Premier League 22/23 Thread

[edd_jedi]

I thought Arsenal were lucky again, but I probably sound like a broken record, or a Spurs fan lol.
There was some piss poor finishing by both sided though. Hitting it straight at the keepers rather than trying to put it past them.

I was going to say the same thing but thought I'd come across as bitter as usual Newcastle hit the post after 1 minute, and I have no idea why their penalty was disallowed - yes the ball brushed his leg first, but it was the arm contact that caused the massive deflection, and he was 20 odd yards away! Had plenty of time to not have his arm there. Would have been a very different game if either of those had gone the other way. It was nice to see Newcastle fall victim to some world-class time wasting though.

 

[Cazza]

Yeah, you can wrestle players to the floor and it's not a foul, but brush a keeper with your arm and it's a foul. Crazy. Also not sure how Malacia stayed on the pitch, already on a yellow then does a blatant deliberate handball and gets away with it.

Anyways, VERY happy with that result. By far the better team- everyone was outstanding. Paqueta is really starting to look excellent and Rice was just superb. Safe now, so need to throw everything at Europe...

 

[Cazza]

I was going to say the same thing but thought I'd come across as bitter as usual Newcastle hit the post after 1 minute, and I have no idea why their penalty was disallowed - yes the ball brushed his leg first, but it was the arm contact that caused the massive deflection, and he was 20 odd yards away! Had plenty of time to not have his arm there. Would have been a very different game if either of those had gone the other way. It was nice to see Newcastle fall victim to some world-class time wasting though.

Didn't see the penalty incident- will watch on MoTD. They really need to sort this out though, VAR is bringing the game into disrepute.

 

[edd_jedi]

Yep - the ball clearly hits his arm and goes in another direction, the ref gives a penalty, then after 5 minutes of VAR review from multiple angles finds it brushes his leg before hitting the arm. How is that a clear and obvious error!? I've seen plenty of incidents not overturned. There just needs to be some consistency so it's fair.

 

[lejackal]

FIFA rules state it's not handball if the ball hits the hand/arm directly from another part of the players own body. The referee got it wrong, VAR was correct in overturning the decision.

 

[edd_jedi]

The rule makes no sense, it's quite clear from this photo he has 1) ample time to move him arm and 2) has intentionally left it there to make himself bigger. So are FIFA saying if you knee the ball towards goal and then use your hand to scoop it away, that's not a penalty!? Absolute nonsense.

 

[edd_jedi]

For what it's worth I'm actually pleased about both of yesterday's results, gives Spurs a slim chance of making top 4 still (although I would bet my house Liverpool slip in there instead) I just cannot fathom how that isn't a handball, when apparently the ball hitting Eric Dier from behind (also against Newcastle) was

 

[weasel]

I watched the Arsenal game and the replays, I'm still not sure it does actually deflect, but if it does the deflection is bloody minor and I suspect it would still have hit his arm anyway (assuming we could magically make his leg disappear). It's one of those penalties that I have sene given and not over turned. Or, I guess another way of saying that is, it's one of those that go for you when you are flying and go against you when you are on a stinking run.
The first ten minutes of that game was an utter slaughter though. Arsenal scored the first time they got out of their box. Fair ****s though, they did well after that. And I have to agree with @edd_jedi it was nice to see Newcastle getting pissed off with people time wasting. Almost as nice as them spending 90+minutes doing it Anfield only for Liverpool to score 8 minutes into stoppage time.

3pts thoroughly deserved by WH too, Utd looked very flat. They are hitting a bad patch at about the worst possible time. Still, Wolves and Bournemouth up next, win those and they are 99% of the way to the CL.

I'd say the table, at the top, is all but settled. Massive odds on, City win from Arsenal. Newcastle and Utd take CL spots. Pool and Brighton EL spots and Spurs/Villa the EC.
At the bottom Saints are gone, and two from four (Forest, Leeds, Leicester and Everton) join them.

 

[edd_jedi]

One stat this morning that doesn't surprise me - De Gea and Lloris joint top in the PL for goals conceded from mistakes. I think Lloris is out of contract this season, he's got to go and as he's injured I think he may never play for Spurs again. He has had his moments, but mistakes have been a constant of his 10+ year reign. Why on earth we brought in an equally elderly keeper as his #2 I don't get though, more Levy genius.

 

[edd_jedi]

I'd say the table, at the top, is all but settled. Massive odds on, City win from Arsenal. Newcastle and Utd take CL spots. Pool and Brighton EL spots and Spurs/Villa the EC.

I think there's a very good chance of at least one of Newcastle and United doing a Leicester. Wouldn't surprise me at all if Liverpool finish fourth. Spurs have too much to do.

 

[weasel]

If by some miracle, Pool finish fourth at Utd's expense I will have ****ing field day with all those glory hunting Utd fans who have been melting my head for the last few months.

 

[lejackal]

At least the new blood will be more interesting than normal next season

 

[edd_jedi]

Would be nice to see Coventry back in the top flight, have they got a stadium yet!?

 

[lejackal]

Would be nice to see Coventry back in the top flight, have they got a stadium yet!?

Yep, Mike Ashley bought it from the administrators when Wasps went bust and the club changed hands recently as well (not to Ashley). They just signed a five year lease.

 

[edd_jedi]

That's weird, the BBC website says Sunderland finished 6th?

 

[edd_jedi]

So who put a tenner on Everton scoring 5 goals against Brighton this game never ceases to amaze! Great weekend of results for Liverpool and Spurs though

 

[lejackal]

That's weird, the BBC website says Sunderland finished 6th?

View attachment 181293

Bizarre- looks like the Guardian hasnt updated

 

[theforceuk]

If by some miracle, Pool finish fourth at Utd's expense I will have ****ing field day with all those glory hunting Utd fans who have been melting my head for the last few months.

If Liverpool do finish 4th it will be because Man Utd have bottled it. That said unless Qatar buy Man Utd Liverpool will still be a much better run club. I see they have a new director of football and that McAllister from Brighton is close to signing. Liverpool may well miss out on the UCL next season but this season had been a bit of a transition period for them and they are taking the right steps to improve for next season with a relatively low budget.

I watched the West Ham game yesterday and yes West Ham deserved the win slightly I would say. Man Utd from a front 3 or 4 just seem to think the ball is a time bomb that they must kick away as for as they can as soon as the goal is in sight. So many times we were one decent pass away from creating a much better chance and Rashford or Bruno or who ever just opted to smack it in the general direction of the goal.

 

[weasel]

Sunderland did come sixth.

Luton or Coventry for me from the play offs. New blood and clubs who haven't been anywhere near the PL for a long time (ever in Luton's case but I remember them in the old Div 1) .

**** knows what happened to Brighton. I saw the first half of that and it should have been four. Everton tore them apart, and Everton are ****ing shite.

Saints just gone two down to Forest. Bye bye Saints. Sad to see them go, they always struck me as a well run club, but they just have not been good enough.

 

[weasel]

If Liverpool do finish 4th it will be because Man Utd have bottled it. That said unless Qatar buy Man Utd Liverpool will still be a much better run club. I see they have a new director of football and that McAllister from Brighton is close to signing. Liverpool may well miss out on the UCL next season but this season had been a bit of a transition period for them and they are taking the right steps to improve for next season with a relatively low budget.

I watched the West Ham game yesterday and yes West Ham deserved the win slightly I would say. Man Utd from a front 3 or 4 just seem to think the ball is a time bomb that they must kick away as for as they can as soon as the goal is in sight. So many times we were one decent pass away from creating a much better chance and Rashford or Bruno or who ever just opted to smack it in the general direction of the goal.

I agree 100% with the first sentence, and I still expect Utd to cruise it. Wolves and Bournemouth up next for them. That's six points and from there they need 2 more to be mathematically safe AND that assumes Liverpool keep winning.

Utd do look tired, and they have played a **** tonne of games. I am laughing at all the Utd fans using that (legitimately) as an excuse but when Pool played 497 games last season 'tiredness' was just 'poor squad use' or a complete nonsense. Football fans are hypocrites…..who would have guessed lol.
Utd are some what hamstrung by the Greenwood issue removing one of their main attacking options. But like Pool and their midfield issue they knew that at xmas and didnt do much. Weighorst doesn't really count. He's little more than a competition winner.
Saying that Utd are a work in progress and they are undoubtedly on the right path atm. Give ETH another window or two and then judge him. I expect to see three or four new signings this sumer and more deadwood shifted on. Plus a few who can't play the style that ETH wants, DDG and Fat Maguire probably fit in there. Martial, Phil Jones, Brandon Williams, AWB, Dalot etc the first category.