Football 2020/2021

[jyoung]

1 minute ago, eastynh said:

I am not arguing with you as I totally agree, Salah is shit hot. No one has the kind of money Liverpool would want and the amount Liverpool would need to replace them.

Yeah. I guess when Coutinho goes for 100+ it kind of sets a precedent.

[Guest]

People's opinions on top 4 now? 

[jyoung]

1 minute ago, eastynh said:

People's opinions on top 4 now? 

Very hard to say. Leicester have had rough injuries and Brendan has form for bottling it at the business end. It's hard to predict whether Everton's form will carry on into a decent momentum or whether they will tail off. As for West Ham, well Moyes obviously knows something we don't so I couldn't possibly say. I would hope that Chelsea have enough experience in this situation to carry us over the line. Let's see how the Chelsea Everton game goes this weekend.

[pink_triangle]

22 minutes ago, eastynh said:

Madrid have not got a pot to piss in.

If they find some money you think they would be looking at Mbappe or Haaland instead of Salah.

[Guest]

13 minutes ago, pink_triangle said:

If they find some money you think they would be looking at Mbappe or Haaland instead of Salah.

They could not even afford Memphis Depay last year. With no fans at all this season, they will be hard pressed to afford the 2 players you mention. I think Mbappe will stay at PSG with Haaland at City or Chelsea.

Edited March 4, 2021 by Guest

[jyoung]

Just now, eastynh said:

They could not even afford Memphis Delay last year. With no fans at all this season, they will be hard pressed to afford the 2 players you mention. I think Mbappe will stay at PSG with Haaland at City or Chelsea.

I agree Mbappe will stay. At least for a few more seasons anyway. Haaland is much more likely to move and I think him coming to the Prem makes much more sense than Mbappe. Both incredible though.

[Guest]

9 minutes ago, jyoung said:

I agree Mbappe will stay. At least for a few more seasons anyway. Haaland is much more likely to move and I think him coming to the Prem makes much more sense than Mbappe. Both incredible though.

Can't see United investing too heavily either, with the next set of results expected to be even worse. They are the champions of Tik Tok though.

 

https://twitter.com/RobHarris/status/1367583055737540608?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^tweetembed|twterm^1367583055737540608|twgr^|twcon^s1_c10&ref_url=

[kaosmark2]

1 hour ago, eastynh said:

Also who of similar quality can Liverpool replace them with?

If you're talking about "approaching 30", it's whether their scouts are good.

[pink_triangle]

8 hours ago, jyoung said:

I agree Mbappe will stay. At least for a few more seasons anyway. Haaland is much more likely to move and I think him coming to the Prem makes much more sense than Mbappe. Both incredible though.

I think for Mbappe the be that football icon he has to leave. With his contract up end of next season he could make huge money on a bosman. Trouble is the 2 spanish giants (who previously would be obvious destinations) don't have the same finances.

[lost]

It probably all depends on covid. There were suggestions in the press Inter have defaulted on a Lukaku payment to utd so it now seems to be hitting more leagues. This also seems to be a now or never summer for Kane, if Mbappe does move I wonder if the Poch effect comes in there and PSG maybe sniffing around? 

[Guest]

32 minutes ago, lost said:

It probably all depends on covid. There were suggestions in the press Inter have defaulted on a Lukaku payment to utd so it now seems to be hitting more leagues. This also seems to be a now or never summer for Kane, if Mbappe does move I wonder if the Poch effect comes in there and PSG maybe sniffing around? 

The Chinese team, who are owned by the same people who own Inter, have been dissolved.

[CG31]

11 hours ago, eastynh said:

People's opinions on top 4 now? 

At the start of the season I had City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal

I’d now say City, Chelsea, United, and undecided whether West Ham or Leicester do it. As mentioned Leicester have a lot of key injuries, and I think they’re collapse last year will be on their mind. West Ham are young and exciting, Lingard looks at his best and they’re a good outfit. Naturally Liverpool could turn it around at some point, Spurs if they get Bale going have a scary front 3 and Everton are very good. Personally think it’ll be Leicester just

[TheGayTent]

Five of our regular starting XI are over 30 so I wouldn’t say young and I definitely wouldn’t say exciting. 
 

Unless you mean young as the team that Moyes is building is in its early stages of development - this I’d agree with. 
 

The results are exciting but the play isn’t really. We’re based on organisation, being well drilled, counter attacking with pace, being excellent at set pieces (at both ends of the pitch), and a lot of hard graft. 
 

Much of it isn’t exciting but it works. We’re also one or two injuries away from being fucked. But that’s been the case all season and I’m touching all the wood I can find until May. 

[CG31]

47 minutes ago, TheGayTent said:

Five of our regular starting XI are over 30 so I wouldn’t say young and I definitely wouldn’t say exciting. 
 

Unless you mean young as the team that Moyes is building is in its early stages of development - this I’d agree with. 
 

The results are exciting but the play isn’t really. We’re based on organisation, being well drilled, counter attacking with pace, being excellent at set pieces (at both ends of the pitch), and a lot of hard graft. 
 

Much of it isn’t exciting but it works. We’re also one or two injuries away from being fucked. But that’s been the case all season and I’m touching all the wood I can find until May. 

Didn’t realise that both Antonio and Cresswell were 30! but Lingard, Benhrama, Bowen, Rice, Soucek, Fornals, Coufal, Lanzini and Diop are all under 30. also think you do play decent football, it may be counter attacking but City was a relatively captivating game and you looked quick going forward. Maybe I haven’t watched enough of your games, but from MOTD and the games I’ve seen you look good, especially as at the start of the season I had you down for relegation

on the injury front going forward I reckon you have decent depth, defensively you’d potentially be in trouble

[kaosmark2]

1 hour ago, Gerard the Fab said:

Didn’t realise that both Antonio and Cresswell were 30! but Lingard, Benhrama, Bowen, Rice, Soucek, Fornals, Coufal, Lanzini and Diop are all under 30. also think you do play decent football, it may be counter attacking but City was a relatively captivating game and you looked quick going forward. Maybe I haven’t watched enough of your games, but from MOTD and the games I’ve seen you look good, especially as at the start of the season I had you down for relegation

on the injury front going forward I reckon you have decent depth, defensively you’d potentially be in trouble

I'm sure that Lingard will still be considered a young prospect when he's 34.

[kaosmark2]

Steve Bruce again the headline. Not the football (which doesn't exist), but goddamn candle-face.

[TheGayTent]

3 hours ago, Gerard the Fab said:

Didn’t realise that both Antonio and Cresswell were 30! but Lingard, Benhrama, Bowen, Rice, Soucek, Fornals, Coufal, Lanzini and Diop are all under 30. also think you do play decent football, it may be counter attacking but City was a relatively captivating game and you looked quick going forward. Maybe I haven’t watched enough of your games, but from MOTD and the games I’ve seen you look good, especially as at the start of the season I had you down for relegation

on the injury front going forward I reckon you have decent depth, defensively you’d potentially be in trouble

Lingard isn’t ours, both Diop and Lanzini have been bit part players this season. Though you’re right we do break quickly and are easy on the eye when we are counter attacking.
 

Rice and Soucek are first and foremost defensively minded but both are adept at joining in attacks with the front three. It’s great that we have Fornals, Masuaku, Lanzini, Benrahma, Bowen, Lingard (temporarily), and Yarmolenko who are all virtually interchangeable in Moyes’ system. 

Couple of points though. Other than an (effective) make shift one, we don’t have any strikers. Not one. Not a back up, and not a back up to the back up. Only youth players that aren’t ready and never likely to be ready (at this level). In addition, subject to the right demand, we’ll start next season without Lanzini, Lingard, and Yarmolenko. Which means we’ll be very short (again). 
 

Lastly, as good as we can be in terms of entertainment going forward, the reality is that we spend the majority of games defending. 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, TheGayTent said:

Lingard isn’t ours, both Diop and Lanzini have been bit part players this season. Though you’re right we do break quickly and are easy on the eye when we are counter attacking.
 

Rice and Soucek are first and foremost defensively minded but both are adept at joining in attacks with the front three. It’s great that we have Fornals, Masuaku, Lanzini, Benrahma, Bowen, Lingard (temporarily), and Yarmolenko who are all virtually interchangeable in Moyes’ system. 

Couple of points though. Other than an (effective) make shift one, we don’t have any strikers. Not one. Not a back up, and not a back up to the back up. Only youth players that aren’t ready and never likely to be ready (at this level). In addition, subject to the right demand, we’ll start next season without Lanzini, Lingard, and Yarmolenko. Which means we’ll be very short (again). 
 

Lastly, as good as we can be in terms of entertainment going forward, the reality is that we spend the majority of games defending. 

Why do you need strikers?? They are so last decade.

[charlierc]

4 hours ago, kaosmark2 said:

Steve Bruce again the headline. Not the football (which doesn't exist), but goddamn candle-face.

This week has been like a throwback to when I was a teenager and Newcastle would seemingly be in the news as much for some ludicrous off-pitch behaviour as the mediocre results on it. Even if it's not quite Craig Bellamy vs Graeme Souness, which seemed to be a running battle that benefitted nobody.

But yeah. I wouldn't be surprised if the players think they could be managed by someone better because, objectively, there are better managers out there.

As far as this week goes, I'm not sure what Bruce was achieving by blaming Ritchie for the Wolves equaliser (or for that matter Joelinton for a late miss that was as much because of a great block by a Wolves defender). He really does seem rattled at present and has done for a few weeks. But with all the injuries and that long run of some terrible tactical choices, I can't say I'm surprised it's not going well.

[kaosmark2]

23 minutes ago, charlierc said:

This week has been like a throwback to when I was a teenager and Newcastle would seemingly be in the news as much for some ludicrous off-pitch behaviour as the mediocre results on it. Even if it's not quite Craig Bellamy vs Graeme Souness, which seemed to be a running battle that benefitted nobody.

But yeah. I wouldn't be surprised if the players think they could be managed by someone better because, objectively, there are better managers out there.

As far as this week goes, I'm not sure what Bruce was achieving by blaming Ritchie for the Wolves equaliser (or for that matter Joelinton for a late miss that was as much because of a great block by a Wolves defender). He really does seem rattled at present and has done for a few weeks. But with all the injuries and that long run of some terrible tactical choices, I can't say I'm surprised it's not going well.

Bellamy vs Souness, Jenas vs Souness, Robert vs Souness, Bowyer vs Dyer, Dyer vs Souness. That turd of a manager somehow alienated every single exciting player Sir Bobby brought in (albeit Bowyer is an absolute c**t). And yet Steve Bruce is close to as bad. I genuinely didn't think I'd ever make that comparison in terms of breaking apart the spine of a team with just bad management skills.

Yet you look at our key players under Rafa, Dubravka, Lascalles, Schar, Hayden, Ritchie, all alienated or playing badly. Almiron hasn't improved in the slightest despite the fact that with his age and raw talent you feel he would be. Ryan Fraser hasn't been particularly impressive, and I thought he was excellent at Bournemouth. In terms of level of regression, I'd say this is the club's 2nd worst this century, and what's gutting is how everyone saw it coming, yet still didn't think it'd be quite this bad.

Edited March 5, 2021 by kaosmark2

[charlierc]

6 minutes ago, kaosmark2 said:

Bellamy vs Souness, Jenas vs Souness, Robert vs Souness, Bowyer vs Dyer, Dyer vs Souness. That turd of a manager somehow alienated every single exciting player Sir Bobby brought in (albeit Bowyer is an absolute c**t). And yet Steve Bruce is close to as bad. I genuinely didn't think I'd ever make that comparison in terms of breaking apart the spine of a team with just bad management skills.

Yet you look at our key players under Rafa, Dubravka, Lascalles, Schar, Hayden, Ritchie, all alienated or playing badly. Almiron hasn't improved in the slightest despite the fact that with his age and raw talent you feel he would be. Ryan Fraser hasn't been particularly impressive, and I thought he was excellent at Bournemouth. In terms of level of regression, I'd say this is the club's 2nd worst this century, and what's gutting is how everyone saw it coming, yet still didn't think it'd be quite this bad.

All those confrontations makes me forget how fucked up Newcastle's 2004/05 season was. What a time to be alive that wasn't. Souness was such a bad replacement for Bobby Robson and its kinda bizarre how bitter he still is about being fired. But yeah it's very weird that we're talking about somebody in the same ballpark as that misstep and here we are.

It's curious that I saw a lot of people talk up Bruce as having excellent man management skills yet I don't feel like I've seen any evidence of that and a lot of players just seem to have gone backwards even on last season, nevermind the time we had with Rafa. Just makes you wonder what the board see in him nobody else does, on top of the fact they clearly haven't learned from the mistake that was Steve McClaren.

[kaosmark2]

3 hours ago, charlierc said:

All those confrontations makes me forget how fucked up Newcastle's 2004/05 season was. What a time to be alive that wasn't. Souness was such a bad replacement for Bobby Robson and its kinda bizarre how bitter he still is about being fired. But yeah it's very weird that we're talking about somebody in the same ballpark as that misstep and here we are.

It's curious that I saw a lot of people talk up Bruce as having excellent man management skills yet I don't feel like I've seen any evidence of that and a lot of players just seem to have gone backwards even on last season, nevermind the time we had with Rafa. Just makes you wonder what the board see in him nobody else does, on top of the fact they clearly haven't learned from the mistake that was Steve McClaren.

Souness has been voted as the worst manager of all by 4 different clubs. 4. That's remarkably high.

Rafa is known as a mediocre man-manager, I do understand a bit that Bruce might have been seen as an upgrade on that front, but.... he's been fucking useless.

[pink_triangle]

8 hours ago, kaosmark2 said:

Souness has been voted as the worst manager of all by 4 different clubs. 4. That's remarkably high.

Rafa is known as a mediocre man-manager, I do understand a bit that Bruce might have been seen as an upgrade on that front, but.... he's been fucking useless.

Which 4 clubs? I would personally rank hodgson above him for liverpool.

[kaosmark2]

4 hours ago, pink_triangle said:

Which 4 clubs? I would personally rank hodgson above him for liverpool.

Galatasaray, Liverpool, Torino, Newcastle. It was before Hodgson managed Liverpool in fairness. 

[DareToDibble]

Jesus Christ. Wake me up at the start of next season please.