*Official* English Football Season 2012-13

[sledger]

Ha ha. He was very effective for us last season, barring the odd positional mis-hap, very reliable at left-back.

Fair enough, I daresay you've seen more of him over the last year or so than I have.

Sadly, having watched him be routinely awful for the last few seasons preceding that period, I am somewhat prejudiced against him, and probably will never be able to accept him as anything remotely resembling good.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Clichy's biggest thing last season was that he just didn't make mistakes. He wasn't superb, got forward but rarely produced anything. But was defensively very solid. I hated the signing for defensive reasons but he proved me wrong with solid performances.

 

[sledger]

I guess he wasn't awful defensively for Arsenal, generally speaking anyway. The infuriating thing about him was that he always used to give the ball away cheaply and repeatedly made gaffes. Just had no confidence in him at all by the end. Maybe playing in a really solid defensive unit has helped him come on a bit.

It also bugged me massively that he developed this reputation as being an attacking fullback. He always got high up the pitch, but then did piss all, apart from pass it backwards/lose the ball. So annoying.

 

[Pothas]

City should have one last spending spree and buy Dani Alves and Bale as the wing backs.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

That would work in FM, yes.

 

[Pothas]

Sure would.

Obviously it's not going to happen, still think you got plenty to win the league with the current squad really, don't actually think it'll be that close this season.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

If Tevez stays on his anti-psychotics for the season and doesn't **** off to the other side of the world I think we'll be okay. He's like a whole new signing. I really wish we'd signed some pace on the wing though, like Hazard or Lavezzi, just because we don't have anything close to that dynamic (which is obviously why you're saying Alves and Bale).

If United get RVP and he stays fit for the season I don't think we'll win it, but those are big ifs.

ps. I hate the Rodwell signing. Gives us nothing we didn't already have.

 

[Pothas]

Unlikely to do Rodwell much good either.

Tevez certainly looked the part today and Aguero is only going to get better, the guy is fairly sensational already.

 

[sledger]

The Rodwell transfer is a strange one, can only assume this will mean Barry and/or De Jong are now on borrowed time.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

The Rodwell transfer is a strange one, can only assume this will mean Barry and/or De Jong are now on borrowed time.

Only if Rodwell stays fit, not got a great record at doing that has he?

 

[MW1304]

Dunno, the Canada v US was full of some tasty tackles and rather colourful language at times

Almost all of the teams. Had USA firmly in mind when choosing my words.

 

[Uppercut]

To be fair they still have Oscar and Marin to come, so they could yet have plenty to offer going forward. Depending on how the three new guys link up with Mata and Torres, and if they live up to their billing, they could be really threatening.

The trio of Mikel, Luiz and Terry is extremely suspect though. And like you say, not sure how well some of the old legs will hold up as the season progresses.

Yes, they do have two expensive new foreign signings that hardly anyone had heard of before this summer. They both have "crap fantasy football pick" written all over them. Even Hazard will probably take some time to adjust.

Hard to see where the goals will come from, especially if Lampard continues to fade. "I think Torres will come good this season" is the new "I think this is Liverpool's year". And of course their defence is very, very creaky.

 

[Uppercut]

Only if Rodwell stays fit, not got a great record at doing that has he?

It's a Dalglish signing. He wasn't even especially good when he was capable of stringing two games together. Everton will be laughing all the way to the bank.

 

[sledger]

Had heard of both of them tbh, but ok.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

]"I think Torres will come good this season" is the new "I think this is Liverpool's year".

I generally agree with all the stuff you post, and I still sort of agree with you here, but he scared the absolute **** out of me last night every time he went near the ball. Had his pace, acceleration and especially his touch back. Looked genuinely frightening, and if Vincent Kompany wasn't the best CB in the league at the moment he'd have shredded us more than once. That said, it was only one game and we'll see where that goes.

Had heard of both of them tbh, but ok.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Never seen Oscar play, but I don't think Marin is anything particularly much to write home about. He's decent but nothing more IMO, and as Uppercut noted, will take some time to adjust.

Think the Rodwell signing is crap also.

 

[Ikki]

From what I've seen of Oscar he reminds me of a young Kaka. Fantastically fluid with the ball with similar vision to pick a pass. Marin had a lot of promise early on and is a skilful winger but even in Germany they kinda lost hope on him stepping up into the next level. I think they're good signings but whether they'll be great is conjecture. Especially considering the dynamics of English football.

 

[grecian]

Almost all of the teams. Had USA firmly in mind when choosing my words.

Do not slag team USA off, yes they're bratty, petulant prima-donnas, who cheat, dive as much as any Argentinian team, and they were utterly out-played in semi and final before fluking a win, but...

I rest my case m'lawd.

 

[Uppercut]

From what I've seen of Oscar he reminds me of a young Kaka. Fantastically fluid with the ball with similar vision to pick a pass. Marin had a lot of promise early on and is a skilful winger but even in Germany they kinda lost hope on him stepping up into the next level. I think they're good signings but whether they'll be great is conjecture. Especially considering the dynamics of English football.

Yeah, it's the stylistic change that makes me dubious. It's not just English football generally, it's Chelsea too. Their defenders totally failed at a more continental style under AVB, and they surely can't expect Hazard and Oscar to play a Mourinho-esque system without Drogba. The front and back of the team don't fit together at all.

 

[Pup Clarke]

Marin's just the type of player that Chelsea need. Quick and skillful with his best years ahead of him, plus they were in serious need of some wingers.