Topic: The Push Square Football (Soccer) Thread

@BAMozzy as you an see I have a soft spot for the Hammers lol

Yeah good result for Spurs Potch played Barcelona when he was coach at Espanyol and he beat them on that occasion as well. There was a good article about how to beat Man City in the newspaper it was basically to close them down fast and not give the defence anytime on the ball to build up play. Being as nearly everything starts with the keeper and defence at City this is a good tactic. Playing Man City will be a bit like playing Leicester. You need to play a certain way to counter the style of football. Other teams you can play your normal style and still win but with City and Leicester you need to adapt.

@dryrain: Literally the same way Liverpool beat them last season too...

Personally I never want to see managers (or anyone) lose their job. I think its become ridiculous in football now and the Managers are often the scapegoats - mainly due to the way the transfer system works. The ones responsible for under-performing and not doing their job are safe but you can't sack them as they are not replaceable apart from at a select few months of the year. Yes there are often players in reserve but generally the team selection and formation doesn't change - even when new managers come in. Sometimes other factors, like injuries, can determine a managers fate too. I know that some results can be attributed to the manager, the lack of tactical approach or adaptation and team selection - playing people out of position or lack of balance - Roy Hodgson is a classic example of these.

I can't see many managers making it to 10yrs at a club any more let alone the length of time Wenger or Ferguson managed for.

There is so much cash in football now clubs feel that they need to replace managers quickly if things are going wrong. Sometimes its the right decision other times its just a slump in form by a few key players. In this way the riches of the premiere league have meant that managers can be sacked after just a run of 6 games. Its crazy really especially when they might be on a 3-4 year contract and then have a pay off of millions. Everton payed Martinez £10 million that's crazy.

Gone are the days of 10 year managers you are right. I think in most cases its good and better for a club not to keep a manager for a long time. Look at the problems with Manu since Ferguson left. They have had good managers but no one has lasted. I think Arsenal might suffer the same problem when Wenger leaves. Bringing in a new manager helps to keep the club fresh and then when they do move on its not such a big shock.

@Kyroki: Totally agreed! Spurs are on brilliant form at the moment, and if they keep playing like they are they can win anything. Bayer Leverkusen best be fearing.

You think your moustache is trendyyyy...

They said Pep Guardiolas tiki taka wouldn't work in the prem, it looked boss for 7 games now Guardiolas looking distinctly silly. Average goalkeeper, John Stones isn't as good as we keep being told he is, midfielders who blow hot and cold, Agueros red mist and the manager who will congratulate his players after a mass brawl. Its easier when Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Pique and Alves are in your squad. Not so great when its Sterling, Fernando, Fernandinho, Otamendi and Kolarov.

Thought Deli Ali was a digrace yesterday and shame they can not ban him.

Chelsea have impressed me this season change of formation has really paid off they are nice to watch.

I still rate Stones very highly but he needs to think more when he is playing the ball. There are times when you can do what he does best and there are times when you just need to boot it away. Everton have been extremly dissapointing this season. Not sure our defence is any better than it was under Martinez atleast we were scoring goals under him. For the life of me can not understand why he does not play Duelofeu he is such a good crosser of the ball and could set up so many goals for Lukaku. On Lukaku looking at the running stats he does not do much of that compared to other strikers and he does have good pace so its a mystery. Fully expect to get beaten today by United. A season that started full of hope is quickly getting very average.

I have no clue what Mourinho sees in Fellaini. Sure he might win the odd headers here and there but that's pretty much it. Not only is he slow to react to situations, he also slows the pace of the game down when United are attacking and tends to give away unnecessary fouls with his clumsy attempts to win the ball. Unlike his days at Everton, he's no longer a goal threat in the box either.

And yet, Mourinho shuts out Schweinsteiger and criticizes other players like Shaw and Smalling. smh

Even Fellaini's ex-teammate Leon Osman said this after the match:

"Post-match, Leon Osman talked about his days of playing alongside Fellaini at Everton: "We used to want Fellaini as far from our goal as possible when we were defending because he was always liable to do something that like that."

This was taken from ESPN's site.

Although I hate to say it (as a Tottenham fan), I think Arsenal are looking really good this season, and should win at least one trophy - maybe even the Champions League. But honestly I'm just sad to see Bolasie getting injured like he has, love bombastic players like him. Oh well, my fantasy team is going quite well at the moment, because Defoe is scoring ALL THE GOALS. Of course he is, though, he's a former Spurs player.

What are the odds on Guardiola being sacked in the next 2 months? I dont think its possible for his footy philosophy to work in the prem. He keeps changing the squad. I've stated it above in another comment but trailing 4-0 at Leicester with Stones terrible again. That £50 million coup for Everton looks better every game!

Depending on which Utd turn up today my top 6 teams this year will be;

Arsenal
Chelsea
Liverpool
Man Utd
Man City
Tottenham

The January transfer window could change that prediction and I do envisage man Utd putting a run of wins together, Mourinho is a great manager he just needs more luck on front of goal, as much as its hilarious listening to disgruntled man Utd fans on talksport.

@themcnoisy: I can't see Guardiola being sacked at this stage of the season and can see him given a good budget in January. If Citeh do look like they will miss the top 4 and/or no silverware, May could see him replaced.

Every team can say that with a bit of luck in front of goal, they could be in a better position. LFC for example have created more chances and dominated in the games they lost/drew. Against Burnley, they had 80% possession and yet lost 2-0. With a bit of 'luck' they could (and probably should) have been 3/4-0 up at half time. Its not just about luck though as sometimes a keeper can be inspired - look at De Gea who has put in Man of the Match performances against LFC to win at least a point. Utd though do have an ageing attack with Ibra and Rooney. Martial and Rashford do bring youth but Mourinho seems to want experience over youthful enthusiasm.

Your top 6 prediction is what I would expect to be the top 6 in any of the more recent seasons. I know a team can upset that apple cart - look at Leicester last year and how low Chelsea ended up. However these are the top 6 clubs in the EPL statistically and unless they don't perform to their potential and/or a team outside these 6 punches above their weight, this should well be the top 6.

Arsenal will do what they always do have a bad run of games next year and blow it. As for Everton I thought latst year the problem was the manager in martinez and his style of play. This year we do not score goals and concede far more. Which is very suprising considering Koeman is a defender he must be pulling out what remains of his hair. Players are not playing well enough for the club. In the summer we need a big clear out.

The tactics of City were all wrong yesterday Stones although he made a mistake was let down by the players around him. If Guradiola had seen how Leicester played last season then he certainly would not have played that way. Look how badly Leicester do against the other clubs who know how they play. Guardiola for one of the first times does no have a team of superstars. I think come the summer they will spend big again and clear out a lot of player.

@dryrain: For us we need to bring in some new players, Mirallas, Baines, jagielka, McCarthy and Barkley just look like they are coasting. I'm really disappointed with mirallas - he looks brilliant during a 3 or 4 game spurt and then goes missing for the rest of the season, he's clearly talented so maybe he needs to move. Barkley has been stupidly overrated - he cant beat players one on one something Gascoigne (who he is often compared to) did over his whole career. Baines is past his best and struggles during a full 90 minutes, Jags legs have gone, McCarthy is worse now than at any point in his Everton career. Only Barry, Gueye and Lukaku have had positive seasons. I'm really hoping for a good transfer window, I fear Bolasie has a Terrible triad injury of acl, meniscus and medial tear. There's no way he would be out for so long otherwise. So we need to find a replacement for him and sort out the left side of our defence to keep this season alive.

@themcnoisy surely there is a chance of him being sacked... what is being proved right now? that Guardiola is not as good as EVERYONE thought he was... I understanded this since his days at the Allianz Arena... the last year with Jupp Heynckes Bayern was a MACHINE!! and Guardiola actually managed to NOT win the CL...

Now Guardiola is bringing the worst part of his personality to the PL, it'll be soon when he starts blaming everyone but him for the recent results... he's always been a bad loser, ask sneijder....

@themcnoisy: Nah, have faith in Spurs!! My top 6 is this:

1. Chelsea
2. Arsenal
3. Liverpool
4. Spurs
5. Man United
6. Man City

I think Man City aren't strong enough and are too inconsistent to get a top four finish, there is too much tinkering and they don't look like a really together outfit. Man United are stronger than them in defense, and with an improved amount of goals I can see them really getting close to Tottenham, but that particular north London side has my backing because they seem like one of the most 'together' team in the league, with a perfect balance and enough quality to challenge for the title, although their volatile side might cost them that. Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea will be very close in the top three, I think, because Liverpool have the most exciting front line and will score enough goals to totally make up for their defensive frailty - although letting in too much goals might prevent them from quite catching up with Arsenal and/or Chelsea. Arsenal and Chelsea, for me, are the strongest teams in the Premier League and quite possibly the strongest teams in the world at the moment. They've got world-class talent like Ozil, Sanchez, Hazard and Costa, among others, and both have quality managers and an all-round immense work-rate. It will be very tight in the end, but I think Chelsea will just about edge it because that pesky Kante is such an amazing heartbeat for them and he'll carry on for the rest of the season, like he did for Leicester.

I do reckon all the positions will be very close, though, and Everton/Southampton may get a look in if they play all their cards right.

The media loves Guardiola. He won't get put under any real pressure. Certainly not to the degree that LvG and Mourinho were at times.

Can not see Liverpool getting in the top 4. They might score goals but the defence is more leaky than a sieve. The goal keeper is right to get critisised by pundits and ex players he is costing them points. How long before he is dropped?

City plan for the last 5 or 6 years was to get Guardiola so they are not just going to drop him.

@get2sammyb: Thats not true, but the media were in love with him during the first 6/7 games. I actually recall him saying the prem wasn't any harder than other leagues he's been in. Then the points have dried up. Haha he's probably not saying that now. I reckon that pressure is well and truly written all over his face. There has been loads of media coverage on him over complicating the game and his last loss vs Leicester has come in for tons of criticism.

To me the media coverage is sometimes overblown and often is just based on results. You can tell man Utd have the basis of something good and have improved with some brilliant performances which just haven't worked out. But critics point to Utd being 6/9 points off top 4 - to me it felt unwarranted City, arsenal and Chelsea have had a bigger group of stabilised players for years - the man Utd team is barely recognisable from 2 years ago - so to Liverpool to a degree. But the pressure is on for mourinho to achieve a top 4 finish, he didn't help himself by saying utd are going for the title though.

Crap, I forgot there was a Super6 round last night.