Lovebitesandeveryfing
Well-Known Member
Trying to get a bit of distance after the flak since Saturday.
I’m thinking, obviously, of 2012-13. I’d be interested to hear other people’s take on this.
Now that my knee has stopped jerking after that abject performance on Saturday, and having thought it over carefully, with all things considered, this is mine, for what it’s worth.
The short answer: no. For the following reasons.
a) The 2012-13 season was, to all intents and purposes, over by 1 January. After that truly repulsive rag win over Newcastle, in which Ferguson actually went on to the pitch to bully the ref — something which no other manager in the history of the Premier League would have been allowed to get away with without at least a touchline ban for the rest of the season — and our pusillanimous loss at Sunderland, the writing was on the wall. This season will at least have extended to the end of January. We’ll see what happens at the Bridge. We’re up against it, but I don’t think that’s a done deal, either way. If Saturday demonstrated anything, it’s that both teams have got problems. It’s interesting that Chelsea, with their ‘impregnable’ defence and their ‘best keeper in the league’, have now shipped three goals against Everton, five against Spurs, and four against Bradford. Something that, despite our glaring shortcomings at the back, has not happened to us (yet…).
b) We are through the group stage of the Champions League. More importantly than that, we finally won a vital match in Europe with our backs completely to the wall, one that we were not at all fancied to win, in order to progress. That match in Rome is, in the sober sense of the word, a historic one – one in which we finally grew up in Europe, ‘managed’ a game in the European style and saw it out. Whatever happens at the Nou Camp does not take that away. Piece by piece, we’re constructing ourselves in Europe.
c) As I remember it, that season, we didn’t have anything like the horrendous injury record that we’ve had this year. Last year, we had a foul injury record, comparable to this, in fact, and limped through to be champions. That was a huge achievement, which we didn’t get enough credit for in the media. Who cares. We know what we did. Liverpool, like Chelsea this year, had nothing significant. Not making excuses, but this year it’s the same thing, and I honestly think it’s an injury too far. Nasri out — again! — was the last straw. What kills me is that after the Southampton and Sunderland games we were building up a phenomenal head of steam. Sergio was building up to having an unstoppable season, like Suarez last year. We managed the situation very well after that, but everybody could see that the wins were much more of a struggle.
d) Finally, we’ve beaten the rags at the Etihad (we lost in 2012-13 to that shit goal that nobody needs reminding about — almost, but not quite, as infuriating as the Owen goal, sorry to mention that). And that’s always something to savour ;-)
One final remark: I’m a Pellegrini fan, but I wish to fuck he’d stop mucking around with that back line and the keeper. That’s been the worst aspect of his management this season. Our back line, for the time being, is Zab, MDM, Mangala, Clichy. Play it, week in, week out. We’re only in two tournaments now. Yes, MDM is a bit slow — but Mangala is very fast. Yes, Mangala is hot-headed — but MDM has seen it all, and has a very cool brain. They were well on the way to building up a nice, complimentary relationship.
As for the position in nets: keepers don’t suffer from burn-out. God knows Hart has made mistakes this season, but he’s a whole level above Caballero. Caballero can sit on the bench for ever and a day, as far as I’m concerned. He gets paid.
And I don’t give a monkey’s that Vinny is our 'iconic' captain. He’s having a lousy season, and was quite poor even before the injury, if the honest-to-god truth be told. Pick the players in form and build a stable defence. Oh, and just as soon as Yaya gets back — pray for Ivory Coast to get knocked out — drop Fernando and move Fernandinho back to that protective position in front of the back four.
I’m thinking, obviously, of 2012-13. I’d be interested to hear other people’s take on this.
Now that my knee has stopped jerking after that abject performance on Saturday, and having thought it over carefully, with all things considered, this is mine, for what it’s worth.
The short answer: no. For the following reasons.
a) The 2012-13 season was, to all intents and purposes, over by 1 January. After that truly repulsive rag win over Newcastle, in which Ferguson actually went on to the pitch to bully the ref — something which no other manager in the history of the Premier League would have been allowed to get away with without at least a touchline ban for the rest of the season — and our pusillanimous loss at Sunderland, the writing was on the wall. This season will at least have extended to the end of January. We’ll see what happens at the Bridge. We’re up against it, but I don’t think that’s a done deal, either way. If Saturday demonstrated anything, it’s that both teams have got problems. It’s interesting that Chelsea, with their ‘impregnable’ defence and their ‘best keeper in the league’, have now shipped three goals against Everton, five against Spurs, and four against Bradford. Something that, despite our glaring shortcomings at the back, has not happened to us (yet…).
b) We are through the group stage of the Champions League. More importantly than that, we finally won a vital match in Europe with our backs completely to the wall, one that we were not at all fancied to win, in order to progress. That match in Rome is, in the sober sense of the word, a historic one – one in which we finally grew up in Europe, ‘managed’ a game in the European style and saw it out. Whatever happens at the Nou Camp does not take that away. Piece by piece, we’re constructing ourselves in Europe.
c) As I remember it, that season, we didn’t have anything like the horrendous injury record that we’ve had this year. Last year, we had a foul injury record, comparable to this, in fact, and limped through to be champions. That was a huge achievement, which we didn’t get enough credit for in the media. Who cares. We know what we did. Liverpool, like Chelsea this year, had nothing significant. Not making excuses, but this year it’s the same thing, and I honestly think it’s an injury too far. Nasri out — again! — was the last straw. What kills me is that after the Southampton and Sunderland games we were building up a phenomenal head of steam. Sergio was building up to having an unstoppable season, like Suarez last year. We managed the situation very well after that, but everybody could see that the wins were much more of a struggle.
d) Finally, we’ve beaten the rags at the Etihad (we lost in 2012-13 to that shit goal that nobody needs reminding about — almost, but not quite, as infuriating as the Owen goal, sorry to mention that). And that’s always something to savour ;-)
One final remark: I’m a Pellegrini fan, but I wish to fuck he’d stop mucking around with that back line and the keeper. That’s been the worst aspect of his management this season. Our back line, for the time being, is Zab, MDM, Mangala, Clichy. Play it, week in, week out. We’re only in two tournaments now. Yes, MDM is a bit slow — but Mangala is very fast. Yes, Mangala is hot-headed — but MDM has seen it all, and has a very cool brain. They were well on the way to building up a nice, complimentary relationship.
As for the position in nets: keepers don’t suffer from burn-out. God knows Hart has made mistakes this season, but he’s a whole level above Caballero. Caballero can sit on the bench for ever and a day, as far as I’m concerned. He gets paid.
And I don’t give a monkey’s that Vinny is our 'iconic' captain. He’s having a lousy season, and was quite poor even before the injury, if the honest-to-god truth be told. Pick the players in form and build a stable defence. Oh, and just as soon as Yaya gets back — pray for Ivory Coast to get knocked out — drop Fernando and move Fernandinho back to that protective position in front of the back four.