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The 2019-2020 Football Thread

Scepticalscribe said:
No, I don't hate you saying this, because it contains more than a little truth.

I wouldn't go so far as to say "it comes down to luck as much as skill", but to deny that luck may lend a hand, and may more than lend a hand, in these circumstances, would be exceedingly foolish, and wilfully myopic.

However, what I have noticed is that luck often favours teams that are already playing exceptionally well, and are on a sustained run where games - and decisions, - and often, the very bounce of the ball, will all go their way; fortune (and sometimes, referees) favour them.

Actually, in the days when Manchester United were a successful team, regularly laying siege to the top spot, under Sir Alex, it used to infuriate me how often they scored around the improbable 99th minute (I exaggerate, but not by all that much) of a match.

I think that Liverpool will win the Premiership (and have said that since the start of the season); however, while it is an admirable ambition to wish to do so without losing a game, it is more important to win the Premier League, and lift that trophy, than it is to worry about whether (or how long) it is possible to sustain an undefeated record.

On a related topic, a charming and quite delightful story was reported in today's Irish Times, of how a ten year old youngster from County Donegal, who is a Manchester United supporter, wrote to Jurgen Klopp to ask him to stop winning matches.

According to the report in the Irish Times, the schoolboy's letter ran as follows: “Liverpool are winning too many games. If you win nine more games then you have the best unbeaten run in English football. Being a United fan that is very sad. So the next time Liverpool play please make them lose. You should just let the other team score. I hope I have convinced you to not win the league or any other match again.”

To his complete credit, (and it doesn't really surprise me, as Klopp is an absolute gentleman) Klopp replied with a beautiful and utterly charming letter, which opened by thanking the boy for having written to him, and, while noting that he hadn't wished him good luck, added that he was always pleased to hear from football fans.

His letter (which was printed by The Irish Times) then came to the core issue under discussion:

“Unfortunately, on this occasion, I cannot grant your request, not through choice anyway. As much as you want Liverpool to lose it is my job to do everything that I can to help Liverpool to win as there are millions of people around the world who want that to happen so I really do not want to let them down.

“Luckily for you, we have lost games in the past and we will lose games in the future because that is football.

“The problem is when you are 10 years old you think that things will always be as they are now but if there is one thing I can tell you as 52 years old it is that this most definitely isn’t the case.”

With that matter addressed, the letter continued:

“Having read your letter, though, I think I can safely say that one thing that will not change is your passion for football and for your club. Manchester United are lucky to have you.

“I hope that if we are lucky enough to win more games and maybe even lift some more trophies you will not be too disappointed because although our clubs are great rivals we also share a great respect for one another.

“This, to me, is what football is all about. Take care and good luck, Jürgen.”

Class. Pure class.
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Two great letters from a gentleman-in-the making and from an established gentleman.
 
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Now that where speaking about the Gunners. I loved the period with Dennis Bergkamp and Marc Overmars back in those days. And later Henri Thierry who became the second coach of the Red Devils.
 
That's an important win for Chelsea today in what remains a tight race for fourth. Spurs are suffering badly without their two most dangerous offensive players.

Major VAR controversy at Turf Moor. Bournemouth score a goal but it is disallowed for a handball at the other end of the pitch that resulted in Burnely being awarded a penalty, which they duly scored. So what looked like an equalizer for Bournemouth actually puts the match at 2-0 Burnley. Scenes.
 
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Wow. Ederson absolutely clobbered Iheanacho as the latter went up for a header. In any other situation on any other part of pitch that’s a foul and a card. But because Ederson is a keeper it’s not even a foul apparently.
 
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Lord Blackadder said:
Wow. Ederson absolutely clobbered Iheanacho as the latter went up for a header. In any other situation on any other part of pitch that’s a foul and a card. But because Ederson is a keeper it’s not even a foul apparently.
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The only “excuse” there is that he technically got the ball and the other guy didn’t and was in the way. Very weak excuse, but thats the only way I can explain it somehow not being a foul.
 
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Leicester are coming off second-best, somewhat unluckily, but they are still well in the match. <Man City are seeing more possession and should probably be winning but for some wayward finishing. They should also probably have conceded two penalties (see below).

Strelok said:
The only “excuse” there is that he technically got the ball and the other guy didn’t and was in the way. Very weak excuse, but thats the only way I can explain it somehow not being a foul.
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From the replays I saw it was Iheanacho who made contact with the ball. I know that keepers do get special protection from refs, but actually in this case Ederson hammered a completely defenseless player who was focused on winning the ball (and did). Astonishing.

Also, why is De Bruyne not conceding a penalty for handball when a free kick strikes his upraised hands? The current rules clearly make that a stone-cold handball.

Some very interesting calls today in the Premier League.

EDIT: and then Leicester concede a penalty via VAR, which Aguero takes and Schmeichel saves. It was another handball in the box, a correct call - but if that is a penalty so was De Bruyne's earlier handball...drama.
 
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I just watched the highlights of the Barcelona/Eibar match. Messi, had a great match, scoring a hat trick in the first half and one more in the second. Melo added the 5th goal for 5-0 win.

Hoping for a win tomorrow with my Man U team.
 
Apple fanboy said:
It’s how you finished that matters.
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Thank you, yes, it is.

We held on, and we collected three points, having scored three goals and - what was possibly most important, didn't wilt or collapse having conceded a goal (a perfectly idiotic goal) after a minute, and, equally, didn't collapse (or lose concentration) when Everton equalised before half time.

Instead, Arsenal fought back and took the lead (again), and this time, held it, showing the sort of mental strength the lack of which has been an issue for a while.
 
Did I already say what a difference-maker Bruno Fernandes is? At the risk of repeating myself, United has been missing a player like him for years: not only creative and skillful, but a leader willing to take a match by the scruff of the neck. On one level he's simply addition by subtraction as he keeps Jesse Lingard and Andres Pereira out of the lineup, but he's way more than that. Can't wait to see him combine with Rashford.

Anyway, great to see United win the type of match they've been more prone to flubbing this season. They've got a very tough spell coming up in the league with Everton, City, and Spurs, but they've got some momentum and players coming back into the squad like McTominay, Bailly, and Greenwood for added depth.
 
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Yay! We’ve made it two minutes without conceding against Liverpool!
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Goalkeeping error gave them the lead. But we’re right back in it!
 
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