3-1 now. Doubly good as Arnie is in my fantasy team.
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The 2018-2019 Football Thread
- Thread starter Lord Blackadder
- Start date
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No sympathy for Manchester United; yes, some of the players are outrageously entitled and selfish - and lack pride, which is disgraceful - and do not play as a team, but Mourinho criticising them in public (and never either accepting responsibility for his own role in this developing dynamic of toxic relationships) is no way to win and keep a dressing room.
Moreover, the fact that he has failed to craft a credible team from some very gifted players - Sanchez has been a shadow of his formerly fiercely competitive self since he left Arsenal - also tells its own tale. And Pogba has never delivered on his potential or promise at United. That stuff is on the manager.
The only negative from today is the focus will be on Man U and how badly they are playing under Mouriho, rather than how well West Ham played.
I think we have really turned the corner. Noble was man of the match today, and deservedly so.
But there was quality throughout the team.
We even managed a PL debut for the young Diangana who played well in the week.
Happy days!
I think we have really turned the corner. Noble was man of the match today, and deservedly so.
But there was quality throughout the team.
We even managed a PL debut for the young Diangana who played well in the week.
Happy days!
Better to have the spotlight on Manchester United, and better not to be noticed that much early in the season.
That puts pressure on teams, and alerts others to the fact that they need to prepare seriously before facing them. Better to be underestimated in the early part of the season, when teams are still disorganised and a little unsettled, and it can be somewhat easier to score goals and snatch points.
They seem to have seriously prepared and planned for the Premiership, - they made several very good buys over the summer - rather than simply being awed with stupefied delight at the mere fact of promotion, and at having been allowed to make up the numbers in the Premiership with promotion.
I suspect that they have taken a leaf out of Burnley's book (and Leicester's recent example); buy intelligently by identifying gaps that need to be addressed or where quality is insufficient; play as a unit and for one another; don't be overawed but play with confidence.
I'm delighted that they are doing well. And delighted to see Watford perform well, too (although, naturally, I'm pleased with Arsenal's victory today).
West Ham deserves full credit, my team yuck!
I watched the Arsenal - Watford match, and given how well they played Watford will go home feeling robbed. They missed some golden opportunities and it could have been a very different result. With that being said Arsenal played well and finished their chances.
Liverpool finally drop points, but remain unbeaten in the league. Hazard is one heck of a player. Sturridge is still pretty decent as well...Liverpool have two very difficult matches in the next seven days, so it's on to the next task.
Man Utd continue to look like they are just going through the motions. I'm glad Liverpool faced West Ham on day one of the season...they look transformed now.
Liverpool finally drop points, but remain unbeaten in the league. Hazard is one heck of a player. Sturridge is still pretty decent as well...Liverpool have two very difficult matches in the next seven days, so it's on to the next task.
Man Utd continue to look like they are just going through the motions. I'm glad Liverpool faced West Ham on day one of the season...they look transformed now.
Thanks. Thats how I saw it too. I think he has another 2 matches. If he loses he's out.
But I think the players carried a fair amount of blame too.
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With a new manager and all those new faces, it was hardly going to happen overnight. In comparison Liverpool started the season as most peoples favourite or second favourites.
Going to be a fun ride seeing the team gel more as the season goes on. After the first four games many pundits were writing us off. They are all strongly silent now!
Well, in fairness, both Klopp and Guardiola needed a few years to get their squads and teams to where they wished them to be.
Again, the contrast with Mourinho is striking, instructive and telling.
Agreed. And they both inherited better teams than our manager did.
Still hoping we can build a team over the next few years. We have the stadium and the fan base.
If Man U are on the decline someone will have to step up!
The difference is that both Klopp and Guardiola had a vision of what they wanted, and were prepared to invest time (and some money) to achieve it.
Pellegrini is a very good manager; it would have been the height of stupidity to have fired him.
Instead, he needs time - time to build a serious team spirit, time to integrate the new signings, time to build confidence, self-belief, and time to help craft a vision of what he thinks the team can achieve.
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Tough loss for Liverpool at Napoli. It's always hard to go away to Italy, but Liverpool played on the back foot for much of the game. I put it down to two factors: 1) the attacking players are all playing a bit below their potential at the moment, and as a result Liverpool are not putting opponents under enough pressure going forward; 2) the schedule has not been kind, with a series of tough fixtures all in a row, leaving the players a little fatigued. VERY disappointed to be facing Man City at this particular moment, Liverpool will be there for the taking.
Still, its a long season. Hopefully after Sunday the team can regroup and start stringing some results together again.
Still, its a long season. Hopefully after Sunday the team can regroup and start stringing some results together again.
Only a win against Newcastle will keep Mourinho in a job come Monday. Normally I like to see Newcastle lose (not a Mike Ashley fan), but this week I’ll make an exception.
Meanwhile a Friday not game for us. I’m not a huge fan of Friday night games. Kind of robs the fun from the weekend.
Meanwhile a Friday not game for us. I’m not a huge fan of Friday night games. Kind of robs the fun from the weekend.
Benitez teams are generally not easy to beat, but this Newcastle side are looking fairly poor at the moment. At worst Man Utd will draw, but I suspect a win is extremely likely. I also suspect it will be a dull match, unless there are early goals / red cards.
I think a draw will still leave the majority calling for Mourinho's head. But I think it’s hard to blame Benitez for Newcastle’s current side. The problems are in the boardroom.
In the last ten days, Liverpool's fixture list has been: Chelsea, Chelsea, Napoli.
Manchester City's last three matches? Oxford, Brighton and Hoffenheim.
Man City will win, for sure. It's going to be rough for Liverpool. Keita appears to have suffered a back spasm, so it is possible he may be fit, which could be important.
I can only see the Mourinho experiment at Man Utd ending one way...the question is really just when. I also think the talk about Zidane coming in is insane. He did well at Real because he was managing a phenomenally privileged, wealthy team that has been winning things for years and had all the best players on the books - and where he was seen as a God. That proves nothing about his ability to manage a football team. He might be great, but there is little evidence for that. If it works out, it will have been a wild gamble, rather than a shrewd, calculated decision. Mind you, it's an excellent choice from a branding perspective, which is what Ed Woodward is good at. Business at Man Utd is booming. Football? Not so much.
Manchester City's last three matches? Oxford, Brighton and Hoffenheim.
Man City will win, for sure. It's going to be rough for Liverpool. Keita appears to have suffered a back spasm, so it is possible he may be fit, which could be important.
I can only see the Mourinho experiment at Man Utd ending one way...the question is really just when. I also think the talk about Zidane coming in is insane. He did well at Real because he was managing a phenomenally privileged, wealthy team that has been winning things for years and had all the best players on the books - and where he was seen as a God. That proves nothing about his ability to manage a football team. He might be great, but there is little evidence for that. If it works out, it will have been a wild gamble, rather than a shrewd, calculated decision. Mind you, it's an excellent choice from a branding perspective, which is what Ed Woodward is good at. Business at Man Utd is booming. Football? Not so much.
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I can’t see the point in prolonging the inevitable. It’s not helping anyone. Man Utd are not Real Madrid, agreed. But given their stars, they should be performing better than they are.
But discord in the dressing room is giving the team on the pitch a lack of team spirit and confidence.
I think Jose Mourinho is about to be pushed out the door, to use the English-language idiom. Some English newspapers are already saying he's gone even if ManU defeats Newcastle.
My team won in dramatic fashion but hopefully it will not save Mourinho.
Left it late, but hopefully too late for Mourinho.
Enjoy your celebratory Stellars!
Mourinho IN!
...oh wait, it was at home, in the 90th minute, against Newcastle, who have failed to win a match since beating Luton Town in the FA Cup in January....Luton Town.
Still, it is a win, and it will provide some ammunition for the curiously still-numerous Man Utd fans who still support Jose Mourinho (including Gary Neville). So the debate rumbles on for another week.
...oh wait, it was at home, in the 90th minute, against Newcastle, who have failed to win a match since beating Luton Town in the FA Cup in January....Luton Town.
Still, it is a win, and it will provide some ammunition for the curiously still-numerous Man Utd fans who still support Jose Mourinho (including Gary Neville). So the debate rumbles on for another week.
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Seems to me like Alexis has saved Mourinho for a minute.
I can only imagine how many goals Alexis would have scored by now, if he’d stayed with us. Albeit, his attitude would of had to change...
I can only imagine how many goals Alexis would have scored by now, if he’d stayed with us. Albeit, his attitude would of had to change...