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Football: Showdown Sunday


AncalagonTheBlack

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Sanchez is expected to leave Ajax because there is supposed to be a lot of interest in him.

In other news, apparently United has decided not to offer Zlatan a new contract. I'm a bit bummed by that.

I understand there's a risk and I still would have preferred him to be signed on a short term deal. He would still be very valuable.

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Look at our stats form the past 7 seasons and compare against Rafa's time when we regularly finished in top 4:


2016/17 - 42 (Goals conceded) - 4th - Klopp
2015/16 - 50 (Goals conceded) - 8th - Rodgers/Klopp
2014/15 - 48 (Goals conceded) - 6th - Rodgers
2013/14 - 50 (Goals conceded) - 2nd - Rodgers : 101 goals scored
2012/13 - 43 (Goals conceded) - 7th - Rodgers
2011/12 -  40 (Goals conceded) - 8th - Dalglish
2010/11 -  44 (Goals conceded) - 6th - Hodgson         

2005–06 - 25 conceded (finished 3rd) - Rafa
2006–07 - 27 conceded (finished 3rd) - Rafa
2007–08 - 28 conceded (finished 4th) - Rafa
2008-09 - 27 conceded (finished 2nd) - Rafa
2009–10 - 35 conceded (finished 7th) - Rafa

The truth is that we've never had really good/world class defenders for so long i can't even remember when we last had someone really good at the back. Really good/world class defenders can adapt to most systems and do their job.Unless we really spend the money on players who can bring down our 'goals conceded' stats to somewhere between 25-35 we will always find it hard to finish in top 4 or even win the league.

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Well.

Other transfer news.

Bosz has taken over at Dortmund (as expected). And Maxi Philipp is on his way from Freiburg for the next step.

And Gnabry has made use of his non-existent release clause, and also wants to leave Bremen after just one season. Hoffenheim has been a pretty consistent rumour.

As for the van Dijk saga. I am not exactly sure Chelsea actually needs him. Yes, they've lost Terry, but Christensen returns to Chelsea after his two year loan spell with Gladbach. And he has developed into a good defender in his own right, and being just 21 years old, and I can see him not having hit his ceiling, yet. If Chelsea does indeed sign van Dijk, and decides to let Christensen go, then it would be a decent signing to strengthen Liverpool's defense. He isn't as good as Matip imho, but I rate him a bit higher than Lovren.

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5 hours ago, AncalagonTheBlack said:

Look at our stats form the past 7 seasons and compare against Rafa's time when we regularly finished in top 4:


2016/17 - 42 (Goals conceded) - 4th - Klopp
2015/16 - 50 (Goals conceded) - 8th - Rodgers/Klopp
2014/15 - 48 (Goals conceded) - 6th - Rodgers
2013/14 - 50 (Goals conceded) - 2nd - Rodgers : 101 goals scored
2012/13 - 43 (Goals conceded) - 7th - Rodgers
2011/12 -  40 (Goals conceded) - 8th - Dalglish
2010/11 -  44 (Goals conceded) - 6th - Hodgson         

2005–06 - 25 conceded (finished 3rd) - Rafa
2006–07 - 27 conceded (finished 3rd) - Rafa
2007–08 - 28 conceded (finished 4th) - Rafa
2008-09 - 27 conceded (finished 2nd) - Rafa
2009–10 - 35 conceded (finished 7th) - Rafa

The truth is that we've never had really good/world class defenders for so long i can't even remember when we last had someone really good at the back. Really good/world class defenders can adapt to most systems and do their job.Unless we really spend the money on players who can bring down our 'goals conceded' stats to somewhere between 25-35 we will always find it hard to finish in top 4 or even win the league.

I think it's mainly down to system.  Rafa's defenders weren't world class but they played reasonably deep and were shielded by MFs like Hamann and Mascherano and "wingers" like Kuyt, and FBs got forward but not nearly as much as they do now, plus a ball-player like Alonso helped control possession to reduce counter-attacks.  Most goals against us now happen from set pieces (less often lately) or counter-attacks into acres of space.  Our opponents sit deeper now and we tend to over-commit to attacking, so our defense has to protect a much larger space with less assistance from MF, especially if Origi/Firmino/Coutinho turn over possession as they attempt a flicked pass.  That suggests we need very, very fast defenders (which applies to VVD) or else stop over-committing to attack and/or try to tempt the opposition out a bit, which is easier said than done, especially at Anfield.

 

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6 hours ago, Mark Antony said:

Gods I love Rafa. Hope Newcastle do well next year. 

me too!

rafa is already at work. seems we got tammy Abraham on loan from chelsea. he is a great target man.  

should lock down a pair of defenders really soon.

he is doing great things with the toon!

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1 hour ago, King Tyrant said:

How do Arsenal expect to win anything when they lose their best players? I have just found out they have released Yaya Sanogo! They don't stand a chance now. Hopefully Sanchez can step up to fill the void.

Don't be silly, of course we will something next season!

The fourth place trophy is ours by right!

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Small addition to my last post with regards to Chelsea and their centre backs.

Apparently they also tried to sign Süle earlier this year. But Süle turned them down and decided to join Bayern instead. So it looks like they are indeed trying to sign another centreback.

Anyway, a few more managerial appointments in the Bundesliga.

Leverkusen have filled that vacancy with Herrlich. Herrlich recently won promotion into Bundesliga 2 with Regensburg after the play-off games against 1860 Munich (1860 is that clusterfuck of a club mentioned earlier, with regards to Ayre). Herrlich started his playing professional career as a player at Leverkusen in 1989. The former German International (5 caps) retired as a player in '04, after several injuries and health issues (brain cancer treatment 2000). His managerial career thus far has not been outstanding (except for winning the promotion with Regensburg) by any stretch of the imagination. Somehow I don't think he will last that long there.

And Schalke have fired Weinzierl after one (rather disappointing) season. Which was semi-surprising. Schalke has the reputation of pulling the trigger on their managers rather sooner than later, and Weinzierl was under some pressure, I had expected him to at least return at the start of the next season. , His replacement is Tedesco, who had saved Aue from relegation in Bundesliga 2. He is a young manager, and it was a promising start of his career at Aue, but I didn't think he would get a chance at such big club that soon. Let's see how long before patience runs out there again.

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On 8. 6. 2017 at 4:55 PM, Calibandar said:

Sanchez is expected to leave Ajax because there is supposed to be a lot of interest in him.

In other news, apparently United has decided not to offer Zlatan a new contract. I'm a bit bummed by that.

I understand there's a risk and I still would have preferred him to be signed on a short term deal. He would still be very valuable.

Zlatan is good but you'll get Morata and maybe even Belotti.

7 hours ago, Notone said:

Small addition to my last post with regards to Chelsea and their centre backs.

Apparently they also tried to sign Süle earlier this year. But Süle turned them down and decided to join Bayern instead. So it looks like they are indeed trying to sign another centreback.

Anyway, a few more managerial appointments in the Bundesliga.

Leverkusen have filled that vacancy with Herrlich. Herrlich recently won promotion into Bundesliga 2 with Regensburg after the play-off games against 1860 Munich (1860 is that clusterfuck of a club mentioned earlier, with regards to Ayre). Herrlich started his playing professional career as a player at Leverkusen in 1989. The former German International (5 caps) retired as a player in '04, after several injuries and health issues (brain cancer treatment 2000). His managerial career thus far has not been outstanding (except for winning the promotion with Regensburg) by any stretch of the imagination. Somehow I don't think he will last that long there.

And Schalke have fired Weinzierl after one (rather disappointing) season. Which was semi-surprising. Schalke has the reputation of pulling the trigger on their managers rather sooner than later, and Weinzierl was under some pressure, I had expected him to at least return at the start of the next season. , His replacement is Tedesco, who had saved Aue from relegation in Bundesliga 2. He is a young manager, and it was a promising start of his career at Aue, but I didn't think he would get a chance at such big club that soon. Let's see how long before patience runs out there again.

They have not only Christensen but also Aké. Zouma might go on loan, still got plenty of options and VVD is too expensive. Also, there is a bit of controversy like with us about tapping up VVD.

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I wonder if anyone will pay the supposed 60-70m for VVD.  Even after Luiz, it sounds like too much money for that position.  The economics of galacticos involves additional shirt sales, so it can work for Pogba but less so for a CB.  If anyone, it seems like City have the greatest need and spending capacity for CB.  

I'd suspect VVD leaves most of the big clubs thinking they need to find the equivalent of VVD when he was at Celtic, not wait until he's a star at another PL team. 

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The economics of the transfer window is giving me a headache. The money involved is simply insane. And yes, we certainly are a part of it.

How Everton will do next year depends quite a bit on these insane windows. And we do need quite a few players - a keeper, a CB or two, a creative midfielder and a striker - and that's if Lukaku and Barkley stays. Hope we can find some talent cheap. Another Coleman would be nice.

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Thing is, while every club wants a bargain, with the amount of cash Premier league clubs get now they're also willing to pay what they have to, and few clubs really have to sell their best players. So it's hard to say if £60m for a defender is excessive. If buying VVD improves a top club's position in the league, it might work out to be a good investment.

Decent result for Scotland yesterday. We'd have taken the draw going in, though when you're 2-1 up at 90 minutes it's always a blow to concede. Still, given the gulf in standards and how the game went, a point is acceptable. Take 6 points from the double-header in September is the aim now.

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is anybody watching the under 20 world cup final?  Venezuela just hit the post with the longest attempt on goal free kick i have ever seen, it was literally 1 yard from the edge of the centre circle.  Keeper was totally unprepared. 

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1 hour ago, BigFatCoward said:

is anybody watching the under 20 world cup final?  Venezuela just hit the post with the longest attempt on goal free kick i have ever seen, it was literally 1 yard from the edge of the centre circle.  Keeper was totally unprepared. 

Completely forgot about this. Just switched it on now and see that England is leading. Lets see if they can see this out and end England's long wait for an international trophy.

ETA. Ha. England have just conceded a penalty.

ETA2. Which has been saved. This could finally be England's year.

 

I see that United have reached a deal for Lindelof. Good signing for us. Now to get the CF and CM positions sorted out.

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51 years of hurt finally over! In all seriousness this team and the one that has won at Toulon twice in a row are very promising. Now they just need more first team minutes in the Premier League.

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Meanwhile Gnabry's new club has been revealed. And the Serge goes to...Bayern.

A bit surprising imho, since I don't think Gnabry is on a level to make it there, yet. So another year in Bremen or somewhere else without that much pressure and media attention might have been the better choice for his development. But let's see maybe he thrives in that enviroment.

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17 hours ago, Lord Friendzone said:

Zlatan is good but you'll get Morata and maybe even Belotti.

 

I've never seen Belotti play, so can't say I'm enthused there. Morata leaves me with me with mixed feelings.

Didn't know either of these two was seriously linked with United, who btw have just signed a Swedish midfielder from Benfica, also an unknown for me.

14 hours ago, Iskaral Pust said:

I wonder if anyone will pay the supposed 60-70m for VVD.  Even after Luiz, it sounds like too much money for that position.  The economics of galacticos involves additional shirt sales, so it can work for Pogba but less so for a CB.  If anyone, it seems like City have the greatest need and spending capacity for CB.  

 

Yes thjose numbers are nuts, and it sort of makes van Dijk to seem more gigantic than he is.

He's a very fine defender, I like him and when he gets back from injury he will have to fight himself back into Holland's national side, but he's not the second coming of Jaap Stam. You'd think 30-35 mil would be a fair price.

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