Premier League 22/23 Thread

[edd_jedi]

Forest beat Liverpool, it really is going to be Arsenal's year

 

[theforceuk]

No I'm still not writing Liverpool off until after the World Cup!

 

[Michael Sith]

I'm sorry but last season Ronaldo….

Appearances: 38

Starts: 34

Goals: 24

Assists: 3

in all honesty, irrespective of who you support …would you want the player in your team that can do that?

you can have personal opinions based on who you support … BUT can you argue that you wouldn't want a player in your team who can do that? Forget who he is and what he has done in his career, go to basics ..

yes prima Donna, look at me and all that comes with it, everybody wold want that prowess in their team.

take away the the tribal support for your team, and look at facts, stats, he is incredible and in years to come will be looked at as probably the best player that has ever kicked a ball.

I don't care if you love or hate him take the emotive aspects out of it, for me he is the most incredible player ever,

 

[lejackal]

The stats are undeniable but at what cost to the rest of the team. Having got shot of all our elderly statesmen that were brought in to propel us back to CL we're top of the league. Yes, we've not played anyone good yet etc etc blah blah blah but the performances are a good few levels above last season and the season before.

 

[lejackal]

You either build your game plan around Ronaldo or you get shot and develop the team. He won't accept a super sub role.

 

[Michael Sith]

I agree that Ronaldo maybe not the fright fit for tactics that TH is working with, my issue is the negativity against probably oone of the best if not the best football player we have ever seen , he can still do exactly what it says on the tin..score goals
i don't care if he goes missing for 85 mins o the game, but. If he does his job, and puts the ball in the net the what's the issue ?
maybe I'm just blinded by who he is and what he has done and WHAT HE CAN STILL DO just fed up with all the negativity , come on stand back and look at the player he is we are privileged to watch him

 

[lejackal]

He can't do it if he's refusing to go on the pitch and play though? That's my problem with him.

 

[theforceuk]

He can't do it if he's refusing to go on the pitch and play though? That's my problem with him.

Ten Hag said he could go, Glaziers said no. Green and Gold until we're sold. Rashford was useless tonight as a number 9 a 1 legged Ronaldo would have done better. As I've said before Ronaldo is not a problem he just exposed the main problems.

 

[weasel]

I think @lejackal summed up my sentiments quite well. Ronaldo is undoubtedly a great goal scorer but you have to build a team round him and he cant play high tempo pressing, like most of the best sides do now. That makes him less attractive.

I freely admit he is one of the best players we will ever see, but he is also a horrible human being. An utter attention seeking narcissist.

And Liverpool are ******* *****.
90 mins of football against a team who barely even got near he half way line. The Forest forwards stood 10 yards inside their own half when they didn't have the ball. Saying that, I expected no less and Liverpool created **** all squared. A few chances from set pieces (VVD shud have scored) but that was it. Beating City for the second time this season, if you count the Charity Shield, and then losing to the team bottom of the league sums Liverpool's season up. They never even got near second gear.

 

[Cazza]

I can't get past the fact the guy is being paid £400K A WEEK and he's refusing to do his job, which isn't exactly the hardest job in the world now is it? Imagine just storming off when your boss asks you to do something that you're contractually obliged to do? Pretty disgusting in the grand scheme of things and in the current climate, where normal people are on their knees. Read the room, Ronaldo!

 

[theforceuk]

Ten Hag played with a number 9 style striker at Ajax and he wants to at Man Utd that's why he said sell Ronaldo but get me a replacement. The pressing argument is nonsense from January to May last season Ronaldo pressed more than any other Utd player. You press as a team not just a number 9 running around after every player. Rashford last night didn't press. The fact remains Ronaldo is the best number 9 at the club and Ten Hag needs him and has repeatedly said Ronaldo is a huge part of his plans for this season. Regardless of what agenda you have on Ronaldo it only matters what Ten Hag wants.

 

[lejackal]

I just don't see why you're all defending someone that refused to play

 

[theforceuk]

I just don't see why you're all defending someone that refused to play

Who's defending him, I've previously said he's being a ****. Ten Hag has suspended him, everyone is acting like Ronaldo is the first ever player to refuse to play for the last 2 minutes of a Match that was over. We've just spent £90 million on Antony who went on strike for the last two weeks of his Ajax career. Don't see the world up in arms over that, I guess because he was only on £20k a week for Ajax that was ok. Didn't Harry Kane throw his toys out of the pram a couple of years ago because he wanted away from Spurs? That's ok because he hasn't won anything and deserves some silverware. All premier league footballers are selfish, and will always do what's best for them. A couple weeks time he will be banging goals in and everyone will forget his crimes, while we all go back to remembering Cantonas Kong Fu kick, David Beckam refusing to follow fergies instructions, Roy Keane ranting about how **** his team mates are on MUTV and Ryan Giggs doing his brother over. My point being as a Man Utd fan time will be kind on Ronaldo and when all is said and done the fans will remember him for all the good things he's done. As for him being paid £400k a week, he could earn double that in China and his marketing income is already double that. He just wants to play football at the top level and I would rather he is unhappy at being left out than content.

The Glaziers love Ronaldo because while he's at the club everyone misses the real issues at Man Utd. All football supporters should be interested in what they are up to, they have just said that Old Trafford will not have any modernisation for at least 2 years while they consult with designers. In 2 years time Real Madrid, Barcelona and Man Utd plan to launch the revised European Super league proposal's and all these players that we admire and idealise now will be part of it, because it's all about money.

 

[edd_jedi]

Jesus Lloris I have a soft spot for him because he's been our keeper for so long, but he was single-handedly responsible for both of Newcastle's goals today (and the first one definitely wasn't a foul.) Aside from the absolutely shocking goal keeping, the whole performance was terrible except for Son's four shots on target in the first 10 minutes. If any one of those had gone in it would have been a very different game, alas the small margins of football matches. And again why so many changes Conte? Makes no sense when you're having a bad run.

Got to credit Newcastle for their time wasting efforts as well, dribbling the ball into the corner with 20 minutes left, not to mention three dozen injuries. A South American team would have been proud!

 

[edd_jedi]

Emery to Villa seems like a strange decision (for him.) Leaving a club with regular European football for Villa, who will have a tough job staying up and have zero chance of any European competitions. Not to mention the sun

 

[lejackal]

Emery to Villa seems like a strange decision (for him.) Leaving a club with regular European football for Villa, who will have a tough job staying up and have zero chance of any European competitions. Not to mention the sun

Feb 2023, Arsenal are still ahead of Man City, on a great run of form having matched their results all season. Villa are fooked, ruined, gone, relegated. Arsenal have 97.6% possession but haven't scored, Emery subs on Coutinho for one last last throw of the dice, his first touch is a thirty yard screamer into the top corner winning the game 1-0. Arsenal collapse, get knocked out of the remaining cup completions and ultimately end up 5th behind Spurs, such is the trauma to the defeat by their formate manager.

it's written in the stars

 

[weasel]

Jesus Lloris I have a soft spot for him because he's been our keeper for so long, but he was single-handedly responsible for both of Newcastle's goals today (and the first one definitely wasn't a foul.) Aside from the absolutely shocking goal keeping, the whole performance was terrible except for Son's four shots on target in the first 10 minutes. If any one of those had gone in it would have been a very different game, alas the small margins of football matches. And again why so many changes Conte? Makes no sense when you're having a bad run.

Got to credit Newcastle for their time wasting efforts as well, dribbling the ball into the corner with 20 minutes left, not to mention three dozen injuries. A South American team would have been proud!

Agreed it wasn't a foul. What the **** was he doing trying to control it though? Just ******* hoof it away, you have a forward running at you. You're not Zidane, boot the ******* thing away.

As for Newcastle's time wasting, they did the same thing at Anfield for 90 mins. Hence the 7mins of stoppage time. When they continued to waste more time, hence the extra time in stoppage time.....when Pool scored! And **** me did I have ZERO sympathy for them.

Emery to Villa seems like a strange decision (for him.) Leaving a club with regular European football for Villa, who will have a tough job staying up and have zero chance of any European competitions. Not to mention the sun

His contract was up in the summer. I agree, he could surely have got a bigger/better club but maybe he feels he has a point to prove in the PL. I do rate him as a manager, but he was **** at Arsenal.

 

[lejackal]

In fairness at Arsenal he asked for a left sided winger (Zaha) and they bought him Pepe (Who plays on the right). More or less all the transfers before the change of senior management was dodgy as f***. Not to mention the completely imbalanced squad. That said he got us within a point of fourth and a return to the CL. Wouldn't have mattered though and long term getting Arteta in and ripping it up and starting again has been better for the club.

 

[edd_jedi]

Bloody hell that was a real let off for Spurs. I nearly turned it off at 2-0 down, but then Conte subbed out Sanchez and Royal, and miraculously it was like watching another team play. I know we've got injuries but how is Royal starting every game, he's useless!

 

[edd_jedi]

What a crazy season this is turning out to be. If you had told me in August that:

• Man Utd would be seven points ahead of Liverpool
• The above would only be fifth place
• Spurs would only be 3 points behind City
• Both of the above would be below Arsenal
• Newcastle are in the top four

Of course it's all going to change, but it's got to be the most exciting start for a while (well since Spurs were top in December two seasons ago anyway )

 

[weasel]

Glad you're enjoying it.

This has been a thoroughly ***** season from the off. Pool have looked good in 1 (Bournemouth) and a half (2nd half against Rangers) games. Maybe City too, I dunno, I didn't see it. Other than that they have been "ok" or ******* wretched. Mainly the latter. Three points from games against Leeds, Forest, Everton, Palace and Fulham is a woeful return.
That's the kinda return a relegation fodder side would be disappointed with.

There is a very big Jan transfer window coming up for Pool. Hopefully by then the injuries have eased slightly and those boys not off the WC can get a bit of a rest. Top four is looking very unlikely right now. Given pre season everyone predicted a straight fight with City for the title that is a shocking fall from grace.

In the meantime, I won't be wasting any of my time watching them play. It pisses me off too much and I have better things to do.
How can a squad like that play like a bunch of blokes who have never met? It's almost like watching the Washington Generals, just there to make the other team (The Harlem Globetrotters in this case) look good. They have made Forest and Leeds look ******* good in consecutive weeks, and Arsenal showed exactly how good Forest are.

 

[edd_jedi]

Enjoying it!? Arsenal are top, that's as bad as it gets

 

[edd_jedi]

Poor Alexis Sanchez must be going senile in his old age.

"Beating Spurs every time was a great joy. It was very special and those are memories that I hold dear to my heart," said Sanchez

Yes it was a great joy when you lost this game which meant you wouldn't finish above us, and haven't done since

 

[lejackal]

You know you'll lose to Marseilles though right

 

[edd_jedi]

Probably, but that doesn't mean he can re-write history

 

[lejackal]

Probably, but that doesn't mean he can re-write history

Pretty sure we beat you 2-0 with him scoring either the match before or after that one. Certainly didn't win every game during his time in the team though.

 

[edd_jedi]

Yeah I'm sure he was on the winning end of the fixture many times, but it wasn't every time. And his career has hardly been stellar since, barely got off the bench at United!

 

[lejackal]

Yeah I'm sure he was on the winning end of the fixture many times, but it wasn't every time. And his career has hardly been stellar since, barely got off the bench at United!

Oh it wasn't every time, or even most times. The mid to late 2010's were mostly draws or you lot winning

 

[edd_jedi]

I will always take a draw in a NLD

 

[lejackal]

I will always take a draw in a NLD

It's the best and the worst game of the year. I don't know about you but if we're losing I'm not a normal human being