My interest in the league cup will reduce somewhat after tonight I suspect.
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The 2021-2022 Football Thread
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The problem with the League Cup is that none of the clubs who want to win it have much of a chance of actually winning it, and none of the clubs who can win it actually want to win it...except when it's a top six club that is otherwise looking at a barren season, in which case the League Cup is at least something to show for all the money spent.
There should be a handicap for the rich clubs, like starting all League Cup matches down 2-0.
Tonight it’s our b team verses Man Utd b team. Meaningless. Who wants to see that?
Your boys knock Man Utd out of the cup - at OT as well. After all that pessimism...you're almost as bad as I am!
Too much experience of losing! Hope the draw is kind and we get an easier game. But as I was saying to a friend. You either need to go out in the first round or win it. Anything else is a distraction. We played our b team, as did Utd. I guess it was just our night.Your boys knock Man Utd out of the cup - at OT as well. After all that pessimism...you're almost as bad as I am!
West Ham B >>>> Man Utd B
The West Ham goal was slightly lucky due to the fortuitous deflection back to Lanzini, and why Lingard wasn't awarded a penalty for getting tugged down by the shirt in the area, I have no idea. But really, there are too many players in the squad that are past their sell-by date. One good chance for a job-security trophy is gone now.
The West Ham goal was slightly lucky due to the fortuitous deflection back to Lanzini, and why Lingard wasn't awarded a penalty for getting tugged down by the shirt in the area, I have no idea. But really, there are too many players in the squad that are past their sell-by date. One good chance for a job-security trophy is gone now.
They’ll probably win, but pretty much everyone who isn’t a City fan will be rooting for you. If your boys can give them a smack on the nose you’ll have humbled all of Manchester in the space of a week.
City aren't perfect and can be defeated.
Moreover, Pep Guardiola's recent outbursts of pure, curmudgeonly, bad temper suggest to me that he is feeling some degree of pressure.
Agreed.
Until Pep wins the Champions League, he's in a bit of a rut with Man City. Winning the Premier League is still an achievement, but everyone knows that what City's owners want is the CL.
It's one of the most flagrant examples of financial doping in the sport, yet after years of running the money taps wide open they've still not gotten what they paid for. They've bought the best players and managers, so while I'm totally unsympathetic I admit I'm not sure what I would have done differently in their shoes.
In retrospect, Pep might not have been the best choice if what the club wanted most was the Champions League. I might have gone for Ancelotti instead.
I’ll have everything crossed, but I’m not sure we really need the extra games this season. It will be interesting to see if Moyes sticks with the b team.
I’m glad to have Antonio back this weekend. The fact that Bamford is missing for Leeds should give us the edge.
Man City win the title six-pointer against Chelsea..tight match, I don't see this as clear evidence of Man City's superiority over Tuchel's men but they played very well and just had the edge. Chelsea spent too much time absorbing pressure perhaps. Lukaku needed to be a little bit more involved.
It's impossible to want Man City to win anything but today they looked excellent.
Aston Villa's goal required a great finish from Hause from a tough angle.Villa were aggressive at OT and ended up being rewarded for it. With Fernandes' unfortunate PK miss we'll probably never, ever see another Man Utd penalty taken by a player not named Christiano Ronaldo.
It's impossible to want Man City to win anything but today they looked excellent.
Aston Villa's goal required a great finish from Hause from a tough angle.Villa were aggressive at OT and ended up being rewarded for it. With Fernandes' unfortunate PK miss we'll probably never, ever see another Man Utd penalty taken by a player not named Christiano Ronaldo.
It’s always nice to see any of the greedy six lose. But I still think Chelsea will finish in front of City in May.
Villa's goal was somewhat fortunate, in that the corner should've been a goal kick and De Gea was interfered with. And certainly you don't expect Bruno to pull a Roberto Baggio from the spot in a critical moment.
However, the result is 100% fair. United were just not good, even taking into account the forced subs due to injuries.
Ole has done a great job rebuilding the United culture and improving the squad. However, he has shown little to no tactical growth over his tenure and even with vastly superior attacking players at his disposal, there is no discernible attacking system aside from "let them go out and make something happen". Even with the best players you need some sort of plan to break down a stubborn defense, even the lesser teams are very well drilled defensively these days. He has shown far too much loyalty to his coaching staff: why does Mike Phelan — under whose assistance United played some pretty dire stuff during Fergie's era — remain in his job?
The schedule over the next couple of months in Europe and domestically is going to be absolutely brutal, and they're going into it having lost three out of four. I don't see Ole surviving at this point in time, and it pains me to say that. He's taken the club as far as he can, and he now looks like he's well out of his depth.
However, the result is 100% fair. United were just not good, even taking into account the forced subs due to injuries.
Ole has done a great job rebuilding the United culture and improving the squad. However, he has shown little to no tactical growth over his tenure and even with vastly superior attacking players at his disposal, there is no discernible attacking system aside from "let them go out and make something happen". Even with the best players you need some sort of plan to break down a stubborn defense, even the lesser teams are very well drilled defensively these days. He has shown far too much loyalty to his coaching staff: why does Mike Phelan — under whose assistance United played some pretty dire stuff during Fergie's era — remain in his job?
The schedule over the next couple of months in Europe and domestically is going to be absolutely brutal, and they're going into it having lost three out of four. I don't see Ole surviving at this point in time, and it pains me to say that. He's taken the club as far as he can, and he now looks like he's well out of his depth.
...a characteristic Mourinho has been criticized for, at Man Utd and elsewhere. Man Utd wins are build on a foundation of generally very solid defending, but the goals are so often the result of moments of individual brilliance, whether it be a killer pass or tour de force of skill in and around the box. Which sounds great until you realize that's OGS's plan. I guess it did work very well for Mourinho for a time, but that was in the 2000s, and he is now seen as an outdated tactician in an era of more holisitic 'systems.'
OGS's 'legend' status (and consequent stature with the players) coupled with his congeniality [coupled also, it must be said, with his value as a human shield for the owners and Woodward] bought him time he might not otherwise have enjoyed.
My instinct from the start was that he was a decent manager, possibly even a good one, but not at the level needed to win 'big silverware,' even with a very rich club. Compared with other ex-players managing big clubs, he's done better than Lampard. Arteta has had a much weaker squad to work with so it's a tougher comparison - though Arteta did bring home an FA Cup.
Fun match between Leeds and West Ham that probably should have had more goals in it. West Ham's equalizer was a lucky deflection, but their pressure in the second half deserved a goal. Leeds tired visibly at the end and the winner was a sucker punch. Brilliant work from Antonio though to finish the chance.
Leeds were in it till the end, a draw would have been a fair result but West Ham played a very strong second half and got their win.
Elsewhere Vardy gets a hat trick - though one of the goals counted for Burnley! - in a 2-2 draw.
Leeds were in it till the end, a draw would have been a fair result but West Ham played a very strong second half and got their win.
Elsewhere Vardy gets a hat trick - though one of the goals counted for Burnley! - in a 2-2 draw.
I was bitting my nails with this one. Especially as I’m going away with a Leeds supporter tomorrow!
A wild match at Brentford, where Liverpool took and then lost control of the match several times over. 3-3 in the end. Salah scores his 100th Premier League goal.
Brentford impressed but Liverpool would have expected a win here -and they created more than enough chances to win despite leaking far too many goals. An away draw is not a terrible result in the context of the season, but Klopp won't be a happy camper with many details of the performance of what was, essentially, a full strength starting XI.
I don't like the yellow kit.
Brentford impressed but Liverpool would have expected a win here -and they created more than enough chances to win despite leaking far too many goals. An away draw is not a terrible result in the context of the season, but Klopp won't be a happy camper with many details of the performance of what was, essentially, a full strength starting XI.
I don't like the yellow kit.