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The 2020-2021 Football Thread

Lord Blackadder said:
EDIT: Nothing like a game against Sheffield United to boost morale! The poor Blades are little better than training cones this season.
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Only Manchester United 2020–2021 would make such hard work out of beating a team with one point out of 13 matches and one goal out of six matches. Yeeeeesh. They scored three very nice goals, and conceded two absolute head scratchers, and it took a class save from Henderson to keep out a Sheffield United equalizer late in the match.

Expect a basketball score when Leeds United visits Old Trafford on Sunday.
 
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Lord Blackadder said:
With all due respect to Leicester (a wonderful story that I was thrilled to see play out), Spurs should have won the league in 2015-2016. Or perhaps Arsenal. Neither was able to get over the line.

EDIT: Nothing like a game against Sheffield United to boost morale! The poor Blades are little better than training cones this season.
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Leicester had Kante that season who controlled the entire pitch like no other then.
 
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MtLoin2020 said:
Leicester had Kante that season who controlled the entire pitch like no other then.
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And Mahrez was a more consistent attacking threat for that team alongside Vardy. Maddison showed that kind of potential, but has been underwhelming and/or injured much of the past calendar year.
 
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MtLoin2020 said:
Leicester had Kante that season who controlled the entire pitch like no other then.
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Silencio said:
And Mahrez was a more consistent attacking threat for that team alongside Vardy. Maddison showed that kind of potential, but has been underwhelming and/or injured much of the past calendar year.
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True, very true.

Kanye played a very significant role in that Leicester team, as did Mahrez.
 
MtLoin2020 said:
Leicester had Kante that season who controlled the entire pitch like no other then.
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Silencio said:
And Mahrez was a more consistent attacking threat for that team alongside Vardy.
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Both left for "bigger" teams and neither player has reached the same heights since, for a number of reasons. But they each helped write one heck of a story that season.

Silencio said:
Only Manchester United 2020–2021 would make such hard work out of beating a team with one point out of 13 matches and one goal out of six matches. Yeeeeesh. They scored three very nice goals, and conceded two absolute head scratchers, and it took a class save from Henderson to keep out a Sheffield United equalizer late in the match.

Expect a basketball score when Leeds United visits Old Trafford on Sunday.
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My biggest concern would be Sheffield United, who defend well but can't score, bagging two goals. Man Utd's single defining characteristic this season seems to be getting themselves into a hole and then working really hard to dig themselves out of it. Against poor to mediocre opposition they often have the tools to get the job done, but against the best teams you just don't want to be a couple goals down with only half a match left to play.
 
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Lord Blackadder said:
My biggest concern would be Sheffield United, who defend well but can't score, bagging two goals. Man Utd's single defining characteristic this season seems to be getting themselves into a hole and then working really hard to dig themselves out of it. Against poor to mediocre opposition they often have the tools to get the job done, but against the best teams you just don't want to be a couple goals down with only half a match left to play.
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United really makes me want to pull my hair out this season. High profile goalkeeping mistakes from both De Gea and Henderson, very inconsistent defending, very inconsistent finishing on the attacking end, nobody in the squad who can play CDM all by himself, a seeming lack of leadership and maturity on the pitch besides Bruno Fernandes, confusing setup and tactics from the coaching staff, baffling substitution patterns from Ole, and the various Paul Pogba, Mason Greenwood, and Harry Maguire hullabaloos, and yet they're in the thick of the title race and really should have qualified out of the UCL group of death. Things really could be far worse.

I still vacillate between "Ole Out" and "Ole In" week upon week, but I'm still in favor of making changes to the coaching staff to try to bring about more consistency in effort and mitigate the slow starts that they can get away with against West Ham and Sheffield United, but won't survive against the RB Leipzigs and PSGs.
 
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Typically a heavily one-sided match is not one for the neutrals, but six of the seven goals Liverpool scored against Palace today were of superb quality.

Liverpool were incredibly efficient with their finishing...so often we see a team playing well and say "they could have scored seven." This is one of those times when they actually finished nearly all their chances.

As a side note, I observed that Klopp has gotten himself an Arsene Wenger-style "sleeping bag" coat.
 
Lord Blackadder said:
Typically a heavily one-sided match is not one for the neutrals, but six of the seven goals Liverpool scored against Palace today were of superb quality.

Liverpool were incredibly efficient with their finishing...so often we see a team playing well and say "they could have scored seven." This is one of those times when they actually finished nearly all their chances.

As a side note, I observed that Klopp has gotten himself an Arsene Wenger-style "sleeping bag" coat.
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Yes, Liverpool absolutely destroyed Palace; a reminder of their strength and skill, for they are still an exceptionally formidable team.
 
Lord Blackadder said:
Typically a heavily one-sided match is not one for the neutrals, but six of the seven goals Liverpool scored against Palace today were of superb quality.

Liverpool were incredibly efficient with their finishing...so often we see a team playing well and say "they could have scored seven." This is one of those times when they actually finished nearly all their chances.

As a side note, I observed that Klopp has gotten himself an Arsene Wenger-style "sleeping bag" coat.
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Yes a good emphatic result. Especially for a team hardly able to field 11 players if you believe what Klopp has been saying recent weeks. Hopefully we won’t have to endure any moaning from him about injuries and substitutes for a while!
 
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Apple fanboy said:
Yes a good emphatic result. Especially for a team hardly able to field 11 players if you believe what Klopp has been saying recent weeks. Hopefully we won’t have to endure any moaning from him about injuries and substitutes for a while!
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We've lost our two best center backs for practically the whole season, and our third choice CB is also down injured. Given the depth and quality of the squad that might not make a decisive difference against the likes of Palace, but it will matter against title rivals and European opponents like RB Leipzig.

At any rate Liverpool don't play again till after Christmas, so you'll have a week before any further moaning commences... ;)
 
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Lord Blackadder said:
We've lost our two best center backs for practically the whole season, and our third choice CB is also down injured. Given the depth and quality of the squad that might not make a decisive difference against the likes of Palace, but it will matter against title rivals and European opponents like RB Leipzig.

At any rate Liverpool don't play again till after Christmas, so you'll have a week before any further moaning commences... ;)
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Yay! We don't play until Monday. I hate those weekends as you just watch your team slip down the league.
 
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Arsenal trail Everton by two goals to one at half time; the second Everton goal was scored at the 45th minute, (from a set-piece, a corner), exactly the kind of goal one shouldn't concede, especially just before half-time.
 
Danny Ings is injured again. :(

Scepticalscribe said:
Well, I'm not, I must say.

Approaching 90 minutes, and Arsenal still trail Everton, by two goals to one.
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Arsenal are in bad form, no doubt about it. However, when they brought in Arteta they spoke of a "project." Jettisoning Arteta means abandoning any "project" and gambling on some short-term boost in results. Moreover, there are big issues with the hierarchy above Arteta, and I'm not sure he's the main issue anyway. He came in with little experience, but he's not really done worse than Emery, has he? And he's won an FA cup anyhow.

Personally, I'd stick with Mikel and tell the players to pull their fingers out. It's not like there is a real danger of relegation. Then assess things in the summer.
 
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Lord Blackadder said:
Danny Ings is injured again. :(


Arsenal are in bad form, no doubt about it. However, when they brought in Arteta they spoke of a "project." Jettisoning Arteta means abandoning any "project" and gambling on some short-term boost in results. Moreover, there are big issues with the hierarchy above Arteta, and I'm not sure he's the main issue anyway. He came in with little experience, but he's not really done worse than Emery, has he? And he's won an FA cup anyhow.

Personally, I'd stick with Mikel and tell the players to pull their fingers out. It's not like there is a real danger of relegation. Then assess things in the summer.
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To a large extent, I'm in agreement with you.

For what it is worth, I don't think that Mikel Arteta is the main problem, and if his contract were to be terminated, it would be a short term solution, one that hasn't addressed any of the long-term underlying issues.

I'm not one to call for the head of a manager after such a short period of time; ideally, they need the best part of four transfer windows to craft a team to a new manager's liking, preferences, and specifications. And, they inherit a team that may not have been of their choosing, and have try to do as well as possible in such circumstances.

To put it mildly, the players are not performing, - or, are user-performing - and yes, there are issues with the hierarchy, and with some deadwood.
 
Scepticalscribe said:
To a large extent, I'm in agreement with you.

For what it is worth, I don't think that Mikel Arteta is the main problem, and if his contract were to be terminated, it would be a short term solution, one that hasn't addressed any of the long-term underlying issues.

I'm not one to call for the head of a manager after such a short period of time; ideally, they need the best part of four transfer windows to craft a team to a new manager's liking, preferences, and specifications. And, they inherit a team that may not have been of their choosing, and have try to do as well as possible in such circumstances.

To put it mildly, the players are not performing, - or, are user-performing - and yes, there are issues with the hierarchy, and with some deadwood.
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Unfortunately in the modern game time is one thing managers don’t get. He’s already had two transfer windows and you’d argue the team is no better for it.
I doubt he’ll get another two. Maybe one at best. But Arsenal do tend to stick with managers longer than others (well with one manager). I wonder how many of those who called for Wenger to be sacked are wishing he’d stayed now. You’ve deteriorated since his departure. You’ve gone from a top four team, to a top six team. Now you’ll be lucky to be top 10 unless things change massively.
2 out of a possible 15 points is pretty poor. Relegation form. You will be fine, and if you can get Aubamyang scoring again you’ll rise up the table. If you compare last season to this, it’s his lack of goals that’s the big difference. I you recall I said he was worth half the points you scored last season, maybe more. But once he signed his knew (no doubt improved!) contract, things have been very different.
 
Well, firstly, I am sorry that we are in the Europa Cup - I'd prefer to be without the distractions, which serve to give a false impression of skin and ability; secondly, I am also sorry that we sold Martínez; I thought he was excellent.

And thirdly, while Mikel Arteta has a vision, he lacks experience, and - more to the point - I am not so sure that many, if not most, of the players he currently has at his disposal are capable of carrying out his orders, or playing according to his plan, in a sufficiently skilful way or without compromising their existing (if limited) strengths.

Plus, Arsenal has more than enough deadwood, and the team is unbalanced.

So, plan and players both may need modification. But, then players need to step up and accept responsibility.
 
Scepticalscribe said:
Well, firstly, I am sorry that we are in the Europa Cup - I'd prefer to be without the distractions, which serve to give a false impression of skin and ability; secondly, I am also sorry that we sold Martínez; I thought he was excellent.

And thirdly, while Mikel Arteta has a vision, he lacks experience, and - more to the point - I am not so sure that many, if not most, of the players he currently has at his disposal are capable of carrying out his orders, or playing according to his plan, in a sufficiently skilful way or without compromising their existing (if limited) strengths.

Plus, Arsenal has more than enough deadwood, and the team is unbalanced.

So, plan and players both may need modification. But, then players need to step up and accept responsibility.
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Well unless you win it it’s unlikely you’ll have European distractions next season.
 
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Scepticalscribe said:
Indeed.

But, even if we do manage to scrape a few wins together, I'd still prefer to forego European distractions next year.

The embittered "Wenger Out" crowd never seemed to realise how good they had it.
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Agreed. I think you’ll need more than a few wins. With teams like us and Southampton doing well this season there is even less positions available for the established top six. This can only be a good thing as it spreads the money around.
 
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When Will the supporters return to old Trafford, white heart lane, stamford bridge, and the rest of the famous football pitches across England?
 
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