And a draw with Watford too :lol: I guess all teams have a bad run now and again, this is the worst one Spurs have had for a couple of seasons. No chance of catching City now, just a battle for a CL spot (and even that's not looking likely with Utd playing so well.)
PL 2017-2018 Thread
- Thread starter lejackal
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Yeah, Spuds are having a stinker at the minute. Looked like Watford should have had a penalty at the end too.
I don't see many sides catching City even at this stage. 5 sides fighting it out for 3 other CL spots. Arsenal with the added advantage of an extra shot via Europa League.
I don't see many sides catching City even at this stage. 5 sides fighting it out for 3 other CL spots. Arsenal with the added advantage of an extra shot via Europa League.
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Yeah it would be a surprise now if anyone other than City won the league and if they win the derby next Sunday it's curtains. Although they are on an unbelievable run the last three league games haven't been completely one sided so their is a bit of hope. :?
At the moment it looks like Chelsea, Man Utd and Liverpool are favourites for the top four, still a long way to go.
At the moment it looks like Chelsea, Man Utd and Liverpool are favourites for the top four, still a long way to go.
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I agree on the CL spots, thing is I can't really see Utd or Chelsea missing out, just think they have to much. Arsenal just don't have a back bone, although Wenger still thinks they are in the title race. :lol: Then Spurs have pretty much imploded and you wander where a win is going to come from.
I know Liverpool are bad at the back, but so are Spurs and Arsenal and even Chelsea have their moments when you think, how did they win the league defending like that. The general standard of defending in the Premiership is poor, but then if it wasn't we wouldn't have games like the Arsenal - Man Utd match on Saturday. The way Liverpoool attack at times is up their with City, think they have scored 22 goals in the last 7 games, that's really consistent. :shock:
I know Liverpool are bad at the back, but so are Spurs and Arsenal and even Chelsea have their moments when you think, how did they win the league defending like that. The general standard of defending in the Premiership is poor, but then if it wasn't we wouldn't have games like the Arsenal - Man Utd match on Saturday. The way Liverpoool attack at times is up their with City, think they have scored 22 goals in the last 7 games, that's really consistent. :shock:
That game on Saturday will give Jose nightmares for years to come. Jose don't like entertainment and high scoring games. Jose likes bus parking and sucking the joy out of things. :wink:
I wonder will Utd just set up shop on Sunday? Pogba is a big old loss. Whilst a draw against City isn't a 'bad' result for there to be anything other than a mathematical title race Utd really need to win.
I wonder will Utd just set up shop on Sunday? Pogba is a big old loss. Whilst a draw against City isn't a 'bad' result for there to be anything other than a mathematical title race Utd really need to win.
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I think going toe to toe with City would be a massive gamble, like you say a draw ain't any good to Utd. I don't mind parking the bus as long as it works and you don't do it week in week out! The last two games have been the Utd of old, which we haven't been doing for a lot longer than the average person thinks, you simply won't win the league playing like that week in week out, their is to many good teams. With City being an exception at the moment.
If englsh clubs want to get back to where we were in the Champions League, they need to learn how to park the bus for certain periods of games, you have a bad half hour in the CL knock out stages and that's it your out. If Liverpool learn how to do it they will be right up their.
Don't forget clubs have been coming to Old Trafford for 25 years now and parking the bus and getting praised when it pays off. The great Liverpool teams of the 70's invented parking the bus, once they were 2-0 up. Fair play to City though they look good enough at the moment to not have to park the bus, have to wait and see if their good enough not to do it in the later stages of the CL. :wink:
If englsh clubs want to get back to where we were in the Champions League, they need to learn how to park the bus for certain periods of games, you have a bad half hour in the CL knock out stages and that's it your out. If Liverpool learn how to do it they will be right up their.
Don't forget clubs have been coming to Old Trafford for 25 years now and parking the bus and getting praised when it pays off. The great Liverpool teams of the 70's invented parking the bus, once they were 2-0 up. Fair play to City though they look good enough at the moment to not have to park the bus, have to wait and see if their good enough not to do it in the later stages of the CL. :wink:
There is a difference between 'closing out a game' or trying to break the other teams momentum and parking the bus.
What Jose did at Anfield (and has done almost every time he has taken a team to Anfield) was parking the bus. I think Utd had 1 shot in the whole game and they barely even looked to attack. That is very different from, "we're 2 up let's see it out" or "right they are playing us off the park ATM, just sit in for 5 and get a foot hold in the game." The first of those implies you have at least tried to play/attack before, the second that you may have done and may well look to once you get over the next 5/10 mins.
Jose's bus parking, and he isn't the only one who does it, but he is the only manager of a 'big side' (that I can think of) who does it so regularly, is purely designed to suck any chances and by default entertainment out of a game.
It's a means to an end for him. His method of operation is don't lose big away games and grind out enuf points against the weaker sides that you win the league. TBF, it has worked for him. I don't think it'll work this year though.
For the record, Rafa was quite good at setting up Liverpool to be hard to beat/dull as, when we won the CL in 05. Though, and I admit I am biased, I will cut him a little slack as a team that has Djimi Traore, Igor Biscan, Sinima Pongolle and Bruno Nunez, is a tad different to the current Utd squad (or Jose's Chelsea/Real teams). Houllier also got Pool to a UEFA cup final by playing 4-5-1 and hoofing long balls to Owen. About as exciting for a neutral as a boot in the plums.
What Jose did at Anfield (and has done almost every time he has taken a team to Anfield) was parking the bus. I think Utd had 1 shot in the whole game and they barely even looked to attack. That is very different from, "we're 2 up let's see it out" or "right they are playing us off the park ATM, just sit in for 5 and get a foot hold in the game." The first of those implies you have at least tried to play/attack before, the second that you may have done and may well look to once you get over the next 5/10 mins.
Jose's bus parking, and he isn't the only one who does it, but he is the only manager of a 'big side' (that I can think of) who does it so regularly, is purely designed to suck any chances and by default entertainment out of a game.
It's a means to an end for him. His method of operation is don't lose big away games and grind out enuf points against the weaker sides that you win the league. TBF, it has worked for him. I don't think it'll work this year though.
For the record, Rafa was quite good at setting up Liverpool to be hard to beat/dull as, when we won the CL in 05. Though, and I admit I am biased, I will cut him a little slack as a team that has Djimi Traore, Igor Biscan, Sinima Pongolle and Bruno Nunez, is a tad different to the current Utd squad (or Jose's Chelsea/Real teams). Houllier also got Pool to a UEFA cup final by playing 4-5-1 and hoofing long balls to Owen. About as exciting for a neutral as a boot in the plums.
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No he will be fine, Liverpool's rock he is. :lol:
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I can't believe Man Utd's game against Derby Counrty in the 3rd round of the FA Cup isn't going to be televised. That's the end of a 58 game run of FA Cup games being televised in the UK. It's not fair! :lol:
I saw that. I had actually txt a few Utd supporting mates sarcastically saying, 'what odds
Utd being televised'. The fact their last 58 (if that is the exact number) of FAC games have been screened is an absolute disgrace. No issue if they are finals/semis or earlier games against big sides, or even absolute minnows, but we all know the vast majority have been effectively byes into the next round ( Utd at home to Championship struggler/League one alos ran etc). If I was running whatever station have FAC rights I'd fire the person responsible for that decision.
Utd being televised'. The fact their last 58 (if that is the exact number) of FAC games have been screened is an absolute disgrace. No issue if they are finals/semis or earlier games against big sides, or even absolute minnows, but we all know the vast majority have been effectively byes into the next round ( Utd at home to Championship struggler/League one alos ran etc). If I was running whatever station have FAC rights I'd fire the person responsible for that decision.
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It's all about money, ridiculous really. You could say really that it's ridiculous that you don't have an option to watch every single top flight game if your willing to pay for it. I've had friends and family visit from abroad and they can't believe that some Man Utd games aren't televised. It seems absolutely ridiculous with on demand TV and the fact if you live pretty much anywhere else in the world you can watch every single Man Utd, Liverpool, Spurs, Arsenal and every other premiership game live if you want.
Going to be interesting tomorrow, two huge matches, both games a clash of styles. Think Liverpool will take Everton apart and Pogba is impossible to replace for Utd. That said we will get chances, just not sure Utd can keep City out the other end.
Going to be interesting tomorrow, two huge matches, both games a clash of styles. Think Liverpool will take Everton apart and Pogba is impossible to replace for Utd. That said we will get chances, just not sure Utd can keep City out the other end.
Early days, but Moyes seems to be turning things around :shock: We're working so much harder and look much more organised 8)
theforceuk said:
Absolutely agreed. The cunts have now started IP blocking streaming services while EPL games are on. SHOW THE ****ING GAMES ON LEGAL TV THEN YOU BELL ENDS!!!! I'm literally waiting to throw my cash at them. But I'm not buying Sky, BT or Virgin while I can only watch 20% of the matches, it's bullshit.
Finally a bit of justice for Spurs. They win as soon as Rose is dropped again, coincidence?! He's one of those annoying people with a massive ego and nothing to back it up with, I can understand Ronaldo being big headed but Danny Rose, sod off.
Cazza said:
Moyes will suck the life out of WH yet, but they did well today. Chelsea were woeful. WH didn't offer much after they scored, but they didn't need to. Good solid rear guard action. Adrian wasn't exactly over worked either.
First time i've watched chelsea in a while, possibly this season. Christensen, Zappacosta and Bakayoko all starting. Hmmmm. I'd literally never heard mention of zappacosta before today, was he a competition winner or something? He was shite. Bakayoko was only a tad better. Apparently Hazard was on the pitch. Not sure he actually touched the ball. Actually, no Chelsea player played well today.mmaybe just one of those days.
More likely it was the fact I had backed them in a Soccer buster/last man standing and in true style the team I pick lose. Everytime.
edd_jedi said:
Yeah, I agree. I'm letting my BT contract run down then I'm ditching it. They are ok, their CL goals show is good, but it's not worth the money. That and they out the price up half way through the ****ing contract. You signed the thing at X price, stand by that price you wankers.
Why we can't watch the games we want to I just don't get.
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lejackal said:
Yes it's exactly that, which is why Real Madrid v Barcelona wasn't televised in this country for the first 15 minutes a couple seasons ago. It kicked off at 5pm no live games are aloud from 14:45 - 17:15 on a Saturday in the UK. The presenter just had to talk about the game for 15 minutes in the studio! Although this is a really out of date rule I do kind of get it, but is Manchester Utd v Brighton really going to affect the attendance of any 3pm kick offs? You just don't have any of the big games kick off at 3pm. They need to find a solution to it.
