Premier League 24/25 Thread

[theforceuk]

Yeah and RVN got them both sacked, some say he turned the players against Ten Hag and then while he was Man Utd coach beat Leicester twice while Cooper was Leicester coach.

 

[edd_jedi]

This might be hasty or controversial, but Ange has got to go. San Marino have better game management than Spurs at the moment, I've stopped watching the games this season because it's become so predictable and tedious. I've mostly been watching "neutral" matches recently, far more enjoyable. I don't see how defenders of the calibre we have can be so bad, without being specifically instructed to play like this. So it's got to be on the manager.

 

[weasel]

Yeah and RVN got them both sacked, some say he turned the players against Ten Hag and then while he was Man Utd coach beat Leicester twice while Cooper was Leicester coach.

Steve Cooper got himself sack by being ****. Although he was always a strange choice. The Board who appointed him should probably look at themselves as well.
Similarly, Utd's Board after getting shot of Ashworth.
Sack someone that quickly and you need to look at your own decision making. It can't all be on them.

I watched most of the Spurs game, and at 2-0, text a Spurs supporting mate saying "You're gonna lose 5-2."
At 2-0 it was all Spurs but you just knew if anyone could lose a game like that, at home, it was Spurs. Sure enough.
I do feel sorry for Spurs fans, and can totally understand @edd_jedi's stance. I would do the same.
Playing both Romero and VDV was brave. I get they are your best CB's, but both are just back from injury. VDV was borderline madness given he is just back from a 6 week hamstring injury and had trained once. As someone whose sports "career" was eventually ended by recurrent hamstring injuries, I can tell you, you. Can. Not. Rush. A. Hamstring.
I can maybe understand playing him, given it was a big game, and he came through training ok, but leaving him on until the 79th minute, when hey presto, ping goes his hamstring, is borderline madness. Maybe the back up (effectively 4th choice seeing Romero injured himself doing a needless back heal flick in his own box) CB was properly pish. But now Spurs are going to have another few weeks without VDV, and over the busy xmas period too.
The 'risk:reward' with leaving him on for that long was massively skewed to the downside.
Edd has a point about game management.

Ps, I always loved* VAR @lejackal

*Not really, it's ****.

 

[lejackal]

In real time I missed they were saying Martinelli was offside, I thought they'd called it for the guy in the middle (who was inactive). Probably the right call, but **** VAR and **** how slow it is, why haven't we got the semi automated system yet?!

 

[theforceuk]

I've heard that saying a lot this season the manager got himself sacked, surely every manager that has ever been sacked f"got himself sacked for being crap? It's like the hand ball for a penalty, was his hand in an unnatural position? Well no not unless his shoulder was dislocated or he had a broken arm.

 

[edd_jedi]

And what's with all this "match winner" and "title winner" Palmer nonsense in the news this morning? He scored two penalties, that's not winning a game, it's the offending team throwing it away

 

[weasel]

Palmer scores a LOT of penalties take them away from him and is he still the second coming?

As for managers getting themselves sacked, fair point. A guess a few can be said to be hard done by. New owners come in and want their man, or owners who think a mid-table side should be in the CL spots etc.

Cooper at Leicester always felt weird

 

[theforceuk]

I'm pretty sure a couple months ago I said Ten Hag will sack himself eventually. Ever since then I've thought it's a stupid point.

 

[Cazza]

Re: Palmer, great player IMHO, BUT his goalscoring stats are vastly overegged, due to all those pens. Saka, Salah, Isak are similar, but not quite as much.

Top Prem scorers 23/24 inc pens:

1. Erling Haaland, Manchester City — 27
2. Cole Palmer, Chelsea — 22
3. Alexander Isak, Newcastle United — 21
4. Ollie Watkins, Aston Villa — 19
5. Dominic Solanke, Bournemouth — 19
6. Phil Foden, Manchester City — 19
7. Mohamed Salah, Liverpool — 18
8. Heung-min Son, Tottenham — 17
9. Jarrod Bowen, West Ham United — 16
10. Bukayo Saka, Arsenal — 16

Top scorers - pens:

Erling Haaland	20
Ollie Watkins	19
Phil Foden	19
Dominic Solanke	17
Jarrod Bowen	16
Alexander Isak	16
Son Heung-min	15
Chris Wood	14
Jean-Philippe Mateta	14
Nicolas Jackson	14

 

[theforceuk]

Cole Palmer is 22……..

 

[lejackal]

England, under new head coach Thomas Tuchel, will face Serbia, Albania, Latvia and Andorra.

Wales will meet familiar foes Belgium, plus North Macedonia, Kazakhstan and Liechtenstein.

Scotland will play Greece, Belarus and the loser of the Portugal v Denmark Nations League quarter-final.

Northern Ireland are up against Slovakia, Luxembourg and the winner of the Germany v Italy Nations League game.

 

[lejackal]

England and the group of **** all jeopardy again. I struggle to see the point

 

[theforceuk]

Can't wait……..

 

[edd_jedi]

Yeah I don't know what's worse, not qualifying / getting knocked out in the group stages, or getting ridiculously easy qualifying and tournament runs only to lose to the first half-decent team you play in the semi-final. Both result in nothing.

 

[weasel]

I can tell you what's worse, not ******* qualifying. And it's not even close.

I'm 45 and I have seen my lot play in ONE tournament. I don't remember Spain '82 or Mexico '86.


Seeing your team in a major tournament 75% ish of the time must be nice! Even if they are ****. You have never had to live with the ignominy of having Ian Dowie as your main striker.

 

[lejackal]

Very valid point, but imagine pulling the dream woman (man or whatever), it's going brilliantly, she's eating out of the palm of your hand, you go back to hers and bang- or lack of, you can't perform, let alone finish, every single time.

 

[weasel]

That beats sitting at home, alone, after having been told to **** off when you tried to chat up Susan Boyle

 

[edd_jedi]

No wonder I've got no hair left, Jesus Spurs...

 

[weasel]

I don't know how you stick that **** every week. Even my missus was laughing at Forster.

He out in the kind of performance that if you were playing Championship Manager back in the day, you would have turned the computer off after. Not even sure he would have got 1 out of ten.

Even the one save he made, that kicked clearance, was ******* bizarre. Why not try the novel tactic of ehh bending down and catching it. You're allowed to use your hands you know.

Utd's keeper was no better, the first one he should have pushed wider, albeit I can excuse it a bit. The fourth one, **** me, MAN UP. The Spurs boy brushes your left hand when you are trying to punch it clear with your right.

 

[weasel]

Looks like Rashford has burnt a few bridges at Utd too.
Not going to be many, if any, clubs willing to sign him who can pay what he thinks he is worth. PSG (maybe) and Saudi. Both are effective retirement

 

[theforceuk]

Saudi has to be Rashfords only option surely! Wouldn't be surprised if he worms his way back in, scores a couple goals and expects to be star boy again.

Made me laugh when Rashford was going around the local hospital handing out Christmas presents. That's all great of course, but how about sorting out the 200+ staff that have been sacked from Man Utd since INEOS took over to stop the club going bust. Or perhaps put some money towards the staff Christmas bonus fund, which has been cut from £100 to a £40 M&S voucher. Imagine how much £350k Rashford earns a week would go. Man Utd pay for kylian Mbappe but get Harvey Barnes!

Also made me laugh when someone asked how will Man Utd replace him? What a joke, he won't need replacing.

 

[weasel]

Agreed on the second part, albeit he probably has that many hangers on bleeding him dry that he's not making as much as we think.

As for the first bit, is he going to be dumb enough to go to Saudi? No one has gone there in their "prime" and those that have gone have been close to retirement or come back and struggled (hello Jordan Henderson you utter moron).

 

[theforceuk]

He earns more than £350 a week when you consider his endorsements, no one apart from the Saudi's or MLS will pay him that. As for him being in his prime. His prime was 24-26, he's another Owen.

 

[edd_jedi]

The great news is we get to play Liverpool at least three more times this season

 

[edd_jedi]

I thought now seems like a good time to do a half-ish way point review of the season so far. Some of my observations about my and other teams:

• No team is invincible this season, 5 wins out of 6 is the currrent best form and almost every other team is having a real mixed bag
• Liverpool look on course to win currently, blowing my prediction out of the water. I honestly thought they'd struggle this season without Klopp and half their squad pushing 40
• Chelsea are another surprise package, I don't think anybody saw them coming, they were looking like another United spending billions with no progress to show for it. And very typical for them to score four (OK 2 goals and 2 penalties) against Spurs, then can't be bothered against Everton. It would be nice if just once they didn't give us such a hard game!
• What is going on at City? It's looking like a Leicester-esque fall from grace
• Spurs are the top scorers, something to be pleased about I guess. But...
• Conceding 10 goals in your last two home games is clearly not acceptable, and why we're currently sitting 11th. Yes, we're missing our first choice keeper and three of our first choice back four, but still. This can't continue, it might be fun to watch for the neutrals but these basketball-like scorelines are not entertaining me
• Stoke (sorry Arsenal) have conceded the joint-fewest goals, something I'd like Ange to have a long hard think about
• And finally, if somebody can explain to me how Spurs have scored 13 more goals than Villa and conceded one less, yet are five places below them, I'd appreciate it

 

[lejackal]

City are playing like a team that knows they're getting relegated regardless was one conspiracy theory esque take I read. Not sure I buy it, but there you go

 

[lejackal]

Obviously watch them return to prime Guardiola monsters when they play Arsenal in Feb

 

[weasel]

Aye, I do feel sorry for you @edd_jedi after watching that yesterday. Spurs are SOOOOOO wide open it's scary. I actually found myself swearing at your back four at a couple of points. They are just all over the shop and there is very little protection from your midfield.

It is great viewing for a neutral but **** me, I would have pulled out all my hair months ago.

I get Ange likes/wants his teams to attack, but when u have a keeper who is less use with the ball at his feet than Stephen Hawking and the definition of a makeshift back four in front of him, a little pragmatism has to come in to play. Truth be told, that score line flattered Spurs, if Pool had scored two or three more it would have been more accurate. You should not be shipping 4 or more at home, once it gets to 3 you set up shop.
I hate anti football, Especially the Jose or Fat Sam type, but if you getting played off the park, like Spurs were, then it's damage limitation time

 

[Cazza]

Obviously watch them return to prime Guardiola monsters when they play Arsenal in Feb

They've got to play us soon, so they'll no doubt give us a battering!

 

[weasel]

Utd to go down?