The Barclays Premier League Thread 2013/14

[Noah]

He secretly sabotages Arsenal even when he isn't playing as them, just for lolz

[Crybaby Bunting]

Let's look at this a different way too, Jose Mourinho performing well at Chelsea doesn't mean that he'd have performed well at the United job. All it takes is one failed first transfer window and the tactical plan goes out of the window.

So who else does that leave?

• Jupp Heynckes (retired)
• Pep Guardiola (except he accepted the Bayern job 4 months before Fergie's retirement)
• Jurgen Klopp (who wouldn't have walked away from Dortmund after coming so close to a Champions League win)
• Manuel Pellegrini
• Guus Hiddink
• Carlo Ancellotti
• Frank Rijkaard (out of management for a ridiculously long time)

And not really that much more.

[Baddar]

I think you're forgetting John Gregory.

[brenchill]

Not really my job to figure out who would be better, but someone who had won something would have made sense instead of a manager who had never achieved anything.

[Nerf]

Not really my job to figure out who would be better, but someone who had won something would have made sense instead of a manager who had never achieved anything.

[Noah]

Am I the only one that thought Teddie was Eddie G for a while there?

[Gazz]

Not really my job to figure out who would be better, but someone who had won something would have made sense instead of a manager who had never achieved anything.

He won the League One title in 2000...

[brenchill]

Not really my job to figure out who would be better, but someone who had won something would have made sense instead of a manager who had never achieved anything.

What's your point? That Rodgers had never achieved anything either?

Bit of a difference between taking over the champions of England to taking on a job rebuilding a team who were hovering around the Europa League spots.

[Nerf]

I'm saying past achievements don't necessarily gauge how a manager is going to do. Genuinely wouldn't swap Rodgers for anyone in the world right now.

[stokeriño]

The last time Chelsea played a competitive game away at Crystal Palace, Drogba scored his first goal for the club.

Good lord.

[brenchill]

I'm saying past achievements don't necessarily gauge how a manager is going to do. Genuinely wouldn't swap Rodgers for anyone in the world right now.

It would be a bit daft to change your manager when you're 2nd in the league. That statement doesn't hold much weight given the circumstances.

[9 to 5]

Not really my job to figure out who would be better, but someone who had won something would have made sense instead of a manager who had never achieved anything.

Yet Man City appointed Pellegrini, a man who never won a thing in Spain for over a decade of being there.

[Baddar]

Am I the only one that thought Teddie was Eddie G for a while there?

Yes. Only a fool could get them mixed up...

[Nerf]

I'm saying past achievements don't necessarily gauge how a manager is going to do. Genuinely wouldn't swap Rodgers for anyone in the world right now.

It would be a bit daft to change your manager when you're 2nd in the league. That statement doesn't hold much weight given the circumstances.

Well, no, but I've backed Rodgers from day one. Now he's living proof that your past record doesn't really count for anything.

[DFF]

The Moyes bashing is ridiculous - he's only in his first season!

Ferguson's first few years at United didn't fare that well:

Took over in mid 86/87 season and finished 11th (which was an improvement as they'd been languishing at the foot of the table).

87/88: 2nd

88/89: 11th

89/90: 13th (!)

90/91: 6th

91/92: 2nd

We all know what happened in the PL era

But yeah... he has a decent first season, and finished 2nd in his first full season. However, it looks a little more flukey than in their latest success when you consider how distinctly average they were for the two season that followed that.

Moyes needs at least another full year under his belt before people start judging him, I think.

[Nerf]

To be fair, football was an entirely different game then. It wasn't inconceivable for teams to have massive paradox switches like that.

[brenchill]

The Moyes bashing is ridiculous - he's only in his first season!

Ferguson's first few years at United didn't fare that well:

Took over in mid 86/87 season and finished 11th (which was an improvement as they'd been languishing at the foot of the table).

87/88: 2nd

88/89: 11th

89/90: 13th (!)

90/91: 6th

91/92: 2nd

We all know what happened in the PL era

But yeah... he has a decent first season, and finished 2nd in his first full season. However, it looks a little more flukey than in their latest success when you consider how distinctly average they were for the two season that followed that.

Moyes needs at least another full year under his belt before people start judging him, I think.

Where did Manchester United finish in the league in the 5 seasons before Fergie arrived? Were they Champions?

[EddieG]

Am I the only one that thought Teddie was Eddie G for a while there?

Yes. Only a fool could get them mixed up...

[METALMAN]

Yes, the 'Moyes never won anything' argument is such a stupid contention. These days, small clubs don't win major trophies. It's a shame, but it also means you're not going to get the likes of Alex Ferguson or Brian Clough doing amazing things with shit teams. But promising young managers still need to be given high level opportunities. Realistically, Moyes couldn't have done much more at Everton.

He's not a bad manager either. Some things just don't work out. Nearly every good manager has had one or two disappointing jobs. It happens.

[Noah]

I think it's because you went quiet for a while and then here was someone with the username Teddie, which is not entirely unbelievable as something you'd change your name to. Plus with both of you taking so much delight in Man Utd's failures and all. Very interchangeable