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The 2020-2021 Football Thread

Lord Blackadder said:
It took some pretty skillful goals to beat West Ham today, so it was hardly a walkover. Had West Ham converted one of their set pieces earlier in the match things might have gone differently.

Re; Salah with three 20+ goal seasons, Robbie Fowler came pretty close to doing it in the 90s. As Silencio said, Liverpool's best strikers during the 2000s and 2010s were world-class a times were never as consistent. Salah also benefits from having the best Liverpool team around him since Rush's day. Suarez in his prime would bag a lot of goals with this group around him.



OGS aways takes a cautious approach to big matches. But in this match it seems both clubs struggled with finishing. Arteta will probably be the happier manager, but this season is so open that it's harder than usual to draw conclusions from any single game.

Spurs currently losing to Brighton, that would give the Hammers some extra breathing space. Bale started, did very little, and just got yanked. Looks like his return to Spurs is not going to pan out.
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Agree thta it took good goals to defeat West Ham today - and I think that the loss of van Dijk to injury has been a huge blow - or set-back - for Liverpool, but this is a very, very good team one that has been consistently extremely good over the past three seasons.

Agree with both @Silencio & @Lord Blackadder that the problem with Liverpool's gifted strikers in the 1990s and 00s, and 10s wasn't talent, it was consistency, and the fact that the rest of the team were neither individually, nor collectively, sufficiently consistently good across a season to take the title.
 
Lord Blackadder said:
It took some pretty skillful goals to beat West Ham today, so it was hardly a walkover. Had West Ham converted one of their set pieces earlier in the match things might have gone differently.

Re; Salah with three 20+ goal seasons, Robbie Fowler came pretty close to doing it in the 90s. As Silencio said, Liverpool's best strikers during the 2000s and 2010s were world-class a times were never as consistent. Salah also benefits from having the best Liverpool team around him since Rush's day. Suarez in his prime would bag a lot of goals with this group around him.



OGS aways takes a cautious approach to big matches. But in this match it seems both clubs struggled with finishing. Arteta will probably be the happier manager, but this season is so open that it's harder than usual to draw conclusions from any single game.

Spurs currently losing to Brighton, that would give the Hammers some extra breathing space. Bale started, did very little, and just got yanked. Looks like his return to Spurs is not going to pan out.
Click to expand...

Agree that it took good goals to defeat West Ham today - and I think that the loss of van Dijk to injury has been a huge blow - or set-back - for Liverpool, but this is a very, very good team one that has been consistently extremely good over the past three seasons.

Agree with both @Silencio & @Lord Blackadder that the problem with Liverpool's gifted strikers in the 1990s and 00s, and 10s wasn't talent, it was consistency, and the fact that the rest of the team were neither individually, nor collectively, sufficiently consistently good across a season to take the title.
 
Lord Blackadder said:
It took some pretty skillful goals to beat West Ham today, so it was hardly a walkover. Had West Ham converted one of their set pieces earlier in the match things might have gone differently.

Re; Salah with three 20+ goal seasons, Robbie Fowler came pretty close to doing it in the 90s. As Silencio said, Liverpool's best strikers during the 2000s and 2010s were world-class a times were never as consistent. Salah also benefits from having the best Liverpool team around him since Rush's day. Suarez in his prime would bag a lot of goals with this group around him.



OGS aways takes a cautious approach to big matches. But in this match it seems both clubs struggled with finishing. Arteta will probably be the happier manager, but this season is so open that it's harder than usual to draw conclusions from any single game.

Spurs currently losing to Brighton, that would give the Hammers some extra breathing space. Bale started, did very little, and just got yanked. Looks like his return to Spurs is not going to pan out.
Click to expand...
I think Robbie Fowler not bagging that many goals was the one that shocked me. I remember him being more prolific.
 
Scepticalscribe said:
Arsenal's defence (finally, not before time) seems to be improving, and Arsenal also had a one great shot which struck the crossbar (while aother good chance was spurned).

I'm okay with the draw, as enither side could claim they were robbed.

Liverpool back to their imperious best earlier today, while Manchester City grind out a victory, and Leicester (lackig Vardy) fall to Leeds.
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Yes minus Vardy, Leicester are a bit toothless. But for a smaller club they are still doing okay.
 
Scepticalscribe said:
Agree that it took good goals to defeat West Ham today - and I think that the loss of van Dijk to injury has been a huge blow - or set-back - for Liverpool, but this is a very, very good team one that has been consistently extremely good over the past three seasons.

Agree with both @Silencio & @Lord Blackadder that the problem with Liverpool's gifted strikers in the 1990s and 00s, and 10s wasn't talent, it was consistency, and the fact that the rest of the team were neither individually, nor collectively, sufficiently consistently good across a season to take the title.
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I’ll check out the goals later if I finish work before MOTD.
 
Liverpool are going to buy some cover in the center back position, though it will clearly be a stopgap and not a player expected to start when Virgil and Joe Gomez are healthy again. Looks like Ben Davies is coming in from Preston. There was a late rumor about a move for Shkodran Mustafi. Shudder. Rumors continue to circulate about a loan move for USA defender Aaron Long, though I am not sure whether Liverpool are looking to bring in more than one central defender as cover.

Apple fanboy said:
Yes minus Vardy, Leicester are a bit toothless.
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Ditto Spurs without Kane. This is good news for West Ham and other teams around them - both teams will drop plenty of points.
 
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Lord Blackadder said:
Liverpool are going to buy some cover in the center back position, though it will clearly be a stopgap and not a player expected to start when Virgil and Joe Gomez are healthy again. Looks like Ben Davies is coming in from Preston. There was a late rumor about a move for Shkodran Mustafi. Shudder. Rumors continue to circulate about a loan move for USA defender Aaron Long, though I am not sure whether Liverpool are looking to bring in more than one central defender as cover.


Ditto Spurs without Kane. This is good news for West Ham and other teams around them - both teams will drop plenty of points.
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I had read Liverpool were interested in Diop. Not sure if it was unsettling tactics before our game, or most likely paper talk.
 
Juan Mata always does things or sets up a goal in his career, i was surprised he didn't not get onto the pitch late in the United-Arsenal match.
 
Apple fanboy said:
I had read Liverpool were interested in Diop. Not sure if it was unsettling tactics before our game, or most likely paper talk.
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Plenty of rumors swirling, and Diop was one of them along with Long and Davies. I think there is something in it, as Liverpool are clearly spreading the net wide in their search for stopgaps in central defense. Ben Davies looks a done deal pending a medical, and it seems Liverpool are looking to sign two central defenders, so we will probably see another signing today.
 
MtLoin2020 said:
Juan Mata always does things or sets up a goal in his career, i was surprised he didn't not get onto the pitch late in the United-Arsenal match.
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Mata is a wonderful player who's had a wonderful career, but between his advancing age, the squad depth in front of him, and the fact that Ole values pace and pressing ability in his attacking players, Mata is not going to see the pitch very often at important junctures this season, and this will be his final season at United, for sure. Not sure if he will retire or not, but I'd love to see him on United coaching staff eventually.

I was was going to ask you earlier why you consider yourself an ex-Chelsea supporter?
 
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Silencio said:
I was was going to ask you earlier why you consider yourself an ex-Chelsea supporter?
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I followed them during the Phil Nevin era with an AUTOGLASS kit
and really supported the club during the 2000s until they mistreated Hazard.
i also kinda gave up on supporting just one club and enjoy the unbiased club watching a lot more.
 
So, Liverpool do indeed finally get defensive cover. The team have lost Virgil, Joe Gomez, and not Joel Mtip to season-ending injuries, a rare and catastrophic gutting of central defense. Liverpool will be finishing the seaosn with new signings Ben Davies, Ozan Kabak (loan), and youngsters Nat Phillips nd Rhys Williams. And, of course, Fabinho, who has had to step up and fill big shoes.

Somewhat surprising perhaps to see Taku Minamino go out on loan. He hasn't really settled in yet but Klopp may already have decided that he doesn't have a long-term future at Lvierpool. Southampton could have landed a bargain there.
Silencio said:
Mata is a wonderful player who's had a wonderful career, but between his advancing age, the squad depth in front of him, and the fact that Ole values pace and pressing ability in his attacking players, Mata is not going to see the pitch very often at important junctures this season, and this will be his final season at United, for sure. Not sure if he will retire or not, but I'd love to see him on United coaching staff eventually.
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Mata is the unluckiest player, having been marginalized at Chelsea by Mourinho. He left to find pastures new, only to be followed to OT by Mourinho and benched again.
 
Massive win for Sheffield United. Not sure it will be enough to save them, but it’s certainly enough to hurt West Brom.
Arsenal lose to Wolves. In truth neither team has anything left to play for. They won’t go down and they can’t get into the top 7.
 
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Red cards were flying today. Pretty wild stuff. I didn't watch the Wolves / Arsenal match, but Jankewitz totally deserved his.

Just what the doctor ordered for the confidence of United's attackers, which has been strained lately. Even Dan James scored.

On the not-so-bright side: I had Bednarek on my FPL bench, but due to an injury and a DNP, his -7 points will be coming into my match week lineup. Ugh!

MtLoin2020 said:
I followed them during the Phil Nevin era with an AUTOGLASS kit
and really supported the club during the 2000s until they mistreated Hazard.
i also kinda gave up on supporting just one club and enjoy the unbiased club watching a lot more.
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Ah, fair enough. The Glazers have tested my patience a lot over recent years, but not quite crossed the line to get me to give up on United.

I've always appreciated the even-handed and convivial discussions on the MacRumors football threads over the many years I've been participating in them.
 
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Apple fanboy said:
Bright start for Lingard. I thought he might struggle with lack of games. But a goal and plenty of chances on his opening game is a great start.
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More like a brace! Martinez should have done better on both shots, but they were clean, powerful hits. I hope Lingard does well.

Meanwhile, Liverpool inexplicably loses to Brighton at home. Maybe looking ahead too much to the City game this weekend, the stakes of which are even higher now.
 
Apple fanboy said:
I hadn’t realised Arsenal also had two players sent off as well. Quite the night for cards.
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Yes, as Macbeth remarked (about something else), " 'Twas a rough night."

And, we are currenty down by a goal (conceded in the second minute....grrr) to nil against Villa.

All season, I have regretted the sale of Martínez; personally, I'd have kept him, and used both him and Leno interchangeably.
 
Two defeats in succession.

Not a surprise.

Not a happy Gunner.

Mind you, - and this is a reference to the earlier game - I had thought that we had - developed? evolved? grown a little? - so that the days of moronic red cards were behind us.

Re Villa, well, firstly, we should never have sold Martínez, (our really good spell last season coincided with his period between the sticks), and secondly, to be quite candid, it was one of those games where we never really looked like scoring. Actually, I firmly believe that today - were we to continue to play Villa until the dawn of the end of time - we would still have failed to score.

But, conceding in the first two minutes is fatuous. Having said that, Villa deserved their win.
 
Kane is back, and Spurs win. No coincidence there.

Liverpool will probably lose unless Pep overthinks things again and Liverpool's front men have a big day... There is no way Liverpool's patched-up defense can keep Man City from scoring a few.
 
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