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The 2023-2024 Football Thread

Arsenal needed to score first to have any hope. Once Villa scored, the game was effectively set in stone.

Meanwhile Utd lose 3-0 to Bournemouth and Sheff Utd beat Brentford. And 'Pool edge past Palace.
 
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laptech said:
In my opinion and view, the problem and issues at United go way beyond the manager and squarely at the door of the owners. A bit of history. It was Malcom Glazer, the father who bought the club and it is during his time whist in charge of the club that United was still successful with Alex Ferguson as manager. Malcom Glazer was in poor health and it was during this time towards what would be his last year on this earth that Ferguson decided to retire and who but should take over the reigns of the company? Malcom Glazers children. Whilst all the children was given part ownership of the club upon their fathers death it was Joe and Avram Glazer who took on the role of their father in running the club. But here is the thing, neither of them are as good businessmen as their father was (business experts have pointed this out numerous times in the past) and ever since the two inexperience sons took over the running of the club, the club has gone from bad to worse. Under the ownership of the father, Malcom Glazer, the club won numerous premier league titles but since his son's have been running the club, not one league title has been won.

People will say a lot of it is down to ETH poor transfer dealings. The club have given him millions and he has not spent it well. Well, here is the thing, the exact same thing happened many many times during Fergusons time as manager. He made some dreadful signings but eventually always came good in the end. Remember, when Ferguson was manager the club went 3 years without winning the league but did the club get rid of him of? no? because they still had faith that he could turn things around and in the 4th year what happened? the club won the league 3 years in a row. Now that is what I call having faith in the manager. Now look at the length of term of the managers since Malcom Glazers passing, the retirement of Alex Ferguson and the running of the club by the two sons, not one manager has lasted more than 3 years, the same number of years Ferguson went without winning the league but Ferguson was not fired, unlike all the managers after him.

Ferguson had his fair share of losing games against teams he shouldn't have therefore I cannot put much blame on ETH for losing games the team should not be losing. I was listening to a sports radio channel that was covering numerous games and the person who was watching the United game it was clear from what the person was saying that there are players in that team who are just not trying hard enough and if that is so just what exactly is ETH supposed to do? He makes sure they eat the right food so they are in tip top condition. He makes sure they train the right way so they are in tip top condition, the club has made sure they are paid very handsomely for the job they do but yet still that does not appear to be good enough for the players. ETH tells the players to play a certain way, a certain style, a certain tactic come game day and they don't do it. He wants to put underperforming players on the bench or to train with the reserves and he gets derided for it. I just cannot see what else the man can do, barring from resigning from the club.
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Yeah but who actually cares, apart from Man U fans?

They’ve had their time, it was over years ago. Blame the Glazers all you like. I’ve said this more than once on here; the club’s problems stem more from the boardroom and the grandees of the club, including Fergie, not being able to move on from the glory days and failing to accept football has moved on. No manager can deal with that attitude. Man U need a clean sweep in every department, blaming the Glazers is just a convenient scapegoat.
 
Apple fanboy said:
Villa are the surprise package this year. Makes things interesting at the top for the neutral.
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Very interesting, and rather unpredictable, agreed.

At home, Villa are serious opponents - and all credit to them, today.

Unai Emery suits them, and they, him; moreover, they also have an outstanding goalkeeper (one whom we, in sore need of cash, felt obliged - or, were compelled - to sell - a decision I have regretted ceaselessly, ever since).

In fact, once they scored, I thought that we would be fortunate to obtain a draw and claim a point.

Well, we are no longer top, or threatening for the top spot.

Okay: It was nice while it lasted.
 
Scepticalscribe said:
Very interesting, and rather unpredictable, agreed.

At home, Villa are serious opponents - and all credit to them, today.

Unai Emery suits them, and they, him; moreover, they also have an outstanding goalkeeper (one whom we, in sore need of cash, felt obliged - or, were compelled - to sell - a decision I have regretted ceaselessly, ever since).

In fact, once they scored, I thought that we would be fortunate to obtain a draw and claim a point.

Well, we are no longer top, or threatening for the top spot.

Okay: It was nice while it lasted.
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I'm sure there will be a few twists and turns before May to come.
 
Apple fanboy said:
I'm sure there will be a few twists and turns before May to come.
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Yes, agreed.

And this season, at least, for now, does seem to be turning into a genuine contest.

I could claim injuries (Tomiyasu, and Partey - who are both exceedingly good, are both out injured, - we are better when they play, although the pair of them - especially Partey, - tend to be somewhat injury prone - while Jurrien Timber, for whom we harbour high hopes, suffered a serious injury on his first appearance in an Arsenal shirt) - but, in fairness, this is not confined to Arsenal, as many teams are currently missing key players (for sustained periods of time) through injury (or, for that matter, through suspension).
 
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So all caught up with the highlights.
Some woeful defending for Utd today. They wer lucky it was only 3-0. Nothing wrong with the 4th in my mind.

Liverpool were very lucky. Without the sending off I’m not sure they would have got the win.

Villa played to their strengths. A good win for the outside title contenders. But I think they will be lucky to maintain it. I sister will run out of steam and some of the teams below them will find form soon (City particularly). Still I like to see anyone mixing it up with the greedy six.
 
Apple fanboy said:
Liverpool were very lucky. Without the sending off I’m not sure they would have got the win.
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Nah. Liverpool were crap by their standards, but the difference was Harvey Elliot coming on (who Ayew fouled to get his second yellow). That turned the game. Palace would have struggled to contain them with 11 men. Liverpool weren’t ‘lucky’; they have immense character and dig in for the win. They have a lot of previous form for this…

Apple fanboy said:
Still I like to see anyone mixing it up with the greedy six.
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Worth reminding yourself of West Ham’s spending over the last couple of seasons, and the fact they have a remarkably cheap deal for renting a stadium that is still partly funded by UK taxpayers. Were WH to have had to build their own stadium like other clubs, they’d have had to spend far more than what they have, which is a paltry couple of million a year compared to the hundreds of millions spent by other clubs. And the reason they wanted to move to a larger stadium was….increased revenues. Greed.
 
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Apple fanboy said:
I think you mean Luton. Fulham are currently leading us by 4-0. Not a good day.
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You're right; I stand corrected.

Actually, I should have written Luton (and I am sorry that they are going down to defeat).

I was distracted with thoughts of coffee and further thoughts of electric foot warmers, (thank you, @Clix Pix), and not paying sufficiently close heed to what I was writing.

However, Rodri has received another booking, another yellow card for hacking someone down; I expect that this will mean yet more games missed, and opportunities for City's putative opponents.

As for West Ham: Fulham (must take a closer look at their stats) are now leading West Ham by five goals to nil.

Ouch.
 
Scepticalscribe said:
You're right; I stand corrected.

Actually, I should have written Luton (and I am sorry that they are going down to defeat).

I was distracted with thoughts of coffee and further thoughts of electric foot warmers, (thank you, @Clix Pix), and not paying sufficiently close heed to what I was writing.

However, Rodri has received another booking, another yellow card for hacking someone down; I expect that this will mean yet more games missed, and opportunities for City's putative opponents.

As for West Ham: Fulham (must take a closer look at their stats) are now leading West Ham by five goals to nil.

Ouch.
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Yes a bad day at the office for us. Still kind of an irrelevant season already for us in the PL.
Not going to get a European spot in the league.
Not in a relegation battle.
Just mid table. I know there is prize money for each place, but finishing 10th or 13th is hard to get excited about.
Hopefully we can continue our cup run.
 
Apple fanboy said:
Yes a bad day at the office for us. Still kind of an irrelevant season already for us in the PL.
Not going to get a European spot in the league.
Not in a relegation battle.
Just mid table. I know there is prize money for each place, but finishing 10th or 13th is hard to get excited about.
Hopefully we can continue our cup run.
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Excuses excuses. 🤣
 
What a day for Columbus. After winning the cup in a (nearly) empty stadium in 2020 due to the pandemic, taking the cup in our own (shiny new) house filled with fans was simply amazing.

I wish I had been able to go a match this season. New manager Wilfried Nancy set up a super aggressive side that out-scored opposition rather than controlling games. That’s usually not how you win titles but they stayed true to form even in the final and stayed aggressive even when defending a narrow lead for most of the match.

We had a great mix of homegrown players, league veterans and foreign stars. We lost our best player in Lucas Zelarayan to Saudi Arabia. And played much of the season with our backup keeper Schulte after our 2020 league-winning starter Eloy Room left.

And of course we finished third in the Eastern conference and had to grind out five really tough playoff games to get to the final. This team absolutely earned it.

I want to buy a shirt, but I still hate our rebranded crest so much, I don’t know if I can bring myself to do it.

Lioness~ said:
Our very talented Hugo Larsson even got to make a goal too for Frankfurt I heard 👍🏼
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It was an excellent strike.
 
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Apple fanboy said:
Yes a bad day at the office for us. Still kind of an irrelevant season already for us in the PL.
Not going to get a European spot in the league.
Not in a relegation battle.
Just mid table. I know there is prize money for each place, but finishing 10th or 13th is hard to get excited about.
Hopefully we can continue our cup run.
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Five different players scored for Fulham, and, they seem to be on something of a roll at the moment.
 
Apple fanboy said:
Agreed. Truth is with the money the big 6 (7?) have at their disposal finishing 6th-8th is an achievement. Personally I think Moyes has done a good job. He is out of contract at the end of the year and I hope we are going to offer him a new one.
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laptech said:
Moyes is not a mid table manager, his time at Everton proved that.
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I'd just like to remind everyone of the current state of the Premier League table:

Screenshot 2023-12-10 at 17.58.17.png



:cool:
 
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