The Ongoing Serie A, La Liga, All English Football, Champions League Thread - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Part 37

[Thread Manager]

This is a continuation thread, the old thread is [split]503819[/split]

 

[Thread Manager]

This is a continuation thread, the old thread is [split]502717[/split]

 

[DeadPresident]

I'd say that's an unfair comparison, considering Suarez and Aquero (and Drogba in the past) as #9s are more than good, if the basis is that Costa is a good #9.

In hindsight I'd say you're right, but Chelsea are supposed to be competing at the highest level in Europe so I'm comparing Costa to that quality. People were busting nuts about Costa when Chelsea signed him and my argument is just that he isn't one of the top 5 center forwards in the European game, maybe not even in the top 10.

Costa is a #9 though. That is his job. If he is a good player, he is a good #9 imo. I wouldn't say a goal keeper wasn't a good player if he sucked at playing another position.

I have never heard that a good #9 needs to create chances through assist. When it comes to #9 the properties would be are scoring, hold up play, making good runs that free you and your teammates up, being in the box, and creating space through movement. I'd say Costa does most of that quite well.

Ronaldo is probably the greatest #9 I have ever seen, and he wasn't an assist machine. He was a goal machine.

When I said create their own goals I meant create chances for themselves, not team mates. In the season when Liverpool came second pretty much half of Suarez's goals were ones he engineered himself. That's what a number 9 should be able to do these days, if he's going to be outstanding, which is what I saw a lot of people say Costa was last season.

 

[Brian Braddock]

Yup, Rodgers took all the plaudits when we came second but I feel it was only because of just how good Suarez is and how much he elevated those players around him. Without him? Well, its a different story.

Speaking of which, there are lots of rumours flying round lately about Rodgers but so far, they look to be just that. SHAME. As an LFC supporter I can say that I want a change. To me, its become apparent that Brendan Rodgers is all fur coat and no knickers; very quick to talk a good game and deliver sage-like wisdom but has very little about him to back it up. Yes, he impressed Fenway with his 180 page menifesto but, lets me honest here, this was at a time when FSG knew very little about football so such a feat is not exactly an accomplishment - I think I could have gone in there with a telephone directory and got the job. Again, that's where Rodgers expertise at talking a good game came in.

I now want an experienced manager who actually knows what he's doing. No, perhaps that a tad unfair. I want a manager who knows other ways of doing things. Who will look at the players at his disposal and craft a system engineered to get the best out of them and their attributes, not a manager who shoe-horns square pegs into round holes just because he only knows one way of playing [and he's not even particularly great at setting that up at the moment]. Any identity we had as a team [an attacking team that were at times unstoppable - 'you score one we'll score two' etc] is now gone [with Suarez] and to be honest, I don't even know what our style is. I don't think the players do either, more importantly.

Sorry Brendan, but your time is up for me. You've had time, you've had money [over £200 bloody million] but we look about as far off the pace now as we did when you took over.

 

[Kaleb]

@RobHarris
CONFIRMED: FIFA decides 2022 World Cup in Qatar will start November 21 & to be played in just 28 days. Final on Dec 18, Qatar National Day


yeah this is gonna go down well.

 

[DeadPresident]

How are they going to structure the domestic seasons? That baffles me

 

[Kaleb]

@SamBorden
BREAKING: Swiss attorney general bringing charges of "criminal mismanagement" and "misappropriation" against Sepp Blatter.


‏@SamBorden
BREAKING: Swiss police search and seize data from Sepp Blatter's office as part of criminal investigation.


@SamBorden
BREAKING: Swiss authorities "interrogated" Blatter today. Also heard from Michel Platini, who may have information about alleged payment.

Sepp was due to have a press conference and got cancelled 5 minutes before it started

 

[DeadPresident]

Damn today is a bit of a bomb dropping spree. If they were to criminally prosecute Blatter it would set a fantastic precedent.

 

[Kaleb]

sounds like the authorities questioned Platini who then rolled over and gave them everything they wanted to know about Blatter

 

[DeadPresident]

I can't stand Platini to be honest, he would do exactly what Blatter did IMO. But if he helps to bring more attention to what FIFA is doing I'll go along with it. Criminal proceedings mean they mean business though, Blatter should do time for how horrendously he's allowed FIFA to deteriorate.

 

[Kaleb]

@RobHarris
FA suspends Arsenal's Gabriel for one match for improper conduct

 

[Parker Wayne]

@ManUtd

James Wilson has signed a new contract at #mufc until June 2019 with an option to extend for a further year.

Van Gaal has good things to say about Wilson also.

@ManUtd
Van Gaal on Wilson: "He's one of England's brightest prospects. It's clear to see he has a fine future ahead of him." #mufc

Now give him some playing time, or at least put him on the bench. I'd rather Wilson be backup striker to Martial than Fellaini.

 

[Iceman]

Amazing news on Blatter!! After the FA finally grew some balls and took retrospective action on Costa are the game's regulators finally doing their job?! Better late than never though so it's great to see.

I also have no idea how the winter mid-season World Cup is going to work. The domestic season is going to be totally chaotic.

 

[Parker Wayne]

United got some great Youth in the system. It's exciting to think of the damage they could do with these core players alone (ages in parenthesis):

Wilson (19)
Martial (19)
Pereira (19)
Memphis (21)
Shaw (20)
McNair (20)

 

[Iceman]

I need to see more of Wilson, Pereira and McNair but that does look like a promising pool of young talent.

 

[Hunter Rider]

Van Gaal has good things to say about Wilson also.

Now give him some playing time, or at least put him on the bench. I'd rather Wilson be backup striker to Martial than Fellaini.

Maybe we were waiting for him to sign a new deal before integrating him into the match day squad, it will be interesting to see if he is on the bench tomorrow, if I recall correctly Pereira was in the PL game that followed him signing his new deal.

 

[Parker Wayne]

I need to see more of Wilson, Pereira and McNair but that does look like a promising pool of young talent.

Those three have a lot to prove but I think they all earned some game time in the first XI.

Maybe we were waiting for him to sign a new deal before integrating him into the match day squad, it will be interesting to see if he is on the bench tomorrow, if I recall correctly Pereira was in the PL game that followed him signing his new deal.

I'm also hearing that LvG will wait until December on whether to send Wilson out on loan. Ugh, I don't like that Fellaini is our plan B for #9 over Wilson. He's not a #9 in any way.

 

[Kaleb]

@RobHarris
Breaking away from FIFA ... .Brazilian court freezes almost $50M of Neymar's assets. Court alleges tax evasion against Barcelona star

How many Barca players have now been accused of tax evasion

 

[DeadPresident]

McNair showed last season he can perform under pressure, he's a solid prospect in defense. LvG is also the right guy to be managing those kids for the next two seasons, he's brought forward the likes of Seedorf, Xavi, Valdes, Alaba, and Muller. He can be trusted with the youth.

 

[Iceman]

Yup, Rodgers took all the plaudits when we came second but I feel it was only because of just how good Suarez is and how much he elevated those players around him. Without him? Well, its a different story.

Speaking of which, there are lots of rumours flying round lately about Rodgers but so far, they look to be just that. SHAME. As an LFC supporter I can say that I want a change. To me, its become apparent that Brendan Rodgers is all fur coat and no knickers; very quick to talk a good game and deliver sage-like wisdom but has very little about him to back it up. Yes, he impressed Fenway with his 180 page menifesto but, lets me honest here, this was at a time when FSG knew very little about football so such a feat is not exactly an accomplishment - I think I could have gone in there with a telephone directory and got the job. Again, that's where Rodgers expertise at talking a good game came in.

I now want an experienced manager who actually knows what he's doing. No, perhaps that a tad unfair. I want a manager who knows other ways of doing things. Who will look at the players at his disposal and craft a system engineered to get the best out of them and their attributes, not a manager who shoe-horns square pegs into round holes just because he only knows one way of playing [and he's not even particularly great at setting that up at the moment]. Any identity we had as a team [an attacking team that were at times unstoppable - 'you score one we'll score two' etc] is now gone [with Suarez] and to be honest, I don't even know what our style is. I don't think the players do either, more importantly.

Sorry Brendan, but your time is up for me. You've had time, you've had money [over £200 bloody million] but we look about as far off the pace now as we did when you took over.

Interesting to hear. Do you think this is a majority view amongst Liverpool fans yet or 50/50 or less etc?

 

[Parker Wayne]

McNair showed last season he can perform under pressure, he's a solid prospect in defense. LvG is also the right guy to be managing those kids for the next two seasons, he's brought forward the likes of Seedorf, Xavi, Valdes, Alaba, and Muller. He can be trusted with the youth.

Yeah, it's not a huge issue I have with Wilson right now. I just wish he had at least played against Ipswich (though he didn't because he had an u21 game).

At least Pereira seems like he's going to be playing more, especially after his good performance in the League Cup game.

 

[DeadPresident]

Yeah, it's not a huge issue I have with Wilson right now. I just wish he had at least played against Ipswich (though he didn't because he had an u21 game).

At least Pereira seems like he's going to be playing more, especially after his good performance in the League Cup game.

I doubt it's a case of LvG freezing him out or anything, most of van Gaal's calls have been spot on with squad so whenever he chooses to introduce Wilson I'll assume he's ready. Fellaini isn't ideal but he contributes in other ways that are often necessary although unglamorous. I'd play Wilson in the cup games but not the PL yet, not while Martial is on a hot streak.

 

[Parker Wayne]

I agree with that too. My criticism is more than Wilson isn't even on the bench than him not getting playing time.

Any way, I'm excited for the possibility of more Pereira.

 

[Parker Wayne]

Barn d'Or contender: Visnakov miss (Westerlo) in the Belgian Pro League

 

[Fallen Angel]

Meh you've not seen Kanu's miss have you?