Premier League Thread 2019/20

[Dan LCFC]

1 hour ago, RonnieTodger said:

Really like the look of Moussa Djenepo at Southampton

He's scored two superb goals already. That one at the weekend was terrific. Messi-like.

 

Something very Mane about that signing.

[Dan LCFC]

2 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

West Ham could be that annoying team, they now have a lethal striker in Haller and some very effective wingers that seemingly need to stay fit but if they do then they'll be there or thereabouts. Question marks over them but the same really with us, Everton and most definitely Wolves. We know it's there for the taking and yet our manager seems destined to tinker, I hope he gets it right but i'm not amused by him this season.

West Ham will beat Manchester United comfortably this weekend and we'll be even more frustrated, is my prediction.

[Donk]

14 hours ago, Dan LCFC said:

I always thought the whole idea behind playing the short goal kicks like that is to draw a number of players onto you so that once you're closed down and you pass the ball agan there are fewer players to break down once you've bypassed them. It's just very funny when it goes wrong and it's pathetc how many times it has done already.

Id love to know if there is a study, between how many goals, or even chances created, are as a result of a goalkeeper passing a short ball to the two centre backs and then building a move from one end of the field to the other, compared to the old fashioned tactic of overloading one area of the field, aiming a long ball into that area, and then competing for the second ball.

 

Conversely, how many goals are conceded as a result of losing a second ball from a long kick that then results in a turnover of possession and a goal scoring chance, compared to goals coming from losing the ball whilst passing from the back.

 

There have only been two instances of playing from the back this season I can remember as being particularly successful.

 

One was Norwich on Saturday, who had the confidence and skill to find little angles to pass around Man City's high press (which I wouldn't recommend, as any time they lost the ball theyd be straight in on goal)

 

The other was Man City vs Liverpool in the Community Shield. Man city's centrebacks would come short for a short pass from the goalkeeper, but Claudio Bravo was in goal that day, and as an excellent keeper with good distribution, he was able to completely evade the press by playing long, accurate PASSES into the front players to immediately put liverpools back 4 under pressure.

[Donk]

3 hours ago, foxfanazer said:

He'd be perfectly within his rights to call them out. Stupid having that kind of attack with that sad excuse of a defence

I think to be honest, Granit Xhaka and David Luiz are excellent players.

 

The issue is there isn't the required level of steel in the team to effectively utilise them.

 

Granit Xhaka is a midfield playmaker with an expansive range of passing, and he possesses an eye for goal from distance. But playing in a holding role where he is required to use attributes he doesn't have like positioning, timing in the tackle etc, he looks absolutely useless. If he had a proper holding player to play with him, and then you could use Ceballos to create, that would be useful. But all of Arsenal's midfielders are  a much of a muchness.

 

Guendouzi MAY become a quality holding player, but even he has the kind of all action attributes of someone you don't associate with sitting in the middle of the pitch.

 

David Luiz when playing as part of a back 3 for Conte's title winning season was arguably one of the best defenders in the league, he commanded the defence well, brought the ball into midfield and had good passing range.

 

Now he is partnered with Sokratis who is average, and is exposed a lot as the opposition can play through Arsenal very easily, so he is the last line of defence needlessly a lot of times.

 

Its also why Leno always seems to look fantastic. Hes too involved.

[Lambert09]

9 hours ago, FIF said:

 

Manchester United won't make the top 6 without some big January buys or Olé's head. Arsenal and Chelsea have weaknesses that should mean top 4/6 is a big question for them.

 

Someone is going to benefit from these poor teams.

Imo Chelsea are only going to get better as the season goes on and I think they will comfortably finish above us. From what I see the only team I genuinely think we can overtake is Man U, which is why this result was so sickening. 

 

We have improved the squad this season but we still are a long way away from the depth of the 'top 6' squads. We laughed at Uniteds pre-match situation but if Vardy was out for a long time I wouldnt be surprised to see relegation form from us. 

[Wortho]

11 minutes ago, Donk said:

I think to be honest, Granit Xhaka and David Luiz are excellent players.

 

The issue is there isn't the required level of steel in the team to effectively utilise them.

 

Granit Xhaka is a midfield playmaker with an expansive range of passing, and he possesses an eye for goal from distance. But playing in a holding role where he is required to use attributes he doesn't have like positioning, timing in the tackle etc, he looks absolutely useless. If he had a proper holding player to play with him, and then you could use Ceballos to create, that would be useful. But all of Arsenal's midfielders are  a much of a muchness.

 

Guendouzi MAY become a quality holding player, but even he has the kind of all action attributes of someone you don't associate with sitting in the middle of the pitch.

 

David Luiz when playing as part of a back 3 for Conte's title winning season was arguably one of the best defenders in the league, he commanded the defence well, brought the ball into midfield and had good passing range.

 

Now he is partnered with Sokratis who is average, and is exposed a lot as the opposition can play through Arsenal very easily, so he is the last line of defence needlessly a lot of times.

 

Its also why Leno always seems to look fantastic. Hes too involved.

Xhaka is a bang average and he does like a Hollywood pass. He gives the ball away and is pretty poor and talking to other Gooners they think he's a very weak link.

I agree that Luiz is better in a 3, but his decisions are shocking. Given away 2 pens in 4 games.

[Stadt]

53 minutes ago, Wortho said:

Xhaka is a bang average and he does like a Hollywood pass. He gives the ball away and is pretty poor and talking to other Gooners they think he's a very weak link.

I agree that Luiz is better in a 3, but his decisions are shocking. Given away 2 pens in 4 games.

Three pens innit?

[Blanchflower78]

Mentioned him already but Cantwell at Norwich is one to watch, certainly as a Madders replacement we will no doubt need in 12-18 months. Looks a real talent.

[Leicester_Loyal]

There's no chance we'll finish in the top 4, we haven't got the squad capable of doing so.

[Stephen Hughes]

29 minutes ago, Blanchflower78 said:

Mentioned him already but Cantwell at Norwich is one to watch, certainly as a Madders replacement we will no doubt need in 12-18 months. Looks a real talent.

Performing better than Madders ATM though so potentially not a replacement and will also be snapped up

[Stadt]

36 minutes ago, Leicester_Loyal said:

There's no chance we'll finish in the top 4, we haven't got the squad capable of doing so.

Chelsea, Arsenal and Man United’s squads aren’t conclusively better than ours

[Leicester_Loyal]

22 minutes ago, Stadt said:

Chelsea, Arsenal and Man United’s squads aren’t conclusively better than ours

Yet we failed to beat either Chelsea or United and both these teams are meant to be in crisis at the moment.

[Dan LCFC]

34 minutes ago, Stadt said:

Chelsea, Arsenal and Man United’s squads aren’t conclusively better than ours

Lot of it's in the head though. I think we've not got the mentality at the minute. Whether that will come remains to be seen.

 

That entire performance on Saturday was lack of belief and that started with the set up.

[Leicester_Loyal]

5 minutes ago, Dan LCFC said:

Lot of it's in the head though. I think we've not got the mentality at the minute. Whether that will come remains to be seen.

 

That entire performance on Saturday was lack of belief and that started with the set up.

For me, a team who wants to finish in the top 4 would be going to that United game and putting down a marker. We set up and played like we were happy with a point.

 

I maintain that a top 6 finish would be brilliant for us this year and that is entirely possible.

Edited 16 September 2019 by Leicester_Loyal

[CosbehFox]

Sky and BT back to their delaying selfs on announcing televised games 

[Facecloth]

Just now, Leicester_Loyal said:

For me, a team who wants to finish in the top 4 would be going to that United game and putting down a marker. We set up and played like we would be happy with a point.

 

I maintain that a top 6 finish would be brilliant for us this year and that is entirely possible.

But surely that's down to the managers philosophy not the teams ability. The ability is there to challenge, the squad is good enough. Rodgers just needs to believe.

[Leicester_Loyal]

3 minutes ago, Facecloth said:

But surely that's down to the managers philosophy not the teams ability. The ability is there to challenge, the squad is good enough. Rodgers just needs to believe.

I think it's both personally. I think we're a very good/world class winger away from the top 4, but we'll also need Rodgers to get it right to stand a chance of this. It's still early days for him, so hopefully he can get it right.

Edited 16 September 2019 by Leicester_Loyal

[Wortho]

1 hour ago, Stadt said:

Three pens innit?

Even better 😄😄

And to think AFC conceded 31 shots to Watford. Arsenal are great going forward but defensively they are shocking.

[Fox92]

55 minutes ago, Dan LCFC said:

Lot of it's in the head though. I think we've not got the mentality at the minute. Whether that will come remains to be seen.

 

That entire performance on Saturday was lack of belief and that started with the set up.

I always think we respect Man Utd to much. It's as if our players turn up at a great ground and think fvck me it's Man Utd. Even when we drew 1-1 under Ranieri we were very iffy/shaky for the first 10-15 mins.

 

Refs always bottle it there too. I never get really angry at referees but on Saturday I did. Absolutely disgraceful.

Edited 16 September 2019 by Fox92

[st albans fox]

Grealish has a little more pace than madders ...JM needs to be careful or he may not remain flavour of the month for too long.... with Ali regaining fitness, an in form Grealish could put Madders under some pressure 

[spacemunky]

Fight fight!

[kingfox]

El Ghazi has had an eventful five minutes  

[UniFox21]

Commentary saying the Noble fall could be deemed as a dive. No one appeals for it or even looks at the official for a foul?

[Leicester_Loyal]

20 minutes ago, st albans fox said:

Grealish has a little more pace than madders ...JM needs to be careful or he may not remain flavour of the month for too long.... with Ali regaining fitness, an in form Grealish could put Madders under some pressure 

I'm assuming you mean with regards to England? But I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic... JM didn't even get a minute for England, so Southgate obviously doesn't fancy him.

[Nalis]

Thought Brighton would go down at the start of the season and nothing has changed my mind.

 

Most people w anked themselves silly over Graham Potter when they won their first match three nil against an out of sorts Watford but they've done fvck all ever since.