Tonight's football thread

[geronimo]

Apparantly UKIP want to take the UK out of Europe. I suggest now that he is free they sign up David Moyes as he is an expert in doing that

[duncz]

We are lucky to have two top strikers and that makes a big difference to any team. Our players have matured and progressed were as yours have regressed we have to put that down to the managers. Our defence is the weak point but the attack is very strong. I do think you are going to struggle. The first choice replacements have all ready said no. Van Graal is 62 and not managered a club for a fews years. No champs league for 17 months at least make difficult to get the best players unless you offer top top money!

[IainR]

We are lucky to have two top strikers and that makes a big difference to any team. Our players have matured and progressed were as yours have regressed we have to put that down to the managers. Our defence is the weak point but the attack is very strong. I do think you are going to struggle. The first choice replacements have all ready said no. Van Graal is 62 and not managered a club for a fews years. No champs league for 17 months at least make difficult to get the best players unless you offer top top money!

I think you can put Wellbeck, RVP and Rooney in the same class as Sturridge and Suarez.. no champs for 17 months.. it's effectively a year, Liverpool have no champions league for 5 months..

Come on don't make this easy.. So Suarez a top player.. signed for you when? 2011? Were you in the CL? Nope? likely to qualify? nope (you weren't even top half when he signed)? Did he sign for top money? nope?

Fair enough, you may think we will struggle, but so far your examples have been poor and easily discredited by the facts.

Players sign for the likes of Man U and Liverpool because of history.. And they know they will likely get CL football.

Look at this season? Many have forgotten we had the best away record in the league. There wasn't that much wrong, because Moyes can set a team up to be attacked.. at home he couldn't, and we struggled.

But I think we'll qualify next season.

I agree re VG I think he's too old but he's managed pretty recently and has done well with Holland so far..

I wouldnt rule out Klopp.. they aren't going to encourage approaches, not whilst on long contracts.

[TheHeathens]

Got to laff at Utd fans, they think they've the God-given right to win everything n when they only finish 7th, dummy out the pram time. Not a City fan, but a least they've a sense of humor.

Examples ....? God given right?

[TheHeathens]

I know they won it comfortably last season Iain but they really didn't deserve to. I know pundits put that down to Fergy's ability to grind out wins while playing poorly but, in reality, that was just bollocks - they mixed luck with a goodish defense and an in form Van Persie last season. This year they mixed lack of luck with a stodgy defense and a lack of/out of form Van Persie

Who did deserve to win it?

[Graham Breeze]

I think you can put Wellbeck, RVP and Rooney in the same class as Sturridge and Suarez.. no champs for 17 months.. it's effectively a year, Liverpool have no champions league for 5 months..

Come on don't make this easy.. So Suarez a top player.. signed for you when? 2011? Were you in the CL? Nope? likely to qualify? nope (you weren't even top half when he signed)? Did he sign for top money? nope?

Fair enough, you may think we will struggle, but so far your examples have been poor and easily discredited by the facts.

Players sign for the likes of Man U and Liverpool because of history.. And they know they will likely get CL football.

Look at this season? Many have forgotten we had the best away record in the league. There wasn't that much wrong, because Moyes can set a team up to be attacked.. at home he couldn't, and we struggled.

But I think we'll qualify next season.

I agree re VG I think he's too old but he's managed pretty recently and has done well with Holland so far..

I wouldnt rule out Klopp.. they aren't going to encourage approaches, not whilst on long contracts.

Iain,

I haven't always agreed with every word you have uttered about fell running over the years but I do consider you to be the most perceptive commentator on football on the Forum: maybe because by playing the game you really understand it, and you appear to actually think about the game.

Regards,

Graham

[Witton Park]

I think the manager has to take the responsibility.
He has switched formations so much this year I don't think they know whether they are coming or going.
Fergie tended to play 442 with very attacking wingers and full backs doubling up on he oppositions flank whether back to Beckham and Gary Neville, or Evra and Nani/Young, or Valencia and Raphael or Smalling.
The 2nd forward has dropped in to Midfield (Rooney) which has meant it's been RVP mainly up front and been difficult for Welbeck and Hernandez unless RVP or Rooney have been unavailable.
But Moyes has played 3 sitting attackers at times and no wingers, then next match wingers. He really doesn't seem to have had a philosophy or playing style.
He seems to have made Jones, Cleverley, Smalling, Carrick, Valencia all less effective players than they were.
I can't see that he has improved a player as a counter.

That the decision was made now is probably right. If the decision has been made, why delay? Now all candidates will know that one of the best jobs in football is up for grabs, and without the pressure of following Ferguson.
So Moyes has taken the pressure off whoever gets the job.

[IanDarkpeak]

I'd like to know if the out going manager had any influence in deciding the next manager as tradition dictates...

[IainR]

Iain,

I haven't always agreed with every word you have uttered about fell running over the years but I do consider you to be the most perceptive commentator on football on the Forum: maybe because by playing the game you really understand it, and you appear to actually think about the game.

Regards,

Graham

Unfortunately I was totally wrong on Liverpool.. I seriously thought they'd fall away. gutting to watch them get the title.. Rodgers has done a hell of a job..

IanDP.. it'll be interesting, the class of 92 hold a lot of power, Scholes, Giggs, Neville and Butt will need to be kept involved.. but also we need to keep Chris Woods, I'd have kept Steele but De Gea has been our best player and Woods deserves credit.. Howard and De Gea have both come on under Woods so I dont think we should see another sweeping change of back room staff.. I think getting rid of Rene and Phelan were key mistakes by Moyes.

[Danbert Nocurry]