Rival Watch Thread Watch

http://www.theguardian.com/football...-mourinho-alex-ferguson-leave-club-good-shape

José Mourinho v Sir Alex Ferguson: how to leave a club in good shape
Chelsea did not fall apart when José Mourinho left in 2007 but Manchester United have crumbled since Sir Alex Ferguson departed 20 months ago

"Because Van Gaal has not even sorted out the defence yet, almost a full season and two transfer windows into his United career. Without that there is no platform on which to build the rest. If this is a reconstruction job, it is already running behind schedule and there is no guarantee that the finished project will be universally admired."

 

He's got nine bookings to his name, five f them for diving.

 

More than any other current player. Bale is still miles ahead with 7. Januzaj is second with 4 (not 5).

This United squad definitely has the most of any team in history though.

 

Thought For The Day

Tom Cleverley is going to Wembley.

 

So what result do you guys want between us and Spurs?

 

At least 2 yellows for diving

 

Probably a red with Clattenburg the ref

 

Really? FFS nailed on 3 points for Man Utd. He loves you and hates them.

"Clattenburg has also encountered controversy when officiating two fixtures between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United. In 2005 when Tottenham's Pedro Mendes had a long-range shot fumbled over the goal-line by United goalkeeper Roy Carroll, Clattenburg did not award the goal. Five years later, in October 2010, he allowed to stand a United goal scored under controversial circumstances when Nani tapped the ball into the net while Spurs keeper Heurelho Gomes believed his team had a free-kick following an apparent handball by Nani."

Get your money on a dodgy Man Utd win now #everyfiveyears

 

That was ages ago and yes the wrong call obviously, these days he is sending off our players is what I meant

 

#everyfiveyears

 

But seriously, you hoping for a draw?

 

I'd like a Man Utd loss TBH for the lols

I don't think Tottenham will challenge for top 4 (if we win our own games they shouldn't matter to us)

Anything but a Man Utd win is fine with me

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/31831197

Matija Nastasic leaves Man City to join Schalke in permanent deal

"Manchester City defender Matija Nastasic has joined German Bundesliga side Schalke on a four-year deal. The 21-year-old Serbia international moved to City from Fiorentina in 2012 but was loaned to Schalke in January for the remainder of the season. Schalke activated a release clause to make the deal permanent"


I wasn't aware you could have this kind of loan clause to allow transfers to be made outside of the windows. It's also curious why you would bother to do this now instead of waiting to the end of the season in case of serious injury (unless the clause has an expiry for now).

 

''... an existing loan deal can be made permanent at any time outside the transfer window'' - although I've only seen this from the Championship down, does it apply to PL?

 

Don't know. Also does the clause have to be in place? If not, why don't clubs on deadline day loan players at the last minute and give themselves longer to work out the fee? Loans can always be cancelled later if no deal is made.

 

I can't find anything relating to the PL and these kind of loan deals outside the window but in the case of Nastatic his loan had an option to be made permanent so they're probably just announcing it now instead of waiting till the end of season. They must already have had t&c's in place.

 

Yeah it's probably just crap journalism meaning intent to make permanent.

 

Would be a bad move I think. So I hope it happens. Bale would not win as many points as De Gea has.

 

I would imagine the fee is already agreed as part of the loan deal