Premier League 2020/2021 Thread

edd_jedi

Moderator
Staff member
Supporter
Joined
Oct 19, 2006
Messages
8,877
Location
UK
I would love to have him back, he came so close to success on multiple fronts that I feel like he has unfinished business. It might convince Kane to stay. BUT whoever comes in, whether it's Fat Sam or Alex Ferguson, we need a rebuild at the back. Nobody can patch that hole with what we've got, so Levy needs to open his wallet.
 

edd_jedi

Moderator
Staff member
Supporter
Joined
Oct 19, 2006
Messages
8,877
Location
UK
Wouldn't two seasons out of the Champions League probably have cost him more than they've spent on players? I think the club had become complacent and expected CL every season, the last couple of years have hopefully been a reality check
 

weasel

Moderator
Staff member
Supporter
Joined
Oct 19, 2006
Messages
19,844
Location
My Island
You would think, but I sometimes think Football Chairman are as deluded as some fans. They expect miracles on shoe string budgets. I'm not sure Levy will open the purse strings sufficiently. He will worry about COVID lost income and paying off the stadium.
He's never really been one who "speculates to accumulate"
 

theforceuk

Grand Master
Supporter
Joined
Apr 3, 2014
Messages
8,748
Everything that's wrong with Man Utd was summed up last night, I could see us losing as I've said before every game this Man Utd team go into is 50/50. How many years has it been since teams started parking the bus low block style against us? Man City and Liverpool have worked out how to overcome it, the blue print is their!

I'm still not Ole out as I can't see how you can sack a manager for finishing 2nd in the league, but how the best substitute in the clubs history can refuse to make changes as a manager is outstanding. I personally have never thought he was the right man for the job and if I was in charge Ole would have gone a long time ago, not because of the money that's been spent as most of them are bad signings, you may as well have thrown most the money on a bonfire.

We've become a mates rates club x players in coaching jobs that they are not experienced enough to be in at a club of Man Utd's stature.

As I keep telling myself though I'm lucky to have lived through the 90's and 00's as a Man Utd supporter, I can't agree with people who say we've had a good season though, second is never good enough for Man Utd.

I can't see Ole lasting to Christmas, Liverpool, Man City and Chelsea will all be better next season so Man Utd will be battling for 4th at best, that's not progress.
 

weasel

Moderator
Staff member
Supporter
Joined
Oct 19, 2006
Messages
19,844
Location
My Island
Agreed with all of that.

Utd's problems start at the top, but they run through the whole club.

As for Chelsea winning last night. Pep did a Pep. Over thinking again. Going into a game with a recognised holding midfielder was always going to leave his team exposed to being caught on the counter and that's exactly what happened. If you look at the goal, the pass goes straight through the area where a holding midfielder would be.
I don't get why he continually tries to be left field in big games, especially as it almost always comes back to bite him in the ass.

The best side won last night. But only one side turned up.
 

edd_jedi

Moderator
Staff member
Supporter
Joined
Oct 19, 2006
Messages
8,877
Location
UK
Yep it was a good game last night but can't disagree that Chelsea were better and City blew it tactically. De Bruyne going off early was the nail in the coffin. Nice to see the underdog beat City in a Final or win the Champions League at last hey!? :roll:
 

edd_jedi

Moderator
Staff member
Supporter
Joined
Oct 19, 2006
Messages
8,877
Location
UK
Interesting statement from Mason Mount today - he thinks Chelsea are the best team in the world. The cynic in me would say you finished fourth in the PL, about 7th amongst the top European leagues. And that isn't just including Lampard's reign, plenty of teams have done better than them since Tuchel took over too.
 

edd_jedi

Moderator
Staff member
Supporter
Joined
Oct 19, 2006
Messages
8,877
Location
UK
Oh and another thing about last night's game - Chelsea had 10 men behind the ball in their own half for 80% of the match. They scored one goal from a counter attack. Tuchel is a tactical genius, everyone says! Now who can I think of who got rinsed for being "yesterday's manager" for beating City doing that exact thing this season (2-0 may I add.)
 

weasel

Moderator
Staff member
Supporter
Joined
Oct 19, 2006
Messages
19,844
Location
My Island
Yeah, Chelsea did (and do) sit deep and play on the counter against the big sides. Credit where it's due they are very well drilled defensively. Kante was immense. And Fat Frank didn't think he was a holding midfielder!? But I take your point they are/were VERY defensive.


As for Mount, I can see his logic. They did just win the CL, and the European Champions do tend to be considered the best team in the world. Or at least the CL is the competition with the best teams in the world in it. But, yeah, they finished fourth and lost two of their final games to Leicester and Villa. Does that mean Villa, or whoever beats Chelsea next, can claim to be the best in the world.

Had City won, they could have claimed to be the best side in the world, and I would have struggled to make a decent argument against them. Chelsea on the other hand……..


Ronaldo back to Utd? Where is the logic there? The rumour is, he will be a swap for Pogba, I don't know if cash is involved too. That makes even less sense though. Utd need a CB, DCM, and right sided attacker. So swapping a midfielder for a LEFT sided attacker doesn't really seem like a good idea. Especially as the attacker is 36, will demand the team is built round him, will not work back under any circumstances, will demand to take (and miss) every free kick, and will want more than the 300kpw Pogba is on.
Getting rid of Pogba solves one problem. But bringing in Ronaldo in exchange creates two more. Utd will be left with a midfield for nxt season of Fred, McTom, Fernandez, Matic and Mata. AND they will have about 6 attacking players who like to play wide left.

Makes no sense. Given it's Utd…..watch it happen. Ronnie will probably get a 5 yr contract as well.
 

theforceuk

Grand Master
Supporter
Joined
Apr 3, 2014
Messages
8,748
I have to say Chelsea are the best club side in the world at the moment, if City had won that game, know one would be questioning if they are the best team in the world would they? Chelsea knocked them out of the FA Cup semi final and beat them in the CL final, you can hark on about tactics, formations all you want, if it wasn't for Chelsea City would have done a quadruple, probably.

Chelsea's success this season is more proof how incompetent Man Utd are, both clubs finished on the same points last season with no trophy. Fast forward a year Chelsea have employed a new manager, had an unbelievable summer transfer window, sacked a manager who happened to be a club legend and got a new manager who has delivered the CL. Man Utd fans are being fed the progression line, piss off it's just delay tactics from the Glazers, football has changed, Leicester won the league within 2 seasons of promotion, Klopp came in and won a European Cup and league title after a great transfer summer.

Ronaldo to Utd makes no sense unless your the owner of Man Utd who need to sell shirts and appease sponsors. You can imagine OGS saying to the Glazers I need a centre back and a DCM. The Glazers will turn around and say but that won't sell shirts, we will get Ronaldo which will sell shirts and give us time with the fans until we sack you and the cycle starts again.

Glazers OUT!!!! lol
 

Cazza

Moderator
Staff member
Supporter
Joined
May 9, 2014
Messages
5,650
Location
Gloucestershire
Chelsea do look the real deal now, that's for sure. Still think Man City are better- just screwed it up on the night and Chelsea did the opposite.

So, all this ESL business has been conveniently brushed under the carpet and forgotten. The sycophanitic authorities are as bad as the teams who wanted to do it. They were so relieved to have their golden boys (money makers) back in the fold, that they have just completely ignored the massive disrepute that those clubs brought the game into. Too late now, but they should've all had a points deduction and a ban from European competition next season. A clear, firm, no messing message should have been given, but alas, the fawning authorities were just too spineless.
 

edd_jedi

Moderator
Staff member
Supporter
Joined
Oct 19, 2006
Messages
8,877
Location
UK
A 12 point deduction would only affect three of the six clubs (Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea.) City would still be in the CL, and Spurs and Arsenal didn't qualify anyway (and neither would it get either of them relegated.) Barring clubs like Chelsea and United from the CL would only fuel the fire for them to join/create a breakaway league. Also it seems a little petty to punish the managers, players, fans, staff etc who all not only had nothing to do with joining the ESL, but didn't even know it was happening and firecely opposed it once they did. I'm sure you wouldn't have been thrilled if West Ham happened to be one of the clubs in question.
 

weasel

Moderator
Staff member
Supporter
Joined
Oct 19, 2006
Messages
19,844
Location
My Island
It is a tricky one. As a fan of one of the Clubs who tried to break away I would have no problems with them being punished. I agree with Edd though, it's tricky as to how you punish the club. It is harsh if fans, players and managers are punished as none if them wanted it either. But how do you punish the greedy owners and not punish the fans/players? Or do the fans and players get punished as well? Is the only way to get at the owners by pissing off the fans and players?

theforceuk said:
Ronaldo to Utd makes no sense unless your the owner of Man Utd who need to sell shirts and appease sponsors. You can imagine OGS saying to the Glazers I need a centre back and a DCM. The Glazers will turn around and say but that won't sell shirts, we will get Ronaldo which will sell shirts and give us time with the fans until we sack you and the cycle starts again.

Glazers OUT!!!! lol

Which is why it will happen. Five year deal, on £600kpw. If OGS is lucky he will get a budget CB and or a cheapy midfielder. Someone on a free, or who is 34 etc.
 

Cazza

Moderator
Staff member
Supporter
Joined
May 9, 2014
Messages
5,650
Location
Gloucestershire
edd_jedi said:
A 12 point deduction would only affect three of the six clubs (Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea.) City would still be in the CL, and Spurs and Arsenal didn't qualify anyway (and neither would it get either of them relegated.) Barring clubs like Chelsea and United from the CL would only fuel the fire for them to join/create a breakaway league. Also it seems a little petty to punish the managers, players, fans, staff etc who all not only had nothing to do with joining the ESL, but didn't even know it was happening and firecely opposed it once they did. I'm sure you wouldn't have been thrilled if West Ham happened to be one of the clubs in question.

Yep, I would've been livid, but with the owners mostly, for costing the club. Clubs who go in to receivership etc can end up with massive points deductions, but no one seems to blink an eye, or give a damn about their supporters etc, because they're always smaller clubs. The whole thing's twisted out of shape. They all needed some sort of meaningful punishment in my book - they've totally got away with it, which isn't right :(
 

theforceuk

Grand Master
Supporter
Joined
Apr 3, 2014
Messages
8,748
weasel said:
It is a tricky one. As a fan of one of the Clubs who tried to break away I would have no problems with them being punished. I agree with Edd though, it's tricky as to how you punish the club. It is harsh if fans, players and managers are punished as none if them wanted it either. But how do you punish the greedy owners and not punish the fans/players? Or do the fans and players get punished as well? Is the only way to get at the owners by pissing off the fans and players?

theforceuk said:
Ronaldo to Utd makes no sense unless your the owner of Man Utd who need to sell shirts and appease sponsors. You can imagine OGS saying to the Glazers I need a centre back and a DCM. The Glazers will turn around and say but that won't sell shirts, we will get Ronaldo which will sell shirts and give us time with the fans until we sack you and the cycle starts again.

Glazers OUT!!!! lol

Which is why it will happen. Five year deal, on £600kpw. If OGS is lucky he will get a budget CB and or a cheapy midfielder. Someone on a free, or who is 34 etc.

I didn't say it wouldn't happen! lol
 

edd_jedi

Moderator
Staff member
Supporter
Joined
Oct 19, 2006
Messages
8,877
Location
UK
Ancelotti to Real, wasn't expecting that. He has had a pretty poor season at Everton so I'm surprised they wanted him over some of the other available managers. On the plus side that means there are still a good few options for Spurs!
 

theforceuk

Grand Master
Supporter
Joined
Apr 3, 2014
Messages
8,748
Yes I didn't see that coming either, feel for Everton fans always 1 step forward two steps back for them.
 

weasel

Moderator
Staff member
Supporter
Joined
Oct 19, 2006
Messages
19,844
Location
My Island
Yeah, strange one. He hadn't exactly set the world on fire at Everton, but they will do very well to get a manager of his level again.
 

lejackal

Grand Master
Joined
Jul 1, 2015
Messages
8,465
Eddie Howe would be an interesting selection for them I think, I'd certainly like to see how he got on at a bigger club with bigger egos and higher expectations
 
Old Thread: Hello . There have been no replies in this thread for 365 days.
Content in this thread may no longer be relevant.
Perhaps it would be better to start a new thread instead.
Top Bottom