2020/21 Premier League Discussion

It's not a issue with VAR. VAR supplies the tools and angles needed to make a correct decision. However the officials in this league are too arrogant and scared to even use it to anywhere close to its full potential. pic.twitter.com/DSNHOkIQ4F

— Owen (@LFCOwen96) February 20, 2021

Quick see it before the copyright kicks in, notice how this man doesn't even wait for the Trent challenge

@Thimmy wrote:If time matters, then Liverpool is going through a slump due to an eruption of injuries, and they still have the most talented assembly of players in the league. Let's see how it pans out next season, if the majority of their players stay fit.

They have the best defender in the world by quite some distance, as well as arguably the strongest frontline in football, despite how much their stock value fluctuates on here. And they're all below the average prime age. If this is the end of their cycle, color me unimpressed.

For the first part, Liverpool should have refreshed their squad a bit at the end of the last season itself. I had posted about whether Klopp has it in the mould of Wenger or Ferguson to rebuild the squad year after year. These are strange circumstances where they wanted to do it in terms "Werner" but still could not do it due to lack of assured finances in a covid season.

About the best defender VanDdik. He has had a very long and serious knee injury so usually when players return from such injuries, they are not the same.

About the front line, I think the only way to properly rebuild the squad is if we sell one of Salah/Firmino/Mane otherwise I see us continuing with the likes of Shaqiri/Jota/Minamino/some kids in the next season as back up to usual front three; with Origi most likely sold to some BL team.

@Nishankly wrote:

It's not a issue with VAR. VAR supplies the tools and angles needed to make a correct decision. However the officials in this league are too arrogant and scared to even use it to anywhere close to its full potential. pic.twitter.com/DSNHOkIQ4F

— Owen (@LFCOwen96) February 20, 2021

Quick see it before the copyright kicks in, notice how this man doesn't even wait for the Trent challenge

ohh by Gaaaawd that is some crazy shit !!!

Lingard on fire ffs. Found his level.

West Ham 2-0 Spurs

The penalty last night was bizarre. The ref was prompted to look at the monitor, suggesting it was a tight one and needed a second look, but he spent less than a second looking at it. He'd made his mind up before even going to look.

Good on Klopp for admitting the penalty wasn't as crucial as appeared, given his team's struggles in attack, but the raw incompetence on display from the PL refs is really alarming. I remember when we used to give refs the benefit of the doubt because they didn't have access to all the tech pundits did, but now they do have access they're still getting big calls wrong.

All I can say on Liverpool right now is playing without two quality centre backs is difficult because they enable them to play the game in the opposition's half and continuously exert pressure. Without them, the opposition can get out, get the two centre backs chasing back and force Liverpool to regroup. Since the full-backs now have to track back into defence more, they're not in those advanced positions where they can play those early crosses behind defences like they were last season. Assists and crosses per game are down for both Robertson and Alexander-Arnold.

Also, having to play Fabinho and Henderson in defence deprives the midfield of two valuable ball-winners. Thiago can do many things, but he can't tackle worth a damn.

Moyesie ffs

I imagine when Mou is finally sacked by Spurs it'll mark the end of any big teams in the PL ever hiring him again

may as well go manage Milan or Portugal tbh

City XI | Ederson, Cancelo, Dias, Stones, Zinchenko, Fernandinho (C), Gundogan, Bernardo, Mahrez, De Bruyne, Sterling

Arsenal: Leno, Bellerin, Holding, Mari, Tierney; Elneny, Xhaka; Saka, Odegaard, Pepe; Aubameyang.

Arteta doing his old mate a favour with that line-up

@Jay29 wrote:The penalty last night was bizarre. The ref was prompted to look at the monitor, suggesting it was a tight one and needed a second look, but he spent less than a second looking at it. He'd made his mind up before even going to look.

He should not be refereeing any PL games anymore. Completely unacceptable behaviour.

Team news

Arsenal (4-2-3-1) Leno; Bellerin, Holding, Pablo Mari, Tierney; Elneny, Xhaka; Saka, Odegaard, Pepe; Aubameyang.
Substitutes: Ryan, Gabriel, Cedric, David Luiz, Ceballos, Smith Rowe, Lacazette, Willian, Martinelli.

Manchester City (4-3-3) Ederson; Cancelo, Stones, Dias, Zinchenko; Silva, Fernandinho, Gundogan; Mahrez, De Bruyne, Sterling.
Substitutes: Steffen, Walker, Laporte, Mendy, Rodri, Foden, Jesus, Aguero, Torres.

Referee Jon Moss.

Win or bust game for Arteta

oh fuck off

*sigh*

didn't last long

That was a fast goal ffs. Sterling scores after 2 minutes. Man City 1 up.

Gotta give credit where it's due. That was a brilliant solo performance from Rashford for Man United's first goal. I still remember his gazillion misses from the last match, though

Mourinho's spurs is playing worse than the spurs that got Poch sacked and he's doing while being paid 15m and spending more money than Poch ever spent.

He's got a putrid win %. He's literally the worst spurs coach in the last two decades or close to it.

It's hilarious and honestly I can't help but laugh. It's insane how many fans defend him though. Mans has a cult of personality that is legit Trump like

@RealGunner wrote:Lingard on fire ffs. Found his level.

West Ham 2-0 Spurs

needs to keep it up until the end of the season, easy 30 million for us

@CBarca wrote:Mourinho's spurs is playing worse than the spurs that got Poch sacked and he's doing while being paid 15m and spending more money than Poch ever spent.

He's got a putrid win %. He's literally the worst spurs coach in the last two decades or close to it.

It's hilarious and honestly I can't help but laugh. It's insane how many fans defend him though. Mans has a cult of personality that is legit Trump like

Spurs fans defend him? he's finished, clearly.

Will be Portugal coach in 2 seasons, heard Levy would have to pay 34M to sack him so enjoy another 2 seasons of Mou ball

He was finished like 7 years ago lol, how he keeps conning people into giving him a job is hilarious.

He hasn't been elite since he left Madrid.

@CBarca wrote:Mourinho's spurs is playing worse than the spurs that got Poch sacked and he's doing while being paid 15m and spending more money than Poch ever spent.

He's got a putrid win %. He's literally the worst spurs coach in the last two decades or close to it.

It's hilarious and honestly I can't help but laugh. It's insane how many fans defend him though. Mans has a cult of personality that is legit Trump like

Remember how we got attacked for suggesting his run of form earlier in the season probably wasn't sustainable and were then accused of being biased. Lol.

@Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:He was finished like 7 years ago lol, how he keeps conning people into giving him a job is hilarious.

He hasn't been elite since he left Madrid.

But 2004 CL with Porto tho (:

Well I expect to see if Ole win his same trophies at Manchester

Theorically United are the favorites on paper o this year without Se*i**a, Mou won it Europa League under Manchester , and it is not nothing, we'll see now, personally I don't underrate European trophies, still I think to not have overcome that disappointment last year

Having said that Mourinho is finished clearly , but I expect to see the cups.
I remember he manages a win-less club as Tottenham, it's enough to win League Cup this year to be the most winner Tottenham manager of last 10 years

about West Ham I wonder why they're 4th , it sounds surprising, apart the "Moyes football genius banter ", what's the reason?  Some players are overperforming ?

I've read praise for Leicester, surely credit to them for brilliant league so far but I don't feel surprised for it. for me Leicester are a big team.
It'd be more relevant if Everton get 4th place
Let alone West Ham.... So why they are so good this year?
Never seen a match by them , Moyes doesn't encentivates me to do it

We aren't even looking forward to the next game, look at Salah's face

I hope Brewster scores a hattrick against Klopp !

@Helmer wrote:I hope Brewster scores a hattrick against Klopp !

Well, we have so far provided for all other strugglers (Fulham, WBA, Newcastle, BHA, Southampton).