Barclays Premier League 13/14 Thread Part 'x'

[It Must Be Love]

First topic message reminder :

I wouldn't mind Klopp replacing Moyes, if he does leave.

[Liam]

The players have let themselves down but surely coaching methods must take a substantial amount of blame for certain players regressing?

Last year, Rafael came on leaps and bounds and seemed to have matured into the attacking, but solid defensive right back he was capable of achieving. This year, he's been all over the place and injured.

Jones was improving game by game last year whilst also excelling in cdm against a very talented Madrid side, yet he again has been relatively poor this season, as has Smalling who again is in the same boat. Carrick has already been mentioned.

I do agree that the players needed to hold their hands up but I don't believe they weren't trying their best all season to put things right. I genuinely feel the preparation for games in training and the tactics and instructions given to them were just poor, I really do. The only player to really improve this season from last is De Gea, mainly due to him having allot more work to do due to defensive errors, but it seems the new keeping coach has warranted consideration of being kept on, was a tough act to follow in Steele but seems to have done a good job with De Gea.

[Ent]

Think that's a touch kind to some players. Players have hidden behind Moyes reputation and also self preservation fears

Like who?

I don't agree with that sentiment.

Hero, Rafael and Jones have been poor - they've been used badly imo. Jones is starting to show he isn't the prospect everyone thought, very poor technically, medium pace, not dominant physically or in the air, poor decision making and reading of the game. Been awful.

Carrick I think is the main one who has let himself and the team down, but as GSC alluded to he hides when the going gets tough.

[CFCNick]

Ent, are you ever in a good mood? About anything?

[Hero]

I bet he broke a small smile this morning at the news Moyes had gone.

[GSC]

I wouldn't say they've actively sabotaged Moyes. But they certainly haven't been trying to up their game, safe in the knowledge Moyes takes the flak for all shortcomings. Partly Moyes fault for failing to stamp his authority but also the players fault. They are highly paidprofessionals after all

[Ent]

I wouldn't say they've actively sabotaged Moyes. But they certainly haven't been trying to up their game, safe in the knowledge Moyes takes the flak for all shortcomings. Partly Moyes fault for failing to stamp his authority but also the players fault. They are highly paidprofessionals after all

I don't think top players get on like that, they have a lot of pride in their game and I believe they are trying.

The preparation for games must be terrible, we've a lot of injuries, we start every game slowly and the players look clueless as to what they are meant to be doing on the pitch.

As the season has gone on poorly the confidence has dropped. I don't buy for 1 second that the players are just coasting waiting for the manager to be sacked because they don't like him.

[mystiroakey]

I think the sacking could be more influential on norwich over united tbh. Something changes to all teams when they get that first game after the manager is sacked..Players seem to play with more freedom.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Well, North to Manchester based journalists have suggested some players have briefed to the media against Moyes. And I don't think that just means performances; influential figures in the dressing room have a part to play in support of a manager and I wouldn't mind betting that figures like Rio, Evra and others haven't been what their former manager wanted (Ferguson).

In terms of performances, who shouldn't hang their head in shame? Vidic played better once he had announced his intention to leave, Rooney before he announced his intention to stay. Januzaj played with freedom, Mata has clearly tried, Kagawa has come back well.

In comparison, when we got relegated under Grant we knew he was to blame, but so were the players. Matthew Upson got more stick than Grant in some quarters.

[J.Benson II]

Moyes deserved to go.
If anything, United have been patient to keep him as long as they did.
Most other clubs would have dismissed him around Christmas when it became apparent that he was out of his depth and would be unable to give them a top 4 finish.

[Hammersmith harrier]

It was money Benson, we had to wait until champions league qualification was a mathematical impossibility or his pay off would have been far higher. As a club we don't care about the Europa league and i'm guessing this has been in the pipeline for quite some time but certain criteria had to be matched before it could be done.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/David-Moyes-Chosen-One-Manchester-United-Banner-/321385852709?pt=UK_SportsMemorabilia_Football_Memorabilia_ET&hash=item4ad416ef25

In case that hasnt been posted before.

[mystiroakey]

i dont get it- shall i just bid 1 million for a laff. none of them bids are for real- surely. Maybe I am out of touch but what is so funny or valuable about that

[Ent]

Someone's getting sold that photo lol.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

You need to read the description.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

http://www.bootifulgame.com/managerial-merry-go-round/

I love that for no reason

[mystiroakey]

i love it as well. its like planets. awesome

[Fernando]

Bah Gawd He's Alive!

[Hammersmith harrier]

Only seven managers have been in their current jobs for longer than a year that's absurd.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

http://www.bootifulgame.com/managerial-merry-go-round/

I love that for no reason

The best part is that the Arsenal bit is actually progressing at their current rate as a side

[GSC]

Terry and Cech out for the season.

Might as well start engraving the L

[Fernando]

Sir Alex Ferguson will play a key role in selecting David Moyes's replacement as Manchester United manager.
Moyes, who was hand-picked by Ferguson as his successor last year, was sacked on Tuesday after only 10 months in charge.
Ferguson will this time be part of a selection process consisting of every Manchester United board member.

I feel like we've been here before   

[Guest]

Terry and Cech out for the season.

Might as well start engraving the L

and the i and the v and the e and the r and the p and the o and the other o and the l

Anti-climax Sunday will be, Jose knows it's gone & the second leg is the priority now. Should just be another party at Anfield.

[Guest]

Terry and Cech out for the season.

Might as well start engraving the L

and the i and the v and the e and the r and the p and the o and the other o and the l

Anti-climax Sunday will be, Jose knows it's gone & the second leg is the priority now. Should just be another party at Anfield.

Go in with that mindset and we'll get beaten.
Jose playing his mind games to get Liverpool to take their foot off the gas. Sadly they're about as convincing as players feigning injury or protesting their innocence after a blatant foul.

[Stella]

I think Liverpool may give Chelsea a bit of a beating on Sunday. Rodgers and his players are like a bunch of rampaging dogs at the moment.

[Guest]

I'd love it to happen but again, I'll definitely and happily take a scrappy "in off someone's knee" if it gets us the three points.

Think they'll start like they always do these days but, this time, I'd like to see at least a three goal lead before the defensive collywobbles start appearing.

[Fernando]

prepare for 90 mins of this

[Guest]

What, no double decker?

[Fernando]

No their trying to restrict the space that Maureen's Ego can fit into. Doing everything to keep them under FFP  

[FootballLight]

This happened last night?

[Guest]

This happened last night?

Thought Madrid were utterly bereft of ideas and just kept lobbing in high balls into the box for Chelsea's defence to head clear with little or no threat to them. Total lack of invention and guile from Simeone's team but of course ITV only saw it as yet another Mourinho masterclass. Perhaps Athletico had a bad day at the office but I'm struggling to see what all the fuss is about...a bit like PSG.

It would be a travesty if either of those two won the CL but then watching dive his way to the title may be just as galling. When he's in full flow he great but the bad side seems to creep in too often for me. Of course, do I want to see Sergio Ramos foul his way to a medal or what that preening prancing c**t Ronaldo get his hands on the trophy?

No, best thing would be to scrap the lot and draw tickets out of a hat


CL Winners - Kidderminster!

[FootballLight]

This happened last night?

Thought Madrid were utterly bereft of ideas and just kept lobbing in high balls into the box for Chelsea's defence to head clear with little or no threat to them. Total lack of invention and guile from Simeone's team but of course ITV only saw it as yet another Mourinho masterclass. Perhaps Athletico had a bad day at the office but I'm struggling to see what all the fuss is about...a bit like PSG.

It would be a travesty if either of those two won the CL but then watching dive his way to the title may be just as galling. When he's in full flow he great but the bad side seems to creep in too often for me. Of course, do I want to see Sergio Ramos foul his way to a medal or what that preening prancing c**t Ronaldo get his hands on the trophy?

No, best thing would be to scrap the lot and draw tickets out of a hat


CL Winners - Kidderminster!

That is what Chelsea were hoping for all throughout the game. Just to sit in, let Atletico Madrid have the ball in good areas but let them do nothing with it, it worked successfully. As you said, they only ended up launching hopeful balls into the box for the strong defenders and midfielders to head away. The only problem last night was, what was there plan to actually go and win the game? Thy didn't actually want to go and win the game, which they needed to imo. Although 0-0 away from home is a good result, if Atltico just play on the break with fast, creative players, and score, that means Chelsea need 2 goals to progress to the final, which is a tough ask if Atletico still kept sitting in and hitting on the break as well.

If Mourinho said at half time to the players, after 75 minutes, take the pressure off yourselves, have a go at the Atletico defence, test them a little bit more and put pressure on them, then maybe a goal would have come from that and a 0-1 is always a great result to take away from home, because then you're opposition has to do something and that leaves them open and vulnerable. But Chelsea just had the plan to defend, which was slightly disappointing and concerning for some fans actually. It was a good game plan, don't get me wrong, but it would have been a great game plan if they had an attacking outlet or strategy.

Atletico just lacked any sort of intensity. A bit like Chelsea themselves at home, lack intensity which, in theory, is the reason why they only score very few goals at home for their liking and compared to the other teams around them. But, if Atletico showed some intensity, stuck at their normal creativity route or attacking plan (I should call it) and gave it a little bit of intensity, then they would have won that game, no question. A BBC reporter was in a quote last night at Diego Costa, basically Madrid's best player this season and the influx of their success, no a 1 man team, but someone who majorly helped. I read it, it said something along the lines of him not being able to fit in the premier league and he isn't a stand out player, he just scores goals, which yes, is the primary objective of a centre forward, but, he lacks a lot of other qualities and wouldn't suit the premier league. I can't say I'd disagree with him either. All be it, I haven't seen Atletico often enough to give a full judgement, but from what I've seen in some league games and last nights performance really summed up my point, he isn't anything else but potentially another Torres. Can score goals at certain clubs that play o his strengths, but elsewhere, like Arsenal or Chelsea, he'd just flop.

I wouldn't mind seeing Real Madrid win it actually. A really world class club on a whole that needs to be beating teams to the trophy. If its anyone's year, I think it's Real's year. I don't want a Madrid final. No way. I just hate derby games that are finals. People say i adds an extra incentive, it doesn't. Because, derby games are special occasions that only come around a couple of times in a season (for Real and Atletico's case anyway). I love derby games, they add such an incentive to the modern game, but obviously, any fan would prioritise a trophy over a derby win. So it takes the whole "special occasion" out of the picture as both sets of fans would value the Champions League much more. If it was to be a Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid final and you asked any fan the question: "What's more important, winning the Champions League or getting yourself bragging rights in the capital?" Then obviously, the answer would be the Champions League, 99% of the time. Which then just defeats the whole incentive of a derby match.

I don't want to see Bayern hold the crown once more either. We all know they are the best, there are some world class clubs, but this team currently is on another level to them, much like what Barcelona were 5 years ago. Its pointless just seeing the best win it year after year, it gets boring for the neutrals. If there is any final, I want it to be Real Madrid vs Chelsea. I don't want Chelsea to win it either because they've only just recently won it and I'd prefer to see Madrid get their hands on the CL after so long without it.

[GSC]

I don't know if Atletico lacked intensity. I just think they expected Chelsea to come out and play, and gave them too much respect.

[owen10ozzy]

A real shock could be about to occur for Man Utd & their fans and to be frank I hope it does...

Given the amount of stick that they have given other clubs for chopping and changing managers and spending 200 odd million in a single transfer window it's a touch ironic that they are now doing the same....it also rams my point home which I made right at the start of all of this and that is the planning in the last few years at the club has been downright poor especially when you consider that is something which Fergie & Utd built their reputations on for the vast majority of the last twenty years; they knew when one cycle was coming to an end and had the cogs turning on the next one ready for when it did....a huge proportion of the blame for what is going on now has to lie with Fergie (no matter how god like he may be because of his success) & upper management including the Glazers. Floating the club on the stock market may also have been a huge mistake given that what should be football decisions have now become business decisions as the club has to make changes based on current stock price rather than long term planning.

Yes Moyes does of course deserve his portion of blame; even I, who has advocated that he needed time; didn't envisage him having as much trouble as he did but the fact is that for me their have been a huge amount of things out of his control.

For a start that Utd dressing room was an ego fuelled bomb just waiting to happen; Ferguson is a one in a million in terms of keeping them at bay....those managers come round once in a lifetime; once he went you could see cracks beginning to appear almost immediately with fringe players beginning to moan and splits in the camp forming.

Then we have the squad itself; I wish people would stop going on about 'oh it was a title winning squad'...yes it was...but it was a squad which happened to win it when Chelsea were in transition, Liverpool had a manager in his first full season (by the way they finished 7th and had no European football this season...hasn't done them any harm at all) & Man City simply thought they had to only turn up to win it...

It was widely accepted that Moyes inherited a team on it's last legs...something which should never have happened (I refer to my earlier point about former Fergie teams being built upon cycles)...Vidic is past his best, Rio seems more interested in adding fans to his twitter account, Evra is a faded force...then we have Van Persie...a guy who single handidly took Utd to the title last year....Ent & the like may think that Fergie had some magical fitness plan but his history and the statistics suggest that he just happened to have an injury free season...a rare feat in a career which has often been blighted by injuries...I said when he signed that Utd may be lucky to get one full season out of him & they did...it will be the last regardless of who takes over next...

Let's not get started on Wayne Rooney; a player adorned by the fans of the club...this despite him exploiting the club twice in the last 5 years in order to drive up his own wages to an astronomical £300,000 a week...a figure not far off Lionel Messi yet unlike the Argentinian, Rooney is 28 and very rarely summons any type of World Class form for longer than a period of 4/5 weeks & even that only occurs twice a season.

Luis Antonio Valencia Wigan £16,000,000 30 Jun, 2009
Michael Owen Newcastle Free 03 Jul, 2009
Gabriel Obertan Bordeaux £3,000,000 08 Jul, 2009
Mame Biram Diouf Molde Signed 17 Jul, 2009
Marnick Vermijl Standard Liege Signed 10 Mar, 2010
Chris Smalling Fulham £10,000,000 01 Jul, 2010
Javier Hernandez Guadalajara Signed 15 Jul, 2010
Bebe Vitoria £7,400,000 11 Aug, 2010
Anders Lindegaard Aalesund £3,500,000 01 Jan, 2011
Phil Jones Blackburn £16,500,000 13 Jun, 2011
Ashley Young Aston Villa £17,000,000 23 Jun, 2011
David de Gea Atl Madrid £18,900,000 29 Jun, 2011
Frederic Veseli Man City Signed 31 Jan, 2012
Nick Powell Crewe £4,000,000 12 Jun, 2012
Shinji Kagawa B Dortmund £12,000,000 22 Jun, 2012
Angelo Henriquez Univ de Chile Youth 01 Aug, 2012
Robin van Persie Arsenal £24,000,000 17 Aug, 2012
Alexander Buttner Vitesse Arn. Signed 21 Aug, 2012
Wilfried Zaha C Palace £15,000,000 25 Jan, 2013
Guillermo Varela Penarol £2,400,000 07 Jun, 2013

Those were Utd's transfer dealings in the last few seasons of Fergie's reign...one proven world class player brought in right at the end. Other than that it is filled with unproven players from abroad (where it is difficult to know how they will adapt to English football) and young players who had potential which were brought in at vastly inflated prices (Young, Zaha, Smalling, Jones, Powell)...what ever happened to Utd bringing through their own youth products??!

They and Fergie essentially turned there back on the ideologies & technique which had made them so successful in the past; the model which had ensured they had never had to go through a proper transitional period because they always had one team coming through as another was nearing it's end. A plan which saw the spine of a team made up of youth products which was then solidified by proven international players.

Now Utd move forward; one eye on the search for a new manager the other firmly on player acquisitions & whilst the papers may say that Fergie, Charlton & Co will have a big say on who is next through the door & into the dugout the truth of the matter is that this is a club which now find's itself in the same murky waters of Chelsea & Man City...a club which was once built upon consistency, fore-planning and traditional values is now nothing more than a business model in the same mould as those 'evil foreign owners' who have swooped into British football...stock market prices will determine decisions & the moment the axe fell on a man who was just 10 months ago handed a 6 year contract they became a club whose short term aims now outweigh long term success...

Whilst the hot seat may not be the poisoned chalice it was last summer it now merely looks like a stop gap position for those managers who enjoy an Indian summer role before moving on to bigger & better things...

The likes of Klopp, Blanc & Guardiola have already distanced themselves...instead seeking to build era's at their respective clubs..instead Utd will have to look to the likes of Ancelotti & Van Gaal...not bad managers at all....but barring a long stint at Milan & Ajax respectively..managers who are often nothing more than 2 year plug gaps...

An overhaul of this club is required, whether fans want to believe it or not, it is now a squad filled with age and mediocrity when compared to it's biggest rivals...the price of the rebuild may well approach £200 million...but more than that it may also cost the club the soul for which it has so long lambasted Chelsea, Man City and the like for not having.

[FootballLight]

It was the intensity that let Atletico down. It can't have been anything else apart from under performing. They are like Liverpool. Haven't under performed often at all and with their intensity and attacking style, they have just been too much to handle in both respective divisions. Atletico run out of ideas and slowed the intensity down, take the out of the game last night, I think they'd have knocked 2 past Chelsea, at least.

[GSC]

United would be lucky to land Ancelotti. Adept at traversing challenging boardroom politics, can build long term, plays attractive football. Unfairly sacked by Chelsea.

[compelling and rich]

owen- moyes may well have been given a squad that needed improving by fergie, but moyes was given money to improve that and he failed dramatically, he spent near 70 mil and probably had more than that available

giving nani a 5 year contract, fellaini's transfer fee and his quote of him being the best belgian in the league all point to a guy who's clueless about how the team needed improving

we couldnt sit back and let this man damage us even further, theres not a single person on here at the start of the season that would have predicted we would do as bad as we have done.

i unfortunately seen every game this season with united, as well as all games last season and its complete rubbish that the performances are merely down to a "ageing" squad. you could clearly see there was no game plan, no tactics and god knows what he was doing in training. a training that could have easily been helped with a proven back room staff that was already in place when he took over

moyes reign was one calamity after another, any other club in the world and he would have had the boot a lot earlier. we gave him and the team fantastic support despite the dross he was serving up

oh and if you think all united fans worship rooney, you clearly havent seen much of what i put on here this season. another fantastic moyes decision to make him one of the highest paid footballers around when fergie was ready to get rid

[Ent]

No point in getting annoyed c&r, people like putting the boot in when we are down.

So even if we win everything over the next few years it will be because we have abandoned our ideology bla bla bla

Even some mention of the youth system despite the fact it's been 15 years or so since the fa crippled the youth academy structure in this country.

[Guest]

No point in getting annoyed c&r, people like putting the boot in when we are down.

So even if we win everything over the next few years it will be because we have abandoned our ideology bla bla bla

Even some mention of the youth system despite the fact it's been 15 years or so since the fa crippled the youth academy structure in this country.

You mean like you probably did when Liverpool were on their rear ends.

Sh!t comes back round mate. We had our time in the sun and then it came to an end. We didn't imagine it would last that long and we've had to watch other teams surpass us. It's a real test of character to pull yourself back up and it looks like we may finally do it (but still not a given).

Liverpool thought they had a monopoly on the game and were deemed arrogant because of it. What's happened to Utd isn't any different but remember, if you can't take it...don't dish it out!

As much fun as it may be to crow over Utd's supposed downfall, it's still better to have them as a competitive force than a minor inconvenience to be dealt with twice a season. It may take time to get back up and running but it'll be a test of the owners, players and fans as to who wants to get down in the dirt and fight for the club and who wants to head for the exits.

[owen10ozzy]

Ent - I actually support any British club; after all it's only of benefit to have our clubs doing well especially in Europe. It's easy to sit and say that the FA crippled the youth academy..but whilst they played there part so did the big clubs who decided it was easier to buy foreign imports or indeed snatch players out of other academies/smaller teams at the first signs of promise..much like Utd did with Smalling, Jones, Zaha, Young etc...of course they are not the only team to do it..however they were a team which shed there own culture in bringing through youth in favour of going the same way of others....the likes of Southampton...Everton...Middlesbrough (6/7 years ago mind)..didn't struggle to bring through youth despite this negative impact of the FA that you talk about..

I hope Utd do come back...the more competitive the title race & more teams gunning for it the better...what I am saying though is that in many way's those at Utd and sections of the fan base have had plenty to say about how other clubs have been run and how certain things have ruined the game but Utd aren't an innocent bystander. They have been slowly and surely going down the same route as others...it's just been done behind the guise of Ferguson...now that he has gone we are beginning to see the behind the scene changes in mentality and just what they have done to the club over the past 5 years.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Are you going to claim we're all jealous of United again? Your club deserves a bashing, you can protect your ego as a club and scapegoat Moyes but you'd be naive or vindictive to do so

[GSC]

I'd like to see a system where youth players not included in the 25 man squad are available for a standardised loan fee

[compelling and rich]

Are you going to claim we're all jealous of United again? Your club deserves a bashing, you can protect your ego as a club and scapegoat Moyes but you'd be naive or vindictive to do so

our club deserves bashing for getting rid of a clearly out of his depth manager?!

nonsense, this isnt us getting rid of a manager who has just won us the champions league ala chelsea, this isnt even as bad as cardiffs sacking of mackay. this was a deserved sacking

[hampo17]

Are you going to claim we're all jealous of United again? Your club deserves a bashing, you can protect your ego as a club and scapegoat Moyes but you'd be naive or vindictive to do so

our club deserves bashing for getting rid of a clearly out of his depth manager?!

nonsense, this isnt us getting rid of a manager who has just won us the champions league ala chelsea, this isnt even as bad as cardiffs sacking of mackay. this was a deserved sacking

United fans stuck the boot in to Liverpool when they sacked Hodgson, and said it was an unfair sacking. Hodgson was just as bad, if not worse than Moyes. Of course United deserve stick, and it is not for sacking the manager. It's for signing poor players, Fellani, Nani, Anderson, or sticking with average players like Cleverly. United got this whole appointment wrong, not only did the manager leave the man behind the transfer dealings did as well leaving Moyes high and dry.

[Guest]

Still I'm sure Moyes has recently had five million reasons not to be too upset about it put in his bank account.

[compelling and rich]

Are you going to claim we're all jealous of United again? Your club deserves a bashing, you can protect your ego as a club and scapegoat Moyes but you'd be naive or vindictive to do so

our club deserves bashing for getting rid of a clearly out of his depth manager?!

nonsense, this isnt us getting rid of a manager who has just won us the champions league ala chelsea, this isnt even as bad as cardiffs sacking of mackay. this was a deserved sacking

United fans stuck the boot in to Liverpool when they sacked Hodgson, and said it was an unfair sacking. Hodgson was just as bad, if not worse than Moyes. Of course United deserve stick, and it is not for sacking the manager. It's for signing poor players, Fellani, Nani, Anderson, or sticking with average players like Cleverly. United got this whole appointment wrong, not only did the manager leave the man behind the transfer dealings did as well leaving Moyes high and dry.

cant agree that hodgson was doing as bad as moyes. hodgson took over a poor squad and given no money whatsoever. moyes took over the champions and was given plenty of money to spend.

[Guest]

Hodgson also came in and tried to impose his brand of skull crushingly dull and negative football on the club which annoyed so many people it was untrue. bringing the likes of Poulsen just added insult to insult

[hampo17]

Hodgson spent approximately £23 million during his time at Liverpool.

Player From Fee Date
Joe Cole Chelsea Free 21 July 2010
Danny Wilson Rangers £2,000,000 21 July 2010
Fabio Aurelio Free Agent Free 31 July 2010
Christian Poulsen Juventus £4,550,000 11 August 2010
Brad Jones Middlesbrough £2,300,000 18 August 2010
Raul Meireles Porto £11,500,000 29 August 2010
Paul Konchesky Fulham £3,500,000 31 August 2010

Out of those signings Meireles was the only semi decent player, and while he was unlucky that he lost Mascherano he still didn't sign an adequate replacement. During his time he had 20 league games winning just 7 and losing 9, that is an awful record and he was rightfully sacked, didn't stop certain fans saying we were wrong though.

I'm sure you'll say he didn't have a lot of money to spend but Liverpool at that point weren't able to give much more due to the debt problems. £23m worth of dross was signed by him.

[compelling and rich]

Hodgson spent approximately £23 million during his time at Liverpool.

Player From Fee Date
Joe Cole Chelsea Free 21 July 2010
Danny Wilson Rangers £2,000,000 21 July 2010
Fabio Aurelio Free Agent Free 31 July 2010
Christian Poulsen Juventus £4,550,000 11 August 2010
Brad Jones Middlesbrough £2,300,000 18 August 2010
Raul Meireles Porto £11,500,000 29 August 2010
Paul Konchesky Fulham £3,500,000 31 August 2010

Out of those signings Meireles was the only semi decent player, and while he was unlucky that he lost Mascherano he still didn't sign an adequate replacement. During his time he had 20 league games winning just 7 and losing 9, that is an awful record and he was rightfully sacked, didn't stop certain fans saying we were wrong though.

I'm sure you'll say he didn't have a lot of money to spend but Liverpool at that point weren't able to give much more due to the debt problems. £23m worth of dross was signed by him.

torres and mascherano was sold for nearly 70mil combined, so net profit of nearly 50mil was made in something i dont think he had much choice in. meireles was alright like you say and thats the only signing he actually spent any kind of money on. his hands were tied massively while in charge unlike moyes

i agree he plays poor football, only have to watch england. but seriously what club would you rather have taken over united in our position or liverpool in the state they were at the time

[Hammersmith harrier]

You do realise Owen that any money we spend has been earned by the club and not as a result of having a rich owner, big difference that your post fails to address.

[hampo17]

Roy wasn't there when Torres was sold for that money, Kenny was and he managed to convince Suarez to sign for us during his first 30 days at the club, a bigger signing than Roy made during his entire 6 months.

My original point however was you said fans shouldn't stick the boot in, of course other teams fans will stick the boot in because United fans have done it to them for years.

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