The English Football Thread

Mojo · 07-19-2014, 05:08 PM

I dont blame you mate. How do you feel about your chances? I guess your hopes hinge on keeping those two? I like both Vlaar and Delph a lot but I fear you're right, Vlaar at least could go after such a good WC.

I wouldn't say I'm optimistic just yet but I can see us being stonger this season. I think I need to see it to judge it to be honest.

There's promise there but we need certain players to be given opportunities and we need them to turn up. Fletcher was never fit at any point last season I didn't think, but he has a record of scoring goals in poor teams. I hope he's back to his best. I need to see more from Giaccherini as well. I know how good he is so it's frustrating to see him at Sunderland. He needs more opportunity, but he also needs to take what he's given. I didn't see enough of a commitment from him last season.

With those two in form, Borini, Wickham, more consistency from Johnson etc then yeah, we can be more of a threat. Our main problem last season was lack of goals. Not lack of chances, possession etc, but putting the ball in the net.

Our defence really worries me though. Wes Brown, early last season, was a tank. He was brilliant. But it was too brief a run of form. He made too many mistakes, picked up too many red cards, and overall had an awful season. The less said about John O'Shea the better.

I'm not at all convinced by less than ambitious signings like Billy Jones either so that doesn't make me feel any better. I hope he does well, of course, but it's not a signing that fills me with confidence.

Vergini was a hideous centre half but did well at right back, Alonso impressed at left back. Both loanees. We need to lock down Alonso at least, after failing to get Danny Rose, Alan Hutton before him (but I didnt want him), it's an area we just havent had a regular for too long now.

Basically I think our defence is so bad that it's hard to feel optimistic just yet, but I'm hopeful that we start this season with more attacking options than we had last season.

~~Cuthbert~~ · 07-19-2014, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mojo

I dont blame you mate. How do you feel about your chances? I guess your hopes hinge on keeping those two? I like both Vlaar and Delph a lot but I fear you're right, Vlaar at least could go after such a good WC.

I wouldn't say hinge but they do make up part of the spine so to lose them would be near suicidal. I don't know why their contracts have been allowed to enter the last year, it's crazy.

With Jores and Vlaar at centre back we'd start to look OK in defence. I don't know man. The bomb squad is back anyway and we have the young players Grealish, Carruthers and Robinson but it just seems like we are piling more shit on to the shit we already have. Signing has beens on frees

. Grealish is good but he's a teenager. Benteke probably won't play until December... I just don't know.

I'm not expecting us to finish top half. Doom.

Quote:

I wouldn't say I'm optimistic just yet but I can see us being stonger this season. I think I need to see it to judge it to be honest.

There's promise there but we need certain players to be given opportunities and we need them to turn up. Fletcher was never fit at any point last season I didn't think, but he has a record of scoring goals in poor teams. I hope he's back to his best. I need to see more from Giaccherini as well. I know how good he is so it's frustrating to see him at Sunderland. He needs more opportunity, but he also needs to take what he's given. I didn't see enough of a commitment from him last season.

With those two in form, Borini, Wickham, more consistency from Johnson etc then yeah, we can be more of a threat. Our main problem last season was lack of goals. Not lack of chances, possession etc, but putting the ball in the net.

Our defence really worries me though. Wes Brown, early last season, was a tank. He was brilliant. But it was too brief a run of form. He made too many mistakes, picked up too many red cards, and overall had an awful season. The less said about John O'Shea the better.

I'm not at all convinced by less than ambitious signings like Billy Jones either so that doesn't make me feel any better. I hope he does well, of course, but it's not a signing that fills me with confidence.

Vergini was a hideous centre half but did well at right back, Alonso impressed at left back. Both loanees. We need to lock down Alonso at least, after failing to get Danny Rose, Alan Hutton before him (but I didnt want him), it's an area we just havent had a regular for too long now.

Basically I think our defence is so bad that it's hard to feel optimistic just yet, but I'm hopeful that we start this season with more attacking options than we had last season.

Interesting, Brown is a talented defender and isn't really that old for a player of his position. All the best anyway, think we're both gonna need it.

Mojo · 07-19-2014, 05:51 PM

I think you could be right!

Had you asked me about Wes midway through last season mate I'd have been singing his praises, but he went on to make too many mistakes. It's not all doom and gloom with him but he showed both the good and the bad last season so I'm wary what kind of season he will have.

John O'Shea gets beaten to every ball. I've given up all hope with him. The fact that our strongest centre half partnership is still those two is worrying. We looked tight at the back for large parts of last season, for a team struggling to survive at least, but gave away lots of cheap goals. And more often than not it was individual error, from Brown, O'Shea or Cattermole, who loves to get caught in possession.

**Goofle** · 07-23-2014, 11:51 AM

I'll cry if we don't sign a striker.

~~Cuthbert~~ · 07-26-2014, 06:26 PM

https://vine.co/v/M0HvY95Qdad

~~Cuthbert~~ · 07-27-2014, 05:16 PM

Mojo is that Ki Sung Yeung any good?

Want us to go all out for Kagawa. *Wakes up*

~~Cuthbert~~ · 08-01-2014, 08:46 AM

Lukaku for £28m is a good buy for Everton. I'm surprised more clubs were not in for him. Mourinho doesn't seem to be working his magic same way he did first time round either.

I have been watching our pre season games and Okore and Jack Grealish have stood out, but Grealish is really young though, like 18... I really want him to make it.

**Goofle** · 08-01-2014, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Christian Benteke

Lukaku for £28m is a good buy for Everton. I'm surprised more clubs were not in for him. Mourinho doesn't seem to be working his magic same way he did first time round either.

This whole paragraph. Total disagreement.

14232949 · 08-01-2014, 03:34 PM

Lukaku is a fantastic player. About time someone snapped him up to be a key part of their clubs future.
Didn't have the greatest world cup, but he's the same age I am, and the guy's nowhere near hitting his full potential.
With all the striker problems Chelsea have had, not wanting to keep him is madness.
As is shelling out the amount of money they did for Costa. I predict he'll flop majorly just like he did at the World Cup.

**Goofle** · 08-01-2014, 03:58 PM

Costa has pretty much cemented them as PL Champions.

07-19-2014, 05:08 PM	#5421 (permalink)
Mojo Melancholia Eternally Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: England Posts: 5,018	I dont blame you mate. How do you feel about your chances? I guess your hopes hinge on keeping those two? I like both Vlaar and Delph a lot but I fear you're right, Vlaar at least could go after such a good WC. I wouldn't say I'm optimistic just yet but I can see us being stonger this season. I think I need to see it to judge it to be honest. There's promise there but we need certain players to be given opportunities and we need them to turn up. Fletcher was never fit at any point last season I didn't think, but he has a record of scoring goals in poor teams. I hope he's back to his best. I need to see more from Giaccherini as well. I know how good he is so it's frustrating to see him at Sunderland. He needs more opportunity, but he also needs to take what he's given. I didn't see enough of a commitment from him last season. With those two in form, Borini, Wickham, more consistency from Johnson etc then yeah, we can be more of a threat. Our main problem last season was lack of goals. Not lack of chances, possession etc, but putting the ball in the net. Our defence really worries me though. Wes Brown, early last season, was a tank. He was brilliant. But it was too brief a run of form. He made too many mistakes, picked up too many red cards, and overall had an awful season. The less said about John O'Shea the better. I'm not at all convinced by less than ambitious signings like Billy Jones either so that doesn't make me feel any better. I hope he does well, of course, but it's not a signing that fills me with confidence. Vergini was a hideous centre half but did well at right back, Alonso impressed at left back. Both loanees. We need to lock down Alonso at least, after failing to get Danny Rose, Alan Hutton before him (but I didnt want him), it's an area we just havent had a regular for too long now. Basically I think our defence is so bad that it's hard to feel optimistic just yet, but I'm hopeful that we start this season with more attacking options than we had last season. __________________ Last.FM \| Echoes and Dust

07-19-2014, 05:51 PM	#5423 (permalink)
Mojo Melancholia Eternally Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: England Posts: 5,018	I think you could be right! Had you asked me about Wes midway through last season mate I'd have been singing his praises, but he went on to make too many mistakes. It's not all doom and gloom with him but he showed both the good and the bad last season so I'm wary what kind of season he will have. John O'Shea gets beaten to every ball. I've given up all hope with him. The fact that our strongest centre half partnership is still those two is worrying. We looked tight at the back for large parts of last season, for a team struggling to survive at least, but gave away lots of cheap goals. And more often than not it was individual error, from Brown, O'Shea or Cattermole, who loves to get caught in possession. __________________ Last.FM \| Echoes and Dust

07-26-2014, 06:26 PM	#5425 (permalink)
~~Cuthbert~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Black Country Posts: 8,827	https://vine.co/v/M0HvY95Qdad

07-27-2014, 05:16 PM	#5426 (permalink)
~~Cuthbert~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Black Country Posts: 8,827	Mojo is that Ki Sung Yeung any good? Want us to go all out for Kagawa. Wakes up

08-01-2014, 08:46 AM	#5427 (permalink)
~~Cuthbert~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Black Country Posts: 8,827	Lukaku for £28m is a good buy for Everton. I'm surprised more clubs were not in for him. Mourinho doesn't seem to be working his magic same way he did first time round either. I have been watching our pre season games and Okore and Jack Grealish have stood out, but Grealish is really young though, like 18... I really want him to make it.

08-01-2014, 03:34 PM	#5429 (permalink)
14232949 The Big Dog Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Scotland Posts: 1,989	Lukaku is a fantastic player. About time someone snapped him up to be a key part of their clubs future. Didn't have the greatest world cup, but he's the same age I am, and the guy's nowhere near hitting his full potential. With all the striker problems Chelsea have had, not wanting to keep him is madness. As is shelling out the amount of money they did for Costa. I predict he'll flop majorly just like he did at the World Cup.