leffe186

Aguero's injured? When the fuck dd that happen? Fuck this. Half my players are injured...again.

Similar to how we used to hire manager, just go for the opposite of the last bloke. Zola it is, then. Ossie Ardiles, surely?

I know we're s*** and that but f***ing hell. Have we been past the QFs since 1976? Nope. Last time we got past Round 5 was indeed 1976. Small consolation, but look at Sunderland's record over the last 10 years: 13/14 - 12/13 – R4 - Middlesbrough (H) 11/12 – R2 - Brighton (A) 10/11 – R3 – West Ham (H) 09/10 – R4 – Aston Villa (H) 08/09 – R4 - Blackburn (H) 07/08 – R2 - Luton (A) 06/07 – R1 - Bury (A) 05/06 – R3 - Arsenal (H) 04/05 – R2 - Crewe (A) 03/04 – R2 - Huddersfield (H) I mean, that is truly terrible. Ours: 13/14 - 12/13 – R4 - Norwich (A) 11/12 – R3 - Stoke (A) 10/11 – R3 - Arsenal (H) 09/10 – R5 – Man U (A) 08/09 - F – Man U 07/08 - WON - Chelsea 06/07 - SF - Arsenal 05/06 – R2 - Grimsby (A) 04/05 – R5 - Liverpool (H) 03/04 – R5 - Middlesbrough (H) At least you haven't lost in round 2, I suppose.

I know we're s*** and that but f***ing hell. Eh? Am I being whooshed here? You're going to have lost all your final games anyway. I assumed we're on about the teams, and how little we progressed. Yeah, sorry, was distracted by the shitty commentary on the Real Madrid game here.

I took a wild guess.

I know we're s*** and that but f***ing hell. Eh? Am I being whooshed here? You're going to have lost all your final games anyway.

Sssh. Hate knowing that.

You took it to the match?

They haven't just allowed it to happen, they've specifically made sure that it has.

A couple of injuries would be nice. Shows how much of an impact European football can have on squad management.

Mint .

New league. New teammates, some of whom are also new to the league. I'll wait for any hint of the start of a goalscoring run before I bring him in. It's coming... I bloody hope so. Kept him in on principle, but just too many injuries, so I'll have to take a 4pt hit.

I enjoyed this, from some guy on a Villa board. Note the implied predicted position for Newcastle too - He then followed up with a couple of gems, including a discussion of the new Spurs midfielders (Eriksen, Paulinho, Capoue, Lamela etc etc): More on Lamela:

Great shout. Think it was the way he ran, with those little legs pumping.

Absolutely. Although they do provide a service by reminding everyone that they actually were shit not that long ago.

I sense a trap . I don't really buy this mentality thing. As Optimistic Nut suggests, there might be such an inferiority complex among players like Dawson, Lennon and Defoe, but if everybody is fit then they are on the bench. The key players are new. There is certainly an inferiority complex in the stands, but we can come to terms with that. My favourite indicator of our mentality came from the reaction to the Cardiff goal - did you see the celebrations by the players? They all know what it meant, and the togetherness was tangible, and a testament to AVB I think. Lest we forget, we have lost the only game we have played against really good opposition so far. However, I still take heart in the manner of that defeat. When we beat Arsenal at home last year, we did it by suckering them - we sat back, absorbed pressure, then hit them with quick moves. This season's game was the other way around, and I think that's actually a positive for us. The Cardiff game was remarkable because we were missing our one position that has no orthodox cover(LB), the other player on that side was disappointing, and Lamela is still being integrated. Yet we were really, really good, and the game was a stark contrast to Man City's performance in Cardiff. We just took complete control. We have a particular way of playing, and we are gradually acquiring the players to fit. If we could only swap Adebayor for someone who isn't bonkers, then I'd be more confident. There are potential injury issues - as there are with everyone - but only one or two positions have limited cover. A lot will depend upon Eriksen, but the fact that he's hit the ground running is a huge break for us. Much will depend upon AVB's approach to the cups and resting players. The Chelsea game will tell us an awful lot. If we are capable of controlling possession for long periods - even if we lose - then I will be very, very optimistic for the season.

I tend to think it's more simple. If you're a winger/FB in an advanced position, rather than play a seemingly harmless short ball to a colleague - guaranteed to get to him - you might put a cross into the penalty area without having a specific target in mind, in the hope that someone makes the right run, or the defence panics. That's the percentage ball - as you say, risk versus reward.

I've always thought of it as being playing for percentages. I.e do X, Y and Z enough times and you'll get a goal. From the Allardyce and Pulis school of thought. I think that's what it is, but I sometimes hear people say percentage football, when what I think they actually mean is possession football. I could be wrong, though. This is pretty much what I thought. Lump it into danger area enough times and someone will get a head on it etc. Kind of just seems synonymous with hoofball/setpiece-orientated strategies but I wondered if anyone could give a more informed view given how it is mentioned so often. Thanks though. This is a pretty good article, which illustrates one point of view. I always thought of it as having a root in the Charles Reep quotes: “over 80 per cent of goals result from moves of three passes or less”; “60 per cent of all goalscoring moves begin 35 yards from an opponent’s goal" etc etc. http://www.wsc.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2502&Itemid=29

Supposedly there is no fracture, and he could even be back for the Chelsea match. Yeah, Naughton played against Cardiff, and he doesn't exactly inspire much confidence. I'd have liked to keep BAE, but it's clear AVB doesn't rate him as FAB.

I don't mind the Leeds guy tbh. At least he's chosen Leeds and not one of the usual suspects - and goes to their games. Most of us were probably lucky enough to have family and/or friends who got us into football as kids. I'm not going to have a go at some poor guy who didn't have the same luck - unless he then chose a big team rather than his local team. I'm not saying that talking to these guys isn't a fucking massive chore sometimes. Imagine what it's like over here in the US, where pretty much every footy conversation I have is like that.

What?!?!?! How did you do that? It was all the more unexpected since everyone was injured . Aguero was captain, plus my midfield all scored (Paulinho, Ramsey etc).

76 points. Wasn't expecting that!

Never in doubt.

Me too. TBF, it's probably everyone's clean sheet. Very true We do an auction FF league in the NFL thread and it's magic. I might consider setting up an auction league for footy next season - so much more interesting.

Me too. TBF, it's probably everyone's clean sheet.