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Fun to see a few upsets in the FA cup. I enjoy underdogs doing ok, unless its against my team :) Just about to watch league cup semi - Man City v Burton. City have gone with strong attacking line up. I predict pain for Burton. 4-0 this game, and 0-1 on the return leg. I saw a German coach quoted as saying that Liverpool are being found out. Apparently their front players project their movements in a predictable way, and if the opposition hinder the midfield, its starvation for Salah and crew.Over reaction to the Man City and Wolves victories?
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quote:
ORIGINAL: NavalNewZ
Fun to see a few upsets in the FA cup. I enjoy underdogs doing ok, unless its against my team :) Just about to watch league cup semi - Man City v Burton. City have gone with strong attacking line up. I predict pain for Burton. 4-0 this game, and 0-1 on the return leg. I saw a German coach quoted as saying that Liverpool are being found out. Apparently their front players project their movements in a predictable way, and if the opposition hinder the midfield, its starvation for Salah and crew.Over reaction to the Man City and Wolves victories?
warspite1
Probably. The Wolves game doesn't count - the team was seriously weakened. But the Man City game needs to be put in perspective. Liverpool could easily have won that game - but the breaks went to City.
As for tactics, Liverpool at their best are fearsome in the closing down of the opposition. Spurs never got a sniff at Wembley - they were excellent.
Cutting off the midfield to starve the attack? Isn't the result the same for most teams? It's being able to do that that is easier said than done.
Anyway interesting second half to the Premier League ahead with City and Liverpool battling it out for the title, United looking to get into the top four after their poor start, and Arsenal and Chelsea hunting down Tottenham for the final CL place.
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ORIGINAL: Orm
Isn't it a bit early to declare it a two-team race for the title?
warspite1
Maybe, but not in my opinion. Manchester United have too big a gap to make up. Chelsea less so, but they need a striker in January if they are to challenge. Spurs and Arsenal (and Chelsea if they don’t get a striker) are nowhere near consistent/good enough to challenge.
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ORIGINAL: terje439
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ORIGINAL: TulliusDetritus
The beast is unleashed [...] Ole's horde scores 5 goals.
As a norwegian - agree
Ole's horde seems insatiable. They claimed another poor victim
It's showing what those who pay attention already knew: "big names" are good for the non sophisticated ones.
And yet two striking cases are there: Mr -Nobodies- Guardiola (or Fraudiola if you dislike his brand of football) and Zidane. Somehow someone was brave enough to appoint them... and there goes the big names are a safe bet thing.
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As coaches, they were total nobodies. A risky move to appoint them but looks like it paid dividends. I watched plenty of football since the late 70's and the list of big names that failed is just huge. Everyone wins until... they stop winning. It's life. I too have seen plenty of nobodies doing well. It's life again. The rule is that there are no rules.
Ole has already won a league in Norway with Molde if I am not mistaken. A level above Guardiola and Zidane when both were appointed Clowns-in-Chief.
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edit: when they were hired the first time aka two aristocratic teams (Barcelona and Real). United is certainly a part of this aristocracy, along with Liverpool et al
< Message edited by TulliusDetritus -- 1/14/2019 7:16:50 PM >
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ORIGINAL: TulliusDetritus
edit: when they were hired the first time aka two aristocratic teams (Barcelona and Real). United is certainly a part of this aristocracy, along with Liverpool et al
Both of team were managers for their respective clubs reserve teams. So it wasn't like their managerial skills were completely unknown when they were hired for the main team.
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ORIGINAL: TulliusDetritus
Barcelona / Real Madrid B is synonymous of weak nobodies, I'm sorry. And playing in inferior divisions. From there straight to the elite...
I am agreeing that the B teams are relatively weak teams. The point I was trying to make is that they were advanced within the organization. The clubs had a chance to see how they managed the weaker teams. They also had a long career as football players for respective club. So, for the clubs, they were not unknowns. The clubs, I argue, knew them very well before they were advanced to manage the main team.
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Yes, they were indeed part of the organisation. But you know this is basically meaningless as clubs tend to hire "big names".
Minimum we should expect these guys coaching [1st division] relegation fodder miserables or mid table teams. This might give them some "elite" experience. What Mourinho did before getting the job at Oporto. Or Ole for that matter.
But Guardiola and Zidane had zero experience at elite level.
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...and that is the end of Spurs hopes of a top 4 finish, much less a trophy.
Harry Kane out until March at least......
Boringly predictable that the muppets who refuse to admit his quality, are now gloating that Spurs' season is finished without him. Bunch of morons - too stupid to even realise their own contradiction.
I really hate stooooopid football
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Well the wheels came off our season in rather spectacular fashion didn't they? Chances of qualifying for the CL next season? That would be slim to zero....
I really hate stoooopid football, though might not have mentioned that previously....
< Message edited by warspite1 -- 1/30/2019 5:09:21 PM >
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ORIGINAL: Orm
And I thought things has gone fairly decent, this far.
Any good replacements?
warspite1
Losing the semi-final of the Carabao Cup and, a few days later, losing in the FA Cup 4th Round was not great. Losing Harry Kane and Dele Alli until March - and so likely to miss the CL games against Dortmund and possibly the matches against Chelsea and Arsenal - also not great.
Replacements? Yes. Replacements that can make up for the loss of Sir Harold and Dele? No.
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So, since PL was formed, only twice has a team led between Xmas and New Years and NOT won the title. It was Liverpool both times. The latest results... This is not good on my nerves
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ORIGINAL: terje439
So, since PL was formed, only twice has a team led between Xmas and New Years and NOT won the title. It was Liverpool both times. The latest results... This is not good on my nerves
warspite1
Is this right? What about Newcastle in 1995/96?
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England expects that every man will do his duty. Horatio Nelson October 1805
Ow!! Champions league is back..who fancies English teams?? i have no hope any except for Manchester City.. I support Man-U but a 2-0 loss doesn't do us any favor at the moment.
< Message edited by sandertristan -- 3/9/2019 3:16:29 PM >
Have to say this Association Football thing is really pretty good - I defy anyone to point to any posts where I have said anything to the contrary.
At the other end of the scale ... and the country, its been a big weekend in Highlands football.
Brora (pop 1100 - and the biggest town close to where I work) are now top of the Highland league and the world famous 'Kessock Bridge' Derby ended 2-2 in the Scottish Cup
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RE: All things Football (soccer) related - 
Chances of qualifying for the CL next season? That would be slim to zero.... 
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