**Official** English Football Season 2023/24

[Skipper Pup]

Speaking of ages... kind of crazy how impactful Elliott has been this season.

Quietly going about his business and realizing his potential. Wonder what his ceiling is.

 

[sledger]

Tbf this is how I see you now

It's how I see myself too tbh. The last ten years have gone by in a flash though.

There are so many things that have happened in life which still feel fairly recent in my mind, but when I think about them I realise that the period of time I have been alive since they occurred is often now longer than the period of time for which I had been alive when they occurred.

It's a scary and sobering realisation really.

 

[Molehill]

It's how I see myself too tbh. The last ten years have gone by in a flash though.

There are so many things that have happened in life which still feel fairly recent in my mind, but when I think about them I realise that the period of time I have been alive since they occurred is often now longer than the period of time for which I had been alive when they occurred.

It's a scary and sobering realisation really.

My Dad (now 86) always tells me that every decade seems to go faster than the previous one. I think he's right. I was thinking last night about a Scottish girlfriend I had in the 90's (as you do) and realised it was 28 years go FFS!!

Anyway, back to Barton, have come across him a lot in League 1 whilst he was at Brizzle Rovers. His touchline antics would be as you'd imagine whilst his pressers would pretty much foreshadow the rubbish he's coming out with now. He's not forgotten at Portsmouth when he celebrated one of his players causing a season ending injury on a fellow pro.

 

[Skipper Pup]

Still coming to terms with the news Joel Matip has torn his ACL. At 32yo with only 6 months left on his contract its more than likely he's played his last ever game for LFC.

Fair play to the club for offering a contract extension until he's rehabilitated. He's been a phenomenal servant of the club and deserves to be looked after. Hopefully he can recover and get himself a move next year.

I'm not sure how underrated he is but I think he will be a guy rival fans talk about as crucial when reflecting on this era of LFC success. Huge role in both the title winning season and winning the UCL. Awkward looking player but there were periods where he outperformed Van Dijk consistently and was our best defender. Didn't quite get the same number of appearances as Milner and certainly had his injury issues but for me he's right up there in terms of greatest prem free agent signings ever, at the very least he is LFC's.

With him out and Gomez being the only back up senior CB the pressure is now on FSG to do something in January. Konate is injury prone so it will be totally unacceptable if we end up in a situation where Quansah is having to play in title deciding games.

 

[Molehill]

Portsmouth go 6 points clear of League 1 with a superb victory over 2nd place Bolton last night. Super proud of that performance and especially the 3 wins without conceding since the 4-0 home defeat to Blackpool that ended the 27 game unbeaten run.

Worth pointing out that the 2 youngest managers in the EFL are I believe at Ipswich and Portsmouth. The ability to understand strategic analysis and statistics seems to be ever more prevalent and is surely going to see some old dinosaurs sent packing.

 

[GIMH]

Portsmouth go 6 points clear of League 1 with a superb victory over 2nd place Bolton last night. Super proud of that performance and especially the 3 wins without conceding since the 4-0 home defeat to Blackpool that ended the 27 game unbeaten run.

Worth pointing out that the 2 youngest managers in the EFL are I believe at Ipswich and Portsmouth. The ability to understand strategic analysis and statistics seems to be ever more prevalent and is surely going to see some old dinosaurs sent packing.

There appears to be a trend of managers with no major playing pedigree getting a go in the EFL too. Sadly our experiment with that was disastrous but a fair few seem to be going okay.

 

[Pothas]

Yeah hiring the young coach from a Premier league academy or something really seems to be the thing now. Ipswich the best example of it going well. As always there will be tons of failures though.

 

[Molehill]

Mousinho didn't even have the Premier League Academy experience. He just rocked up to the Portsmouth Interview off the back of a player/coach role at Oxford and surprised/impressed everyone so much they gave him the job. The fact he was Chairman on the Players Board of the PFA probably gave an indication of his capabilities.

He's an absolute breath of fresh air, incredibly impressive in interviews, able to articulate his strategies so well to the players. Biggest issue now is how long we can keep him for, clearly destined for bigger things.

 

[sledger]

Shame this approach to hiring head coaches hasn't extended to how pundits are selected tbh.

 

[Molehill]

Shame this approach to hiring head coaches hasn't extended to how pundits are selected tbh.

I'm pretty certain this is the point Barton was trying to make.....

 

[Furball]

Mousinho

 

[Furball]

Arsenal hard done there IMO. Gabriel doesn't block anyone from defending that ball.

 

[duffer]

United

 

[Niall]

United

4 points somehow flatters them from that group as they were lucky in their 1-0 win v Copenhagen who missed a peno last minute.

Going to be a bloodbath v Liverpool on Sunday .

 

[Tangles]

Bayern were better in 2nd gear. Not only technically better but seemed to have an extra man with and without the ball. They also played more physical and the ref was fine with it. Shame no United players took the hint.

Midfield looked totally outclassed but tellingly we looked closer when Mainoo came on. Obviously you’re playing with 1 less midfielder with McTominay but Amarabat isn’t good enough.

 

[Niall]

Bayern were better in 2nd gear. Not only technically better but seemed to have an extra man with and without the ball. They also played more physical and the ref was fine with it. Shame no United players took the hint.

Midfield looked totally outclassed but tellingly we looked closer when Mainoo came on. Obviously you’re playing with 1 less midfielder with McTominay but Amarabat isn’t good enough.

As others have pointed out McTominay in his current role is a net negative to the team, yeah he will get some goals but as he doesn't track back it and leaves the defense and the bang average Amarabat overworked which is obviously a major reason why they have been so leaky all season.

This wasn't a great team anyway, but ETH has made it much worse to accommodate McTominay

 

[Skipper Pup]

Bayern were better in 2nd gear. Not only technically better but seemed to have an extra man with and without the ball. They also played more physical and the ref was fine with it. Shame no United players took the hint.

Midfield looked totally outclassed but tellingly we looked closer when Mainoo came on. Obviously you’re playing with 1 less midfielder with McTominay but Amarabat isn’t good enough.

I've been critical of Amrabat but he wasn't to blame this time. I think he actually played alright he just had 3 guys up against him and no support. McTominay is shockingly bad and Bruno is useless without the ball.

I'm scared that we play them this weekend. Nothing I hate more than playing a team with no form in a derby, United are going to park 11 men behind the ball and aim to frustrate us, their hand has been forced by Bruno being out. As much as we should play them off the park I just have a bad feeling they'll show some resolve and our crowd will get anxious. Could end up being far closer than it should be.

 

[Niall]

I've been critical of Amrabat but he wasn't to blame this time. I think he actually played alright he just had 3 guys up against him and no support. McTominay is shockingly bad and Bruno is useless without the ball.

I'm scared that we play them this weekend. Nothing I hate more than playing a team with no form in a derby, United are going to park 11 men behind the ball and aim to frustrate us, their hand has been forced by Bruno being out. As much as we should play them off the park I just have a bad feeling they'll show some resolve and our crowd will get anxious. Could end up being far closer than it should be.

He's nothing special, but peak Kante would be overworked in this side ffs.

United will be spirited initially but as long as Liverpool score first then it will likely be a massacre. Lets not forget United have been pushovers at Anfield for a long time anyway.

United can't really park the bus anyway even with the best of intentions with all their injuries , something like the below will likely be the line up.

LOL.


Onana—AWB—Varane—Evans—Reguilon—Amrabat—Mainoo—McTominay—Antony—-Garnacho....Hojland...

 

[Skipper Pup]

He's nothing special, but peak Kante would be overworked in this side ffs.

United will be spirited initially but as long as Liverpool score first then it will likely be a massacre. Lets not forget United have been pushovers at Anfield for a long time anyway.

United can't really park the bus anyway even with the best of intentions with all their injuries , something like the below will likely be the line up.

LOL.


Onana—AWB—Varane—Evans—Reguilon—Amrabat—Mainoo—McTominay—Antony—-Garnacho....Hojland...

Many worse Liverpool sides have been to Old Trafford and got results against better United sides than this Liverpool one..

On paper it should be a bloodbath but derbies are strange. I don't care how we do it I just want the win and then to prepare for Arsenal.

 

[Tangles]

ETH seems to hate a double pivot so he will play Amrabat or Mainoo with someone like Hannibal as the AM. He could maybe play Eriksen if he’s fit. Can’t even track who is not injured these days.