Arsenal up to forth on goal difference as it stands.
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The 2018-2019 Football Thread
- Thread starter Lord Blackadder
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Paul Scholes has been charged by the FA for betting on football matches.
Back in 2017, Joey Barton was banned for 18 months for betting on matches while a player - though the ban was subsequently reduced to 13 months. in 2016 a non-league manager was banned for three years for betting against his own team, even thought the FA did not find any evidence of match-fixing.
Not sure how this one will pan out, but one assumes Scholes will get off with a little slap on the wrist, given his profile. the FA are typically cowards when it comes to big names.
Back in 2017, Joey Barton was banned for 18 months for betting on matches while a player - though the ban was subsequently reduced to 13 months. in 2016 a non-league manager was banned for three years for betting against his own team, even thought the FA did not find any evidence of match-fixing.
Not sure how this one will pan out, but one assumes Scholes will get off with a little slap on the wrist, given his profile. the FA are typically cowards when it comes to big names.
I suspect Barcelona will overhaul Manchester United tonight in the Nou Camp. Not sure about the other match.
I expect Juve to go through, but I would not be shocked if Ajax pulled off an upset. Barca have a major advantage over Man Utd, though they have collapsed at this stage against lesser opposition before. When you have Messi and Suarez though, you have to feel confident.
The away leg maybe gives Man Utd some hope, as they are at their best when putting down the low block and hitting on the break. Barca will be the team expected to possess the ball and be creative. I imagine this match will very much be an example of attack vs defense.
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Unless Barca blow Man Utd away in the first half, I think this is likely to be a tight match - Man Utd's approach will be to stay in the game as long as possible, and hope for late goals when Barca are tired and nervous, with the crowd on their back. Conversely, Barca will really be looking for a goal in the first 20-30 minutes, preferably two, so that OGS is forced to chase the game and open things up.
Suarez and Coutinho will be fired up.
Suarez and Coutinho will be fired up.
Not tight. Job done from Barcelona’s point of view.
Glad I inserted that "unless Barca blow United away..." disclaimer! An absolute clinic from the world's best player. Barca need to maintain focus now and not go to sleep, but Man Utd are in deep, deep trouble.
If they go out of the CL now, however, they will be able to focus on the league and that fourth spot, so Arsenal, Spurs, and Chelsea fans will not be happy at the moment.
I think it might be a tough ask to bounce back and claim 4th though.
Ajax have scored. Things are very tight in Turin!
There is is a lot of game left in Barcelona, a goal for Man Utd now might make it interesting, but if Barca score again things become virtually impossible for the Mancunians. OGS needs to come up with some really bright ideas, and fast.
There is is a lot of game left in Barcelona, a goal for Man Utd now might make it interesting, but if Barca score again things become virtually impossible for the Mancunians. OGS needs to come up with some really bright ideas, and fast.
I will not attempt to deny my pleasure at this result (won with much huffing and puffing, it must be said).
Manchester United are eminently beatable, as Arsenal recently demonstrated; Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea fans need to focus on themselves and their respective teams and allow themselves become distracted by other concerns.
At the end of the day it was a bit of a stroll for Barca - but Ajax have shocked Juve! With all due respect to Ajax, Man City will have pretty much a bye to the final now, should they beat Spurs. A Spurs - Ajax tie would probably be more interesting for the neutral.
I've never seen Arsenal try so hard not to win a match....fortunately for them, Watford tried even harder to lose. A bad performance for the Gunners, but they got their three points in the end and maybe it can just be chalked up to a bad day at the office.
If Liverpool manage win the title, the most likely scenario under which that happens is either Man Utd or Spurs (or both) taking points off Man City, opening the door for 'Pool. So I do hope they both have perfect run-ins!!!!
I've never seen Arsenal try so hard not to win a match....fortunately for them, Watford tried even harder to lose. A bad performance for the Gunners, but they got their three points in the end and maybe it can just be chalked up to a bad day at the office.
If Liverpool manage win the title, the most likely scenario under which that happens is either Man Utd or Spurs (or both) taking points off Man City, opening the door for 'Pool. So I do hope they both have perfect run-ins!!!!
I guess Man U never recovered from playing a top quality side Saturday night!
I think a top four finish is going to be a hard ask for them. Their form has dipped of late and I wonder how many of their stars have half a mind on transfers in the summer.
On the other hand, being outside the champions league pretty much guarantees a strong league campaign next season for the 5th and 6th-placed clubs.
I'm tipping Arsenal to take the fourth spot, though they are just one point behind a now-Kane-less Spurs - and Spurs still have to play Man City in the league..
Compare and contract Ajax and Man United, who contested a Europa League final not so very long ago. One club had a plan for the long term and stuck with it. The other couldn't pick and stick with a direction. One club is run by football people. The other is run by an accountant. One club advanced to the UCL semifinal in impressive fashion. The other crashed out with barely a whimper.
Ole's magic could only paper over the cracks in the squad and the entire club infrastructure for so long. If they don't sign a Director of Football to take those decisions away from the accountant, expect more of the same.
Ole's magic could only paper over the cracks in the squad and the entire club infrastructure for so long. If they don't sign a Director of Football to take those decisions away from the accountant, expect more of the same.
Watching Messi completely bamboozle the hapless Phil Jones was comedy gold. I hate to think what he will do to Liverpool, should they make it past Porto. Liverpool are good enough to beat Barca in a one-off match, but over two legs I expect Barca to get the job done.
The key match, should the tie happen, will be the Anfield leg. Liverpool must not allow Barca to score. Having the away goal advantage will probably be the difference between progressing and getting knocked out - unless, as I caveated with Man Utd, Liverpool get blown away.
Woodward is the immediate issue (along with, one could argue, an increasingly apparent excess of nostalgia for Fergie on the part of OGS). However, the Glazers are ultimately responsible for everything that happens at the club. Even with their constant mismanagement, Man Utd is so big, and so rich, that it will take years for their decline to become truly serious. But their current direction is not good. OGS may not have the chops for the job. Woodward certainly doesn't. Both he and the Glazers continue to plan to extract wealth out of the club without paying sufficiently competent attention to the footballing side of the operation. The Mourinho experiment was precisely the debacle we all expected it to be. If OGS can't cut it, the next managerial appointment will be crucial. And, as you point out, without a proper director of football even a very good manager might not be enough.
Interesting to see if de Gea hangs around. He has been a little less rock solid of late, but his departure would leave a very big hole in the defense.
The key match, should the tie happen, will be the Anfield leg. Liverpool must not allow Barca to score. Having the away goal advantage will probably be the difference between progressing and getting knocked out - unless, as I caveated with Man Utd, Liverpool get blown away.
Woodward is the immediate issue (along with, one could argue, an increasingly apparent excess of nostalgia for Fergie on the part of OGS). However, the Glazers are ultimately responsible for everything that happens at the club. Even with their constant mismanagement, Man Utd is so big, and so rich, that it will take years for their decline to become truly serious. But their current direction is not good. OGS may not have the chops for the job. Woodward certainly doesn't. Both he and the Glazers continue to plan to extract wealth out of the club without paying sufficiently competent attention to the footballing side of the operation. The Mourinho experiment was precisely the debacle we all expected it to be. If OGS can't cut it, the next managerial appointment will be crucial. And, as you point out, without a proper director of football even a very good manager might not be enough.
Interesting to see if de Gea hangs around. He has been a little less rock solid of late, but his departure would leave a very big hole in the defense.
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Massive win for Spurs. This is also an example of why the away goals rule might be a little too big of an influence.
Man City will now throw everything at the league. And with KDB back in the squad, I’m not sure I see them dropping any points. Unless Spurs do them again.
Liverpool have earned the right to get knocked out by Barca.
Man City will now throw everything at the league. And with KDB back in the squad, I’m not sure I see them dropping any points. Unless Spurs do them again.
Liverpool have earned the right to get knocked out by Barca.
Liverpool reached the final in the CL last year; they have an excellent team, and the culture and tradition of recent success (more so than Barcelona) in the CL.
And Manchester City haven't win the PL yet this season - I expect Liverpool to contest the competition strongly until the final match.
Remember, Liverpool have only lost once thus far this season in the PL, whereas Manchester City can be defeated (granted, if only by the right team).