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The 2018-2019 Football Thread
- Thread starter Lord Blackadder
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Scepticalscribe
macrumors Haswell
Liverpool probably won't catch Manchester City on goal difference, but of they keep up their current momentum, they are still capable of mounting a serious challenge, and might - just might - win on points.
City - while superb - are also not immortal; being behind by a goal to nil at half time is a new experience for them, as they are this evening, so it will be interesting how they respond to that challenge. Coming back from a goal behind is a different challenge - one of character as much as skill and good fortune - to gliding ahead and being able to stay there by dictating the pace and nature of the game.
[doublepost=1544296281][/doublepost]Crikey: Chelsea are two nil up against Manchester City with ten minutes remaining.
Big win for Chelsea and with that Liverpool go top of the table and the last unbeaten side in the league. The unbeaten record will fall sooner or later, but this title race remains alive.
Chelsea are inconsistent at the moment, but what we've seen so far suggests that Sarri might be building a real contender.
Chelsea are inconsistent at the moment, but what we've seen so far suggests that Sarri might be building a real contender.
Scepticalscribe
macrumors Haswell
Well, Liverpool are top of the table tonight, and are still unbeaten the only remaining team in that position, with an excellent display today, while Manchester City have suffered their first defeat of the season - they are not invincible, just extremely good.
An excellent victory for Chelsea, who stuttered a little recently, but Sarri clearly has the vision to take them where he wishes to try to take them; the challenge here will be for Chelsea's hierarchy - not known or renowned for patience - to have faith in him and not demand immediate results but give him sufficient time to build and craft the team according to his vision.
And, as of now, Arsenal are in fourth place.
And yes, we now also have a genuine title race beginning to take place.
Apple fanboy
macrumors Ivy Bridge
Yes it’s a lot more interesting at the top than it might have been.
I’m surprised Chelsea have made so much progress. But I expected Liverpool to be serious contenders this year.
Still plenty of twists and turns to come yet.
Scepticalscribe
macrumors Haswell
I have thought from the beginning of the season - and have written it here often enough - that Liverpool would be in a position to mount a serious challenge for the title, and would be able to to contest for the relevant honours with Manchester City.
Klopp's Liverpool are an exceptionally good team - they reached the finals of the Champions League last year, which is no mean achievement.
Scepticalscribe
macrumors Haswell
Arsenal finish the day in fifth place, (on equal points with Chelsea, but behind on goal difference) which is where they had started earlier this morning.
In between times, they had briefly graced third slot with their presence, and lingered awhile in fourth position, before returning to fifth.
In between times, they had briefly graced third slot with their presence, and lingered awhile in fourth position, before returning to fifth.
Apple fanboy
macrumors Ivy Bridge
Well fourth is very much a possibility for the end of the season which is good enough for the first year with a new manager. Looking at the points it’s going to go down to the wire.
Man City have been without Kevin De Bruyne for much of the season and I think he has been missed. But let’s be honest, they’ve only dropped 7 points all season.
Liverpool struggled between the sticks last year. ARB (not AFB as I was already terrible in goal!) has been a good purchase.
Sadly I’m hearing news of racial abuse towards Stirling at Stamford Bridge. I bet these same idiots were cheering for him in Russia! I love a bit of football banter, but racism has no place in the modern game, or in fact the modern world.
[doublepost=1544310489][/doublepost]Not sure which goal was best? Snodgrass, Anderson or the perennial poacher, Hernandez!
I enjoyed them all 🙂
Scepticalscribe
macrumors Haswell
Yes, I think so too, and have thought as much since the beginning of the season - that fourth is a realistic possibility for us. And yes, I also agree with you that it will go down to the wire. And I would be more than content with such an outcome.
Both Sarri and Emery face considerable challenges - introducing a new philosophy, and finding the players (in place, or brought/bought in) to implement these visions.
Both managers have done very well so far this season, but, for both, there is still a long way to go.
Manchester City are only now beginning to feel a slight squeeze on their squad. They have strength in depth, but, even they are not immune to injuries.
Liverpool are now - more or less - where Klopp had in mind for them to be; in a normal year, Liverpool would - with their best ever start to the season - been leading the table (as they are) by now, but also would have been leading it for a while.
That was utterly disgusting, agreed, and there should be no place whatsoever in the game (on or off the pitch) for such conduct.
Allison has ben a revelation. He's not perfect and will make mistakes from time to time, and some of them will be embarrsassing...but the difference between him and Mignolet/Karius is just obvious. He's an elite keeper and he knows what he is doing. Between him and Van Dijk Klopp has transformed out defense. They are stars and leaders who make the players around them better.
People just have it in for Sterling, it is vile and the gutter press are stoking these clearly racist attacks on him and his lifestyle.
From a club perspective, I am not OK with the level of hazing he gets from Liverpool fans. I was sad to see him go (especially to a direct rival), under less than ideal circumstances, but Man City paid Liverpool a lot of money for him and I don't feel like he disrespected the club. It's fine to give him a little guff for leaving but I think it's time we got over that and moved on.
My Arsenal-supporting friend is terrified about the injuries at the back. Holding gone and now Mustafi pulls a hammy. It might be necessary to buy some defensive cover in January.
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Apple fanboy
macrumors Ivy Bridge
Dixon? Adams? As long as they don’t tap up our players I’m fine.
Scepticalscribe
macrumors Haswell
Even without the injuries (which are ominous in an already porous defence), Arsenal (and Emery) will - undoubtedly - have to take a basket to hand in January while shopping around for good defensive players. In other words, it will be necessary - and was necessary even before these unfortunate injuries - to go shopping for decent defenders in January.
The only positive (and it is a significant positive) is the alternation in that mindset, whereby Arsenal's brittle defence leaked goals and shoulders slumped and heads drooped; now, at least, they fight back.
I think it an astonishing statistic that Arsenal have not led at half time yet this season, but - unlike last season - they have been able to come back when a goal down or facing a defence that is resistant to their attack.
But, things have improved since last year (and I was a supporter of Mr Wenger); Leno was an excellent buy.
The table is starting to show some distinct patterns now. Man City and Liverpool are trading places at the top. 3rd through 5th is a tight battle, with any of those clubs still capable of pushing the leaders should they stumble.
From there we have a midtable mini-league between 6th and 13th. Man Utd will hope to pull themselves out of that but they are only two wins ahead of 13th-placed Watford, and the latter have a game in hand. Everton can leapfrog Man Utd if they beat Watford tomorrow.
From 14th to the bottom it gets increasingly grim and you'd have to think three of those teams will certainly go down. With the bottom two clubs just having changed managers though, we could see some shuffling in the relegation battle.
Torreira is quickly becoming an Arsenal hero. He is exactly the kind of midfielder Arsenal have needed for over a decade; he is also not the kind of player Arsenal signed during Wenger's later years. High work rate, skillful, but also tough and physical. Hopefully Emery's next transfers are similarly successful.
From there we have a midtable mini-league between 6th and 13th. Man Utd will hope to pull themselves out of that but they are only two wins ahead of 13th-placed Watford, and the latter have a game in hand. Everton can leapfrog Man Utd if they beat Watford tomorrow.
From 14th to the bottom it gets increasingly grim and you'd have to think three of those teams will certainly go down. With the bottom two clubs just having changed managers though, we could see some shuffling in the relegation battle.
Torreira is quickly becoming an Arsenal hero. He is exactly the kind of midfielder Arsenal have needed for over a decade; he is also not the kind of player Arsenal signed during Wenger's later years. High work rate, skillful, but also tough and physical. Hopefully Emery's next transfers are similarly successful.
Scepticalscribe
macrumors Haswell
Very good analysis (and not only because I am in complete agreement with it).
Two lame results this weekend from my perspective...
First Atlanta United FC, MLS's current golden child, wins MLS Cup and we are all told we ought to stand in awe of the club, it's just-invented 'traditions', fan culture, and general plastic-ness...
...and then River Plate, the bus-smashing villains of the Copa Libertadores, beat Boca Juniors to win the final. They deserved to win the match, but (as with all major South American rivalries) this will spawn official protests and wrangling, riots, and future fan violence...Boca's manager, Guillermo Barros-Schelotto, was probably Columbus Crew's best ever player - he's a legend in Columbus, so it's a sad moment for Columbus fans as well.
First Atlanta United FC, MLS's current golden child, wins MLS Cup and we are all told we ought to stand in awe of the club, it's just-invented 'traditions', fan culture, and general plastic-ness...
...and then River Plate, the bus-smashing villains of the Copa Libertadores, beat Boca Juniors to win the final. They deserved to win the match, but (as with all major South American rivalries) this will spawn official protests and wrangling, riots, and future fan violence...Boca's manager, Guillermo Barros-Schelotto, was probably Columbus Crew's best ever player - he's a legend in Columbus, so it's a sad moment for Columbus fans as well.
I don't know if I agree - yet - but there is no doubt that he is the real deal, and could turn out to be the complete package...an elite shot-stopper who can dominate his area, has vision, and has genuine skill with the ball at his feet.
This was huge for Liverpool. 1-0 might not seem an impressive score, and it's not as good as blowing the opposition away, but in European knockout football against elite opposition this was a controlled performance. Clean sheets are a big deal, and at this level you will need saves like that to win matches.
Klopp has finally sorted out the defense, but the attack has been misfiring a bit. It is now showing signs of warming up again. If that happens, Liverpool will become a serious contender.
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Scepticalscribe
macrumors Haswell
A superb result for Liverpool (and, for the doubters, let us remind them that Liverpool reached the final of this very competition last summer, a stunning achievement) and very well done.
It's frustrating to think that with Joe Gomez and Joe Matip now both out with long-term injusties, and Trent Alexander-Arnold iffy for this weekend, Man Utd are going to be facing a skeleton Liverpool defense, granting them a massive opportunity to get one over on Liverpool once again.
It's been four years since Liverpool beat Man Utd in the League. Liverpool are unquestionably the better team at the moment but I just KNOW that Fellaini will a) score off a longball late in the match and b) definitely do something red card (or second yellow) worthy but get away with it. De Gea will surely remember his world-class talent exists and make some big saves. Man Utd will win again, or at least draw, and then we'll get to hear Mourinho yapping about Einsteins and his three titles at length again....
It's been four years since Liverpool beat Man Utd in the League. Liverpool are unquestionably the better team at the moment but I just KNOW that Fellaini will a) score off a longball late in the match and b) definitely do something red card (or second yellow) worthy but get away with it. De Gea will surely remember his world-class talent exists and make some big saves. Man Utd will win again, or at least draw, and then we'll get to hear Mourinho yapping about Einsteins and his three titles at length again....
Some very boring European matches today...it's hard to get excited about the Europa League till the last couple rounds (or if the team you support is involved).
Apple fanboy
macrumors Ivy Bridge
Scepticalscribe
macrumors Haswell
West Ham are still ahead by two goals to nil, and are looking quite comfortable.
Apple fanboy
macrumors Ivy Bridge
I have everything crossed! The table is dividing up into three separate leagues.
Top 5.
The mini league from Man Utd down to Brighton.
Then the rest looking at the bottom 3!
Carroll on now. Playing for his contract again!
Scepticalscribe
macrumors Haswell
Yes, that is about right, (the manner in which you have described what you have referred to as the three mini-leagues).
Apple fanboy
macrumors Ivy Bridge
Well fortunately you are in the top 5! Of course one of those teams looks like it’s going to miss out on a CL spot.
Man Utd will be lucky if they even get a sniff of 5th. How the mighty have fallen 🙂
[doublepost=1544902325][/doublepost]Final whistle. Another win for the mighty Hammers. Not looking good for Fulham to be honest.