Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

The 2018-2019 Football Thread

A lot of press on the Kepa incident focuses on how this makes Sarri look weak and extremely likely to be sacked. Sure, of course it does...but what Kepa did was flat-out unprofessional and should not be tolerated by the club even if Sarri is a dead man walking. Either there is a chain of authority or there is not.

All too often players these days seem to suffer no consequences for defying unpopular managers, because players know that managers are here today, gone tomorrow, and that they, the players, rarely take the blame in the short term for bad results. So players listen to managers when things are going well, but then complain and sandbag when things are going badly.

Had Kepa saved three PKs and Chelsea won the cup, a lot of people would defend him but he'd still be guilty of mutiny. But he didn't, Chelsea didn't, and at the moment the club is a shambles.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JamesMike and Scepticalscribe
Lord Blackadder said:
A lot of press on the Kepa incident focuses on how this makes Sarri look weak and extremely likely to be sacked. Sure, of course it does...but what Kepa did was flat-out unprofessional and should not be tolerated by the club even if Sarri is a dead man walking. Either there is a chain of authority or there is not.

All too often players these days seem to suffer no consequences for defying unpopular managers, because players know that managers are here today, gone tomorrow, and that they, the players, rarely take the blame in the short term for bad results. So players listen to managers when things are going well, but then complain and sandbag when things are going badly.

Had Kepa saved three PKs and Chelsea won the cup, a lot of people would defend him but he'd still be guilty of mutiny. But he didn't, Chelsea didn't, and at the moment the club is a shambles.
Click to expand...

Agree completely.

Not only was it disgraceful, discourteous and profoundly disrespectful of Kepa, - my own view is that he should not play in a Chelsea shirt again - when one considers the compelling matter of experience in penalty shoot-outs, Caballero actually had the pedigree and experience where it counted.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JamesMike
Lord Blackadder said:
A lot of press on the Kepa incident focuses on how this makes Sarri look weak and extremely likely to be sacked. Sure, of course it does...but what Kepa did was flat-out unprofessional and should not be tolerated by the club even if Sarri is a dead man walking. Either there is a chain of authority or there is not.

All too often players these days seem to suffer no consequences for defying unpopular managers, because players know that managers are here today, gone tomorrow, and that they, the players, rarely take the blame in the short term for bad results. So players listen to managers when things are going well, but then complain and sandbag when things are going badly.

Had Kepa saved three PKs and Chelsea won the cup, a lot of people would defend him but he'd still be guilty of mutiny. But he didn't, Chelsea didn't, and at the moment the club is a shambles.
Click to expand...
Couldn’t agree more. But we both know that the manager will be gone sooner rather than later.
Knowing that, I hope Sarri drops him to the reserves. Player power is not good for the game.
Arnie’s trying to get a move to China and an improved contract with us has hardly helped his game or my team. He’s been terrible since compared to before. Should have taken the 35 million.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JamesMike
Apple fanboy said:
Couldn’t agree more. But we both know that the manager will be gone sooner rather than later.
Knowing that, I hope Sarri drops him to the reserves. Player power is not good for the game.
Arnie’s trying to get a move to China and an improved contract with us has hardly helped his game or my team. He’s been terrible since compared to before. Should have taken the 35 million.
Click to expand...

Agreed.

While nobody would ever wish for a return to the days of players being in bondage to a club, such displays of petulance, arrogance and disrespect do nothing whatsoever for the game, and, in such circumstances, players need to acknowledge that a hierarchy exists for a reason.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JamesMike
Scepticalscribe said:
Agreed.

While nobody would ever wish for a return to the days of players being in bondage to a club, such displays of petulance, arrogance and disrespect do nothing whatsoever for the game, and, in such circumstances, players need to acknowledge that a hierarchy exists for a reason.
Click to expand...
Respect costs nothing. But sadly it’s hard to come by especially in the premier league.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JamesMike
Apple fanboy said:
Respect costs nothing. But sadly it’s hard to come by especially in the premier league.
Click to expand...

Today's paper (Guardian) suggested that both sides were attempting to defuse matters (sari handled it well later last night), but Kepa still needs a serious lesson in manners and respect.

On a separate (but related) matter, I am impressed by Rashford as a human being; his love and respect for, and clear and open affection for his mum are lovely to see.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: JamesMike
Kepa has been fined a week's wages for his show of disrespect, and the fact that the club (Chelsea) have made this public is interesting, too, although it is clear that they are now trying to draw a line under the whole saga.

According to the Guardian, some of the senior Chelsea players weren't especially impressed (though they could have been a bit more proactive on Sunday) by his petulance on the pitch.
 
Scepticalscribe said:
Kepa has been fined a week's wages for his show of disrespect, and the fact that the club (Chelsea) have made this public is interesting, too, although it is clear that they are now trying to draw a line under the whole saga.

According to the Guardian, some of the senior Chelsea players weren't especially impressed (though they could have been a bit more proactive on Sunday) by his petulance on the pitch.
Click to expand...
When you’re paid as much as they are, that’s the equivalent of me finning you £5.

Some good matches today and tomorrow.
We face City tomorrow and I’m hoping the cup game and extra time will have tired them out! Doubt it though. Or not enough to make a difference!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Scepticalscribe
Brendan Rogers has taken the Leicester job. Big challenge for Rogers. He will have more money to spend than he did at Celtic, but will be in a far tougher league (albeit one he is already familiar with).

Probably the toughest part of the job is the fact that Leicester have already gone as far as they can go. They had a miraculous league Championship recently, and have dabbled with Europe. Now they are sliding. Unless he produces a cup win, there's nowhere to go but down. Maintaining mid-table Premier League status is a very tough job, but boring for fans and rarely appreciated till it's over (see, for example, Stoke City)
 
  • Like
Reactions: pachyderm and JamesMike
Lord Blackadder said:
Brendan Rogers has taken the Leicester job. Big challenge for Rogers. He will have more money to spend than he did at Celtic, but will be in a far tougher league (albeit one he is already familiar with).

Probably the toughest part of the job is the fact that Leicester have already gone as far as they can go. They had a miraculous league Championship recently, and have dabbled with Europe. Now they are sliding. Unless he produces a cup win, there's nowhere to go but down. Maintaining mid-table Premier League status is a very tough job, but boring for fans and rarely appreciated till it's over (see, for example, Stoke City)
Click to expand...

He is an excellent choice; surprising that Celtic were prepared to release him mid season. .

Agree that - for now - Leicester may have gone as far as possible, but that Premiership winning team had been constructed partly as a result of some very clever and thoughtful scouting.

There is nothing to suggest that Leicester cannot keep their eyes and ears open, and scouting networks intact; the club seems to be pretty well resourced after all.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JamesMike
Scepticalscribe said:
He is an excellent choice; surprising that Celtic were prepared to release him mid season.
Click to expand...

Celtic is one of those clubs, like Real Madrid (if at a different level), where the the people running the club and the fans have insanely high expectations. Winning something every single season is expected. They only get excited when they win EVERYTHING, and then only for a brief moment... the next day they are bored again and want to see flashy signings and more trophies in the next campaign. In such circumstances it doesn't take long for managers to be be moved on even when they win things. So I am sure Rogers knew that once Celtic got knocked out of Europe it might be wise for him to move on.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Scepticalscribe
Apple fanboy said:
0-0 so far. I’d take that! Good start for Arsenal. 2-1.
Click to expand...

Ozil finding the net after four minutes, yes, very good. Perhaps he feels he has a point to prove.

Then a nice two-nil, followed by a sloppy concession.

Ah, well.

0-0 between Manchester City and West Ham? I would imagine that Pep might have a word or two to say about that in the dressing room.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back