The 2018-2019 Football Thread

[Scepticalscribe]

Delighted to see a genuine competition emerge; at long last, things have fallen into place for Liverpool, and Manchester City will have to fight hard to reclaim their spot at the top.

Spurs are excellent, but they lack strength in depth; and I would expect that Arsenal and Chelsea will be fighting to the very end for fourth position.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Delighted to see a genuine competition emerge; at long last, things have fallen into place for Liverpool, and Manchester City will have to fight hard to reclaim their spot at the top.

Spurs are excellent, but they lack strength in depth; and I would expect that Arsenal and Chelsea will be fighting to the very end for fourth position.

Agreed. Hopefully we get back to winning ways tonight.

 

[Silencio]

Mou's absence pretty much solved the morale problem in short order. One place are where Mou's absence might be felt in the short term, however, is in the Champion's League, where even late-stage Mou still knew how to get results in a one-off match.

Late stage Mou couldn't get a result against Sevilla last season. That loss is what sealed his fate, it was always a question of when after that. I wish they fired him sooner, but at least they didn't pointlessly hang on until the end of the season and let him alienate every last player in the squad and every last board member in the executive suites.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Late stage Mou couldn't get a result against Sevilla last season. That loss is what sealed his fate, it was always a question of when after that. I wish they fired him sooner, but at least they didn't pointlessly hang on until the end of the season and let him alienate every last player in the squad and every last board member in the executive suites.

Good point, though he did beat Juventus. There was always a small chance he'd turn things around this season, but he never showed the slightest inclination or ability to do so from the beginning.

It will be a shame for Spurs if Poch gets poached by Man Utd...he's a as good a manger as they will get.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Good point, though he did beat Juventus. There was always a small chance he'd turn things around this season, but he never showed the slightest inclination or ability to do so from the beginning.

It will be a shame for Spurs if Poch gets poached by Man Utd...he's a as good a manger as they will get.

I think he’ll end up at Madrid. But I don’t see him staying at Spurs past the end of this season. I think he’s taken them as far as he can.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

I think he’ll end up at Madrid. But I don’t see him staying at Spurs past the end of this season. I think he’s taken them as far as he can.

Given that he is being courted by the richest clubs, he will probably leave. It's hard to turn down millions of Euros. From a selfish perspective I'd prefer to see him at a club outside England, because he will be a threat to Liverpool!

 

[Apple fanboy]

Given that he is being courted by the richest clubs, he will probably leave. It's hard to turn down millions of Euros. From a selfish perspective I'd prefer to see him at a club outside England, because he will be a threat to Liverpool!

Liverpool will implode soon enough! You know how it goes! Look like contenders then they manage to snatch PL defeat from the jaws of victory!

I will say that they look like a serious threat to Man City’s crown. Who in turn have had a nightmare run of late!

We virtually swap places in the current form table! And that’s with 10 first team players out! Come on you Irons.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I think he’ll end up at Madrid. But I don’t see him staying at Spurs past the end of this season. I think he’s taken them as far as he can.

I'm inclined to agree with you that Pochettino has probably taken Spurs as far as possible.

However, I would be very sorry to see him poached by Manchester United.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Oh dear.

Spurs being Spursey.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Oh dear.

Spurs being Spursey.

Spoken like a true Arsenal fan!

I believe it’s my fault. I swapped Martial for Moura in my fantasy team.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Spoken like a true Arsenal fan!

I believe it’s my fault. I swapped Martial for Moura in my fantasy team.

Well, I don't harbour the traditional antagonism one may find among my Arsenal supporting brethren.

But, Spurs being Spursey is a sort of cliché, because there is more than a bit of truth to it.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Well, I don't harbour the traditional antagonism one may find among my Arsenal supporting brethren.

But, Spurs being Spursey is a sort of cliché, because there is more than a bit of truth to it.

Agreed. I think top three is amazing for them. But I don’t feel they will be top two come spring time.
[doublepost=1546107233][/doublepost]Liverpool are making light work of Arsenal.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Agreed. I think top three is amazing for them. But I don’t feel they will be top two come spring time.

Agreed.



Ouch.

Admittedly, there appears to be a bit of a gulf in class, unfortunately, between the two teams.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Agreed.

[QUOTE="Apple fanboy, post: 26950625, member: 671193"Liverpool are making light work of Arsenal.

Ouch.

Admittedly, there appears to be a bit of a gulf in class, unfortunately, between the two teams.[/QUOTE]
Well I remember how they cut us apart on the first day of the season. They are a good team. And this year in a class of their own at present. In my mind only Man City pose a threat.

 

[JamesMike]

I'm inclined to agree with you that Pochettino has probably taken Spurs as far as possible.

However, I would be very sorry to see him poached by Manchester United.

There are several candidates in the mix.

My Arsenal friends are not happy. 5-1!

 

[Apple fanboy]

There are several candidates in the mix.

My Arsenal friends are not happy. 5-1!

Who would you like to see? Ole if he can put a good run together?

As for Arsenal, I think it is a night they would sooner forget!

 

[Lord Blackadder]

I watched the Spurs - Wolves match earlier - Wolves previously gave Liverpool a real game and I am not surprised they did well against Spurs, who really seemed to take their foot off the gas in the second half. Lloris had a pretty meh game overall, the second Wolves goal in particular looked like a shot he might have saved.

As for the Liverpool-Arsenal match, it was a blowout but for pretty much just one reason - Arsenal's defense is a shambles. The Gunners looked pretty good going forward and in posession, but when put under pressure their defense buckled. I'm a bit puzzled as to why Koscielny was only brought it at halftime...he's Arsenal's best defender.

Ozil didn't even travel with the squad due (officially at least) to a "sore knee".

It's to early to get my hopes up, but this is the best Liverpool team I have ever watched, this is a big season for them. The Man City match is going to be hyped beyond belief now.

 

[Apple fanboy]

I watched the Spurs - Wolves match earlier - Wolves previously gave Liverpool a real game and I am not surprised they did well against Spurs, who really seemed to take their foot off the gas in the second half. Lloris had a pretty meh game overall, the second Wolves goal in particular looked like a shot he might have saved.

As for the Liverpool-Arsenal match, it was a blowout but for pretty much just one reason - Arsenal's defense is a shambles. The Gunners looked pretty good going forward and in posession, but when put under pressure their defense buckled. I'm a bit puzzled as to why Koscielny was only brought it at halftime...he's Arsenal's best defender.

Ozil didn't even travel with the squad due (officially at least) to a "sore knee".

It's to early to get my hopes up, but this is the best Liverpool team I have ever watched, this is a big season for them. The Man City match is going to be hyped beyond belief now.

Agreed. A must win game for City.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

An excruciating day for Arsenal, and one which may offer some motivation for Mr Emery (and his board) come transfer window time to undertake some required remedial (defensive) action - by which I mean some serious purchases.

 

[JamesMike]

Who would you like to see? Ole if he can put a good run together?

As for Arsenal, I think it is a night they would sooner forget!

Right now I'm still enjoying the relief in the removal of a certain party. The aforementioned individual mentioned by @Scepticalscribe would be very acceptable.

 

[Apple fanboy]

An excruciating day for Arsenal, and one which may offer some motivation for Mr Emery (and his board) come transfer window time to undertake some required remedial (defensive) action - by which I mean some serious purchases.

I think Dixon, Adams, Bould and Winterburn are available!
[doublepost=1546115731][/doublepost]

Right now I'm still enjoying the relief in the removal of a certain party. The aforementioned individual mentioned by @Scepticalscribe would be very acceptable.

Not Zidane then?

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Right now I'm still enjoying the relief in the removal of a certain party. The aforementioned individual mentioned by @Scepticalscribe would be very acceptable.

More than acceptable, I don't doubt.

While I loathed Mourinho - a thoroughly detestable human being (and yes, I admit that I do like O G Solskjaer), in a way, (the way of the ever so slightly myopic Arsenal supporter that I am) I am sorry that he wasn't removed a little later in the season....

 

[Lord Blackadder]

An excruciating day for Arsenal, and one which may offer some motivation for Mr Emery (and his board) come transfer window time to undertake some required remedial (defensive) action - by which I mean some serious purchases.

Injuries were part of the problem, and not Emery's fault, but Arsenal do need to go to the market in the next two windows and probably trade Ozil for a top-class defender or two. There is also still a debate as to whether Leno is the long-term solution a keeper.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Injuries were part of the problem, and not Emery's fault, but Arsenal do need to go to the market in the next two windows and probably trade Ozil for a top-class defender or two. There is also still a debate as to whether Leno is the long-term solution a keeper.

Re Leno, - as with de Gea, or Pickford - I think that his defence has left him to do too much of the work and shoulder too much of the responsibility to keep footballs away from the net.

Goalkeepers shouldn't have to get the team out of jail all of the time - defenders should be able to nip some threats in the bud long before the goalkeeper has to react.

Leno has terrific promise (as had de Gea), but he needs to be abel to grow into his position; while defenders need to know that the goalkeeper is sound and capable of making appropriate challenges, goalkeepers need to feel secure in the knowledge that defenders will not take a sneaky nap on the job and will fight ferociously to defend their area (and goal-keeper) and goal from the unwelcome attentions of marauding opponents.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Re Leno, - as with de Gea, or Pickford - I think that his defence has left him to do too much of the work and shoulder too much of the responsibility to keep footballs away from the net.

I haven't seen enough of Leno myself to really form an opinion. Cech seems to be declining and doesn't play the style Emery favors, so I assume Leno will be given time as Emery rebuilds the Arsenal back line.