Another Drive4show 'Anything goes' thread

by beninho Sun 15 Oct - 10:57

First topic message reminder :

I think bailly does look a good prospect, but he is pretty raw. The spurs pairing is probably the best in tge league as a partnership. I think mendy looks an immense left back, alonso also good, I think rose is better then bertrand though, when fit. I remember a time when full backs had to defend!

by Diggers Sat 16 Dec - 11:03

With a lot of these kids (even Ronaldo and Messi) the goal threat comes later. Agree though he is not the finished article though. With all these forwards some do good stuff, other stuff disappear. Right now I could reel off a dozen promising English forwards 23 or under (Sterling and Alli clearly well ahead of promising) so the future looks bright.

by Diggers Sat 16 Dec - 11:07

Ben, I'm Garcia from convinced we will beat Australia this Summer. Broad is shot, Anderson has got to be declining, Woakes injury has decreased him. Similar sides but their bowling is way better, can see them changing the win at home pattern.

by beninho Sat 16 Dec - 12:48

Look what a swinging ball did to them in Adelaide. They dont have much english experienced. Kohli barely averages doubke figures in england

by Diggers Sat 16 Dec - 13:00

India away yes, Australia in England not so sure. The conditions all series haven't been that different to England. Hope I'm wrong, would bet a sneaky fiver I'm not though.

by beninho Sat 16 Dec - 13:20

Good half for palace.

by westisbest Sat 16 Dec - 13:22

Great result if they can hold on.
Roy turning it round

by beninho Sat 16 Dec - 14:43

Great win for palace, diggers dont go putting money on your tips! Upto 14th now, what a turnaround by roy.

by kwinigolfer Sat 16 Dec - 14:57

Impressive from Palace but I don't get why Okazaki doesn't start for Leicester, he's crucial to the way they play best and makes more space for Vardy.
Can't see starting Albrighton AND Gray - lots of brilliance from Gray today, but none close to goal.

Meanwhile Palace go to Swansea with 2 1/2 days' more rest - but without Benteke, so perhaps that was a timely goal for Sako?

by Diggers Sat 16 Dec - 16:36

Big win, and great result for Huddersfield as it stands. Watford could well be dragged into the relegation scrap before too long. Not sure why Rafa gets a free pass on the manager front, if it stays as it is that's 1 point from 27.

by kwinigolfer Sat 16 Dec - 16:58

Good result for Chris Coleman though . . . . . . .

by Diggers Sat 16 Dec - 18:01

beninho wrote:Great win for palace, diggers dont go putting money on your tips! Upto 14th now, what a turnaround by roy.

This is why I never really bet on anything Ben!

by beninho Sat 16 Dec - 19:13

Citeh have Bournemouth, Newcastle, Palace, watford, burnley before playing liverpool away. They should win 21 league games in a row. Thats ridiculous.

by Diggers Sat 16 Dec - 19:31

It's amazing Ben, they are just playing some magical football. Generally I like a close title race, but if you can't have that then witnessing something special is the next best thing.

by Diggers Sat 16 Dec - 19:44

Foden gets his Premier League debut, he played as a left wing back last week in the Champions League which was a bit of a surprise.

by beninho Sun 17 Dec - 10:18

The thing with city is that, they have spent loads but not really on big world stars. De Bruyne was expensive, but I recall people thinking it was mental because he wasn't established. Man utd spent on pogva lukaku and di maria more then citu spent on de bruyne, chelsea spent more in morata. They have just created a superb squad playing amazing football.

by Diggers Sun 17 Dec - 11:50

Pep sorted what he needed to, better keeper, one expensive right back but a perfect fit and instant solution so worth it. Delph inspired choice at left back. No more Ya Ya really, Fernandinho playing brilliantly. And to top it Sliva has a career season and Sterling is looking brilliant and producing the goods. Then you have all the others with De Bruyne as you say Ben, fantastic.

by kwinigolfer Sun 17 Dec - 15:01

No prima donnas in that Citeh side, which I reckon is their biggest strength; everyone comes to play every day.

Three simultaneous six-pointers next Saturday afternoon:
Stoke vs WBA
Swansea vs Palace
Ammers vs Newcassel

And you could throw in Saints vs oodersfield for good measure.

by Diggers Sun 17 Dec - 17:30

Watching Salah today, you wonder how, with all his attributes, he could have ever have average games, let alone seasons. Just shows how much playing a system that suits you and having a bagful of confidence helps.

by Diggers Sun 17 Dec - 18:23

Best I've seen the Ox play for 90 minutes for a long time. Another guy who has all the attributes to be a very good player, still only 24 so plenty of time. Arsenal v Liverpool will be an interesting one.

by super_realist Sun 17 Dec - 19:08

SPOTY tonight, only a couple of worthy people on it, rest are token inclusions in a terrible year of sport.

De Gale most likely winner?

by super_realist Sun 17 Dec - 19:09

Diggers wrote:Watching Salah today, you wonder how, with all his attributes, he could have ever have average games, let alone seasons. Just shows how much playing a system that suits you and having a bagful of confidence helps.

He won't stay at an underachieving, selling club that lives in the past for very long.

by Diggers Sun 17 Dec - 19:16

super_realist wrote:SPOTY tonight, only a couple of worthy people on it, rest are token inclusions in a terrible year of sport.

De Gale most likely winner?

Do you mean Joshua? De Gale just got beaten up last week.

by super_realist Sun 17 Dec - 19:24

Sorry Diggers, Yes, I did mean Joshua.

by Diggers Sun 17 Dec - 19:26

super_realist wrote:
Diggers wrote:Watching Salah today, you wonder how, with all his attributes, he could have ever have average games, let alone seasons. Just shows how much playing a system that suits you and having a bagful of confidence helps.

He won't stay at an underachieving, selling club that lives in the past for very long.

I thought you keep saying Liverpool aren't a big club, and if they are a selling club, how are they underachieving?

by Diggers Sun 17 Dec - 19:27

super_realist wrote:Sorry Diggers, Yes, I did mean Joshua.

He'd be my pick, the Klitchko fight was fantastic. I'd like to see Peaty do well, probably the best in his event in history IMO.

by super_realist Sun 17 Dec - 19:35

Diggers wrote:
super_realist wrote:
Diggers wrote:Watching Salah today, you wonder how, with all his attributes, he could have ever have average games, let alone seasons. Just shows how much playing a system that suits you and having a bagful of confidence helps.

He won't stay at an underachieving, selling club that lives in the past for very long.

I thought you keep saying Liverpool aren't a big club, and if they are a selling club, how are they underachieving?

When you're a top player, they're not a big enough club is what I mean.
You're right about the underachieving though, they're just a top 7 club that doesn't really challenge, so can't hope to keep hold of players like him.

by beninho Sun 17 Dec - 19:36

Aj to win tonight, be happy with peaty winning it though.

by Diggers Sun 17 Dec - 19:43

super_realist wrote:
Diggers wrote:
super_realist wrote:
Diggers wrote:Watching Salah today, you wonder how, with all his attributes, he could have ever have average games, let alone seasons. Just shows how much playing a system that suits you and having a bagful of confidence helps.

He won't stay at an underachieving, selling club that lives in the past for very long.

I thought you keep saying Liverpool aren't a big club, and if they are a selling club, how are they underachieving?

When you're a top player, they're not a big enough club is what I mean.
You're right about the underachieving though, they're just a top 7 club that doesn't really challenge, so can't hope to keep hold of players like him.

Well Klopp is a big name manager so that helps in player retention, he's playing with some amazing forwards and clearly loving life at the minute. He might just feel he owes them something after they've rescued his career. Depends what type of bloke he is really. And as a selling club they've done a good job not selling Couthino, at least until next summer anyway.
I think they will finish top 4, still in the Champions League, only lost twice in the league, they aren't having a bad year at all.

by super_realist Sun 17 Dec - 19:54

I like Klopp, but he's not getting Liverpool any further forward than anyone else has done.

by Diggers Sun 17 Dec - 19:58

Can you say that right now? If he finishes third and has back to back Champions League qualification (for what you call a top 7 club) would you say that was underachieving? Still in the Champions League and do have a side capable of causing anyone problems. They are also very good to watch and he's bringing a few kids through.
Seems an odd moment to criticise him.

by pedro Sun 17 Dec - 20:02

Too many unneccessary draws and points lost, especially vs supposedly weaker teams. And that has in fact been Liverpools problem for ages.

by super_realist Sun 17 Dec - 20:16

I was probably wrong about "underachieving". Liverpool don't have the squad to win the league, and haven't done for 20 years, so where they are now is about par.

They certainly look better with Robertson in there rather than Moreno

by Diggers Sun 17 Dec - 20:17

To be fair after a dodgy start, they have played very well. I know they have just drawn a couple but they were massively unlucky against Everton, they battered them, another day and it's a hammering. West Ham are suddenly organised.
None of us has a crystal ball as I proved yesterday , speaking of crystal (of the Palace variety) Super I'd be a bit more circumspect about how a season might go.

by super_realist Sun 17 Dec - 20:18

I still think Palace will struggle. They've had their "new manager" lift.

by Diggers Sun 17 Dec - 20:32

They are well past that, in fact they got nothing much at all out of the new manager first few games. They always had a decent squad and Hodgson has drilled them very well, they could still go down but I think there are far more likely candidates. It's nice and unpredictable though, which makes it interesting. Anyone from 9 down could go, I think Watford have been found out now, though Richarlisim looks class.

by super_realist Sun 17 Dec - 20:35

I'd like to see Palace go down, just because I don't like Wodgson. He thinks he's a top class manager.

by Diggers Sun 17 Dec - 20:35

You've can get 4-1 on Palace going down Super, considering how certain you were of the impossibility of their plight you should bet big!

by Diggers Sun 17 Dec - 20:38

I've never thought Hodgson was like that, plenty are. Everything I've ever read about the man is contrary to that opinion. Allardyce, fair enough, he's a walking ego.
When Hodgson went back to West Brom a few weeks back he was welcomed back warmly, you don't see that too often.

by beninho Sun 17 Dec - 20:40

Bar Suarez I cant think of how liverpool have sold in recent years to a bigger club, Xabi Alonso but that was years back. Top four is a successful season for them, they dont have the funds to compete with city, united or chelsea.

by beninho Sun 17 Dec - 20:43

Hodgson just seems like a decent guy. He is liked at fulham and west brom. I get the hatred from the frothing weird england fans, and maybe liverpool fans where he struggled, I dont understand how others can have strong views on him.

by super_realist Sun 17 Dec - 20:44

Wodgson once compared himself to the level Ferguson was on, he also famously said following England's dismal exit from the Euro's that "he didn't see why he should have to face the press".

by Diggers Sun 17 Dec - 20:50

I'd like to see a link to that Ferguson comparison quote, sounds like a completely out of context line to me. The second one doesn't have anything to do with saying he's an elite manager.

by Diggers Sun 17 Dec - 20:51

Disliking him or not, if he does keep Palace up, given that you said it just couldn't happen, I'm sure you'll be a big enough man to give credit where it's due.

by beninho Sun 17 Dec - 20:54

I think palace were declared as one of the worst ever pl teams. So if he does, he should be manager of the seadon surely?

by Diggers Sun 17 Dec - 20:57

This is a quote from a football 365 article from a few days ago:

Typically, Roy Hodgson laughed and wondered aloud whether he was really the right man to ask about winning games; after all, his side had only managed two Premier League victories in their 16 (and his 12) attempts. Never afraid to be self-deprecating, never full of bluster, Hodgson sidestepped the issue with humour and continued with the task in hand: Somehow pulling Palace out of the relegation zone they have occupied for so long that the landlord has reluctantly given them permission to decorate.

by super_realist Sun 17 Dec - 21:07

Diggers wrote:Disliking him or not, if he does keep Palace up, given that you said it just couldn't happen, I'm sure you'll be a big enough man to give credit where it's due.

I will do, but he's a long long way from getting them out of trouble.

by Diggers Sun 17 Dec - 21:08

Forgot about Mo, on the basis of innocent until proven otherwise, the guy is certainly an all time great, not just a British one. I was there to see him win the 10k this year and it was a brilliant atmosphere.

by Diggers Sun 17 Dec - 21:09

super_realist wrote:
Diggers wrote:Disliking him or not, if he does keep Palace up, given that you said it just couldn't happen, I'm sure you'll be a big enough man to give credit where it's due.

I will do, but he's a long long way from getting them out of trouble.

Fair enough.

by super_realist Sun 17 Dec - 21:12

Diggers wrote:I'd like to see a link to that Ferguson comparison quote, sounds like a completely out of context line to me. The second one doesn't have anything to do with saying he's an elite manager.

https://www.dreamteamfc.com/c/archives/news-gossip/150325/roy-hodgson-never-won-trophy-outside-scandinavia-compared-ferguson/

The second one shows he thinks he's above addressing the press when he was paid millions to take a team to a tournament, the least the could do was front up his own steam and take responsibility for it instead of trying to shirk that responsibility.

by Diggers Sun 17 Dec - 21:19

Looks fairly nothing to me, he's just saying what he's done. You always go on about people in football being thick and staying at home. He is a complete book worm, fluent in many languages after doing what you always say the English football people don't do.
I'll stick with what the guys who watch thousands of press conferences say about him I think.

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