2017/18 Premier League & General Football Discussion

[Jimlaad43]

we have Liverpool after the break

Why are you worried, once the ball is out of their midfield, a team like United should have good enough players to score goals.

Should be a good game though, one that I expect a load of goals on either side.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

I'm not worried, like I said I'm just not getting carried away by our good start to the season, City had a cracking start last season and then fell away.

There is a lot of unrest and violence in Barcelona today over the political Catalonia Independence vote (some shocking scenes!) and because of that there were some doubts over the Barcelona-Las Palmas game over whether it'll go ahead, it does go ahead but behind closed doors after fans groups threatened to invade the pitch, game kicks off in 15 minutes.

Everton 0-1 down to Burnley.

 

[Famine]

Everton 0-1 down to Burnley.

Everton really are the surprise package of the season so far.

Several really talented signings in the summer - one of the best young goalkeepers in the world, the captain of Europa League finalists Ajax, a top young striker from La Liga, Wayne Rooney, Gylfi Sigurthsson - and only really one significant departure... and they suck.

I wonder if Koeman will be sacked at half time?

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Wasn't sacked at half time, 60 mins played...

 

[sems4arsenal]

Huhh, we're tied (level for UK folk) with Chelsea. We've been on a decent run lately but still the performances aren't 100% there yet.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Everton lost 0-1, had loads of second half chances but couldn't break them down, there are now down in 17th whilst Burnley are 6th!

 

[Jimlaad43]

I'm getting bored of seeing the phrase "Wasteful Liverpool" after every single match they play...

 

[88GTA]

Everton really are the surprise package of the season so far.

Several really talented signings in the summer - one of the best young goalkeepers in the world, the captain of Europa League finalists Ajax, a top young striker from La Liga, Wayne Rooney, Gylfi Sigurthsson - and only really one significant departure... and they suck.

I wonder if Koeman will be sacked at half time?

Milan are having similar issues in Serie A. Bringing in that many new players and assuming they will play well together is not enough. The coach needs to see who fits where, who he can trust, who is fit vs. who is not and whether the system should fit the players or vice versa. Montella could get the axe if he can't get the team into the top 4 soon.

Also, Crystal Palace still with no goals this season and Leicester City lucky to get a point at Bournemouth. This might be the season that Leicester goes down.

 

[C-ZETA]

Everton and Milan are learning why the term 'Rome wasn't built in a day' exists. There's a line between not enough and too much in the transfer market, and they've both done too much. You really can't expect a group of strangers to come in and be in sync straight out the blocks. Maybe if they stick with them long term they might turn out alright (i.e. Tottenham post-Bale). But the teething troubles were always going to be considerable. Time will tell who they should have reined themselves back on, but hindsight is futile when you're underachieving and 16th.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Everton main shareholder and investor Mohnsiri has released a statement saying that Koeman has the clubs and the boards full backing...

That's a vote of confidence, and you know what usually happens after that....

 

[MUSC4EVER]

So Barcelona leaving the Spanish La Liga if Catalonia gets independence is a real possibility...

 

[Akmuq]

It blatantly isn't. Both Barcelona and La Liga would be stupid to let it happen, a Catalan league would be worse than the Scottish league and most teams in France would block it Barcelona joining

 

[Dennisch]

If Catalonia becomes independent, there is no way in hell that Barca, Espanyol and Girona stay in the Primera Division. The Spanish are way too stubborn to allow that.

 

[ASH32]

No other league is letting Barcelona join and even if they did (it would take a massive bribe) they would then be question marks over their eligibility to qualify and play in the Champions League too.

La Liga can't and won't be dumb enough to kick out/let Barca leave either, they'd lose way too many viewers and that means lost money.

 

[Jimlaad43]

La Liga won't want to lose them, but if Independence goes ahead, Spain may force La Liga's hand and make them leave the leagues as a kind of punishment.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Jupp Heynckes back at Bayern for a fourth time, contract till the end of the season, he retired from management in the summer, he's 72.

Andres Iniesta signs new 'lifetime' contract at Barcelona keeping him there until the end of his career and most likely beyond.

 

[daan]

Andres Iniesta signs new 'lifetime' contract at Barcelona keeping him there until the end of his career and most likely beyond.

I don't get how that's news. He is 33 after all. If he was 23 it would be notable.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Well, Barcelona announced it earlier and it is doing the rounds and the sports news and press, and I thought id post it here, so... (shrugs shoulders)

 

[daan]

Well, Barcelona announced it earlier and it is doing the rounds and the sports news and press, and I thought id post it here, so... (shrugs shoulders)

I'm not getting at you. I read it on the BBC earlier and I just think it's not really news article worthy.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Ignore me mate, hate these parts of the season when this thread is dead...

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Marouane Fellaini out for approx. 2-3 weeks with a hamstring injury after being subbed off early in the Bosnia-Belgium game, last thing we needed with Pogba being out too.

Andrea Pirlo announced he will retire in December.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Sadio Mane out for up to six weeks with an hamstring injury whilst playing for Senegal, both Liverpool and United go into the big game on Saturday with injury problems.

 

[Liquid]

A new report has suggested that teams, in the English Championship in particular, are running the risk of bankruptcy in chase of the Premier League.

Between the 2008-09 and 2015-16 seasons, 19 clubs entered the top flight, and only one - Crystal Palace - avoided making a loss.

Average losses in their promotion seasons were more than £300,000 per week, financial data firm Vysyble said.

Money spent on staff as a percentage of total turnover (2016)

That is quite shocking. When Portsmouth went into administration people's jaws dropped at them having a rate of 110-130% but this is 15 clubs who are pursuing a similar strategy and many spending an even greater percentage.

Surely like any economic bubble football's bubble will burst one day? How soon might it be?

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Normal Footballing stuff resumes this weekend, cant wait for the Liverpool-United game on Saturday, because all the talk and hype about it is getting on my nerves!

Gordon Strachan has left his role as Scotland boss.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Games this weekend.

Saturday
Burnley v West Ham
Crystal Palace v Chelsea
Liverpool v Man United (12.30 Sky)
Man City v Stoke
Tottenham v Bournemouth
Swansea v Huddersfield
Watford v Arsenal (5.30 BT)

Sunday
Brighton v Everton (1.30)
Southampton v Newcastle (4pm Sky)

Monday Night
Leicester v West Brom (8pm Sky)

Some interesting games, apart from the obvious one.

 

[Jimlaad43]

aaaaand the BBC headline is once again "Wasteful Liverpool"...

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Disappointingly predicable game, largely all Liverpool, Lukaku had one good chance and barely saw him apart from that, De Gea made some good saves, its a point and a clean sheet in a tricky game but still...not good.


Full Times.

Liverpool 0-0 Man United
Man City 7-2 Stoke
Swansea 2-0 Huddersfield
Burnley 1-1 West Ham
Crystal Palace 2-1 Chelsea
Tottenham 1-0 Bournemouth

Palace get their first points in a victory over the Champions, Spurs first League win at Wembley and typical City dominance at the Etihad, also Swansea

Watford v Arsenal to come.

 

[Dave A]

Disappointingly predicable game, largely all Liverpool, Lukaku had one good chance and barely saw him apart from that, De Gea made some good saves, its a point and a clean sheet in a tricky game but still...not good.

Very dissapointing game IMO, if either of the teams had actually played to win that could easilly have not been a draw. And before anyone says, Liverpool were the attacking team, they were, but they didn't have a striker until almost 80 mins in and other than one top save, De Gea was very comfortable against them. That match could have gone on for another 90 mins and it would have stayed 0-0.

I suppose you have to consider it's immediately after the international break, but still, I was hoping for United to take a bit of initiative and show the rest of the leage that we're confident this year. Not tell all of the top teams we're noit going to go for it against them. I'm almost as annoyed at Klopp for the way Liverpool played, we fully deserved to get trounced today, but Liverpool were toothless which means Jose got away with it and will likely do the same thing again the next time we play a top team.

I do like Jose as a manager, he knows how to win trophies, but at the same time I wish he had more confidence in going for the win aginst the bigger teams in the league. It's not like the Champions League where one defeat could mean you're out.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Some of the stick that Jose has got has been savage, uncalled for and an over-reaction, there were two teams on that pitch at Anfield and if we were so bad then how come Liverpool didn't beat by 5-0?!, we missed Pogba badly.

One correction from the fixtures that I posted on Friday, the Brighton Everton game on Sunday afternoon is not televised, Sky have got Derby-Nottingham Forest on instead, which is fair enough really.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Derby just beat Forest 2-0 and it was Brighton 1-1 with Rooney probably saving Koeman's Everton career with a 90th minute penalty, that game was moved for the Indian audience.