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The 2019-2020 Football Thread

Lord Blackadder said:
A truly bizarre match. Man Utd fans will point to the scoreline, but it's about the weirdest 4-0 I've ever seen. Chelsea dominated most of the first half and failed to get a goal for their efforts. But their defending was some of the worst I've witnessed in the Premier league, and they paid for it. Norwich would have torn them to pieces. Man Utd's defense was shaky in the first half, and I don't think they've done much to satisfy the doubters as yet. But, it's the first game of the season so all the major caveats apply. We'll need to get 5-6 matches in before we can really see how things are going.

Its so hard to judge these two teams right now, they are both in a state of transition and arguably things will get worse for them before it gets better. Both Man Utd and Chelsea will feel they must finish in the Champions League places or the season will be a failure (ditto Arsenal). On the surface, it looks like of the three teams Chelsea have the biggest mountain to climb to get there.
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I have just been looking up statistics for Eden Hazard's scores and assists for last season; this is a major loss, banked money that cannot be spent notwithstanding.

Yes, the scoreboard flattered Manchester United, but, when their forwards are on fire, they can perform exceptionally well.

However, when teams fail to take their chances they are sometimes made to pay the price, and Chelsea failed to take their chances and their defence was surprisingly poor.

Likewise, re defence; while both teams are in a state of flux and transition, and I am in agreement with you that this is not representative of United's form (unlike the matches played by Liverpool and Manchester City) and that we will need to see several more matches to get a more accurate picture of what they are capable of, yet, I am surprised that Chelsea did not choose to play Kante until late in the game.
 
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ivanwi11iams said:
Here I was hoping for a Lampard win or draw.
They (media and such), will not allow him to forget this loss...
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Actually, given the transfer ban, and the departure of Hazard to pastures fresh, and the fact of a new manager finding his feet at that level, (not to mention the issues with an absent owner), I am of the opinion that fans will cut Chelsea a bit of slack this season, and be understanding in their demands and expectations of the club.

Expectations will not be too high - it will more than suffice to qualify for the Champions' League; Lampard needs time - and the transfer ban will allow him some time - to allow his team to gel and gain some sort of cohesion.
 
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Alas, we know Chelsea’s leaders antics. There is a big turn over rate, of Chelsea managers.

I am more fearful for Lampard, versus the time frame they should be giving him. Well, time will tell...

Scepticalscribe said:
Actually, given the transfer ban, and the departure of Hazard to pastures fresh, and the fact of a new manager finding his feet at that level, (not to mention the issues with an absent owner), I am of the opinion that fans will cut Chelsea a bit of slack this season, and be understanding in their demands and expectations of the club.

Expectations will not be too high - it will more than suffice to qualify for the Champions' League; Lampard needs time - and the transfer ban will allow him some time - to allow his team to gel and gain some sort of cohesion.
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ivanwi11iams said:
Alas, we know Chelsea’s leaders antics. There is a big turn over rate, of Chelsea managers.

I am more fearful for Lampard, versus the time frame they should be giving him. Well, time will tell...
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We do know Chelsea's leaders antics, but I am not so sure that they will work well in the context and circumstances of this year (with the transfer ban).

This is because, with the transfer ban, the usual options of buy your way out, or buy a quick fix, are no longer available to Chelsea, and won't be, for another year. Lampard (who lacks experience but not affection) will not have the options available to a Chelsea manager operating in more normal times.

If they have wit and intelligence, they will give him time; if not, they will simply make things harder for themselves.

Having said that, that scoreline flattered Manchester United and was an unfair result from a Chelsea perspective, but, it must also be noted that Chelsea failed to convert their chances, whereas United (eventually) took theirs with the results we have seen.
 
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It's funny how you're all ignoring THE WEDNESDAY'S early success. It's almost as if you fear them being promoted... as you should.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!
 
pachyderm said:
It's funny how you're all ignoring THE WEDNESDAY'S early success. It's almost as if you fear them being promoted... as you should.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!
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I thought the only club in Sheffield was promoted last season?:D
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Scepticalscribe said:
We do know Chelsea's leaders antics, but I am not so sure that they will work well in the context and circumstances of this year (with the transfer ban).

This is because, with the transfer ban, the usual options of buy your way out, or buy a quick fix, are no longer available to Chelsea, and won't be, for another year. Lampard (who lacks experience but not affection) will not have the options available to a Chelsea manager operating in more normal times.

If they have wit and intelligence, they will give him time; if not, they all simply make things harder for themselves.

Having said that, that scoreline flattered Manchester United and was an unfair result from a Chelsea perspective, but, it must also be noted that Chelsea failed to convert their chances, whereas United (eventually) took theirs with the results we have seen.
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Agree the scoreline was very flattering to United. But Chelsea didn’t take their chances early on.
Hazard would have buried at least one of them.
 
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Apple fanboy said:
I thought the only club in Sheffield was promoted last season?:D
[doublepost=1565588027][/doublepost]
Agree the scoreline was very flattering to United. But Chelsea didn’t take their chances early on.
Hazard would have buried at least one of them.
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Agreed, and it is in situations such as that, (not burying chances) that they may miss their former Belgian talisman. He had a considerable number of goals scored last season, and a really impressive number of assists.
 
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pachyderm said:
It's funny how you're all ignoring THE WEDNESDAY'S early success. It's almost as if you fear them being promoted... as you should.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!
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If I could pick three teams from the Championship I'd like to see in the premier league next season, it would be Wednesday (best name in English football), Leeds (a big cub out of the top division for a long time), and Preston North End (the first invincibles).
 
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Overall I was pleased with Man U's performance in their first match, especially how Maguire aka 'Dennis the Menace' fit in despite being his first match with the team. As previous posters have said, it will be four or five matches before what level my team is really at.
 
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Lord Blackadder said:
If I could pick three teams from the Championship I'd like to see in the premier league next season, it would be Wednesday (best name in English football), Leeds (a big cub out of the top division for a long time), and Preston North End (the first invincibles).
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Agreed that Wednesday have a fantastic name, but I am also enamoured of the team called Hamilton Academical; for that alone, I'd be tempted to support them.

And Preston North End - agreed, would love to see them make a return to top flight football, that would be pure nostalgia blended with history, a blast from the past knocking on the door.
 
EDIT: As feared, Liverpool will lose Alisson for "several weeks" to the calf injury he sustained against Norwich.

The schedule for the next six matches is not the hardest stretch of the season, thankfully, but we will probably face Arsenal with Adrian between the sticks. Teams will surely target the keeper as a weak point in the defense, though the loss of Alisson is probably a bigger blow in terms of building out of the back rather than pure shot-stopping.

Here's hoping Liverpool's only healthy goalkeeper can stay healthy and step up when needed.

Scepticalscribe said:
Agreed that Wednesday have a fantastic name, but I am also enamoured of the team called Hamilton Academical; for that alone, I'd be tempted to support them.
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There are too many great club names out there to list - Young Boys also springs to mind. Never heard of an "Old Men FC" though.
 
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Honestly, I think Wolves away will be a tougher early test for United. They really had our number last season and especially had their way in midfield. Hopefully the upgrades in defense will help, but it's going to be a nervy match.
 
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Celtic are knocked out of the Champions League by FC Cluj. You could make the argument that Celtic will only participate in one meaningfully competitive tie this entire campaign - and that was it (well, there is the Europa league...). On the other hand, Celtic fans never seem to tire of winning everything in Scotland unchallenged, year upon year. The fact that they couldn't beat Cluj will not really resonate with them.

That feeds into my theory that many football fans increasingly don't want to see meaningful competition - they want to see all-star overdog teams pummeling chumps over and over again. This is why Real Madrid, for example, have such a large fanbase.
 
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My Liverpool guests and I are getting ready to watch the Liverpool/Chelsea match. Hopefully, Chelsea will play better, but with a Liverpool win.
 
JamesMike said:
My Liverpool guests and I are getting ready to watch the Liverpool/Chelsea match. Hopefully, Chelsea will play better, but with a Liverpool win.
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Man Utd will not face an easier match this year than they did recently against Chelsea. With that being said, though I expect a Liverpool win, one assumes Lampard will set up today as one should in a knockout match...tighter at the back. Pulisic and Giroud will start for Chelsea, Brewster will be on the bench for Liverpool.

Oh, and perhaps most crucially - Chelsea will be using Kante as a holding midfielder today...as one ought to.

Liverpool have arguably not put out a full strength side, with Gomez replacing Trent and Firmino rested (though Mane starts).
 
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Speaking as a fan with a dog in the race, these pseudo-cups are weird beasts. It felt crap to be beaten by Man City, it felt good to beat Chelsea...but apart from that the "cups" are pretty meaningless...I guess I'd rate the Super Duper Cup a little higher than the Charity Shield, but whatever.

With it being this early in the season, I am not sure fatigue will be as big an issue - but it certainly doesn't help any. Klopp may have rested a few starters today with that in mind.
 
So, the Missus bought me this...

f82f67e735cada5fca9a2663f68b82a8.jpg
 
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Somehow it's more socially acceptable now to have a massive monitor than using 2-3 large monitors just a few short years ago. :p
 
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