Official European Football 2012 Regular Season Thread

[Mark 563]

Growing up an Iron was always painful, so I've grown used to disappointment. But, this season (Tottenham aside) has been horrific.

[Y@k Bollocks]

It has all the makings of a relegation season, including a good run in the league cup.

[stupidregister]

Theo done for the year.

[Req]

"peace out guyz!"

[Comedy Quaddafi]

There goes our best goalscorer.

Wenger will need to enforce the frontline now. No excuses. This is devastating news.

Worst part: knee injuries are really nasty. He will lose a lot of his speed and thereby most vital asset. A slow Theo is just about useless.

[stupidregister]

It definitely sucks that he's out and if they were toying with the idea of not signing anyone, they'd damn well better now especially with Bendtner being lost (I can't believe I just typed that). But I think Gnabry has shown he can contribute and Ox coming back is a nice boost. He's played well and they're still thin but I don't think it's the end of the world.

[Comedy Quaddafi]

No. Its really, really bad. No one we could realistically buy would score as many goals for us as Theo if he stayed fit. We somehow managed to be #1 without Theo but only because Ramsey was Messi-good for two months. Is he going to keep scoring that many goals? Probably not. Giroud is flukey and Poldi contributes too little to be a starter. Cazorla and Ozil are assist-makers rather than reliable goalscorers. I like Gnabry and Ox, and I suppose them getting a shot is the only positive to come out of this (though it could backfire) - but they're not going to be a-goal-a-game wingers like Walcott. Hazard is the only winger in the Prem who is as dangerous.

[Y@k Bollocks]

So, er... anyone see the League Cup semi last night? No? OK. Good.

[Req]

So, er... anyone see the League Cup semis? No? OK. Good.

[jamrage]

I for one am shocked that Theo Walcott is injured.

Kind of glad that Spurs are out of the FA Cup, just focus on the league now and get some extra rest.

Are Sunderland going to knock Man U out of the League Cup? Is Moyes going to survive if they finish out of the top 5? Got to admit it's nice to see Man U struggle for once. Let's see what they're made of sans Fergie.

I've really liked the way Spurs have been playing since Sherwood took the reins. 4-4-2 is clearly the way this team needs to play, and Adebayor has been playing really well for the most part. Glad to see Eriksen on the field and contributing as well. Dawson has stepped his game up recently, and Danny Rose isn't embarrassing himself. So all in all, I don't think you can argue that sacking AVB wasn't the way to go.

Been a great, great season thusfar, I always look forward to the weekends.

[Positive A]

You know what isn't fun? Watching Roberto Soldado play football. What a lazy fucker.

Nabil Bentaleb.

[stupidregister]

You know what isn't fun? Watching Roberto Soldado play football. What a lazy fucker.

They kept pointing it out on the broadcast. He literally stood in the same position for minutes at a time while they just passed it around the box. Dude, MOVE AROUND. I guess La Liga doesn't reward effort? You're in England motherfucker!

[stupidregister]

Is ruling offside just not allowed at Old Trafford or...?

[Req]

Is ruling offside just not allowed at Old Trafford or...?

yeah, we get all the decisions.

[jamrage]

You know what isn't fun? Watching Roberto Soldado play football. What a lazy fucker.

They kept pointing it out on the broadcast. He literally stood in the same position for minutes at a time while they just passed it around the box. Dude, MOVE AROUND. I guess La Liga doesn't reward effort? You're in England motherfucker!

Yeah, he's been a huge disappointment. We know you can't create much on your own, but at least move around, fuckface.

A shame that Defoe got sold to the MLS. Of course he scores on Saturday. He's the only striker they've got that can actually make things happen one v. one. He's getting on, but he's still a fast little fucker that should be considered for England this summer. If Spurs bring on an athletic striker then all is forgiven.

Newcastle got absolutely jobbed against City today. Tiote's goal should have counted, and it probably would have been a draw.

Obviously rooting for Villa later today.

[Comedy Quaddafi]

With Fergie gone it seems Sheikthy and Chelski are the refs new favorites. There has been some really disgusting decisions in their favor during the last few months. You'd think that having infinite amounts of money available was bad enough.

I wonder if there are any neutral who doesn't root for Arsenal this year?

[Vlad Analogue]

That arsenal away strip last night was fantastic; I gotta grab one of those

[Y@k Bollocks]

I wonder if there are any neutral who doesn't root for Arsenal this year?

Nah, City all the way for me. Even when they were ripping us a new one the other night, I couldn't help but laugh. They are so entertaining to watch.

I also like the fact that City have always been the underdog up there, but had a turn of fortune and now look at them. Could happen to club. Also, Dickovs goal in the 1999 playoff final and the Aguero goal against QPR were just amazing moments. I was up in Manchester before Xmas and it's funny seeing the tide turn. Every pub was full of people moaning about Moyes.

[Req]

yeh but ur racist against other london clubs

[Positive A]

LOL Ade.

I'm in love with Eriksen.

Bony is excellent. Swansea is not.

[VideoKilledThe]

Eriksen is class everytime I see him play. the cross he whipped in for the first goal was just begging to be hit.

Good on Sherwood for benching the lazy bum Soldado.

Bony has to be the leader in scoring meaningless consolation goals.

[Positive A]

Eriksen is class everytime I see him play. the cross he whipped in for the first goal was just begging to be hit.

Good on Sherwood for benching the lazy bum Soldado.

Bony has to be the leader in scoring meaningless consolation goals.

Eriksen is getting more and more comfortable in the Premier League with each passing minute. He's going to be fucking scary. I hope he's never dreamed of playing for Real.

Bony may have that dubious distinction, but in that first 15-20 minutes, he was a fucking beast. Cross Bar had to make a great save on that rocket from 20+ yards out.

Are we done with Capoue and Holtby??? Napoli and Schalke respectively?

[Comedy Quaddafi]

Wait, I thought Holtby was a really good player and I was completely wrong to say hes average? ; )

Desperately need United to go a winning streak so they wont be forced to fire Moyes.

[Req]

Desperately need United to go a winning streak so they wont be forced to fire Moyes.

There's no chance they fire him within the first 2 years.

They're performing pretty much how you'd expect a team without its 2 world class players, an aging backline and shit midfield to perform. They need a proper 96-esque clearout.

Ferdinand
Evra
Young
Nani
Anderson
Buttner
Fabio

All need to go. Ferdinand and Evra probably still has a year or two max of top level performances in them, just not at a club like Man Utd. They're not Giggs type players, they won't be happy coming off the bench or changing their game to adapt. Young and Nani are good, but woefully inconsistent for this level. Anderson has had his chances. Buttner and Fabio simply aren't good enough. We're at least 4 new players away from competing:

centre half
left back
2x midfield passers

Top 4 and CL quarters would be a successful season. As long as that's achievable, the club isn't in crisis.

[Comedy Quaddafi]

Desperately need United to go a winning streak so they wont be forced to fire Moyes.

There's no chance they fire him within the first 2 years.

I agree with what you wrote but I would like to challenge this statement.

Do you really think Moyes could survive not ending in the top 4, for example? For two years in a row, hypothetically? If United lose their next three matches, hypothetically, will the board really have the guts to not meet the demands of a frustrated fanbase desperate to see any sort of action being taken?

I know that firing managers for no reason is mostly a trait of Tottenham and Chelsea, but does the board really have the balls to stay inactive??

I agree that United aren't in crisis, but I'm not sure your fellow Unitedfans do.

[Req]

perhaps after year 2 if there's no top 4 and no real CL progress (i.e. a final or better). But then that would be into year 3. I actually wanted Klopp, but looking at Borussia this year... yeesh. The only way he gets fired within 2 years is if United start dancing around the relegation zone. You might laugh at that absurdity, but stranger things have happened, especially with this set of entitled players without a Keane, Cantona or Robson.

btw, like any global club, 60% of the fans are twats. The rest of us have longer memories. As long as he has stadium support, that's all that matters, which I'd like to think Fergie bought him. I can't see him, Charlton or the rest of the board acquiescing to the modern fan. That's the thing some Arsenal fans didn't get about Wenger. There was no way that board was letting him go, they knew better.

[jamrage]

That was a pretty nice spanking that Chelsea put on Man U. I agree that Moyes survives at least one more season. He's only had Rooney and Van Persie on the field together for something like 7 games total, so of course Man U aren't going to be winners. They definitely need to get rid of the dead wood though as Req said.

Nice to see Hull making moves. Jelavic and Long are good gets for them.

I've been saying Spurs needed to play Eriksen, so glad he's making the most of his opportunity. I've got such a love/hate relationship with Adebayor, but loved him on Saturday. Spurs have been playing so much better since the change at the top; Villas Boas looks like a complete fucking moron for sticking with 4-5-1. Holtby is a better than average player, I think Spurs would be foolish to sell him unless they got an offer they couldn't pass up. He'll get better over time I think. Still miffed about losing Defoe.

[Req]

So we're rumored to be spending over 50m on a right back and a #10? Good to know we're buying for the positions we need as usual. Are we also in for a new goalkeeper too?

[stupidregister]

I don't understand why Chelsea are willing to sell Mata to United. Do they really think he's that worthless? Or do they think United are that far off that they think him going there doesn't matter? They wouldn't even loan Demba Ba to Arsenal, now they're selling their best player the last two years to a title rival? I'm confused. I thought PSG was in for him, why wouldn't they sell him there, even if it's for like 5m less? It sounds like United are overpaying for him even though he's very, very good but at least they're doing something. I'm sure they'll find a way to utilize him poorly but at least he'll play?

[Positive A]

Didn't the French government implement a 75% tax on people making close to 1 million Euros and up? I don't think anyone will be going to Ligue 1 and I expect an exodus from there.