Saturday football

[Coffee one sugar]

NOTTINGHAM FOREST vs BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION (1230)
Forest are still within shouting distance of the runners up spot. Brighton are not, but could make the Euro Conference at a push. A big push. Home win.

BOURNEMOUTH vs LIVERPOOL (1500)
The Cherries are one point behind Man City, which is pretty good going with three months of the season to go. Pool will win the title. But Bournemouth have the bit between their teeth, which makes this a fascinating fixture. Don’t assume that Pool will win, although that’s the sensible shout. Beware: corker ahead. Draw.

EVERTON vs LEICESTER CITY (1500)
Well, David Moyes seems to have turned the Toffees’ fortunes around, at least in the minds of the blue side of Liverpool. The Foxes, meanwhile, are in deep shit, although not quite as deep as the three sides below them. Draw.

IPSWICH TOWN vs SOUTHAMPTON (1500)
Nineteenth plays twentieth. Both will be going hell for leather at Portman Road this afternoon. Ooh er, Missus. Draw.

NEWCASTLE UNITED vs FULHAM (1500)
Time for Fulham to get some decent points on the board? On yer bike. Home win.

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS vs ASTON VILLA (1730)
The accents. Above all, those accents. Away win.


SUNDAY

BRENTFORD vs TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (1400)
Brentford have an enviable home record. Spurs are languishing in the brown stuff. Home win.

MANCHESTER UNITED vs CRYSTAL PALACE (1400)
Lowly Man U are at last starting to get their stuff together. But Palace will still provide stiff opposition. Home win.

ARSENAL vs MANCHESTER CITY (1630)
Well now. Home win. The tea leaves say so.


MONDAY

CHELSEA vs WEST HAM UNITED (2000)
Oh bollocks. You know what’s going to happen. Chelsea will look to continue their push for a top-four finish or higher. The Blues have shown flashes of brilliance but have also struggled with consistency. Expect them to dominate possession and look to control the game through their midfield. We're likely to sit deep, absorb pressure, and hit on the break. The gaffer is reportedly 'hopeful' that Bowen will return this evening. If so, he'll probably be pivotal to our performance. Will that be enough to take all the points? A decent display of resilient counter attacking could be key. Nevertheless... Home win.


WEDNESDAY

EVERTON vs LIVERPOOL (1930)
Home advantage? No fucking chance. But don't expect too many goals. Away win.

[threesixty]

When you say they got worse after he joined, we're obviously not bothering to take into account the greatest/hardest football club competition in the world (The Champs League) in all this, yeah?

 

 

I’m talking about the league. 
I think I mentioned earlier why Pep got him in. To give them a more direct style of play against the top CL teams like Madrid. And that worked. They won a CL (ironically with a Rodri goal!) 

But I’m just looking at the dominance City used to have in the league. You can blame the defence, fair enough, but they never really had great defenders (at least CD’s) anyway. Maybe Kompany years back. But not recently. 

it’s a theory. Feel free to pull it apart with other stats… 

[Lee Trundle]

When you say they got worse after he joined, we're obviously not bothering to take into account the greatest/hardest football club competition in the world (The Champs League) in all this, yeah?

[threesixty]

This is so silly. 
why can’t people just READ. It’s a theory. 

City have won the league 6 times out of 7 recently. 
2 of them with Halland. 

So they never needed Halland to win the league.
There previous main no.9 scored on average 25 -30 goals every season. On top of that they had Silva, Mahrez etc scoring goals for fun. 

and when they were winning before Halland came they were on a average winning the league by a wider margin than they did after he came. 

so from just basic logic, is a team with Halland vs the team without him better in terms of league dominance? They had one tight league battle with an amazing Liverpool team with a 1 point gap. But pre Halland they had beaten the second place team by 19 points, 15 points, 12 points. 
the last two under Halland was 1 and 5 (Arsenal shit the bed basically) and now they are 4th place in February. 
and all with Halland scoring record amounts of goals. 

instead of spreading who scores the goals around they’ve narrowed it down to one man. And that man doesn’t allow them to control games in the way the previous no.9’s did. 

you only need 1 goal to win a game. So it doesn’t really matter if a player scored 40 goals every season if for 25% of the games teams are drawing or beating you because you can’t dominate the ball anymore does it? 

obviously Halland isn’t the only reason. The lack of Rodri and the aging DeBruyne, walker, stones etc are contributing to their ineffectiveness.

but the key issue is that you can only play one way with Halland, very direct. So he’s got a guy on 500 bags a week that he has to play but can’t really change the strategy much. Tiki Taka doesn’t work with Halland as much as it did with others. 

its the same issue Ragnick saw with Ronaldo but couldn’t do anything about it because people say.. but look at the goals!!

as I said, you only need 1 goal to win a game. Is it worth all the goals if you don’t have the versatility and can’t dominate. I don’t know. Looking at the decreasing gap between them and their competitors in terms of points, it’ doesn’t look like it right now.

but it’s just an opinion. But argue the points rather than just say something a 12 yr old football fan would say on YT. 

 

[Lee Trundle]

City are pretty much 1-0 up as soon as his name is on the team sheet the ratio he scores at.

Detrimental to the team 

[fraser]

This is the only time City have "struggled" since he's been there.  He's still scoring, but they're letting in way more goals.  He's been the leading scorer in this league since he rocked up.

He's not being detrimental to City however you want to dress it up.

They only won the treble his first season, to be fair if he wasn't holding them back they obviously would have won the quadruple without the useless cunts one goal per game

[Lee Trundle]

This is the only time City have "struggled" since he's been there.  He's still scoring, but they're letting in way more goals.  He's been the leading scorer in this league since he rocked up.

He's not being detrimental to City however you want to dress it up.

[threesixty]

You can score a lot of goals and be detrimental to the TEAM. 



 

Do I need to remind you what City have won since he's moved there and scored 115 goals in 131 games?

Haaland detrimental to City.  hahaha!

 

 

Can’t read, won’t learn. That’s ok  

[John Coffey]

You can score a lot of goals and be detrimental to the TEAM. 


 

Do I need to remind you what City have won since he's moved there and scored 115 goals in 131 games?

Haaland detrimental to City.  hahaha!

It’s hilarious isn’t it? 

[Lee Trundle]

You can score a lot of goals and be detrimental to the TEAM. 

 

Do I need to remind you what City have won since he's moved there and scored 115 goals in 131 games?

Haaland detrimental to City.  hahaha!

[Lee Trundle]

Arsenal are likely to win the league of being the most unbearable football club in the country if they carry on this way.

STAY HUMBLE

[threesixty]

You can score a lot of goals and be detrimental to the TEAM. 
Ronaldo did that for Man Utd. 

The modern game requires teams to defend from the front. That means pressing and hold up play for possession based teams to minimize the opportunities for opponents to attack. 

Man City’s identity up until Halland came in was to pass and hold the ball so well that they suffocated teams. leading to less need for defensive duties. Eventually getting goals by threading a ball between opposition defenders and scoring. 

His only problem was sometimes he wanted a different more direct style to beat some teams, especially big European sides like Madrid who are equally good on the ball. 

Halland is so good at converting chances and direct play that Pep has forgotten about the original identity of the team. They miss that player on top who can help with the slick passing and hold the ball up. 

I think the gap between city and other teams tell the story. They used to win the league by a lot of points. They just managed to pip asensal last season. Look at them now?
yet Halland is always scoring mad amount of goals. 
clearly it’s not just about goals then is it?

 

[Lee Trundle]

They've let in 35 goals.  That's 2nd half of the table stuff.

[John Coffey]

We can question whether or not City are better playing Haaland but the big difference between the City team now and in the recent past is that their defending has collapsed.

This. 

[,]

We can question whether or not City are better playing Haaland but the big difference between the City team now and in the recent past is that their defending has collapsed.

[threesixty]

You can score a lot of goals and be detrimental to the TEAM. 
Ronaldo did that for Man Utd. 
Man City’s identity up until Halland came in was to pass and hold the ball so well that they suffocated teams. Eventually threading a ball between defenders and scoring. 
His only problem was sometimes he wanted a different more direct style to beat some teams, especially big European sides like Madrid who are equally good on the ball. 

Halland is so good at converting chances that Pep has forgotten about the original identity of the team. They miss that player on top who can help with the slick passing and hold the ball
up. Halland just doesn’t do that. 

I think the gap between city and other teams tell the story. They used to win the league by a lot of points. They just managed to pip asensal last season. Look at them now?
yet Halland is always scoring mad amount of goals. 
clearly it’s not just about goals then is it?

 

[Mad Ferret]

Haaland found out?  Playing with him is like playing with 10 men?  LOL

19 goals in 23 league games, 25 goals in 33 games overall.  Scored in every game against Arsenal and Chelsea this season.

Man City's problems aren't much to do with him.

He's the top scorer in the league while playing for a "mid table team" 

No point in trying to goad twoleftbraincells as you are on his FOE list.

[fraser]

Haaland found out?  Playing with him is like playing with 10 men?  LOL

19 goals in 23 league games, 25 goals in 33 games overall.  Scored in every game against Arsenal and Chelsea this season.

Man City's problems aren't much to do with him.

He's the top scorer in the league while playing for a "mid table team" 

[John Coffey]

Haaland found out?  Playing with him is like playing with 10 men?  LOL

19 goals in 23 league games, 25 goals in 33 games overall.  Scored in every game against Arsenal and Chelsea this season.

Man City's problems aren't much to do with him.

Spot on. 

[Lee Trundle]

Haaland found out?  Playing with him is like playing with 10 men?  LOL

19 goals in 23 league games, 25 goals in 33 games overall.  Scored in every game against Arsenal and Chelsea this season.

Man City's problems aren't much to do with him.

[Manuel]

Haaland being found out?

Manners, do you want to tell them?

Well I think it was you that pointed out his poor record in big games. More broadly I do agree with what 360 said, why play out from the back, fart around in midfield then eventually go long to Haaland? Seems odd. I see Thierry Henry was criticizing Haaland yesterday. Got a feeling Pep doesn't have the answers.

[Eerie Decent]

Haaland being found out?

Manners, do you want to tell them?

[fraser]

Is Amorin a fraud, not sure if he is or not. There's not many that haven't been called frauds on here at one time or another. Eddie Howe at Newcastle, Emery at Arsenal, Arteta at Arsenal, Potter at Chelsea...some take time, some just don't fit in certain jobs but work out elsewhere. Let's hope Amorin is as its great to watch them suffer

Wasn't Glasner called a fraud on here too at the beginning of the season when Palace got of to an awful start, they've won 5 of their last 6 away I believe. 

Then there's Iraola who was definitely called a fraud on here last season. 

[Mike Oxsaw]

No one currently between 13th & 16th are in any danger of relegation so all talk about such a possibility with those teams is simply "Drama Queen" stuff.

If you want to argue the toss on that, give a scenario where any of those 4 teams replaces one of the current bottom 3 - list the games & results involved.

Unless the PL/FA suddenly conjurer up a 10/12 point deduction for any of the 13th - 16th placed teams it ain't gonna happen.

[Manuel]

Yes they do seem to give managers time at OT but unlike his predecessors this bloke has managed to take them down a few notches since the Bald Fraud got his marching orders?

Let’s be honest that wouldn’t have been easy. LOL And he doesnt seem to give a fuck, expect he does but if I was an owner I wouldn’t be too impressed by the way he conducts himself, never mind also being just shy of the drop zone!

well maybe not drop zone but bottom half, note none of the managers since red nose left have hit them this CB low?? They were still top 6-8 at worst getting Europe each season but can’t see that happening this time!

No you're right, by memory ETH, Mourinho, Van Gaal, Ole all got of to decent starts, but this bloke is taking them backwards even further it seems. They are still in two cups, but three of the aforementioned all won at least one cup and got sacked, so fuck knows what they are looking for as NO manager is going to win the league there any time soon.

[Sydney_Iron]

Yes they do seem to give managers time at OT but unlike his predecessors this bloke has managed to take them down a few notches since the Bald Fraud got his marching orders?

Let’s be honest that wouldn’t have been easy. LOL And he doesnt seem to give a fuck, expect he does but if I was an owner I wouldn’t be too impressed by the way he conducts himself, never mind also being just shy of the drop zone!

well maybe not drop zone but bottom half, note none of the managers since red nose left have hit them this CB low?? They were still top 6-8 at worst getting Europe each season but can’t see that happening this time!