*Official* English Football Season 2014-15

[Ikki]

Yeah, Liverpool looked ominously good. I know it's kind of obvious, but a really good side will have to not make top four this season. Could probably be anyone if they get a bad start.

Still think it will be United to miss out. City and Chelsea have squads that are too strong to fall away so badly while Arsenal and Liverpool have really talented youngsters that are just getting better and better. Ramsey and Sterling are looking like POTY candidates atm.

I think for United to really make up the distance they're going to need a couple of really big signings before the transfer window closes. With the squad they have and considering the personalities that have left; I don't think Herrara+Shaw coming in will be enough for LVG to work with.

 

[GIMH]

Still think it will be United to miss out. City and Chelsea have squads that are too strong to fall away so badly while Arsenal and Liverpool have really talented youngsters that are just getting better and better. Ramsey and Sterling are looking like POTY candidates atm.

I think for United to really make up the distance they're going to need a couple of really big signings before the transfer window closes. With the squad they have and considering the personalities that have left; I don't think Herrara+Shaw coming in will be enough for LVG to work with.

Yeah agree with all of this

 

[Furball]

Sky plussed the game and watching it just now.

Michael Owen is an absolute ****ing moron. Who the **** thinks he's a decent commentator?

 

[Cabinet96]

I find it weird that Owen still has the job. It's not as if he's one of those folks who is a bit clueless so gets slack from the more enlightened but is liked by much of the majority, like say, a Merson. I've literally never come across someone who likes him, either in real life or on twitter or whatever.

BT are weird because they do really good European coverage but their premier league stuff is just prank like.

 

[Cabinet96]

One of the bits I enjoyed was when Owen said Arsenal were always consistent with their formation and never changed from their 4-3-3, right while they were playing a pretty obvious 4-1-4-1, which was a rare change from the usual 4-2-3-1.

WAC.

 

[GIMH]

One of the bits I enjoyed was when Owen said Arsenal were always consistent with their formation and never changed from their 4-3-3, right while they were playing a pretty obvious 4-1-4-1, which was a rare change from the usual 4-2-3-1.

WAC.

Tbf 4-2-3-1 is basically the same as 4-3-3 in basic terms

 

[Furball]

In the first minute he made some sort of comment about last season being a good season for Arsenal but that it had been a while since they properly challenged for the title.

He must've slept for almost all of last season then.

 

[GIMH]

In the first minute he made some sort of comment about last season being a good season for Arsenal but that it had been a while since they properly challenged for the title.

He must've slept for almost all of last season then.

They didn't challenge for the title last season...

 

[Furball]

They didn't challenge for the title last season...

I must've dreamt that Arsenal spent more than half the season leading the pack then.

 

[GIMH]

I must've dreamt that Arsenal spent more than half the season leading the pack then.

A serious title challenge isn't being top at Xmas it's being in the race at the business end, say March/April/May. It was a three horse race.

 

[Jarquis]

Tbf 4-2-3-1 is basically the same as 4-3-3 in basic terms

They didn't challenge for the title last season...

No x2

 

[Tom Halsey]

4-2-3-1 can be similar to 4-3-3, but it can also be pretty radically different, depends how it is used.

 

[GIMH]

No x2

In basic terms it is. Entirely different systems but you could pick the exact same players for both without changing their roles too much

And I've already explained why you didn't challenge for the title. Same reason why we didn't challenge for the League One title in 12-13.

Or let's put it another way; if that was a title challenge then standards have really fallen at the emirates.

 

[Uppercut]

Or let's put it another way; if that was a title challenge then standards have really fallen at the emirates.

 

[Uppercut]

It'll surely be Liverpool and United fighting over fourth. United have a lot of ground to make up in one summer and it's a damage-limitation year for Liverpool after losing Suarez.

Citeh will do well to get off to a good start. All of their strikers are having problems at the same time.

 

[Tom Halsey]

In basic terms it is. Entirely different systems but you could pick the exact same players for both without changing their roles too much

I don't really think this is true. In the 4-2-3-1 the player in the middle of the 3 is the number 10 role. In a lot of 4-3-3 systems that role is moved behind the other midfielders to a DM/anchorman type role.

There are obviously similarities in some instances though. Van Gaal is interesting on this topic as his conception of the 4-3-3 is definitely similar to a 4-2-3-1, with what he terms as the "point" of the midfield trio played in advance of the other two midfielders as opposed to behind. I don't think most people would consider this 4-3-3 as van Gaal does though, most would just term it 4-2-3-1.

 

[Nate]

Out football last night. [/randy.jpg]

 

[Jarquis]

I really hope that's the case for Liverpool but man Sterling, Sturridge and Coutinho are looking impressive. Just hope Gerrard plays every game and they don't sign any fullbacks still.

 

[Jarquis]

I don't really think this is true. In the 4-2-3-1 the player in the middle of the 3 is the number 10 role. In a lot of 4-3-3 systems that role is moved behind the other midfielders to a DM/anchorman type role.

There are obviously similarities in some instances though. Van Gaal is interesting on this topic as his conception of the 4-3-3 is definitely similar to a 4-2-3-1, with what he terms as the "point" of the midfield trio played in advance of the other two midfielders as opposed to behind. I don't think most people would consider this 4-3-3 as van Gaal does though, most would just term it 4-2-3-1.

With a team like Chelsea they can be quite similar as the '2' are usually somewhat solid defensively and Oscar is a ****ing gun but there's no way Arsenal would ever go into a game with a midfield '3' of Arteta-Ramsey-Özil for example.

 

[Tom Halsey]

It'll surely be Liverpool and United fighting over fourth.

I think it is far too open to be stating this as "surely". 38 games isn't very many.