Football Thread 16/17- Cheick Tiote R.I.P.

[Tomous]

Can't wait for this season to end. Really hoping United don't drop all those eggs in that super-fragile Europa League basket they're carrying.

Fair play to Mourinho though for managing to have United fans' expectations so low a couple of weeks ago that he hasn't gotten any flak for losing against Arsenal and Spurs.
If Manu won those games They'd be 2pts behind Liverpool with a game in hand, remarkable work.

Hardly easy games though are they? No one has won at Spurs this season...

That's hardly the point though, it's Manchester United who spent 450m in the past 4 seasons.

I think it is the point? United lost two difficult games. I think anyone would have said 6 points from those 2 games was a tall order.

[Photek]

I think it is the point? United lost two difficult games. I think anyone would have said 6 points from those 2 games was a tall order.

Why is it a 'tall order'? Maybe under Mourinho you're right because judging by Manu's away record against the top 6, they just park the bus which the fans are ok with. Manu were famous for attacking football, has the crest fallen THAT far?

[Tomous]

I think it is the point? United lost two difficult games. I think anyone would have said 6 points from those 2 games was a tall order.

Why is it a 'tall order'? Maybe under Mourinho you're right because judging by Manu's away record against the top 6, they just park the bus which the fans are ok with.

It's a tall order because Spurs are a better team than United and no one else won at WHL this season?

[Photek]

I think it is the point? United lost two difficult games. I think anyone would have said 6 points from those 2 games was a tall order.

Why is it a 'tall order'? Maybe under Mourinho you're right because judging by Manu's away record against the top 6, they just park the bus which the fans are ok with.

It's a tall order because Spurs are a better team than United and no one else won at WHL this season?

Liverpool took 4 points from the same fixtures (possibly should have gotten 6 but I digress). I give up, my point is, he's played down his team BEFORE the matches thus having a 'told you we're sh*te' excuse after. This is Manchester United we're talking about, not Moyes at Sunderland, I personally find it really really strange. I had manu tipped for 2nd this year.

[Moggy]

I think it is the point? United lost two difficult games. I think anyone would have said 6 points from those 2 games was a tall order.

Why is it a 'tall order'? Maybe under Mourinho you're right because judging by Manu's away record against the top 6, they just park the bus which the fans are ok with.

It's a tall order because Spurs are a better team than United and no one else won at WHL this season?

Liverpool took 4 points from the same fixtures (possibly should have gotten 6 but I digress). I give up, my point is, he's played down his team BEFORE the matches thus having a 'told you we're sh*te' excuse after. This is Manchester United we're talking about, not Moyes at Sunderland, I personally find it really really strange. I had manu tipped for 2nd this year.

If this was the season after Fergie retired, then I would imagine that Mourinho would getting stick from the Man U fans.

As it is, they had a season of disappointment under Moyes and then had the Van Gaal era that hardly set the place alight. Lowered expectations (no matter what they have spent) means Mourinho will be given a chance. If they fail to win the Europa League this season and look like finishing outside the top 4 next season, then I would imagine the criticism will start mounting. As it is, they have won the League Cup and might win a European trophy and qualify for next years Champions League. Not a terrible outcome for a new manager.

[Preezy]

I think it is the point? United lost two difficult games. I think anyone would have said 6 points from those 2 games was a tall order.

Why is it a 'tall order'? Maybe under Mourinho you're right because judging by Manu's away record against the top 6, they just park the bus which the fans are ok with. Manu were famous for attacking football, has the crest fallen THAT far?

I am not ok with it, for the record.

[PurplePenguin]

After the Swansea result Mourinho basically had a choice go all out for top four or all out for the Europa. Europa as most would agree was the better opportunity to get the result the club/board want which is Champions League football it also came with a trophy.

Football is fine lines in one game Mourinho's first season could either be determined to be a success or failure.

I had us tipped for finishing in the top four but perhaps I didn't appreciate that this is a side that has been mediocre for three years now. We've had three managers in four seasons since Fergie left it's clearly going to take time to get to a level where we can compete regularly for league titles.

I said a few months back I'm quite happy if we win the Europa and finish outside the top four it's the same difference and if anything you get a cup and no qualifiers so the prize is better. It'd also mean three trophies during this mediocre spell which ain't too shabby.

I don't like parking the bus, you can get lucky and score a goal from a set piece or through an opponents mistake but mostly you're giving yourself little chance to get three points. If you also end up losing using those tactics it looks extremely poor. I don't want to see that often although I accept with Mourinho he will do it from time to time. I'm hoping in his second season when he's had two summer transfer windows to mold the team how he wants it we'll see that less.

[Preezy]

Yeah for all United's faults this season, at least they've won some silverware. More than Spurs, City and Liverpool have managed (might be able to include Arsenal in that if Chelsea do the business in the FA Cup). Winning trophies whilst performing below-expectations is still commendable. And at the end of the day, Clive, if it's not about winning trophies then what is it about?

History only remembers the league and cup winners, not who finished 5th/4th/3rd/2nd.

[Photek]

Yeah for all United's faults this season, at least they've won some silverware. More than Spurs, City and Liverpool have managed (might be able to include Arsenal in that if Chelsea do the business in the FA Cup). Winning trophies whilst performing below-expectations is still commendable. And at the end of the day, Clive, if it's not about winning trophies then what is it about?

History only remembers the league and cup winners, not who finished 5th/4th/3rd/2nd.

So you really think Spurs would swap places with Manu then?

[chalkitdown]

Apart from Denster, which Man Utd fans are ok with the way they've performed this season? We're in here every game calling them gooseberry fool. The strawberry float are you on about, Photek?

[Preezy]

Yeah for all United's faults this season, at least they've won some silverware. More than Spurs, City and Liverpool have managed (might be able to include Arsenal in that if Chelsea do the business in the FA Cup). Winning trophies whilst performing below-expectations is still commendable. And at the end of the day, Clive, if it's not about winning trophies then what is it about?

History only remembers the league and cup winners, not who finished 5th/4th/3rd/2nd.

So you really think Spurs would swap places with Manu then?

Where did I say that?

But the answer is yes, obviously. If United win the Europa then they will have had a more successful season than everyone bar Chelsea. I don't know how anyone could argue otherwise. That's not to say that Spurs aren't a better team or haven't played the better football (only an idiot would argue otherwise), but in terms of tangible "success", trophies trump league position, especially if one of those trophies gives you the same access to the CL that finishing in 2nd place would.

[Moggy]

History only remembers the league and cup winners, not who finished 5th/4th/3rd/2nd.

Who won the League Cup and Europa League/UEFA Cup in 2005?

[Photek]

Apart from Denster, which Man Utd fans are ok with the way they've performed this season? We're in here every game calling them gooseberry fool. The strawberry float are you on about, Photek?

Fair Point, have you been reading Media watch on Football 365? There are a few 'football journo's' who are hailing Manu as being simply amazing this season. Even a few Journo's on Off the Ball on Newstalk saying Manu have been stellar. I still think, bar the west ham game, Liverpool are limping over the line and still may not do it, Manu had a knack of dropping points when we did and now you can't finish higher than us, I don't know, guess it's just odd even for a rival to adjust to.

[Preezy]

History only remembers the league and cup winners, not who finished 5th/4th/3rd/2nd.

Who won the League Cup and Europa League/UEFA Cup in 2005?

Why, Chelsea and CSKA Moscow. Everybody knows that, Moggy

[Moggy]

History only remembers the league and cup winners, not who finished 5th/4th/3rd/2nd.

Who won the League Cup and Europa League/UEFA Cup in 2005?

Why, Chelsea and CSKA Moscow. Everybody knows that, Moggy

Well done Wikipedia.

Which also tells you that:

2nd: Arsenal
3rd: Manchester United
4th: Everton
5th: Liverpool.

[Preezy]

Apart from Denster, which Man Utd fans are ok with the way they've performed this season? We're in here every game calling them gooseberry fool. The strawberry float are you on about, Photek?

Fair Point, have you been reading Media watch on Football 365? There are a few 'football journo's' who are hailing Manu as being simply amazing this season. Even a few Journo's on Off the Ball on Newstalk saying Manu have been stellar.

Don't forget Photek that lots of journos praise clubs regardless of reality just to stay in their good books and to maintain access for interviews and exclusives etc. That's especially true for the megaclubs, which despite their current run of shittiness, United undeniably remain one of.

[Photek]

Apart from Denster, which Man Utd fans are ok with the way they've performed this season? We're in here every game calling them gooseberry fool. The strawberry float are you on about, Photek?

Fair Point, have you been reading Media watch on Football 365? There are a few 'football journo's' who are hailing Manu as being simply amazing this season. Even a few Journo's on Off the Ball on Newstalk saying Manu have been stellar.

Don't forget Photek that lots of journos praise clubs regardless of reality just to stay in their good books and to maintain access for interviews and exclusives etc. That's especially true for the megaclubs, which despite their current run of shittiness, United undeniably remain one of.

True, I was listening in disbelief after the last Mani v Liverpool game from Journo that Pogba was the main difference in elevating Manu to gain the draw. Pogba in that game had one of the worst games of any player I've ever seen between Manu and Pool, he was at fault for our goal, missed a sitter and just had an awful day at the office. When this was put to the journo he brushed it off with "but negative or positive, Pogba has an effect, not many players have that ability" I was angry then just burst out laughing, this guy is paid by The Rag, how the actual F***?

[Saint of Killers]

twitter.com/BeardedGenius/status/864379281811677184

[Photek]

[Moggy]

That's amazing