Premier League 2020/21 Thread

[RowlattsFox]

Its embarrassing for Drinkwater, but it was a shocking tackle and instinct took over. Really poor from the Spurs kid and then he rolls around like a ****, sad to see. 

 

[UniFox21]

5 minutes ago, RowlattsFox said:

Its embarrassing for Drinkwater, but it was a shocking tackle and instinct took over. Really poor from the Spurs kid and then he rolls around like a ****, sad to see. 

 

We complain about the level of diving and simulation in the Prem and top leagues, we've got even bigger problems if this is was a 16yr old is doing in an u23 game

[The People's Hero]

14 minutes ago, talking_goldfish said:

I still don't think there's any excuse, especially when you consider this is a PL2 game, and the tackle (/ 2-footed-assault) came from a petulant 16-year-old (incidentally, Alfie Devine is a highly-rated player who Spurs paid Wigan £300k for in the summer).

 

Had (30-year-old) DD not reacted in that manner, and used his 'experience' to get back up and walk away then Spurs would have been down to 10 men and Chelsea would still have had 11 on the pitch. Luckily for him Chelsea managed to get the win somehow.

Should both have been sent off and both deserve huge criticism.

[talking_goldfish]

3 minutes ago, The People's Hero said:

Should both have been sent off and both deserve huge criticism.

Both were sent off and rightly so

[Gerard]

 

[volpeazzurro]

1 hour ago, RumbleFox said:

I’d love to see Simeone in the Prem but can’t see that he’s suited to Arsenal. X 

Hahaha me too, but he's volatile and would throttle half of that pretentious ne'er do wells. As you say, can't see it, why would he leave a great side that he's built like Athletico to join that manky lot.

[Les-TA-Jon]

Interesting that people are so convinced that Arsenal wouldn't or couldn't pay the rumoured £20m for Rodgers. This is the same club that have Auba and Ozil on £350K+ a week and were happy to spunk £75m on the likes of Pepe...

[Wortho]

3 minutes ago, Les-TA-Jon said:

Interesting that people are so convinced that Arsenal wouldn't or couldn't pay the rumoured £20m for Rodgers. This is the same club that have Auba and Ozil on £350K+ a week and were happy to spunk £75m on the likes of Pepe...

And they had the cheek to get rid of 55 staff!!

[kingfox]

6 hours ago, Sly said:

I think Arsenal just need an experienced Manager. If you look at them man for man, they’ve got some talented individuals, the squad is lacking though.

 

What they actually need right now, is a Manager like Pearson who rebuilt us when we hit rock bottom in League 1. It won’t happen as they’re too arrogant as a fan base to accept someone who won’t want to be that poster boy. I think they’re now truly learning what Arsene Wenger did for them.

 

They’ve made some odd choices as well recently.
 

Ozil / Socrates being omitted from the squad.

 

Saliba sitting on the bench, who was rated better than Forfana. Now to be sniffing around Upamecano, who has a £38,000,000 release clause. He’ll end up at Bayern Munich by the way.

 

Signing David Luiz, to sure up the defence.

 

Extending Luiz contract. 

 

Signing Pepe for £72,000,000. He’d had a great season, however he’s never worth that amount of money. It’s a poorer league overall and he wasn’t / isn’t Mbappe.

 

Criticising Pepe for getting sent off, then defending Xhaka.

 

The restructure that’s happened behind the scenes with a lot of the back room staff, scout network, training ground personnel etc going will have impacted morale.

 

They lack leaders, throughout the team.
 

Playing the best goalscorer on the left, rather than through the centre. 
 

Some of the above is fixable now and come January. Either Arteta is too set in his philosophy, or the people behind him are forcing his hand to do so (ala excluding Ozil) to bend and do it. 

The problem with Arsenal is that the good in them, only lasts for so long before they turn to shit again.

 

Happened under Emery, now happening under Arteta.

 

Arteta has clearly made mistakes, keeping faith in players that clearly aren’t good enough, omitting your creative player from the team in Ozil. They have zero creativity and it continues to show every week, a midfield pairing of Elneny and Xhaka won’t get you anywhere.

 

Some of their players though were shit under Wenger, shit under Emery and are shit under Arteta, Arsenal won’t progress unless some of those players are out the door. Their right-side of defence is absolutely abysmal, the amount of teams that target the combination of Bellerin & Holding is laughable, their game against Villa for example, Grealish & Barkley pissed all over them.

 

Xhaka should have gone ages ago. No idea why they continue to sign Chelsea cast-offs, first Cech, then Luiz, this season Willian, bizarre. Lacazette isn’t that great anymore either.

 

They have a good number of players that wouldn’t get into teams like Leicester, Wolves, Everton, Southampton and perhaps even Villa and West Ham. 
 

Their squad has needed an overhaul for years, just like with Emery, the same players have thrown Arteta under a bus.

[ALC Fox]

Arsenal's decline is reminding me a bit like Leeds before they went down, only protacted over a longer period of time. Or us when we languished in the Championship slowly getting worse and worse every year until we went down to League One and needed a hard reset.

 

I'm not saying they will go down but the longer the mediocrity continues, the more likely it becomes and it could happen eventually. Maybe not this season or next, but maybe in four or five seasons after successive managerial appointments that don't work. 

 

They've plenty of time to turn it around but it could happen.

[Frank Large's Black Book]

 

Manchester United are three transfers short of being genuine title contenders

 

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/premier-league/manchester-united-are-three-transfers-short-of-being-genuine-title-contenders/ar-BB1bWH2V

 

To be honest, so are half of the prem - but you'd really expect better from a team that has spent the best part of a Billion Pounds in the past few years.

 

B*gger me - a billion pounds.  Someone find me an agent.

[Livid]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-55315924

 

For one second I read that as diving and was about to crack open the champagne....oh driving!

[peach0000]

2 hours ago, Les-TA-Jon said:

Interesting that people are so convinced that Arsenal wouldn't or couldn't pay the rumoured £20m for Rodgers. This is the same club that have Auba and Ozil on £350K+ a week and were happy to spunk £75m on the likes of Pepe...

Of course they could pay it but I don't see them doing so. They are the kind of club that will go for the cheap option. I half expect to see Henry or Viera to be honest and it'll be hilarious watching them fall away to the championship.

[Leeds Fox]

I don’t know a great deal about the inner workings of Arsenal. However, I assume during the latter years of Wengers tenure, they didn’t give him the money they gave Emery as he was clearly on his way out. Allowed the incoming to mould their own squad etc... which is fair enough.

 

I think Wenger really would’ve bought well for them had he been given the many millions they’ve spent since he left. Not giving Wenger it but giving a new manager who may well fail always seemed very shortsighted to me. Cynically, I feel they just used Wenger leaving as an excuse not to spend much cash for a couple of seasons and put it in the bank. 

[KingsX]

6 hours ago, FoxFossil said:

Arsenal Fan tv always good for a laugh, talking up Brendan for Arse job.

 

 

Are they too stupid to consider the most basic fact?

 

 

(by most reports Arsenal are paying the Vampire ₤5M)

 

The secret to a delicious Managerial Retention Cake is to start with enriched, double-pound-note flour.  Fold in the newest, finest training ground in existence.  Season with a happy, aligned staff and renowned recruitment operation. (note: omit the DoF who outsourced recruitment to his own agent.)

 

Bake well and enjoy.  There is simply no comparison with the tasteless Kroenke Cake still baked in north London.

[Facecloth]

3 hours ago, Les-TA-Jon said:

Interesting that people are so convinced that Arsenal wouldn't or couldn't pay the rumoured £20m for Rodgers. This is the same club that have Auba and Ozil on £350K+ a week and were happy to spunk £75m on the likes of Pepe...

This is also the club that made its mascot redundant to save costs. They aren't rolling in cash right now, partly because they spunked a lot of money on transfers and salaries of player who haven't lived up to the fees

[Lambert09]

13 minutes ago, KingsX said:

 

 

Are they too stupid to consider the most basic fact?

 

 

(by most reports Arsenal are paying the Vampire ₤5M)

 

The secret to a delicious Managerial Retention Cake is to start with enriched, double-pound-note flour.  Fold in the newest, finest training ground in existence.  Season with a happy, aligned staff and renowned recruitment operation. (note: omit the DoF who outsourced recruitment to his own agent.)

 

Bake well and enjoy.  There is simply no comparison with the tasteless Kroenke Cake still baked in north London.

If Brendan delivers Europe again he’s already earnt his wage for at least 5 years. 

[fuchsntf]

1 minute ago, Frank Large's Black Book said:

 

Manchester United are three transfers short of being genuine title contenders

 

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/premier-league/manchester-united-are-three-transfers-short-of-being-genuine-title-contenders/ar-BB1bWH2V

 

To be honest, so are half of the prem - but you'd really expect better from a team that has spent the best part of a Billion Pounds in the past few years.

 

B*gger me - a billion pounds.  Someone find me an agent.

I reckon, if some People sit back and remember Fergies reign,they just might see it Making Sense to back & support Ole.

I have One of those feelings,that Ole has the right character to be a Top Manutd manager, and slowly create a title contending Squad...

 

Unlike some..I like the Mix of manager characters in the present PL. 

Assassination & demeaning hackling of character IMO shows more the lack of the character from the pundits & wanna-be Critics themselves. 

Lampard, Solskjaer, have the right to try & earn their mettle, Klopp, Mourhino already have their Badges & stars,

then hopefully Rodgers,Nuno,Hassenhuetl, can show with financially-lesser squads, they too can eat at the table and have already earnt the invitation

Arsenal & any chosen manager now have to reasses,to See if the strength of tradition,can Pull them back into the reckoning...

 

Plus if Leicester fans,want their Club to realise the actual  'Value' of our Hardest & successful eras in our history, then our squad, & manager,have

to Stand against,Any new boys on the Block ( wolves,ourselves,re-ermerging Everton) but more importantly against the good recognised traditional Elite clubs.

Its more worthy plus giving  history-value,by  pushing A top Manutd, Chelsea, Liverpool, Spurs, Man.City squad, 

under & down then defeating, than just the end remenants of squads Living on their past traditions...!!!

 

 

[Xen]

1 hour ago, Frank Large's Black Book said:

 

Manchester United are three transfers short of being genuine title contenders

 

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/premier-league/manchester-united-are-three-transfers-short-of-being-genuine-title-contenders/ar-BB1bWH2V

 

To be honest, so are half of the prem - but you'd really expect better from a team that has spent the best part of a Billion Pounds in the past few years.

 

B*gger me - a billion pounds.  Someone find me an agent.

Not just any transfers either, but a world-class CDM and one of the top-rated young wingers in Europe in Jadon Sancho. 

 

So, y'know, a cool £150m worth of players (plus one other) who would be supposedly the best players in Europe in their positions. And that's going to elevate a billion-pound club to title contenders.

 

What fantastic insight that is, msn. Great article...

 

[Frank Large's Black Book]

1 hour ago, fuchsntf said:

I reckon, if some People sit back and remember Fergies reign,they just might see it Making Sense to back & support Ole.

I have One of those feelings,that Ole has the right character to be a Top Manutd manager, and slowly create a title contending Squad...

 

Unlike some..I like the Mix of manager characters in the present PL. 

Assassination & demeaning hackling of character IMO shows more the lack of the character from the pundits & wanna-be Critics themselves. 

Lampard, Solskjaer, have the right to try & earn their mettle, Klopp, Mourhino already have their Badges & stars,

then hopefully Rodgers,Nuno,Hassenhuetl, can show with financially-lesser squads, they too can eat at the table and have already earnt the invitation

Arsenal & any chosen manager now have to reasses,to See if the strength of tradition,can Pull them back into the reckoning...

 

Plus if Leicester fans,want their Club to realise the actual  'Value' of our Hardest & successful eras in our history, then our squad, & manager,have

to Stand against,Any new boys on the Block ( wolves,ourselves,re-ermerging Everton) but more importantly against the good recognised traditional Elite clubs.

Its more worthy plus giving  history-value,by  pushing A top Manutd, Chelsea, Liverpool, Spurs, Man.City squad, 

under & down then defeating, than just the end remenants of squads Living on their past traditions...!!!

 

 

Wow - that's a bit of a stretch from what my post was aiming at.

 

I wasn't having a pop at any particular manager, just the spectacular mis-management at the the "most valuable club in the world" and how misguided journo's seem unable to take off their blinkers.  So if you were including me in "Some People" then I take offence.

If you weren't including me however but was just going off on one - then clearly it was a perfectly reasoned argument and I largely agree with you.

 

 

 

Edited 15 December 2020 by Frank Large's Black Book

[urban.spaceman]

3 hours ago, kingfox said:

The problem with Arsenal is that the good in them, only lasts for so long before they turn to shit again.

 

Happened under Emery, now happening under Arteta.

 

Arteta has clearly made mistakes, keeping faith in players that clearly aren’t good enough, omitting your creative player from the team in Ozil. They have zero creativity and it continues to show every week, a midfield pairing of Elneny and Xhaka won’t get you anywhere.

 

Some of their players though were shit under Wenger, shit under Emery and are shit under Arteta, Arsenal won’t progress unless some of those players are out the door. Their right-side of defence is absolutely abysmal, the amount of teams that target the combination of Bellerin & Holding is laughable, their game against Villa for example, Grealish & Barkley pissed all over them.

 

Xhaka should have gone ages ago. No idea why they continue to sign Chelsea cast-offs, first Cech, then Luiz, this season Willian, bizarre. Lacazette isn’t that great anymore either.

 

They have a good number of players that wouldn’t get into teams like Leicester, Wolves, Everton, Southampton and perhaps even Villa and West Ham. 
 

Their squad has needed an overhaul for years, just like with Emery, the same players have thrown Arteta under a bus.

Looking at their XI for that valentines day match in 2016:

 

Subs: Ospina, Walcott, Flamini, Chambers, Welbeck, Campbell, El-Nenny

 

Only Giroud and Ox have had any success from that side. The rest have either retired or moved on elsewhere. The only two that remain are Bellerin, who's still in their XI, and Ozil, who they're paying £350k a week they aren't playing for non-footballing reasons. Have they improved every position there? Well, they've spent almost £180m on upgrading their forward line. A forward line that has scored 4 Premier League goals since October. They've had more foul throws in the same period. They have spent £30m a 19 year old French centre back from St Ettiene... But loaned him back there and still haven't played him. Apart from a few investments they're still relying mid-30s cast offs from Arsenal and a few promising youngsters.

 

Look at ours from that day:

 

Subs: King, Gray, Ulloa, Dyer, Wasilewski, Chilwell, Schwarzer.

 

Kasper, Big Wes, Fuchs, Albrighton and Vardy are still here. Otherwise we've sold 3 of that midfield for £130m and the academy kid on the bench for £50m. In almost every other position we've replaced with either equal quality or upgraded to a new level at least once. Some positions 3 times with at least 2 players available for each position and some players able to play very well in multiple positions (JJ, Wilf, Fuchs, Castagne). Our style of play has evolved but still managed to get more out of the players that remain. We've learned from our mistakes in the transfer market and been smart and frugal in recruitment. Our academy development has been the best it's ever been.

 

Arsenal may have won a few FA Cups in that time, and got to a few finals - they've got a long history of doing well in cup competitions and as far as I'm concerned, that's brilliant for everyone else because it papers over the glaring cracks at Arsenal that have been there for a decade. Their problems go well above their manager's head and until they start addressing that, they'll continue to slide further and further down. The whole structure of AFC is toxic throughout, in the same way Sunderland's was for absolute years. Sacking their manager won't change a thing.

 

It's actually brilliant to watch.

[LVFox]

I'm not saying Arteta should be sacked just yet, but can you imagine the media and fans if a Dyche or Allardyce had taken over, banished Ozil away, sent Guendouzi out on loan and then kept rabbiting on about getting crosses into the box whilst they averaged less than a goal a game.

[Dahnsouff]

 

 

[Koke]

20 minutes ago, Dahnsouff said:

 

 

 

Mourinho is right. I thought similar when we faced Liverpool weeks ago and they were going on about half their club + tea lady being injured.

 

Only Van Dijk, Gomez and possibly Jota is nailed on starters who are injured.

[fuchsntf]

1 hour ago, Frank Large's Black Book said:

Wow - that's a bit of a stretch from what my post was aiming at.

 

I wasn't having a pop at any particular manager, just the spectacular mis-management at the the "most valuable club in the world" and how misguided journo's seem unable to take off their blinkers.  So if you were including me in "Some People" then I take offence.

If you weren't including me however but was just merely going off on one - then clearly it was a perfectly reasoned argument and I largely agree with you.

 

 

 

No it wasnt Aimed at you...( Unless the glove fits...)...

 

By me, I would rather discuss, the various PL clubs attributes,and the football aspects of the season. 

Not  fisherwives tittle-tattle, or demeaning of character at every turn. Too much Good space und Finger cramps wasted on petty nonsense.

Then campaigns & agendas against young lads trying to build & develope their careers,Any Open critic is normal,but to keep scratching & Pecking

at individuals on day to day, or Weekly basis, is IMO pathetic,& demeans the character & roots of a forum.

Just waiting and looking for errors & mistakes,that it makes one blind to the Good even excellent moments a team,or individual brings,in the same game,

Period or season devaluates  then a posters/ would be pundits required balanced opinion..

 

Mistakes,errors,Slip-ups,frustrations,loss of points are Part & Partial of the game...Even Normal ,more than some will accept

I Set up my game, and seasons analyse on that basis, ignoring those regular misameanours, but recognise those small or regular special moments.

ie:  Maddisons assist then goals in the last 2 games..Perez bring-down, and alround Play since his return,Schmeichels Top shut outs,Vardy's misses,then

Great runs to get on the end of Teammates crosses/through balls...

Anybody but anybody wearing the foxes badge, earns first my support & encouragement in good also bad times,and runs or poor form...

 

This forum has never learnt from past cackling & hackling experiences,Short memories of how every Single Time they have got it wrong & wrong again...

Prime examples...Mr Leicester Vardy,2nd in Command Schmeichel, Club captain Morgan,Kante,Ricardo,Soyu,Justin,Chilwell,

I could continue,but it would be boring,like the pathetic agendas....continual/Weekly  'new or old player' negative scripts...

Of course ,any open critic & knee-jerk reaction opinions are also part of a balanced analyse.

 

I would Jump in the same trench to defend the right for anybody to have an opposite opinion to me..

but hounding & hackling continually  hiding behind 'only my opinion ' remarks borders on the sadistic,and some weird idea of Social-Media Control to satisy

ones own odd urges....

Mind you, me being an Happy-clapper & showing tendencies of easily being entertained shows also deranged hidden masochist thoughts...

 

 

 

Edited 15 December 2020 by fuchsntf