Moneyball won't win the Premiership 2012-13

i've never really cared for glen johnson, hansen's piece for once has perfectly explained why. lol at how many clips they found of him being the furthest forward. he may have talent but he just doesn't seem to ~understand~ why he should do things

guzan

OOOOF

best french player in the league

how is stephen ireland still in a premiership starting xi

Villa's POTY last season (allegedly because he told McLeish to fuck off that time)

"managers are often based on decisions"
"managers are often based on decisions"
"managers are often based on decisions"
"managers are often based on decisions"
"managers are often based on decisions"
"managers are often based on decisions"
"managers are often based on decisions"
"managers are often based on decisions"
"managers are often based on decisions"
"managers are often based on decisions"
"managers are often based on decisions"
"managers are often based on decisions"
"managers are often based on decisions"
"managers are often based on decisions"
"managers are often based on decisions"
"managers are often based on decisions"

johnson was p clearly playing exactly where he was told to y'day hence rodgers praising him along with sterling and allen.

Yup. Arsenal were playing extremely narrow, so that Johnson was always available and willing out on the touchline. The problem is that letting Liverpool attack down the flanks is a really good idea from Arsenal's point of view because there's nobody to cross to. So Johnson, Sterling, Borini and later Downing kept having to check back - Arsenal were deep enough after the first twenty minutes that there was no mileage in trying to find space behind them, and Liverpool don't have the finesse (yet) to pick their way through. Long shots might have brought joy on another day, but nobody really had their eye in for most of the game.

Roy Hodgon's 'disastrous' time at Anfield started Arsenal (draw), Man City (loss) and West Brom (win), along with comfortable home and away wins against supposed European minnows from a poor quality league. Funny how history repeats itself.

so the results were all different how is that history repeating itself?

i'm kind of worried about the disharmony over transfers. thought that sort of shit was behind us, but evidently not.

xpost thanks for that neutral insight.

Same fixtures, worse results this time round. How long did it take Liverpool fans to get on Hodgson's back?

No problem LG, that's what I'm here for. Don't think there's any disharmony over transfers though, not least if you read John Henry's open letter to fans today.

do we have to do this hodgson shit again? he brought it on himself with about 10 dense press conferences... no need to go into further detail.

i read henry's letter, it's that kind of thing that isn't good, he wouldn't be writing it if there wasn't a bit of tension there.

I think Henry's letter makes explicit that Mickey Owen or Drogba can't be an option.

Our ambitions do not lie in cementing a mid-table place with expensive, short-term quick fixes that will only contribute for a couple of years.

Owen's move to Stoke apparently collapsed because of his inflexibility in being offered <£150k a week. Drogba is supposed to be on shitloads in China (irrespective of whatever else may or may not be going on out there) and said when he left he couldn't ever play for another EPL side, so it's hard to see what would tempt him except even more shitloads of money.

I can get behind the comparison of what Rodgers is trying to achieve with SAF going to Man U in 86 - but time will tell whether the RAWK masses will give him six years to deliver.

if only hodgson had performed better in press conferences RIP ;_;

Calling Mr Swygart, the football journo programme on Sky had them discussing the possibility of Adkins being replaced by 'Arry!!! This is a complete non-starter surely??

if only hodgson had performed better in press conferences RIP ;_;

and on the pitch

well ya but as a secondary concern obvs

not at all, the bad results are a given.

a given reason for his departure.

jesus christ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqAy_U_px8o&feature=youtu.be

I'm no Liverpool stan but

Manager comes in / gives press conferences fans don't like / indifferent early results / fans can't see what system or style is being attempted / fails to reassure fans that there's a plan for the team

is very different to

Manager comes in / gives press conferences the fans like / indifferent early results / fans can see the system and style being attempted / manager reassures fans that he has a plan for the team.

there have been weird rumours about adkins leaving/being sacked ever since he said something unguarded like "i know i won't be here forever" on the last day of the season. i like to think that was just the philosophical nature of the man.

'Arry is a major figure of hatred in southampton so that would be an interesting appointment. i'm sure its all bollocks.

Adkins has had two great performances out of three, even if all the results went against them. If they've still got no points ten games into the season, it might be an option, but he seems to have the team playing pretty well.

The way things are going at QPR, 'Arry will be at Loftus Road within weeks.

god, it's actually made for him now that i think about it.

- Several good players underperforming/not sure where they're playing
- No coherence to the team
- Better at attacking than defending if organised properly
- Easy to get to from the South Coast
- Happy to throw loads of cash around
- Mad delusions of grandeur
- Probably going to be relegation threatened and in need of a saviour

It basically IS Spurs in 2008.

Owen's move to Stoke apparently collapsed because of his inflexibility in being offered <£150k a week.

well tbf he is a ballon d'or winner.

he can't have be on more than 50k at Utd

shd get a £150k per big goal contract

I read that we was on 14k at United, with significant bonuses for games played / goals scored, but that might be nonsense.

*he was*

But that was Manchester United. His wage demands probably go up for less sexy clubs.

Stoke are sexy. in a Hamburg S&M watersports club kinda way

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/match-centre/article235327.ece/ALTERNATES/gallery-large/Tony+Pulis.jpeg

http://silverfoxfan.tumblr.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqAy_U_px8o

don't know how i managed to miss this, but i've only just discovered that the michael owen brochure is actually a real thing.

chris wait is there a new one? please say there is

unfortunately not. i mean the 2009 edition - yes, unforgivable that i wasn't aware of it's existence. seen it referred to loads, and on here obv, but always assumed it was just an internet joke.

yeah it was real! and the internet took it to heart and made some decent memes off it. i think ade and jimmy bullard had some dece fake brochures made of them.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/5775991/Arsenal-fans-compile-joke-brochure-to-aid-Emmanuel-Adebayor-sale.html

"He is much better than Marlon Harewood and Mido put together. He is a tender and considerate lover."

maybe it wasn't jimmy bullard. someone else who was being a dick about a transfer from that sort of period had one, i can't remember who.

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m838jf1h321rug21eo1_250.gif

lol 'tender and considerate lover'.

oh michael 'clean & fresh' owen brochure, where have you been all my life.

the football journo programme on Sky had them discussing the possibility of Adkins being replaced by 'Arry

Key to that rumour's in the first three words, innit?

Owen not in.

I do feel a little bit bad for him tbh, he's too easy a patsy, but his heart's clearly not in it and it should be Stoke or someone signing him anyway, not Liverpool. I'm happy enough with the 'promote some young buck' policy instead, in principle - in for a penny and all that.

in for a penny sums up yr bidding power after comolli

Meireles is being sold to Fenerbahce? Why? Always rated the guy, he could do a number of jobs for anyone, and I thought about him a lot at the weekend as I watched Borini, Sterling and Sahin continually pulling out of 40/60s.

Still, if he's only going to cameo at Chelsea he couldn't pick a better season for it.

Meireles for Liverpool was better than Mereiles for Chelsea, where he played in a deeper role. Chelsea do appear to be shedding central midfielders pretty rapidly but they still have a fair few knocking about.