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Football Discussion

Moyes did better than LVG with much less money and a complete back room reorganisation. And who had a bit of a tantrum about it? That wonderful example Rio Ferdinand. I have NEVER liked the guy, he's always come across as supremely arrogant, though no doubting his skill in his pomp.

Perhaps Moyes saw that given what he had at his disposal, he HAD to keep a tight line, would he have been the same with the purchases he was rumoured to have lined up?

Guy didn't get a fair chance, would take him at the Villa in a moment.

Another one like Pulis, and Big Sam, who because they're British managers and use a tactic that works in the meantime whilst they build something better, get slammed. Pulis and Big Sam proved their reputations were a fallacy, I hope Moyes does the same at RS. Good luck to the guy, it's worked wonders for Steve McClaren. He wasn't great management material, but is apparently a brilliantly talented coach, and now Derby are doing incredible.

Be nice to see them back in the Prem, hopefully not at our expense! Similar stature to Middlesborough I reckon if he gets them up he'll keep them there.
 
I will defend LVG here to a degree in that although we have under-performed so far, we are playing better football and there's more belief, last season in the derby we'd have been battered 4-0/5-0 after that red card. Moyes did have the advantage of having Evra, Vidic & Rio (although they were in decline). LVG has lost those three and we've a very inexperienced backline (with some simply not good enough) along with a nightmare of injuries. Hopefully after the international break our players will stop getting injured!

Moyes didn't get a fair chance though no. He's a very good manager and should have been given the chance to build a squad. I think he'll return to the Premier League in time, but I don't blame him for going abroad as the British media would be on his back non-stop if he went to a PL side.
 
I think Van Gaal will come good, and I rate him a lot more highly than Moyes, but I think that he's 2 or 3 transfer windows away from being able to turn Man Utd back into a title challenging team. Assuming he stays for a few years I think he'll win the league, but at the minute I don't think the team he has is good enough to challenge Chelsea or Man City.
 
Part of our problem at the moment is our defence. Rafael and Luke Shaw are decent as right- and left-backs, with Shaw having notably improved since becoming a more regular member of the starting line-up - as seen in the game on Saturday with his amazing run up the field and his shot on goal. It's the centre-backs where I feel the issue lies. Marcos Rojo seems to be getting on OK, but it's finding someone to partner him. Jonny Evans has several injury issues, and I'm concerned about whether Phil Jones and Chris Smalling will be sticking around Old Trafford for much longer. We do have Tyler Blackett and Paddy McNair as younger players, but I don't think they're quite up to being in the starting line-up on a more regular basis yet. So what I think LVG needs to do is sign a new centre-back, but who said CB should be is another question. Mats Hummels was one name that's been mentioned several times, but we'd have to pay Borussia Dortmund a very hefty price to tempt him away from the Westfalenstadion. I've also read that Gerard Piqué is another possibility, which would mean a return from Barcelona. Again, this could be very expensive. The reason why I think a new good-quality CB will cost a lot of money is simple. It's the lack of European football this year.

I agree with Adam that LVG will eventually succeed at United, but it'll take him time to achieve this. I think the best we can hope for this season is the return of European football - I'd accept the Europa League as a start, although Champions League football would be more ideal.
 
I know this is a double post, but I don't really care. We've all seen what's gone on with FIFA and the corruption report into the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Qatar and Russia seemed to get off scot-free, whereas England, who were most critical of how it was all organised, got the most allegations against their bid for hosting the World Cup in 2018. Seems a bit suspect to me. Then we've got Michael García, who made the report, and said that FIFA's report didn't correspond with what he found, and called for it to be published in full. Gary Lineker has just tweeted this response from Sepp Blatter to Greg Dyke, the chairman of the FA:

Blatter reply to Dyke, "FIFA would violate its own laws and those of Switzerland were it to publish fully Garcia's report." How convenient!
Click to expand...

That doesn't seem dodgy at all, and frankly, it proves to me that Blatter is no good at running football's governing body. I've been saying that Sepp Blatter needs to go for over three years now, and I get the feeling that there's a growing crowd of people who also want him to go. In my view, FIFA is crazily corrupted. The corruption investigation was done by FIFA's own ethics committee. so of course they're going to want to ensure they get away with what they've done. Also, Blatter has been at the helm for far too long. If I recall correctly, in past FIFA presidential elections, whenever challengers have tried to face him, they've either pulled out, or essentially been forced out due to some allegations about past conduct, yet Blatter is somehow perfect. Doesn't seem right to me.
 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30128248

Blackpool manager Lee Clark has promised he will overcome his fear of rollercoasters and ride 'Big One' if they avoid relegation.

The Seasiders currently sit bottom of the Championship and are ten points from safety under 42-year-old Clark.

When Blackpool's 'Big One' opened in May 1994 it was the tallest and steepest rollercoaster in the world, climbing to a height of 235ft (71m).
Click to expand...
 
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Oh dear Wigan/Malky - I cannot see that ending well. I have sneaky feeling that DW sees a chance to get a man in who may get them up that table quick and out of trouble, and if he gets sacked will give it the "we felt he deserved a chance to redeem himself".

Given what he's just done, he choice of words in his defense wasn't the most PR friendly either.

What's the bloke doing lol?!
 
Left work to find that we'd beaten Arsenal 2-1 to record our first away win of the season.

I'm happy with that! :D
 
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One of the best free kicks Selhurst has seen in a long time...

Jedi <3

Special mention also goes to Joe Ledley's beard for being a thing of magnificent beauty...
 
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Aston Villa used to have all the best beards.

I don't class Keane's beard. That was just too big.

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Anyway.

Anyone else like me cheering on Southampton tomorrow??

A win against City tomorrow, they go 7 points clear of them and 4 off Chelski!!

COME YOU... (what are they?... on yes) SAIIIINTS!
 
The FA Cup third round draw has just been made. First game drawn? Arsenal v Hull City - a repeat of the 2013/14 final. Burst out laughing when that was made! :p

I'm happy with being away to Accrington or Yeovil tbh. I was hoping for a home tie, but I'm not too fussed. Besides - if the game's against Accrington on the Saturday, then I may be able to make it from Manchester Airport, having flown in the night before from EP.
 
Norwich are away to Preston, but Blythe Spartans have a home tie against Birmingham City, AFC Wimbledon home to Liverpool are highlights...
 
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