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The 2024-2025 Football Thread
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Pre-game anchor for NBC Sports with Tim Howard and Robbie Earle, Robbie Mustoe,
they are all British except for Howard and would not state who ManU was playing (Fulham)
until Jon Champion stated after 15 minutes of watching the show.
close match so far...0-0
Always a shame when United score a late goal. Still time for a Fulham equaliser though.
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That was embarrassing for United. United are expected to challenge for top 4 this season, Fulham are not and yet they made it extremely difficult for United and as ever they win it with a late goal. Yes a win is a win as Gary Neville likes to say BUT it's how the game was won that is important to many people and it was won in a very poor way. Fulham deserved a draw out of that game.
Utd played ok and just about edge it but plenty of work to do. Fulham could've easily got something from the game
As long as Casemiro is in that midfield Utd will be easy to play through. Mainoo can't do it alone.
And i'm still not sure what Mason Mount does in a Utd shirt
As long as Casemiro is in that midfield Utd will be easy to play through. Mainoo can't do it alone.
And i'm still not sure what Mason Mount does in a Utd shirt
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Personally, I have no quarrel with"taking the knee", and would regret it, if this practice were to be discontinued.
However, on the topic of football, also personally, I would like to see at least one of the promoted clubs stay up; to my mind, it is an ugly (and dispiriting) sight to see all three of the promoted clubs head straight back down, and demonstrates - with depressing clarity - the gulf, not just in class, but in resources, between the teams at the top of the Premier League and those lying immediately beneath, or below, it.
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A good opening day for the Gunners, playing at home, where they secured an elegant two nil win over Wolves.
However, we lost Declan Rice - an excellent, key player - to injury, which I devoutly hope for both personal reasons (he is a great guy), and as a supporter of the club, (his loss - long term - would be a grave blow) - is not serious.
However, we lost Declan Rice - an excellent, key player - to injury, which I devoutly hope for both personal reasons (he is a great guy), and as a supporter of the club, (his loss - long term - would be a grave blow) - is not serious.
Good win for Brighton, have clearly missed Mitoma.
Soton should've have earned a draw at least
Ipswich show signs of why they will struggle (poor finishing and porous defence)
Everton may also struggle. And Dyche magic may not be enough but too early to tell.
Everyone else was business as usual.
Soton should've have earned a draw at least
Ipswich show signs of why they will struggle (poor finishing and porous defence)
Everton may also struggle. And Dyche magic may not be enough but too early to tell.
Everyone else was business as usual.
From what I have noticed (although this is less frequently the case, in recent years), for a newly promoted - or less well resourced teams, or potentially struggling teams - the best time to take points from top teams, or from teams that assume that they are top teams, is in the very early weeks of the season before everyone has settled down and has become match fit, and settled into playing well together.
For teams that may struggle somewhat later in the season, this is by far the easiest time of the year - or season - to amass a few valuable points.
yes Declan Rice is a great player hopw he will be back soon!
what I saw of the first half was an excellent pass he made
as the player should have kicked the ball back to him, Rice but kicked that aside.
Villa needs to finish these scoring situations.....they are too easy to miss!
some idiot on Sky today pregame suggested that A_Villa can't finish top 4 again this season
since they are not top tier or what they really meant was they are "not plastic" or tweetable.
if this idiot realized they added better players, have confidence, wont travel mid season to mid Asia like last year and have a world class keeper they should finish top 4 again!
some idiot on Sky today pregame suggested that A_Villa can't finish top 4 again this season
since they are not top tier or what they really meant was they are "not plastic" or tweetable.
if this idiot realized they added better players, have confidence, wont travel mid season to mid Asia like last year and have a world class keeper they should finish top 4 again!
It is going to be impossible for City not to get a points deduction of at least 6 points because out of all the 115 charges against them, one of them is identical to the charges that both Everton and Notts Forrest faced. Forrest getting 4 points because they co-operated and Everton initially 10 points because the premier league wanted to make an example of them reduce to 6 on appeal but they got 6 because they did not fully co-operate with the premier league.
Now City have done all they can to not co-operate with the investigation against them which means even if they were lucky enough to be found not guilty of 114 charges, they will still face the same charge that Everton and Nott's Forrest got.
The premier league know they will have to charge City with ONE charge because if they do not then they know that both Everton and Nott's Forrest will be able to sue the premier league for giving them points deduction and not City for breaching the exact same rule.
So you see, City WILL be facing at least a 6 point deduction which I feel will put them out of the any European spots.
Enzo Fernandez captains Chelsea today, meaning Maresca and the leadership have brushed his antics under the carpet because it would be too inconvenient to heavily punish their £107m player.
I also imagine the rest of the squad were forced to get in line to avoid being on the chopping block
Meanwhile Raheem Sterling left out of the squad and it looks like he is another player being forced out of the club to balance the books and trim the 43-player first team squad. Along with Chilwell and others
I also imagine the rest of the squad were forced to get in line to avoid being on the chopping block
Meanwhile Raheem Sterling left out of the squad and it looks like he is another player being forced out of the club to balance the books and trim the 43-player first team squad. Along with Chilwell and others
This is what I do not get about managers. Raheem Sterling is left out of the game against City but yet he was featured in all of Chelsea's pre-season games where the manager says Sterling is 'one of our most important players' and yet with that ringing endorsement he leaves Sterling out of the game, worse still he is not even a sub.
www.skysports.com
Why do managers do this, have a player play numerous games, tells the media they are one of the clubs most important players and when a very important game comes up against the league holders, the clubs 'one of the most important players' is left out the team. Now surely, playing against City, the league holders you would want your most important players playing in that game, yes?
Yes I get it that it is a team game and not everyone can be picked BUT why say very good things about a player and then not use him. To me it's like the manager does not give a damn and is only trying to hype up the player to give the player the impression that he is important so as to not want to leave the club.
I'm sorry but do not hype up a player and then turn around and basically say you are not good enough to be in the team against City. It's BS and I have never liked this way managers treat their players.
Chelsea transfer news, rumours and gossip: Live updates and latest on deals, signings, loans and contracts
The latest news and gossip in brief from Chelsea...
Why do managers do this, have a player play numerous games, tells the media they are one of the clubs most important players and when a very important game comes up against the league holders, the clubs 'one of the most important players' is left out the team. Now surely, playing against City, the league holders you would want your most important players playing in that game, yes?
Yes I get it that it is a team game and not everyone can be picked BUT why say very good things about a player and then not use him. To me it's like the manager does not give a damn and is only trying to hype up the player to give the player the impression that he is important so as to not want to leave the club.
I'm sorry but do not hype up a player and then turn around and basically say you are not good enough to be in the team against City. It's BS and I have never liked this way managers treat their players.
But what is the connection to United because in your post you put Man United v Rebecca Lowe.
OK so she is the anchor of NBC what why the Man United v Rebecca Lowe quip? Being the anchor for NBC does not justify that wording used. So yep, I still do not get the specific connection to United.
Although its ony Gameweek 1. Chelsea continue a similar theme to last season. Periods of good play but no end product. They seemed to be finding that at tail end of last season under Poch but now look back to square one
Also, they need another goalkeeper. And Nicholas Jackson continues to flatter to deceive.
Meanwhile City get the job done despite not being at full strength. Savinho looks to be another successful incubation from City. I won’t say buy because he’s effectively been 'reared' by City’s Football Group, and then promoted to City’s first team. They've finally found their successor to Mahrez.
Also, they need another goalkeeper. And Nicholas Jackson continues to flatter to deceive.
Meanwhile City get the job done despite not being at full strength. Savinho looks to be another successful incubation from City. I won’t say buy because he’s effectively been 'reared' by City’s Football Group, and then promoted to City’s first team. They've finally found their successor to Mahrez.
There could well be a number of reasons for why a manager (or coach) may choose to do this.This is what I do not get about managers. Raheem Sterling is left out of the game against City but yet he was featured in all of Chelsea's pre-season games where the manager says Sterling is 'one of our most important players' and yet with that ringing endorsement he leaves Sterling out of the game, worse still he is not even a sub.
Chelsea transfer news, rumours and gossip: Live updates and latest on deals, signings, loans and contracts
The latest news and gossip in brief from Chelsea...
Why do managers do this, have a player play numerous games, tells the media they are one of the clubs most important players and when a very important game comes up against the league holders, the clubs 'one of the most important players' is left out the team. Now surely, playing against City, the league holders you would want your most important players playing in that game, yes?
Yes I get it that it is a team game and not everyone can be picked BUT why say very good things about a player and then not use him. To me it's like the manager does not give a damn and is only trying to hype up the player to give the player the impression that he is important so as to not want to leave the club.
I'm sorry but do not hype up a player and then turn around and basically say you are not good enough to be in the team against City. It's BS and I have never liked this way managers treat their players.
1: Flatter the (obscenely large and outrageously fragile) egos of some football superstars, who cannot comprehend - or deal with, being treated in any other way. Flattery (remember Benjamin Disraeli's remark when he observed: "Everyone likes flattery; and when you come to Royalty you should lay it on with a trowel.") and pandering both work.
2: Moreover, it - flattery - works especially well when you may need to mollify, distract, misdirect or defang someone. Or, when you may need to ensure that a dissatisfied somebody does not become a force - or locus - for negativity in the dressing room or, on the training pitch.
3: It could be all about perceptions with a view to increasing (or maximising) the possible value of the player prior to selling him. You are hardly going to announce - or,loudly broadcast (irrespective of what you may think privately) that a particular player is a whining bundle of misery, a lazy, complacent, entitled and selfish individual, both on the football field, the training pitch, and a voice for negativity in the dressing room, - are you?
4: At the end of the day, the manager is the boss (and is the person who will be blamed, and upon whom the axe will first fall, if things go wrong), and must be seen to be the boss; they get to determine who plays, and are not obliged to justify that (though prudence suggests that a quiet word in an unwilling ear would not go amiss on occasion).
Watched Arsenal Women beat Washington Spirit with 2-1 in a friendly match.
Didn’t know they were playing but opened YouTube and up came the match, so I saw the latest 25 minutes.
Kafaji played really well in her new club, the commentator said it looked liked she played in Arsenal a few yrs. But no goal for her, but she was close. Russo made both.
Didn’t know they were playing but opened YouTube and up came the match, so I saw the latest 25 minutes.
Kafaji played really well in her new club, the commentator said it looked liked she played in Arsenal a few yrs. But no goal for her, but she was close. Russo made both.
So tell me this then, if a boss of yours (you may be a boss yourself so just go with it for the moment) was to give you a project to do that lasts a month, you do an absolute stellar job, you do everything the boss has asked you to do and at the end of it the boss tells you you are one of the most important people in the company but at the next important job the boss does not include you, does not even have you as a backup in case someone else cannot make it, basically you are side-lined. After doing all what you have done and being told what you was told are you telling me you are just going to stand there and accept what the boss has done to you just because they are the boss?
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Wow, What a day Saturday was. A day I've waited 22 years for. Phenomenal atmosphere in the ground and we really did show up.
As for the game, we really showed that we can compete at this level and are here on merit. Amazed there's already a comment here saying we will struggle. While this is likely true, its far too early to write us off. It's probably the adrenaline or excitement that got us through that first half, backed by the extremely loud Portman Road but we really did cause Liverpool some problems. Liam Delap had the better of Quansah and it is a testament to how we played that Slot felt the need to change it up at half time. Omari had the better of Liverpool all game and a bit more composure when he was played in and we could have gone one up.
Second half was always going to go one way, Trent was phenomenal for Liverpool in the second half once he stepped up further forward and then the 10-15 minute spell mid way through where they scored twice, and from there they should have had more.
It's frightening though how quick Liverpool were at times especially in the second half. Being able to play through us in a split second and the quick touches in and around the box is something we're not used to. A good example was when Hutchinson was played in when we broke from Liverpool's corner, he got to the box, cut inside Trent and by that time there was already 2 covering defenders back. Last season in the Championship, he would have cut inside the defender and then been in on goal 1 on 1. But games against the top sides are not going to define our season.
Overall I can't grumble at all. The Premier League is a different beast and something we as a club will have to get used to after so long away. It felt very very different inside the stadium. A huge media presence that we aren't used to.
Onto the small test of Manchester City this Saturday... get through that and then our season can really start 😂
As for how far we have come, 7 of our starting XI on Saturday started in our promotion game from League One v Exeter in April 2023. And now their starting in the Premier League!
Uppa Towen 🔵⚪
As for the game, we really showed that we can compete at this level and are here on merit. Amazed there's already a comment here saying we will struggle. While this is likely true, its far too early to write us off. It's probably the adrenaline or excitement that got us through that first half, backed by the extremely loud Portman Road but we really did cause Liverpool some problems. Liam Delap had the better of Quansah and it is a testament to how we played that Slot felt the need to change it up at half time. Omari had the better of Liverpool all game and a bit more composure when he was played in and we could have gone one up.
Second half was always going to go one way, Trent was phenomenal for Liverpool in the second half once he stepped up further forward and then the 10-15 minute spell mid way through where they scored twice, and from there they should have had more.
It's frightening though how quick Liverpool were at times especially in the second half. Being able to play through us in a split second and the quick touches in and around the box is something we're not used to. A good example was when Hutchinson was played in when we broke from Liverpool's corner, he got to the box, cut inside Trent and by that time there was already 2 covering defenders back. Last season in the Championship, he would have cut inside the defender and then been in on goal 1 on 1. But games against the top sides are not going to define our season.
Overall I can't grumble at all. The Premier League is a different beast and something we as a club will have to get used to after so long away. It felt very very different inside the stadium. A huge media presence that we aren't used to.
Onto the small test of Manchester City this Saturday... get through that and then our season can really start 😂
As for how far we have come, 7 of our starting XI on Saturday started in our promotion game from League One v Exeter in April 2023. And now their starting in the Premier League!
Uppa Towen 🔵⚪