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The 2018-2019 Football Thread
- Thread starter Lord Blackadder
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
This is a good football weekend, reviewing PL matches on DVR after my long run. Hopefully the match tomorrow will be a good one for Man U and the bonus is the American playoff matches in the NFL. Made sure a good supply of Stella is on hand for my friends, including my Spurs friends who will be watching the match with me. The text message jabs have already started to fly!
Funny I’ve sent a few to my Arsenal supporting friend today!
I can well imagine.
Actually, while I was optimistic about challenging for a fourth spot until Christmas, I am now beginning to think that it may be just a little beyond us, this season at least; let us see when our injured defence are able to return to the footballing fray, and what Mr Emery may claw from a reluctant board to acquire some worthwhile and talented defenders during the transfer window.
Decent players are hard to come by in the January window.
Looking at the table
I can well see Man U overtaking you. So I think you’ll finish 5th or more likely 6th.
If Man U beat Spurs tomorrow (and that’s a big if), you’ll only be above them on goal difference.
The absolute best we can finish is 7th. But with Arnie seamingly on his way out, I’m not expecting a strong finish to the season. Still today’s result cemented our place in the mid table mini league.
While Manchester United have done very well since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was appointed, he has not been seriously tested yet, and, I am not sure that this string run (against mostly weak teams) will continue quite as smoothly.
However, I also think that Arsenals's long run (nineteen, twenty games without defeat)) may have served to lull some into a false sense of security and an erroneous belief that it was merely a matter of attitude and the good times would return.
For, while Mr Emery has undoubtedly engineered a more positive attitude in the team (and a more spirited response to setbacks on the pitch), I also think that it will take at least three to four transfer windows to arrive at the shape and with the personnel that he would like to see.
Nevertheless, fourth - which is still an admirable aim - may prove to be more of a challenge than it was before Christmas when we were solidly in step with Chelsea.
Your difficulty will be attracting (and keeping) the right players when realistically they
1. Wont win trophies
2. Wont be playing Champions Leauge.
Ramsey is leaving in the summer. Who knows what’s going on with Ozil.
I think it’s going to be just as hard (read impossible) for Emery to compete with the big boys as Mr Wenger found it.
I'm feeling very pessimistic about Liverpool again despite today's win. Man City had some bad stumbles but they are still a winning machine. Liverpool's stumbles were less dramatic thus far but they are still the underdog despite sitting atop the table. I'm just waiting for the slip, the slump, the injuries...
On the other hand, the reality is that it's all still to play for in the top half of the table, and even the relegation situation is far from certain.
On the other hand, the reality is that it's all still to play for in the top half of the table, and even the relegation situation is far from certain.
Arsenal chose not to renew Ramsay's contract; Ozil is a different story, and the problem with Wenger was that he refused to address defensive deficiencies and frailties and problems.
I had a lot of respect for the man, but any manager who says that he would prefer never to have to recruit a defender and that his ideal team would have been comprised solely of forwards clearly had some sort of a blind spot.
Wenger never seriously shopped for good defenders (and he had inherited the best back line in England when he took over - teaching them about diet and persuading them of the advantages of living more healthily gave them an additional number of years as top flight players); Emery will have to find some, and the half season just gone will have made clear just what areas need to be addressed.
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However, at the moment, it - the competition - is Liverpool's to lose; a seven point lead is a heathy gap and Manchester City - even if they continue to win - have to hope that Liverpool slip up.
I love my goalkeeper! As a consolation I'm giving my visiting Spurs fans and extra Stella, maybe more than one.
So apparently OGS is the next Alex Ferguson. Man Utd will skip all the years in the wilderness other teams have endured after a dominant spell and win every game for the rest of the season, taking the league and CL in the process...
...ok, hopefully not (No, please, football gods, no, from my perspective as a Liverpool fan). But at the moment they are apparently invincible.
...ok, hopefully not (No, please, football gods, no, from my perspective as a Liverpool fan). But at the moment they are apparently invincible.
I have two Man U players in my fantasy team.
De Gea and Rashford. So happy days here! Enjoy the Stella!
Only Manager to win first 6 games in charge of Man U. Ole is really stacking his claim for the full time gig. On this showing he deserves a contract.
This result also underscores the fact that De Gea is BY FAR Man Utd's most valuable asset.
He’s certainly up there. Mind you I think all their players have increased in value since the not so special one has left!
I hope that they appreciate your generosity.
Agree with you; I'd like to see Liverpool do well this year.
Agreed.
As was Peter Schmeichel when Sir Alex was manager of Manchester United.
Hoping for a Man City win tonight.
1) to keep the title race alive.
2) because Wolves are in the race for 7th with us!
1) to keep the title race alive.
2) because Wolves are in the race for 7th with us!
It'll be a routine win for Man City - Wolves are already 1-0 down and just had a player sent off. Game over after 19 minutes...I'm sure everyone who paid for a ticket to that match really feel like they are getting their money's worth.
A goal to the good and Wolves down to 10 men. Yes I imagine this one is going to go one way!
[doublepost=1547499421][/doublepost]2-0 now. Think this is done. Wish I’d got Jesus in my fantasy team rather than De Silva.
In other news I read we will be looking to purchase Wilson from Bournemouth if (when), Arnie departs to China. I bet he hates it there.
I daresay that whatever is on offer financially will sweeten any move to China for Arnautovic; at this stage, money rather than footballing glory seems to be his main motivating factor.
Re the Premiership, it is now a two horse race, and a fascinating one.
Spurs don't have the strength in depth in their squad to be able to mount a sustained challenge, and neither do Chelsea. Manchester United are on a roll for now, but will have some sort of stutter which will test the new glow.
Arsenal are off the pace; yes, there are injuries (as with Chelsea and Spurs) but that defect still need to be addressed and equally, Ozil persuaded of the merits of consistency in concentration when playing away, or invited to think of departure.
Spurs could suffer with Kane injured and Son off to the Asia games. I think they might not maintain 3rd.
Arsenal are clearly going to try and offload Ozil in January; the best Arsenal fans can hope for is that he is quickly sold and that the club already have some quality lined up to buy before the last minute.
Spurs are toast without Kane.
Liverpool are in a little bit of injury trouble at the moment, and sending Clyne on loan doesn't help. The margin for error has shrunk just that little bit more.
Spurs are toast without Kane.
Liverpool are in a little bit of injury trouble at the moment, and sending Clyne on loan doesn't help. The margin for error has shrunk just that little bit more.