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Football - Stolen Taxi for Pardew


Philokles

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37 minutes ago, Mexal said:

Yea, think mentioned within that podcast, which I haven't listened to, was that his work rate was a bit of a facade. He consistently ran the least on the team and while the waving of his arms and his occasional trackback tackle looked good, he didn't do a whole lot of work himself. Oh and that everyone in the Arsenal room hated him.

Even his dogs hate him now.

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If only Frank de Boer's football management skills were as good as his retorts, he wouldn't have failed so miserably at Inter and Palace. 

And if Mourinho's attacking system was as sharp as his tongue, we wouldn't be 16 points behind City and knocked out of the CL by an average Sevilla side. Right now he's just a press conference manager. 

 

10 hours ago, polishgenius said:

Mourinho's now firing shots at the club:

Just fucking sack him now, please?

Bayern managed to coax Heynckes out of retirement; how I wish we could do the same with Ferguson. Fergie with this squad would be challenging for the league, no question. 

 

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He's been shite at Arsenal this season as well. At least part of it is some kind of attitude issue, though he's not lacking workrate and he shouldn't hate his new team-mates yet so I can't quite figure out what it would be to affect his football like this.

I think part of the problem is that our so called 'system' doesn't do attacking players any favours. Even Pogba has started to struggle and actually Lukaku is the only attacker who has consistently looked good for a while now. Another issue is that Mourinho only signed Sanchez so City wouldn't get him but he has no idea how to use him. In fact after the better part of two seasons in charge, Mourinho still looks like he has no idea what our best formation and combination of players are and so keeps chopping and changing both which further affects the rhythm of the team. 

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16 minutes ago, Consigliere said:

Bayern managed to coax Heynckes out of retirement; how I wish we could do the same with Ferguson. Fergie with this squad would be challenging for the league, no question.

I doubt it. They'd probably be better but City are on course for a record points total. There haven't been many teams in Premier League history, including most of Ferguson's United teams, who'd be close to City this year.

I get the irritation with Mourinho but, keeping some perspective, United's league season is probably going to end up with a perfectly respectable points total, it's just that City have been excellent.

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10 minutes ago, ljkeane said:

I doubt it. They'd probably be better but City are on course for a record points total. There haven't been many teams in Premier League history, including most of Ferguson's United teams, who'd be close to City this year.

I get the irritation with Mourinho but, keeping some perspective, United's league season is probably going to end up with a perfectly respectable points total, it's just that City have been excellent.

City would probably win anyway but the league would not have been done and dusted by December. And going forward, City aren't going to keep on having record breaking seasons but with Mourinho's negativity and all round sourness there is small hope of ever closing the gap on City. Spurs and Liverpool are much better placed to do so. You can see that the United players aren't enjoying themselves out there.

I mentioned this before. Mourinho can only take us so far. His ultra negative tactics ensures that the full potential of the side can never be realised. The only saving grace of having Mourinho is that he still has pull in the transfer market and can assemble a strong squad. After that he can fuck off. 

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7 minutes ago, Consigliere said:

City would probably win anyway but the league would not have been done and dusted by December.

Maybe not but I'm reasonably confident that the title race would be well over by now.

538 with their football predictions have United finishing on 80 pts from here and, honestly, I think that's about this United squad's level. I get not liking Mourinho and how he sets out to play but I don't think they're underperforming in the league.

You could certainly get a manager in who'd play a more attractive style and it's possible there are some managers who might get the team to produce more than the sum of it's parts. Having said that, thinking about it, the only side in Premier League history I think who might have actually challenged City for the title this year was Mourinho's Chelsea side when he first came to England.

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9 minutes ago, ljkeane said:

Maybe not but I'm reasonably confident that the title race would be well over by now.

538 with their football predictions have United finishing on 80 pts from here and, honestly, I think that's about this United squad's level. I get not liking Mourinho and how he sets out to play but I don't think they're underperforming in the league.

You could certainly get a manager in who'd play a more attractive style and it's possible there are some managers who might get the team to produce more than the sum of it's parts. Having said that, thinking about it, the only side in Premier League history I think who might have actually challenged City for the title this year was Mourinho's Chelsea side when he first came to England.

Ferguson's 2007/2008 side could have challenged as well.

Yeah, we are getting results in the league this season but I don't consider the negative style to be sustainable - look at our poor chance creation, the number of chances we concede and the number of saves DDG has to make compared to others in the top 5 or 6. The only difference between this season and last is that we have been a bit more clinical in front of goal this season. The football remains dire and the brilliance of DDG has once again won us 10-15 points. It's a fine line between 2nd and 5th/6th for us.

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Question from a neophyte observer on Man United and Ferguson:  Does the presence of Ferguson at Old Trafford on a consistent basis not allow the club to move away from his long shadow?

I ask because it seems every game shown here in the U.S. has at least a token shot of Ferguson taking in the game from the stands. I'm not a Man United fan or anything, but just curious how supporters feel about the continued presence of a legend affects the way the club is run and managed.

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3 hours ago, Consigliere said:

Yeah, we are getting results in the league this season but I don't consider the negative style to be sustainable - look at our poor chance creation, the number of chances we concede and the number of saves DDG has to make compared to others in the top 5 or 6. The only difference between this season and last is that we have been a bit more clinical in front of goal this season. The football remains dire and the brilliance of DDG has once again won us 10-15 points. It's a fine line between 2nd and 5th/6th for us.

I think this is key.  Utd’s points haul is very good relative to their play, especially compared to the expected net goals from the number of good chances they create minus the number of good chances they concede.  You can point to that efficiency as the mark of good management that emphasizes focus in the critical moments without caring too much about the non-critical moments.  Or you can view it as being at risk of mean reversion, especially if a goalkeeper or key goal scorer lose form, get injured or depart. 

If I’m being fair, I think it’s some of both.  DDG is worth a lot of points to Utd while their win margins are so narrow, but he’s unlikely to lose form.  The big risk is his departure.  Utd struggled for consistent goal scoring but Lingard (especially), Rashford and Martial have all had games where they scored from few chances and helped with that efficiency.  So there’s something in the team culture that helps focus on taking chances but that limits their creation — and the two might be connected: knowing that chances are limited might sharpen your focus on the shots you get.  

Another factor is that this year the bottom 13 clubs are very weak.  Not losing to the top 6 (where Liverpool are struggling this year) and dominating weak teams is a good strategy this year.  But if there were 5-6 more teams with overall form like Burnley, then United would probably have picked up fewer wins.  The collapse of the mid table teams this year has helped them.  I don’t know if that will change quickly but I would expect that spending power in the PL should make the mid table teams better eventually as they take talent — both playing and managerial — from continental clubs. 

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5 hours ago, Consigliere said:

City aren't going to keep on having record breaking seasons

OH you sweet summer child, as long as Guardiola wants to stay at City they're gonna be bossing the league. It took him a year to get his team playing the way he wants, now you can just lean back and enjoy the show.

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2 minutes ago, Notone said:

OH you sweet summer child, as long as Guardiola wants to stay at City they're gonna be bossing the league. It took him a year to get his team playing the way he wants, now you can just lean back and enjoy the show.

Yaa I’m actually kinda worried that they will end up being the Bayern or Juve of the Prem. All the money the rest of the top 6 (and league as a whole) has should help prevent that but idk.

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Pep won't stay at City that long I don't think. Managing takes too much out of him. He said he wouldn't stay beyond 3 years but I suspect he might sign a contract extending that to 5 years. After that I reckon he'll have another self-imposed break before deciding what to do next. City will try as hard as possible to get him to stay and create a dynasty but I can't see that happening.

Once City accept that he won't stay that long they will probably try to groom a replacement from within to continue the Pep style but the honest truth of it is that nobody can quite so effectively play that way.

In short, City won't dominate for that long.

Also, to be fair the Premier League is the hardest to retain the crown. Pep is more likely than anyone to win it back-to-back for the first time in ten years but he still needs to prove that.

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3 hours ago, The Wedge said:

Question from a neophyte observer on Man United and Ferguson:  Does the presence of Ferguson at Old Trafford on a consistent basis not allow the club to move away from his long shadow?

I ask because it seems every game shown here in the U.S. has at least a token shot of Ferguson taking in the game from the stands. I'm not a Man United fan or anything, but just curious how supporters feel about the continued presence of a legend affects the way the club is run and managed.

I can't figure how the presence of Sir Alex in the stands could affect anything. If I were a Utd player at the moment, playing at home ground under the eyes of the man who made the club what he is would rather be an extra motivation, I assume, than a hurdle. 

No, I think the problem is elsewhere. Man Utd's board has either #1 to give full cards to José and let him build the exact squad he needs, or #2 to sack him of this summer and build out something new with a manager who isn't reluctant to play proper football.

Awkwardly, I can't see #2 happening.

 

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23 minutes ago, Notone said:

OH you sweet summer child, as long as Guardiola wants to stay at City they're gonna be bossing the league. It took him a year to get his team playing the way he wants, now you can just lean back and enjoy the show.

We'll see. Liverpool should have significant funds and many of their issues can be solved by better players in key positions. They already have an excellent system in place (one that has proven to be successful against Guardiola's system). Spurs have a settled side and a great system as well. This is why I mentioned previously that those two clubs are best positioned to close the gap on City.

United have money but no proper playing system in place. Sometimes we look good but 80% of the time it's a grind with no discernible attacking system and hoofball. Chelsea's transfer policy has been odd and if they end up losing Hazard and/or Courtois, it would be difficult to replace that quality. The cost of a new stadium would impact their spending ability as well but they still have a strong squad. If Arsenal finally get rid of Wenger they could be a force again especially if they appoint someone like Allegri who can sort out their defence.

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18 minutes ago, Sandokan I Ironborn said:

No, I think the problem is elsewhere. Man Utd's board has either #1 to give full cards to José and let him build the exact squad he needs, or #2 to sack him of this summer and build out something new with a manager who isn't reluctant to play proper football.

Awkwardly, I can't see #2 happening.

 

United's board has already given 'full cards' to Mourinho. The only target Woodward failed to sign was Perisic and I don't think he would have helped much anyway since he would have limited the playing time of both Martial and Rashford who have both been very good for us at various points. It's not like Perisic is lighting it up in Serie A this season either. We couldn't reach an agreement for Morata but got Lukaku instead who is hardly a downgrade. The problem is with Mourinho. It's not only players who decline; Mourinho is not the manager he once was. 

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This Chelsea team has it in them to pull off a brilliant performance. We have seen that on a few occasions this season: Tottenham away, Atletico away and Barcelona first leg are two that stick out. But, since the turn of the year, we have been far more prone to horrendous capitulations.

Despite witnessing the shambles against Bournemouth in person, then watching them collapse at Watford a few days later, the Man City away was without doubt the worst Chelsea performance of the season. Bournemouth and Watford beat us, but at least we tried. At the Etihad, the Chelsea players just came and spectated as Man City played with the football in front of them. It will go down as Man City’s easiest game of the season, despite only winning 1-0.

Despite the fact playing with no striker worked well in the first leg, I am glad Conte is starting Giroud tonight. In any game he has started for us, his link up play his been brilliant, and he’s allowed Willian and Hazard to express themselves. He’s the type of striker that often doesn’t get the goals his performances deserve. Plus he brings an outlet to go long and an aerial threat in the box.

As much as I love Christensen, he’s been a bit error-prone at the back lately. I’m happy Conte has such faith in him, but I wouldn’t have minded seeing Cahill play tonight for his experience and the fact he doesn’t take any risks on the ball.

Prediction for tonight: Barcelona 3 - Chelsea 0.

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1 hour ago, Dolorous Gabe said:

Pep won't stay at City that long I don't think. Managing takes too much out of him. He said he wouldn't stay beyond 3 years but I suspect he might sign a contract extending that to 5 years. After that I reckon he'll have another self-imposed break before deciding what to do next. City will try as hard as possible to get him to stay and create a dynasty but I can't see that happening.

I don't think it's that it takes too much out of him. He didn't take a sabbatical after Bayern and joined Man City straight away. The point is, that after 3 years or so it's tough to keep a team hungry/motivated. They know what the manager wants, and it's tough to set a new impulse. I am paraphrasing Hoffenheim's Nagelsmann here. Then as a manager there are two choices. Either you leave the club and start over somewhere else. Or you bring in half a new team, to get a new impulse from the outside. And there are simply not that many clubs that can afford to switch out half of their first team.

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2 hours ago, Mark Antony said:

Yaa I’m actually kinda worried that they will end up being the Bayern or Juve of the Prem. All the money the rest of the top 6 (and league as a whole) has should help prevent that but idk.

I don't think I've said it before here but I've been really impressed by Pep this year.  He did amazing things at Barcelona with amazing players.  There's no doubt that his vision for their playing style was crucial, but it helped to have a golden generation of players at his disposal who really suited that style.  Plus he had the safety margin of playing in a division with only one other serious contender at the time, albeit a very good one.  Then he was successful at Bayern, but no better than Bayern coaches before or after, and no better than the squad deserved relative to the contenders.  And his first year at City was frankly a bit of flop.  It was hard to tell how much of his success was down to him or down to the situation he was in.  (First rule of business school: the situation/environment of the firm is far more important than the individual talent of the CEO)

For him to have rebuilt the City team with so many new signings, harmonized their style of play and tactical structure, increased the sources of attacking threat (Sane and Sterling especially) while maintaining depth and continuity during absences (Kompany, Stones, Jesus, Silva at various points) has been truly impressive.  We can't see what he does with the players each week to make it happen so it's a bit of a black box that can only be evaluated by its results, but he clearly has done something special.  I really wish we could see how he coaches the teams, manages individual players, establishes tactical structures and patterns...it would be really instructive for football fans.

By comparison, Bob Paisley was Liverpool's manager with the most trophies.  "Uncle Bob" was famous for barely bothering with tactics or motivational team talks.  He inherited a strong squad and playing style from Shankley and somehow continued and improved that into a ferociously successful period (for 9 years) without being viewed as an explicitly interventionist kind of manager.  Almost like Joe Madden at the Chicago Cubs now.

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