The imaginatively titled Premier League 21/22 Thread

[theforceuk]

Yes it's incredible how often Man Utd draw a team in the cup and then play them in the league before or after. Yes we have Villa away next week!!!! Obviously doesn't happen to City as they don't draw PL teams.

 

[edd_jedi]

Villa have got to feel very hard done by last night, that second disallowed goal especially was particularly harsh, it was like the VAR ref was reviewing every touch of the ball to try and find a reason to disallow it.

 

[theforceuk]

Yes I would have been annoyed if I was a Villa fan, that said though I would also have expected it to be chalked off if Man Utd had scored it. Just the way the game has gone with VAR.

 

[weasel]

Agreed, initially I though it was a joke that it was disallowed. I thought Ramsey had been penalised for obstructing Cavanni, which he had. Since when do you have to get out of another players way? If I'm a striker can I just run straight at goal and get a free/pen if the defender doesn't get out of my way!?

APPARENTLY it was disallowed cos Ramsey was stood offside initially and thus becomes active when he blocks Cavanni. That does make a little more sense. But I still struggle with two parts of that, as well as not being sure that obstruction/not getting out of someone's way is really a foul. 1) Was Cavanni getting the ball, or going to be close enough to have an affect on whoever played it? I'm not sure he was. 2) Is that REALLY a 'clear and obvious' error? The fact it took VAR 4 minutes to find it (and I agree with Edd it did look like they were trying to find a reason not to allow it) would imply that it wasn't.

I would be pissed off if I was a Villa fan. If I was a Utd fan (shudder), I would feel like we got away with one.

If I was a football fan, I would be looking at VAR AGAIN and wondering just why we bother having it given they **** more things up than they solve/fix/correct.

 

[lejackal]

The decision was ridiculous. They spent an absolute age rolling back and forth, frame by frame, to check if Ings left but was offside or if he used his hand etc to then decide there was an obstruction. Obviously if I was the beneficiary I'd take it but as a neutral it's a joke and I'd say a Villa fan would be livid

 

[theforceuk]

Trust me @weasel if you were a Man Utd fan you would feel like you've got away with one every time you play and don't lose.

 

[weasel]

The thought of being a Utd fan...............eurgh

 

[weasel]

On another note, does anyone see any improvement in Utd under Ralfy? To me they are just as pish, albeit they are conceding fewer goals. But even that could juts be due to the kind run of fixtures they have. I know he likes his 4-2-2-2 but Utd don't have a squad for that and it seems a little straneg to force players to adapt to your tactics when you are only there for 6 months. Why not pick a system that suits what you have!?
Either way, I expected to see more from Ralfy/Utd under him. It is only 5 or 6 games in but there really hasn't been much improvement. So far.

 

[lejackal]

On another note, does anyone see any improvement in Utd under Ralfy? To me they are just as pish, albeit they are conceding fewer goals. But even that could juts be due to the kind run of fixtures they have. I know he likes his 4-2-2-2 but Utd don't have a squad for that and it seems a little straneg to force players to adapt to your tactics when you are only there for 6 months. Why not pick a system that suits what you have!?
Either way, I expected to see more from Ralfy/Utd under him. It is only 5 or 6 games in but there really hasn't been much improvement. So far.

They've in theory got the 3rd or 4th best squad. They don't really play like it, I don't think it's very balanced.

 

[theforceuk]

I've seen an improvement all be it marginal and let's not forget how bad we were before. I mean we lost 1-4 at Watford. He's also dealing with player unrest, some of the squad don't like Ronaldo. Let's not forget Ole signed a lot of these players and they are probably still in a WhatsApp group with him as he was such a nice guy. (Eye role) I'm not sure many managers could get anything more out of these players, most of them are on more money than City, Liverpool and Chelsea players but no where near as good. We got a coach in who has only managed 2 out of the last 10 years, so not sure what people expect. He's not Harry Potter with a magic wand who can suddenly conjure minor miracles.

 

[weasel]

I've seen an improvement all be it marginal and let's not forget how bad we were before. I mean we lost 1-4 at Watford. He's also dealing with player unrest, some of the squad don't like Ronaldo. Let's not forget Ole signed a lot of these players and they are probably still in a WhatsApp group with him as he was such a nice guy. (Eye role) I'm not sure many managers could get anything more out of these players, most of them are on more money than City, Liverpool and Chelsea players but no where near as good. We got a coach in who has only managed 2 out of the last 10 years, so not sure what people expect. He's not Harry Potter with a magic wand who can suddenly conjure minor miracles.

True. I wasn't expecting miracles, but normally you can see a bit of improvement, or at least the team trying to play in a new way. Utd just seem as directionless as before. You are right that there is a lot of dross in that squad, it'll take him, or whoever takes over, a year or two to sort it. And wages are definitely an issue. From memory Rashford is on more than Salah. A LOT more, 50kpw+.

I can understand the dislike for Ronaldo. Putting aside, my barely disguised love for Ballbag, he doesn't help himself with his huffing, the on pitch histrionics are hardly a great example. Especially when he is 36 and not able to do high tempo pressing for 90mins. Plus his taking of free kicks, his track record in recent years is on a par with mine and haven't kicked a football in 10 yrs, and to a lesser extent, penalties could easily grate.
If he scored the free kicks, fair *****. But 99.999 times out of a hundred, it's a goal kick or some boy in the wall gets hit. If I was a Utd player I would get pissed off with winning a free only to watch him **** them up every time. Cue a hattrick of freekicks on Sat now.

 

[theforceuk]

Yeah Rashford is on more than Salah and Martial is on more than Harry Kane. Remember in the summer there was talk of a swap deal for Kane and Martial plus £100 million. If that had happened Spurs would have ended up paying Martial more than they had been paying Kane. Which Spurs would never do. Just shows how badly Man Utd is run.

Already talk of Rashford getting a new contract soon, obviously he's going to be on less money than his last contract considering how **** he's been for the last 2 years. I no wait, it will be a new improved contract.

 

[lejackal]

Obviously it's under 21's but this kid looks alright

 

[edd_jedi]

Now that was a classic Spurs evening if ever I saw one. 2 penalties overruled and a disallowed goal OK technically they were all the correct decisions, but I don't remember 3 VAR calls going Spurs' way all season, let alone in one game! And the disallowed offside goal was ridiculous, OK I know by the letter of the law there has to be two opposing players behind the ball, but when one of them is the keeper who just made a massive cock up it seems very unfair to disallow the goal. On another night it could have been 3-3.

 

[weasel]

Already talk of Rashford getting a new contract soon, obviously he's going to be on less money than his last contract considering how **** he's been for the last 2 years. I no wait, it will be a new improved contract.

100% guarantee sir marcus get a pay rise. That sums Utd up.

I don't remember 3 VAR calls going Spurs' way all season, let alone in one game!

Ehhh cough, Harry Kane's non red card, Robertson's (correctly) upgraded red card, Jota's non penalty. All in the same game! ;-)


I saw 5 mins of the Spurs game,. just enough to see the goal and know that was that.
A shame as I'd much rather Spurs made a final than that other shower.
Though apparently Spurs only had 2 shots on target in the whole game!? I also heard they missed out on 3 VAR decisions, and BBC website agreed with Edd, all were the correct calls. Not seen any more than that.

 

[lejackal]

Football "journalism" is full of bottom feeders as we know, but is there anyone more punchable than Kaveh and Darmesh from the Sky transfer show?

 

[lejackal]

Oh and what happened to Liverpool and Klopp not giving a toss about the Carlng cola trophy

 

[lejackal]

I'll take that given we were at Anfield and down to ten men. Pool weren't at their best but I thought we defended really well

 

[theforceuk]

Yeah you did well to get a draw out of that, thought it was classic Arsenal shooting themselves in the foot. But they played well with 10 men, Liverpool were without 2 top players, but still great result.

 

[weasel]

Yeah fair ***** to Arsenal. I only saw chunks of the game, Xhaka's red looked fair enough. He was probably the last man and he caught Jota on the chest, you're gonna go for that more often than not. After that Arsenal dug in a defended really well. It was a flat back 8/9 set up 10 yards outside their box, but understandable given the circumstances. There is definite signs of some progress under Arteta, it's just a case of will it be enough and will they manage to keep it up. Arsenal held their shape well, and Pool didn't really create a huge amount, bar when Ramsdale went walk about late on. Great effort by Minamino (rolls his eyes and swears). A tad worrying for Pool that in home games against Chelsea and Arsenal, where the visitors have had a man sent off and set up shop, Pool have created the sum total of **** all squared. The Chelsea game in particular is looking more and more like 2 points dropped.

As for Klopp not caring about the worthless cup, I think a few of the changes were to give players a run out as some hadn't played for a while with the COVID farce. Alison in particular fits that bill. Obviously the front three pick themselves cos there's no one else and that will probably be Pool's front three until Salah and Mane come back.

All to play for the second leg at the Emirates, although I can't help but feel the game should already be over. Still, if you're gonna be ****, be **** the worthless cup...first leg.

 

[edd_jedi]

Arsenal have requested to postpone the North London Derby on Sunday, I heard they were stuggling for players although they didn't seem to do too badly last night, save for Xhaka's 37th red card of the season

 

[lejackal]

I mean everyone else seems to be at it so when in Rome and all that

 

[theforceuk]

Apparently no covid cases in the Arsenal camp???? Not sure why they think the game should be postponed?

 

[lejackal]

There is at least one case because Odegaard tested positive so missed Thursday. The PL guidelines are not limited to covid though.

As the guidance shows, the Board will consider the following principal factors when making a decision:

1) The impact of COVID-19 infections on a club's squad, as well as injuries, illness and those isolating, and the number of players available on the squad list and any Under-21 players with appropriate experience. Where a club cannot field 13 outfield players and a goalkeeper either from its squad list or its appropriately experienced Under-21 players, the match will be postponed.

We have 12 outfield players (assuming only Cedric isn't available from Thursday) plus u23's & u18's

 

[theforceuk]

There is at least one case because Odegaard tested positive so missed Thursday. The PL guidelines are not limited to covid though.

As the guidance shows, the Board will consider the following principal factors when making a decision:

1) The impact of COVID-19 infections on a club's squad, as well as injuries, illness and those isolating, and the number of players available on the squad list and any Under-21 players with appropriate experience. Where a club cannot field 13 outfield players and a goalkeeper either from its squad list or its appropriately experienced Under-21 players, the match will be postponed.

We have 12 outfield players (assuming only Cedric isn't available from Thursday) plus u23's & u18's

Yeah completely within the rules/guidelines, interesting that last weekend when it was FA Cup 3rd round weekend every team had enough players. lol

 

[lejackal]

Yeah completely within the rules/guidelines, interesting that last weekend when it was FA Cup 3rd round weekend every team had enough players. lol

Haha, yeah, I think the FA said play or forfeit

 

[edd_jedi]

Well that's one way of staying above your rivals for a few more days it's a massive game to have 'in the bank' for both teams though, I won't be looking forward to the rearranged fixture if it's at the end of the season!

Interesting stat - Spurs would now have more points than Chelsea, and at least for the time being be second in the league, if we won all our postponed fixtures (currently four games behind Chelsea.) Not bad for a team having a disastrous season.

 

[edd_jedi]

And Norwich have just beaten Everton, surely that's Benitez finished!?

 

[weasel]

Interesting stat - Spurs would now have more points than Chelsea, and at least for the time being be second in the league, if we won all our postponed fixtures (currently four games behind Chelsea.) Not bad for a team having a disastrous season.

Not unless you won those four games by 34 goals! Pool's GD would keep you third. Pool also have a game in hand.
But I do agree with your last sentence.


Not sure about that Arsenal postponement. It sort of sums up the way the covid postponements are going now. Arsenal have 3 or 4 away at AFCON, have just loaned AMN to Roma and have Xhaka suspended. Unsure on injuries, but add in ONE covid case and they get it postponed. Hmmmm.
It is within the letters of the rules, but it kinda feels like it is against the spirit of the rules.
That's not a dig at Arsenal, they are just the latest club to do it. I said something a week or so ago about Newcastle and Burnley getting games postponed for questionable reasons, and Pool had the issue with the false positives, albeit the players who tested positive were still ineligible due to PL rules until after the negative tests came in which was the day after the game in question.
It is getting a bit farcical now when ONE covid case is enough to get a game called off. The PL have made a rod for their own backs here. They should turn round now and say, play with u21's or u18's to make up the numbers and only allow exceptions if the whole club has covid (or no fit keepers), but they won't and we'll end up with some club playing Tues, Thurs, Sun for two weeks at the end of the season cos they still have 12 games to play before the final weekend.

I was thinking earlier, if these rules were in place last year, Pool wouldn't have played a game from October until May. They had a few COVID cases and 3 CB's out, along with a procession of other players. I think it was 11 or 12 at one point. That would have been interesting. Trying to finish a season when you have 20 postponed games and a WC starting in a few weeks.

 

[lejackal]

Arsenal have played games with more impact from covid, this is the first time our squad has dropped below the 13 player threshold set by the league and yet we're wrong for making use of the rules. I didn't see a shitstorm from the other postponed match this weekend, just the NLD. I'd agree the rules are wrong but you'd be stupid not to use them when your competitors have all done the same already.