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 2018-2019 Football Thread
- Thread starter Lord Blackadder
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Yes, it was nice to see Bournemouth score just before the break - it has given the contest a bit of a competitive edge and has compelled Manchester City to actually have to fight for victory, rather than simply canter there with confidence.
For now.
To be honest, I would have preferred to have seen a Southampton victory.
And, when the match ran to a 96th minute (rather than the four that were supposed to have been added on as stoppage time), I feared that Manchester United - with that extraordinary good fortune that has so frequently seemed to have come their way from the 93rd minute onwards, - might snatch a goal at the death. Fortunately, it was not to be.
Another fightback from Man Utd - but even so a 2-2 draw with a Southampton in terminal decline is not a good result. On paper it's a better result for Southampton, but they were 2-0 up at one point so that takes the sheen off a bit.
Yes, Fergie time; it used to infuriate me.
But, The Narcissist has been given the benefit of the doubt occasionally, as well, around the 94th or 95th minute. Indeed, I do seem to recall matches that went on well beyond the 95th minute, and allowed for a last minute equaliser, or victory snatch.
Ah, yes. Sigh.
I can rest content this evening: Arsenal come from behind at half-time (when it was 2-1 to Spurs) to win with a classy result of 4-2.
A really tight Merseyside derby decided by a truly bizarre goal at the very end of the match. Some great goalkeeping on both sides and then the last-ditch free kick for Liverpool, Virgil shanks a volley, it loops onto the bar, Pickford makes a hash of a routine tip-over and Origi, who everyone has forgotten about, is there to nod in. What a finish!
A draw would have felt like a loss for Liverpool. It's fair to say Everton were good for the draw though, and Liverpool just stole it at the death thanks to that extremely unfortunate mistake by Pickford.
Shaqiri, Firmino, Mane, and Salah each had good chances to be the hero, but frustratingly none of them were able to put the ball in the back of the net. Partially due to Everton's stout defending, but between those four I expect at least one to finish a chance.
Great match. Six goals, for starters, but Arsenal found a verve they lacked under late-stage Wenger. Spurs seemed to collapse a bit towards the end, Arsenal shifted into a higher gear when they needed to. From a Liverpool perspective I was happy at 2-2 to see both teams drop points, but from an Arsenal perspective this will hopefully give them momentum going into the match against Man Utd.
A draw would have felt like a loss for Liverpool. It's fair to say Everton were good for the draw though, and Liverpool just stole it at the death thanks to that extremely unfortunate mistake by Pickford.
Shaqiri, Firmino, Mane, and Salah each had good chances to be the hero, but frustratingly none of them were able to put the ball in the back of the net. Partially due to Everton's stout defending, but between those four I expect at least one to finish a chance.
Great match. Six goals, for starters, but Arsenal found a verve they lacked under late-stage Wenger. Spurs seemed to collapse a bit towards the end, Arsenal shifted into a higher gear when they needed to. From a Liverpool perspective I was happy at 2-2 to see both teams drop points, but from an Arsenal perspective this will hopefully give them momentum going into the match against Man Utd.
While Liverpool needed to win - if only to keep psychological pressure on Manchester City and still remain visible in the rear view mirror, impossible to shake off - I am a little sorry for Pickford. Ninety-sixth minute goals are heart-breaking, and Everton had played well enough to deserve a draw, even if Liverpool were good for the three points.
Re the London derby, this is more like it.
Under Emery, Arsenal have done exceedingly well in the second half of matches; and this was a convincing victory.
So, at the top, you have two teams - Manchester City and Liverpool - beginning to pull away from everyone else.
Yes, Liverpool cannot afford to slip up, or make mistakes, but, as long as they don't slip up, they are still in hot pursuit of Manchester City, and only two points behind them, with 36 points, and as of now, still unbeaten, as are Manchester City on 38.
A little further back, you have the cluster of Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs, with a point between them, 30 and 31 points (Chelsea a nose ahead on 31). Arsenal are in with a serious chance of making fourth, if they keep to the standard they are currently playing to. As are Spurs and Chelsea.
Lying a full eight points behind (on 22 points - that is three victories assuming that the teams ahead stumble and fall, and will lose a number of games) are Everton and Manchester United, with Leicester one point behind them on 21.
Bournemouth and Watford, on 20 points each, complete the top ten.
Manchester City will have to be beaten on points, not goals - their goal difference is by far the most impressive in the Premiership. Also of interest is how rapidly one starts into minus figures, for goal difference; for example, Mancester United, lying seventh, have a goal difference of -1; the two teams immediately beneath them, Leicester and Bournemouth, at eighth and ninth, have a positive goal difference, but from the tenth team, Watford, to the bottom of the table, the goal difference is negative and increasingly stark.
Thus, there is already a clear difference in quality between the top two teams, the next three, the following five and the rest, with the bottom seven already somewhat markedly adrift, a mere four points separating them.
Last edited:
The damnable reality is that Liverpool may accumulate a number of points that would typically win them a league championship, only to find themselves finishing second to a record-setting Man City. Still, the only thing Liverpool can do about it is to keep working hard and winning football matches, so that Man City can't afford to stumble.
EDIT: England have been handed a laughably easy qualifying group for Euro 2020. The big enemy will be complacency, since winning the group easily will now be expected but prove nothing in terms of England's tournament potential.
EDIT: England have been handed a laughably easy qualifying group for Euro 2020. The big enemy will be complacency, since winning the group easily will now be expected but prove nothing in terms of England's tournament potential.
Boca-River tickets are already being scalped from 900 to over 3000 euro.
Columbus Crew SC manager Greg Berhalter has been announced as the new US Men's National Team manager.
There is (as always) a lot of whining and controversy over the USMNT appointment, and I think it's really important to separate 1) the choice of manager from 2) the process by which the choice was made.
The process was a joke and that it took over 400 days to make the decision speaks very poorly of US Soccer. However, I hope USA fans take a moment to consider before they condemn Berhalter himself, who I think could be an excellent choice.
For me, as a Columbus Crew fan, we have lost our manager, will probably lose our star goalkeeper (I really hope he does not end up rotting in the Man City reserves...), and while a new ownership group and stadium plans are said to be just around the corner, we are still waiting for official confirmation of that (sources say the deal will be wrapped up by the end of the month...but we've been waiting since the leak in October). Still uncertain times for Crew fans.
There is (as always) a lot of whining and controversy over the USMNT appointment, and I think it's really important to separate 1) the choice of manager from 2) the process by which the choice was made.
The process was a joke and that it took over 400 days to make the decision speaks very poorly of US Soccer. However, I hope USA fans take a moment to consider before they condemn Berhalter himself, who I think could be an excellent choice.
For me, as a Columbus Crew fan, we have lost our manager, will probably lose our star goalkeeper (I really hope he does not end up rotting in the Man City reserves...), and while a new ownership group and stadium plans are said to be just around the corner, we are still waiting for official confirmation of that (sources say the deal will be wrapped up by the end of the month...but we've been waiting since the leak in October). Still uncertain times for Crew fans.
Manchester United won't make fourth; they are already eight points (which, is , to all intents and purposes, three wins) behind the cluster of Chelsea, Spurs and Arsenal.
Unless one of those three teams collapses completely and has a crisis of confidence (which I don't see happening, the managers are too good and, frankly, so are the teams), making up ten points at this stage (that means stitching together a series of wins) and overhauling the teams ahead is something is is relatively unlikely.
The strange thing is how poorly Manchester United play as a team under Mourinho, and how some of his best players (and, on paper, he has an excellent squad) are far more relaxed and lacking inhibition when wearing the colours of their country, than when on the pitch for United.
I have said it before, but players don't develop under Mourinho; they don't grow, develop, flourish, improve. Instead, somehow, they are diminished, and reduced. And sometimes, traduced, as Mourinho has little loyalty to his playing staff and thinks nothing of undermining them in public.
For example, Sanchez was an antagonistic nuisance at times at Arsenal, but he was visible, constantly scoring, sometimes turning games around or rescuing them and imploring and cajoling his team mates to want to win; nobody doubted his commitment, ability, passion and will to win when wearing Arsenal colours.
Although he is currently injured, I didn't see much evidence of this once he joined United.
Derby aftermath:
Several Spurs fans have been arrested for throwing object on to the pitch during the match against Arsenal - including one who allegedly threw a banana skin at Aubamayang after he scored.
Meanwhile, Jurgen Klopp has been charged by the FA for running on to the pitch after Origi's crazy late goal against Everton. Everton fans also apparently threw objects on to the pitch, including a flare, and this is also being investigated.
Several Spurs fans have been arrested for throwing object on to the pitch during the match against Arsenal - including one who allegedly threw a banana skin at Aubamayang after he scored.
Meanwhile, Jurgen Klopp has been charged by the FA for running on to the pitch after Origi's crazy late goal against Everton. Everton fans also apparently threw objects on to the pitch, including a flare, and this is also being investigated.
The banana incident was disgraceful - I had thought football had grown well beyond such nasty stuff, especially Spurs who have always been considered a somewhat liberal environment.
In further facepalm news, the first awarding of the Ballon D'Or for female players was soured by the DJ at the event asking the winner to twerk on stage. Ugh.
On the positive side, neither Ronaldo nor Messi won the men's award this year, with Modric the deserved recipient.
Nothing surprises me anymore, frankly. What we see in England pales in comparison to the fan violence typical in places like South America, or the racism we still see in Spain and Italy, but it is still very disappointing to see.
On the positive side, neither Ronaldo nor Messi won the men's award this year, with Modric the deserved recipient.
Nothing surprises me anymore, frankly. What we see in England pales in comparison to the fan violence typical in places like South America, or the racism we still see in Spain and Italy, but it is still very disappointing to see.
Agreed, a disgusting way to treat the very impressive and dignified Ada Hegerberg (the winner of the Ballon d'Or for female players); Andy Murray's tweet supporting her was superb.