Premier League, 2017-2018 Season Thread

[Kitchandro]

20 minutes ago, Corky said:

https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/everton-hero-leon-osman-backs-top-manager-david-moyes-to-turn-west-ham-around-a3677716.html

 

So you question our managerial appointment, a man who has won league titles and reached Champions League semi-finals, for the "lack of ambition" yet champion the appointment of a man who has been sacked from three jobs for being crap?

 

Of course, there is no British bias in the media. None at all.

 

 

That's ridiculous. The Sunderland job should have finished him at any decent level.

 

For whatever reason he was a good fit at Everton (though was never spectacular) but he's been a failure since.

[BenTheFox]

2 hours ago, Jon the Hat said:

I could imagine West Ham going out of business.  They could be homeless if they are relegated and run out of cash.

I read your posts in Louis Theroux's voice every single time. I just can't help it. 

[wattolcfc]

2 hours ago, norwichfox said:

would take a swap for Rudkin....

Id swap Rudkin for Noel Edmonds, at least he'll know how to get a deal done!

Edited 6 November 2017 by wattolcfc

[Ted Maul]

2 hours ago, Corky said:

https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/everton-hero-leon-osman-backs-top-manager-david-moyes-to-turn-west-ham-around-a3677716.html

 

So you question our managerial appointment, a man who has won league titles and reached Champions League semi-finals, for the "lack of ambition" yet champion the appointment of a man who has been sacked from three jobs for being crap?

 

Of course, there is no British bias in the media. None at all.

 

 

Massive 'jobs for the boys' attitude with the ex-player pundits. Osman probably played 300 games under Moyes.

[jammie82uk]

5 hours ago, Jon the Hat said:

I could imagine West Ham going out of business.  They could be homeless if they are relegated and run out of cash.

Won’t be homeless if they get relegated there “rent” reduces from £2.5 million a year to under a £1 million pound a year 

[StriderHiryu]

4 hours ago, AjcW said:

I think there's definitely something in the Stadium thing though.

Especially style of play.

 

Arsenal were incredible at Highbury, like literally edge of your seat box office.

I have no 'of note' memory of them at the Emirates.

 

I think it'll be the same for West Ham. I used to enjoy their Football and atmosphere at Upton Park.... now there's neither.

 

They've also invested terribly too, if any club screamed in need of a good Director of Football it's them!

Grounds really can make all the difference. Arsenal are a great shout, as there fans are more of the civilised types they don't really make much noise, but as the stands were so close to the ground at Highbury it made a big difference. The Emirates is an incredible stadium that is competely devoid of atmosphere, those fans really don't deserve it! I feel sorry for West Ham fans, some of whom are a good bunch. They didn't ask for the new ground and it's not their fault that both the new ground and their team have gone to shit at the same time.

 

An interesting recent example is Atletico Madrid who are struggling badly in their new home, despite it looking incredible, and supposedly being designed to retain better acoustics. Mind you they have also been hurt by their transfer ban. Another one, but that has worked the other way is Zenit Saint Petersburg, who moved to a stadium outside of the city and from a cramped Filbert Street style ground to modern all seater, but they are top of their league and Europa league group and by all accounts are smashing it.

 

Our own story is interesting in it's own right. Filbert Street was immense and that 3-3 game versus Arsenal will live with me forever. When we first moved we struggled badly, but most of that was due to running out of money and On Digital going bust and drying up the money for Championship cubs. For many years I wondered if leaving Filbert Street was a good thing, but then from NP's second coming it changed completely and it has had a ton of classics, even in the Championship days. Of recent the games against Porto and Sevilla at home last year were phenomenal and that 5-3 game versus Man U will also take some topping in terms of notable games.

[Kitchandro]

Stadiums do make a difference psychologically. But that should never, ever be a public excuse for professional footballers. 

 

It's also not an excuse for cockney scumbags scrapping with each other.

[Kitchandro]

Results aside though, these new stadiums, especially ones like West Ham and Arsenal have, do not belong in football and make it a diluted experience for the fans. I understand they are used with money in mind, but I hate the pezzo novanti lying through their teeth with statements trying to make out it benefits the fans. 

 

I hate our stadium with it's unoriginality, boring symmetry and distance from the pitch and it's not even the worst example of a modern ground.

[KingsX]

13 minutes ago, jammie82uk said:

Won’t be homeless if they get relegated there “rent” reduces from £2.5 million a year to under a £1 million pound a year 

I knew it was heavily subsidized, but  .  So they are already making a token payment less than stadium costs for many Championship clubs.

 

The powers that be really don't want that place empty!  "Looks" empty will have to do, if they go down.  Of course it already "sounds" empty half the time.

[Rocket-Ron]

39 minutes ago, StriderHiryu said:

 When we first moved we struggled badly

We got promoted back to the premier in our first season.

[jammie82uk]

31 minutes ago, KingsX said:

I knew it was heavily subsidized, but  .  So they are already making a token payment less than stadium costs for many Championship clubs.

 

The powers that be really don't want that place empty!  "Looks" empty will have to do, if they go down.  Of course it already "sounds" empty half the time.

Yeah token payment best describes it, that payment covers nearly everything 

 

Undersoil heating and floodlighting. 

Ticket office and turnstiles. 

Drug testing and medical facilities. 

Concession areas cleared of snow and ice as required. 

Team changing rooms, plus changing rooms for ball persons and officials. 

Security, cleaning, pest control. 

Stadium tannoy, generator, CCTV surveillance system and monitors. 

LED pitch-side signage, scoreboards and jumbo video screens at each end of the pitch

 

they only have to make additional payments if any of the following happens 

 

Extra payments West Ham could have to make annually
£1m if they win the Champions League	£100,000 if they win the FA Cup or Europa League, or qualify for it
£250,000 if they qualify for the Champions League group stages (All payments linked to inflation)	£375,000 if they finish in the top five in the Premier League, with smaller payments for other lower positions in the top 10

 

 

[ajthefox]

4 hours ago, Corky said:

https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/everton-hero-leon-osman-backs-top-manager-david-moyes-to-turn-west-ham-around-a3677716.html

 

So you question our managerial appointment, a man who has won league titles and reached Champions League semi-finals, for the "lack of ambition" yet champion the appointment of a man who has been sacked from three jobs for being crap?

 

Of course, there is no British bias in the media. None at all.

 

 

Don't disagree with your sentiment but that's not really media bias is it?

 

It's a former Everton player backing a manager he made over 300 appearances under. Shocker.

 

I don't really understand why it exists because it's predictable and really who gives a fvck. But I don't think there is any attempt to sway opinion, it's not like anyone is going to be convinced Moyes is a good manager because Leon Osman said so.

 

 

 

 

[TheHitman™]

15 hours ago, StriderHiryu said:

Good post. Though Guardiola has had luxuries that few others have in effectively being able to buy anyone he wants, he's great at developing players and stamping his authority on a club. As great as Man City have been this season, IMO there are many weak parts to their team (Stones, Otamendi, Delph) or players that are OK that are playing much better for him (Sterling, Sane, Fernandinho). But despite that, his team is playing quality attacking football that is great to watch. If the league stopped today they'd be worthy champions and respect for playing that way even against other top teams.

 

Man United spend a lot of money but couldn't be further removed from the Ferguson era. Nowhere near as good to watch and other than Rashford, not much emphasis on young players. It is true to say that the last 3 champions have been teams with good defences who are strong on the break, but given the amount of money Man United spend they are bit too pragmatic for my liking.

Sterling is the most underrated player in the World RIGHT now. He is extremely talented and young and would only get better. I don't actually think he ever was average tbh. He is miles ahead of gray and is already better than Walcott. He was mile ahead of gray when he was the same age as him.

[Nalis]

8 hours ago, jammie82uk said:

Yeah token payment best describes it, that payment covers nearly everything 

 

Undersoil heating and floodlighting. 

Ticket office and turnstiles. 

Drug testing and medical facilities. 

Concession areas cleared of snow and ice as required. 

Team changing rooms, plus changing rooms for ball persons and officials. 

Security, cleaning, pest control. 

Stadium tannoy, generator, CCTV surveillance system and monitors. 

LED pitch-side signage, scoreboards and jumbo video screens at each end of the pitch

 

they only have to make additional payments if any of the following happens 

 

Extra payments West Ham could have to make annually
£1m if they win the Champions League	£100,000 if they win the FA Cup or Europa League, or qualify for it
£250,000 if they qualify for the Champions League group stages (All payments linked to inflation)	£375,000 if they finish in the top five in the Premier League, with smaller payments for other lower positions in the top 10

 

 

 

Whoever puts in that Champions League winning clause was surely trolling.

[Stan]

25 minutes ago, TheHitman™ said:

Sterling is the most underrated player in the World RIGHT now. He is extremely talented and young and would only get better. I don't actually think he ever was average tbh. He is miles ahead of gray and is already better than Walcott. He was mile ahead of gray when he was the same age as him.

Is this for real?

[Koke]

Allardyce will sign a decent competent striker in January and get Everton mid table. I hope Moyes take West Ham down.

[StriderHiryu]

9 hours ago, Rocket-Ron said:

We got promoted back to the premier in our first season.

Old age is catching up with me :)!

 

I forget what a great job Micky Adams did that year. It was a real shame the La Manga incident occurred, had we survived in the PL after going down I think Adams would have ended up being at the club for a long time. That Wolves game still haunts me!

[Wortho]

1 hour ago, Nalis said:

 

Whoever puts in that Champions League winning clause was surely trolling.

I heard that West Ham FC don't even pay for their tea bags. 

[Ted Maul]

Moyes confirmed at West Ham then.

 

I know a few of our fans turned their noses up at Puel, but could you imagine the reaction if we brought Moyes in? He's been an absolute disaster in his last 3 jobs.

[Koke]

15 hours ago, Corky said:

https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/everton-hero-leon-osman-backs-top-manager-david-moyes-to-turn-west-ham-around-a3677716.html

 

So you question our managerial appointment, a man who has won league titles and reached Champions League semi-finals, for the "lack of ambition" yet champion the appointment of a man who has been sacked from three jobs for being crap?

 

Of course, there is no British bias in the media. None at all.

 

 

 

Decent article on here.

 

http://www.football365.com/news/this-is-the-country-for-old-footballing-men

 

"These managerial dumplings lie heavy in the gravy of the guts of the English game and few want to see them managing their club. But have you noticed that as soon as anyone ever suggests that any of the old guard are an obstacle to progress, they get told to “be careful what you wish for”.

 

Steven Gerrard was spouting this cliche in relation to Pulis, as was Jonny Walters on MOTD Extra. It must rank as one of the most patronising mouth noises any pundit can barf, saying as it does, that you should be happy to indefinitely cough up hard-earned money for appalling entertainment on the basis that the manager will keep you in the league and thus subject you to years more of the same fearful dreck.

 

Trying to argue that the reason to tolerate awful football is that it will allow you to keep seeing awful football, is a laughable illogical circle of mind-in-neutral garbage that would only be spoken in the strange world of football where ill-thought-out nonsense passes as wisdom every day of the week, just because it is said by someone who was once paid to kick a ball around."

[TheHitman™]

2 hours ago, Stan said:

Is this for real?

It is for real. He is a much better player than Gray and Walcott and on form imo is the third best English player behind Alli and Kane.

[Hammo]

2 hours ago, Ted Maul said:

Moyes confirmed at West Ham then.

 

I know a few of our fans turned their noses up at Puel, but could you imagine the reaction if we brought Moyes in? He's been an absolute disaster in his last 3 jobs.

Very true. We dodged a fatal bullet there. 'Absolute disaster' sums up Moyes perfectly. I'd add 'Complete fraud'.

 

He also loves blowing his own trumpet ("I'm ready to return to the Premier League"; "I've had lots of other offers" etc etc) and blaming others for his failures. His "did a great job at Everton" reputation doesn't stand up to close inspection either (no trophies, no Champions League participation, dreadful record against the top clubs etc etc). As that female journalist discovered, he's a nasty piece of work too. Can't abide the man.

 

I don't know what West Ham are thinking of, but I guess the rather humiliating six-month contract is a measure of Moyes's current brittle worth. I'd be surprised if he even sees that out.

[Fox92]

24 minutes ago, Hammo said:

Very true. We dodged a fatal bullet there. 'Absolute disaster' sums up Moyes perfectly. I'd add 'Complete fraud'.

 

He also loves blowing his own trumpet ("I'm ready to return to the Premier League"; "I've had lots of other offers" etc etc) and blaming others for his failures. His "did a great job at Everton" reputation doesn't stand up to close inspection either (no trophies, no Champions League participation, dreadful record against the top clubs etc etc). As that female journalist discovered, he's a nasty piece of work too. Can't abide the man.

 

I don't know what West Ham are thinking of, but I guess the rather humiliating six-month contract is a measure of Moyes's current brittle worth. I'd be surprised if he even sees that out.

Agree RE trophies (although Everton haven't won anything since '95 anyway) but he did get them into the Champions League.

 

I'm not really judging the Sunderland job as they are in a complete mess. 

Edited 7 November 2017 by Fox92

[Hammo]

4 minutes ago, Fox92 said:

Agree RE trophies (although Everton haven't won anything since '95 anyway) but he did get them into the Champions League.

 

I'm not really judging the Sunderland job as they are in a complete mess. 

Not the Champions League proper. They lost both legs of their 2005/06 qualifying tie to Villarreal (then immediately crashed out of the first round of the UEFA Cup after losing 5-1 to Dinamo Bucharest!).

 

The furthest Moyes took Everton in Europe was the UEFA cup round of 16 (once, in 2007/08) - a feat matched by his successor Roberto Martinez (at the first attempt) in 2014/15

 

See what I mean about Moyes's "great job at Everton" requiring closer inspection.

[Fox92]

18 minutes ago, Hammo said:

Not the Champions League proper. They lost both legs of their 2005/06 qualifying tie to Villarreal (then immediately crashed out of the first round of the UEFA Cup after losing 5-1 to Dinamo Bucharest!).

 

The furthest Moyes took Everton in Europe was the UEFA cup round of 16 (once, in 2007/08) - a feat matched by his successor Roberto Martinez (at the first attempt) in 2014/15

 

See what I mean about Moyes's "great job at Everton" requiring closer inspection.

Ah, I see what you mean. Although I don't think getting them into 4th should be overestimated - especially at that time when Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United were all superb and the best three sides in the division.

 

Martinez' first season was superb. I used to live near an Everton STH for a bit and when Martinez first came in he said they were so much better to watch than under Moyes.