We Go Again! The 2014/15 Premier League Thread

by Hammersmith harrier Sat 21 Feb 2015, 6:45 pm

First topic message reminder :

Silva has just won me a tidy £640, next goalscorer and City to score at least five, woohoo.

by Guest Wed 11 Mar 2015, 4:19 pm

Hammersmith harrier wrote:once champions league football is secured, Fellaini will get ditched and Mata will be reintroduced.

You're confident. When does that get secured 2014/15 season or next season?

by Hammersmith harrier Wed 11 Mar 2015, 5:28 pm

I forgot i'm meant to be pessimistic about MY OWN TEAM

by Guest Wed 11 Mar 2015, 5:30 pm

Was just a reasonable question, that's all.

by Guest Wed 11 Mar 2015, 6:49 pm

Hammersmith harrier wrote:
lfc91 wrote:
Ent wrote:No he hasn't.

He mostly hasn't been fit and he doesn't get passed to when he makes a run. When he was fit and carrick was playing he got a few goals and we had some good results.

Mata can't be a scape goat for poor performances as he isn't playing and if you think he is a good incisive, creative passer you've never seen him play.Ive already said no one but de gea can take any credit this season in this thread - please read posts properly or don't respond.

Love this post. 'Im right, and if you disagree, you have never seen Mata play'. Clearly differing opinions have no place on a sports forum...

Ent has baffling opinions on Man United's players, he defended Nani season after season despite doing nothing and being poor but has done nothing but criticise Mata since he's signed for us despite being one of our better players.

Mata isn't playing because we are cynically using Fellaini as a physical presence just to get that top four spot, once champions league football is secured, Fellaini will get ditched and Mata will be reintroduced.

So basically Mata has played his last game for United then is what you're saying

Lets face it we're not fiishing top four under Van Gaal this season, and Mata will hardly stay and sit on a bench watching garbage like Fellaini and Januzaj get selected ahead of him

by Ent Wed 11 Mar 2015, 7:24 pm

Hammersmith harrier wrote:
lfc91 wrote:
Ent wrote:No he hasn't.

He mostly hasn't been fit and he doesn't get passed to when he makes a run. When he was fit and carrick was playing he got a few goals and we had some good results.

Mata can't be a scape goat for poor performances as he isn't playing and if you think he is a good incisive, creative passer you've never seen him play.Ive already said no one but de gea can take any credit this season in this thread - please read posts properly or don't respond.

Love this post. 'Im right, and if you disagree, you have never seen Mata play'. Clearly differing opinions have no place on a sports forum...

Ent has baffling opinions on Man United's players, he defended Nani season after season despite doing nothing and being poor but has done nothing but criticise Mata since he's signed for us despite being one of our better players.

Mata isn't playing because we are cynically using Fellaini as a physical presence just to get that top four spot, once champions league football is secured, Fellaini will get ditched and Mata will be reintroduced.

Well that's a pile of rubbish, so mata will come in when we face a higher standard of competition but he isn't good enough to get us to that standard.

He's had 18 starts this season, he isn't playing because his performances were sub standard. Let's face it he can't get into an underperforming side ahead of falcao, di Maria, januzaj who are all in crap form.

It isn't a conspiracy, he just isn't that good a player. He can score a goal and takes a good set piece, that is it. His creative and incisive passing is poor and he doesn't have the legs to beat a man.

by GSC Wed 11 Mar 2015, 8:00 pm

Hammersmith harrier wrote:
lfc91 wrote:
Ent wrote:No he hasn't.

He mostly hasn't been fit and he doesn't get passed to when he makes a run. When he was fit and carrick was playing he got a few goals and we had some good results.

Mata can't be a scape goat for poor performances as he isn't playing and if you think he is a good incisive, creative passer you've never seen him play.Ive already said no one but de gea can take any credit this season in this thread - please read posts properly or don't respond.

Love this post. 'Im right, and if you disagree, you have never seen Mata play'. Clearly differing opinions have no place on a sports forum...

Ent has baffling opinions on Man United's players, he defended Nani season after season despite doing nothing and being poor but has done nothing but criticise Mata since he's signed for us despite being one of our better players.

Mata isn't playing because we are cynically using Fellaini as a physical presence just to get that top four spot, once champions league football is secured, Fellaini will get ditched and Mata will be reintroduced.

This might be one of the most delusional posts ever.

by Fernando Thu 12 Mar 2015, 11:10 am

Enner Valencia out the game vs Arsenal after injuring himself on a broken tea cup.

by sportform Thu 12 Mar 2015, 4:23 pm

Man United could solve their problems by getting rid of Louis Van Gaal at the end of the season and bring in Carlo Ancelotti.

by Guest Thu 12 Mar 2015, 4:48 pm

sportform wrote:Man United could solve their problems by getting rid of Louis Van Gaal at the end of the season and bring in Carlo Ancelotti.

Solves nothing

by **Dolphin Ziggler** Thu 12 Mar 2015, 5:09 pm

They would at least get a better manager (I love Carlo)

by Ent Thu 12 Mar 2015, 5:51 pm

Ancelotti is a good manager but no one is fool proof. He has a squad full of expensive world class players and is still lagging behind in the league.

by **Dolphin Ziggler** Thu 12 Mar 2015, 6:54 pm

He did however win the Champions League last year, is through this round of CL games and would probably still be favourites to win their league.

by GSC Thu 12 Mar 2015, 8:01 pm

Ancelotti would be a big upgrade on LVG

by Ent Thu 12 Mar 2015, 8:47 pm

Maybe, maybe not. Playing staff is the major issue.

Dolph - should that not be par for the course at real given the players they have?

They've added Kroos and Rodriquez to a cl winning side and look more of a one man team than ever it seems.

by GSC Thu 12 Mar 2015, 8:49 pm

Real Madrid is a short term job. Theres no long term plan at that club, no manager will last.

by Ent Thu 12 Mar 2015, 8:51 pm

by GSC Thu 12 Mar 2015, 8:52 pm

That while theres great players, its hard to build continuity and consistently.

by Ent Thu 12 Mar 2015, 8:59 pm

I'm not sure what that has to do with anything, we already know he is a great manager and he is achieving in and around what he should be at madrid with the playing staff available.

by Guest Thu 12 Mar 2015, 9:23 pm

Even if Ancelotti came, need at least £100m spent to transform that average side. Not sure how Carlo is a 'big' upgrade on the supposedly world class LVG, people were not saying that 8 months ago.

by GSC Thu 12 Mar 2015, 9:39 pm

I'll take the one who's won something outside or Holland or Bayern this millennium.

by Hammersmith harrier Thu 12 Mar 2015, 9:44 pm

I'm not being funny GSC but Ancelotti hasn't done anything he shouldn't have with the squads available to him; AC Milan, Chelsea, Madrid and PSG are hardly any different to Bayern Munich at the times he was there. If we take the blinkers off then LVG winning the league with Alkmaar is probably the biggest achievement either of them have this millennium.

by Guest Thu 12 Mar 2015, 9:45 pm

Everton 2-1 Chicken Kiev - Lukaku 'lucky' pen

by Ent Thu 12 Mar 2015, 9:52 pm

Lvgs time at bayern probably under rated. Won domestic double and made cl final in first season. Wolfsburg won the year before and dortmund the 2 years after his success.

Ancelotti is a top manager and I'd have loved to have him at United but think people are disrespectful of lvgs management career.

by **Dolphin Ziggler** Thu 12 Mar 2015, 10:26 pm

I'd have called Ancelotti as far above LVG this time last year and any time in recent history. I love Carlo, especially think he was underrated at Chelsea.

They did win the Champions League and Copa Del Rey whilst competing very late into the La Liga run last year.

by GSC Thu 12 Mar 2015, 10:31 pm

3 CL wins is fairly standard yes.

I'm not being funny either HH, but I get the sense sometimes that United could hire Tony Pulis and you'd call him a progressive thinker.

by Hammersmith harrier Thu 12 Mar 2015, 10:39 pm

I just don't buy into the theory that LVG has suddenly become an awful manager.

All of AC Milan, Chelsea and Madrid were among the top teams in Europe at the time he took over while winning the league with PSG is to be expected of any of their managers. There's also the money his teams have spent and the positions they were in when he took over, at no point has he taken over a sinking ship and righted them. So in reality we have no idea how he would be doing with the current United team nor do we know how Mourinho or any of the other top managers in Europe would be doing such is it's uniqueness.

by **Dolphin Ziggler** Thu 12 Mar 2015, 11:46 pm

Good point, all he does is manage good teams to their expectations. Man United dont need that

by Ent Thu 12 Mar 2015, 11:51 pm

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:I'd have called Ancelotti as far above LVG this time last year and any time in recent history. I love Carlo, especially think he was underrated at Chelsea.

They did win the Champions League and Copa Del Rey whilst competing very late into the La Liga run last year.

I do think he is a fantastic manager and given the choice probably would have went for him over lvg. Younger, experience in pl etc

I just think lvg is getting his career slated unfairly due to the fact we aren't doing well under him this year.

Ancelotti took over an expensive side containing several world class players, who had won leagues and cups recently along with making cl semi finals 3 years in a row. Then added 130 million worth of talent in bale, Isco, illaramendi.

He has done well, but the conditions for him to do so we're extremely favourable - no pep for Barca either.

by Ent Thu 12 Mar 2015, 11:58 pm

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:Good point, all he does is manage good teams to their expectations. Man United dont need that

We need someone to rebuild, as great as ancelotti is - he has taken over a lot of teams at the top or on the up.

1 league title in 9 years at milan remember.

by **Dolphin Ziggler** Fri 13 Mar 2015, 1:02 am

I accept LVG has had a good career and is a good manager, I'm one who laughs at those who thinks this team hasnt improved since Moyes. Do I think Moyes would have got to this point too? Possibly, and I think his year in office also would have meant the clearout started earlier as well. The negative being that the fans weren't on side and probably wouldn't give him the benefit of the doubt that LVG gets.

I do think Carlo is a better manager and I do think he's got the ability to build things. And he's nowhere near as stubborn, knows the league etc.

by Ent Fri 13 Mar 2015, 1:50 am

Moyes did a lot of damage and I think people under estimate the state he left the club, dressing room and squad in. He cleared out a talented and successful backroom staff, cost us some senior figures in the dressing room and left those remaining short of confidence and directionless.

I said before I thought he may have set us back 3 or 4 years. Hope I'm wrong.

by GSC Fri 13 Mar 2015, 9:57 am

Those senior players in the dressing room needed shot off.

And frankly every manager has the right to bring in his own backroom staff.

Moyes couldve been more proactive in clearing out deadwood, but the damage was done well before he ever arrived at the club. He was left an average squad, filled with declining players or average youngsters.

by GSC Fri 13 Mar 2015, 9:58 am

And he was backed to the tune of Marouane Fellaini on deadline day. Moyes was set up to fail from the beginning

by Azzy Fri 13 Mar 2015, 11:25 am

GSC wrote:3 CL wins is fairly standard yes.

I'm not being funny either HH, but I get the sense sometimes that United could hire Tony Pulis and you'd call him a progressive thinker.

I wish they would!

Moyes was doomed to failure from day one. He had no support from up top, they botched the Fabregas chase and others too. Panicked into overpaying by £4m on Fellaini. Didn't let Moyes do what he needed to do. Then, the fans got on his back quicker than a greyhound on a rabbit, and it got ugly quickly. And let's face facts, the only reason United are where they are is because Liverpoo shatt the bed the first four months of the season.

by westisbest Fri 13 Mar 2015, 11:31 am

Some big games down the bottom tomorrow.

Palace v QPR
Leicester v Hull
Sunderland v Villa

the 3 that stand out

by NickisBHAFC Fri 13 Mar 2015, 12:07 pm

Harry Kane wins player of the month again. Lads season just gets better and better. What I like about him is his whole attitude, really refreshing to see someone who is just loving the game and doesn't come across a complete bell-end I.E Jack Whilshere.

Hopefully gets the England start he fully deserves.

by GSC Fri 13 Mar 2015, 12:19 pm

Roswell is already bracing for the inevitable crash landing back to earth of Harry Kane next year

by Azzy Fri 13 Mar 2015, 1:11 pm

That's if some idiot club doesn't fork out a fortune for him.

by GSC Fri 13 Mar 2015, 1:27 pm

It'll happen regardless

by Azzy Fri 13 Mar 2015, 1:55 pm

I'm less sure tbh. He has that irritating ability to get a toe poke here, glancing header there. He's no Michael Ricketts.

by Stella Fri 13 Mar 2015, 2:03 pm

He has second season syndrome to come. If he survives that, the world's his lobster!

by Guest Fri 13 Mar 2015, 4:25 pm

de gea's girlfriend fuelling rumours of a move to madrid, stating manchester 'isn't very nice'. close friends of the couple stated that, 'while he wore the gloves, she firmly wore the trousers', in terms of their relationship.

simply put

woodward, 'ready to sign that new deal, david'
de gea, 'er......i'll ask the wife'.

by GSC Fri 13 Mar 2015, 4:28 pm

De Gea replacing Casillas at Real is probably a near certainty.

by Azzy Fri 13 Mar 2015, 4:33 pm

Having seen his wife, I'd be doing what she wanted as well. If that meant leaving a borderline-CL team in England and signing for one of the top three teams in the world then dammit, I'd suffer that.

by NickisBHAFC Fri 13 Mar 2015, 6:53 pm

I don't get why people want Kane to do badly next season. He is an English striker bossing it every week! Everyone should just hope it continues on a weekly basis for years to come

by **hampo17** Fri 13 Mar 2015, 6:59 pm

It's because people are talking like he's the second coming of Pele.

by Hammersmith harrier Fri 13 Mar 2015, 7:02 pm

NickisBHAFC wrote:I don't get why people want Kane to do badly next season. He is an English striker bossing it every week! Everyone should just hope it continues on a weekly basis for years to come

Nobody wants him to do badly but a lot are expecting him to have a not so good season based on what's happened before with English strikers. I'll pre-emptively answer your retort and say we do not yet know if he's any better than a James Beattie or a Kevin Phillips.

by Duty281 Fri 13 Mar 2015, 7:10 pm

Hammersmith harrier wrote:
NickisBHAFC wrote:I don't get why people want Kane to do badly next season. He is an English striker bossing it every week! Everyone should just hope it continues on a weekly basis for years to come

Nobody wants him to do badly but a lot are expecting him to have a not so good season based on what's happened before with English strikers. I'll pre-emptively answer your retort and say we do not yet know if he's any better than a James Beattie or a Kevin Phillips.

Quite agree.

by mystiroakey Sat 14 Mar 2015, 1:28 pm

Different league. Zaha and Bolaise = another level.

3-0

by **Dolphin Ziggler** Sat 14 Mar 2015, 1:33 pm

What a day to be on Palace

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