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The 2019-2020 Football Thread
- Thread starter Lord Blackadder
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Some nasty weather in UK it seems, matches being postponed and also repercussions for the Six Nations.
Sheffield Utd win today and are now up to fifth, two points behind Chelsea, though Spurs can leapfrog them if they win their next match. Still, the Blades are on a heck of a run.
Sheffield Utd win today and are now up to fifth, two points behind Chelsea, though Spurs can leapfrog them if they win their next match. Still, the Blades are on a heck of a run.
I had planned on watching the Man City/West Ham match but postponed. Will watch the USA Women's team play Canada later today, they are worth staying up late. This match is more a friendly match than do or die game and should see a lot of rotation of players on both sides which is good for the players to playing time.
Instead of the Man City v West Ham game being postponed, can’t we just call it a draw?
What you need to hope for is that the game is abandoned due to weather after West Ham sneak a goal due to a goalkeeping howler or a flukey deflection, and the result stands.
I’m hoping it’s scheduled for a week when they are busy in the Champions League.What you need to hope for is that the game is abandoned due to weather after West Ham sneak a goal due to a goalkeeping howler or a flukey deflection, and the result stands.
Somehow, I doubt that such a distraction would prove sufficient for West Ham; while Manchester City are no longer quite the force they were two seasons ago, I think that they are more than capable of dealing with the threat - or challenge - posed by West Ham.
Man City are vulnerable and can be got at. However, they are still a really powerful side capable of blowing teams away. At the moment they are really wasteful in front of goal though. For West Ham to get a result they will need to be absolutely clinical with any chances they create, because they'll probably only get a couple genuine scoring opportunities.
They won’t need to worry too much. Our lacklustre defence will snuff out any goals we might score.
Anyway we have Liverpool first!
Of course I will be able to make the excuse that we didn’t get a winter break like the rest of the league!
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Or Arsenal!
They won’t need to worry too much. Our lacklustre defence will snuff out any goals we might score.
Anyway we have Liverpool first!
Of course I will be able to make the excuse that we didn’t get a winter break like the rest of the league!
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Or Arsenal!
There is truth in that, alas, but I will say that under Mr Arteta, there does seem to be a sense of some (slight) improvement.
And only one defeat since Mr Arteta was appointed.
The first priority is to shore up that porous, brittle and leaky defence.
However, agreed, it is striking how few points there are between tenth place and the dreaded relegation zone.
The table has already assumed a bizarre appearance: There is the top team - Liverpool, (on 73 points) with a gap over over twenty points on the next two pursuing teams, Manchester City and Leicester, who are separated by a mere two points (on 51 and 49 points, respectively).
Chelsea and Sheffield United, lying fourth and fifth, are the best part of ten points behind the pair ahead of them, and with 41 and 39 points respectively, only two points separate them.
That comprises the teams holding the top five places.
Beneath them, clumped in a cluster, between 37 and 35 points, you will find Spurs, Everton, Wolves, and Manchester United.
Tenth finds Arsenal, on 31, six points above the danger zone, wth the teams lying immediately beneath them also clumped together in a cluster ranging from 31 points (Arsenal) to Aston Villa on 25, just above the danger zone.
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The USA Women's team pulled out a 3-0 win against Canada, it was more a friendly match; the next match on 3 March against England will not be so friendly.
Here's to hoping Sheffield Wednesday can find it!
If you know this weakness @Lord Blackadder you must contact contact Wednesday management ASAP!
I'm happy to work as a consultant (for a modest fee).
City's center back situation has been dodgy all season and balls over the top as well as corners seem to unsettle them more than it should. City really aren't all that great defensively, but it is their attack that provides much of the defense - this is a Pep team after all, and they want the ball. As long as they have it, you won't be creating any scoring chances.
You need a cold, muddy pitch and Adebayo Akinfenwa goal-hanging. Big clumps of turf sticking up that will deflect passes into unpredictable directions and holes in the pitch that will trip dribbling players up. The penalty spot should resemble an Irish bog. Kick them to pieces and win as many corners as you can with long balls to speedy wingers/wingbacks.
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Man City banned from the Champions League for 2 Seasons for FFP violations!
My first reaction was "Pep is surely gone now." On the other hand, football's governing bodies always seem to always cave badly and downgrade these initial punishments to something far more lukewarm on appeal. I would not be surprised to see this reduced to just the fine and a suspended ban or some other laughably ineffectual nonsense.
My first reaction was "Pep is surely gone now." On the other hand, football's governing bodies always seem to always cave badly and downgrade these initial punishments to something far more lukewarm on appeal. I would not be surprised to see this reduced to just the fine and a suspended ban or some other laughably ineffectual nonsense.
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Fascinating story.
Agree that these penalties could well be reduced on appeal, but - given the gravity of the violations, I could well see the ban from participating in the Champions' League competition reduced from two years to one, as the governing authority (Uefa) will wish to demonstrate that such violations have consequences, for, frankly, the fine of €30 million that has been imposed is risible, given City's considerable resources.
According to David Conn's other piece on this affair, Man City's approach to this whole process has been to do everything they can to denigrate every single governing body that dares question their integrity. Absolutely nasty. They act as if they are Middle Eastern potentates used to absolute obedience and silence from those around them and able to treat everyone like a subordinate. Any opposition is brushed aside with a snarl and a dismissive wave of the hand, or worse.
...Oh...
Well said.
However, that is exactly what they - Manchester City are - or, rather, their ownership, actually is (and very eloquently expressed).
Nevertheless, that mindset (and I have worked in autocracies, dictatorships, and countries torn apart by war, civil conflict, utter dysfunction, and stratospheric corruption) doesn't always travel well (bottomless funds notwithstanding) where proper oversight exists or proper enforcement is permitted to take place.
Personally, I'd like to see these penalties implemented in full; while I harbour doubts as to whether this will truly happen, banishment for even a year from the attractions of the CL will hurt them in both pride and pocket.
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And in the types of players they can attract and possibly even retain.
Given the charges leveled against them and the apparent strength of UEFA’s case, it will be an utter farce if Cas overturn the ban and Man City are allowed to compete in the Champions League next season.
I know I am cynical about punishments constantly being hugely reduced on appeal within football, but surely this one has to stick? It’s been obvious from day one that Man City have been flouting FFP pretty flagrantly. It’s a fundamental test of the concept of FFP.
I know I am cynical about punishments constantly being hugely reduced on appeal within football, but surely this one has to stick? It’s been obvious from day one that Man City have been flouting FFP pretty flagrantly. It’s a fundamental test of the concept of FFP.
Agreed. If there is no punishment then there is no point having the rule.
Agree completely with you both.
Nevertheless, while I would like to see the punishment stick, and serve to reinforce the principle of FFP and concur completely that if such a sanction exists, it must be possible for it to be imposed - I will be curious to see what the appeal hearing leads to.
As @Lord Blackadder has posted out, the vicious approach and nasty tone taken by City - their arrogance and gracelessness, the personal and professional attacks on the integrity and impartiality of UEFA, their sustained campaign of constant denigration - should, if anything, serve to strengthen UEFA's backbone, and that, plus their already impressively strong case should enable them to emerge victorious from the appeal.
However, while I doubt the sanctions imposed for these violations - the UEFA case is too strong - would be lifted entirely on appeal, (and to do so would undermine UEFA's credibility), I would not be terribly surprised (but would be appalled) to see the two year ban reduced to a year on appeal.