Rival Watch™ 2013/2014

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Drogs might be a good lad but he' still a Chav!!

 

Absolutely. We are a bunch of choir boys at the moment and we need some hardmen.

I know Skrtel isn't the worst player in our team and there are others players I could use as an example but as a defender, he instils little confidence. He was very solid against WBA until Anichebe came on and he sh*ts himself.

Sakho is the only physically intimidating player we have IMO - and he's the type of player you would say to him before a match: "Make sure the attacker knows you're there" and you know Sakho will do it.

 

Er, it was Toure who passed to Anichebe, not Skrtel!

I doubt Skrtel **** himself at Anichibe's arrival. Skrtel may have some frailties in defence but he's been our best defender and he is tough. I'm surprised anyone questions his toughness. He took staples to the head pitchside without anaesthetic and played on as if it was nothing. He's as nails as those he eats for breakfast!

Having said that, Jimmy, I agree we need some more hardmen in the squad, but my choice would be a couple of bruisers in the midfield, like Toure (Yaya) and Matic. We're okay in central defence, once injuries are gone, but FBs are a different matter!

 

We also have to play to their fouls, if they get players on a yellow, run at them constantly to force the second yellow or the mistake, don't let them be comfortable in spreading the yellows around several foulers

 

To be fair to Mourinho, he got the tactics spot on. Stop Silva playing, and hit them on the counter. City are so used to blowing teams away at home that they seem to forget they can be hit on the counter. saw at one point the poured so many men forward that Chelsea broke and had a 4 on 1 which they managed to mess up.

No doubt they were helped by Aguero & Fernandinho missing. Dzeko & Negredo are just the type of CF's that Terry & Cahill can deal with but the small quick forward is where they would have struggled. As has been said, Demicheles was useless but Toure not bothering to help out defensively didn't help City's caused.

 

Trouble is with 'hardmen' in midfield it can backfire on you spectacularly. Tour, Matic, Mascherano, can all be riled-up by 'softer' opponents so that they get red carded. Having said that I do get fed up watching opponents come out with the ball after a tackle.

 

Spot on

I imagine​

 

yes that is fair just as i can add pelligrini also got it wrong with demicheles.

 

It's a trade off, true enough, Dave. Little, skillful players can get eased off the ball (and worse!) and tougher, more physical players can get carded. But, I also agree that I'm sick of us coming second in most tussles for the ball.

 

Get a mixture of both

 

I know it's harsh to criticise Skrtel considering there are a number of other players who have been worse than him.

But the point stands - he can't defend against physical players (none of our defeneders can). Small defenders like Cannavaro and Ayala weren;t the biggest but still bullied the opposition.

If I was the manager of the opposing side, facing Liverpool - I would simply ensure we press the DM (Lucas) and the 2 centre backs. Then I'll stick an oaf up front to bully Skrtel.

 

Don't want to watch the rivals anymore.

 

I personally don't think Sakho and Skrtel get bullied most of the time, although I have seen this more with Agger and Toure. We have got plenty of options at CB, but quality could still be an issue. Kelly could come into the CB position, he's not the sort to get bullied, and Ilori could too, though with his lightning pace I'd use him more as a FB.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26039222

Don't see any way in which this could have been overturned. He swung his arm back in an unnatural way. Yes may have been exaggerated but I thought it was a certain red card.

Love how they've managed to get the wrong Laudrup as well

 

i think generally just pressing is no good, push in a considered way. you still have to shut off the space the pass goes into to find suarez, sturridge and coutinho in and around centre circle.

hammer those guys too and lfc are toast. prees with one or two up top, then press on the second ball too make those 3 back pass.

flanno and cissohko out wide don't advance the ball

 

Swans sack Laudrup...
Hmmmm

 

There's been something wrong at Swansea all season. But I am surprised as I thought they'd wait until the end of the season. Laudrup himself said that he wouldn't take another job during a season. So I don't know?

 

they've been bad for far too long. they've no drive and the defence leaks goals. they were so hard to score against for a while and home games were a tough trip.

they've not been that. and frnakly there are no passengers off a drift at the bottom so they need 5 wins to get above 40 points urgently

 

Ibrahimovic just scored an awesome goal for PSG. On BT Sports at the moment. Keeper miskicked a clearance and Ibra's hit it on the half volley from 35 yards and lobbed the keeper.

 

#agentjonjo