***Official*** English Football Season 2020-21

[Uppercut]

Perry Groves just said he wouldn't swap Auba for Messi. I mean on goals you may have a point, not sure though, but on finances and everything else it's such an assinine thing to say, mind you messi won't be going to Arsenal. So i might as well say I wouldn't swap Matt Jay for Messi, as it's as likely to happen.

Yeah not even, Messi scores more goals.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

The media will go into overdrive to rationalise the disdain for City with the love for Messi. Wilson's already been out with his Messi isn't good anymore article in the Guardian. Just watch them flow.

 

[grecian]

The media will go into overdrive to rationalise the disdain for City with the love for Messi. Wilson's already been out with his Messi isn't good anymore article in the Guardian. Just watch them flow.

I quite like Wilson, yeah he has a disdain for most modern football, including City, but he's entertaining with it. But I enjoy Guardian Football Weekly, generally with Wilson and Glendenning makes me feel I am quite an optimistic cheery person.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Tbf, imo its fair to question whether Messi will still decisively be the best player in the world. There was a noticeable drop off in his sharpness and his finishing and dribbling looked off by his standards (i.e. still pretty great), but thats as far as anyone should go. The only thing preventing Messi being great at Man city would be unforeseen injury trouble.

 

[vcs]

If they get Messi, the pressure to displace Liverpool will be immense but I'm not at all convinced they can do that. Liverpool have a machine-like efficiency at disposing of 80% of the teams in the league, City will win a lot of blowouts like last year, but can they register enough "ugly" wins to rack up the points?

 

[harsh.ag]

Chelsea will be title contenders too this season. Hyped for the EPL after a long time tbh.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Chelsea will be title contenders too this season. Hyped for the EPL after a long time tbh.

I think you might want the WSL

 

[Pothas]

If they get Messi, the pressure to displace Liverpool will be immense but I'm not at all convinced they can do that. Liverpool have a machine-like efficiency at disposing of 80% of the teams in the league, City will win a lot of blowouts like last year, but can they register enough "ugly" wins to rack up the points?

I don't think Liverpool will get as many points this season. Think we are more likely to see a sort of 90 points winning total.

 

[Uppercut]

Tbf, imo its fair to question whether Messi will still decisively be the best player in the world. There was a noticeable drop off in his sharpness and his finishing and dribbling looked off by his standards (i.e. still pretty great), but thats as far as anyone should go. The only thing preventing Messi being great at Man city would be unforeseen injury trouble.

Yeah Lewandowski was clearly better this season, and has been completely robbed of a Ballon d'Or.

He's much worse than he used to be, but he's also probably been the second best player in the world this season. My brain struggles with the fact that both are those are true until I remember that he used to be on a whole other planet to everyone else.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

If they get Messi, the pressure to displace Liverpool will be immense but I'm not at all convinced they can do that. Liverpool have a machine-like efficiency at disposing of 80% of the teams in the league, City will win a lot of blowouts like last year, but can they register enough "ugly" wins to rack up the points?

Depends what City do at the back, scoring goals isn't a problem stopping them is, unless they are going to go Keegans Newcastle on us which could be fun.

 

[Uppercut]

Depends what City do at the back, scoring goals isn't a problem stopping them is, unless they are going to go Keegans Newcastle on us which could be fun.

This was Wilson's point, but I don't think it's quite true. Their attack was a bit boom/bust. There were games when they created loads and scored 5 or 6, and games where they created very little. Still very good, but not even close to the level where you'd think "Messi won't improve this team too much".

 

[grecian]

This was Wilson's point, but I don't think it's quite true. Their attack was a bit boom/bust. There were games when they created loads and scored 5 or 6, and games where they created very little. Still very good, but not even close to the level where you'd think "Messi won't improve this team too much".

Yeah, all those games they drew or lost with ridiculous possession stats, you'd have back Messi to score at least a brace in each.

 

[Spark]

Finishing was a serious problem in crunch games too IIRC. Both Tottenham games come to mind, they should have scored like eight across both games and scored two total. Even if Messi has dropped off a little it's off such an absurdly high base.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Finishing was a serious problem in crunch games too IIRC. Both Tottenham games come to mind, they should have scored like eight across both games and scored two total. Even if Messi has dropped off a little it's off such an absurdly high base.

You mean from best player in the world to just being a member of the top 3. Such a fall from grace.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

You mean from best player in the world to just being a member of the top 3. Such a fall from grace.

That was what Spark wrote yes

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Five minutes in Spain and David Silva has the virus.

 

[Uppercut]

James Rodriguez to Everton looks on. Barely played last season but I'm pretty sure he's still really good.

 

[duffer]

James Rodriguez to Everton looks on. Barely played last season but I'm pretty sure he's still really good.

Its done apart from the medical according to Fabz. Interested to see how he goes, if he gets his form back he's brilliant to watch.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

They are getting Allan too, good signings by Ancelotti but then again he has the pull for good players.

 

[Niall]

Doucouré is a serious player also tbf.