Ultimate Football (Soccer) Thread 2014-15

[Yellow Yellow Red]

Even funnier, they went straight back to Moyes-ball in the second half of the Swansea game. LvG will get more time on reputation alone, which isn't fair at all to Moyes, who pretty much got Shaw and Herrera (the former wasn't the hardest to scout considering he played in the PL and Moyes managed in England, in all fairness) and the contract signings were only a formality.

In hindsight, thank fuck we didn't get him at Spurs. The locker room atmosphere was toxic before Poch showed up, and I'm not sure how a crazy Dutchman could've helped that situation out. Then again, we did have Jol.

And I'm still struggling to see where Di Maria fits into 3-5-2, considering they're paper thin in central mids to play 4-3-3.

Speak ye not ill of Martin the Magnificent!

[Bundabunda]

Did you know he has brothers nicknamed Cock and Dick? I wonder if they're front office people for NAC.

[Pyroar]

GO MANCHESTER UNITED

[Alvalero]

GO MANCHESTER UNITED

Yes, going all the way to the championship!

[Alvalero]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bv_yLzhIcAAN_SL.jpg:large

Fucking superb.

I see that and I raise you this:

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/08/27/vunazu7y.jpg

I raise this

[Bundabunda]

Van Gaal the record breaker!

http://i.imgur.com/Bmkx5lM.jpg

[The Archregimancy]

As a Portsmouth supporter, can I just say that, on current form, I think we can likely take on Manchester United.

Actually, on current form, I think my Scottish team can likely take on Manchester United.


This is really all rather enjoyable.

[Osarius]

As a friend said to me last night, seeing Man Utd these days is like seeing that asshole from school who used to boot your football over the fence all the time. Except now he's working at McDonalds, flipping burgers for minimum wage.

[Dumb Ideologies]

You could say the team's been...VanGaalized.

IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE IF YOU SQUINT IT MIGHT SOUND A BIT LIKE VANDALIZED.

HO-HO-HO.

[The Archregimancy]

GO MANCHESTER UNITED

Yes, going all the way to the championship!

Well, wouldn't be the first time

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1973%E2%80 ... all_League

[Khalifa Arabia]

What are the odds of Moyes returning?

I'd say about 4-0

[Kogvuron]

What a game between Arsenal and Besiktas. I thought I was going to have a heart attack in those last 15 minutes.

[Auremena]

Kießling, 4 matches, 9 goals, 1 assist.
At age 30. Fantastic.

[Dei Terrare]

Wenger to launch Cavani bid Odds of happening: 15:1
Arsenal interested in Falcao loan deal Odds of happening: 20:1
Man Utd wants 16 million pounds from Arsenal for Welbeck Odds of happening: 12:1
Arsenal closes in on Alderweireld Odds of happening: 8:1
Remy tops Arsenal’s shortlist Odds of signing: 5:1

[Alvalero]

What a game between Arsenal and Besiktas. I thought I was going to have a heart attack in those last 15 minutes.

I was expecting a bit more from Besiktas in the last 15. They tried to be too clever with the ball infield and wasted a good deal of time when they could have played the ball earlier out wide.

[Angleter]

Regarding Villa - sigh. Not surprised.

See, when that, rather than shocked outrage and despair, is your response to losing to a League One outfit at this stage of the League Cup, you're some way towards having it awful.

[Osarius]

Regarding Villa - sigh. Not surprised.

I kind of was. Played well for the most part.
But as the game went on it became more likely, given the number of chances we had and didn't take.

Bentekkers can't come back quick enough. Bent doesn't look like scoring, and Gabby seems to have forgotten how.
Barring a late signing, Weimann is our main source of goals until then, and I like Andi, but let's be honest... he's shockingly inconsistent.

Lambo needs to sort it out. This lack of goals will see us in serious trouble otherwise.

[Eastfield Lodge]

Regarding Villa - sigh. Not surprised.

I kind of was. Played well for the most part.
But as the game went on it became more likely, given the number of chances we had and didn't take.

Bentekkers can't come back quick enough. Bent doesn't look like scoring, and Gabby seems to have forgotten how.
Barring a late signing, Weimann is our main source of goals until then, and I like Andi, but let's be honest... he's shockingly inconsistent.

Lambo needs to sort it out. This lack of goals will see us in serious trouble otherwise.

Newcastle seem to be in a similar rut, given we only managed to beat Gillingham (League One) 1-0 by an own goal .

[Bundabunda]

Not sure how I feel about Fazio. He is something of a second choice to Mussachio, but at the same time, he's still an Argentine that played in La Liga. Shrewd from Poch, to get players he must've seen a few dozen times in La Liga, then pick up the Argentine ones to help settle Lamela in.

[Auremena]

Not sure how I feel about Fazio. He is something of a second choice to Mussachio, but at the same time, he's still an Argentine that played in La Liga. Shrewd from Poch, to get players he must've seen a few dozen times in La Liga, then pick up the Argentine ones to help settle Lamela in.

His physical qualities are great. His consistency...
Not great. That's fortunately improvable.
Won't be bad as a rotation option. Not sure where Poch places him in the order, he'd be tied with Chiriches as a fourth choice in my book. Kaboul would remain second CB for about half the season, allowing Dier to fit in and eventually take that slot, while Fazio and Chiriches take the less important cup and league matches.
tl;dr, about right on in value, can still improve even at 27.

[Bundabunda]

I don't condone violence, but this video in particular let me know that this man is nails. Personally, I'd start him over Kaboul, as his legs are pretty much gone.

I think the plan is basically to let Fazio and Vert build a partnership for the next ~2-3 years, and after Vert inevitably leaves for Barcelona, let Dier and a youth product (I'm hoping for Vuljkovic, and I really hate slaughtering that name) start forming something.

Dier-Vert would be a pretty cool combination though. Dier's deceptively fast and big, and Vert is just a good player if not a good defender. I can't really explain it, but Dier looks like he has a lot of the same qualities that Vert had in his first season. He's an attack minded defender is what he is, and that's what separates him from all the other good English products like Terry, Cahill, Jags, etc.

[The Blaatschapen]

Wow http://blogs.wsj.com/dailyfix/2014/08/2 ... s-razgrad/

[Osarius]

Wow http://blogs.wsj.com/dailyfix/2014/08/2 ... s-razgrad/

Thats pretty awesome

Newcastle seem to be in a similar rut, given we only managed to beat Gillingham (League One) 1-0 by an own goal .

You guys have a few creators though. We don't even have that really.
Our problem comes from the fact that we have width and can get balls into the box (especially from quick counters) with no real problem... but there's nobody there to finish them. And we can't really create any other way, though I'm hoping that's where Sanchez and Cole come in. Sanchez to provide a platform for Westy and Delph to push up through the middle, and if Cole can do half of what Merse did for us 15 years ago, we're sorted.

[Liventia]

Wow http://blogs.wsj.com/dailyfix/2014/08/2 ... s-razgrad/

Also came off his line ridiculously early for the winning save.

[Alvalero]

Wow http://blogs.wsj.com/dailyfix/2014/08/2 ... s-razgrad/

Also came off his line ridiculously early for the winning save.

Spaghetti Dudek did the same many years ago but depending on the ref you may get some leniency. Nice underdog story.