Paper? What are they
It was on the sky sports website.
Just seen the Everton v Mac City result.
What a shock! Don't think anybody saw that thrashing coming.
I'll look up the article.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
The 2016-2017 Football Thread
- Thread starter Apple fanboy
- Start date
-
- Tags
- football
- Sort by reaction score
- Status
It was on the sky sports website.
Just seen the Everton v Mac City result.
What a shock! Don't think anybody saw that thrashing coming.
I'll look up the article.
Paper? What are they
It was on the sky sports website.
Just seen the Everton v Mac City result.
What a shock! Don't think anybody saw that thrashing coming.
I'll look up the article.
Don't have Sky Sports; but, yes, I read papers, - including online.
Take a look as it is an excellent, thoughtful and very well written article.
Yes, Everton inflicting such a mugging on Manchester City is interesting, to say the least.
Now, I shall rest content if Liverpool can do the needful this afternoon.
Yes that would be my preference to. Put the special one in his place.
I find I prefer to see the Special One whinging, whining, and complaining loudly about the manifold injustices of footballing life, to the jeering and quite nasty - indeed, occasionally cruel - and vindictive bully without an ounce of empathy - but fully equipped with a bottomless sense of entitlement - he turns into when things are going well for him.
So, yes, while I devoutly hope Manchester United get stuffed this afternoon - I fear that they may not.
I also did a double take when seeing the Everton-Man City score. It's all going wrong for Pep - though I would take a certain pleasure in both he and Mou fail to finish in the top four - it's unlikely but possible.
Liverpool go into half time leading 1-0 after a flagrant handball by Pogba, but Man Utd could easily have been 3-0 up at that point and should have scored at least one by now given the good chances they've had. I will be very surprised if they do not win. Liverpool are missing their best attacker (Coutinho) and defender (Matip), and we have a kid filling in for Clyne at right back. Coming off three bad results against weak teams, and playing away at Old Trafford, this should be an easy three points for Man Utd.
I expect nothing from this match.
Liverpool go into half time leading 1-0 after a flagrant handball by Pogba, but Man Utd could easily have been 3-0 up at that point and should have scored at least one by now given the good chances they've had. I will be very surprised if they do not win. Liverpool are missing their best attacker (Coutinho) and defender (Matip), and we have a kid filling in for Clyne at right back. Coming off three bad results against weak teams, and playing away at Old Trafford, this should be an easy three points for Man Utd.
I expect nothing from this match.
Now, I don't normally subscribe to the school of Rooney bashing - sometimes, he is too easy a target, and is often unfairly targeted, but today, Wayne Rooney put in a very nasty challenge on James Milner of the sort that screamed frustrated spoiled petulant brat, and should have been booked - at the very least - for it.
United have pulled one back.
A draw would be a fair result.
United have pulled one back.
A draw would be a fair result.
Probably a fair result, but Liverpool will feel better about this one I think. Mou deliberately stank the place out at Anfield, playing for the dull draw he eventually got. Here, playing a weakened Liverpool side, I felt like he went for it but once again was reliant on some direct play to Ibra snatch a draw. despite all the money spent Man Utd still look like a team of very expensive individuals. Zlatan can turn speculative crosses into goals, De Gea continues to be their MVP, but the rest are underperforming. Rooney is a shadow of his former self.
Chelsea are still very close to running away with the title unless Liverpool/Arsenal/Spurs can put together some winning streaks.
Everton could theoretically make a strong push for a top four spot if a couple teams above them stumble. Even without them in it there are still six teams pushing for the four CL spots.
Chelsea are still very close to running away with the title unless Liverpool/Arsenal/Spurs can put together some winning streaks.
Everton could theoretically make a strong push for a top four spot if a couple teams above them stumble. Even without them in it there are still six teams pushing for the four CL spots.
Last edited:
Yes, I was just looking at the table; Chelsea have been building up a commanding enough lead. Still, with the suddenly strangely reluctant Diego Costa (handled very well thus far by Antonio Conte, an object lesson for how to handle such stuff, Mr Bilic) throwing shapes, sulks and spurious excuses, i will be interesting to see what transpires.
I imagine that Chelsea might try to retain his reluctant services until summer; however, I wold be astonished if various versions of a "Plan B" were not being explored and thrashed out, as we speak. And write.
Nevertheless, Liverpool did well, and it would have been robbery had Manchester United snatched a victory.
I am stull in full honeymoon mode with Klopp, but his Liverpool is not a team that wins matches 1-0. As the match hit the last ten minutes I knew it was going to finish either 1-1 or 2-1. That's just the way Liverpool play football.
Had Liverpool won 1-0 I would have called it slightly lucky (though it wouldn't curb my enthusiasm one bit).
I'm not terribly bothered about the cup matches (though winning them would at least boost the mood), but looking ahead in the league Liverpool really need to beat Southampton and Hull, and -most importantly - take points off Chelsea at Anfield. Even a draw there would be significant.
Hull have a new manager and could prove surprisingly tough, but on paper Liverpool are facing a run of "easy" games and they need to use this opportunity to keep the pressure on Chelsea and pull away from the Manchester mob.
Had Liverpool won 1-0 I would have called it slightly lucky (though it wouldn't curb my enthusiasm one bit).
I'm not terribly bothered about the cup matches (though winning them would at least boost the mood), but looking ahead in the league Liverpool really need to beat Southampton and Hull, and -most importantly - take points off Chelsea at Anfield. Even a draw there would be significant.
Hull have a new manager and could prove surprisingly tough, but on paper Liverpool are facing a run of "easy" games and they need to use this opportunity to keep the pressure on Chelsea and pull away from the Manchester mob.
Yes, but as long as they keep producing 4-0, and 3-0 victories, nobody can deny that they have the right to their current place. Nobody anywhere has said that they are "lucky", or undeserving.
The challenge is twofold: Hope that Chelsea slip up (the imminent departure - either now or in the summer of Diego Costa may add to Chelsea's pressures, but I would be astounded if there weren't a few "Plan Bs" being hatched) and try to keep up the momentum - even if they don't.
As long as Chelsea keep winning by these margins, everyone else has to achieve the same sort of result - just to keep up, just to remain exactly in place where they are this weekend.
And, this week end, Liverpool and Manchester United have dropped points, and Manchester City actually lost. Chelsea have set the bar pretty high.
At the same time, there are a lot of games left, and seven points is a cushion that can disappear entirely in the space of two weeks of matches.
Also, if the execrable Costa hits a slump following his transfer hissy fit, it could impact the team's overall form.
Any of the top six could still win the league at this point, and any of the top six could still finish outside the top four.
Also, if the execrable Costa hits a slump following his transfer hissy fit, it could impact the team's overall form.
Any of the top six could still win the league at this point, and any of the top six could still finish outside the top four.
The execrable Costa, yes, agreed, and the petulant and self-indulgent Payet, yes. Agreed.
Both have chosen a fine - and irresponsible - time to throw their toys out of the pram - a well remunerated pram, it must be said.
There are a lot of games, granted, but - as of now - Chelsea have a cushion of three wins to play with - a lead which is not impossible to claw back, but does present a bit of a challenge to overhaul on the part of the others.
The only way that lead is going to go is for one of the opposition to put a good run together.
I recall the year Manchester United clawed back a 12 point deficit against Kevin Keagens Newcastle.
So yes 7 points is doable.
It is, agreed, more than doable - but Fergie also played nasty mind games with Kevin Keegan.
Candidly, I cannot see Mr Conte falling prey to mind games, he is too suave and experienced manager for that.
The others will have to do very well and do well consistently - as you say, put a good run together - and, simultaneously - Chelsea will have to stumble for a few weeks, and not merely for one or two games.
It will be interesting to see what happens. Each of the current top six are expensively assembled teams led by managers of the highest reputation. There are no weaklings there, but only four will finish in the CL spots and only one can win the league.
@Apple fanboy: An interesting piece in today's edition of the Guardian about West Ham, entitled "West Ham's striking failure: 32 signed in seven years and still no solution", written by Jacob Steinberg. Well worth taking a look at it.
The Guardian's Football Weekly podcast discussed the Payet situation as well...of interest is the fact that Slaven Bilic (then a player) left West Ham under almost identical circumstances 20 years ago. Forcing through a move to a "bigger" club, claiming he had to take the opportunity...with Redknapp sounding just as disappointed then as Bilic does now.
Also worthy of note is that Payet went on strike at St Etienne in order to force through his move to West Ham...so this is a pattern of behavior.
When Suarez began lining up his move from Liverpool to Barca, everyone quickly realized two things:
- We would never be able to come close to replacing him.
- There was no way we could keep him.
Thanks I'll look it up. I could name quite a few of the flops we have had over the years!
Bring back Di Canio and Tony Cottee!
[doublepost=1484670774][/doublepost]
The players have all the powe these days I'm afraid.
The strange situation surrounding Joel Matip continues to rumble on. Matip claims he's retired from international play with Cameroon; Cameroon insist he has not and should be with the squad for the AFCON. If Matip is still a Cameroon international, Liverpool cannot play him until Cameroon exit the ACFON without facing punishment from FIFA (essentially fielding an ineligible player?).
On the other hand, FIFA is dragging its feet in clarifying the situation - so Liverpool are not sure whether Matip can play or not. Matip says he is retired, Liverpool are happy to accept that, but Cameroon are keeping him in limbo until FIFA make a call.
How hard can it be to sort this out? You either make yourself available for selection or not, right? International call-ups are not compulsory, though perhaps Matip failed to express his intentions in writing early enough. Either way, FIFA should be able to sort this out in a couple days...instead it's taking weeks.
Confusion reigns.
On the other hand, FIFA is dragging its feet in clarifying the situation - so Liverpool are not sure whether Matip can play or not. Matip says he is retired, Liverpool are happy to accept that, but Cameroon are keeping him in limbo until FIFA make a call.
How hard can it be to sort this out? You either make yourself available for selection or not, right? International call-ups are not compulsory, though perhaps Matip failed to express his intentions in writing early enough. Either way, FIFA should be able to sort this out in a couple days...instead it's taking weeks.
Confusion reigns.
Dreadful penalty by Origi but Lucas' first goal in seven years sends Liverpool past Plymouth Argyle and off to meet Wolves in the next round of the FA Cup. Liuverpool squandered several chances to make it 2-0, and Plymouth hit the post late, but the Reds ground out the win and that's all that matters.
Last edited:
Some interesting results: Liverpool defeated by Swansea by three goals to two, and - not for the first time - a generous period of stoppage time (five minutes) allows Manchester United to claw back a goal enabling them to share the points with Stoke, with the final result a one all draw.
Credit, though, to Wayne Rooney, having scored from a free kick in the ninety fourth minute, thereby snatching a point for Manchester United.
However, with that goal, he has now taken his place as the player who holds the all time scoring record at Manchester United, as he has just broken the record set by the legendary Sir Bobby Charlton, which had been securely in place for the past 45 years.
Next up, Spurs and Manchester City - an interesting clash between the teams managed by two of the most interesting tacticians in the Premiership, namely Mauricio Pochettino and Pep Guardiola.
Credit, though, to Wayne Rooney, having scored from a free kick in the ninety fourth minute, thereby snatching a point for Manchester United.
However, with that goal, he has now taken his place as the player who holds the all time scoring record at Manchester United, as he has just broken the record set by the legendary Sir Bobby Charlton, which had been securely in place for the past 45 years.
Next up, Spurs and Manchester City - an interesting clash between the teams managed by two of the most interesting tacticians in the Premiership, namely Mauricio Pochettino and Pep Guardiola.
- Status