The Barclays Premier League Thread 2013/14

[Baddar]

"His set-pieces are worth 10m on their own." - Sir Alex

[TCO]

"His set-pieces are worth 10m on their own." - Sir Alex

That's the same guy who picked David Moyes as the next manager of Man United. Wouldn't listen to a thing he says

[Nerf]

I think Liverpool would probably need it too. Their midfield is a bit rubbish. Gerrard is declining and it's still too hard to tell if Henderson is going to keep up his good form long-term. Apart from those two they don't have anyone particularly great.

Our trio of Lucas/Allen/Henderson was absolutely superb. The problem is accommodating Gerrard means sacrificing a functioning midfield.

I also pin the blame for our defensive lapses on our complete lack of a shield in front of them.

[stokeriño]

Email received by Manchester United season ticket holder:

From: Manchester United

Olympiacos FC payment deadline

25 February 2014 16:30

Dear Lxxxxx,

The deadline to buy your seat for Olympiacos FC is Wednesday 26 Februray 2014 at 8pm.

Please note that not buying this ticket will result in your Season Ticket being suspended for the Manchester City game.

We look forward to hearing from you shortly.

Regards

Sam Kelleher
Ticket Operations Manager
Ticketing & Membership Services

Bit fucking harsh.

(Or desperate. One of those.)

Also, according to this Independent article, United have confirmed that they plan to charge full Champions League prices for the Europa League, should they qualify for it next season. That also seems super lovely of them.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/manchester-united-face-revolt-from-fans-over-plans-to-charge-top-prices-for-europa-league-games-9139864.html

[Twist]

Email received by Manchester United season ticket holder:

From: Manchester United

Olympiacos FC payment deadline

25 February 2014 16:30

Dear Lxxxxx,

The deadline to buy your seat for Olympiacos FC is Wednesday 26 Februray 2014 at 8pm.

Please note that not buying this ticket will result in your Season Ticket being suspended for the Manchester City game.

We look forward to hearing from you shortly.

Regards

Sam Kelleher

Ticket Operations Manager

Ticketing & Membership Services

Bit fucking harsh.

(Or desperate. One of those.)

Also, according to this Independent article, United have confirmed that they plan to charge full Champions League prices for the Europa League, should they qualify for it next season. That also seems super lovely of them.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/manchester-united-face-revolt-from-fans-over-plans-to-charge-top-prices-for-europa-league-games-9139864.html

They realise a good portion of their fans are fair-weather fans, right? And when things go wrong they're going to fuck off without United pushing them with inflated prices for the Europa League? Silly Man U.

[Lineker]

Pepe Mel is said to be "fighting for his job".

[Colly]

Is that ticket thing true? Is that even legal? Suspension of a league ticket, plus the club can still resell your Europa ticket?

[stokeriño]

It's been picked up by the Football Supporters Federation website and then by a handful of papers, TalkSport, etc. People have posted screenshots on Twitter but beyond that I can't guarantee how true the story is.

So far as I can tell, a clause in the season tickets' T&Cs states that they can/will do this.

[Baddar]

I think I read a while back that season ticket holders had no choice but to buy tickets for cup games, or lose out on games they'd effectively paid for, so there may be some truth to this.

[stokeriño]

I had always assumed that was done automatically, i.e. the STH would get his/her bank account debited every time United got a home cup game. However the email suggests that the STHs still have to put the purchase through themselves.

Seems a lot of unnecessary faff to me.

[Crybaby Bunting]

I thought Man United fans would be flocking to see their last Champions League game for a few years :/

[brenchill]

TalkSport was inundated with calls for Moyes to be sacked. There were some pretty good points brought up for a change.

If you sack him now, you go back to square one in the Summer.

If you refuse to sack him because "that's not what Manchester United do" and keep him around for another 2 or 3 seasons for that reason only, whoever eventually takes over is going to have their work cut out for them and it will cost a fortune to get back into the Champions League. Not that there are any guarantees that you will get back into the top 4 after years of mediocrity.

[Dan]

Will United spend the money that City will though? If not, it's going to take something special for them to catch up.

The past few years where City catching United up, even when City won it I felt like they hadn't quite got to the same level.

[brenchill]

Not over a sustained period of time, no, but I think they would have some serious money to spend should they need to.

Moyes was getting a lack of flack for playing Mata out on the right wing, especially after Mourinho sold him because he couldn't play there. The Mata signing was a confusing one. He's a great player, but I don't think they need him and unless Moyes is going to play Rooney up front with Mata behind and sell Van Persie, I don't see where he fits in.

[Crybaby Bunting]

Mata is great if you build an entire team around him, it's just that he isn't good enough to justify doing that.

[Jimmy]

Mata is great if you build an entire team around him, it's just that he isn't good enough to justify doing that.

[Nerf]

I totally buy into the logic that Fergie has fucked him. United essentially need an entirely new squad, but you can't just overhaul an entire team and find success.

[DavidMarrio]

United didn't really need Mata, they needed an actual centre mid to play alongside Carrick and not a shit excuse of a midfielder like Tom Cleverley.

[TCO]

RVP is ageing and beginning to throw his toys out of the pram, I can't see him lasting long. Given recent investment, the near future will be Mata playing off Rooney, whether Moyes is there or not.

[Gazz]

United didn't really need Mata, they needed an actual centre mid to play alongside Carrick and not a shit excuse of a midfielder like Tom Cleverley.

And a right back, two centre backs, a left back, a destroyer type midfielder, someone in midfield who can pass forwards and can sprint 100m in less than a week and two wingers