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The 2022-2023 Football Thread
- Thread starter Scepticalscribe
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Seville destroy Manchester United, knocking them out of Europe and European competition.
Re Maguire, while I agree that he may have been promoted beyond his level as a player (and certainly seems uncomfortable with having to master the sort of skills on the ball routinely expected from a defender these days, while his pace is also suspect), he is not the only culprit in tonight's debacle; de Gea also had an exceedingly poor game.
Now, West Ham did well.
Re Maguire, while I agree that he may have been promoted beyond his level as a player (and certainly seems uncomfortable with having to master the sort of skills on the ball routinely expected from a defender these days, while his pace is also suspect), he is not the only culprit in tonight's debacle; de Gea also had an exceedingly poor game.
Now, West Ham did well.
True.
Nevertheless, I think that it is not only a question of "level", it is also that the evolution of the game has by-passed Maguire. In a way, he is an obsolete type of player, as well as one who has been promoted beyond his level.
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His confidence is completely shot, which naturally makes everything worse.
Agreed.
However, I suspect that the barracking he was on the receiving end of tonight has done his dwindling confidence little good, although the Guardian seemed to suggest that his team mates have also lost confidence in him (and - worse - he appears to be trending on Twitter tonight, never a good sign).
Having said all of that, he is an obvious target; de Gea was also quite dismal tonight, - and his form has also been poor for quite some time - but his awful performance will be masked by the fact that Maguire is now in the sights of those who condemn United.
Nevertheless, the truth of the matter is that they (Manchester United) were perfectly dreadful - comically dreadful, and that is, the team, not just certain individuals who are not capable of playing at that level - for both legs of this tie.
BBC not placing all the blame on Maguire.
"...this felt like a tipping point for many of the squad.
With Bruno Fernandes suspended, they created almost nothing. Marcus Rashford, their top scorer this season, was thrown on half-fit at half-time as he continues to recover from a groin injury - demonstrating their lack of cutting edge.
In midfield, Casemiro was well below his best and picked up a yellow card which would have ruled him out of the semi-final first leg - not that United ever looked like making it that far.
Harry Maguire endured another torrid evening in the centre of defence, giving the ball away for the opener, while alongside him Victor Lindelof was not much better.
Without the injured Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez, United are simply not good enough in defence - and must surely reinforce in the summer."
"...this felt like a tipping point for many of the squad.
With Bruno Fernandes suspended, they created almost nothing. Marcus Rashford, their top scorer this season, was thrown on half-fit at half-time as he continues to recover from a groin injury - demonstrating their lack of cutting edge.
In midfield, Casemiro was well below his best and picked up a yellow card which would have ruled him out of the semi-final first leg - not that United ever looked like making it that far.
Harry Maguire endured another torrid evening in the centre of defence, giving the ball away for the opener, while alongside him Victor Lindelof was not much better.
Without the injured Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez, United are simply not good enough in defence - and must surely reinforce in the summer."
Maguire needs to leave Utd at the earliest opportunity for his own peace of mind if nothing else. Find a nice smaller club with minimal expectations and rebuild his career there. He could probably do a job for one the sides coming up next season
Meanwhile, Utd only really have a first 11 and not much else. Once the key ingredients of that first 11 gets picked apart, then they revert to type.
They need another 3-4 solid players incl a GK to bulk up the squad.
Big summer ahead, but the Glazers faffing with the sale won't help their cause.
Meanwhile, Utd only really have a first 11 and not much else. Once the key ingredients of that first 11 gets picked apart, then they revert to type.
They need another 3-4 solid players incl a GK to bulk up the squad.
Big summer ahead, but the Glazers faffing with the sale won't help their cause.
Declan Rice’s goal was superb. Happy Hammer here.
At the moment, that's probably true of every team not called Man City. Liverpool have some depth but broader performance issues at the moment, and the squad has been ageing over the last couple seasons. But I wouldn't say they or Arsenal, Spurs, and Newcastle are 'deep' teams in the way Man City is. You could make an argument for Chelsea but the club is in such a state of disarray, and they seem so bad at using their squad, that any advantage they have in that area is being squandered.
Oh dear, oh dear.
Two to one, (yes, we pulled one back).
Since we lost Saliba to injury, we haven't kept a clean sheet.
And, if we fail to defeat Southampton (who, granted, are fighting for their very lives), well, we don't really deserve the title.
At least, this wasn't one of those excruciating - and embarrassing - games that we were leading to two goals to nil, only to find ourselves clawed back to a draw.
If you concede after 27 seconds (through actions which are entirely your own fault), that puts a rather different complexion - one that cannot allow for complacency - on the game for you must stay awake to chase it.
However, @Lord Blackadder's remarks about the lack of strength in depth (for everyone except Manchester City - and, perhaps Chelsea) are all too true.
A Trappist vow (of utter sibilant silence) becomes ever more inviting, actually tempting, don't you think?
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Good grief.
Three one to Southampton.
Au revoir, any (remaining, ever so lingering) hopes for the title.
Three one to Southampton.
Au revoir, any (remaining, ever so lingering) hopes for the title.
Title was lost at Anfield.
Their old habits started creeping back in then, and today they're essentially back to what they were last season.
Losing Saliba has proven decisive.
They've done well but the difference is City are cold-blooded with a killer instinct, whilst Arsenal think they're entertainers who occasionally faff around. Squad depth also key but for me Arsenal have work to do mentally.
Still Arteta might be their best bet at eradicating that given his history...if he stays at Arsenal that is.
Their old habits started creeping back in then, and today they're essentially back to what they were last season.
Losing Saliba has proven decisive.
They've done well but the difference is City are cold-blooded with a killer instinct, whilst Arsenal think they're entertainers who occasionally faff around. Squad depth also key but for me Arsenal have work to do mentally.
Still Arteta might be their best bet at eradicating that given his history...if he stays at Arsenal that is.
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No, I think that the title was lost at West Ham - we were always going to struggle at Anfield - with a second helping of hilarious horror tonight.
However, I think that Saliba's absence has been crucial; the fact that we haven't managed a clean sheet since his departure through injury speaks volumes.
Okay: We pulled two goals back - to salvage yet another draw; cardiac arrest time, for, despite the stirring nature of our (belated, tardy) comeback, this was probably our worst result of the season, and conversely, probably Southampton's best - after all, they very nearly defeated us - the team still - quite improbably - at the top of the table, almost defeated, and, at home, at that, by the team at the very bottom. And remember, we only equalised, for the first time in the game, - only on the stroke of the 90th minute, having gone behind after a mere 27 seconds.
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Oddly enough, this (ah, contest, game, match) concerns me less than some of the remaining fixtures.
Ive made my peace with it.
CL place secured.
Title im sure/hoping boys will fight for it till the end and yes its still in our hands.
Nonetheless im proud of our club and this young team.
Unfortunately, I haven't.
Mind you, had anyone said to me (forecast to me) last August that we would secure a CL spot, I would have been delighted.
Perspective is everything (or, this is what I try to tell myself, not entirely successfully).
Sigh.
I would phrase it rather differently.
Not so much as "no game in the PL is easy" but, rather, an argument that no game in the PL is predictable.
Unless, of course, you are Manchester City, with Mary Shelley's creation lining out for you attired in your sky blue strip.