Football: CLeaning up

[Spockydog]

16 minutes ago, Winterfell is Burning said:

Guardian is reporting that Hart is not going to the WC.

Good.

[Mme Erzulie]

A good Hart these days is hard to find

[Consigliere]

16 hours ago, Mexal said:

Ok. I'm ready for Arteta. Bring him on. Just make a fucking announcement.

This would be one hell of a gamble by Arsenal. It is a very high risk appointment given that he has no managerial experience (not even with a youth team like Pep and Zidane did) and he's stepping into a club that needs rebuilding (both tactical and personnel wise) while having to deal with high expectations as well. 

I also wonder how much time Arteta would actually be given. Will he be allowed to go backwards for a bit before going forward? Arsenal have already failed to get CL football for two seasons on the trot and really cannot afford to spend another one, two or three seasons outside the CL otherwise you could end up in a vicious cycle of "we can't qualify for CL because the quality of players we need all want to play in the CL".

If I were an Arsenal fan, it'd be concerning to me that the board would have known for a while that this was Wenger's last season and the best replacement they can come up with for taking on a massive job is someone with zero managerial experience.

[Mexal]

1 hour ago, Consigliere said:

This would be one hell of a gamble by Arsenal. It is a very high risk appointment given that he has no managerial experience (not even with a youth team like Pep and Zidane did) and he's stepping into a club that needs rebuilding (both tactical and personnel wise) while having to deal with high expectations as well. 

I also wonder how much time Arteta would actually be given. Will he be allowed to go backwards for a bit before going forward? Arsenal have already failed to get CL football for two seasons on the trot and really cannot afford to spend another one, two or three seasons outside the CL otherwise you could end up in a vicious cycle of "we can't qualify for CL because the quality of players we need all want to play in the CL".

If I were an Arsenal fan, it'd be concerning to me that the board would have known for a while that this was Wenger's last season and the best replacement they can come up with for taking on a massive job is someone with zero managerial experience.

It is concerning but nothing we can do. Allegri didn't want to come, Nagelsmann can't get out of his contract, Arsenal didn't seem interested in Jardim so here we are.

At the end of the day, with the new structure Arsenal has set up with Mislintat, Cagigao and Sanllehi, they were clearly looking for less of a manager and more of a coach. And they're getting good word about Arteta, both what he has done at Man City and the way he comported himself at Arsenal in the waning days of his career. 

He's not my first choice. He's not even my 2nd, 3rd or 4th, but he's the choice they're going to make so the best I can do is hope he's some kind of genius.

[A Horse Named Stranger]

8 hours ago, Spockydog said:

Good.

You kinda have to feel sorry for Joe Hart. 6 years ago at the Euros in the Ukraine and Poland Hart looked like the long needed fix after years of goalkeepig woes for England. It's really amazing how deep he has fallen from grace during the last 2-3 years. It really went downhill for him at an amazing pace since Guardiola arrived and announced that Hart was not the right keeper for his vision.

[Consigliere]

Villa through to the playoff final. Sam Johnstone is a lucky boy. He really should have been sent off for this. Downing hit the crossbar from the resulting free kick. Wouldn't mind Villa getting back into the prem but prefer Fulham as they play a much better brand of football.

[Jordan La Cabra]

Middlesbrough quite unlucky tonight, as Johnston should have been sent off for a deliberate hand ball, but apart from that and the resulting free kick from Downing, they didn’t really test Aston Villa. 

Villa versus Fulham in the play off final has the potential to be a great game. Fulham’s young, free flowing attacking side up against the experienced heads of Villa.

Whatever happens, it will be good to have one of these sides back in the Premier League.

[polishgenius]

What the fuck has been happening in Lisbon today? A crowd of 50 Ultras broke into their training ground and beat up the players and coaches, leading to a hospitalisation for Bas Dost. The squad is probably going to boycott the cup final this weekend, and you'd imagine a few will leave in summer, if not all of them (there's some chatter that they could have grounds for terminating their contracts if they show that the club failed to take proper security measures, or something).

All apparently because they missed out on a CL spot this season.

[Philokles]

Who I'd take to Russia if I were Southgate: Pickford, Butland, Pope; Rose, Bertrand, Walker, TAA, Stones, Dier, Lascelles, Maguire, Henderson, Delph, Shelvey, Loftus-Cheek, Lallana, Alli, Lingard, Sancho, Sterling, Rashford, Kane, Vardy.

As for Hart, it would be nice if Shrewsbury win the play-off final for him to return home next season, as he will be unlikely to have any PL suitors. Would be a good place to rebuild where the fans would give him unanimous backing.

Germany's outfield squad was pretty much what I would have gone for. Petersen was an astute selection. Whether it was him Wagner, Uth or whoever in Stindl's absence, they would be very unlikely to get a start ahead of Werner and Gomez - so taking the super sub was the right move, especially when he is a good penalty taker if required.

[polishgenius]

2 minutes ago, Horse of Kent said:

Who I'd take to Russia if I were Southgate: Pickford, Butland, Pope; Rose, Bertrand, Walker, TAA, Stones, Dier, Lascelles, Maguire, Henderson, Delph, Shelvey, Loftus-Cheek, Lallana, Alli, Lingard, Sancho, Sterling, Rashford, Kane, Vardy.

I think England should be taking at least one of Albrighton or Ward-Prowse, purely for the delivery abilities. Albrighton obviously having had a better season, and being generally more proven, but I think JWP is better just at pure crossing the ball in so in taking an otherwise fringe player for very specific potential scenarios he might be a better idea.

Also I'd take Tarkowski, probably ahead of Lascelles but not sure. And I don't trust Shelvey, but I can see the argument for having an unpredictable maverick in a tournament like that.

[Dolorous Gabe]

2 hours ago, Notone said:

You kinda have to feel sorry for Joe Hart. 6 years ago at the Euros in the Ukraine and Poland Hart looked like the long needed fix after years of goalkeepig woes for England. It's really amazing how deep he has fallen from grace during the last 2-3 years. It really went downhill for him at an amazing pace since Guardiola arrived and announced that Hart was not the right keeper for his vision.

It had started way before then.

There's a rumour that he has a longstanding back problem which can't be sorted out and has been progressively getting worse over the last 5 years. It is alleged to be the reason he had such a sudden and clear issue with shots aimed to his left side, particularly low ones, which hadn't been obvious previously.

It's right that he isn't in the squad. He'd be no use even as a 2nd or 3rd choice at the moment.

[Philokles]

4 minutes ago, polishgenius said:

I think England should be taking at least one of Albrighton or Ward-Prowse, purely for the delivery abilities. Albrighton obviously having had a better season, and being generally more proven, but I think JWP is better just at pure crossing the ball in so in taking an otherwise fringe player for very specific potential scenarios he might be a better idea.

Also I'd take Tarkowski, probably ahead of Lascelles but not sure. And I don't trust Shelvey, but I can see the argument for having an unpredictable maverick in a tournament like that.

Ward-Prowse would be a good idea. I am not especially convinced by Shelvey either, but I had a space free in midfield and thought he would offer more than Cook. Lascelles is over Tarkowski only because he is a natural leader in an inexperienced squad.

[Iskaral Pust]

Based on form over the past 2-3 months, Southgate should be begging Milner to come out of retirement for one last hurrah. He definitely merits a place ahead of Lallana, Shelvey, Loftus-Cheek and Dier.  The squad has plenty of good attackers but it looks light on ball-winners, especially since Henderson has been injury prone in the past.  

They have enough firepower to get out of the group stage, but they might lack the MF to get the ball off a more talented team. 

[polishgenius]

4 hours ago, Iskaral Pust said:

Based on form over the past 2-3 months, Southgate should be begging Milner to come out of retirement for one last hurrah. He definitely merits a place ahead of Lallana, Shelvey, Loftus-Cheek and Dier.  The squad has plenty of good attackers but it looks light on ball-winners, especially since Henderson has been injury prone in the past.  

They have enough firepower to get out of the group stage, but they might lack the MF to get the ball off a more talented team. 

Maybe they should take Jonathan Hogg, by some distance the most effective English ball-winner in the league this season and the only player who matches up to Ndidi, Gueye and Kante, the usual leaders in that regard.

[ljkeane]

Allardyce is gone. It'll be interesting to see if Everton's hierarchy can get it right this summer.

[Jordan La Cabra]

2 minutes ago, ljkeane said:

Allardyce is gone. It'll be interesting to see if Everton's hierarchy can get it right this summer.

Moyes could be available. Over to you, Mr. Moshiri. Bring him home.

 

[Rorshach]

It’s about three months too late, but - finally - he’s gone.

 

Thank God! Because, with Samuele out, there has to be a God. 

#Dontevercomeback!!!

[A Horse Named Stranger]

11 hours ago, Dolorous Gabe said:

It had started way before then.

There's a rumour that he has a longstanding back problem which can't be sorted out and has been progressively getting worse over the last 5 years. It is alleged to be the reason he had such a sudden and clear issue with shots aimed to his left side, particularly low ones, which hadn't been obvious previously.

It's right that he isn't in the squad. He'd be no use even as a 2nd or 3rd choice at the moment.

Be that is it may. I didn't say Hart deserved to be called up, you can still somehow feel sorry for him. Because it's a quite deep fall from one of the best 5 or 7 goalkeepers in the world to not even be good enough to be the first choice keeper in West Ham (no offense).  Some boarders seemed to enjoy it a bit too much. No idea if Hart is such a bellend that he deserves it.

[Jordan La Cabra]

11 hours ago, Horse of Kent said:

Who I'd take to Russia if I were Southgate: Pickford, Butland, Pope; Rose, Bertrand, Walker, TAA, Stones, Dier, Lascelles, Maguire, Henderson, Delph, Shelvey, Loftus-Cheek, Lallana, Alli, Lingard, Sancho, Sterling, Rashford, Kane, Vardy.

The few changes I'd make from your squad would be:

Young over Bertrand - I think Young is a better crosser of the ball, and this season it seems he has assumed a leadership role at Man United, which might be valuable amongst in the England team.

Tarkowski over Lascelles - I see what you mean about Lascelles having the experience of being a captain, but I'd say Tarkowski is probably better on the ball, which seems to mean a lot to Gareth Southgate when it comes to centre backs.

Wilshere over Lallana - I think Southgate will pick Lallana, but if his reason for neglecting Wilshere is his injury problems, it seems strange to pick Lallana, who has struggled with injuries all year. Wilshere, despite previous injury problems, has played 38 games in all competitions compared to Lallana's 13.

Welbeck over Sancho - I haven't seen much of Sancho, to be fair, and some others have suggested picking him, so he must be decent, but I think it might be a tournament too soon - same for Ryan Sessengon. Welbeck has a good record for England and has looked decent in recent months for Arsenal. It helps to have versatile players like Delph, Young and Welbeck in a tournament squad.

Also, I wouldn't take Shelvey. A lot of people have been calling for him to be picked, but I haven't seen enough of him to agree with them.

I'd take Trippier, but would also take Alexander-Arnold, given that Walker seems to be taking a role as right centre-back for England.

 

[Spockydog]

50 minutes ago, Notone said:

 No idea if Hart is such a bellend that he deserves it.

He's a flash bastard, the very epitome of the overrated, over-inflated egotist that has afflicted England for the past twenty years.