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The 2018-2019 Football Thread

Spurs will be without Hugo Lloris and Dele Alli when they face Liverpool on Saturday. Spurs have been a little hot-and-cold so far this season but I am sure Klopp is expecting tough match. This is Liverpool's first chance to make a big statement by beating an elite rival.
 
And an Arsenal victory at Newcastle, the classic, clichéd "game of two halves", with Arsenal poor enough in the first half, and clinical and collected, composed and in control for much of the second half, eventually winning by two goals to one.
 
Watford are battling hard but it looks like Man Utd will just about hang on to the win, thanks to a late world-class save by de Gea, Marouane "Elbows" Fellaini's defensive play, and Mourinho's undoubted ability to hold on to a lead. Matic is sent off at the death...

Probably an important win for Mourinho, though it will only silence the critics temporarily.

So, the big teams won and the small teams lost. Chelsea have quietly eclipsed Liverpool and Man City as the early leaders.
 
Lord Blackadder said:
Watford are battling hard but it looks like Man Utd will just about hang on to the win, thanks to a late world-class save by de Gea, Marouane "Elbows" Fellaini's defensive play, and Mourinho's undoubted ability to hold on to a lead. Matic is sent off at the death...

Probably an important win for Mourinho, though it will only silence the critics temporarily.

So, the big teams won and the small teams lost. Chelsea have quietly eclipsed Liverpool and Man City as the early leaders.
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The score didn't flatter Watford, they battled bravely (and competently) to the very end, and I would have liked to have seen them able to take a point, at the very least.

Agree that pressure has eased (for now, we await the next implosion) on Mourinho.

Chelsea have started well, firing on all cylinders and gelling well. As have Liverpool. It won't be a canter to coronation this season for Manchester City, and that will be no bad thing.
 
Dallas 0-0 Columbus

MLS are an embarrassment, with Columbus scheduled to play 3 matches in 8 days - one in Dallas, one in Portland, and a third back in Columbus...check a map and notice the insane number of travel miles the team will rack up there. They started this sequence with a cautious goalless draw against first-place-in-the-east Dallas, under swelteringly hot conditions. A dull match, which is understandable under the circumstances. Berhalter didn't exaclty play for a draw, but he didn't take risks either and the players were only going at it about 80%.

Scepticalscribe said:
Chelsea have started well, firing on all cylinders and gelling well. As have Liverpool. It won't be a canter to coronation this season for Manchester City, and that will be no bad thing.
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Despite Watford and Bournemouth hanging in there so far, I am concerned that, apart from at the top of the table, the overall competitiveness of the league will drop this season, i.e. the points gap between the top six and everyone else could get big.
 
Lord Blackadder said:
Dallas 0-0 Columbus

MLS are an embarrassment, with Columbus scheduled to play 3 matches in 8 days - one in Dallas, one in Portland, and a third back in Columbus...check a map and notice the insane number of travel miles the team will rack up there. They started this sequence with a cautious goalless draw against first-place-in-the-east Dallas, under swelteringly hot conditions. A dull match, which is understandable under the circumstances. Berhalter didn't exaclty play for a draw, but he didn't take risks either and the players were only going at it about 80%.



Despite Watford and Bournemouth hanging in there so far, I am concerned that, apart from at the top of the table, the overall competitiveness of the league will drop this season, i.e. the points gap between the top six and everyone else could get big.
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Unfortunately, you could well have a strong argument, as what used to be "the comfortable middle" has now, in recent years, become "the squeezed middle" - those teams that used to languish fairly comfortably and safely in the middle of the table, sometimes causing upsets, yet reasonably and predictably safe year after year while rarely challenging for honours, except perhaps in a cup - is increasingly squeezed and squashed.

The romantic in me is sorry to see this spectacle.

Am amused and appalled in equal measure at what Sanchez is receiving at Manchester United; more than £300,000 per week, plus a ridiculous "playing bonus" of £75,000 each time he takes the pitch.

At least with Arsenal, alienated, egotistical, disruptive and disaffected though he was, he did play passionately and furiously and managed to score fairly frequently.
 
My #1 Alabama Crimson Tide looked like a complete team last night . I am very impressed and feel like this could be a special season :) ROLLTIDE
 
It was admittedly a home win, and required a late goal, but beating a club with PSG's ambitions is still a big deal for Liverpool. Milner was imperious, Gini was almost as good, and while Salah is still not back to last season's form everyone up top contributed.

I'm a bit worried about Salah, actually...he doesn't look as worn out as Kane, but he's lacking sharpness and I'm sure it's because of the mileage he's accumulated in the last year of football.

6 wins from 6 matches so far this season for Klopp's men. At some point soon Liverpool will drop points, but Klopp's astute management of the summer transfer window and preseason training has thus far paid dividends. As rich as they are, Liverpool are still surrounded by clubs with more money, so it's going to be a tough battle.

Elsewhere, a calamitous performance for Man City, and a convincing win for Man Utd. Still, neither was playing against a true contender, and it's early in the competition. Hard to draw too many conclusions from either match.
 
Lord Blackadder said:
It was admittedly a home win, and required a late goal, but beating a club with PSG's ambitions is still a big deal for Liverpool. Milner was imperious, Gini was almost as good, and while Salah is still not back to last season's form everyone up top contributed.

I'm a bit worried about Salah, actually...he doesn't look as worn out as Kane, but he's lacking sharpness and I'm sure it's because of the mileage he's accumulated in the last year of football.

6 wins from 6 matches so far this season for Klopp's men. At some point soon Liverpool will drop points, but Klopp's astute management of the summer transfer window and preseason training has thus far paid dividends. As rich as they are, Liverpool are still surrounded by clubs with more money, so it's going to be a tough battle.

Elsewhere, a calamitous performance for Man City, and a convincing win for Man Utd. Still, neither was playing against a true contender, and it's early in the competition. Hard to draw too many conclusions from either match.
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I think your observations about both Salah and Kane make a lot of sense; neither are the player they were during the early to mid part of last season, and the World Cup may not be solely to blame.

Moreover, while Spurs don't have all of their stars back firing on all cylinders yet, I am beginning to suspect that Pochettino may have taken this team as far as they can go.

Manchester United's opponents were not a real challenge, but the message from Manchester City is that they are no longer the towering and perfectly oiled machine of last season. While they will be - and still are - hard to beat, they are no longer the almost flawless giants of last season.

Liverpool did exceptionally well, but this is a competition in which Liverpool (last year's beaten finalists, lest anyone forget) tend to perform well.

Nevertheless, as long as they are untroubled by injury, I can see Liverpool mounting a serious challenge for the title.
 
Normal service at Man City and Liverpool with impressive wins.
Good wins for Leicester and Burnley to.

I hear Arnavich won’t be fit to face Chelsea tomorrow for us. I was resigned to getting beat, but with Arnie out it could be a worry.
 
Apple fanboy said:
Normal service at Man City and Liverpool with impressive wins.
Good wins for Leicester and Burnley to.

I hear Arnavich won’t be fit to face Chelsea tomorrow for us. I was resigned to getting beat, but with Arnie out it could be a worry.
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Very good wins for Leicester and Burnley.

Manchester City and Liverpool showing that these two teams will be the ones to set the standards for the season.

Wolves did well - and could have won - they were somewhat profligate with chances.



JamesMike said:
It was nice to see Harry Kane play well today.
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Agreed, it was, but I still think that he is burnt out and needs a long rest but Spurs cant afford to give him that.

Apple fanboy said:
No comment on the Man U game? How long you giving ‘the not so special one’?
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The "not so special one" is back to his old charming habit of blaming his players and not taking any responsibility for this state of affairs.
 
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JamesMike said:
He is so special I want to take him on my long run in the woods!
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It was nice to see the welcome that Sir Alex received today - his first appearance at Old Trafford since his brain haemorrhage and subsequent surgery last May.

And the contrast between the atmosphere, and tone of his tenure - and that of his successors becomes ever more striking the longer time elapses since his departure as manager.
 
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Wolves deserve credit - Mourinho had built a little momentum recently, but Wolves went to Old Trafford and earned a point. They’ve started the season really well.
 
Lord Blackadder said:
Wolves deserve credit - Mourinho had built a little momentum recently, but Wolves went to Old Trafford and earned a point. They’ve started the season really well.
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Wolves have started the season really well, with realistic ambitions, and have built an impressive team spirit (something Manchester United still lack for all of their evident talent).
 
Apple fanboy said:
I'm surprised at how well Wolves have adjusted to life in the PL. However they are well on their way to safety which is their desire for this first year.
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I think that, instead of being stunned with surprised delight when they were promoted, they planned intelligently for it and bought thoughtfully - balancing their actual budget with their perceived needs and whatever gaps they had identified for when playing in the Premiership - over the summer during the transfer window.

The best of luck to them; if they do well, and, as things go, there is no reason why they shouldn't, theirs could be a template to study for promoted teams.
 
West Ham started the season horribly, but they have substantially improved as the season has progressed so far.

Their performance today was nothing like what is saw the opening day of the season against Liverpool. They should have won it.

Big weekend for Liverpool as they are now top, but the pressure is on. Klopp’s men face Chelsea twice in one week - there is no way Liverpool win both of those matches, so I suspect the perfect record will end soon.
 
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