The Ongoing Serie A, La Liga, All English Football, Champions League Thread - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Part 29

[Thread Manager]

This is a continuation thread, the old thread is [split]486627[/split]

 

[Thread Manager]

This is a continuation thread, the old thread is [split]485599[/split]

 

[Iceman]

Definitely shouldn't be sacked mid season. Lets see where you finish.

 

[B]

I think it would be somewhat disrespectful to sack Rodgers now mid-season, I think he has earned the right to be given some time, at least till the end of the season, to help turn the fortunes round after he brought Champions League football (& indeed European football) back to the club and took them as close to a Premiership trophy as Benitez, the manager a lot of at least Twitter Liverpool fans seem to want back, ever did last season.

Yes they've spent £120m or whatever it was on players, but they've also lost their top scorer last season & so far this season their second highest goalscorer last season has more or less hardly kicked a ball since the league started. As well as the fact their signings have not fully gelled together yet or produced their best.

I'd say the only way Liverpool will sack him mid-season, is if they continue to struggle for points. They're at a point in their dip of form in which signs need to be shown that they are about to turn a corner.. getting a win today was a good start.

 

[Hunter Rider]

Great to see him back today!

 

[Iceman]

He came on for Di Maria right? Has he been injured or just not getting in the team. I'd be surprised if the latter as he seems worth a starting spot to me when everyone ifls fit.

 

[Hunter Rider]

Watching Sunderland vs Chelsea on Sky Sports felt like I was watching a different game to the commentators, then Ruud Gullit analyzed it afterwards and confirmed I was right, Chelsea were shut down and Sunderland looked just as likely to grab the 3 points in the last 20 minutes.

He came on for Di Maria right? Has he been injured or just not getting in the team. I'd be surprised if the latter as he seems worth a starting spot to me when everyone ifls fit.

He's had a rib injury since the West Ham game and aggravated it by trying to play in that corset thing against West Brom. Di Maria thankfully seems like he'll only miss a game or two but I am glad to see Ander get back in and remind LvG of how good he is. It's no coincidence that our best attacking play this season has came when he has played.

 

[Iceman]

Watching Sunderland vs Chelsea on Sky Sports felt like I was watching a different game to the commentators, then Ruud Gullit analyzed it afterwards and confirmed I was right, Chelsea were shut down and Sunderland looked just as likely to grab the 3 points in the last 20 minutes.



He's had a rib injury since the West Ham game and aggravated it by trying to play in that corset thing against West Brom. Di Maria thankfully seems like he'll only miss a game or two but I am glad to see Ander get back in and remind LvG of how good he is. It's no coincidence that our best attacking play this season has came when he has played.

Any chance your 1st choice lineup gets a game in before the end of the season? Lol. When is Luke Shaw back? He was awesome going forward when I went to Old Trafford. And don't see much future for RVP after this season.

 

[BlackFox]

Amazing what confidence can do to a side, that win at Arsenal, despite not being a great display, made us play a bit more like our old self yesterday, fantastic in the first half, even Smalling

Shame about Di Maria getting injured, just as Falcao has come back but never mind that seems to be our luck this season. Even though he didnt have long at least Falcoa continued to show great sharpness and build up play, just a shame he couldnt take his one chance he had, he is clearly better for the team than RVP, glad he got a goal for himself but his legs just cant move like they used to. Falcoa is clearly the best option up front out of the two, IF he can get fully fit, fingers crossed.

 

[Iceman]

City beat Southampton 3-0 away, and it looks like they scored 2 more goals after going down to 10 men. That's title fight and on the same weekend Chelsea dropped points. Probably going to be too little late but at least it looks like they will be going for it.

Edit: oh the gap is only 6 points!

 

[Hunter Rider]

Big win for City, I am starting to wonder if the bubble has burst for Southampton now Pelle and Tadic's honeymoon period is over. They were poor against Villa on Monday and comfortably beaten by City today.

Any chance your 1st choice lineup gets a game in before the end of the season? Lol. When is Luke Shaw back? He was awesome going forward when I went to Old Trafford. And don't see much future for RVP after this season.

I'm not holding my breath! Shaw should be back in a couple of weeks, hopefully for the Liverpool game as he's been excellent for us after a difficult start due to fitness. RvP scored a great strike yesterday but overall I think he's declined too far to be more than a bench player at most for us if we intend to compete for the title next season.

 

[BlackFox]

City beat Southampton 3-0 away, and it looks like they scored 2 more goals after going down to 10 men. That's title fight and on the same weekend Chelsea dropped points. Probably going to be too little late but at least it looks like they will be going for it.

Edit: oh the gap is only 6 points!

Still a long way to go, we've seen bigger points differences blown later in the season so anything is still possible. Still I said Chelsea from the start, so for me they will win it but both teams will drop points between now and the end of the season, just depends if City can play with that hunger more often as they have shown in the last couple of games. A lot can change over Xmas with games coming thick and fast.

Chelsea have a big game on Wednesday again, against Spurs so will be interesting to see how they react.

 

[Iceman]

I'm not holding my breath! Shaw should be back in a couple of weeks, hopefully for the Liverpool game as he's been excellent for us after a difficult start due to fitness. RvP scored a great strike yesterday but overall I think he's declined too far to be more than a bench player at most for us if we intend to compete for the title next season.

I don't think you can win the title if he is a starting player next season. Sad really as a couple of years ago he would have been the man to lead you there. Shaw is looking like a good buy even at the price given his age. I think he's going to have a great Utd career if he can avoid injuries.

Still a long way to go, we've seen bigger points differences blown later in the season so anything is still possible. Still I said Chelsea from the start, so for me they will win it but both teams will drop points between now and the end of the season, just depends if City can play with that hunger more often as they have shown in the last couple of games. A lot can change over Xmas with games coming thick and fast.

Chelsea have a big game on Wednesday again, against Spurs so will be interesting to see how they react.

Agreed. In my head I thought Chelsea had an extra couple of points in between. 6 points is not the end of the world at this stage but they were looking like they could get to 13/14 points ahead which would have been a different matter.

If they don't win against Spurs, mentally that will be a momentum shift and the gap will suddenly look too close for comfort. Mourinho will have to cancel the Xmas party again lol.

 

[kit1982]

I have to say like a good sorbet that Spurs vs Everton match cleansed my palate, none of this 4-1-1-1-1-1-1-1, false#10 rubbish, good old tenacity and gusto won that match tonight.

 

[Lilbaz]

COYS we actually played really well at times. Closing down and quick counter attacking. Played badly at times as well though.

Chelsea next which should be easy. Ok maybe not.

 

[kit1982]

Just seen that Dortmund are bottom of the bundesliga, what a sad state of affairs but really you can't expect a manager to keep up results when he's selling his top talent every year and buying replacements for Peanuts.

 

[Darthphere]

Just seen that Dortmund are bottom of the bundesliga, what a sad state of affairs but really you can't expect a manager to keep up results when he's selling his top talent every year and buying replacements for Peanuts.

Indeed. And with what seems to be an impending exodus this January things are looking bleak. It's just so odd to see them playing so well in the UCL and so poorly domestically.

 

[Fallen Angel]

Just seen that Dortmund are bottom of the bundesliga, what a sad state of affairs but really you can't expect a manager to keep up results when he's selling his top talent every year and buying replacements for Peanuts.

Yep and funnily enough they have more points in their champions league group.

They've also had bad injuries to key players in the last two seasons and they don't have a big squad as it is.

 

[Iceman]

Last? That is crazy at this stage of the season.

Anything to do with the league being much stronger nowadays? Hope they don't go down.

 

[Fallen Angel]

It doesn't matter if the league's stronger there shouldn't be 15 teams better than them.

It hasn't suddenly become Seria A of the 80's and 90's or something.

 

[Iceman]

I've not seen any German domestic games for a while, would be interested to know how they're playing in those games and if they deserve the results they've got.

 

[Fallen Angel]

BT Sport show Bundesliga games.

For atmosphere it's as good as the premier league if not better.

 

[Iceman]

I used to watch the Bundesliga, Serie A, La Liga, Championship (Division 2 back then) regularly and was interested in whatever else I could get but don't have the time I had back then. Outside of PL all I see are Real/Barca Spanish games and even those I've missed recently. Yeah I was supposed to go to a Bundesliga game with some German guys through work few years ago. Some other guy went and said the fans were awesome.

 

[Fallen Angel]

I've been to both Allianz Arena (Bayern's) and Westfalen (Borussia Dortmund's) and Dortmund's stadium on match days is amazing. Standing crowd in the main stand and their average crowd for league games is 80,000.

 

[Iceman]

Bloody hell. And not a prawn sandwich in sight I bet.

Standing really improves atmosphere. I've been to quite a few Palace away games at the bigger clubs this season and their away support is great.