The Football Thread.

Vintage65

guitars4you said:

Vintage65 said:

Leeds are going to lose a lot of their better players if they don't get promoted this year.

It's the shit we brought to stay in the PL that I'm worried about - Roca, Sinister, Aaronson, Wober, Kristensen - Came for 1 year - Did a crap job and then wanted out - All on loan and can barely get a game - We don't want them 

I don't think Farke will want any of them back, so it would probably be a rebuild job. On their day Leeds are unstoppable, so they need to get their arses in gear and stop dropping all those silly points.

thecolourbox

I think you have a good long term manager in Farke, I'd trust his judgement. the problem will be similar to what we've had at West Brom in the past - wanting to clear out deadwood but nobody wanting to take our dead wood away. Be it wages, fees, or just not good enough etc, it's not easy to clear out and rebuild just like that

guitars4you

Vintage65 said:

guitars4you said:

Vintage65 said:

Leeds are going to lose a lot of their better players if they don't get promoted this year.

It's the shit we brought to stay in the PL that I'm worried about - Roca, Sinister, Aaronson, Wober, Kristensen - Came for 1 year - Did a crap job and then wanted out - All on loan and can barely get a game - We don't want them 

I don't think Farke will want any of them back, so it would probably be a rebuild job. On their day Leeds are unstoppable, so they need to get their arses in gear and stop dropping all those silly points.

The beauty of the EFL is that on the day, any team can and will beat any other team - A bad run over Christmas, away from home - But a slower start than Ipswich/Leics as DF had only just arrived - Many new players to blend in and find his formation/plan etc 

Looks like Leics are gone, so a fight for 1 auto place and on current form that is likely to go to Soton - Play offs are then a total lottery - But still a lot to play for 

Agree about DF not wanting them back and fans don't either - I'd say we have a better team now and a better dressing room spirit, than the team that got relegated 

Vintage65

thecolourbox said:

I think you have a good long term manager in Farke, I'd trust his judgement. the problem will be similar to what we've had at West Brom in the past - wanting to clear out deadwood but nobody wanting to take our dead wood away. Be it wages, fees, or just not good enough etc, it's not easy to clear out and rebuild just like that

Having observed how Farke works, I get the impression that he would rather fill his squad with youngsters than have players who don't conform to his way of doing things. Cresswell is a case in point, he played Ampadu out of position on the weekend and didn't even have him on the bench.

thecolourbox

Yes I agree he will do things his way, and strongly, but players on big contracts won't want to drop that so it's hard to get rid of them. We've had a few and ended up having to pay them a load of money to leave, when we are already in financial difficulties, it's not great. In fact we've still got some (Adam Reach, is a good example of a useless player on high wages that won't leave)

guitars4you

thecolourbox said:

I think you have a good long term manager in Farke, I'd trust his judgement. the problem will be similar to what we've had at West Brom in the past - wanting to clear out deadwood but nobody wanting to take our dead wood away. Be it wages, fees, or just not good enough etc, it's not easy to clear out and rebuild just like that

Just looking at the league table - Down to 13th/14th - Cardiff + Bristol - Are only effectively 1 win away from the play offs - And you've probably got to go down to 19th and Plymouth to say 'for certain' that they won't make the play offs

Unfortunately our 'dead wood' was all purchased last year in the PL - Brought into consolidate a PL place - Failed to do so and all wanted out after - So sod off IMO - We've sold Adams to B'Mouth but think he has been injured all season so far - But the likes of Weston McKennie, Aaronson, Roca, Wober and Kristenson were a total waste of time - They are all on loan overseas, but none have secured a regular place, so chances are they will be back sooner rather than later - The plus factor is we are not in a bad financial position 

Vintage65

guitars4you said:

The beauty of the EFL is that on the day, any team can and will beat any other team - A bad run over Christmas, away from home - But a slower start than Ipswich/Leics as DF had only just arrived - Many new players to blend in and find his formation/plan etc 

Looks like Leics are gone, so a fight for 1 auto place and on current form that is likely to go to Soton - Play offs are then a total lottery - But still a lot to play for 

Agree about DF not wanting them back and fans don't either - I'd say we have a better team now and a better dressing room spirit, than the team that got relegated 

I think Leeds have an easier run-in, and their last game is at home to Southampton. They just need to get their heads down and stop dropping silly points. Am I correct in saying Leeds have the best defensive record and the most shots on goal? It's good to see they are starting Rutter further back, as he's more effective with space in front of him, and he's a proper menace when he get's going.

scrumhalf

Even with half a team missing and with three of those on duty not match-sharp I'm still disappointed that we didn't come away from OT with three points.

ManU have a job on their hands. They have players who wear the same kit but they are not a team.

mudslide73

Vintage65 said:

guitars4you said:

The beauty of the EFL is that on the day, any team can and will beat any other team - A bad run over Christmas, away from home - But a slower start than Ipswich/Leics as DF had only just arrived - Many new players to blend in and find his formation/plan etc 

Looks like Leics are gone, so a fight for 1 auto place and on current form that is likely to go to Soton - Play offs are then a total lottery - But still a lot to play for 

Agree about DF not wanting them back and fans don't either - I'd say we have a better team now and a better dressing room spirit, than the team that got relegated 

I think Leeds have an easier run-in, and their last game is at home to Southampton. They just need to get their heads down and stop dropping silly points. Am I correct in saying Leeds have the best defensive record and the most shots on goal? It's good to see they are starting Rutter further back, as he's more effective with space in front of him, and he's a proper menace when he get's going.

I think 2nd is very doable for Leeds. Ipswich have had a bit of a wobble lately and I think they may fall away. It's a crazy year though as 2ppg usually guarantees top 2 but Leicester's dominance may mean this doesn't apply. Soton or Leeds for 2nd imo and whoever misses out to go up via the playoffs. I think we'll just miss out @thecolourbox - Reach was decent on Saturday but Blackburn were awful tbf.

thecolourbox

mudslide73 said:

Vintage65 said:

guitars4you said:

The beauty of the EFL is that on the day, any team can and will beat any other team - A bad run over Christmas, away from home - But a slower start than Ipswich/Leics as DF had only just arrived - Many new players to blend in and find his formation/plan etc 

Looks like Leics are gone, so a fight for 1 auto place and on current form that is likely to go to Soton - Play offs are then a total lottery - But still a lot to play for 

Agree about DF not wanting them back and fans don't either - I'd say we have a better team now and a better dressing room spirit, than the team that got relegated 

I think Leeds have an easier run-in, and their last game is at home to Southampton. They just need to get their heads down and stop dropping silly points. Am I correct in saying Leeds have the best defensive record and the most shots on goal? It's good to see they are starting Rutter further back, as he's more effective with space in front of him, and he's a proper menace when he get's going.

I think 2nd is very doable for Leeds. Ipswich have had a bit of a wobble lately and I think they may fall away. It's a crazy year though as 2ppg usually guarantees top 2 but Leicester's dominance may mean this doesn't apply. Soton or Leeds for 2nd imo and whoever misses out to go up via the playoffs. I think we'll just miss out @thecolourbox - Reach was decent on Saturday but Blackburn were awful tbf.

Reach is at his best for us when he doesn't need to touch the ball, which thankfully largely he didn't need to as Blackburn were made of butter so could just kick the ball towards the goal and we'd score

guitars4you

scrumhalf said:

Even with half a team missing and with three of those on duty not match-sharp I'm still disappointed that we didn't come away from OT with three points.

ManU have a job on their hands. They have players who wear the same kit but they are not a team.

Yes probably a better point for Man U than Spurs - Not sure where the Man U midfield went for that 2nd Spurs goal at the start of the 2nd half - Pass from deep, right thru' the heart of midfield and then they were in

One issue I had - Early 1st half and a penalty claim for Garnacho - He was certainly pulled and the Spurs player had both arms around Garnacho's waist - But nothing given

In the 2nd half a similar scenario but outside the box and of course free kick given 

There is no where in the rule box that states there are 2 different levels as to what constitutes a foul - A penalty is only a free kick in the 18 yard area - It would have been a soft penalty to concede but the Spurs player did pull him back from behind with 2 hands - If you give it as a free kick outside the box then the same should apply inside the box 

Rashford had a good game which is a rare event this season - But boy oh boy does he always look pee'd off - He never looks happy and smiles - When he scored and ran to the corner flag and did the talk talk talk bit with his hands and wonder what that implied and who it was aimed at - But never a good sign

Vintage65

guitars4you said:

Yes probably a better point for Man U than Spurs - Not sure where the Man U midfield went for that 2nd Spurs goal at the start of the 2nd half - Pass from deep, right thru' the heart of midfield and then they were in.

At the end of last season, I suggested to a Man U 1st team coach that they should take a look at Ethan Ampadu for a DM role. He didn't listen 

TTony

scrumhalf said:

ManU have a job on their hands. They have players who wear the same kit but they are not a team.

The third-biggest problem ManU have is that they've spent ££s and failed to build a team.
The second-biggest problem ManU have is that ETH thinks he needs more time to build that team (compare to what Ange has done in no-time flat).
The first-biggest problem ManU have is that they'll probably sack ETH and spend a load more ££s trying to solve the first two problems.


Teams are built, not bought. 

Vintage65

TTony said:

The third-biggest problem ManU have is that they've spent ££s and failed to build a team.
The second-biggest problem ManU have is that ETH thinks he needs more time to build that team (compare to what Ange has done in no-time flat).
The first-biggest problem ManU have is that they'll probably sack ETH and spend a load more ££s trying to solve the first two problems.


Teams are built, not bought. 

Yep, you need to build the team around a strong nucleolus of players which hasn't happened since SAF left, and even that title winning side was on it's last legs. All those subsequent management changes didn't help much either.

Philly_Q

Vintage65 said:

TTony said:

The third-biggest problem ManU have is that they've spent ££s and failed to build a team.
The second-biggest problem ManU have is that ETH thinks he needs more time to build that team (compare to what Ange has done in no-time flat).
The first-biggest problem ManU have is that they'll probably sack ETH and spend a load more ££s trying to solve the first two problems.


Teams are built, not bought. 

Yep, you need to build the team around a strong nucleolus of players which hasn't happened since SAF left, and even that last title winning side was on it's last legs.

I always assumed that was one of the reasons he retired when he did.  He knew when to get rid of players, and he knew when to get out himself - legacy untarnished.

Vintage65

Chelsea are another basket case, one billion spent on players who are hardly any better than those they have replaced.

guitars4you

Forest and Everton - Have now been charged by the PL for FFP - Interesting how Man City can still 'trade' in their own way whilst the authorities sieve thru' all the details to build a case 

By the sounds of things, 1/2 the PL can barely spend a penny this transfer window due to their own position and in danger of breaching FFP - That includes Newcastle 

I understand that the PL now intend to charge appropriate clubs within the same season that the accounts are issued, which shows the appropriate/latest losses - As such punishment will be instant and part of the same season

mrkb

Hmm, Everton and Forest charged with more financial issues - yet no progress on Man City or Chelsea?!? Are the FA really doing anything for the good of the game? 

Vintage65

guitars4you said:

Forest and Everton - Have now been charged by the PL for FFP - Interesting how Man City can still 'trade' in their own way whilst the authorities sieve thru' all the details to build a case 

By the sounds of things, 1/2 the PL can barely spend a penny this transfer window due to their own position and in danger of breaching FFP - That includes Newcastle 

I understand that the PL now intend to charge appropriate clubs within the same season that the accounts are issued, which shows the appropriate/latest losses - As such punishment will be instant and part of the same season

Good news for Leeds? Everton are still after Gnonto, plus Summerville is a target for other clubs.

mikeyrob73

How can they hit Everton with TWO in one season yet Man City and Chelsea carry on regardless ? 

Corrupt wank of a league