.verse - Comments

#318636 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread
.verse
12 years ago
3 months ago
871
Sadly Chelsea aren't a million miles away from 4th, although Man City have 2 games in hand.

Late start to pre-season is finally paying off as planned.
#316694 Database criteria, has it changed?
.verse
12 years ago
3 months ago
871
Never mind. Seem to have found my answer, somewhat disappointingly so.
#316691 Database criteria, has it changed?
.verse
12 years ago
3 months ago
871
Going to bump this because can't seem to find an answer with the little looking I've done, someone enlighten me.
#316687 2015/16 Champions League
.verse
12 years ago
3 months ago
871
The only reason Barca don't have to 'show up' against mid-table La Liga sides is because they have the best forward line possibly ever assembled. Included in that is a player who tore apart the 'mid table and lower sides' for fun here. The same for Madrid (in fact they've got two of them) and whilst Bayern don't have a player like that, they have a better forward line than anyone in this league.

They'd destroy most teams in this league without getting out of first gear. Hell the last half decent team playing the PL had, Ferguson's last United side, won the league by about 15 points. If people honestly believe this 'windy night in Stoke' narrative then god help them.

It doesn't work like that in the EPL though. The the way sides approach top sides is in a completely different manner to that of what is seen in La Liga. No doubt Barca's forward line at present would be very dangerous and cause a lot of sides trouble, but that doesn't translate to being able to just dominate more competitive sides at a drop of a hat. The EPL has more competitive sides that would, and do at present, cause top sides trouble. It certainly wouldn't be the absolute romp Barca enjoy now. It's easy to get results when you're miles ahead of the pack and only need to really focus for a few weeks of the year knowing your sides individual talent will no doubt do the job alone for the rest of the season. I'd like to see Barca having to play a run of difficult games on the bounce and be put in a far more testing environment.

Naturally they are a good side, and can only beat what's in front of them. But the EPL is a completely different ball game compared to La Liga and they wouldn't get away with a lot of what they do now, that's for sure.

Each to their own though.
#316252 2015/16 Champions League
.verse
12 years ago
3 months ago
871
Bollocks, only ones who would walk it is Barca and that's cause with that front trio they're miles ahead of anyone else. Other teams would probably win it / challenge but no walk in the park.

Barca wouldn't walk the league either, no club would. The only games Barca need to really show up for during a season currently are games against Real and Atletico and the CL. The rest they can more or less play in 2nd/3rd gear for the most part. Sides cannot do that in the EPL. Even the mid table and lower sides have the ability to cause top sides issues because of the way they play. Besides maybe one or two sides, there aren't really any easy fixtures to the degree seen in a league like La Liga.
#316031 2015/16 Champions League
.verse
12 years ago
3 months ago
871
Bit unlucky to lose, but in the end 2-1 is a result that still gives us a good chance. Better result than I had anticipated given the reshuffle in defence, but feel Costa should have netted one of his two good chances.
#312584 Transfer Rumours 2015/16
.verse
12 years ago
3 months ago
871
Wasn't there rumours that Cahill was looking to leave too?

I suspect this means you will be back in hard for Stones in the summer, but a centre-back pairing of Zouma and Stones hardly oozes experience.

Paper talk, not sure how much truth there was to the situation. I'd rather sell Cahill and keep Terry, if it came down to keeping one though.

Wouldn't be surprised if that's the case. As you've touched on though, the lack of experience is worrying. Particularly if you take Ivanovic out at RB. It leaves for a rather underwhelming defensive unit with no leadership.

We'll rue this decision for years to come. Unless the board wake up and realise they're making a daft decision and re-sign him.
#312569 Transfer Rumours 2015/16
.verse
12 years ago
3 months ago
871
Amazed at Chelsea not offering Terry a new deal. Do they treat all their legends like that? Terry and Lampard both should have been allowed to retire there.

Absolutely an appalling decision. He's still far and away our best defender and first name on the team sheet. Not only do you lose an exceptional defender, but his immense leadership and experience. The development seen in Zouma this season by playing with Terry has really helped him oust Cahill and establish himself in the side.

His importance extends beyond the pitch. Even if he stayed and played less, he'd still be a valuable assets in the side. I loathe to think who will be captain now amongst a side that has absolutely no leaders. As much as I like Ivanovic, I cringe at the thought of him being captain because that will most likely mean he'll remain first choice RB when he also has declined.

The plus side, there's still a few months left for him to continue his good form and show he's still pivotal through our rebuild.
#311338 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread
.verse
12 years ago
3 months ago
871
See Pirlo is an interesting case in point of exactly what I mean. Do you think Pirlo plays like how Pirlo plays because he has been instructed to perform a 'role' or do you think its just because he's Andrea Pirlo and that is his game?

I think its the latter, and whilst I don't doubt that players get an incredibly detailed set of specific instructions to counter the opposition and to exploit them too as well as more generalised comments regarding how the manager wants them to approach the game the idea that they're performing specific player roles is a misnomer. More accurately players are individuals and bring their own take to a position.

It's definitely the former, considering he was never that type of midfielder until he was moved into that deeper role and instructed to play in the sort of way he has done. Over time he became a more refined player and this has allowed him to extend his career in the manner he has done.

Gattuso and Ambrosini are also similar cases because the roles they were given helped accommodate Pirlo and balance the side out. The same applied once he moved to Juventus and the change which was had to have the side work around him. Without these sorts of specifics there's no way a side could employ this sort of player and certain systems or styles.

Just because specific instructions are given doesn't mean a player still cannot have their own individual influence. There's still an element of freedom that can be had when assigned certain instructions. The level will differ though depending how structured the overall team is set out. Take a manager like Mourinho who is very rigid with his systems and likes his players to perform their role in a very specific way. Someone like Pep on the other hand works in a more free flowing way. While he still requests certain things from players, there's a greater freedom had in terms of how the job is performed.

Again, to take it back to the NBA for a moment. The perfect example is the point guard position. He's usually the main ball handler, he'll run the offence and organise the side overall. However, not all PG's operate in the same way. There are times when their role is reduced; a good example is when the 76ers had Iverson. Great creative player, scorer and ball handler and he'd often play the PG role from the SG position, Eric Snow (76ers PG) would take a secondary role at times. This wasn't just a natural move, though Iverson did command the rock and was the sides best player by a country mile, it was the way the Sixers were also designed to run and players were given specific instructions and roles to make sure the system ran in a smooth fashion.

Sometimes without roles and certain instructions systems fall apart because the continuity isn't there. While there is no hard and fast rule, there's certainly a valid argument.


#311138 Transfer Rumours 2015/16
.verse
12 years ago
3 months ago
871
Definitely not

Strange as well.

As dirty as he can be Ramires imo is a quality player on his day and definitely got a good few years left in him.

He's a average player that possesses an incredible engine but the technique and execution of someone with two left feet. In a 433 he'd fit nicely as the box-to-box sort of player, but in a two man midfield he isn't solid enough to be a defensive player nor good enough to be reliable going forward. Of course he has his flashes of brilliance (CL goal vs Barca) but you'd have to be daft to turn down £25m for such a player who is also going to be 29 in March.
#311103 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread
.verse
12 years ago
3 months ago
871
At least with both of those you can at least see what the person is getting at.

But I blame FM, too, for fostering this notion that players perform 'roles' on the pitch. When even Guaridiola admits he gives his attacking players virtually no instructions do people really think the likes of Steven McLaren are saying anything more to their players than 'play behind the striker' and so on??

Players do perform roles though. There is a distinct difference between playing a position and a specific role that's been moulded around some set instructions given. They aren't one and the same. Take someone like Pirlo for example. While he lines up in midfield and is often be the deepest playing one. At face value he'd be considered the "holding player" for the position he takes on the pitch. However, his role and instructions for that position are nothing of the sort. Instead those defensive duties are largely carried out by the other two midfields he plays alongside.

A lot of sports have generic positions but those positions can contain different ways of being played aka roles. As someone that follows the NBA, it's something you'll see regularly there also. Football isn't much different in that sense.
#308865 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread
.verse
12 years ago
3 months ago
871
Remember when Mourinho blamed the officials having a campaign against Chelsea when they've had shite decisions go their way all season to make them look less shite than they are.

We've drawn the short straw with an array of decisions this season. Only since Mourinho left, ironically, have we actually seen a few more go our way.

When you don't play well having decisions that go against you can have a large impact on results. Not that it excuses overall performances, then again that's not really rocket science either. If you actually bought into what Mourinho said 100% then you're ridiculously gullible.

As for the game, good result given the situation we were in. Hopefully this highlights that Fabregas needs to play need with Mikel and we either drop the #10 altogether and make it a midfield 3 or we bring in RLC. Would also like to see more of Kenedy going forward, exciting player. Oh, and the quicker we drop Ivanovic an use him as nothing more than a rotational piece the better. Time to bring Baba in for a solid run of games and move Azpi back to right back.
#305684 Transfer Rumours 2015/16
.verse
12 years ago
3 months ago
871
We're being linked to Felipe Anderson. Whats the opinion of him among regular Serie A watchers? Fair to say the reception among our fans has been very mixed.

Was excellent last season, underwhelming this one. Has quality when he shows up but as already mentioned he's highly inconsistent. Doesn't work overly hard so when he isn't getting the ball he contributes little else.
#305152 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread
.verse
12 years ago
3 months ago
871
Reckon if Chelsea had bothered to play a striker they'd have won this comfortably.

Same old from us after the first 20 minutes.

Oh and Rooney MoTM hahahahahahah

We don't have a "senior" striker to play; Costa suspended, Remy injured and Falcao has just returned to training.

No real other options because we loaned out Solanke on top.

That said, we were shite but happy with a point at the same time. Don't think we'd have gotten that under Mourinho and could have even got a win if Matic knew how to kick a ball on target.

Also the sooner we flog Oscar off the better. Absolute trash and has been for years, worse than Kalou.
#304381 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread
.verse
12 years ago
3 months ago
871
Well obviously, but theres a difference between saying that and gleefully reporting he has been sacked and that Mourinho is coming in and then gleefully 'apologising' like the Sun did.

I have sympathy for the journos working for proper papers here, because to a man they reported the 'two games to save his job' story and have been lumped in with the shit like the Sun.

I was just being general re his time at Utd as a whole and the performances he's managed. Wasn't so much about the press situation. Everyone knows how the media in England works, they get a sniff and they'll ruthlessly take advantage of it irrespective of the credibility attached.
#304159 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread
.verse
12 years ago
3 months ago
871
No real sympathy for LVG he's created a lot of his own problems himself. Doubt he'll see out the season, though I hope he does, and beyond.
#303147 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread
.verse
12 years ago
3 months ago
871
Looking at the sort of squad Man Utd have, it's very much filled with non-Mourinho like players. Could be interesting to see what happens, maybe he'll sell Juan Mata back to Chelsea.
#302881 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread
.verse
12 years ago
3 months ago
871
Is that you Piers Morgan? Hard to disagree though tbh!

Seen a lot of people saying the Carneiro thing triggered all this. While it contributed to the mess they've found themselves in been this season, that's far from true - I remember them losing to anybody and everybody in pre-season and also Arsenal in the Community Shield. Not to mention the Carneiro incident happened at the very end of a draw at home to Swansea; they were already in a bad way.

This entire season had disaster written all over it tbh.

Mourinho took a gamble to start pre-season considerably later than others to allow players extra time off. Our performances were horrendous in the friendlies, carried that into the season with fitness levels below everyone else. We failed to strengthen the squad and went ahead with what we had. Costa came back considerably out of shape, something he admit to himself. Then the Carneiro situation unfolded. Mourinho then did things like hook Terry vs City and left him out of follow up games. Singled out Hazard and Matic, subbing the later off only after 20 minutes of coming on, etc etc. The way Mourinho handled some situation left a lot to be desired. However, the players also must be at fault for being criminally underwhelming in their own right.

While I'm not 100% pleased with Mourinho's sacking, I can completely understand the reasoning behind it. He was given time to turn things around, more than any other manager would have been given. Instead, we continued to regress and slipped further down the table. The one thing that annoys me the most has been Mourinho's unwillingness to move away from the horrible 4231 system that doesn't suit any of the players we have. For someone defined in his career for being tactically astute, he's been incredibly rigid and stubborn to defer to something else in an attempt to salvage the season. For me, that's disappointing. It left the club in a pickle of a situation. Either persist with Mourinho and hope we do enough to avoid relegation, which hasn't looked the case so far. Or twist and move JM on and bring in someone new to help achieve that.

Had Mourinho stayed and the club got relegated under him it would be disastrous on a much larger scale to that of purely sacking him now.

I'm really hoping Conte is given the job. However, I think any manager coming in is going to have a challenge on their hands. We've already got a small squad that is in need of investment as it is. There's also numerous deadwood players that need to go in the summer; such as Oscar. The size of investment and transfer activity needed is one that is going to take multiple seasons to sort out. Unless Roman really opens his cheque book up and make a statement.
#301968 Database criteria, has it changed?
.verse
12 years ago
3 months ago
871
So, after getting FM16 and starting myself a new game via FMT mode, I've noticed there to be quite a difference in what players are being loaded within particular database sizes compared to previous versions.

What has brought this to my attention is that I've hit the January transfer window of my first season in L2 and went scouting for some players. I headed over the the Chelsea squad to maybe pick up a player or two and noticed there were a number of more promising players missing, including Ruben Lotus-Cheek, which seemed incredibly odd given I've got a medium database loaded and the English leagues and being a somewhat renown prospect amongst the first team currently.

Over recent years I've always gone with the medium database with FM Classic mode because it has usually loaded enough of the main players and prospects, including players like RLC, Solanke, Boga, Charly Musonda, Nathan, etc to still have a solid career game. There seems to be a vast change in this with FM16. Now all these younger players are missing. They are missing even when loading FMT with a large database. In fact, the large database doesn't even appear to alter the number of players loaded at the club at all.

Has there been a change in what sort of players are now loaded between FMT and full mode? Full mode loads these players with a medium database. This has never been an issue in prior versions of the game I've played and somewhat disappointing to find out. Naturally, I expect full mode to offer more. But FMT seems to have been heavily pruned back in this department for FM16.
#301928 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread
.verse
12 years ago
3 months ago
871
#301927 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread
.verse
12 years ago
3 months ago
871
The money spent arguments possibly the stupidest one thrown at LVG. If he'd bought a load of duds, then fine. But he hasn't.

So, it's an okay ruler to use towards other managers. But, when it's aimed at LVG or Man Utd, it's unfair? Glad we've got that cleared up.

Maybe we'll just focus on his inept management instead and how the only movement the club has made is lateral, heavy investment aside. His only saving grace is that they're still somehow 4th in the league because no one's been able to break away and avoid dropping points themselves. That somewhat spares his blushes and probably keeps him in a job, for now.
#301924 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread
.verse
12 years ago
3 months ago
871
Not sure how exactly people can defend LVG. More so when he's spent £200m on players and still serves up absolute garbage. In fact, he's spent £200m and made the team worse. Quite the effort really.
#299269 Purchasing FM 2016.
.verse
12 years ago
3 months ago
871
Where would be the cheapest and most reliable place to purchase FM16 from at present?

I've found this place here (clicky) but am unsure just how reliable it is. Anyone utilised this place/method before?

I've never really dabbled in buying a "CD Key" and then using that to activate the release in Steam to download. So am still a little weary before laying down some coin. When it's nearly $20 cheaper than retail price though, it's enticing. I presume that it doesn't matter where something like this would be purchased from it should still work in any country?
#296464 The Night Thread Mk. IX
.verse
12 years ago
3 months ago
871
Because we as a whole are pretty much all European apart from a few.

PoC is a shit term used by shit people by the way. If 'coloured' is a bad term then so is the social justice warrior term 'People of Colour'.

Also you may have a problem with your memory but I used to mention things like that but dregs of society on here and elsewhere like to shout it down. You were one such person who did it so it is quite something to see how you have turned you special little snowflake.


Edit: Nvm.

Having been amongst these traps for a considerable time I'm also aware of the level of discussion suited and not suited to these surroundings. Normally I'd have said nothing, but when something like this is constantly in ones face it becomes a little hard to ignore eventually. And thus, I'll leave it at that before it drags on into a more personally aimed level.

#296460 The Night Thread Mk. IX
.verse
12 years ago
3 months ago
871
The deaths in the Middle East don't get this kind of coverage because they are old news and because people can't relate to it in the same way that they can to something closer to home. Paris is a place we are all familiar with, many of us have been there, some of us have friends and acquaintances who were either living there or visiting when the attack happened. Most of us don't have that personal connection when some loser decides to blow himself up on a bus in Jerusalem or a drone strike blows up a wedding in Waziristan. It's not a question of "white privilege", it's a question of human nature, most of us simply do not give a shit if there isn't a personal connection of some kind, unless there is something new or particularly shocking about the events.

You cannot really call current events and deaths of innocent people as "old news", that's quite insensitive tbh. You personally might not relate to it in the same way, but that doesn't mean there are others around the globe who are equally as impacted as those who've been affected by Paris. This isn't a one side is better than the other argument, it's about equality for all people, of all backgrounds and walks of life.

The point I was mainly trying to project has been summed up by Hamza Ali Abbasi's post on Facebook- quoted below.

And here we go, French flag being projected all over the world and facebook makes a French flag DP filter. I wonder why FB never created a Palestinian flag filter where hundreds die each month? Or maybe a Syrian, Iraqi or Afghan flag? A Pakistani flag after 16th Dec APS attack? Its exactly this "Selective" Humanity and Imperialistic mindset which leads to hatred towards the west. I condemn Paris attack but i also condemn the hypocrisy of western imperial mindset.

#296403 The Night Thread Mk. IX
.verse
12 years ago
3 months ago
871
Because these events are (unfortunately) a dime a dozen in those parts, so while news outlets do report on them there's nothing much else to do, really.

And all the talk is about Paris because, well, it's fucking Paris.

Shouldn't matter how frequent it is, a life is a life. That's the sort of mentality that downplays the worth of a certain ethnical group over another.

You flick through any social media or new outlet and it's Paris, Paris, Paris. Completely ignoring the other equally as devastating events taking place which are also impacting many families around the world too.
#296402 The Night Thread Mk. IX
.verse
12 years ago
3 months ago
871
Because we live in England, a place where its hardly picked up, because as you say, there's no media coverage in that area, maybe in fear that if they covered it, they'd be risking their lives.

Just because we don't mention it, doesn't mean its right.

You've missed the entire point. It isn't something merely isolated to these particular issues, it's a constant trend that happens. There's a choice to prioritise Western world events over that of Middle Eastern and other PoC matters. The lack of media coverage has nothing to do with a lack of media in these countries to report, it's a white privilege issue. I'm sure there are Muslims and such who have been equally affected with the events taking place in their home countries, even though they may live in Western countries now. Even the way particular events are reported. You only have to delve into the white police issues with PoC within the United States to see just how fucked up things really are. White kid shoots up a school, is portrayed as a "shy quite kid", "mentally unstable" etc. When it comes to a PoC it's completely twisted to paint a thuggish portrait and it was bound to happen. It's just a rampant and vile way the world works these days.
#296381 The Night Thread Mk. IX
.verse
12 years ago
3 months ago
871
Surely have a thread for something as serious as this?

Why? Because it's something tragic that's happened in Europe?

As awful as it is, it's the perfect example of how PoC are constantly ignored when it comes to their own tragic events and how white privilege reigns supreme. All the media coverage, attention and talk is about Paris. What about the events between Israel and Palestine? How about Lebanon? And everything else going on in the Middle East? There's no media outrage or an international day of mourning. There's no social media apps creating filters etc to show support. There's nothing.

No life is more important than another, regardless of race or religion.



#294937 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread
.verse
12 years ago
3 months ago
871
On a real though, what the fuck has happened with Chelsea? They've got the same players as last year, and Mourinho doesn't seem like the guy who would let his players get complacent. I know he always falls out with players but surely players like Terry wouldn't fuck around with him.

A couple of factors.
  • We've had absolutely no luck with some decisions, not all, but some. There just isn't a consistency being had across the board. This has impacted some games in a direct fashion or has made us lose focus in others.
  • Our defending has been terrible. From marking set pieces, closing down players quick enough when closer to goal, etc. It just hasn't been at the level it has needed to be, particularly at the beginning of the season. We've looked better since Ivanovic has been out of the side, but we're still struggling to do some of the basics for the full 90 minutes.
  • We have possibly the most predictable and worse attacking game plan known to man. The 4231 simply doesn't compliment the sort of players we have, irrespective if it won us the title last season, it only worked for the first 6 months and since the start of this year; once teams understood how to combat us, it has been dire. We move the ball far too slow, our "wide" players congest the middle of the pitch. Our CM positions have been too slow and lacked defensive awareness; which has improved in the games we've played with Ramires and Mikel. Having inverted fullbacks provides us with no width or balance. If our "wide" attackers are always going to play centrally then it's crucial our fullbacks get forward and offer width to keep play stretched. Again, we look a more balanced side with Azpi and Baba, opposed to Azpi and Ivanovic/Zouma. Then our CF spends more time coming deep or out on the wing than he does in and around the goal. This is somewhat a by-product of our "wide" players sucking all the central space away and forcing any runs into the channels wide where the space is. The CF is always isolated and often has to deal with two or more defenders at a time.
  • We've got so many players out of form all at once it isn't funny. Willian is about the only player that has maintained a consistent level.
  • Mourinho's stubbiness to be tactically bold and try something new, while being unwilling to remove the shackles and allow some freedom.
  • Failing to strengthen during the summer. We sat on what we had, lost a few players and replaced them with players of similar or less quality. We just don't have a squad filled with enough senior useable players. It's the same 13/14 that get games and then the odd U/21 like Kenedy, RLC, etc make up the numbers. It was clear last season we needed to invest and improve, we didn't.
  • There are no leaders in this side. Last season we had Terry, Drogba and Cech. Big characters and great leaders over the years. Now only Terry remains and he cannot continue to carry the side himself at his age.
  • A terribly planned pre-season left us undercooked early on compared to other sides.
There's other areas but you get the point. I didn't think we'd win the league again, but certainly hadn't anticipated us being this poor. I'm not one for sacking Mourinho, I think he needs to say. However, he also needs to help himself and focus less about the media, officials, etc and more about what he can influence and control; starting with the system employed and approach. Missing out on Champions League football for a season isn't a huge deal, however we need results. At this rate, we'll be looking at trying to stay in the Prem come end of season.
#288842 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread
.verse
12 years ago
3 months ago
871
Vardy just can't stop scoring.

Should have been POTM to be honest.