Roiling football blather

IdleRich

IdleRich

IdleRich
"that's a bit of a myth- we've consistantly played 433 since mourinho arrived, and i don't think we've ever had more than six central midfielders at a time- no more than the two per position that most managers subscribe to."
Click to expand...
I dunno, since Abramovic took over they've bought Ballack, Essien, Mikel, Duff, SWP, Robben, Malouda, Kalou and Deco who are all essentially midfielders or winger/midfielders, and tried to fit them into a midfield that already had Lampard and Cole. By contrast the only out-and-out strikers they've bought have been Drogba and (reluctantly) Shevchenko. Then Drogba is injured or goes to the African championships and they haven't got a decent front man and they wonder why.
Also, if you are genuinely playing 4-3-3 and you've got six central midfielders I make that six people competing for one place, not two.
 
T

tom pr

Well-known member
I dunno, since Abramovic took over they've bought Ballack, Essien, Mikel, Duff, SWP, Robben, Malouda, Kalou and Deco who are all essentially midfielders or winger/midfielders, and tried to fit them into a midfield that already had Lampard and Cole / Also, if you are genuinely playing 4-3-3 and you've got six central midfielders I make that six people competing for one place, not two.
Click to expand...
You're being a bit awkward rich. you know how we play: back four, three central midfielders, two wingers and a centre forward.

Squad last season, with where they ideally played, is:

Maka/mikel/sidwell/ballack/lampard/essien (six) for the three cm slots
Malouda/swp/joe cole/kalou (four) for the two winger slots.

So that's two players for each position, which every manager tries to subscribe to. The problem is in the players, not the amount of players.
 
Last edited:
IdleRich

IdleRich

IdleRich
"You're being a bit awkward rich"
Click to expand...
I do my best.... but I do see what you're saying - thing is I would call that a 4-5-1 formation and that's what I mean about Chelsea as a whole being too midfield focussed and lacking in cover for the striker. I guess you could say the same about Man Utd but their midfielders weigh in with goals and you don't see them moaning that they didn't have enough money to get a striker.
 
C

crackerjack

Well-known member
tom pr said:
Malouda/swp/joe cole/kalou (four) for the two winger slots.
Click to expand...

I remember early in Mourinho's reign when he made a big point of publicly slating Cole. JC had played a cracker, might evenn have got the winner, can't remember, and Jose went on MOTD threatening to leave him out next time because he wasn't tracking back enough.
 
IdleRich

IdleRich

IdleRich
"I remember early in Mourinho's reign when he made a big point of publicly slating Cole. JC had played a cracker, might evenn have got the winner, can't remember, and Jose went on MOTD threatening to leave him out next time because he wasn't tracking back enough."
Click to expand...
Tough love management skills I suppose, he did actually seem to raise his game a bit after that didn't he?
What's this Jo guy like that City have signed? Thirty goals from fifty-odd games for CSKA is all I know about him.
 
C

crackerjack

Well-known member
IdleRich said:
Saga continues....

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/jul/04/manchesterunited.premierleague

Surely even Ronaldo must be getting bored of this now.
Click to expand...

And The Times is quoting hiss sister saying he wants to stay... I'm starting to hope they keep the twat since his head should be all over the place if they do.

Mind, I thought that after the last World Cup and it didn't quite work out.


Still, Liverpool are alright - they're picking up unused subs from the Swiss national squad, oh yes.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/7409840.stm
 
C

crackerjack

Well-known member
IdleRich said:
What's going on with Crouch though, is he off or what?
Click to expand...

Yep, to Pompey, today or tomorrow.

Why is Rafa trying to divest himself of Alonso? I don't get that at all.
Click to expand...

Alonso has been off his game for a year or two. I'm not sure Barry will be much better and Villa's price is outrageous, but getting £15m for Alonso would be good business.
 
D

don_quixote

Trent End
carrick and hargreaves costing £15m+ says barrys price is not ridiculous.

i hate liverpool and i hate gareth barry now so im not too bothered, i wish they were paying double that.
 
IdleRich

IdleRich

IdleRich
"carrick and hargreaves costing £15m+ says barrys price is not ridiculous."
Click to expand...
I thought the price that they paid for Carrick was ludicrous at the time - and I wasn't alone - but now you look back and realise that they got a player who quietly made himself vital to a side that went on to win the double and suddenly it doesn't look so bad. Basically if you win all your decisions look correct don't they?
 
D

don_quixote

Trent End
yes.

also, barrys price is not ridiculous considering you're ripping the heart out of top 10 premiership side. it should be seen as compensation, not the value of the player.
 
IdleRich

IdleRich

IdleRich
"also, barrys price is not ridiculous considering you're ripping the heart out of top 10 premiership side. it should be seen as compensation, not the value of the player."
Click to expand...
True - I remember my friend saying that the Carrick transfer didn't make sense because although Spurs were getting a lot of money they were losing their engine whereas United wouldn't be gaining a crucial player in the same way so they were spending too much. Guess he was, arguably, half-right.
 
D

don_quixote

Trent End
well value is set by how much something is worth to the person who owns it - not by the person looking to buy it. thats economics innit.
 
D

don_quixote

Trent End
this is why english players are so much more expensive than foreign equivalents. there's so much more money sloshing around the english game that theyre always going to cost more - xabi alonsos price only seems so steep BECAUSE he's coming from an english club. frank lampards price seems absurdly cheap because he's leaving chelsea, who don't need the money (and because his contract finishes at the end of next season).

whether £6.5m is cheap for lampard is fairly debatable though, i've never seen him do anything good, ever.
 
IdleRich

IdleRich

IdleRich
"well value is set by how much something is worth to the person who owns it - not by the person looking to buy it. thats economics innit."
Click to expand...
I thought price (maybe not value though) is set by the meeting of the level the seller will sell and the buyer will pay. If I own something and say I won't sell it for less than ten pounds that's fairly meaningless (except as a guide to upper price limits) unless there is someone willing to pay that isn't it?
 
D

don_quixote

Trent End
yes, true, but in football you're not always looking to sell are you? and im sure if villa had the choice theyd like to keep barry but theyve not got much option in the matter since liverpool and steven gerrard have shaken the wasps nest
 
IdleRich

IdleRich

IdleRich
Yes, I agree, it does seem just a little peculiar to compare with a slave someone who, through their own choice and the advice of their agent, entered into a contract to earn a billion pounds a week for playing football and spit-roasting models. I guess he's a bird in a gilded cage.
 
C

crackerjack

Well-known member
IdleRich said:
Yes, I agree, it does seem just a little peculiar to compare with a slave someone who, through their own choice and the advice of their agent, entered into a contract to earn a billion pounds a week for playing football and spit-roasting models. I guess he's a bird in a gilded cage.
Click to expand...

It also seems a bit weird to publicly undermine the contract system of the sport you're meant to be governing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top