December 2015 Football Thread: "Chat Shit Get Banged" Edition

[SlightlyJames]

Been quite the frustrating week for Mark Warburton, seems no matter how many times he comes out and says he's not going anywhere the BBC and others are still parroting this nonsense about him going to Fulham. The guy seems to be getting really annoyed at the questions though as he said, at least being linked with jobs means he's doing well.

Rangers dropped their first points against Hibs and Livi last month, last two games have been 4-0 though so back on track hopefully. The lapse means that we're only 3 points ahead of Hibs at the top of the table but with the club looking at a few additions next month and the team getting back on form we'll hope to get a bit more distance in the coming weeks.

How are your clubs all doing atm?

[prophet]

Warburton to Fulham would be a fucking catastrophically backwards step for him. He's smashing it at Rangers and is pretty guaranteed to take them back to the SPL this year, it doesn't make any sense for him to go back to the Championship particularly when the club he left last Summer (Brentford) are also based in London and better than Fulham. Also Fulham went for Steve Clarke and Gary Rowett first and got knocked back both times...nobody wants to go there.

Bradford are doing pretty well. Until last weekend we'd gone 11 games unbeaten and chalked up 6 clean sheets in a row which took us up into the playoff positions and we've generally got a good set of players. We can't score goals though - I just found out that Bradford are the 20th highest scores in the entire league (out of 24)...that is awful. It's a miracle really that we're anywhere near the playoffs based on that stat...Devante Cole is far too lazy.

FA Cup second round against Chesham this weekend which should see us into the 3rd round and hopefully we'll be able to get another glamour tie like the Chelsea game last season.

[SlightlyJames]

Bradford are doing pretty well. Until last weekend we'd gone 11 games unbeaten and chalked up 6 clean sheets in a row which took us up into the playoff positions and we've generally got a good set of players. We can't score goals though - I just found out that Bradford are the 20th highest scores in the entire league (out of 24)...that is awful. It's a miracle really that we're anywhere near the playoffs based on that stat...Devante Cole is far too lazy.

FA Cup second round against Chesham this weekend which should see us into the 3rd round and hopefully we'll be able to get another glamour tie like the Chelsea game last season.

Always a big plus to be that solid defensively man, I'm not familiar with the squad but there must be someone who can put them away if they find some form, if not a smart buy in January might be all you need to really lay down some good results. Best of luck in the FA Cup, I'm sure you'll go through.

Speaking of cup competitions, Rangers will be coming into the Scottish Cup a month from now against either Cowdenbeath or Arbroath at Ibrox. Some folk were a bit annoyed to not be coming up against a Premiership side but I'll take that for now. Would like another crack at a top flight team after getting humbled by St. Johnstone in September.

Been hearing a few names thrown around for us regarding new signings, a 20 year old Latvian striker by the name of Vladislavs Gutkovskis is on trial with us right now. He had 28 goals in 34 appearances last season and at that age he's exactly the kind of player Warbs is after. We could do with another option up front, Waghorn is in great form right now but it's always good to have more competition for places especially when it's a player with a bit of excitement around him.

Tarik Fagrach was booted out by Feyenoord after falling out with the manager, supposedly wasn't satisfied with his effort/attitude in training. Not the kind of thing you want to hear for a player your team is looking at but he had 39 goals in 54 games for their development side and from the looks of it he's getting a development contract. At 17 years old you would hope there's time for him to mature and develop a more professional approach to his training, he could be a valuable player if the backroom staff can get his attitude where it needs to be.

The other pair I've seen mentioned are both with Accrington Stanley right now, Josh Windass and Matt Crooks. I haven't seen as much about these two but if MW sees fit to bring them in I'll trust his judgement. I'd never heard of Dom Ball before we brought him in on loan and he's been really solid at the back for us so far. (Just looked them up there, apparently Josh is the son of Dean Windass who played for Bradford for years @prophet) For what it's worth these guys coming in doesn't seem as much of a done deal as the other two but their agent was at the game on Tuesday and their contracts are both up in the summer. We'll see what happens.

Interesting to see how these potential signings pan out, MW has been saying he's only looking to add a small amount of players but also that he wouldn't hesitate to bring someone in if they have something to add to the team. It's been said that the signings made in January will definitely have an eye on next season as much as the remainder of this one so anyone coming in will have to be able to play in the Premiership should we get promoted as is expected.

[prophet]

I don't know about any of the other names you mentioned but Josh Windass has been in great form this season. He's every bit as physical as his Dad (from what I've seen) but also has that extra yard of pace his old man never had. Lot of Bradford fans keep tabs on him due to the affinity they have for Deano and would like City to sign him up, he'd be a good signing...tons of potential!

[SlightlyJames]

I don't know about any of the other names you mentioned but Josh Windass has been in great form this season. He's every bit as physical as his Dad (from what I've seen) but also has that extra yard of pace his old man never had. Lot of Bradford fans keep tabs on him due to the affinity they have for Deano and would like City to sign him up, he'd be a good signing...tons of potential!

Well, I'd certainly hope we can manage to bring him in then! Crooks is the only one of the lot who plays at the back, that's one of the areas we're desparately needing reinforcement so assuming he's good enough it would probably be worth bringing him in as well, maybe do a deal for both of them.

[AkydefGoldberg]

Rooney's not playing tomorrow which is nothing new considering his recent form! Hopefully a chance for a dynamic front four to try and score more than a goal!

[SlightlyJames]

Big shakeup coming to the Scottish League Cup starting from next season, the competition is going to begin with a group stage! There'll be eight groups of five teams each who will all play each other once over two weeks in July. One thing they're doing different that I've never heard of before is that, in the event of a draw, the teams will have a penalty shootout with the winner getting one additional point. Supposedly that's intended to make each game more exciting. Funnily enough the final game of the group stage is on my birthday! I may need to see about going to see Rangers play if they're at home.

The eight group winners and the four best runners-up along with the four teams in European qualification who get a group stage bye make up the round of 16, where the competition reverts to the traditional knockout format. Supposedly there's a new exclusive deal with BT Sport to broadcast more games from the competition, 13 over the course of the season. The format change also heralds the return of a winter break to the Scottish game with teams in the Premiership getting two weeks in January off.

[AkydefGoldberg]

First half was decent today, showed more attacking intent but no way was DDG at fault like Redknapp suggested (even saying Courtois would have caught it! Nothing to do with JT being there of course...) but at 1-1, we were OK.

Second half, the levels dropped badly and Bournemouth showed they wanted the points more and innovation at set pieces has to be applauded. Mata needs to do better, sure his stats are good but this was the sort of game to deliver but his poor touch and control didn't help. Had he been subbed today, unlike Tuesday, would have been no complaints. Injuries aside, it seems that LVG wanted a smaller squad and he has got rid of deadwood but out of all them, Hernandez is the one I'd have kept and Wilson. But he seems to have taken it so far the squad depth has collapsed. Rather than trying to be a don chasing Ramos, Woodward should have been identifying and bringing in quality depth.

On LVG, I think the club want top four, end of. If he gets 4th and the FA Cup, I think if Pep wants to come then they'll pull the trigger and change. But the media briefing given by Ed just reads laughable now. He'd be better off preparing for a LVG exit by getting intermediaries to speak to Pep's agent and ask if the City deal is done and if so, discuss with Ancelotti, who by his interview this week, would jump at the chance.

[Viazon]

As much as I need Leicester to start dropping points, I do love to see Chelsea lose.

[PorkChop]

CHAT SHIT GET BANGED

[prophet]

Mahrez could play for Arsenal or City.

He's too good for Chelsea though.

[AkydefGoldberg]

Surely when Mourinho gets sacked rather than if. Chelsea's players are simply not playing for him - he's tried everything but these guys aren't the type of individuals in his first spell (Ballack, Lampard, Terry, Cech, Drogba) who could take the stick and accept the carrot.

[SlightlyJames]

Crikey, that's us level on points with Hibs now (albeit with a heavy goal difference advantage for us). We're playing them on Monday and this team has been in dubious form for a month or two now, I thought we were getting back to business but then we go and drop points again twice. We were flying at the beginning of the season but we've lost that lethal touch recently, I've been concerned with our defense for a while but now that we're not scoring it's being exposed a lot.

The team doesn't seem to know anything but a high pressure game and we don't seem capable of dealing with teams on the break. We've been burned by St. Mirren, Hibs, St. Johnstone and now Falkirk today we were completely unable to shut them down. Monday's game is of vital importance to our season and the pressure is on Warbs and the players to right the ship, I don't want us to go through the playoffs again.

Willie Collum is a numpty by the way, why he is representing Scotland at Euro 2016 I have no idea. Very poor decisions made today for both teams, it was a shambles.

[Daz]

About 1:30 this afternoon I walked past a Coral with my brother and said "I fancy us to win 2-1 today." He replied "Should put a bet on," to which I countered with "can't be bothered. Will look a mug if it happens now though."

Will take it though.

[AkydefGoldberg]

^Easiest three points you'll take all season.

LVG's reign looks like it's nearing its end and Mourinho's begging for the job. I really hoped we could try and hijack City's move for Pep but that seems finalised.

[Daz]

Having seen the game now, it is really striking just how impotent Man Utd are going forward this year. They had 70 odd percent of possession and somehow Norwich still managed to have double the amount of shots on target. As nervy as it was in the final 20 or so minutes, we still never really gave up a clear cut chance.

Also, how easily Norwich broke through United was shocking. We don't exactly have great pace in attack, in fact we're often quite pedestrian and lack incentive. We could have had three or four from our counter attacks yesterday and Man Utd made it fairly easy at times.

Hopefully we can get something out of Tottenham next week, and Villa after that. Then we'll be sitting all right heading into the final stretch of the season. It's gonna be a tight battle again in the bottom half.

[prophet]

Mamadou Sakho with the worst performance by any player to have ever played the game at any level.

[AkydefGoldberg]

Having seen the game now, it is really striking just how impotent Man Utd are going forward this year. They had 70 odd percent of possession and somehow Norwich still managed to have double the amount of shots on target. As nervy as it was in the final 20 or so minutes, we still never really gave up a clear cut chance.

Also, how easily Norwich broke through United was shocking. We don't exactly have great pace in attack, in fact we're often quite pedestrian and lack incentive. We could have had three or four from our counter attacks yesterday and Man Utd made it fairly easy at times.

IDK what Schneiderlin's done to piss off LVG - but the Carrick-Fellaini combo in midfield was never going to end well. De Gea should have done better with Jereme's shot but preceding that, Young/Jones showed their cluelessness. Wouldn't bet against Stoke doing us over next Saturday.

[AkydefGoldberg]

Title set up for Arsenal @Viazon @Enygma

Without Sanchez and other players yet to return and Ozil is showing excellent, consistent form, showing why Arsenal paid £42.5m for him.

[Viazon]

I think this year, we have the best chance to win than we ever had in recent memory. We just need Leicester to start dropping some points.