Football 2020/2021

[lost]

8 hours ago, Fred Zepplin said:

Look at that City bench. The depth in the squad is ridiculous 

Makes a massive difference this season, they could easily do the quadruple and its probably not even the best city team in premiership history let alone best team. The prime Aguero, Silva, Toure, Kompany side was better IMO. I'd actually prefer the first team to do the quadruple to do it when fans are in stadiums.  

Edited February 27, 2021 by lost

[thetime]

2 hours ago, Hugh Jass said:

Signed from us because we didn’t think he’d make it.

Not a great call.

Wasn't it like 10k for the transfer.

[pink_triangle]

47 minutes ago, lost said:

Makes a massive difference this season, they could easily do the quadruple and its probably not even the best city team in premiership history let alone best team. The prime Aguero, Silva, Toure, Kompany side was better IMO. I'd actually prefer the first team to do the quadruple to do it when fans are in stadiums.  

I think any football is better with fans in the stadium.  However I don’t think a quadruple is a particular important case. My guess is the fact a team can win a quadruple would make little difference to the atmosphere of the champions league final, nor would it have a significant impact on the how a fan felt compared to winning 0, 1, 2 or 3 of the earlier trophies. However supporting a team who will never challenge for 1 of the 4 maybe I’m wrong. I just think trebles, quadruples etc are more important to media than fans.

[lost]

29 minutes ago, pink_triangle said:

 However I don’t think a quadruple is a particular important case. My guess is the fact a team can win a quadruple would make little difference to the atmosphere of the champions league final, nor would it have a significant impact on the how a fan felt compared to winning 0, 1, 2 or 3 of the earlier trophies. 

I actually meant from the point of view that home advantage has been completely wiped out this season rather than atmosphere. It'll be a historic achievement maybe never to be equalled when its done and fans love to make comparisons. Overcoming an away leg at a partisan Nou camp or Allianz Arena on the way always seem like a greater achievement (such as Chelseas win against Barcelona in 2012) and so it would be nice for the first team that achieves it does something similar.

You just know Man U fans will be saying their triple is a greater achievement if it happens this season due to the circumstances.

Edited February 27, 2021 by lost

[Hugh Jass]

48 minutes ago, thetime said:

Wasn't it like 10k for the transfer.

Yeah it was nothing, even by 80’s standards.

Compounded it by scoring against us every time he played us afterwards.

[charlierc]

On 2/23/2021 at 8:16 PM, kaosmark2 said:

I genuinely think Hughton's the 2nd best coach we've had since Sir Bobby (1st being Rafa). His record since is nothing to shout about, but it's not like anyone else has shone either. He completely played into the squad we had, worked out how to get the best out of them, and several players that were good under him haven't been good anywhere since (Carroll). 

Joke aside, I do think he's a large part of why we've been worse this season. Particularly the regression of Lascalles, he just looks a completely different player to under Benitez and first half of last season. Not sure how much of it is covid and how much is Bruce, but it's worrying. The squad we have now, is to me, the best we've had since finishing 5th with Ba/Cisse/Cabaye/Tiote all in form. Bruce just can't create attacking synergy. At least he's not signing Man U cast offs for us like he has at every previous club, but I think he's an awful manager.

Hughton was definitely very good, underrated in retrospect and quite unexpected, given he'd struggled as caretaker boss in his two spells trying that in 2008/09.

A lot of journos and fans are saying Bruce just reminds them of Steve McClaren, who would often make bizarre pronouncements in press conferences and try all manner of weird square-peg-in-round-hole approaches. I don't think the injuries are helping - losing both Almiron and ASM last night is pretty hideous. But it's just not been fun to watch. Last night certainly wasn't. Started well enough but seemed to run out of energy and overcomplicated the tactics.

West Brom away next weekend is a must win game but I can imagine it being just close to unwatchable.

[CG31]

Yet another game between big sides being an uneventful 0-0 draw. For a season that’s been so exciting and different many of the big games have failed to deliver 

[thetime]

19 minutes ago, Gerard the Fab said:

Yet another game between big sides being an uneventful 0-0 draw. For a season that’s been so exciting and different many of the big games have failed to deliver 

Tuchel won't be at Chelsea long. 

[thetime]

Going to be tight for that 4th place.

[jyoung]

34 minutes ago, thetime said:

Tuchel won't be at Chelsea long. 

[charlierc]

Watched 2 games today in the form of the Palace-Fulham and Chelsea-MUFC games and neither was a particularly incredible use of my time.

Not sure what I expected in terms of the latter tbf, given it seems that since Man Utd were pummelled by Spurs in the early run of the season, their games with top 6 rivals have all been oddly flat. Probably will be again, one assumes.

[jyoung]

OGS and Shaw chatting out of their arses about the 'penalty' after the game was unreal. Shaw was genuinely making stuff up and then I couldn't believe it when OGS said that the ref took two points away from them. Manchester United should be capable of winning a game without relying on a contentious decision like that. They're not exactly the plucky underdog are they? When I was younger, if United were 2-0 down with 20 to go you'd still have them out to win. How the mighty fall. Don't remember OGS having much to say when we should have had a pen against Maguire last time round or when Maguire should've been sent off for kicking out the time before that. Jokers.

[thetime]

29 minutes ago, jyoung said:

OGS and Shaw chatting out of their arses about the 'penalty' after the game was unreal. Shaw was genuinely making stuff up and then I couldn't believe it when OGS said that the ref took two points away from them. Manchester United should be capable of winning a game without relying on a contentious decision like that. They're not exactly the plucky underdog are they? When I was younger, if United were 2-0 down with 20 to go you'd still have them out to win. How the mighty fall. Don't remember OGS having much to say when we should have had a pen against Maguire last time round or when Maguire should've been sent off for kicking out the time before that. Jokers.

It wasn't a contentious hand ball was it? Stonewall penalty.

That being said united have had enough penalties in the last 2 seasons, so no point going on about it 

Thought it was a better result for united, rather than Chelsea. Keeps us firmly in control of the top 4. You really needed to win yesterday You, 3 tough games for Chelsea coming up. You do seem a tad angry about yesterday's result.

How the mighty have fallen? Its been nearly 10 years since those days. What ole has done is stabilised united, certainly going in the right direction for the 1st time since fergie.

Edited March 1, 2021 by thetime

[jyoung]

7 minutes ago, thetime said:

It wasn't a contentious hand ball was it? Stonewall penalty.

That being said united have had enough penalties in the last 2 seasons, so no point going on about it 

Thought it was a better result for united, rather than Chelsea. Keeps us firmly in control of the top 4. You really needed to win yesterday You, 3 tough games for Chelsea coming up. You do seem a tad angry about yesterday's result.

How the mighty have fallen? Its been nearly 10 years since those days. What ole has done is stabilised united, certainly going in the right direction for the 1st time since fergie.

Stonewall penalty 😂 

Nah I'm not angry just thought the entitled reaction from some of your lot afterwards was mental.

[thetime]

15 minutes ago, jyoung said:

Stonewall penalty 😂 

Nah I'm not angry just thought the entitled reaction from some of your lot afterwards was mental.

Yes they should had a bit more class at the end, probably more down to frustration about not beating another top 6 side. 

 

[rock the clock]

I think that Ole is underrated and that he's done a good job with UTD overall, but that interview is something even Mourinho would be ashamed of! 

[kaosmark2]

As someone who remembers OGS diving as a player to get a penalty against us.

Hypocrite.

[TheGayTent]

Ian St John gone. Obviously superb as a player but doubt many on here will be old enough to remember that. He also had a second career and it as one half of Saint & Greavsie that I will fondly remember him for. Sleep easy. 

[thetime]

10 hours ago, TheGayTent said:

Ian St John gone. Obviously superb as a player but doubt many on here will be old enough to remember that. He also had a second career and it as one half of Saint & Greavsie that I will fondly remember him for. Sleep easy. 

Wonderful viewing in the late 80s and early 90s. Fa Cup final day with Saint and Greavise what it was all about. Even now can hear Ian St John laughing at one of Jimmy Greaves one liners. 

[eastynh]

T

[jyoung]

Bit of a slow day. Has me thinking about our Euro squad.

GK - Pickford, Pope, Henderson

DF - Maguire, Stones, Walker, Trent, James, Chilwell, Shaw, Mings, Godfrey

MF - Henderson, Rice, Mount, Foden, Grealish, Saka

FW - Kane, Rashford, Sterling, Sancho, Calvert-Lewin

Some tough calls with Abraham and Bamford narrowly missing out for me as I think Calvert-Lewin is probably a more rounded striker than both. With regards to Maddison, he's been great but I think having the versatility of someone like Saka would be preferable. Godfrey perhaps a surprise inclusion ahead of maybe Dier or Keane but again I think his versatility is good cover.

[eastynh]

1 hour ago, jyoung said:

Bit of a slow day. Has me thinking about our Euro squad.

GK - Pickford, Pope, Henderson

DF - Maguire, Stones, Walker, Trent, James, Chilwell, Shaw, Mings, Godfrey

MF - Henderson, Rice, Mount, Foden, Grealish, Saka

FW - Kane, Rashford, Sterling, Sancho, Calvert-Lewin

Some tough calls with Abraham and Bamford narrowly missing out for me as I think Calvert-Lewin is probably a more rounded striker than both. With regards to Maddison, he's been great but I think having the versatility of someone like Saka would be preferable. Godfrey perhaps a surprise inclusion ahead of maybe Dier or Keane but again I think his versatility is good cover.

I would drop Sancho and take Madison. Sancho has looked decidedly average while on England duty and he plays in a farmer's league. Madison has performed fantastic since returning from injury earlier in the season. Both Foden and Raheem can play on the right and I reckon both would do a better job than Sancho.

[rock the clock]

Liverpool have been dog shit here...

[jyoung]

🤫

[rock the clock]

3 hours ago, eastynh said:

I would drop Sancho and take Madison. Sancho has looked decidedly average while on England duty and he plays in a farmer's league. Madison has performed fantastic since returning from injury earlier in the season. Both Foden and Raheem can play on the right and I reckon both would do a better job than Sancho.

How much Bundesliga do you watch?