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The 2018-2019 Football Thread
- Thread starter Lord Blackadder
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Yeah, well, United never recovered from the rash of injuries that they suffered a couple of months ago. Rashford, Lingard and Martial have all been ineffective since returning.
I think a lot of it is also down to conditioning. Ole's aggressive, pressing style requires a lot more fitness than Mourinho's preference for sitting back behind the ball. A lot of players simply look gassed. I also worry that United's treatment of Ander Herrera has made a mess of the dressing room: to see him get lowballed on a new contract while the likes of Chris Smalling and Phil Jones get new deals, I expect the Spanish players are none too pleased with their standing at the club. Maybe that explains why David DeGea is so checked out. A dreadful unforced error by Ed Woodward that further reinforces the need for a DoF and a more modern footballing structure.
Arsenal fans will breathe a little easier to see Chelsea draw today. Still tight in the race for fourth.
The rumor is that Pogba, Lukaku, and de Gea will leave if Champions League qualification is not achieved. Pogba and Lukaku haven’t really pulled their weight towards that goal, so in a way that is a bit rich of them, but there is no doubt that their departure (and perhaps more importantly de Gea’s) will leave substantial holes in the squad to be filled.
The rumor is that Pogba, Lukaku, and de Gea will leave if Champions League qualification is not achieved. Pogba and Lukaku haven’t really pulled their weight towards that goal, so in a way that is a bit rich of them, but there is no doubt that their departure (and perhaps more importantly de Gea’s) will leave substantial holes in the squad to be filled.
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But if they can get a decent price for them then they will have a decent war chest to go shopping with. I think De Gea would be the biggest loss of the three.
Just as long as they don’t come knocking on our door for a world class proven striker.....
We’re fresh out!
If they can’t be up for it tomorrow then they don’t deserve to wear the shirt.
I did read that De Gea and Pogba wanted pay raises to make up for the clauses in their contracts that would cut their salary if they failed to qualify for the UCL, which is pretty shameless of them since their poor recent performances are a big reason why it's not happening.
Anybody who wants to go, can go. Even without those three, there are a lot of players who will (or should) leave, so replacing them in one window is unrealistic. There is a lot of amazing talent at the youth / U23 level (Greenwood, Gomes, Chong, Garner, a young keeper whose name I forget but is supposed to be a very promising prospect, etc), but they're all very young and probably not ready for the day in, day out physical rigors of the PL.
Whatever they do, choose a direction and a style of play and stick with it. Ole wants to play the right way, so build around that attacking, pressing philosophy with younger, hungrier players. If it takes a few trophyless years, so be it.
Tottenham cement their grip on 3rd with a win over Brighton where as Watford dropped points in their own quest for Europa league qualification.
Certainly better than Arsenal! Don't tell @Scepticalscribe, she'll be mad!
Wolves have been the surprise package this year for me. Really performed well. Hope the get a Europa league spot.
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Not finishing quite as well is it? At least it keeps the title race going for us neutrals.
Welp, couldn't hang in the second half. De Gea makes another big mistake to concede the second. Should have done far better on the first, as well.
The young keeper I was thinking about yesterday is Dean Henderson, who is currently helping Sheffield United earn promotion to the Prem.
The young keeper I was thinking about yesterday is Dean Henderson, who is currently helping Sheffield United earn promotion to the Prem.
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As my Man U friend said he didn’t mind loosing to City if it stopped Liverpool winning the title.
And that's the league title wrapped up.
Given Man Utd's recent slump it was always going to be tough for them to take any points from this match. There is virtually zero chance City will slip up now.
Arsenal lose to Wolves and fail to take an opportunity to move into fourth.
Given Man Utd's recent slump it was always going to be tough for them to take any points from this match. There is virtually zero chance City will slip up now.
Arsenal lose to Wolves and fail to take an opportunity to move into fourth.
Their route to Europe is with the Europa league now. Which is what Man U will be lucky to be playing in next year.
You can always rely on Arsenal to let you down. Break your heart. Trash your dreams.
I was travelling most of the day, and thus, - having arrived at the airport, am only now catching up on dismal matters relating to football.
I was travelling most of the day, and thus, - having arrived at the airport, am only now catching up on dismal matters relating to football.
Not even 2' in and Liverpool have scored a goal thanks to Keita. Was thinking of skipping this match as I barely got any sleep last night from the constant waking up and tossing and turning.
Still floored at Croatia making it to the end only to land in 2nd this last summer.
[doublepost=1556308074][/doublepost]Salah just delivered a third goal for Liverpool. Not a boring match at all.
Didn't expect the Wolves to do as well as they did if I'm being frank. And it isn't like Arsenal put up a half-assed effort. They gave it their best but were outmatched in wit and skill on the pitch. Footies gone a bit weird these last few years with never in a hundred yearers doing what most if not all thought was impossible to do.
Still floored at Croatia making it to the end only to land in 2nd this last summer.
[doublepost=1556308074][/doublepost]Salah just delivered a third goal for Liverpool. Not a boring match at all.
Gosh.
I would be screaming in depressed despair about Arsenal's unparalleled capacity to snatch defeat or disaster from the jaws of victory, were it not for the fact that every other team between third and sixth also seem to have been afflicted by some version of the same malady.
Nevertheless, very well done West Ham.
Elegant goal by Southampton.
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[doublepost=1556374983][/doublepost]Solid attack for an equalizer by Bournemouth. Nearly spilled the hot toddy I had in my hand.
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Definitely an eerie ghost and presence of past human life guiding these players to make mistakes. Mhmm.
[doublepost=1556374983][/doublepost]Solid attack for an equalizer by Bournemouth. Nearly spilled the hot toddy I had in my hand.
Fulham with a big win today - largely irrelevant for them, but a major blow for Cardiff.
Spurs are in a tight spot. They have a thin squad, lost their key attacking player to injury, and are fighting a very close battle for Champions League qualification.
On the other hand, they have a winnable tie in the Champions league, and it would be ludicrous to suggest that qualification for next season's CL is more important than this year's semifinal tie. They have no choice but to go for it, both in the league and in Europe.
Spurs are in a tight spot. They have a thin squad, lost their key attacking player to injury, and are fighting a very close battle for Champions League qualification.
On the other hand, they have a winnable tie in the Champions league, and it would be ludicrous to suggest that qualification for next season's CL is more important than this year's semifinal tie. They have no choice but to go for it, both in the league and in Europe.
Could be all or nothing finish.
But Kane’s injury couldn’t have come at a worse time. I did here he might be fit for the CL final should they get there. We will see.
I want to see that entire defence of Arsenal's (with the exception of the goalkeeper) shipped out over the summer and replaced by something more solid; yes, we have had key defensive players injured since autumn, but nothing excuses such a porous, incompetent, brittle defence.