Home
Blog
Careers
Forums
Downloads
FM24 Real Name Fix
FM23 Real Name Fix
FM23 New Leagues
FM24 Tactics
FM24 Data Update
FM Database
FM Guides
FM Shortlists
FM24 Wonderkids
FM24 Free Players
FM24 Bargains
FM24 Players to avoid
FM24 Club Budgets
FM24 Club Facilities
Graphics
Installation Guides
Records
Prediction League
Fantasy Football
Search
#248099 The Night Thread Mk. IX
.verse
#248088 Barclays Premier League 2014/15
.verse
Bingo!
Even the way Barnes gets up and walks away after the challenge gives the impression he knows what he's done and could be in trouble. Had he been correctly booked earlier, the whole situation could have possibly been avoided, or seen him pick up a second booking. When there has been ex-officials and players coming out and saying Atkinson got it clearly wrong (along with the other 3 key decisions) it certainly highlights the incident more and how incredibly lucky Barnes was to get away without any reprimand whatsoever.
Edit: spelling.
#247574 Old Trafford Lounge
.verse
And it's a realistic concern to have and one that does need to be taken into consideration. If the situation arose where they all started to want out the club would be struggling to get their money back on some players if they're knowingly unsettled. Having just taken a look at United's run in, they've got quite a challenging finish to the season. If they miss out on the Champions League again this season, next year the pressure is really going to be on. I can't see some players wanting to stay if the club struggle again next season too.
#247571 Old Trafford Lounge
.verse
He hasn't been a bad signing though, just not worth what has initially been paid. Time will only tell if it's a good deal or not.
#247325 The Italian Football Thread
.verse
It's not just that but also that there is no money in Italian football any more. It's getting harder to attract the best players because the league isn't like it once was during it's prime and has steadily declined.
#247312 Barclays Premier League 2014/15
.verse
Two stone wall penalties denied. A clear handball and then an even clearer two handed push on Costa who's in on goal. Then to not even book Barnes for his disgusting challenge on Matic was appalling. Matic deserved his red for his reaction, so no qualms about that. But Barnes should have been off one way or another. He deserved a yellow earlier in the game for either one of his two challenges on Ivanovic or Zouma, where he clearly leads with his knee and plants it into both players during each respective challenge. He shouldn't have finished on the pitch, be it two yellows or a straight red.
That aside; we were awful for the most part. No urgency, lethargic and about as blunt as a butter knife going forward. Burnley played well enough to keep themselves in the game and in fairness I can't begrudge them a point. Courtios made an excellent couple of saves to keep them out earlier on.
Losing Matic is a big blow, particularly for the LC final. Thankfully we've also got a bit of a break coming up for our players to get some rest before the final third of the season. Hopefully we manage to hold on.
#247133 Europa League 2014/2015
.verse
Which was a touch ironic given Gerrard's comments at the beginning of the season about him being the second choice taker. It's all a mountain out of a mole hole sort of deal.
#246129 FA Cup 2014/15
.verse
Basically agree with this.
I'd probably be reasonably satisfied if I was a Man Utd supporter about sitting 3rd, considering what's been served up this season. It could, and really should be far worse than the situation on hand. At the same time, I'd be expecting far more out of a side that has had nearly £200m invested in it during the summer.
The worrying thing is that they're a side that still looks like it needs another £300m worth of smart investment had to properly strengthen and provided a balanced squad. There's a lot of dead wood still had, unfulfilled potential and a couple on the decline.
#244376 Better Call Saul
.verse
#244201 Barclays Premier League 2014/15
.verse
Wait a minute, you're basically making one excuse for one player and not applying it to the other, who's in the exact same position. Both are new to the league, both are being paid an absolute packet and both haven't delivered up to what was expected. Di Maria started well but that's about all he's done since. He's probably been the more disappointing of the two, considering he was actually purchased and more or less had a starting birth locked in.
#243888 Barclays Premier League 2014/15
.verse
He's not that sort of striker that really relied on his pace. He had enough of a burst to get him past some players but a lot of his good work comes from running the channels and getting himself isolated one-on-one with a defender, that's his bread and butter. While he's got that knack of cutting the ball back and curling it into a corner, something he's done regularly. With the EPL being a quicker pace, he doesn't quite get that same time like he'd be used to in Spain etc and thus he find himself rushed. I don't think he's helped either with the way United are set up to play, it doesn't really suit his qualities.
#243881 Barclays Premier League 2014/15
.verse
With the money involved I doubt he had little choice once an offer was accepted, given Atletico's financial situation at the time. He'll probably leave Man Utd and recapture his touch, I don't think he's as done as what it may appear.
#243877 Barclays Premier League 2014/15
.verse
In a way, his form and value kinda limited his transfer options- more so when you remove Real Madrid from the equation. Was always going to be difficult moving on from Atletico unless someone coughed up ridiculous money, enter Monaco.
#243412 Newcastle Thread
.verse
Chelsea don't as fair as I'm aware. Wouldn't make sense considering the number of recalled loans we've had because x side hash't been playing x player. Has happened with Kalas, Marin, Chalobah and Feruz, to name a couple who all returned and then sent out again to other sides because they weren't getting game time. While the likes of Astu and McEachran for example have only played a handful of games this season too.
I know the club weren't pleased about some, but they're in no position to force a loan club to play a player they've been loaned.
#243410 Transfer Rumours 2014/15
.verse
In ways though it's a slightly different situation. Those players are already at a (and it pains me to say this, naturally) a solid statured club that is amongst the top half of the league, competes in European competition, etc. There's no incentive for those players to move because all the tools are already on hand for them to make it. The only reason for a move would be to play more regularly, which is most cases means dropping down to a lower half side or down divisions in most cases. Or now and then (i.e. Bale) to move to an elite side. Berahino's sole incentive would obviously be to move to a bigger statured club, similar happened with Zaha.
The issue is that those sort of players move for fee's that are overly inflated and increased expectations because of that, which then gives a player the impression of entitlement of playing regularly for a bigger club, like they were at the one they just left.. In the real world, it doesn't work like that though. That's where the mentality needs to change. A lot of young players who've caught the eye with some decent football and then move to bigger sides don't really do that apprenticeship like back 10-20-30 years ago. It's the way modern football is these days, more so now that's it's very business orientated and the whole attitude has changed within it.
#242296 Transfer Rumours 2014/15
.verse
Cuardado has effectively cost us nothing and the club have made profit once again.
Good business once again in terms of transfer fees. Though am a little concerned by the lack of depth and we've ultimately come out of the window another player down.
#241661 Barclays Premier League 2014/15
.verse
#241660 Barclays Premier League 2014/15
.verse
Oh, jog on.
Fact. There is literally no way you, nor I, nor anyone else for that matter, can prove if there was intent by Costa. Unless you have some sort of expansive ability to tap into the thought process of Diego Costa during that exact moment, there is, and always will, remain doubt. He's being judged on what we all saw, which was him chasing down a ball, one he was clearly fixed on, and didn't once take his eyes from his objective (the ball) to locate Can's position before planting his foot. His "reputation" certainly was used to portray the incident in a much different light to what actually unfolded. If you didn't see the incident and purely read what was written, you'd have thought he lined Can up and furiously landed a curb stomp of some sort. As the old adjective goes; innocent until proven guilty. No one can without a shadow of a doubt say the incident occurred with 100% intent. Period. A position backed by a number of ex-players; including Henry, G. Neville and Scholes.
Skrtel was even lucky to be on the pitch himself with his clear elbow on Costa in the first leg. Costa cops a lot of treatment from defenders, more than what most strikers receive, and he's yet to literally snap. He'll push the boundaries and give what he gets back, but it's important to remember that he's not some thug. It might be hard to believe, but Ronaldo has more red cards than Costa.
But we both know all the above means little to you. And with that, I've got nothing further to add.
Edit: spelling
#241399 Old Trafford Lounge
.verse
75k pw for 3 years or something, absolutely ridiculous.
#241391 Transfer Rumours 2014/15
.verse
Maybe so. But had he played his more natural role he could have turned in more consistent performances. Fergie basically took everything that made Anderson an exciting player (directness, flair, etc) and put a dampener on it. Even with his injuries, playing in a more advanced role would have still allowed him to utilise some of his skill sets, instead he was asked to be this tough tackling midfield general, everything he wasn't. Similar to how Fergie tried to turn Alan Smith into Roy Keane.
#241385 Barclays Premier League 2014/15
.verse
A bit rough when the FA cannot really prove there to be any intent in his actions. More so when you consider some of the other stuff that's gone unpunished during the year. I do have to laugh how the word "stamp" is used though, when in fact he's actually "trodden" on Can as he chases down the ball.
His "reputation" doesn't help, despite the fact I don't think he's ever been sent off in his career and gets an absolute work over by some defenders during games; including an elbow by Skrtel and then an immediate hip check by Lucas during the first leg that went unpunished.
I just hope Remy gets the start against City and not Drogba, while fingers crossed Cesc is passed fit.
#241144 Transfer Rumours 2014/15
.verse
#240526 Capital One Cup 2014/15
.verse
Glad to have bounced back from a shocking FA Cup result. Hopefully make the most of a couple of big games coming up which could really push us towards the title.
#239739 FA Cup 2014/15
.verse
#239738 FA Cup 2014/15
.verse
#238948 Transfer Rumours 2014/15
.verse
#236681 Transfer Rumours 2014/15
.verse
Part of me would have liked Kalas to find a Prem team to go out on loan with when he returned.
#235961 The Manchester City Thread
.verse
It's all too flakey.
#235958 Barclays Premier League 2014/15
.verse
#235485 The Manchester City Thread
.verse
Well when Lampard originally left Chelsea the reports were that he signed for New York. He then was meant to move to Melbourne City on loan except there was a rule change that came into place for this season in which loan players wages counted towards teams salary caps, so this meant no Lampard move there and eventually ending with him at Man City. Again, that's entirely fine. The move was listed as loan until the end of the year, in which he'd then head to NYCFC at the start of Jan. Then this whole extension has taken place. Which is where it makes things interesting because Lampard featured in a game that took place on Jan 1st, where no extension would have been possible to have been arranged for his deal that technically would have already ended. Now, the talk seems to suggest that he signed a 1 year deal with Man City, despite initially being revealed as signing for NYCFC on a 2 year deal and being used to promote all their media commitments and help sell season tickets. NYCFC then had to change this and use David Villa, which saw him being prematurely recalled from his Melbourne City guest stint loan after only playing in 4 of his possible 10 games.
Something doesn't add up because even during all Lampard's interviews it was said to be a loan move. Now all that's been backtracked upon and has even been removed from some sources that had it listed.