Re: Football Chat Thread PART II : Tue Dec 10, 2013 11:43 pm  

Cibaman wrote:

Apparently Moyes will only sign players that he's seen play live at least 5 times. As he was still looking at players for Everton until he joined United, none of United's existing targets, apart from Fabregas, met that criteria.

Can Moyes seriously expect to go and watch his prospects, five times, live, before making the decision?

I get what Moyes is like, but he's the manager of Manchester United, they play three games a week and compete for every tournament. Can he realistically expect to sod off into Europe to run the rule of potential signings whilst his team continue to perform the way they do? His job is to manage the side, he should be out on the training ground every day, not swanning off into Europe. Furthermore, how does he expect to beat off opposition if he's going to watch the prospect five times? It's OK when you're Everton manager, Everton don't compete with clubs for purchases and Everton have a much broader level of player they can target. Moyes has to be looking at the very top drawer, or potentially the very top drawer, of player, these players don't hang about and I imagine he will lose out to the bigger clubs who won't waste time sending their manager around the continent when they pay scouts thousands to do the job.

Re: Football Chat Thread PART II : Thu Dec 12, 2013 8:36 am  

Roddy B wrote:

Can Moyes seriously expect to go and watch his prospects, five times, live, before making the decision?

I get what Moyes is like, but he's the manager of Manchester United, they play three games a week and compete for every tournament. Can he realistically expect to sod off into Europe to run the rule of potential signings whilst his team continue to perform the way they do? His job is to manage the side, he should be out on the training ground every day, not swanning off into Europe. Furthermore, how does he expect to beat off opposition if he's going to watch the prospect five times? It's OK when you're Everton manager, Everton don't compete with clubs for purchases and Everton have a much broader level of player they can target. Moyes has to be looking at the very top drawer, or potentially the very top drawer, of player, these players don't hang about and I imagine he will lose out to the bigger clubs who won't waste time sending their manager around the continent when they pay scouts thousands to do the job.

It could be that he realises that he cant do that at United, just hadn't built up a level of trust in United's scouting network when he took over in summer.

Still cant get over City not knowing that 2-4 would be enough to top the group. Don't expect Pellegrini to personally study the rules but he should have made sure that someone had.

Re: Football Chat Thread PART II : Sun Dec 15, 2013 6:16 pm  

Finishing in the Europa league places must feel like a poison chalice for managers.

When you see how Newcastle performed last season, and how Swansea & Spurs are under performing this season makes you wonder if its better to put the Kids/fringe players in.

Re: Football Chat Thread PART II : Sun Dec 15, 2013 6:24 pm  

For all his obvious faults, there is little denying that, currently, Luis Suarez is head and shoulders above anybody else in the Premier League.

If Tottenham managed to squeeze £85 million out of Madrid for Gareth Bale, then I'd reckon that Suarez could possibly be the World's first £100 million player if Liverpool decide to cash in on him, in the next year or so.

Re: Football Chat Thread PART II : Sun Dec 15, 2013 7:24 pm  

He is excellent, but the Radio City commentators are definitely on commission-based pay related to how many times they metaphorically suck him off during marches

Re: Football Chat Thread PART II : Sun Dec 15, 2013 8:53 pm  

100% Wire wrote:

He is excellent, but the Radio City commentators are definitely on commission-based pay related to how many times they metaphorically suck him off during marches

Now you know how the rest of football feels after the mass splooge over the past two decades over United's players. Suarez is easily the form player of the league at the moment and he was as good as Bale last year, there aren't enough superlatives to describe his play at the moment. He's a joy to watch.

[John_D]

Re: Football Chat Thread PART II : Mon Dec 16, 2013 8:57 am  

duke street 10 wrote:

Finishing in the Europa league places must feel like a poison chalice for managers.

When you see how Newcastle performed last season, and how Swansea & Spurs are under performing this season makes you wonder if its better to put the Kids/fringe players in.

Had a discussion along these lines over Saturday aft beers. You spend all season trying to get European football then spend the next season whinging about having to play European football. You don't get to have it both ways.

Re: Football Chat Thread PART II : Mon Dec 16, 2013 11:10 am  

AVB potted

Re: Football Chat Thread PART II : Mon Dec 16, 2013 11:21 am  

flipper wrote:

AVB potted

And Man City draw Barcelona in the CL.

Is Messi out of the side right now and will be out for the tie? It'd best for them if he's in the side but struggling.

Re: Football Chat Thread PART II : Mon Dec 16, 2013 11:29 am  

I'm not happy about playing against Drogba.

But having said that, it's about a thousand times better than playing Barca or Bayern!

When Drogba played for us against Marseilles I was so angered I would have punched him if I'd got the chance. Basically he was about 5% interested in the match and 95% focused on waving to the adoring Marseilles fans.