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The 2017-2018 Football Thread

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Apple fanboy said:
Well when I checked the scores earlier I saw Liverpool cruising to victory. But they managed to turn it around and get a draw!
Sounds like my team!
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Lord Blackadder said:
Very disappointing. However, it's worth pointing out that Liverpool were playing away, to a very good team who have an excellent record in their home stadium. The end result is not that bad, but the manner in which it happened deflating.

With that being said, at this level there is no excuse for blowing a 3-0 lead like that.
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The score indicates a draw, but - psychologically - there are draws where you 'win', where you know you have snatched the psychological victory - and draws where you 'lose', or feel as though you have lost.

For Liverpool, this is the latter. This is a draw where they lost. Blowing a three goal lead is inexcusable.
 
Scepticalscribe said:
The score indicates a draw, but - psychologically - there are draws where you 'win', where you know you have snatched the psychological victory - and draws where you 'lose', or feel as though you have lost.

For Liverpool, this is the latter. This is a draw where they lost. Blowing a three goal lead is inexcusable.
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Agreed. Losing a three goal lead can’t be good for your psyche one bit.

Having said that, I watched the first half and thought it was ominous for the weekend match against them, after watching the second half that’s now relaxed considerably. Their front four is just irresistible at times, and Wijnaldum can also slot in what is fair;y seamlessly. But that defence is just abysmal. Hazard and Morata should give them a torrid time.

First stop, Baku.
 
Apple fanboy said:
We might already be a goal down but at least we are showing a bit of fight. Come on you Irons!
[doublepost=1511556510][/doublepost]Get in! 1-1!
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First Premier League match I ever went to when I moved to London was at the Boleyn Ground. Having loved football since I was a kid it was amazing. Hazard knocking in the winner in a 1-0 with a starry eyed lad from Sydney in his prized Hasselbaink shirt in the away end. #Sorry

Having also been to London Stadium, it’s a ghost. I get why they did move but it’s just not a football ground. Thoughts on that and the first couple of games with Moyes in charge?

Big personal match for Chelsea this weekend for me. I know far too many Liverpool fans both here and back in Australia (thanks Kewell), and as a result am far too heavily invested in ‘whoever loses buys lunch next time’ bets. Could be lucrative, could be a disaster.
 
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Jinkst said:
First Premier League match I ever went to when I moved to London was at the Boleyn Ground. Having loved football since I was a kid it was amazing. Hazard knocking in the winner in a 1-0 with a starry eyed lad from Sydney in his prized Hasselbaink shirt in the away end. #Sorry

Having also been to London Stadium, it’s a ghost. I get why they did move but it’s just not a football ground. Thoughts on that and the first couple of games with Moyes in charge?

Big personal match for Chelsea this weekend for me. I know far too many Liverpool fans both here and back in Australia (thanks Kewell), and as a result am far too heavily invested in ‘whoever loses buys lunch next time’ bets. Could be lucrative, could be a disaster.
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I agree that the London Stadium hasn't worked out well for us. Ultimately you are right, it's not a football stadium. The fact that we are filling it and it's still not feeling full worries me immensely. Dread to think what happens next year in the championship!

As for Moyes, he's not the guy he was at Everton. The fans didn't want him. Even the board aren't convinced having only given him a contract until the summer.

We've have spent a lot of money on average players. Or players that seemed good in other teams and have come and looked poor.
The current plan of long balls and crosses into Carroll isn't going to work all season. He's not going to be fit all season long for a start.
 
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Chelsea claw back a draw against Liverpool, while Manchester United wrest a jammy victory (a damned deflection) yet again - this time against the unfortunate and unlucky Brighton & Hove Albion who surely deserved a draw from this encounter.
 
Scepticalscribe said:
Chelsea claw back a draw against Liverpool, while Manchester United wrest a jammy victory (a damned deflection) yet again - this time against the unfortunate and unlucky Brighton & Hove Albion who surely deserved a draw from this encounter.
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Man Utd nearly always get the rub of the green.

Good result for Liverpool, Chelsea played well but were still lucky to get the draw, regardless of what Antonio Conte says.

Despite that, there is a slightly deflating inevitability about Liverpool's season - they will finish 5th or 6th unless they buy a world-class center back in January... and January is rarely a good time to buy a key starting player.

The only potential for excitement are the remaining matches against "top 6" opponents and perhaps some good Champions League matches.
 
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Lord Blackadder said:
Good result for Liverpool, Chelsea played well but were still lucky to get the draw, regardless of what Antonio Conte says.
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I think 1-1 was fair. Both teams had strong patches and were backing up from a not too ideal midweek match, ours the travel, Liverpool’s the loss of the big halftime lead.

BHA deserved more, as did WBA. And Watford really are making Silva look like a genius!
 
Jinkst said:
I think 1-1 was fair. Both teams had strong patches and were backing up from a not too ideal midweek match, ours the travel, Liverpool’s the loss of the big halftime lead.
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A fair result, yes, though the manner in which Chelsea scored was slightly lucky.
 
Ashley Young, back from the dead. Two sensational goals at Watford and a generally excellent first half of football from United. The second half? Uhh. A bit of a loss of focus there, and Matic having to come off with a muscle injury is a big worry with Arsenal and City coming up.
 
Silencio said:
Ashley Young, back from the dead. Two sensational goals at Watford and a generally excellent first half of football from United. The second half? Uhh. A bit of a loss of focus there, and Matic having to come off with a muscle injury is a big worry with Arsenal and City coming up.
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Most newsworthy thing Young has done since getting **** in his mouth by a bird! The free kick was a belter.

Was a cracking first half for United as you said. They definitely went to sleep in the second but fair play to Watford, they’re a difficult team to play and have some unconventional players. Richarlison is fun to watch.
 
Everton v West Ham is a must win for us tonight. It's still early in the season but I think the term 6 pointer is already relevant.
Two of our ex managers (Big Sam and Padrew) have been appointed this week. I'd have taken either of them over Moyes.
 
So, Everton have resorted to Big Sam. A sad end to a storied club. And Pards takes over at West Brom.

The Proper Football Men on TV complain about British managers not getting a chance in the Premier league. The reality is, in a global league such as the prem, there are only so many slots available for British managers. And they are all permanently filled by old-school managers like Big Sam, Pards, Pulis, et cetera. They just keep rotating between clubs and are typecast as functional troubleshooters, to be jettisoned as soon as danger is passed.

It's not that English managers aren't getting a chance, it's that the English managers getting a chance are old fuddy-duddies, and they are keeping the younger, more modern candidates from getting their chance.
 
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Lord Blackadder said:
So, Everton have resorted to Big Sam. A sad end to a storied club. And Pards takes over at West Brom.

The Proper Football Men on TV complain about British managers not getting a chance in the Premier league. The reality is, in a global league such as the prem, there are only so many slots available for British managers. And they are all permanently filled by old-school managers like Big Sam, Pards, Pulis, et cetera. They just keep rotating between clubs and are typecast as functional troubleshooters, to be jettisoned as soon as danger is passed.

It's not that English managers aren't getting a chance, it's that the English managers getting a chance are old fuddy-duddies, and they are keeping the younger, more modern candidates from getting their chance.
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Excellent post, but I have also been struck by how few Brits attempt to try a career in continental management.

Language skills (or a lack of them) are only a part of the problem, for mindset, mentality and openness to new experiences also matter. After all, Bobby Robson (who had hired a young Jose Mourinho as his interpreter and factotum when he was manager at Sporting Lisbon) was an early exception to this.

Arsenal did well tonight, as did all of the other top teams, Manchester City claiming a hard fought victory against a dogged Southampton. Chelsea, Burnley, and Liverpool also won.

And West Ham were destroyed by Everton.
 
Apple fanboy said:
Everton v West Ham is a must win for us tonight. It's still early in the season but I think the term 6 pointer is already relevant.
Two of our ex managers (Big Sam and Padrew) have been appointed this week. I'd have taken either of them over Moyes.
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lol.
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Apple fanboy said:
I have no words.....
I hate Wayne Rooney. Isn't about time he retired?

Can't wait for the championship.

Next up Man City!
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lol.
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Lord Blackadder said:
So, Everton have resorted to Big Sam. A sad end to a storied club. And Pards takes over at West Brom.

The Proper Football Men on TV complain about British managers not getting a chance in the Premier league. The reality is, in a global league such as the prem, there are only so many slots available for British managers. And they are all permanently filled by old-school managers like Big Sam, Pards, Pulis, et cetera. They just keep rotating between clubs and are typecast as functional troubleshooters, to be jettisoned as soon as danger is passed.

It's not that English managers aren't getting a chance, it's that the English managers getting a chance are old fuddy-duddies, and they are keeping the younger, more modern candidates from getting their chance.
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I'd be happy if they'd manage to have more English owners...
 
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A completely boring match day, in the sense that all the "big" teams won. I suppose Everton winning big was a surprise.

Scepticalscribe said:
Excellent post, but I have also been struck by how few Brits attempt to try a career in continental management.

Language skills (or a lack of them) are only a part of the problem, for mindset, mentality and openness to new experiences also matter. After all, Bobby Robson (who had hired a young Jose Mourinho as his interpreter and factotum when he was manager at Sporting Lisbon) was an early exception to this.
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  • English football is a bit conservative/reactionary
  • This results in a somewhat unfair stigma against English managers abroad
  • The press in England praise the few who go abroad, but are they really given credit for doing so? I'm skeptical.
 
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Lord Blackadder said:
...like Mike Ashley, Gollivan, the Oystons...? ;)


At least Ken Bates is out of the picture.



So was Everton. The win was not a shock, but the scoreline was surprising.
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You watching the Crew? Steffens already made a penalty save!
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Apple fanboy said:
Our owners are English. Want them?
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Seeing how are guy took away our beloved stripes. Yes.
We are literally, IMHO, one season away from becoming the "Red Dragon Owls'.
Mark my words.
We'll be wearing red and gold in a years time.
 
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