Premier League 2020/2021 Thread

[DarthHamblin]

Alright lads, what we need tonight is goals, so what I want you to do is sit back for the first half, try a bit for fifteen minutes and then sit back when the other lot counter.

We're soooo SLOW!

I heard they were poor last night. No urgency. Which is strange given it was effectively a season decider.

Also, a surprisingly strong side from Utd. Given they have 4 games in 11 days, why not play Mata, Matic and a few of the other EL squad boys? Seemed strange to basically have a first choice 11, with VDB and Bailly.

Well probably because the game was called off Sunday bloody Liverpool fans

 

[DarthHamblin]

And I can remember Chelsea playing good football maybe not under mourinho the second time round. But his first time at the club was totally different they were a hard team to beat.

Nah, they were more workman like than good to watch. It was effective, the titles confirm that, but even then they weren't the sort of side you would choose to watch on a random week night.
As a Pool fan one thing I can't begrudge Fergy is his Utd sides almost always played, or tried to, good to watch football. Ditto Wenger. Granted there were games where they didn't or where it didn't work and they got hoked. But if you were given a choice of who to watch between any of those three clubs, club loyalty aside, I doubt anyone would pick Chelsea.

As for you being a Utd fan.......(reaches for his "banning hammer" :wink: )

Dunno don't watch over teams in the week eastenders and curries in

 

[DarthHamblin]

Corrie can't even spell

 

[lejackal]

Alright lads, what we need tonight is goals, so what I want you to do is sit back for the first half, try a bit for fifteen minutes and then sit back when the other lot counter.

We're soooo SLOW!

I heard they were poor last night. No urgency. Which is strange given it was effectively a season decider.

I've watched us try (and fail) to overturn poor first legs in the past (AC Milan, Monaco, Bayern) but at least we went out having gone for it. Last night was pathetic.

 

[weasel]

Surely players are match sharp this late in the season? A week off won't make any difference.

I think pretty much the best team will be put out against Villa, complete second string against Leicester and Ole's best 11 against Liverpool.

I was hoping the best 11 would play and beat Leicester and the under 11's girl's side would be put out against Pool!

 

[theforceuk]

If you look at Ole's selections through the season he pretty much only uses 15 players. Pretty sure Leicester and Liverpool will beat Man Utd.

 

[edd_jedi]

Massive slip up for Leicester last night, they've done a Spurs and thrown away the easy game leaving them three must-win tough games. Some big games today now, third and fourth are still completely up for grabs, this could be the most interesting top four battle for a while. Even Liverpool are still in with a shot!

 

[theforceuk]

If Man Utd get 2nd it's pretty poor, looking like they will as well.

 

[edd_jedi]

If Man Utd get 2nd it's pretty poor, looking like they will as well.

Yep, Spurs finished second with 86 points a few seasons ago, that would have won half a dozen PL seasons. ****ing typical.

 

[weasel]

If Man Utd get 2nd it's pretty poor, looking like they will as well.

Yep, Spurs finished second with 86 points a few seasons ago, that would have won half a dozen PL seasons. ****ing typical.

Ehhh Liverpool finished second with 97pts two years ago. That would have won 27PL titles!

As for Leicester, I agree. They choked. Sooooooo unlike a Brendan Rodgers side! :lol:

 

[edd_jedi]

And now Spurs are doing a Spurs :lol: That offside for Kane's goal was ridiculous though, I don't see any difference between the two players positions, they are exactly in line. Reguillon is having a shocker again, I liked him when he first joined but I'm going to need another hand soon to count the mistakes he has made in the last few games

 

[edd_jedi]

Well I think Spurs were super unlucky this afternoon, it should have been a draw. Leeds' third goal looked more offside than Kane's to me, yet their goal was given and ours wasn't. A proper stitch up. All three of their goals were total defensive disasters though.

On the plus side at least I can stop worrying about CL qualification now.

 

[weasel]

Yeah, Kane's goal was level at absolute worst. Should have stood. See all my other comments about VAR.

On the plus side at least I can stop worrying about CL qualification now.

Yup. Spurs mission now is to avoid that new stupid CWC equivalent.

 

[lejackal]

[mention]weasel[/mention] any sign of a hangover from celebrating Fat Sam getting relegated?

 

[edd_jedi]

Well here's a difficult decision for UEFA, host the CL final in the country both teams are from, or host it in a country neither is from and has travel restrictions advising no fans to attend. I bet I know which they will choose!

 

[lejackal]

Well here's a difficult decision for UEFA, host the CL final in the country both teams are from, or host it in a country neither is from and has travel restrictions advising no fans to attend. I bet I know which they will choose!

Logic would suggest move it to the UK this time and let Istanbul have the 2024/5 final (whichever is ours)

 

[edd_jedi]

It's a daft idea to decide where the final will be held before the finalists are confirmed anyway, I kind of get it at the World Cup or Euros where the whole tournament is in one (or several) countries. But expecting fans of English teams to travel to Turkey on a months notice, no doubt with ridiculously inflated travel and accommodation, is nuts.

 

[weasel]

@weasel any sign of a hangover from celebrating Fat Sam getting relegated?

I'm still crying. Such a great manager and so forward thinking in his tactics. He really could have managed Real or Barca. I would assume they are his next step!

It's a daft idea to decide where the final will be held before the finalists are confirmed anyway, I kind of get it at the World Cup or Euros where the whole tournament is in one (or several) countries. But expecting fans of English teams to travel to Turkey on a months notice, no doubt with ridiculously inflated travel and accommodation, is nuts.

I agree. UEFA say it's to allow time to organise all the practicalities. I suspect it's more likely a chance for them to hand it out to whoever pays the most. Certainly putting in Armenia or Azerbaijan a few years ago (or was that EL final?) had zero consideration for the fans or either of the teams.
I'm not saying it should be western Europe only, but asking fans to travel all the way out there is ridiculous.
I also don't like the fact the final can beheld in one club's home country or even their own stadium. I know Pool beat Roma in Rome in 84(?) but how the **** it can be "fair" for a side to play a CL final in their own stadium??
Wait until the last 8 is decided and then pick a big stadium from a side not in the last 8. That gives plenty of time to organise a final, in normal circumstances. It's not like these stadiums sit empty and then all of a sudden they have to work out how to host 60-70-80k football fans and a load of media.

 

[edd_jedi]

Well that's the three relegated clubs settled - SFU, West Brom and Fulham. No miracles this season (in fact apparently this is the first PL season that the three relegated teams have been confirmed so early.) So no late drama at the bottom of the table.

At the top though, who do you reckon is going to get the European spots? Assuming Man City and Utd are in the CL already, I think Chelsea and Liverpool will take third and fourth, and then Leicester and West Ham 5th and 6th. Although Spurs can still mathematically make it, I don't see us winning all our games or the others losing all of theirs. I even think Everton and dare I say it Arsenal might finish above us. Jose's "same manager, different players" rang all too true against Leeds, you can't play attacking football with such a useless defense.

 

[edd_jedi]

I didn't see that win for Leicester coming last night, that gives City the title and pretty much wraps up the top four battle bar a miracle. Looks like Leicester will grab the last spot now. Massive game between Chelsea and Arsenal tonight, it's one of those games where I don't want either to get the points!