been another season of massive underachievement, in my opinion. The Champions League, in particular, has been a real let-down. After getting some very unfortunate draws in previous seasons, this was a golden opportunity to reach the Quarter Finals. We got far too complacent, though, and Monaco punished us by producing arguably their best performance in a very long time. We've not been that bad in the Premier League, and I never expected us to beat Chelsea or Manchester City to the title, but I had hoped we would get fairly close to them. As things stand, we're in a five-way battle with Manchester United, Tottenham, Southampton and Liverpool for a Champions League place, and at the moment, I am really not confident that we can finish above two of those teams. I am a massive fan of Arsene Wenger - don't get me wrong on that. I have been supporting Arsenal since 1998, so I have known nothing but the Wenger era. We were massively successful in my first nine seasons as a Gooner, but what do we have to show from the last nine seasons? One FA Cup win. Arsene has lost his golden touch, and he has drastically lowered his expectations in recent years. It's got to the point where we celebrate 4th place or getting through our Champions League group like other teams celebrate winning promotion or a cup. Do we want to be a team that's content with finishing 3rd or 4th in the Premier League every season? Do we want to be a team that always gets to the knockout stages of the Champions League, but almost never to the Semi Finals? Or do we want to show some genuine ambition for the first time since we moved to the Emirates Stadium? Like I said last night, I don't see us showing any ambition or making significant progress under Arsene Wenger. I honestly think we've got a chance of persuading Jurgen Klopp to replace Wenger next season, if Wenger does step down. Klopp's not a manager who breaks a contract, as yourself and 10-3 have rightfully pointed out, but at the same time, there's no guarantee that he will still be Borussia Dortmund's coach on their terms. I will admit that if we don't get Klopp, there would be a shortage of established replacements for Wenger. In that case, why don't we give the job to a Gunners legend? I'm talking about Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, or even Patrick Vieira. Yes, their lack of managerial experience would hinder them at first, but I'd be happy to take one season of pain (not qualifying for the Champions League) or even two, if there was a good chance of long-term gain. And let's not forget where Arsene Wenger was in his managerial career in 1996. He had enjoyed some success with Monaco and Nagoya Grampus Eight, but he was not considered to be one of the very best coaches in football. David Dein took a gamble on him, and it was a gamble that completely transformed this great club. Now, though, I believe we need to make another. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenArsenal Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 I get that we're definitely a pale shadow of our former selves, but think about it, we're in a far better position than many other clubs. Liverpool would probably kill to be in our shoes (they can't even get out of their CL Group, or win a Europa League tie), and I think Man U nowadays too, after the Moyes debacle. Yes we can definitely do better, and yes a new (and much better) central defender is very much needed, but I don't believe it's totally doom and gloom yet. I'll wait till this season is over, and hopefully Wenger can open his eyes and see what needs to be done, before judging. As it is I think we're doing well, without the inflated riches that Chelsea and Man City enjoy, mind you. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenthreeleader Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 Everything's relative. Look what happened to my Rangers, solely through their own idiocy. Right now I think we'd kill to have a decent manager in place. Manage expectations and enjoy the football. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
copperhorse21 Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 In a separate issue, I'm playing a save in FM 08 and I'm in March 2015. Parma is one of the clubs the AI has recorded as "Bankrupt" within the game. The AI also has predicted that Aston Villa is 3rd in the Premiership with John Carew (aged 35) 2nd in scoring with 14 goals. Newcastle is in 4th due to Michael Owen's 35 appearances in all competitions and 13 goals and 4 assists in 26 EPL appearances. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenthreeleader Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 I think "bankrupt" is bad, isn't it? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
copperhorse21 Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 Truly, it is. On yet another side not, I took over Birmingham in that 08 save when they were bankrupt and am working through the issues. The good news is that my key players can get 7.2K weekly now... I only posted that stuff about Parma because their current financial situation in real life seems to be mirroring what the AI predicted 8 "games" ago. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenArsenal Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Parma were bankrupt a few years ago too, weren't they? Poor things. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark wilson27 Posted March 1, 2015 Author Share Posted March 1, 2015 Ive just added a couple of stories to the Archives, as always if you think Ive missed one of yours please let me know cheers Plus those who forgot their predictions for this Weekends games remember you can still post for the midweek fixtures Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenthreeleader Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 I'll just get them wrong anyway. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balthazars Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Everything's relative. Look what happened to my Rangers, solely through their own idiocy. Right now I think we'd kill to have a decent manager in place. Manage expectations and enjoy the football. Sorry to drag up this old conversation again, but I've been unable to check in here for a few days... I think our resident grumpy old man has the right perspective here, as well as me mate Ben. The reality is the football landscape has been changed forever by the rise of the 'sugar-daddy' clubs and the huge explosion in the financial capabilities of a very select number of clubs at the top of the football tree. Arsenal, like it or not, are not at that level. They're part of the 'old guard' of established clubs that were able to make themselves profitable based on their history, large fan-base and reasonable success during the TV-$$ age. Managing expectations has to be a part of your ability to enjoy football in this day and age. Yes, it is so, so frustrating not being able to compete directly for trophies, particularly the league, on a regular basis. I particularly agree with CFuller that Arsenal has underachieved this season in that we're not closer to Chelsea and City (although technically now only 4 points behind City, they can be caught). However, what's stopped my from spiraling into the depths of depression, like in some of those seasons past where we were well behind United in the pecking order, is that I'm aware that catching Chelsea and City, when they can splurge out huge amounts of money assembling squads, is always going to be a tall order. If Arsenal fails to do it, that's not a disaster, it's probably what's going to happen 8 or 9 times out of 10. I'm trying to consider our progress now in terms of the 'big picture'. The club is at least still competitive. Progress in Europe is poor, but at least we get the experience and get to enjoy it. We did win the Cup last season - no mean feat, as getting any trophy is a challenge these days - which was immensely enjoyable. We regularly perform better than almost every other club in England. Really, the only clubs over the past 9 years that can realistically say they've had a better time than us are Chelsea, City and United, and arguably the last two seasons have been pretty rough on United fans. In that sense, we're still doing better than 95% of football clubs out there. Part of that is because the club has been managed well. Wenger may not be the dynamic, revolutionary manager of his younger years, but he knows a thing to two these days about keeping a club stable and providing a fairly consistent level of football. I think Gabriel is a decent signing and at the right age given the status of our other two main central defenders. We have more finances now, and bought two star players in the past two summers, and still have a solid crop of younger players pushing through. The squad is actually starting to look the most balanced it has in a long while. While the league is more competitive now, and the risk of not qualifying for the Champions League is getting greater, I still think the club will continue to perform reasonably well. Let's see where we end up (still in with a shout at the Cup again, particularly if we can get over our United hoodoo) at the end of the season and re-evaluate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
copperhorse21 Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 How are you feeling now, Balthy? Feeling any better now that Arsenal defeated a somewhat self-destructive Man Utd in the FA Cup Quarterfinals? Very disappointed to see not only one diver, but two divers from United (though Janusaz's dive culminated everything I believe about him because you'll give up a certain cross for an uncertain penalty call...). I'm also surprised that Bellarin? (Arsenal's DR) made it through the match without a second yellow card after he stuck an arm and leg out in the 2nd half to stop a fast break because Man Utd players were given yellow cards for similar offenses. That would have been his 2nd yellow after committing the first for clearing out Young so early in the match. I'm still disappointed with Man Utd's overall lack of effort to get open and also show for the ball within 15 yards of the play (Rooney and Herrera being the primary exceptions), plus their apparent lack of courage to pass to players whose backs are to goal and who are being marked within 4 yards. I still want Van Gaal out and that won't change, but I also know that the soul of what made United special (fast paced attacking play) is destroyed after Moyes and LvG so it won't be anytime soon before that style returns. However, getting Van Gaal off his seat and on the sidelines to at least fake being interested in getting his tactics onto the pitch in real time is a wish too great to long for at this time. Groan... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesterfan2 Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I am glad that I'm not the only one to think that Janusaz needs to be taught that using the ball in that situation would have been a better idea than throwing yourself onto the floor and then going blue in the face trying back up your lies. United at the minute are pitiful, Rooney gets washed away in the dross and it goes down to De Gea's one man virtuoso performances to keep them in with a chance of anything. United's next few games would be tough even if United were playing well, but right now I fear that it will be carnage, and what if De Gea has an off day in any of those games ???????? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenthreeleader Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 We've waited for years for the Premier League to produce a manager capable of silencing Wayne Rooney. Unfortunately, it's Louis van Gaal. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenArsenal Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Not football related, but... Jeremy Clarkson. Thoughts? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CFuller Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 I would have him shot. I would take him outside and execute him in front of his family. In all seriousness, though, I think that's it for him, and for Top Gear. If he did punch a producer for something as trivial as dinner, there's no way he'll be kept on. He was already on a final warning after 'Eeny Meeny Miny Moe' and 'slope' controversies. I've been watching Top Gear for several years now, and it was really good to begin with, but Clarkson has now outgrown the show in my opinion. He's such a popular/controversial personality that, if he is sacked, it's not the end of his career. He'll just get a new show on another network - perhaps Sky. I suspect that Top Gear won't survive without him, though. The show's recent worldwide success has pretty much been built on the 'middle-aged-men-behaving-badly' formula of Clarkson, Hammond and May. You can't really change that and expect the show to stay popular, as much as I'd like to see or brought in as Clarkson's replacement. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terk Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Racist, misogynist dickhead gets suspended for being a complete dickhead. I think the bigger story is that there are quite so many idiots who stand up in defence of him. 350,000 people signing a petition to reinstate him, it's an absolute joke. In the end I think him and the BBC probably will part now. and I agree with CFuller that it will be the end of the show, though I suspect it'll be a slow death. It'd be interesting to know how long Hammond and May have on their contracts with the BBC and whether their loyalty is to the show/their pay packets or to the reputation they've built up alongside Clarkson. I reckon Sky will be falling over themselves to sign Clarkson and let him do whatever he wants. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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