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Man Utd versus Leeds and Liverpool verses Chelsea both cancelled this weekend.
A nightmare for fantasy football managers.
I stopped with Fantasy Football during Covid season. I couldn’t handle all the postponements, ruined everything. Still haven’t dared to set up a new team. Maybe next season, but hope it won’t mess up your points that much! It’s really annoying when things like that happen.
 
I stopped with Fantasy Football during Covid season. I couldn’t handle all the postponements, ruined everything. Still haven’t dared to set up a new team. Maybe next season, but hope it won’t mess up your points that much! It’s really annoying when things like that happen.
I’m just hoping the others in the league don’t notice!
 
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So...a few PL games going ahead this weekend:

Predictions time
Villa 1 vs 3 Saints
N Forest 1 vs 2 Fulham
Wolves 1 vs 4 Man Citeh
Toon 2 vs 0 Bournemouth
Spurs 3 vs 1 Leicester
Brentford 1 vs 2 Arsenal
Everton 0 vs 2 Hammers

I feel like there are some teams that will continue to struggle until after the WC break. Everton and Leicester amongst them.
Saints are predicted to be beaten by Villa in the pundits' eyes, but I don't see why (or how). Villa are looking poor without Grealish and Saints are on a semi-upswing.

Toon have some fresh blood and should be too strong in attack for Bournemouth, although they have a few new players themselves.

Forest vs Fulham should be an interesting one -both have the ability to snatch this one, but I reckon there's just enough talent in the Fulham side to squeak in with a win.

Also - have been watching Welcome to Wrexham - has done what they wanted and made me interested in the club. They're currently sitting second in the National League and looking like contenders this season. They're away to Southend, which could be either good or bad depending on how you look at it.
8 hr round trip for the fans...that's a helluva trip.
 
So...a few PL games going ahead this weekend:

Predictions time
Villa 1 vs 3 Saints
N Forest 1 vs 2 Fulham
Wolves 1 vs 4 Man Citeh
Toon 2 vs 0 Bournemouth
Spurs 3 vs 1 Leicester
Brentford 1 vs 2 Arsenal
Everton 0 vs 2 Hammers

I feel like there are some teams that will continue to struggle until after the WC break. Everton and Leicester amongst them.
Saints are predicted to be beaten by Villa in the pundits' eyes, but I don't see why (or how). Villa are looking poor without Grealish and Saints are on a semi-upswing.

Toon have some fresh blood and should be too strong in attack for Bournemouth, although they have a few new players themselves.

Forest vs Fulham should be an interesting one -both have the ability to snatch this one, but I reckon there's just enough talent in the Fulham side to squeak in with a win.

Also - have been watching Welcome to Wrexham - has done what they wanted and made me interested in the club. They're currently sitting second in the National League and looking like contenders this season. They're away to Southend, which could be either good or bad depending on how you look at it.
8 hr round trip for the fans...that's a helluva trip.
I’d love you to be right on the West Ham scorline!
 
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West Ham, Leicester, Wolves...what has happened to them. Nowhere near the levels we've seen previously
 
West Ham, Leicester, Wolves...what has happened to them. Nowhere near the levels we've seen previously
And let's not mention the worst game of Premier League football ever seen with Villa vs Saints.
Winner was decided by who was least-worst, not who was best!

Awful football.


Hammers - I really did expect them to put Everton to the sword.
Wolves - just aren't looking good. They are missing some key players though.
Leicester - shambles. Surprisingly so.

Let's take a minute to admire the Forest vs Fulham game though...what an absolute barnstormer that was! OK - it wasn't quite like a Champions League game between titans, but they came out and both wanted a win and played for it. As it turned out, Fulham just had too much class in the end.
Great football game to watch as a neutral though.


So, apart from Rodgers, who is bolted-on to get the sack at this stage, who else is in trouble?
I'd say Lampard and Gerrard are both looking shaky, despite picking up wins.
Hassenhuttl looks to be dicing with death - he chooses odd starting lineups and whilst he is capable of managing a team to victory over someone like Chelsea, he's also incapable of managing a win against Wolves or Villa, who are quite simply awful.

And what do we think of Brighton's new managerial appointment?
 
The only thing worse than Real Madrid winning a football match is Real Madrid winning a football match AND occupying the moral high ground - which they managed to achieve this week thanks to the deeply embarrassing and execrable chants by some Atleti fans targeting Vinicius Jr, who was the victim of a racist comment by a Spanish football agent this week.

Don’t make me side with Real Madrid, people…but as much as I loathe that club I’d buy a CR7 Madrid shirt today and wear it in public if it would help convince racist morons to stop being racist morons. Sigh. If only it were so simple.
I'd say Lampard and Gerrard are both looking shaky, despite picking up wins.
The only way to keep the eternal, and eternally pointless, Lampard v Gerrard debate going is for both to be sacked simultaneously.
 
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Columbus have a depressing knack for conceding late goals, and they did it again yesterday, giving up a 95th minute equalizer to Portland at home. Even if we do make the playoffs I worry the defending is not going to be tight enough to really go anywhere.
 
And let's not mention the worst game of Premier League football ever seen with Villa vs Saints.
Winner was decided by who was least-worst, not who was best!

Awful football.


Hammers - I really did expect them to put Everton to the sword.
Wolves - just aren't looking good. They are missing some key players though.
Leicester - shambles. Surprisingly so.

Let's take a minute to admire the Forest vs Fulham game though...what an absolute barnstormer that was! OK - it wasn't quite like a Champions League game between titans, but they came out and both wanted a win and played for it. As it turned out, Fulham just had too much class in the end.
Great football game to watch as a neutral though.


So, apart from Rodgers, who is bolted-on to get the sack at this stage, who else is in trouble?
I'd say Lampard and Gerrard are both looking shaky, despite picking up wins.
Hassenhuttl looks to be dicing with death - he chooses odd starting lineups and whilst he is capable of managing a team to victory over someone like Chelsea, he's also incapable of managing a win against Wolves or Villa, who are quite simply awful.

And what do we think of Brighton's new managerial appointment?
I’ve no idea what’s gone wrong with my beloved West Ham. I thought we made some good signings and nobody left. But it just isn’t clicking yet this season.
Don’t get me wrong I’m not thinking we are in trouble, but mid table beckons.
 
I’ve no idea what’s gone wrong with my beloved West Ham. I thought we made some good signings and nobody left. But it just isn’t clicking yet this season.
Don’t get me wrong I’m not thinking we are in trouble, but mid table beckons.
Yeah, I must admit I thought you'd really kick on this season, with a stable and slightly improved squad, but something just isn't working for you guys just yet.

Consistency is key, I feel - for all clubs. Look at Arsenal.
 
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Up to 3rd ...
 
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Another international break, another round of social media hysteria over Trent Alexander-Arnold’s inability to force his way into a Gareth Southgate England side.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is a fantastic attacking wingback and a good-but-not-always-great defender (at the elite level). Clearly Southgate doesn’t see him as a natural fit for his system, which obviously makes me feel disappointed for the player. But everyone seems to need to find a villain here, either concluding Trent is a fraud as a top-level defender or Southgate is a nincompoop who has no idea what he’s doing. Neither is true.

Southgate’s tactical approach doesn’t bear much similarity to Klopp’s - and to be fair to Southgate, few, if any, national sides have the tools - and none have sufficient preparation time - to employ Klopp’s tactical style the way Liverpool can. International football is a different beast tactically.
 
He's a 'Klopp player' at the elite level. And an average player in any other team or level.

Unfortunately you can't be too one-sided in contemporary football. Kyle Walker and Reece James do the same job and do it better in any system at any level.

England have bigger problems anyway. And TAA is the least of their worries.
 
Another international break, another round of social media hysteria over Trent Alexander-Arnold’s inability to force his way into a Gareth Southgate England side.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is a fantastic attacking wingback and a good-but-not-always-great defender (at the elite level). Clearly Southgate doesn’t see him as a natural fit for his system, which obviously makes me feel disappointed for the player. But everyone seems to need to find a villain here, either concluding Trent is a fraud as a top-level defender or Southgate is a nincompoop who has no idea what he’s doing. Neither is true.

Southgate’s tactical approach doesn’t bear much similarity to Klopp’s - and to be fair to Southgate, few, if any, national sides have the tools - and none have sufficient preparation time - to employ Klopp’s tactical style the way Liverpool can. International football is a different beast tactically.
He’s not a good defender. Good attacker, but he has cost you a few goals already this season. He just doesn’t seem to be able to read the game or make the right decision in defence like he can going forward. Perhaps he is in the wrong position?
 
He's a 'Klopp player' at the elite level. And an average player in any other team or level.

He’s not a good defender. Good attacker, but he has cost you a few goals already this season.
This is what I was disagreeing with earlier - the assumption that TAA is either a 'bad' defender or that he's an average nothing-burger of a player somehow infused with Klopp magic that makes him good.

A lot of TAA's 'mistakes' come from executing the role Klopp has asked him to execute. Accepting positional risks in order to push forward. He makes up for that with good recovery speed but it's still risky. And he is now thoroughly used to that system. He doesn't play week in and week out as a pure defender, so dropping him into an England team where he is a defender first and wingback second will result in a drop in perceived performance. Had spent most of his career thus far as a more conventional right back, he'd be more comfortable and effective in that role. With all that being said, I am not denying that there are weaknesses in his defensive game. He can get caught out of position on set plays and during opposition buildup moves, and his attack-mindedness can detract from his ability to read the game when he needs to be defending. But if you really watch Liverpool play, you will see him do a lot of good defensive work every week. His role, however, carries with it the risk of high- profile 'errors' when Liverpool concede.

It's also fair to point out that he's 23 - some years off peak age for a defender yet, and substantially younger than some of the other right backs he's been compared to - such as Kyle Walker, who has a LOT more match experience under his belt. This, just as much as any issues of form or skill, is a valid reason to prefer Walker in the England setup.

I don't think it's a fruitful debate anyway. England have depth at right back and don't need him - if Southgate feels he's not the best fit I won't disagree and he has cogent reasons given his preferred style; Liverpool have won a league title and champions league with him as a major contributor. He is a specialized type of player but he is unquestionably effective at an elite level. He's just not (at the elite level) an all-rounder like James Milner who might not be the best at anything (except PKs, where he is ice) but are good at almost everything.
 
This is what I was disagreeing with earlier - the assumption that TAA is either a 'bad' defender or that he's an average nothing-burger of a player somehow infused with Klopp magic that makes him good.

A lot of TAA's 'mistakes' come from executing the role Klopp has asked him to execute. Accepting positional risks in order to push forward. He makes up for that with good recovery speed but it's still risky. And he is now thoroughly used to that system. He doesn't play week in and week out as a pure defender, so dropping him into an England team where he is a defender first and wingback second will result in a drop in perceived performance. Had spent most of his career thus far as a more conventional right back, he'd be more comfortable and effective in that role. With all that being said, I am not denying that there are weaknesses in his defensive game. He can get caught out of position on set plays and during opposition buildup moves, and his attack-mindedness can detract from his ability to read the game when he needs to be defending. But if you really watch Liverpool play, you will see him do a lot of good defensive work every week. His role, however, carries with it the risk of high- profile 'errors' when Liverpool concede.

It's also fair to point out that he's 23 - some years off peak age for a defender yet, and substantially younger than some of the other right backs he's been compared to - such as Kyle Walker, who has a LOT more match experience under his belt. This, just as much as any issues of form or skill, is a valid reason to prefer Walker in the England setup.

I don't think it's a fruitful debate anyway. England have depth at right back and don't need him - if Southgate feels he's not the best fit I won't disagree and he has cogent reasons given his preferred style; Liverpool have won a league title and champions league with him as a major contributor. He is a specialized type of player but he is unquestionably effective at an elite level. He's just not (at the elite level) an all-rounder like James Milner who might not be the best at anything (except PKs, where he is ice) but are good at almost everything.
Also to be fair I only tend to watch the highlights, so it’s either brilliance at one end or a howler at the other end that gets featured.
 
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This is what I was disagreeing with earlier - the assumption that TAA is either a 'bad' defender or that he's an average nothing-burger of a player somehow infused with Klopp magic that makes him good.

A lot of TAA's 'mistakes' come from executing the role Klopp has asked him to execute. Accepting positional risks in order to push forward. He makes up for that with good recovery speed but it's still risky. And he is now thoroughly used to that system. He doesn't play week in and week out as a pure defender, so dropping him into an England team where he is a defender first and wingback second will result in a drop in perceived performance. Had spent most of his career thus far as a more conventional right back, he'd be more comfortable and effective in that role. With all that being said, I am not denying that there are weaknesses in his defensive game. He can get caught out of position on set plays and during opposition buildup moves, and his attack-mindedness can detract from his ability to read the game when he needs to be defending. But if you really watch Liverpool play, you will see him do a lot of good defensive work every week. His role, however, carries with it the risk of high- profile 'errors' when Liverpool concede.

It's also fair to point out that he's 23 - some years off peak age for a defender yet, and substantially younger than some of the other right backs he's been compared to - such as Kyle Walker, who has a LOT more match experience under his belt. This, just as much as any issues of form or skill, is a valid reason to prefer Walker in the England setup.

I don't think it's a fruitful debate anyway. England have depth at right back and don't need him - if Southgate feels he's not the best fit I won't disagree and he has cogent reasons given his preferred style; Liverpool have won a league title and champions league with him as a major contributor. He is a specialized type of player but he is unquestionably effective at an elite level. He's just not (at the elite level) an all-rounder like James Milner who might not be the best at anything (except PKs, where he is ice) but are good at almost everything.
I do forget that he's 23, so there's plenty of room to grow there.
 
Arsenal looking like Man City lite. But i'm still skeptical. If they beat 'pool then i'll start to acknowledge them
 
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