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The 2020-2021 Football Thread
- Thread starter Scepticalscribe
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Yes, but while it showed how fine the margins of victory can be in the Premier League, it also showed how games in the Premier League can turn on a single minute of class on the part of (and to the advantage of) the team that can field (and can afford to field) a few excellent and gifted players.
This could be a really open season in the league. Perhaps not in terms of the title, but certainly in almost all other places.
Fulham look doomed already; apart from that though, and at the other end Liverpool probably finishing in the top two, I'd struggle to predict where any team will land.
Fulham look doomed already; apart from that though, and at the other end Liverpool probably finishing in the top two, I'd struggle to predict where any team will land.
Agreed. Sheffield Utd and West Brom don’t look great either. But I suppose it’s still early days.
Sheffield have been the surprise package for me this season (for all the wrong reasons).
They had such an impressive season last season that I really expected them to continue that great form into this....but they seem to have a real hangover at the moment.
The other one that has surprised me with their lack of awesomeness is Fulham. After their Championship season last season , I really thought they'd come in to the Prem and at least compete...they seem to be so much less than they were last season (and yes, I know there's a difference between the two leagues, but the lower half of The Premier League and the top 6 of the Championship are often not that far apart in quality).
Sheffield looked OK against Liverpool; they made two big mistakes for the goals but their overall performance didn't scream relegation fight to me. They do, however, need to start getting results.
From experience, I know what a difference "playing well" and "winning games" makes.
The Saints in the first half of last season played some great football and didn't score goals or win games.
Thankfully they turned it around in the last half of the season, but I think Sheffield will need to do something about their lack of ability to score and stay ahead.
Agreed. Playing well without scoring is quite common for the teams in the relegation scrap. Partly because better quality strikers get a goal every couple of chances they get. Not such good quality strikers need 3 or 4 chances. But you don’t always get that many.
I just like having Everton at the top of the table.
I'm not even an Everton fan.
It's just nice not having a big 4 team up there...
True - though this is why managers often say they are happy with a performance and not worried about any given result. Because the idea is, if the team is executing the manager's plan (and if the manager's plan is a good plan!), the results usually follow eventually. Teams that seem to play well overall but constantly drop points usually have some sort of obvious Achilles' heel, like severe finishing problems or a keeper who keeps throwing it into his own net.
Six games in and only two of the "Big Six" are actually in the top six.
It is half-time with Chelsea leading Krasnodar 1-0. Man U is playing later against Leipzig.
Better make the most of the European football. Not sure you’ll qualify next year on current form.
I'm going to drive to Old Trafford and give them a kick in the butt!
They need it! I hear they think they can get 23,000 in Old Trafford safely. I’m not sure they’ll set that many!
In all seriousness I live my football but I’m in no hurry to go to a game all things considered.
I also have the Juventus vs. Barcelona match on the second screen. Unfortunately, Ronaldo isn't playing, I wanted Messi to kick his butt, lol!
I'm happy with my results but didn't expect 5-0 score.
Amazed at the difference in form Utd are showing domestically vs in Europe.
Maybe that's why they're so interested in a European Super League
Maybe that's why they're so interested in a European Super League
Ha ha...I was attempting to be gracious...
Imagine your team being in the Premier League with a golden ticket stating "can't be relegated" - except it's an invitation-only Europe-wide Premier League and you were essentially playing in the Champions League knockout stages every week. That's the proposed Super League.
The most heartbreaking thing about it will be watching fans flock to it - and they will. Owners know that, despite what fan groups say about authenticity and the need for sustainable pricing etc., fans will never stop coming regardless how badly they are exploited. Perhaps a few German clubs would be exceptions, but otherwise this is a fact. Look at Newcastle. If the fans stayed away from the stadium for a season and stopped buying merch and dropped all their season tickets Ashley would have been gone years ago. They shouted abuse at him while continuing to throw bushels of money at him. And people like Ashley (and other owners) couldn't care less what fans say or do as long as the money keeps flowing. They would, and will, do anything for money. It's the only language they speak.
The most heartbreaking thing about it will be watching fans flock to it - and they will. Owners know that, despite what fan groups say about authenticity and the need for sustainable pricing etc., fans will never stop coming regardless how badly they are exploited. Perhaps a few German clubs would be exceptions, but otherwise this is a fact. Look at Newcastle. If the fans stayed away from the stadium for a season and stopped buying merch and dropped all their season tickets Ashley would have been gone years ago. They shouted abuse at him while continuing to throw bushels of money at him. And people like Ashley (and other owners) couldn't care less what fans say or do as long as the money keeps flowing. They would, and will, do anything for money. It's the only language they speak.
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I, for one, want no part of a Super League of any kind. That would absolutely ruin the sport. I'm more interested in the smaller clubs than most of the continental giants, that's for sure.
As much as I enjoyed yesterday's big win, you kind of have to throw out that result as an outlier like you do with the Spurs match: everything went right instead of the exact opposite. Still, it was good to see Ole get his lineup, tactics, and substitutions totally spot on — signs of progress and growth. Need to carry that momentum and confidence into the Arsenal match this weekend.
I increasingly fear that a super league is inevitable. The big clubs are all in favor, and they are the real power center in the sport.
Fans like you and I may soon be faced with a choice of following our clubs into a new, NFL-ized version of club football disconnected from the global professional pyramid - or re-evaluating our allegiance.