*Official* English Football Season 2012-13

[Jarquis]

Think absolutely everybody predicted the effect playing Allen would have tbh

 

[Uppercut]

Think absolutely everybody predicted the effect playing Allen would have tbh

Not really, he's not playing well but he's not bad enough to explain the entire team's poor performance. I think it's overplayed anyway. Citeh got a spanking at So'ton, Arsenal were completely overrun and United only came away with anything because of RVP's trademark arse-saving routine. Ending a prolonged unbeaten streak with a loss in a very tough away game shouldn't be sparking such an inquisition.

 

[Jarquis]

No, I disagree. Absolutely every Liverpool fan I've seen talk about the matter knew what playing Allen would mean. I'm not saying he's single handedly responsible but he did exactly as expected.

 

[marc71178]

FA having a good week here - ****ed up over Ferdinand (should be banned for next 2 United games if, as he claims, he still wants to play Internationals) and then ****ed up over McManaman.

 

[sledger]

Not really, he's not playing well but he's not bad enough to explain the entire team's poor performance. I think it's overplayed anyway. Citeh got a spanking at So'ton, Arsenal were completely overrun and United only came away with anything because of RVP's trademark arse-saving routine. Ending a prolonged unbeaten streak with a loss in a very tough away game shouldn't be sparking such an inquisition.

Southampton have played well in all of those fixtures, that must be said, but I don't think the direness of Liverpool is being underplayed. Both they, and City, played extremely in those fixtures, completely independently of how well Southampton performed.

 

[Ikki]

No, I disagree. Absolutely every Liverpool fan I've seen talk about the matter knew what playing Allen would mean. I'm not saying he's single handedly responsible but he did exactly as expected.

It's rubbish, no one would have predicted it. Allen in the opening few months was being described as a fantastic buy and only since about the turn of the new year has he been under par...and even then just merely not imposing, not terrible.

Not really, he's not playing well but he's not bad enough to explain the entire team's poor performance. I think it's overplayed anyway. Citeh got a spanking at So'ton, Arsenal were completely overrun and United only came away with anything because of RVP's trademark arse-saving routine. Ending a prolonged unbeaten streak with a loss in a very tough away game shouldn't be sparking such an inquisition.

The thing with Allen is that he is usually amongst the most accurate passers...anywhere. He usually passes within the 90+% range and in the Southampton game passed at 65% which is woeful. It correlates with just how not in control we were and it was only when Lucas came on that we got a foothold in the game.

Having said that, I agree with you that Southamption have played brilliantly against many opponents - often not getting the points their play has deserve - and one can't be blind to the fact that sometimes the opposition are just better on the day (and hence it is not just about one or two players underperforming).

 

[Jarquis]

You can't tell me whether or not other people have said something is rubbish ffs. They said it, it's a matter of fact that's not up for discussion. FMD.

 

[sledger]

Really hate pass completion stats. Such a lazy way of trying to show a player's worth.

 

[Eds]

I'd say it was more down to the 4-4-2 we tried to play than Allen's performance. He'd been asked to play as part of a midfield two with Gerrard and that was always going to go badly but that's Rodgers' fault not Allen's.

 

[social]

FA having a good week here - ****ed up over Ferdinand (should be banned for next 2 United games if, as he claims, he still wants to play Internationals) and then ****ed up over McManaman.

Try selling that one

Football must be just about the only sport in the world where the vast majority of players care more about their club than country

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Not really, he's not playing well but he's not bad enough to explain the entire team's poor performance. I think it's overplayed anyway. Citeh got a spanking at So'ton, Arsenal were completely overrun and United only came away with anything because of RVP's trademark arse-saving routine. Ending a prolonged unbeaten streak with a loss in a very tough away game shouldn't be sparking such an inquisition.

Everton were lucky to get a point there in that Monday game too. Very lucky in fact. Saints have been a decent side to watch this year, hope they don't get sucked in and get relegated late on.

 

[marc71178]

Try selling that one

Football must be just about the only sport in the world where the vast majority of players care more about their club than country

It'd never happen but there's rules about people pulling out of internationals for spurious reasons. Of course the FA wouldn't do it to upset Sir Alex so it's a moot point but the reason being used is total bollocks - such a pre planned training regime that it can withstand the late fixture change they've had.

 

[Uppercut]

Southampton have played well in all of those fixtures, that must be said, but I don't think the direness of Liverpool is being underplayed. Both they, and City, played extremely in those fixtures, completely independently of how well Southampton performed.

Nah it's impossible to play badly independently of your how your opponent performs. And even if it was, that's not what's happened here. It's not just a coincidence that Arsenal, Citeh, Liverpool and United have all struggled to get going at Southampton, they press the ball all over the pitch and make it really difficult for teams to get into any kind of rhythm. It's exactly the type of strategy that makes it look like your opponent was having a bad game.

 

[Uppercut]

It'd never happen but there's rules about people pulling out of internationals for spurious reasons. Of course the FA wouldn't do it to upset Sir Alex so it's a moot point but the reason being used is total bollocks - such a pre planned training regime that it can withstand the late fixture change they've had.

I'd definitely have just told them where to go. Same manager that left him at home for the Euros in favour of a guy who racially abused his brother then spoofed that he'd picked Martin Kelly instead for 'footballing reasons'.

 

[sledger]

Nah it's impossible to play badly independently of your how your opponent performs.

Is it? I dunno about that.

 

[Uppercut]

I'm probably just being pedantic about the definition of 'independent'. But Southampton are definitely a team that makes it hard to play well. Everton are another.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Really hate pass completion stats. Such a lazy way of trying to show a player's worth.

****ing ay.

Butch Wilkins always used to do really well on pass completion and the **** never kicked a ball forward in his life.

Quantative stats in football are a bit of a gear grind generally, tbh; game doesn't lend itself to them.

 

[marc71178]

I'd definitely have just told them where to go. Same manager that left him at home for the Euros in favour of a guy who racially abused his brother then spoofed that he'd picked Martin Kelly instead for 'footballing reasons'.

I'd have always taken Terry ahead of him personally and to be honest he's not fit enough to play a Tournament so I could agree with leaving him out. But in that case he should have just retired rather than not retiring and having this farcical situation.

 

[Uppercut]

****ing ay.

Butch Wilkins always used to do really well on pass completion and the **** never kicked a ball forward in his life.

Quantative stats in football are a bit of a gear grind generally, tbh; game doesn't lend itself to them.

I think they're alright in a descriptive sense. Like, the fact that Nasri has a much higher pass completion than Nani tells you something about the differences in the way they play the game.

Using them in a "higher pass completion=better" way is bollocks. As are stats in football generally.

 

[sledger]

Even as far as stats in football go though, pass completion has to rank as more or less the worst.