Premier League 2019/2020 Thread

[weasel]

No chance Arsenal will make CL now. They will do very well to make EL. Their chances prob hinge on City losing their appeal.

Aubamayang leaves in the summer, they miss out on Europe, they don't have much money and they have a squad that is more deadwood than players you would keep. The slippery slope to mid table obscurity is calling.

How many of their squad would Leicester want, never mind the likes of City or Pool. Maybe Bellerin, lacazette, ehhh the wee lad Sakho (?) who looks half decent. Leno has never convinced me, but he did well against City, though he was stretchered off so his season is prob over. The rest are kids, over rated plodders (Xhaka), people they paid a fortune for who look bang average (ehhh Xhaka and Pepe) or are on stupid money and don't give a **** (hello mezit).

Hoe do you replace an entire squad with no money, and if I was a cynic I would add a manager who has zero experience!?

 

[lejackal]

We have needed to overhaul the squad, I mean really overhaul it, for YEARS. Now I think we're royally screwed without a good chunk of investment from above, although I don't think that's going to happen.
The Ozil contract was a huge mistake, our inability to learn from contract negotiations is worrying as despite management changes there does not seem to be any improvement. Transfer wise we've spunked 120 million, give or take, on Pepe, Tierney and Saliba and another 20-30 on Luiz and three loans that for all intents and purposes haven't worked. We are bad at transfers, we keep signing players that are injured, we can't shift the deadwood and we are in bed with 'super agents' who are only really super at lining their own pockets and the pockets of their players.

In short we are ****ed.

 

[edd_jedi]

I still think Bale made a mistake moving to Real. If I had the choice between 100k a week and being adored, and 300k a week and being hated, I'd go for the first option. Both are obscene amounts of money, more than anyone needs. Yes he's won a few trophies, but is there any pride from winning them from the bench? He's not going to be revered like Ronaldo or Messi, and I think if he'd stuck with Spurs until Kane was at his best they might have won something, and he'd have been a hero.

 

[weasel]

We have needed to overhaul the squad, I mean really overhaul it, for YEARS. Now I think we're royally screwed without a good chunk of investment from above, although I don't think that's going to happen.
The Ozil contract was a huge mistake, our inability to learn from contract negotiations is worrying as despite management changes there does not seem to be any improvement. Transfer wise we've spunked 120 million, give or take, on Pepe, Tierney and Saliba and another 20-30 on Luiz and three loans that for all intents and purposes haven't worked. We are bad at transfers, we keep signing players that are injured, we can't shift the deadwood and we are in bed with 'super agents' who are only really super at lining their own pockets and the pockets of their players.

In short we are ****ed.

Can't argue with any of that. Sadly, as I quite like Arsenal as a club.

 

[weasel]

I still think Bale made a mistake moving to Real. If I had the choice between 100k a week and being adored, and 300k a week and being hated, I'd go for the first option. Both are obscene amounts of money, more than anyone needs. Yes he's won a few trophies, but is there any pride from winning them from the bench? He's not going to be revered like Ronaldo or Messi, and I think if he'd stuck with Spurs until Kane was at his best they might have won something, and he'd have been a hero.

Is golf not his number 1 priority?

I take your point. I guess when he left Spurs he was effectively carrying the team and wanted to try his luck in what was/is one of the biggest clubs in the world. He did ok in his first season at Real too. I do agree on winning trophies from the bench. You would think professional pride would kick in and he would want to go and actually play for his last few seasons. He is, long since, set up for life (assuming he hasn't Spunked all his money). But then look at Ozil and a dozen other players who sit on fat salaries and refuse to move on/take a pay cut to enable any move to happen. Sanchez is another.

 

[theforceuk]

Thing is with Bale his number one club since a child has always been Real Madrid, so it was his dream to play for them. Yes I don't think he ever thought he would be treated like he has by the club and fans, but when all is said and done his profile will remain high and he will be able to sit in a studio with a caption that comes up saying his name, won CL 4 times, 3 FIFA Club WC's and so on. He also scored a better goal than Zidane in the final of the last CL they won, which must be satisfying!

Then you have his Wales career, he captained them to the semifinals of a European Championships.

What he should do now is forget about the money, take a huge pay cut and return to the PL. I agree if he had stayed at Spurs they probably would have won some trophies, the league and CL even, but his club is Real Madrid, what can you do when a player follows their dreams?

 

[weasel]

He also scored a better goal than Zidane in the final of the last CL they won, which must be satisfying!

I don't remember that goal, I'm blocking it out. :twisted: :evil:

 

[theforceuk]

He also scored a better goal than Zidane in the final of the last CL they won, which must be satisfying!

I don't remember that goal, I'm blocking it out. :twisted: :evil:

I'll never forget that! :lol:

You had redemption the following season.

 

[weasel]

Aye, TBF to Bale it was a great dig.

 

[Snaketibe]

Well that was a little bit more like it by Spurs tonight. A deserved win and even a clean sheet for once. A lot of them still tried to needlessly sit back and defend their 1:0 advantage with 15 minutes to go like they usually do, but thankfully at least some of their players were actually interested enough to try for a second goal, and thankfully Mr Kane obliged.

I feel sorry for Son though. Another great goal chalked off by VAR because one untrimmed pube on his left testicle was half a millimetre offside, but at least it didn't cost Spurs the win.

 

[Cazza]

WHU were better than the last game, but still not great. The lack of a striker is really hurting us. Thought Bowen and Rice were outstanding. Others worked hard, but not great. Didn't think Spurs were great either, but definitely deserved the win.

Goal rightly ruled out (offside is offside) and the second one should've been. The rule is ANY handball in the buildup by the scoring team. Handball was clear. We've had 2-3 ruled out for that this season. Kane took his goal well, Lamela stretched us when we were looking to equalise- good sub by Jose.

Defeat to Chelsea next :roll:

 

[weasel]

As for the VAR goal, I actually have no issue with VAR ruling out goals like that. Part of Son's foot WAS offside. Yes, it was only a small part and it is a bit of a farce to disallow a goal for such a small margin, BUT it is offside. You can't use VAR for offsides and then expect some margin of error. If you do all that happens is we come back in a few months and complain about a goal that was 1mm inside the margin of error being allowed to stand, while 1 that was 1mm over was chalked off.

Var for offsides means offside is offside.

I do have a problem with it disallowing goals for someone's armpit being offside. If anyone can show me an example of a player scoring with his armpit I would love to see it. Feet and head is one thing, we see goals scored with them in almost every game. But armpit!? Wise up!
I do agree though it did look like it hit yer man's arm in the build up as well. So it should have been chalked off.

None of that is me saying I wouldn't have been annoyed had that been my team, but those are the rules.

WH look to be in trouble, given their horrible owners and Karen Brady's "void the season" BLATANT self interest, I won't be sad if they go down. I don't dislike the club, the players or the fans, but those 3 idiots deserve a slap in the face. Especially for employing Moyesy, WTF do you expect if you appoint him!?

 

[Cazza]

I think 99% of WHU fans feel the same way about the owners and hate them with absolute passion.

We are most certainly in serious trouble, however, last night was an improvement and we have some much more winnable games coming up after Chelsea. Time will tell.

 

[theforceuk]

Seen a good stat today, Ederson hasn't made a save since March. He's played full 90 minutes in both games against Arsenal and Burnley, 3-0 and 5-0. :shock:

 

[weasel]

City couldn't really have asked for 2 easier games back. Arsenal who seem obsessed with shooting themselves in the foot and Burnley who very wisely decided to let half their first team get to late June before even considering whether to offer them a new contract.

 

[theforceuk]

Congratulations Liverpool, worthy champions to say the least, I'm off to switch the mains electric switch off! :lol:

 

[weasel]

Quite a few Utd supporting mates of mine seem to lost their phones. Weirdly none of them have replied to any of the dozens and dozens of messages I have sent.

 

[lejackal]

Quite a few Utd supporting mates of mine seem to lost their phones. Weirdly none of them have replied to any of the dozens and dozens of messages I have sent.

I imagine if you win it again next year they'll change their numbers and should you manage 3 on the spin they'll emigrate :lol:

 

[theforceuk]

Quite a few Utd supporting mates of mine seem to lost their phones. Weirdly none of them have replied to any of the dozens and dozens of messages I have sent.

Really doesn't bother me like that, most Liverpool fans I have met down the years have been nice people and I don't begrudge this Liverpool team winning the league. 30 years is a long time to go for a club like Liverpool and I always point that out to my friends who support them, its about time!!!

Man City really aren't the team they were 12 months ago, they have lost that killer instinct and I think that is partly down to a lot of their star players being the wrong side of 30. I'm not saying that to take anything away from Liverpool, just was surprised how they didn't take it to the Liverpool game next week.

Watch them win the CL now. :lol:

 

[weasel]

TBF, I have only really gloated to the annoying Utd fans. The super bitter ones who spout crap about "tainted season" or "just the 12 PL's behind us". Yes, the latter is tue, but only if you forget football existed before '92.

Most Utd fans I know are decent enough. It's the glory hunters or the bitter "LiVARpool" haters who I'm loving every second of torturing. And i plan to continue gloating for months and months.

I work on the system whereby those who were a ball ache to listen to when Utd won, now get it back in spades, and I have a very good memory.

As far as City go, I have to agree. I am amazed at how far they have fallen back this yr. the last two yrs they got 100 and 98 pts. This year the most they can get is 84. That's still a superb effort BUT a hell of a step down from the previous two years.
I actually think their problems are more in central defence than the age of the players. Sterling, Sane, Gundogan, and Bernardo Silva (Foden has hardly played) are young enuf to off set your David Silva's, Fernandino's and Aguero's.
The fact Kompany left and wasn't replaced, added to Laporte's injury meant they played a huge chunk of the season with what would have been their 3rd and 4th choice CB's the yr before. I dunno if the blame lies with Pep for being too confident or the Board for nt giving him more money/nt signing who he wanted. Regardless it has cost them. Especially as their full backs are all a bit ropey. Mendy has never been the same since he pinged his cruciate, and he was shocking at Stamford Bridge. Zinchenko is no more than a solid squad player. Kyle Walker is solid enough and cancelo is a nothing.

I also saw a stat that Ederson has a save percentage barely above DDG's and people are (rightly) pointing out DDG's standards have dropped. It looks like Ederson has had one too but he has some how managed to avoid the slagging.

It will be interesting to see what City do in the summer. They are the one PL club who won't be even remotely affected by Covid. Do they strengthen and freshen up? If so, who comes in and where do they fit in? I guess it depends on what happens with their CL ban. If they are banned for 2 yrs it will be a lot harder to attract big names, and probably harder to keep the likes of KDB.

And I would genuinely like to see them win the CL. Safe to say I will NOT be cheering for that shower from Madrid (either of them) or those poncey spoilt little rich kids from Paris. It would be nice to see someone other than the usual suspects win it. Saying that none of Atalanta, Leipzig, Lyon and Napoli look good enough to go the whole way. Semi's, yeah quite possibly. The final at a push. But I cant see them winning it. I can see City winning it. If they remember how to play.

Though I have probably just guaranteed a Semi line up of Real, Atleti, PSG and Juve or Bayern. And how exciting will that be. :roll: