Football Manager

Barcelona's game deteriorated not because they are too reliant on their plan A but because they keep playing same players all over again instead of trying to replace them with younger ones. Example is Alcantara not getting enough game time. Another reason is their current manager who was sick for a long periods of time last season. IMO the best example of the beauty of tiki-taka not Barca but the Spanish national team. They've got 2 world-class 11 that can beat almost any other team on their day. Plus, their U-21's are the best in Europe as well. And yes, I think that's the way we should try to play and I'm sure that Abramovich shares my opinion. If he could, he would get Guardiola to achieve the Spanish style.

Fortunately, Roman doesn't share your taste!

Do people here always call someone with a different opinion a troll?

Yes, what were 6 encounters with Rafa's Liverpool in CL with a single Chelsea goal and no win in aggregate? Waiting for response.

Reread what I wrote and you'll see the word "Europe". Should I tell you the history of Chelsea?

Try to prove your point, please.

Yeah, Mourinho played that kind of football with Ranieri's team and in 6 encounters in Europe with Liverpool he managed to score one single goal and never beat them in aggregate. That's probably called "beating sh*t out of teams". LOL

Isn't it naive to send someone who never played Football Manager to play Football Manager?

I know that he'd give that response to you, but still he won't laugh!

If you claim that they do, then the same thing can do Illarramendi, Alcantara and De Bruyne!

I have a very good thesis on Jose's CL campaigns. The two times he won it, his teams played a counter-attacking football which suited both teams because none of them were one of favorites to win the tournament at the time, i.e Porto and Inter. (Not to mention, Scholes' legitimate goal vs. Porto which was mistakenly ruled out by a referee). Once Jose took charge of a club which couldn't win the CL by playing a counter-attack because it was one of the favorites to win it, he failed. While at Chelsea, 2 times he couldn't beat inferior (in the financial context) Liverpool of Benitez in semis, and while at Real he was beaten by two German teams, the last one of which was also considered an underdog. Jose's teams never ever played a possession football and that's a reason why Jurgen Klopp's Dortmund outplayed Jose's Real. My prediction is he won't win the CL at Chelsea in his 2nd spell as well.

Are you claiming that Mikel, Lampard and Ramires help the team during set-pieces?

No substance, pure naivety!

Ask him if he won a Champions League with a Spanish or an English team, and see if he laughs.

Why do we have to generalize things? He spent 6 years at Chelsea and Real Madrid with 2 of the greatest squads ever in European football with enormous resources and never reached a Champions League final. There's a very good explanation to this, but this for another time.

Of course!

It might seem to be a crazy idea but I would suggest to steal Alcantara transfer under the nose of United, buy a good holding mid like Illarramendi and not buy any striker to play a false number 9. Loan Lukaku one last time and continue with Torres and Ba. Also sell Mikel. The line-up would be this: ---Hazard-----------Mata-------------De Bruyne---- ------------Oscar----------Alcantara------------------- -----------------Illarramendi---------------------------- Cole----------Luiz-------Ivanovic-------Azpilicueta-- ---------------------Cech--------------------------------- Sub Mata with either Torres or Ba when Juan is tired or start with a strike when Juan needs a rest. Subs: Ramires, Torres, Ba, Cahill, Moses, Bertrand, Blackman, Romeu, Lampard, Essien, Schürrle, Wallace, Terry, 3rd keeper. This team would play the best possession football in England, and one of the best in Europe. But we don't have a manager to play this kind of football. Oh well, one can always dream.

Might seem to be a crazy idea but I would suggest to steal Alcantara transfer under the nose of United, buy a good holding mid like Illarramendi and not buy any striker to play a false number 9. The line-up would be this: Hazard----------Mata-----------De Bruyne -----------Oscar------Alcantara------------- --------------Illarramendi--------------------- Cole-----Luiz-----Ivanovic-----Azpilicueta -----------------Cech-------------------------- Subs: Ramires, Torres, Ba, Cahill, Moses, Bertrand, Blackman, Mikel, Lampard, Essien, Schürrle, Wallace, Terry, 3rd keeper. This team would play the best possession football in England, and one of the best in Europe. But we don't have a manager to play this kind of football. Oh well, one can always dream.

I started questioning him a long time ago. None of his teams, despite all the resources he has had, played a possession football.

Not sure about that. We would do much better if we look at Spain U-21 national team and try to get some of their players.

IMO, Matic is overrated. As I said before, we need Asier Illarramendi.

No Rooney please. Shevchenko and Torres should be enough for us NOT to enter the same river thrice!

I think there are no games where he doesn't have motivation. IMO, he is too slow for his age, in other words immobile and gets tired quickly. When he gets tired he stops trying hard, which gives impression to observers that he has no motivation or desire to play.

I don't understand all this fuss about Matic. Asier Illarramendi is the one we need. Please watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQjEkTmM81w

Exactly what I thought.