Football Banter Thread

8PPuR9I.jpg
 
Christ I thought the new Nike advert was **** until I saw that one with the builders. Scholes and Butt do look like they would be happier on a building site and Phil Neville would be the dumb apprentice sent to get stripey paint. A few weeks earlier and Moyes might have signed those builders :(
 
Liverpool vs Man Utd 2013-2014.

OK, so I'm bored. Given their contrasting seasons, with Man Utd's hugely disappointing year and Liverpool's overachieving one, in a 4-3-3, how many of each would have formed the ultimate team? Here's my take...



GK: de Gea. No contest. Mignolet was OK at shot stopping, but de Gea was more than that and had good control of the area after a shaky first season. Clear choice.

DR: Johnson. Raphael, while OK going forward, is still only poor going back and is a liability everywhere on the pitch. Johnson is good going forward, is more dynamic (happy wide or cutting inside), and is less likely to be sent off. Better defensively over a game too, though Raphael can have good spells at the back.

DC: Vidic and Skrtel. Vidic was possibly the only plus point of Man Utd's back four. As solid as usual, he nearly always makes up for his lack of pace with incredible anticipation and determination - I feel his loss will be immeasurable next year. Lost a good bit of the season to injury, but Utd looked much more solid with him in the team. Skrtel, despite an incredible number of own goals (many, of which were pure bad luck) offered an incredible attacking threat at set pieces and was decent defensively. Agger would have nailed either slot but for niggly injuries again disrupting his season.

DL: Evra. Flanagan's mid-late season form was better, but for me Evra still offered more going forward while maintaining enough going back over the season. Not much to say after that. Neither can really defend, and the alternatives are all poor. Both teams need strengthening before the upcoming season.

DMC: Gerrard. And Gerrard. And Gerrard again. Don't get me wrong, I like Carrick and would have had him in the England WC squad ahead of Lampard for his flexibility and ability to drop into the back four if needed, but Gerrard was rejuvenated this season, playing in a deep playmaker role. He struggled to influence against teams which defensed deep, but he was immense in every other game.

MC: Henderson & erm...: Henderson is a clear choice. He's overcome the detractors of last season and frankly Liverpool looked much poorer without his energy, power and directness. I'm struggling to pick a partner. Lucas didn't have a good season, Allen was a worthy alternative late in the season but wasn't outstanding, Man Utd had no choices of mention at all - Fellaini was dire (think he could work very well in a more advanced role in a team like Villa or as a Nolan replacement, but was only going to be a disaster at Man Utd), Giggs was past it, Cleverly really struggled, Kagawa is too advanced and one-dimensional (in that he is only good going forward and didn't excel at that). Man Utd need a complete overhaul in this area next year. Coutinho played here for the second half of the season, but I struggle to see him as a central midfielder, but I'll go with him as it would have to be between him and Kagawa, but without much confidence, in the end Coutinho was more effective over the season.

AMR/WR/IFR: Sterling. Januzaj energised an otherwise flaccid Man Utd until mid-season, but he tailed off as the season wore on, while Sterling only ever grew from a good player to a match-winner. I'm more of a Valencia fan than most, but he didn't create or score enough; wouldn't complain if he was in my team though, as if nothing else he stretches the game and opens up areas elsewhere - even I'm not sure he's quite top-6 material though.

AML/WL/IFL: Rooney. This is difficult. The best player here is Suarez, but it's not his best position. I know Rooney doesn't offer enough as a lone striker and he didn't play an awful lot here, but I'd have him ahead of Welbeck. Coutinho is OK and offers a more creative aspect. Feel free to consider either Welbeck or Coutinho in my team depending on the opposition as it's that finely balanced.

FC: Suarez. I rate van Persie and his ludicrous technique massively, and if last season's form had carried over this will have been harder, but under Moyes he was very subdued. Sturridge was undoubtedly the best out-and-out striker last season, but obviously Suarez does most jobs at an exceptional level. Despite his obvious issues he is the definitive Jack of all trades and master of most.

So this is my Man Utd & Liverpool XI 2013/2014....

------------- de Gea
Johnson -- Skrtel -- Vidic -- Evra
------------- Gerrard
----- Henderson -- pick your own/Coutinho
Sterling ------------- Rooney
------------- Suarez


What's yours?

PS, I realise Mata hasn't even been mentioned, but that's because I've no idea where he could go. He's too weak defensively to slot into one of the MC roles, and while he's played wide I feel he's struggled to influence games there. Arguably his best role is in between the midfield and the striker, in which case you'd have to sacrifice your defensive playmaker in Gerrard... and this past season I'd still pick Gerrard.
 
Last edited:
Liverpool + De Gea + some CB and no one plays left back, would take Rafael at right back based on the year previous, didn't watch enough of United this year bar some of his awful tackles, Glen is beyond useless for 75% of the game
 
Andybtsn said:
Wouldn't it be more realistic to compare Liverpool/City/Chelsea teams? And Man U with Southampton/Spurs/Stoke
Click to expand...

In terms of finishing position, perhaps. Even Pulis's Palace compared favourably with Man Utd.

It was more a case of Man Utd's potential to plunge into the relative abyss Liverpool endured in the 90s and much of the 00s. Don't get me wrong, I don't for a minute think Man Utd will suffer that and they certainly shouldn't as they have enough of a system in place to bounce back, and the modern TV rights will mean it would take a cluster**** for them to fail that badly for more than a couple of seasons, but the similarities on paper are striking.

For a season at least, it was one historical behemoth swapping roles with another.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom