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2011-12 Football/Soccer Thread

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Gonna be honest I don't really agree with all of what was said in that post, I think that the Manchester teams both do have teams flooded with world class players (more City than United, though they are better as a team), they just don't have Barcelona quality players. Barcelona really are in a different league altogether as far as quality goes, so I don't really thing you can judge that players such as David Silva, de Jong and Aguero aren't world class based on the fact that some pundits (wrongly imo) think that Fabregas was the EPL's best player and now he only makes the bench at Barcelona.

Thinking about it I think we actually have different definitions of World Class, which is probably why we disagree on this! My definition is probably demands a lower standard than yours, though it's still pretty high!

I also don't think Spurs have what it takes to really keep up with the other 5 this season, I think that most of their best players (VDV being the exception) are pretty overhyped and that they always look frail at the back, even with Friedel in goal over Gomes (Kaboul is beastly on set pieces but I never think he's that good defensively, Dawson and Assou-Ekoto are both decent defenders but not really good enough to cope with the best attackers. I can't even remember who the last defender is now Hutton's gone, but if it's Corluka I don't really rate him, I watched him get torn apart by Kazenga Lualua who's hardly featuring for Brighton at the moment).

I think that you're right about the title race not being a two-horse race though, I think that Chelsea and Liverpool are both building solidly but aren't getting the attention of the Mancunians because they're not scoring quite so much. Arsenal will probably be up there too, as much as I hate Wenger I think he knows what he's doing and has finally made some good signings (though I have no idea why André Santos isn't starting yet :/)

I'm gonna be honest, I think Man Utd will still win this season, Fergie is a fucking twat genius, though I think the seasons after this one will be much more open if all of Villas-Boas, Dalglish and Mancini stay at their clubs (I really doubt Wenger will go so I'm not including him in this list). This seems more like a sort of transition season to me, though I'm sure it will still be entertaining so I'm not complaining!

edited like 5 times because i type the wrong word quite often
 
I'd take both Manchester's best CB pairing over Barcelona's tbh. Having world class players means nothing if they don't gel. United only have Rooney and maybe Vidic that i would consider World class.

Chelsea will be up near the top or at least close on points at the end of the season. I don't think Liverpool have close to the consistency or quality to be challenging for the title.
 
@Slim Guldo: Tottenham are my dark horses this year. I don't know why, I just think if Adebayor, Bale and Modric pull their fingers out of their arses they can do damage. They still have Van der Vaart and Ledley Kind has come back while Dawson is slowly getting back to his best. They could be very good if both of them can stay fit. Their full backs aren't the best but they have enough to be dangerous and they actually have a goalkeeper now instead of a sieve. I don't think anyone will play Tottenham this season and expect a win, they have enough quality on paper to beat anyone in the PL imo. Of course injuries will probably see them finish mid table but maybe not ;)

This is probably the Arsenal fan in me crying out but I have to agree with the pundits that Fabregas was the best player in the PL for the last few years. If you ignore the pretentious title, this article is actually very objective and features few opinions and lots of facts:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/14491850.stm

Behind the numbers is the sheer pleasure of watching his control, vision and passing; he was one of the most exciting players to watch in the PL in the last 5 years, along with Torres and Ronaldo. I respect your opinions of course but it is definitely hard to argue against him. For a bit of nostalgia:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/3600372.stm

Cesc will be sorely missed.
 
I still don't think the Spuds are really gonna challenge for much this year. Lot of overhyped players on that team, and I have no idea how good Modric will be in this mood. I know he's supposed to be a real professional and all, but surely something will be there.

Their defense doesn't impress me either. It's better than last year sure, Friedel alone improves that and a full season from Sandro and Scott Parker can help, but other than that its the same players as last season. They've just lost Dawson for 2 months, leaving them to put up with 2 months of Kaboul and Bassong. Seriously these 2 are not much higher than Squillaci in terms of defending. Kyle Walker might help at right back, but will Harry let him play?

I do think though, that Barca are getting a bit more vulnerable. How long are they gonna have to roll out Busquets and Mascherano at the back? The lack of Puyol(and Pique yes) is already showing a bit, blowing a 2-0 lead at Real Sociedad and just look at how Pato blew past all of them in the Champions League. They really need Puyol's leadership back there.
 
For me it's a 2 horse race for the title (Man Utd, Man City).

As for the CB situation at Barca, this might seem a bit stupid but IMO Keita at CB (for the time being) would be a better idea than Busquets there because he has like ZERO pace and they play very high line. Keita and Mascherano at least have the pace to avoid getting caught easily on the counter attack. Though someone like David Luiz or a Phil Jones would be excellent for Barcelona in central-defence because it would suit their 'total football' approach.

No_Luck_Involved's post... Absolutely disagree with that. Wrong on so many levels. Just wanted to clarify a few things for you:

1) Ferguson wasn't serious about the whole '6 horse race', it's all mind games and you should know that by now.

2) The top 6 all have world class-players. All of them. Don't know what you mean by 'real' world-class players.

- Man Utd: Rooney, Vidic, Ferdinand.
- Man City: Tevez, Aguero, Nasri, Silva, De Jong, Kompany (Toure / Hart are pretty close)
- Chelsea: Torres, Drogba, John Terry, Ashley Cole, Cech (Juan Mata / David Luiz are close as well).
- Liverpool: Gerrard, Reina, Suarez.
- Tottenhan: Modric.
- Arsenal: Van Persie.

3) Fabregas is not and not even close to be 'the best player in the PL'.

4) Man Utd improving or not is a fair point you raise. In the GK department, there's definitely a huge drop in quality but you could argue that in other positions, they have improved massively with the addition of Young and Phil Jones (esp. this guy, Liverpool offered £22.5m to try and snatch him in the last seconds. didn't work but he's definitely worth that amount). Not to mention that Anderson seems to have stepped-up and Cleverley is a definite improvement from Carrick.
 
Let me clarify a few things for you:

Man United is going to win the title this year. It is a one horse race. As someone not a fan of united, I assure you they are on a different level than the other teams. They will drop games, the youth will show inexperience, that being said they are the only team besides city to improve in a meaningful way over the offseason. Ashley Young and all of united's flank players are fantastic, and they have amazing depth in their forwards. I dont say this because they thrashed arsenal, i say this because its true. The center midfield is a weakness, United will probably have to make do with a central midfield consisting of bits of old tin, a framed picture of Roy Keane, and an 18-year-old kid who hangs around bus stops scratching his initials into the plastic. This will still be good enough to win the league.






fabregas when uninjured was the best midfielder in the epl, and Rooney and tevez are the only 2 players that can make a case for being better players than fabregas, and their numbers dont really compare tbh.
 
Another weakness, apart from the CM one, is the GK one. I truly believe that De Gea is the new Massimo Taibi (if some of you weren't born yet to witness that, he was supposedly the ''new Peter Schmeichel''). I think this could cost them a few points this season when they face proper sides (no offense to the gooners but that team at Old Trafford was basically the whole reserves).

You make it sound as if Man Utd can have 'anybody' on the team and still win the title. While this may seem true considering last season's winning team, it's an exception because quite frankly, there was nobody even good enough to challenge them.
Remember the 2008-2009 season, they had fooking Ronaldo, Tevez and a fully fit Hargreaves. They won the league that season and Liverpool (who had the best midfield in the world at that time: Mascherano, Alonso and Gerrard + Torres) ended-up second. What I mean is that the winning mentality is important but the quality is needed.

And Fabregas wasn't the best midfielder in the EPL. Gerrard says hi. I'm not saying that he's not going to become even better than Gerrard but you gooners are overrating Fabregas a bit too much.
 
Yeah that season was crazy, Liverpool went almost unbeaten and finished second it was ridiculous.

Alan Hansen himself said that Fabregas was the best player in the PL, and since this is all opinion, I guess the opinion of someone who is paid to give his opinion probably holds more weight than ours (used Alan Hansen as an example since he is ex-Liverpool and is quite well respected). Not wanting to turn this into a Fabregas discussion so I'll just say Gerrard is one of the best too and leave it at that.

Right now I'm looking forward to Arsenal-Blackburn! Can't wait to see Gervinho and Santos!
 
@No Luck Involved - oh yeah, i'd definitely agree that Fabregas was one of the best players in the EPL, I just don't rate him higher than Rooney really.

so pleased I don't have song or koscielny in my team!
 
Glad I still have RVP as my captain.. sure.. he will finally get on a roll.. Swansea then Blackburn, yep.. gonna blast them in.

...

no idea why i continue to avoid picking players who are on form, just so i can be different..
 
Ahh the joys and pains of life.....as an Arsenal fan. Not that there's any joy left.

1 offside goal.....not that I'm gonna complain when it was this bad. Can't blame the ref anymore.
 
Score 5 goals! Lose 4-3.

I feel sorry for Arsenal fans, they've had to put up with the 8-2 jokes 4-3 weeks now!

Enough jokes, Arsenal are terrible. At this rate I think Spurs might manage to finish 5th ahead of them.
 
Seriously is their a worse regular starting player then Koscielny in the top 6 teams, absolute dog shit don't really know why Wenger has stuck with him.

I agree with Fabregas being the best midfielder in the league, but not really the best player. Tevez, Rooney, Vidic and Drogba are the only ones i would consider since Ronaldo left.

Torres is massively overated he had at best two great years, Drogba has arguably been the best and most consistant striker in the league since Henry left.
 
Koscielny isn't a regular starter, he's only there because Vermaelen is in the treatment room.

The nicest way I can describe him though is inconsistent. Own Barca and get owned by Blackburn. I dont know what to say.

HURRY UP AND GET THE FUCK BACK VERMAELEN
 
Jesus man, what the hell going on at Bolton, eh? How do we manage to beat QPR 4-0 away on the opening day, but then be 2-0 down at half-time at home to Norwich? Plus We're down to 10-men too, after Klasnic got sent off for what appeared to be a headbutt...
 
I 8, 2 be a Arsenal fan lol yes Yakoobo scored two goals. I love that Nigerian player.
(I hate to be)
I got rigged of my arsenal ticket 4, 3

( For free) lol
 
Now what? Gazidis gonna refund these guys again? Gonna let the fans come to the next home game 4 3?(even I can joke about this when its this bad)

Good day for the promoted clubs eh?
 
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