Jump to content

Football: of great teams having an exceptional season and exceptional teams having a great season.


Recommended Posts

11 hours ago, ljkeane said:

Presumably David Silva’s not ok to play 2 games in quick succession. The obvious thing to do though would be to drop Bernardo Silva into midfield and play one of Sané or Mahrez. That Foden plays suggests he might be moving ahead of them in the pecking order.

That's one reading of the situation. My reading is more, that Guardiola won't spend big to replace David Silva, but considers Foden as Silva's natural successor (or is being groomed as such). As a sidenote: I think if Liverpool had not so stubbornly continued to collect points Foden would've played more games already this campaign. So why move Bernardo Silva to a different position and not give Foden a chance? Besides offensively City looked very convincing mid-week, so no point of making changes there, unless you want to rest players. I suspected Guardiola might have wanted to do that and thus also give Sane the start.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This isn’t inspiring a great deal of confidence for United’s chances midweek.

ETA: United really need to get themselves a director or football to manage their summer transfer dealings. I don’t think Solskjær’s going to last for 3 years.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fair play, that’s a good goal. 

Everton really do appear to have, under the radar a bit, become pretty good.

ETA: Jesus, this is still humiliating for United though. They’re getting absolutely blown away in midfield. Everton are missing Andre Gomes as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Okay, I'm ready to bar any hope of CL football next year, and for the years to come.

We should just stop to pretend being what we aren't, rebuild a real team with players that are ready to play the United way, and enjoy any kind of football we are able to play with these guys. Even if it means losing some "stars" and forget those Tuesday and Wednesday (heck, even Thursday), mad nights.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, that was a proper thumping. The poor form, injuries and contract standoffs hit us at exactly the wrong time. Herrera is off to PSG and has been mysteriously 'injured' ever since that came out and De Gea's form has fallen off a cliff ever since his contract dispute came out. Sixth is most likely where we will finish (5th if we are lucky). Solskjaer has got his work cut out for him and our transfer business these past 6 years have been atrocious so his chances of success don't look too good.

Woodward doesn't seem interested in appointing a DoF and/or technical director - after this poor run of results, knowing he will come under heavy criticism, he'll probably do what he usually does and have his mouthpieces in the press drop some stories about interest in appointing a DoF/technical director but it's always been just talk.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

43 minutes ago, ljkeane said:

That’s the most points Liverpool have ever  had in the Premier League then with 3 games to play. It’s very irritating that they aren’t running away with the title with this sort of performance.

Yup, you're totally deserving it, and it's even more irritating to see 'Pool fans moaning around here as if there was a drama going on. Sometimes I feel like you just don't realize in what kind of heaven of a season you are !

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think if Liverpool signed Fekir (or perhaps if Ox was fit for the whole season) they would be ahead of City right now. While Liverpool's midfield is incredibly hard working, it's just that extra creativity City has through the middle that's been the difference between the two sides. With a quality creator behind them, Liverpool's front 3 would be even more prolific. They already have a better defence than City - huge credit to Klopp for turning Liverpool's biggest weakness post Rafa into their greatest strength. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tough to know for sure. And I think this is a rather bold claim.

Liverpool have not dropped that many points. Yes, they gave away a few draws. I mean, pointwise you are suggesting that with Fekir or Ox being healthy, Liverpool would be 100 points+ team (that's what being ahaead of City in the table actually means).

I mean this must be horribly depressing to watch for would be challengers for the next season(s). I vaguely recall you saying that City's 100 points last year was really them overperforming, and them not repeating it. Yet, it looks like this really is the new normal. To challenge City you need to produce a 100 point season (or at least be in that region, as Liverpool is showing this year).

Pointwise, how many EPL teams were actually better than Liverpool this year. City last year, and presumably City this year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That was the kind of game where we used to struggle: defensive opponent desperate for points, bombarding us at set pieces and having some tricky pace for the counter threat.  Very capably handled, but please don’t waste so many shots next time.

That’s a shockingly bad result for United today.  Everton have been quite good, especially at home, but United were flailing today.  The race for CL spots had produced some tight competition these past couple of months. But then an exhausted Spurs slumped at City, and neither Arsenal nor United could take advantage today.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, A Horse Named Stranger said:

Tough to know for sure. And I think this is a rather bold claim.

Liverpool have not dropped that many points. Yes, they gave away a few draws. I mean, pointwise you are suggesting that with Fekir or Ox being healthy, Liverpool would be 100 points+ team (that's what being ahaead of City in the table actually means).

I mean this must be horribly depressing to watch for would be challengers for the next season(s). I vaguely recall you saying that City's 100 points last year was really them overperforming, and them not repeating it. Yet, it looks like this really is the new normal. To challenge City you need to produce a 100 point season (or at least be in that region, as Liverpool is showing this year).

Pointwise, how many EPL teams were actually better than Liverpool this year. City last year, and presumably City this year.

This is the reality for now.  City have been financially doping for years and it has perhaps peaked now* to produce this (almost?) insurmountable opponent for the other challengers.  Liverpool have terrible timing to coincide their best team in a decade with peak City.

* Assuming Silva, Aguero and Fernandinho will be declining soon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...