Premier League 2020/21 Thread

[jammie82uk]

 

Edited 8 September 2020 by jammie82uk

[Fox92]

50 minutes ago, RowlattsFox said:

Wolves making good additions but for me there is huge pressure on them to seriously challenge top 4 sooner rather than later. 

 

Won't happen. I said it ages ago that Wolves will never make top 4 and I stand by it.

 

  

40 minutes ago, dmayne7 said:

Just seen that. Up to £33m?! In these times for a championship striker who's 25 in a few months and only got to 10 goals in 2 seasons before the last. 

 

I know he's meant to be good but that is just a ridiculous fee if true.

He's only had one real season of prolific goalscoring at Brentford. I'm guessing Smith took him there though.

Edited 8 September 2020 by Fox92

[Grebfromgrebland]

21 hours ago, Paninistickers said:

Apologies mid the question is naïve, But I really don't understand why these players are persuaded/forced to play for wolves. 

 

So if I was a decent Porto player looking for the next step up to maybe Spain or Italy or PL or Bundesliga - and my agent owned, say, VfB Wolfsburg- ...of all clubs my agent then announces that he's sorted me a deal with Wolfsburg...I'd be a bit, like...., are you sure? 

Thing is wolves are building something steadily. Bringing in top talented young players and it seems their players are willing to wait for the project to take off.  

 

They have a unique model hopefully it fails at some point.

[Grebfromgrebland]

19 hours ago, Paninistickers said:

Is it a third party ownership thing?

 

I'm wondering if the player has absolutely no say whatsoever in these moves.

 

I don't think they do. But they get paid a lot and pretty much go for the ride

[StriderHiryu]

https://statsbomb.com/2020/09/leicester-city-season-preview-2020-21/

 

Good preview this one. Some choice quotes:

 

Overall, it's impossible to take a negative stance on their metrics. Expected goal difference? Fourth. In attack? Fourth. Defence? Fifth. Leicester got the cusp of the top four not by some fluke but by playing football of a quality that merited their position.

 

Their age profile is perfect for that of a team that can continue to progress, and this group of players is reminiscent of that which Mauricio Pochettino helmed for Tottenham at the start of their good run in the mid 2010s; a team which ironically found Leicester in their way perhaps a year or two before they hit their own peak. High praise? Sure, but there is talent throughout this team and there isn't that much that needs to be done to compete for a top four slot again.

 

 

 

Just noticed this has already been posted in the "Do they mean us" thread. Ah well, it's a good article!

 

 

Edited 8 September 2020 by StriderHiryu

[Les-TA-Jon]

21 minutes ago, StriderHiryu said:

https://statsbomb.com/2020/09/leicester-city-season-preview-2020-21/

 

Good preview this one. Some choice quotes:

 

Overall, it's impossible to take a negative stance on their metrics. Expected goal difference? Fourth. In attack? Fourth. Defence? Fifth. Leicester got the cusp of the top four not by some fluke but by playing football of a quality that merited their position.

 

Their age profile is perfect for that of a team that can continue to progress, and this group of players is reminiscent of that which Mauricio Pochettino helmed for Tottenham at the start of their good run in the mid 2010s; a team which ironically found Leicester in their way perhaps a year or two before they hit their own peak. High praise? Sure, but there is talent throughout this team and there isn't that much that needs to be done to compete for a top four slot again.

 

 

 

Just noticed this has already been posted in the "Do they mean us" thread. Ah well, it's a good article!

 

 

Both that and the Guardian one were great write ups. 
 

very favourable final predictions though. 4th and 7th? 

[StriderHiryu]

9 minutes ago, Les-TA-Jon said:

Both that and the Guardian one were great write ups. 
 

very favourable final predictions though. 4th and 7th? 

On paper it's not outlandish to think that, given the talent in our squad and last season's top scorer up top. 

 

In reality a lot depends on our start to the season. If we win a few games, confidence will return for both players and fans and we could get top 7 (note Stats Bomb says we could compete for that 4th place, not actually get it!). If we lose a few early doors, it will be a long hard season. 

 

I think both are glossing over our end of season form though and calling it a "blip." We've been awful all calendar year which is more than just a blip! But lets hope we can put it right on Sunday!

[HankMarvin]

Premier League clubs agree to screen EVERY match on TV until at least October 1 amid tentative plans for fans to gradually return to stadiums from next month - with BBC to show Leicester v Burnley

[nathan.]

7 minutes ago, HankMarvin said:

Premier League clubs agree to screen EVERY match on TV until at least October 1 amid tentative plans for fans to gradually return to stadiums from next month - with BBC to show Leicester v Burnley

Nice

[promised land]

4 hours ago, Leicester_Loyal said:

Surely there has to be a limit on players testing postive though? If 10 first teamers are out for 2 weeks, we could potentially have the same 14 blokes playing 4 or 5 games in 14 days? It can't be just be if you test positive you sit out and everyone else carries on as normal, 6 or 7 players out means the game will surely be postponed.

How many international players do league 1 teams have to have on duty for a game to be postponed?

 

Wouldn’t it be like this?

 

That Man U Third kit looks like what they wrap prototype cars in when doing road  testing to make journalists guess on the shape of it.

Edited 8 September 2020 by promised land

[Finnegan]

Gotta be honest, at first I consoled myself about our transfer business telling myself that nobody was really making any moves and it's covid etc. 

 

Now we're at a stage where everyone's reinforcing and all we've done is replace a full back, ngl, I'm getting a bit antsy. 

[foxile5]

3 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

Gotta be honest, at first I consoled myself about our transfer business telling myself that nobody was really making any moves and it's covid etc. 

 

Now we're at a stage where everyone's reinforcing and all we've done is replace a full back, ngl, I'm getting a bit antsy. 

Agreed. 

 

More to the point its the basis stories and murmurings from the camp that something is going on. Tanner commenting on the shambles. It all adds up. 

 

Without any concrete proof it all feels a bit as though something stinks.

[Adster]

Everton signed ANOTHER midfielder 

[Danizen]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54076539?at_custom1=[post+type]&at_custom4=897940A0-F1ED-11EA-B2F4-EB9F96E8478F&at_campaign=64&at_custom3=Match+of+the+Day&at_custom2=facebook_page&at_medium=custom7

 

All games in September to be shown live on TV with our game against Burnley being on the BBC. 

 

It's a step in the right direction but they're still avoiding the awkward question about fans in this country having no legal way to watch some matches from next month. 

[FoyleFox]

Given the significance rise in cases, the demographic of those cases and the reintroduced restrictions does anyone think the plan to admit fans from 3rd October is actually likely? 

The ballots for tickets will need to start soon so a decision is required imminently. If the decision is made not to admit fans, the question will need addressing regarding broadcasting.

It obviously needs resolving for the majority who can't attend even if a small number are permitted but a blanket ban on attending will certainly accentuate the issue. 

[Rain King]

11 hours ago, StanSP said:

Can't copy the whole thing but Squires with a Guardian cartoon before the season begins

 

https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2020/sep/08/david-squires-on-things-to-look-forward-to-2020-21-premier-league-season

 

This will haunt my dreams

 

[Leicester_Loyal]

Out of Evertons 3 new signings I think Doucoure will turn out to be the best bit of business. Only 27 years old, 20 million pound fee, used to the league and a huge physical presence in the middle of the park. I'd have liked us to signed him, he can play pretty much anywhere in the centre of the pitch and would have been great for those tough games where we need a bit of steel and fight. Our funds probably don't stretch that far this summer and that's why we've ended up sticking with Mendy for another couple of seasons which is a shame but understandable.

[weller54]

5 hours ago, Leicester_Loyal said:

Out of Evertons 3 new signings I think Doucoure will turn out to be the best bit of business. Only 27 years old, 20 million pound fee, used to the league and a huge physical presence in the middle of the park. I'd have liked us to signed him, he can play pretty much anywhere in the centre of the pitch and would have been great for those tough games where we need a bit of steel and fight. Our funds probably don't stretch that far this summer and that's why we've ended up sticking with Mendy for another couple of seasons which is a shame but understandable.

Doucoure would have been a great signing for us.... Mendy gets a nose bleed if he crosses into the attacking half of the pitch!!

[David Hankey]

5 hours ago, Leicester_Loyal said:

Out of Evertons 3 new signings I think Doucoure will turn out to be the best bit of business. Only 27 years old, 20 million pound fee, used to the league and a huge physical presence in the middle of the park. I'd have liked us to signed him, he can play pretty much anywhere in the centre of the pitch and would have been great for those tough games where we need a bit of steel and fight. Our funds probably don't stretch that far this summer and that's why we've ended up sticking with Mendy for another couple of seasons which is a shame but understandable.

And he likes to handle the ball!!

[davieG]

14 minutes ago, weller54 said:

Mendy gets a nose bleed if he crosses into the attacking half of the pitch!!

Probable under instruction from Puel oops sorry Rodgers.

[Les-TA-Jon]

15 hours ago, StriderHiryu said:

I think both are glossing over our end of season form though and calling it a "blip." We've been awful all calendar year which is more than just a blip! But lets hope we can put it right on Sunday!

This is the thing that gets me - in my social circles I simply point out that we've been awful since December and get accused of being negative! 

 

In the league its: P22 W6 D6 L10

[Spudulike]

10 minutes ago, Les-TA-Jon said:

This is the thing that gets me - in my social circles I simply point out that we've been awful since December and get accused of being negative! 

 

In the league its: P22 W6 D6 L10

I think that perhaps some might not remember that horrendous run after the Wycombe match in the 00's which carried over into a disastrous following season. Won't have any bearing on what happens from here but some of us are veterans of that period and carry the scars. We have history of this. 

 

Conversely, we know more than most what finishing with momentum can do the following season. 

[foxfanazer]

7 minutes ago, Spudulike said:

I think that perhaps some might not remember that horrendous run after the Wycombe match in the 00's which carried over into a disastrous following season. Won't have any bearing on what happens from here but some of us are veterans of that period and carry the scars. We have history of this. 

 

Conversely, we know more than most what finishing with momentum can do the following season. 

Exactly. Can't believe how blasé some are being about our results since December. That's a long time where the problems haven't been addressed 

[StriderHiryu]

22 minutes ago, Les-TA-Jon said:

This is the thing that gets me - in my social circles I simply point out that we've been awful since December and get accused of being negative! 

 

In the league its: P22 W6 D6 L10

 

Probably because on paper many clubs would still love to have our squad and owners. People look at our side and think with Schmeichel, Evans, Soyuncu, Ndidi, Tielemans, Maddison, Vardy etc that "they aren't going to struggle that badly are they?"

 

5 minutes ago, Spudulike said:

I think that perhaps some might not remember that horrendous run after the Wycombe match in the 00's which carried over into a disastrous following season. Won't have any bearing on what happens from here but some of us are veterans of that period and carry the scars. We have history of this. 

 

Conversely, we know more than most what finishing with momentum can do the following season. 

That post Wycombe hangover that ultimately finished us off in the Premier League is definitely what last season's run reminded me of, plus the fact that this is a very weird season in general due to the late start and pandemic. You'd think our squad is good enough to safe from relegation this time round though. If you had to ask me now where we will finish, I'd probably go for 9th spot this season, though I think we will start badly given injuries and suspensions. 

[Muzzy_Larsson]

Villa sign Watkins for £28m. Paid way over the odds there if you ask me.