PL 2018-2019 Thread
- Thread starter lejackal
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3 weeks on Friday it all starts, not long. Jose in his favourite 3rd season at a club and Pogba strutting around the dressing room after winning the World Cup. What can go wrong at Old Trafford?! :? Might drop a tenner on Arsenal winning the league and Leicester going down.
spoons
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Might be a year for a surprise
Man City will depend how motivated they are for another title - they've failed there previously but surely Pep won't let that happen
Chelsea will be far from prepared
If Jose stays sane it could be Utds year but I think egos will get in the way
My money is on Liverpool as an outside bet, good squad and stability.
I fear England's heroics will have done Spurs no favours - knackered squad before the season starts, but if they have a good start you never know
I'd be happy with top 4 for Arsenal too but they may surprise a few as the only squad with a proper pre-season. Very much an unknown quantity this year.
Man City will depend how motivated they are for another title - they've failed there previously but surely Pep won't let that happen
Chelsea will be far from prepared
If Jose stays sane it could be Utds year but I think egos will get in the way
My money is on Liverpool as an outside bet, good squad and stability.
I fear England's heroics will have done Spurs no favours - knackered squad before the season starts, but if they have a good start you never know
I'd be happy with top 4 for Arsenal too but they may surprise a few as the only squad with a proper pre-season. Very much an unknown quantity this year.
spoons said:
Not just England... sure I read a stat that they were the most represented club side at the finals (as in most players in most games)... might've been in the Quarter's or Semis though...
Add in the merry-go round of where they are playing their initial matches... Away, then 1st 'home game' at Wembley then something like three away before the 2nd home game being at the new ground... against Liverpool too Could all be very unsettling, so I'm doubting (pessimistic Spurs fan) a strong start from the Lilywhites this season...
spoons said:
I can see it being another very tight year. I suspect Arsenal will be better than last year, ok not hard, but their issue will be the new manager learning the PL ropes and the new players settling in. Ditto Chelsea.
I do agree Spuds could suffer as so many of their players played in the latter stages of the WC. But then I guess Dier and Rose didn't play a lot and Son, and Eriksen were out pretty early. Still, the injuries will probably kick in (for all the players who played at the WC, both Spurs and those at other clubs) in and around xmas. That's when squad depth will really come to the fore.
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When you say another tight year does that mean City may only win the league by 15 points? I genuinely hope 3 or 4 teams are in the title race right up to the end. As always it will be fascinating what ever happens.
So Liverpool have spent 60 odd million on a keeper, I think making him the most expensive in history. Hopefully not just a knee-jerk reaction over the CL final which seems to have been linked to concussion. Not sure it's a wise choice of spending personally, even the best keeper in the world can only do so much to keep the ball out of the net, what you really need is a defence capable of stopping it getting there in the first place.
Liverpool have needed a good keeper for a long long long time. Reina was the only decent keeper they have had since before the days of Grobelaar. That's the mid 80's. In that time they have had a procession of poor or mediocre keepers. The David James or Mingolet type. Solid for 5/6/10 games then suddenly a massive brainfart and they cost you points. That's not the sort of keeper you need if you want to make a serious challenge for a title. Insert your own funny comment there.
I do feel sorry for Karius, he had looked ok in the games before the CL final. He hadn't looked amazing but he had looked solid enough. But I think the bollocks he dropped in that game, and then the fact he dropped another in the first pre season game made Klopp realise he needed a more solid option. Karius is probably a 7 out of 10 keeper. I suspect Klopp and Liverpool feel they have a keeper who is an 8 or 9 out of 10.
I agree £60m is stupid money, but that is the state of current transfer market and realistically he was the best keeper Liverpool could have signed. So from that perspective I don't think he is a bad signing. The fact the world record fee for a keeper had stood since the 90's was bizarre.
As for Liverpool's defence, it actually wasn't that bad after VVD signed. It's amazing what happens when you drop a keeper who has a **** up in him and when Moreno gets frozen out. It's ALMOST as if playing people who actually know how to play football is a better idea than letting a muppet and a headless chicken **** you over every week.
Pool conceded as many goals as Chelsea and Spurs both of whom (Spurs especially) would be considered to have a better defence than them. I think Pool were up there to as far as clean sheets goes. So the whole 'Liverpool's defence is shite' thing was slightly misleading.
Saying that I am fully expecting Alison (as I'm going to call her) to turn up and be utterly stinking. It's Liverpool FFS.
I do feel sorry for Karius, he had looked ok in the games before the CL final. He hadn't looked amazing but he had looked solid enough. But I think the bollocks he dropped in that game, and then the fact he dropped another in the first pre season game made Klopp realise he needed a more solid option. Karius is probably a 7 out of 10 keeper. I suspect Klopp and Liverpool feel they have a keeper who is an 8 or 9 out of 10.
I agree £60m is stupid money, but that is the state of current transfer market and realistically he was the best keeper Liverpool could have signed. So from that perspective I don't think he is a bad signing. The fact the world record fee for a keeper had stood since the 90's was bizarre.
As for Liverpool's defence, it actually wasn't that bad after VVD signed. It's amazing what happens when you drop a keeper who has a **** up in him and when Moreno gets frozen out. It's ALMOST as if playing people who actually know how to play football is a better idea than letting a muppet and a headless chicken **** you over every week.
Pool conceded as many goals as Chelsea and Spurs both of whom (Spurs especially) would be considered to have a better defence than them. I think Pool were up there to as far as clean sheets goes. So the whole 'Liverpool's defence is shite' thing was slightly misleading.
Saying that I am fully expecting Alison (as I'm going to call her) to turn up and be utterly stinking. It's Liverpool FFS.
I don't even know what makes a decent keeper these days to be honest, people say Lloris is amongst the best but he often makes mistakes including that howler in the world cup final. Nobody wants traditional keepers or defenders any more, they want Harry Kane with some gloves on, and then kick off when he can't save anything.
True that.
I guess a keeper who makes saves (that rules out Mingolet, he had an amazing record when it came to letting in the first shot he faced in games) and doesn't drop too many bollocks.
That's why DDG is the best, cos he ticks both boxes. Ok he dropped one in the WC, but that was the first mistake, proper mistake, I can remember him making for a few seasons. Compare that with Mingers, Karius, Cech or Hart.
On another note, Everton are going to pay 50m for richarlison. FIFTY ****ING MILLION QUID. FIFTY!?!?
The guy is bang average. He started well last season then disappeared. Now he's worth £50m? **** off. I would have thought Everton would have learnt their lesson and after season's shite summer signings. Obviously not. Suddenly Alison looks like a bargain.
I know who I'm tipping as worst signing of the season.
I guess a keeper who makes saves (that rules out Mingolet, he had an amazing record when it came to letting in the first shot he faced in games) and doesn't drop too many bollocks.
That's why DDG is the best, cos he ticks both boxes. Ok he dropped one in the WC, but that was the first mistake, proper mistake, I can remember him making for a few seasons. Compare that with Mingers, Karius, Cech or Hart.
On another note, Everton are going to pay 50m for richarlison. FIFTY ****ING MILLION QUID. FIFTY!?!?
The guy is bang average. He started well last season then disappeared. Now he's worth £50m? **** off. I would have thought Everton would have learnt their lesson and after season's shite summer signings. Obviously not. Suddenly Alison looks like a bargain.
I know who I'm tipping as worst signing of the season.
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I agree about the goalkeeper thing and as much as I would love to slate Liverpool for spending £60 million on a keeper, I can't, because it's the way football has gone. £60 million to Liverpool is nothing. :shock:
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More like Man Utd 0 - 0 Leicester! It's exciting wandering what will unfold, everyone backing Man City and with good reason, doesn't often go to plan though. Very interested to see Arsenal and Chelsea play, everyone is so optimistic at the start!
True. I saw something the other day that had City as odds on to retain the title, apparently the last side who were odds on was Chelsea the year Utd pipped them to it.
I think Chelsea and Arsenal are real unknowns this year. I do worry about Arsenal, their signings just strike me as a bit meh. Chelsea will do their usual and either be amazing or dung.
Spuds are doing their usual and leaving it all to the last minute, which I don't quit get, but that's daniel levy.
I think Chelsea and Arsenal are real unknowns this year. I do worry about Arsenal, their signings just strike me as a bit meh. Chelsea will do their usual and either be amazing or dung.
Spuds are doing their usual and leaving it all to the last minute, which I don't quit get, but that's daniel levy.
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I worry a bit for Spurs to be honest, seems to me they have stood still a bit, would be interesting to hear some Spurs opinions. I think Liverpool are a real threat this season, ok they struggle at the back, but who doesn't these days. City are poor at the back, the only reason they look good at the back is because the other team hardly get the ball!
As a Utd fan I'm less optimistic than I was last year, but to be honest I've stop listening to Jose, he needs to play a new record or shut up.
As a Utd fan I'm less optimistic than I was last year, but to be honest I've stop listening to Jose, he needs to play a new record or shut up.
lejackal
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I'm expecting us to have more solidity, a return to development of youth with the older heads brought in to nurture the youngsters and a bit of flair upfront - not really sure what to make of the midfield so far, I still don't see a real leader but time will tell.
Just before Edd jumps in, next weeks post match comments will be Wenger in :lol: :lol:
Just before Edd jumps in, next weeks post match comments will be Wenger in :lol: :lol:
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