September 2014 Football/Fútbol Discussion: The Aftermath of the Summer Transfer Window Edition

[AkydefGoldberg]

Porky's favourite Gabby Agbonlahor with the winner as Villa beat Liverpool 1-0. Didn't see the game but the latter didn't put in a fluid performance. Worrying.

[PorkChop]

Porky's favourite Gabby Agbonlahor with the winner as Villa beat Liverpool 1-0. Didn't see the game but the latter didn't put in a fluid performance. Worrying.

Liverpool smashed Villa all game, they just couldn't score. Villa's defence held strong.

Senderos was a prick though, kicking out at Balotelli. No need for that, and if the ref saw it we'd have been down to 10 men.

[PorkChop]

My Man United supporting grandparents are round watching the game.

Comments about how Tyler Blackett has a "fitting name" have just begun.

[AkydefGoldberg]

Lovely belated birthday present from the boys today. New boys all had a positive impact on the game. Blind not only was good in possession but made some good interceptions and helped defensively in the first half. He seems a really good worker and a nice chap which helps. Rojo and ADM linked up well on the left hand side which is promising so it'll be interesting when the defenders come back how we line up. I think LVG will adjust the formation as to who we play. In the bigger games, he'll go with four at the the back. Good to see Rafa get 65mins under the belt, shone well today and Valencia, utter meh,..

But defence still needs work.

[PorkChop]

Lovely belated birthday present from the boys today. New boys all had a positive impact on the game. Blind not only was good in possession but made some good interceptions and helped defensively in the first half. He seems a really good worker and a nice chap which helps. Rojo and ADM linked up well on the left hand side which is promising so it'll be interesting when the defenders come back how we line up. I think LVG will adjust the formation as to who we play. In the bigger games, he'll go with four at the the back. Good to see Rafa get 65mins under the belt, shone well today and Valencia, utter meh,..

But defence still needs work.

Congratulations. Man United have now won as many games this season as Tom Cleverley

[Romo]

Can't help but notice the Man utd wankfest is back... Sky Sports have their fingers right up their arses again.. you beat one relegation battled team and suddenly your kings again

[PorkChop]

Can't help but notice the Man utd wankfest is back... Sky Sports have their fingers right up their arses again.. you beat one relegation battled team and suddenly your kings again

Agreed. It's been horrible listening to all the post-game coverage and reports.

[PorkChop]

Some discussion points:

Are Chelsea a lock for the Premier League title?

Diego Costa looks like a quality signing, and it's hard to imagine anyone outscoring him this season. He's been superb. Behind him they have probably the bestest playmaker in the Premier League in Cesc Fabregas. Should Chelsea avoid a few key injuries, it seems as if they would walk their way to the title with ease.

A title challenge for Liverpool - too ambitious?

Liverpool did excellently last season, only dropping out of the title race in the closing stages of the season. Over the summer they lost Luis Suarez, scorer of 30 goals and assister of another 12 - they've spent a lot of money from the deal, but players like Suarez are incredibly difficult to replace. Sturridge is currently injured, and Rodgers rested Sterling against Villa for most of the game due to Champions League demands. With their schedule and lack of Suarez, could a third of fourth place finish this season be more realistic ambition for Liverpool?

How long until Pardew is sacked?

Newcastle are already plagued with injuries and a lot of people are pointing the finger at Pardew for spending poorly in the summer, exspecially in attacking areas. It's already difficult to see where goals will come from for Newcastle - and with this schedule coming up: 2nd Dec Burnley (A) 6th Dec Chelsea (H) 13th Dec Arsenal (A) 20th Dec Sunderland (H) 26th Dec ManUtd (A) 28th Dec Everton (H) I think Pardew could find himself gone before the new year.

Will Leicester stay up?

Plenty of people tipped them for relegation, though they've already shown they're no pushovers. Ulloa looks like a decent signing for them, having scored three goals in four games, and they only conceded five goals against Everton, Chelsea, Arsenal and Stoke. They've done remarkably well already, and so far all signs point towards them managing to survive the drop this season.

[prophet]

Are Chelsea a lock for the Premier League title?

Right now I'd say so. They have quality all over the pitch and the best strength in depth in the league - they recruited expertly and efficiently, shipped out a lot of dead wood and seem to have finally found a world class goalscorer in Diego Costa. They have an experienced manager that knows how to juggle the league and cup commitments wisely and is shrewd enough to win dirty and 'park the bus' if circumstance calls for it. For me they've made the best signing of the entire window in Fabregas and it honestly wouldn't surprise me if they stayed where they are for the rest of the season.

A title challenge for Liverpool - too ambitious?

Yes. Honestly I think any Liverpool fan that expected to be competing for the title this season was being a bit too optimistic. They don't have the strength in depth that the likes of City and Chelsea have and like you said, losing arguably the best player in the world behind Messi and Ronaldo was always going to be an issue, regardless of who they signed. That said I do think they play nice football and have a young squad that can definitely make the top 4 again this season. Liverpool flourish when they're not expected to do well and most pundits expect them to finish 5th behind Arsenal and United. I think top 4 would be an excellent season.

How long until Pardew is sacked?

If he's still there by the time that list of games you posted comes around then you'd expect the Tyne-Wear derby to be the crucial fixture. I can't see Newcastle doing anything this season and for a club as big as Newcastle that is a problem. I do think the Newcastle fans are a wildly unrealistic bunch and expect the club to be challenging for Europa League places and so I fail to see how Pardew can ever meet their expectations honestly. I still don't know how he got the job in the first place, he was in League One when Newcastle came calling.

Will Leicester stay up?

Probably too early to predict but the early signs are good. They've got a good squad and a good manager and as of yet they've been giving it a real go. I'd probably expect them to be around the dogfight come the latter stages and when times are tough they may yet crumble. Good start for them though.

[AkydefGoldberg]

Are Chelsea a lock for the Premier League title?

Again, it's early but atm - yes. They've got a fantastic, structured line-up. Have added proven PL quality in Fabregas, Matic does the DM role excellently and their back five is a lock in. Plus, they've got good back up with Luis, Drogba, Remy. City, I feel will endure a dip like they did in 12/13 after winning the league.

A title challenge for Liverpool - too ambitious?

Yes. Early doors but four games in, you just feel they lack the quality in squad depth to challenge. I think they might end up missing out on fourth, just about. Sturridge staying fit is going to be the key. Because he is a goalscorer, similar to Suarez's quality.

How long until Pardew is sacked?

It seems Ashley will give him time but I think the next month will decide his fate. If they can find a replacement - no guarantee that Moyes/Pulis will want to be under Newcastle's style of operational management - then they'll sack him. But I've got a feeling, they might use this incident of John Carver (Pardew's assistant) having a go at some Newcastle fans for their 'Pardew Out' banner as a way to undermine Pardew by disciplining or worst case, sacking him in the hope AP goes himself and thus loses out on his pay-out.

Will Leicester stay up?

I think they will just about end up going down. Once Christmas kicks in, injuries, suspensions, I fear they'll have a dip but bounce back towards the end but just falling short. I like Pearson as a manager though - very measured and composed.

[prophet]

The last time Liverpool played a Champions League game, Bradford captain Stephen Darby was in the team

Looking forward to hearing YNWA at Anfield tonight.

[PorkChop]

The last time Liverpool played a Champions League game, Bradford captain Stephen Darby was in the team

Looking forward to hearing YNWA at Anfield tonight.

I'll be watching as well, even though I have no idea who Ludogorets are. Might hit the chatbox when it's on too.

[PorkChop]

Alan Hutton has signed a new 3 year deal after being told he can leave the club and not playing for two years. He's been immense so far this season, glad to see he'll be staying.

Honestly, if you told me at the start of the season that Hutton will a new contract for Villa under Lambert in the same week that Villa beat Liverpool at Anfield without Vlaar or Benteke to go up to second place in the premiership, whilst Nathan Baker (partnered by Senderos) is awarded MOTM, I'd have laughed at you.

[Viazon]

I would never assume I can do a football managers job better than them, but honestly, what was Arsene Wenger thinking when he didn't buy a couple of more defenders in the transfer window? I knew right from the beginning that we didn't have even. Even last year we didn't have enough. We had two right backs, two left backs and three center backs. That's not enough. Now we have two left backs, one right back, two center backs and Chambers who can play as right back and center backs. That's 6 first team defenders. What's worse is he loaned out Carl Jenkinson to West Ham this year, which seems crazy to me. With Debuchy now out injured, we could use a right back. Arsene let three defenders leave in the transfer window but only brought it two. He even sold their young defender Ignasi Miquel to Norwich. He has made a few appearances for Arsenal when other defenders were injured. So that is actually FOUR defenders he let go while only bringing in two. Now he has to rely on a young defender who has yet to make his debut.

[Romo]

Bolton won, Bradford won & Norwich won... good day for the 3 of us @prophet @Daz

[prophet]

Bolton won, Bradford won & Norwich won... good day for the 3 of us @prophet @Daz

Hell yeah! Away at MK Dons as well, who were unbeaten at home up until tonight so that was a great win for us and a much needed one coming off the back off two straight home losses. I feel like we should have our own Football League thread to separate talk of our clubs from getting lost in the general shuffle

[Romo]

not seen it mentioned but Jonas Gutierrez has been diagnosed with testicular cancer as Newcastle midfielder reveals he is receiving treatment.

Wish him nothing but the best in his recovery!

[PorkChop]

not seen it mentioned but Jonas Gutierrez has been diagnosed with testicular cancer as Newcastle midfielder reveals he is receiving treatment.

Wish him nothing but the best in his recovery!

From what I've seen, he should be fine. They caught it early, and it's one of the most treatable forms of cancer these days.

I'm still mad that Stan Petrov's career was ended by leukemia

[prophet]

How funny is it that Kostas Mitroglu was deemed unfit and surplus to requirements at Fulham after a poor 6 months being brought in to be the savior of an already doomed club yet he scored in the Champions League against Atleti tonight?

[SlightlyJames]

Bolton won, Bradford won & Norwich won... good day for the 3 of us @prophet @Daz

Rangers won too D: