Premier League 22/23 Thread

[theforceuk]

Yeah Pep himself is Man City's biggest obstacle in doing the treble. I think with Real Madrid, if there is one team that can knock them out it's Man City. I don't go for the view that Man City are jinxed in the UCL. I've seen it down the years a team consistently goes deep and they will win it eventually. Wouldn't be surprised if Man City won the next 2.

 

[weasel]

Agreed, unless they get done for break FFP

 

[theforceuk]

Let's not forget Arsenal should have 2 more points. All because a VAR official forgot to draw a line for an offside.

On another note, how has De Gea not been nominated for team of the year. I'm not saying he should definitely get in it, but to not be nominated. He's presently winning the golden glove. Only thing I can think is he's been on the wrong end of a 7-0 and 6-3?

 

[lejackal]

Yep, although (no disrespect @weasel / @Cazza / @Robstyley ) arguably the four points dropped against Liverpool and West Ham are more costly. We should've put those games to bed before putting the handbrake back on

 

[edd_jedi]

I think calling a draw away to Liverpool "dropped points" is a bit of a stretch, even if they haven't been great recently. Losing to Bournemouth at home on the other hand...

 

[lejackal]

I think calling a draw away to Liverpool "dropped points" is a bit of a stretch, even if they haven't been great recently. Losing to Bournemouth at home on the other hand...

2-0 up you should be killing the game, either buckle up and sit deep or score again. We just ****** about until it was too late

 

[edd_jedi]

Yeah but nobody wins a football match in the first half, I can think of half a dozen games just this season where a team has lost after being ahead at the break. You were incredibly lucky to take anything from that game with Salah missing a penalty

 

[weasel]

Let's not forget Arsenal should have 2 more points. All because a VAR official forgot to draw a line for an offside.

Or three points less cos your first (I think) goal against Pool earlier in the season had someone so far offside they were out of shot and thus VAR did FA. ;-)

(Insert your own comment about how utterly shambolically retarded those who use VAR are).


That list for team of the season is weird, no Ivan Toney, but Haevertz and Nunez are nominated. Not sure WTF Haevertz has done to deserve a nomination, Nunez hasn't been amazing, but he has been a damned sight better than Haevertz..............and Toney has been better than both of them.
It's probably just the usual popularity contest.

 

[lejackal]

Or three points less cos your first (I think) goal against Pool earlier in the season had someone so far offside they were out of shot and thus VAR did FA. ;-)

Pretty sure I got screenshots for that one

 

[lejackal]

The biggest consistency with VAR has been the ability to get it wrong every week

 

[weasel]

It is genuinely impressive that with so many replays and so many different angles, and NOT making any effort to make a decision in less than 10 minutes, they still get so many decisions wrong.

Their success rate must be lower than pre VAR

 

[edd_jedi]

Yeah it's been ridiculous, how can a professional referee with a dozen camera angles consistently make worse decisions than Joe Public on their TV? It happens every bloody week!

 

[lejackal]

I know none of you are particularly keen on egg chasing as a sport (insert @weasel its not sport comment at your leisure) but TMO reviews in rugby are rarely incorrect, normally quite quick (unless something is genuinely hard to see conclusively) and fully explained as the ref is mic'd up

 

[edd_jedi]

Yeah same goes for basketball, cricket, NFL etc

 

[weasel]

What was the TMO stuff like initially? VAR is still fairly new to football, so I cut them a little slack, albeit their record is still appalling.

Video referrals in Cricket work a lot better than var, but Cricket is a very stop start sport.

 

[lejackal]

What was the TMO stuff like initially? VAR is still fairly new to football, so I cut them a little slack, albeit their record is still appalling.

Video referrals in Cricket work a lot better than var, but Cricket is a very stop start sport.

Being honest TMO has been there so long I can't really remember. There was a try disallowed in the WC final vs South Africa 2007 that I still say was scored but that may well be a biased opinion. Can't say as I remember too many controversial moments.

 

[weasel]

Rugby is like hockey, a bit more stop start than football. Part of the problem is the length of time VAR takes (to then get the wrong decision).

 

[lejackal]

Ultimately we need better people making better decisions faster. Pretty sure any one of us could do it

 

[lejackal]

Edd might not like me reviewing Harry Kane falling over or being passed to though

 

[Robstyley]

I know none of you are particularly keen on egg chasing as a sport (insert @weasel its not sport comment at your leisure) but TMO reviews in rugby are rarely incorrect, normally quite quick (unless something is genuinely hard to see conclusively) and fully explained as the ref is mic'd up

I like rugby. I like football more as a sport because of its (mostly) free flowing nature and cos it's played with feet. But I by far prefer the way rugby is played, the refereeing and the behaviour of the players etc. As for VAR it's proven that it still comes down to an opinion, it's subjective. It's been good for offside, fairly cut and dry. For fouls and handballs it's been at best difficult/not worked and at worst a complete farce.

 

[weasel]

@Robstyley I take your point on Rugby, I know a lot of rugby fans who hate the play acting and diving in football. As a football fan I don't really like it either. The solution to the behaviour is easy, copy Rugby (or Hockey) and only the captain can talk to the ref (or in hockey's case swearing at the ref is a straight red). Bring a rule like that in and watch player behaviour improve ten fold. Especially after a high profile red card or four.

Also retrospective bans for diving or play acting would be great. Even let VAR judge it in real time. A blatant, Neymar style dive complete with 97 rolls and a wink when he gets his free or the opponent gets booked is now a straight red. Though whoever employs Neymar would be ****** as he would be banned for four years after his first game.

 

[edd_jedi]

So I keep seeing lots of news about who Chelsea are speaking to: Nagelsmann, Kompany, Poch. WTF are Spurs doing as usual?! wait until mid August no doubt, and then panic hire somebody ****.

 

[weasel]

Apparently Chelsea have ruled Nagelsman out. I assume because he had half a notion how to run a big club.

Kompany would be a brave choice given how badly Potter went. Kompany isn't exactly experienced as a manager. 2 or 3 years in Belgium and one season in the championship.

I do feel sorry for Spurs fans, and @edd_jedi is probably spot on with regards to who they appoint. Levy really should know better by now.

Utd did well last night! It was like watching Liverpool.

 

[weasel]

Bugger me that was tense. @weasel, you still not rate Ramsdale?

Now you see why I don't rate him?

 

[lejackal]

Just need to win at Citeh now……

 

[theforceuk]

Bloody Arsenal, bottling it big time. Worrying how Arsenal have dropped off.

As for Man Utd, all the fans have been saying the squad will crumble towards the end of the season. One things for sure Harry Maquire is probably the worst ever PL signing. . Bruno was a huge loss last night, he's back for Brighton on Sunday, but I do worry, Brighton are some side. A plus is Harry 'the fridge' Maquire is suspended for Sunday. Shame our 2 first choice centre backs are out.

 

[weasel]

Just need to win at Citeh now……

Every chance, especially with their current rich vein of form!


As for Utd, I suspect with their morale also on the floor, and Brighton riding high, that game could be a lot easier for Brighton that we thought when the draw was made.
Fat Maguire being suspended, along with Varane and Martinez being injured and Phil Jones being…..Phil Jones and injured, does mean Utd have a CB pairing of Lindeloft and …..Luke Shaw. Ohh wait, Shaw is injured, I think. Time to call up the tea lady.

I look forward to seeing/hearing the idiot Utd fans using their lack of CB's as an excuse for losing to Brighton (and Sevilla, and any possible future dropped points) . They'll be the same morons who were saying Pool should have done just as well with a CB pairing of Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams as they did with VVD and Gomes/Matip. Obviously there won't be a hint of self awareness of the hypocrisy and irony.

For the record, I suspect if back in August we had offered Utd their current league position with 8 games to go and a worthless cup win, they would have bitten our hands off. ETH has done a good job there this season (disappointingly, albeit not surprisingly). There is progress at that club. But some of their fans are proper morons, the type who are talking about needing a new GK, CB, RB, CM and striker. Cos obviously you'll sign all five of those in one summer window!
You know the sort, "Sell DDG for 50m, Maguire for 50m, and Martial for 60m. And use that money to buy Bellingham and Kane."

 

[weasel]

Bloody Arsenal, bottling it big time. Worrying how Arsenal have dropped off.

I have seen a few people describe it as "Spursy"

 

[lejackal]

I have seen a few people describe it as "Spursy"

Steady on!

 

[theforceuk]

I think these owners have proven we can't sell anyone, I reckon Maquire is worth £25 million max and then he wouldn't agree to go because his salary is so high. I don't have a problem with DDG, I can see the argument for replacing him. But goalkeepers seem to find the Man Utd shirt hard to fill. He makes mistakes but all goalkeepers do. I can see Ten Hag selling him in a couple years but he's about to sign a new contract.

I would have taken top 4 and the league cup at the beginning of January.