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

[wpdavid]

Here's one for our Arsenal fans.
https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...on-arsenal-unai-emery-premier-league-sackings

 

[sledger]

Some of City's goals in the last few games have been absolute madness.

 

[andruid]

Some of City's goals in the last few games have been absolute madness.

And now the critical part of the season, and Citeh are rounding back into form

 

[sledger]

Word is Ancelloti has been sacked by Napoli.

Arsenal could do far worse tbh. That said, they could also probably do quite a bit better. But still.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Word is Ancelloti has been sacked by Napoli.

Surprising it's taken so long considering what's been going on there. de Laurentiis is a maniac.

 

[andmark]

That Liverpool game is unusually late. It's weird to see it be 33 mins in at 20:45.

 

[anil1405]

That Liverpool game is unusually late. It's weird to see it be 33 mins in at 20:45.

And I am having to wait till 1:45am for kick-off.

 

[andmark]

And I am having to wait till 1:45am for kick-off.

Christ, that's hardcore haha.

 

[sledger]

Reckon they'll get a result tbh. It will only be delaying the inevitable I guess. But I can definitely see them beating Spurs, even with any Mourinho resurgence they may be enjoying.

Thought so.

 

[andmark]

yay

Edit: John Power

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Christ, that's hardcore haha.

smh that's child's play.

 

[Uppercut]

Thought so.

United seem to bring everyone down to their level this season. If you switched the shirts you couldn't tell the difference between Liverpool, Chelsea, or Spurs playing United and Sheffield United, Villa or Bournemouth.

City are a different proposition though. They'll surely have too much for us this weekend.

 

[Cabinet96]

The squad, especially with Pogba out, is so much better suited to big games. Ball winning midfielders and fast wide forwards, but no passing and no prolific, proper centre forward.

 

[sledger]

smh that's child's play.

Haha thought of you as soon as I read and mark's post tbh

 

[Uppercut]

The squad, especially with Pogba out, is so much better suited to big games. Ball winning midfielders and fast wide forwards, but no passing and no prolific, proper centre forward.

It's a remarkably Mourinho-esque setup, much more so than when Mourinho was actually in charge.

But we're missing some of the key ingredients, giving up a lot of leads with defensive gaffes and going a year without scoring from a set piece. And even if we made it work, it's not the type of team we should be aiming to become.

 

[cpr]

The squad, especially with Pogba out, is so much better suited to big games. Ball winning midfielders and fast wide forwards, but no passing and no prolific, proper centre forward.

*Midfielder. McTominey being back really takes the pressure of Fred in that regard. Fred seems to take delight in charging the attacker and hoping a limb gets the ball. Looks fantastic when it works (and he's decent at it), but scares the **** out of you when your only a goal up with 5 mins to go and he's doing it on the edge of the box. It's all very hectic and uncontrolled at times, it feels like I'm watching Anderson, but with the tackling of a Rojo/Jones hybrid.
McTominey is far more composed, and better at reading the play and intercepting it. Together they do compliment each other in a way - Fred's in your face approach harries the opposition to move it quick and uncontrolled, and McTominey is there for it if Fred hasn't already broken up play. But you take Scott out and put in Pereira and you've got a midfield that has not got a clue how to adapt to each other, and Fred's failings look rather exposed

 

[sledger]

I have always liked Fred, but for non-footballing reasons. There is just something so funny to me about the way Sledger Snr says his name. When I hear "Fred" said in a much faded, but still occasionally noticeable, northern accent, my default reaction is to immediately think the person being spoken about must be some earnest, salt of the earth, English lad-type.

E.g. Upon seeing Fred warming up and coming on as a sub, "ah, here comes Fred".

It usually takes me a moment to realise that the person actually being referred to is a Brazilian footballer. Makes me laugh, and so I always have a fondness for Fred. Not especially convinced by him as a player mind you, but I gather he has got better in recent months.

 

[cpr]

He has got better, in that he's now got a role in the team rather than just a £50m footballer who should play 'in midfield'. He is rather suited to playing alongside McTominay as he can the more forward of the two, harrassing midfielders knowing there's someone watching his back (which is needed still), and it allows him to be a bit more confident approaching the edge of the area as McTominay will hold back if he's gone forward. Sadly he's still not very good around the box, he just wants that extra touch before laying it off, and it isn't exactly varied (against Spurs it was usually a short ball to feet to a central player facing away from goal).
With Pereira he was having to be the furthest back player, which left him as a rabbit in the headlights of any breaks, trying to balance his desire to attack the ball and the need not to horrendously expose his defence to runs. Doesn't help that Pereira is just not very good in midfield either.

He'd actually be more suited to the style of Liverpool or City (obviously not the actual squad, I mean, Jesus Christ..) in that he's probably better effective in a team that loves to defend from the front and really close down a defence.

He'll absolutely be hooked once Pogba is back, and rightly so, but he makes a serviceable backup as the middle man in a midfield 3, shame its a £50m backup.

 

[sledger]

Freddie is so great.

Just look at him and think "Yep, that is one damn handsome man".

 

[andmark]

smh that's child's play.

I would've thought the English football would've been more in the territory of get up early than stay up late for your timezone?