*Official* English Football Season 2015-16

[Uppercut]

It would be interesting to see whether there's any real connection between a team's average age and their success 3-4 years later. I can't think of a time where fans of a club have pointed to their young average age as a reason for optimism and the foreseen golden era has actually happened.

 

[sledger]

It would be interesting to see whether there's any real connection between a team's average age and their success 3-4 years later. I can't think of a time where fans of a club have pointed to their young average age as a reason for optimism and the foreseen golden era has actually happened.

The 'you don't win anything with kids' Utd team to an extent, I guess.

 

[Ikki]

Barca and Bayern, although big clubs, have ushered generations of a group of players who have gone onto huge success. I guess the problem is that undertaking this strategy unless you're a rich club means others will pick off your talented youngsters as they mature so they'll rarely get the opportunity to play together.

It happened to Arsenal a lot in the last decade and Liverpool will lose their Sterlings and Coutinhos for the foressable future unless they get it together fast.

 

[Uppercut]

Barca and Bayern, although big clubs, have ushered generations of a group of players who have gone onto huge success. I guess the problem is that undertaking this strategy unless you're a rich club means others will pick off your talented youngsters as they mature so they'll rarely get the opportunity to play together.

It happened to Arsenal a lot in the last decade and Liverpool will lose their Sterlings and Coutinhos for the foressable future unless they get it together fast.

Yeah this is a big part of it. It's also just really tough to know which players will go on to become world-class and which ones won't. The randomness element is huge.

 

[Furball]

It would be interesting to see whether there's any real connection between a team's average age and their success 3-4 years later. I can't think of a time where fans of a club have pointed to their young average age as a reason for optimism and the foreseen golden era has actually happened.

Barcelona.

 

[duffer]

I think LVG getting his selection and tactics completely wrong is the story for Utd here. Hopefully the last time he starts a big away game with no Schneiderlin. Also Valencia at RB rather than going with the Young fudge was essential, given how well he's handled Sanchez in the past. And obviously we need Rooney replaced with a footballer.

Better 2nd half, albeit with the massive caveat that Arsenal had completely stopped trying.

Yeah felt a little let down by that. After all the bummings we've gotten from United in the past few years would've loved us to try and really pour it on and get 5 or 6. Can understand why we didn't go for it tbf. Over the moon with that first half though, Alexis is devastating when on form and Mesut now has 4 assists in 7 league games.

 

[Furball]

Is it just me who isn't particularly convinced by Ancelotti?

Oh, and Stevie G to return as player manager.

 

[duffer]

Probably is just you. I think he's brilliant and all class.

 

[sledger]

Yeah, I am a fan. Uppercut doesn't rate though iirc.

 

[Cabinet96]

His lack of league titles given the club's he's been at is a bit alarming. He seems decent enough though. If Arsene were to resign at the end of this season I wouldn't complain if we got him.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Is it just me who isn't particularly convinced by Ancelotti?

Oh, and Stevie G to return as player manager.

Heard last night some journalist ruling Ancelotti out as he has had an operation and will be doing rehab for a long time. No idea if it true or not but means Klopp has the job if he wants it.

 

[sledger]

His lack of league titles given the club's he's been at is a bit alarming. He seems decent enough though. If Arsene were to resign at the end of this season I wouldn't complain if we got him.

Yeah, I was just thinking the same.

 

[sledger]

Heard last night some journalist ruling Ancelotti out as he has had an operation and will be doing rehab for a long time. No idea if it true or not but means Klopp has the job if he wants it.

I reckon that'd be the case even if Ancelotti was available tbh.

 

[Uppercut]

Yeah, I am a fan. Uppercut doesn't rate though iirc.

I definitely don't think he's a bad manager. You know what you're going to get- his teams play nice enough football with results somewhere near par, and the commercial side will love him because he's a nice guy, good with the media and handles the club's internal politics really well. But he has no real record of outperforming expectations despite constantly rocking up at incredibly rich clubs.

I would rate him below Wenger, for example, which I think is probably unusual. If Liverpool can get Klopp instead then they definitely should.

 

[Ikki]

Ancelotti's won enough to put him ahead of Wenger in the all-time manager rankings IMO. But as a fit for Liverpool, creating something from little and getting them to play beyond expectations...you gotta go for Klopp.

 

[Eds]

Ancelotti's biggest strength seems to be jamming eleven superstars into a team and somehow creating something tactically coherent. Suits the big clubs, but for obvious reasons it'd make him a risky appointment for a club like Liverpool. The perfect Real Madrid manager I guess.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Nah this is wrong. Any source from the club will tell you he didn't want Balotelli, has been denied players he did want etc.

This goes against everything else I have read, including the Furball post you quoted. As Sledger pointed out, even Stevie Me disagrees.

Regarding Ancelotti, I don't really rate him tbh. Look at the favourable situations he's found himself in, with the squads he has had, and tbh I'd back someone like Rodgers to match his return in the same situations. League titles are seen as the best barometer for good reason imo, he has won not many with some gun sides.

 

[cpr]

In defence, the Gerrard quote isn't exactly proof, in fact the way I read it made it sound like Rodgers was taking a gamble because he had no other choice, ie his targets blocked and Balotelli being the only option.

 

[Ikki]

That's exactly what it was. Even before the Gerrard quote came out there had been pieces saying the same thing more or less. Liverpool couldn't get the other targets after having sold Suarez (we went after Sanchez) and it was basically get Mario or no one.

I think it's safe to say that Klopp is gonna be announced some time in the next few days. This is all a bit too coordinated and has probably been prolonged so it doesn't come off as if they were negotiating behind Rodgers' back (which they probably were).

Rodgers' statement that just got released was all class, as expected. Hope he can grow as a manager and go onto bigger things. I'm sure if he returns to Anfield he'll get applause and cheers.

 

[sledger]

I definitely don't think he's a bad manager. You know what you're going to get- his teams play nice enough football with results somewhere near par, and the commercial side will love him because he's a nice guy, good with the media and handles the club's internal politics really well. But he has no real record of outperforming expectations despite constantly rocking up at incredibly rich clubs.

I would rate him below Wenger, for example, which I think is probably unusual. If Liverpool can get Klopp instead then they definitely should.

Not disagreeing with you, but on a somewhat related note, are there really any examples of managers showing up at one of the incredible rich sides and outperforming expectations? Not sure I can think of any. Underperforming certainly, but outperforming? Not so sure.