We Go Again! The Premier League thread

[Fernando]

First topic message reminder :

Galloway off for Browning due to injury

[Guest]

I got 4/1 from Paddy Poweryesterday, thought that was a steal

[It Must Be Love]

Does Van Gaal have a clue

[Guest]

He does, I don't think anybody can question his pedigree, I would argue he is stubborn to a fault though and needs to back down on this stupid 'philoshophy' of his, which may work on the continent, but does not translate well to the Premier League

[Dolphin Ziggler]

The philosophy extends to "hit ball hard at Fellaini"

[Ent]

Players aren't good enough.

It's that simple.

In our squad only darmian would trouble city or chelsea for a starting spot- and he has only played 4 pl games.

Romero isn't good enough to be a starting pl goal keeper. Blind isn't a centre half. Shaw isn't great.

In midfield schneiderlein is a water carrier, jury still out on bastian (think he will come good), mata is just pointless, depay Still very niave but will be a good player. Rooney the less said the better.

Nothing right about this side, not players, formation, system, tactics.

Let's go back to the end of last season with blind, fellaini, Young on the left and herrera mata darmian (replacing valencia) on the right.

Top 4 is the aim again this year, buy some decent players in our actual problem positions next year.

[Hammersmith harrier]

Shaw has been great so far, not sure what you watch sometimes Ent.

[kingraf]

Must say, Andre Ayew as a signing was something I was only a fan of because he was free. Didn't think him on the level, he's proving me wrong. Three on the bounce against UTD for Swansea. Think LvG has a bogey.

[Hammersmith harrier]

For a predominantly wide player Ayew has a pretty damn good goalscoring record and could go on to be the bargain of the Summer.

[GSC]

There's a fair amount of deadwood left, but I think its reasonable to expect more from LVGs team at this stage of the rebuild. A striker has to be a priority before the end of the window. Rooney hasn't justified the faith to be the undisputed #1

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Mata scores, Mata is pointless

[westisbest]

Villa certainly got the wrong Ayew brother.

[Lowlandbrit]

A striker has to be a priority before the end of the window. Rooney hasn't justified the faith to be the undisputed #1

If Wilson can't break though the way things are, he might as well just leave. What exactly is the point of United even having a youth setup anymore?

[GSC]

Norwich are another side with work to do before Tuesday. Said at the start of the summer they had to be ruthless with some who didn't make the grade last time. 8 of the first 11 were at the club 2 seasons ago, another was relegated with Hull last year and Jerome has had enough chances at this level.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

100% agree. Cannot see them staying up as is.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Said all along I think we need some defensive reinforcements - but after the first four games I'm more confident than ever that we'll be fine. Midfield is markedly improved since last time we were up, and that's without seeing mulumbu make his debut yet.

Today was very much the anomaly, not the norm

[westisbest]

Just seen Ayew's pass to set up Gomis.

Absolute quality.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Righto - the rumor is Johnson was banging Grabban's wife, of which he found out on the day he stormed out the hotel - thus why Johnson has been sold off quickly, and Grabban stayed.

Grabban earlier tweeted - "The truth always comes to the surface eventually..." but has since deleted the tweet.

Eugh football

[Dolphin Ziggler]

He'll thrive down at Derby City

[Fernando]

Fair to say Sissoko is trying to get out of Newcastle Smaller club then Palace

Sissoko was asked why he finds himself a substitute so regularly while on international duty, replying:

'Today, look at those who play in my position. There's Blaise (Matuidi) who did extraordinary things at PSG (last season), Paul (Pogba) who is wonderful for Juventus, Yohan Cabaye who has just signed for Crystal Palace and Morgan Schneiderlin who is now at Manchester United, Compared to me, they all play in big clubs.'

[Guest]

Moussa Sissoko - ''Those comments were fabricated''.

[GSC]

Moussa Sissoko - ''Those comments were fabricated''.

"Manchester United are not a big club"

[Guest]

Courtois out for two months 

Hardly surprising news about the De Gea contract, suits all three parties. The player gets his £200k a week, Mendes would of included the release clause, that he knows Madrid will pay & United will get De Gea for 12 months & get a large fee off him next summer.

[nadeem2099]

De Gea signs a new contract with United.

David De Gea said:

“I am "delighted" to be starting this new chapter in my United career. I have always "enjoyed" playing with these great players in front of our fantastic fans. Manchester United is a "special" club and Old Trafford is an "ideal place for me" to continue to develop my career. I’m looking forward to putting a difficult summer behind me and concentrating on working hard to improve and help my teammates to be successful.”

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Begovic and De Gea both to play this weekend then. 

David could be the difference between beating Liverpool and losing. Do not fancy Romero claiming a cross over Benteke.

[nadeem2099]

I'll give the advantage to United seeing as Coutinho is suspended.

I'm hearing there's no release clause in De Gea's contract. That would be a shocker for Real Madrid.

[Ent]

Frak you Perez!

[Dolphin Ziggler]

What a boon for United. If you take this at face value then De Gea has seen Madrid's methods of operating and felt undervalued and unconvinced by their lack of professionalism. 

Not only that but I think his presence and the spring in their step that this positive news brings might help United kick on.

[Hammersmith harrier]

Does make you wonder about the failure of the transfer to go through now, looks like Woodward might have pulled a fast one and screwed Madrid after all. We might be paying De Gea a ridiculous amount a week but the asking price has pretty much doubled.

[Lowlandbrit]

Does make you wonder about the failure of the transfer to go through now, looks like Woodward might have pulled a fast one and screwed Madrid after all. We might be paying De Gea a ridiculous amount a week but the asking price has pretty much doubled.

Wasn't there some sort of penalty clause between De Gea and Real too, or was that nonsense? Because if so, this really couldn't have gone much worse for them.

[Atila]

Good news for United. Even if De Gea still wants to leave in a years time for Real Madrid at least now United will get a reasonable fee for him.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Monday night is Schteve's chance to gain some redemption. The last time the two managers met, one stood tall in glory, the other hunched under an umbrella.

[kingraf]

I'm not sure what De Gea is playing at. But I'm beginning to wonder whether Perez ever really wanted him. De Gea would have been spun the same story, I'd assume, otherwise I can't understand why he signed an extension.

I don't want him, though. Just embarrassing that Perez got outflanked by Woodward. He must mellowing in his advancing years

[Guest]

United had the power of the euro's factor, which was a massive advantage. I think United played this perfectly though, they manoeuvred the deal to suit them. They would of cornered him & said sign this £200k a week deal, including this release clause & we will make you our no.1 again. Or, you can reject it & you wil sit in the reserves all season. What else was he going to do, other than accept it? United putting in the release clause benefits the player's desire to move & benefits them in getting £30m+ next summer, instead of losing him for nothing. I don't think Perez has been done, I just think this was always a losing battle, given the circumstances.

[kingraf]

Well, then they've cornered him, because I don't think Madrid is gonna pay £30 million+ for a keeper*.

*Unless Navas is worse than anyone could have ever imagined

[Hero]

I imagine De Gea became annoyed at Real's failure to act until the last day of the window and inability to get it over the line whilst also being aware of the backlash from a large number of Real fans who more than happy with Navas.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Rooney may miss the Liverpool game with a poor hammy.

Rodgers claims Sturridge is the fittest hes been in 18 months. Rodgers isnt prone to talking s*** out of that (what he assures me is) chocolate eating grin so i'd imagine Daniel will play 90 mins tomorrow?

[Guest]

Big loss for Chelsea and potentially career altering injury to Thibaut Courtois having had some training ground accident "with the goalkeepers" - he needs knee surgery.

Luis Van Gaal / Man Utd transfer policy - bring in overpriced / high cost individuals - test them - put them in unusual positions - then get rid of them the next year at a discount if they don't fit in with the LVG philosophy / don't perform well.  LVG has made it clear he will be gone / retired by the end of the 2016/2017 season and thinks Ryan Giggs will be the one to take over.

[Fernando]

Of all the things that happened at United, The most concerning was LVG saying Martial was a present for the next manager.

[Guest]

Of all the things that happened at United, The most concerning was LVG saying Martial was a present for the next manager.

There is something not quite right at Man United.  They seem to be wasteful in their decision making and use of resources.  LVG seems very keen to let everyone know his reign at Man Utd is temporary.  LVG also gives the impression he is learning on the job - in coming to terms with the English Premiership and his team.

[Jermaine2015]

I saw the delusional Jose Moroninho labelling Courtois as 'the best goalkeeper in the world'. This made me laugh as Courtois isn't even the best keeper in the premiership, let alone anyway near Neuer's class.

[Hammersmith harrier]

Hardly delusional as it's an opinion with a lot of weight behind it, Courtois is one of the very best goalkeepers in the world and is very much is Neuer's league.

[Jermaine2015]

Hardly delusional as it's an opinion with a lot of weight behind it, Courtois is one of the very best goalkeepers in the world and is very much is Neuer's league.

Courtois is one of many trying to get up to Neuer's level. Unfortunately for the vast majority when Neuer retires Ter Stegen and Leno will be the top dogs.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

I think De Gea is a better keeper than Neuer. There, I said it.

[Hammersmith harrier]

That's a surprising opinion to come from a German, I myself would rather have De Gea or Courtois over Neuer who I think gets over rated because of his sweeper/keeper antics.

[Jermaine2015]

That's a surprising opinion to come from a German, I myself would rather have De Gea or Courtois over Neuer who I think gets over rated because of his sweeper/keeper antics.

Overrated because of being able to play as a sweeper/keeper? No that's called having the ability to play in that style. Neither De Gea nor Courtois can play like Neuer.

And as for De Gea is clearly overrated as he had to make 2000 saves per season to make up for his pathetic defence. If he really that good he'd be Spain's number 1...

[Hammersmith harrier]

It's a style I don't rate unfortunately Jermaine and i'm going to stop this conversation here as debating anything to do with Germany is futile with you.

[nadeem2099]

Manuel Neuer

He is the most obvious choice. He is a world class shot stopper, dominant in the air and excellent at communicating with his defenders. In one on one situations he dominates opponents, a gives off an aura of invincibility at times.

He is also a good distributor of the ball, always keen to start attacks with his throwing and kicking. He is also lightening quick of his line, and loves to play sweeper keeper very aggressively.

This is at times reckless, and one various occasions he has been caught out to his team's detriment, but this is also an asset to his team, which few other keepers do as well or as extensively.

Neuer also this year was one of very few keepers in history to be a finalist for the Ballon d'or, though he did not win it.

David De Gea

ter a shaky start at United, he has gone from strength to strength in recent seasons,and is now rightly ranked as one of, if not the, best in the world, as his Player of the Year nomination shows.

He is a shot stopper without compare in the Premier League, with agility and reflexes which are astonishing at times. He also has excellent handling, having not dropped a single catch this season in the Premier League, a statistic no other goalkeeper in the world can boast.

His distribution is also excellent, him being a talented passer of the ball, and his command of his box and defense is also solid.

He is a far less eccentric keeper than Neuer, but in terms of pure goalkeeping ability, is easily his match, and his ability to sweep up play in behind his defenders also is solid, if unspectacular.

Another thing in De Gea's favor is that, unlike most players on this list, he has played the last two years in front of a shaky and ever-changing back line, and still showed his quality,

This is a pretty good article on the best Goalkeepers.
http://www.givemesport.com/571296-manuel-neuer-vs-david-de-gea-who-is-the-best-in-the-world

[Guest]

An important often neglected component of goalkeeping is the ability to organise the defence around them. You can be a brilliant shot stopper but if you are unable to organise your defence you will let more goals in.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Nervous about today - think Bournemouth will cause us real issues, can see them scoring 2/3 goals

[Hero]

Everton should be 3 up v Chelsea.

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