***Official*** English Football Season 2019-20

[andmark]

Just a quick thing but Sadio Mane has not lost a PL game for Liverpool at Anfield. Astounding really.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Just a quick thing but Sadio Mane has not lost a PL game for Liverpool at Anfield. Astounding really.

****ing Riyad Mahrez.

 

[Furball]

Granted I've only seen the initial footage, but I'm struggling to see why Arsenal's winner was disallowed.

 

[andmark]

****ing Riyad Mahrez.

I know Richie Benaud didn't like describing a sports moment as a "tragedy", but he'd reconsider if he'd seen that.

 

[Cabinet96]

Not condoning it and obviously elite athletes are meant to be stronger than regular people when it comes to criticism, but I'd definitely be the kind of person to do what Xhaka did if my own fans cheered my substitution twice in six days. Also he's not a great player but we're so bad at the moment that it's genuinely difficult for anyone, particularly midfielders, to look good. Guendouzi probably does the best but even he is only really showing glimpses of the quality he has rather than actually dominating games.

Anyway, I suspect this Xhaka thing will probably be dragged out for ages as the reason Arsenal are bad. Which will be very tedious and boring.

 

[sledger]

He is only human, but one would have hoped for a better reaction. The fans cheering him being substituted was very dickish, but the booing only really started after his reaction to it (i.e. walking off the field deliberately slowly whilst making provocative gestures at the crowd). It'll be a long way back for him from here.

In any event I think to some extent he is basically just copping the flack as a proxy for Emery and his team selections/tactics. My perception is that most of the fans, whilst thinking Xhaka is a bit crap, do not really harbour any great animosity towards him. Emery's popularity and support, however, are rapidly declining. Lots of clamour for Ljungberg to be put in charge for the remainder of the season, though I'm not really sure what is driving this, as there's not really any evidence of what he capable of.

Anyway, agree that the Xhaka business will likely be drawn out far longer than necessary, and this is bad for two reasons. One, because it will distract from the fact that once again Arsenal played really poorly, and let a 2 goal lead against ****ing Crystal Palace slip at home. Next two league games are Wolves and Leicester as well, so things could get real ugly real fast. And two, the fact that it has made Arsenal Fan TV relevant again, and that is never good.

 

[sledger]

Another unseen iffy element to the Xhaka business is that apparently he is a really popular figure in the dressing room, and the crowd reaction to him yesterday has gone down like a sack of **** with a large number of the squad. Possible divides opening up between club/manager/players/fans. Not good.

 

[wpdavid]

Granted I've only seen the initial footage, but I'm struggling to see why Arsenal's winner was disallowed.

Beyond me. Obviously delighted with Palace gaining a point there, but Arsenal were shafted when that goal was chalked off.

 

[sledger]

It was bollocks but it's not like Arsenal deserved it really.

3 (albeit, 1 disallowed) ugly goals from set pieces, all scored by centre backs, all very untidy scrambles, all the result of fairly poor defending. Cack performance from open play.

Palace probably unlucky not to have won it at the death as well. Would have quite fancied Zaha to make it 3-2 if Guendouzi hadn't rugby tackled him when he was running through.

 

[duffer]

I've thought for a while that we've not improved at all under Emery but our last few performances feel like regression. Need to cut him off now because I can't see us getting Top 4 under him.

@sledger, AFTV was funnier last night than at any time under Arsene. Legitimately entertaining.

 

[duffer]

According to Ornstein the others on the shortlist before hiring Emery were Arteta, Allegri, Henry, Lopetegui, Rangnick, Sampaoli and Vieira.

 

[sledger]

Hmmm. Good job they avoided Henry. Not really a fan of Lopetegui, and I doubt Sampaoli would have been a good fit. The others would all have been interesting though.

 

[Uppercut]

Arteta was clearly the one. They basically bottled their true love and married an accountant.

 

[duffer]

Strong rumours at the time that Gazidis was pulling for Arteta with an experienced backroom staff behind him but consensus within the club was that it was too big of a job for a novice manager.

 

[sledger]

I could understand that if it was a real punt in the dark, but the bloke seems to be exceptionally well-rated by anyone who has ever had anything to do with him, and is a former club man. It was a no brainer. They totally f'd it.

 

[Uppercut]

I could understand that if it was a real punt in the dark, but the bloke seems to be exceptionally well-rated by anyone who has ever had anything to do with him, and is a former club man. It was a no brainer. They totally f'd it.

It is a bit of a punt, but you'll never get better odds than "intelligent and well-respected former club captain with a few years working for ATG revolutionary manager".

Tbf I thought Emery was an uninspiring choice but I did not expect him to be this bad. I think the only people who saw it coming were Valencia fans.

 

[Furball]

They should have gone hard for Guardiola about 5 years ago.

 

[cpr]

Is that when he was in Germany managing one of the biggest clubs in world football, or when he was enjoying a year out with the promise of complete control over hundreds of millions to shape the City dynasty?

Might as well have tried resurrecting Herbert Chapman at that point.

 

[harsh.ag]

Arsenal are 5th

 

[sledger]

And it flatters them.