I love how you ignore the Liverpool games and the game's against the Barca, he's clearly proven he is a big game player. No player scores in every big game do they?

Thierry Henry regularly did little in the big games yet was still for about three years the best player in this country by a mile.

Messi didn't turn up against the two big games against Inter back in the day, Bayern two years ago or any of the games against us. Point been again no player plays well in every big game but as with Messi, Ronaldo has done it in plenty of big games.

Also you talk about them scoring doesn't mean they had a great game well look at our Didier, it's not like he dominated the finals he played in, he just popped up with very important goals by your logic that isn't enough.

 

 

Ignore the Liverpool games? Not ignoring them just think your definition of "big game" is different to mine They are local/historical rivals who competed with utd for only one season while Ronaldo was there (08/09). I'm talking about CL games against the big teams, the semis, the finals, domestic cup finals(no millwall doesn't count), league games against us and Barca.

He simply doesn't have the record that other top players had/have in the biggest games.

 

Thierry Henry was indeed the best player in the league for a while but as you've already acknowledged that didn't make him a big game player. Don't know how you expected that to support your point tbh.

 

I agree with you that players don't always play well in the big games. Messi though as I've already pointed out has a history of  dominating the big games time and time again, theres no doubt of his big game quality. Ronaldo doesn't have the list of big games he and others do to back up his case.

 

Disagree completely with your post about Didier, I have my criticisms of him but one thing everyone acknowledges about Drogba is he contributed more than just his goals, including in those big games. Drogba was rarely the goal machine Ronaldo is over a season but he was always a big game player. popped up with the goals when the team needed it most, defended from the front, hassled the opposition, never went missing.

 

He may well be a world class player, a great goalscorer amongst other things, but one thing he definitely is not is a big game player. certainly not when you compare him to the other greats of the last 10-20 years.

He's clearly a big game player.

He scores in pretty much all the fixtures and has a few in CL finals.

But yeah he's no big game player....

Edited March 10, 201511 yr by Chelsbear

Also, oh my god.

 

Did United really make Falcao play with the U21's tonight? Oh man, he's a goner for sure.

 

300k/week to play in the second string team? Wow, that's bad.

Great goalscorer, not a big game player and that's the point I am arguing.

He was pretty good in both legs of Portugal's WC play-off against Sweden.

Also, oh my god.

 

Did United really make Falcao play with the U21's tonight? Oh man, he's a goner for sure.

 

300k/week to play in the second string team? Wow, that's bad.

Can't even find the net against Spurs' teenagers. That's bad.

He was pretty good in both legs of Portugal's WC play-off against Sweden.

 

Beat me to it. Was going to come on and point out his hat trick to send his country to the World Cup. If that isn't a big game with high pressure I don't know what is.

 

 

If today was what you consider to be a big game then the tag "big game player" is an insult to the likes of Drogba

 

But it was a big game. They have been on a slump lately and looking to put in a performance today. His teammates looked awful and without Ronaldo they would be out of the CL and Ancelotti would be on a plane to Italy. 

Can't believe it's taken some people this long to realise Jose was right about Casillas.

What are people's thoughts on the other game tomorrow - Bayern vs Shakhtar?

Obviously won't be watching, but the fact Bayern didn't get an away goal makes it interesting.

 

To be honest, i think everyone knew long before now that Jose was right about Casillas. The guy is only number 1 at Real Madrid because he is their golden boy. If he was playing in the Premier League his mistakes would double. Premier League teams would exploit his weaknesses with corners and set pieces.

 

At this point i think it can be argued that pretty much every single 1st team goalkeeper in the Premier League is better than Casillas now. Some teams even have better 2nd choice goalkeepers than Casillas.

 

I don't think i have ever seen someone play this bad for so long and not be replaced by club and country. De Gea must be wondering what else he needs to do to become Spain number 1.

Edited March 11, 201511 yr by Scott Harris

 Some teams even have better 2nd choice goalkeepers than Casillas.

 

Well one certainly does!

Let's just pray Cech goes to Madrid in the summer because it will be unbearable to see him rock up at Arsenal or Liverpool next season.

Let's just pray Cech goes to Madrid in the summer because it will be unbearable to see him rock up at Arsenal or Liverpool next season.

I agree, although I can't see Arsenal going after Cech - they seem pretty content with Ospina. It's the Dippers I'm more worried about - would be awful to see Cech with that lot.

I agree, although I can't see Arsenal going after Cech - they seem pretty content with Ospina. It's the Dippers I'm more worried about - would be awful to see Cech with that lot.

No way (hopefully).

That article in the mirror about Kompany and Fernandinho nearly going to blows against each other is frightening to read, No wonder why we are so Jekyll and hyde when our supposedly calm and cool captain is not actually as calm and cool as he makes out, I think it's time to strip him of the captaincy and give it to someone like Zabaleta or Silva.

To be honest, i think everyone knew long before now that Jose was right about Casillas. The guy is only number 1 at Real Madrid because he is their golden boy. If he was playing in the Premier League his mistakes would double. Premier League teams would exploit his weaknesses with corners and set pieces.

 

At this point i think it can be argued that pretty much every single 1st team goalkeeper in the Premier League is better than Casillas now. Some teams even have better 2nd choice goalkeepers than Casillas.

 

I don't think i have ever seen someone play this bad for so long and not be replaced by club and country. De Gea must be wondering what else he needs to do to become Spain number 1.

The scary thing about it all is how the haters refuse to think Jose was right in the first place and blame Jose for 'ruining him', even now, long after he's gone...not only is he an overrated keeper, he was leaking stuff to the press during Jose's time, a massive no no in Mourinho's world, no loyalty etc...dimwits in Spain took Casillas' side though and Jose became a hate figure

That article in the mirror about Kompany and Fernandinho nearly going to blows against each other is frightening to read, No wonder why we are so Jekyll and hyde when our supposedly calm and cool captain is not actually as calm and cool as he makes out, I think it's time to strip him of the captaincy and give it to someone like Zabaleta or Silva.

Always felt kompany's ego was bigger than his talent...plays the odd good game now and then, but makes a lot of mistakes too

Di Maria & Falcao
Cost: £66m
Wages: £500k per week
Goals: 8

 

Diafra Sakho
Cost: £3.5m
Wages: £15k per week
Goals: 11

That article in the mirror about Kompany and Fernandinho nearly going to blows against each other is frightening to read, No wonder why we are so Jekyll and hyde when our supposedly calm and cool captain is not actually as calm and cool as he makes out, I think it's time to strip him of the captaincy and give it to someone like Zabaleta or Silva.

 

Your players have had lots of matters like that in training, you don't seem to have a lot of control over your players, they also say a lot in the papers and on social media.

 

Didn't Balo have about 3 fights or something when he was there? I recall one with Richards and one with Mancini.

Ignore the Liverpool games? Not ignoring them just think your definition of "big game" is different to mine They are local/historical rivals who competed with utd for only one season while Ronaldo was there (08/09). I'm talking about CL games against the big teams, the semis, the finals, domestic cup finals(no millwall doesn't count), league games against us and Barca.

He simply doesn't have the record that other top players had/have in the biggest games.

Thierry Henry was indeed the best player in the league for a while but as you've already acknowledged that didn't make him a big game player. Don't know how you expected that to support your point tbh.

I agree with you that players don't always play well in the big games. Messi though as I've already pointed out has a history of dominating the big games time and time again, theres no doubt of his big game quality. Ronaldo doesn't have the list of big games he and others do to back up his case.

Disagree completely with your post about Didier, I have my criticisms of him but one thing everyone acknowledges about Drogba is he contributed more than just his goals, including in those big games. Drogba was rarely the goal machine Ronaldo is over a season but he was always a big game player. popped up with the goals when the team needed it most, defended from the front, hassled the opposition, never went missing.

He may well be a world class player, a great goalscorer amongst other things, but one thing he definitely is not is a big game player. certainly not when you compare him to the other greats of the last 10-20 years.

Of course the Liverpool games were big games, they were a regular top four team for a while and a threat for the title, same with Arsenal in a few seasons.

I'm not saying Didier never dominated the big games but the fact as there were some he scored in but didn't do a lot else like many other big game players I.e. eric Cantona. If you don't meadure them on simply scoring goals as you sad yourself then your logic is flawed.

Agree to disagree completely.

He's clearly a big game player.

He scores in pretty much all the fixtures and has a few in CL finals.

But yeah he's no big game player....

Spot on, find myself on the same page as you time and time again.

The scary thing about it all is how the haters refuse to think Jose was right in the first place and blame Jose for 'ruining him', even now, long after he's gone...not only is he an overrated keeper, he was leaking stuff to the press during Jose's time, a massive no no in Mourinho's world, no loyalty etc...dimwits in Spain took Casillas' side though and Jose became a hate figure

I hate when managers/clubs are accused of ruining players. I constantly hear how we supposedly ruin strikers, the two been Shevchenko and Torres, yet they ignore that Sheva was hitting 30 coming off the back of a knee op and Torres had not even been performing greatly for Liverpool at the time, infact he looked like a player who was struggling after coming off injuries.

Yes there are circumstances where a player is signed by a club and not played in the position they should have been (Linekar and Hughes at Barca spring to mind) and couldn't get going, of course those two bounced back tremendously but there are situations when players don't. However, most of the time it's simply cause the player isn't what he was cause of age, injury, etc.

That article in the mirror about Kompany and Fernandinho nearly going to blows against each other is frightening to read, No wonder why we are so Jekyll and hyde when our supposedly calm and cool captain is not actually as calm and cool as he makes out, I think it's time to strip him of the captaincy and give it to someone like Zabaleta or Silva.

 

I always take stories like this with a pinch of salt but seeing as both players were left out of the Leicester City game you would assume there is some truth to it. 

 

The main thing is, can both players move on from this quickly for the good of the team? As a Chelsea fan I hope not and hope your team falls apart from the inside but I would imagine that it's all sorted now and both players will line up for your next game. 

Di Maria & Falcao

Cost: £66m

Wages: £500k per week

Goals: 8

 

diego costa

cost: 32m 

goals: 17

Utd throwing another £150m at Van Gaal to waste...and they say we bought the league!  I've never known clubs to waste so much money on players as Spurs, Liverpool (to an extent) and now Utd.  I can't help but think Di Maria and Falcao at Chelsea would have panned out better for them - imagine Di Maria on the right and Hazard on the left!  Utd have too many 'star' players that no-one knows what they're doing as Van Gaal's chopping and changing all the time.  Wonder who the next intake of players will be?  Perhaps £50m on Chambers!?

A naive thought perhaps, but I wish this sort of money was subject to fairer distribution. Instead of wasting it teams like Reading could use at least some towards better pitches. Sadly it's like a number of self perpetuating systems in society.

Exactly, the rich clubs getting richer and and poor clubs getting poorer - nothing new there then. I would love to see the money being distributed better, even if the top clubs paid a percentage to help grass roots and in development, etc. That would help English football no end.

De gea will likely go to Real Madrid in the summer, with Bale going the other way - i wouldn't be surprised. 

Edited March 11, 201511 yr by enigma