2021/22 Premier League & General Football Discussion

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redhed17
Maybe as a former Utd legend he would get at least 3 years too. And being a former defender, he may stiffen up their defence. ;)

Seriously though, Solskjær, when asked why he had no doubts he is still the man to take United forward, said: “I have come too far, we have come too far as a group. We are too close to give up now.” Do you reckon he has told the players what the plan is! I've been hearing a lot of fans and pundits, even before the Liverpool game, saying they are not quite sure what the plan is at Utd. I think the feel good factor of Ronaldo's return has distracted a lot of scrutiny. Do Utd fans think he/they are 'close'?
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Answer: no.

In my opinion, he's making up stuff as he goes, including answers in interviews. Yeah, I know there will always be a certain amount of vanilla answers in interviews, but I have yet to hear anything tangible like I would hear from Klopp, Guardiola or Tuchel. I would love to see Solskjaer stand in front of a fan forum. (Obviously it's not going to happen.) I'd ask him to specify... close to what?? What is the vision? He's a copycat manager, and he can't even do that correctly (trying to copy Fergie).

Correct me if I'm wrong redhed17... when Klopp was hired, I think he said "give me 4 years." Year 3 = Champions League; year 4 = league. This is 3 years with Ole, and I don't see progress. Close to what? Winning the title in year 7?
 
And Klopp reached a UCL final the year before.

From what I've seen, United has had problems with consistency. They can't attack well, control the midfield nor defend well. There's no aspect of their game that they dominate. Some players will then produce a bit of magic, and might get the win, but never a clear cut win.

Then, there's the coaching. Who in their right mind, sees a team go 2-0 down against Atalante, and 4 days later, picks the same exact team to play against a much more threatening team, like Liverpool? What could go wrong, right? :dopey:
 
We have a great team that aren't actually a team, they are just individuals who happen to play for the same club, its the coaching that's mostly the problem for me, Ole and his backroom team seem out of they're depth.

Saw the game on match of the day, I was disappointed obviously but not really surprised as I thought something like that might happen, there was no strategy or organisation, there was some fight but sadly that was evident by Ronaldo kicking out at Jones and Pogba's two-footed lunge for the sending off.

Quite a few fans left with 20 minutes still left but credit to the ones who stayed and chanted songs right the end, Ole spent 10 minutes signing autographs as he left the ground and didn't get a single bit of abuse.

Have to mention Liverpool as well who were brilliant even with the terrible opposition, they are one of the best teams in the world right now and Salah one of the best players, they really should tie him doen to that new contract and just give him whatever he wants.

Really don't know with Ole right now, they could sack him this week but I have a feeling he'll be given time to try and turn it around (try being the key word there!) Its not getting much easier with Spurs and Man City to come in the next two games though.
 
Just seen an article here which quotes Solskjaer.

He said: “We’re at home, we’re playing against Liverpool and have gone here over the last two and half years and had a similar approach to go high press."
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“Today they scored their chances early on, they haven’t done that before."
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“I think Manchester United, we should always try at home and go and stamp our authority on the game.”
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Now that middle quote has me a little confused, Liverpool scored against Utd in the 5th minute. They scored in the previous game against Watford in the 8th minute. Most times Liverpool go at teams for the first 10-25 minutes in the hopes of getting a goal or more. It is not a secret, or a hard to work out tactic.

Or does he mean Liverpool have not scored against Utd within a few minutes before, and so they somehow didn't know how to react to that! :confused: 🤔

If he is living in a dream world where he thinks that if Liverpool hadn't have scored within the first 15-25 mins they would have had any chance in that game with the way they are playing atm, then he may be living in a deluded world. And the quote that he claims they are 'close', may back that up. Even Gary Neville admitted that Utd are not close to the League or the Champions Leagues responding to that quote.
 
redhed17
Just seen an article here which quotes Solskjaer.


“I think Manchester United, we should always try at home and go and stamp our authority on the game.”
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... yada, yada, yada... "United DNA"... yada, yada, yada... "fast and aggressive".... yada, yada, yada... "I know it's about winning trophies."

I haven't seen the evidence. United's home record under OGS... win percentage is worse than Mourinho.
www.planetfootball.com

Comparing Man Utd's home record under Solskjaer and Mourinho - Planet Football

Manchester United may have the biggest stadium in the Premier League - but is a trip to Old Trafford as daunting as it once was? We've compared United's Premier League home record under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Jose Mourinho to work out who performed best at Old Trafford.
www.planetfootball.com www.planetfootball.com
 
Mourinho had a far, far worse squad than Solskjaer has. I do remember the vitriol levelled at Mourinho at the time and he is an insufferable has-been when it comes to elite-level management but I said to my friends at the time that Mourinho's time at Man United would be vindicated and positively reevaluated one day; I don't think he gets the credit he deserves and Solskjaer is clearly in a management role way, way above his station. The politics at Man United above the manager don't help.
 
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So, has he been sacked yet? Or will they give him the chance of being trashed by City?
 
MUSC4EVER
We have a great team that aren't actually a team, they are just individuals who happen to play for the same club, its the coaching that's mostly the problem for me, Ole and his backroom team seem out of they're depth.
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This is exactly the problem, man for man we’re A good team, on paper. But we don’t play with any real shape or system. Rashdord for example has stopped tracking back, where has his partership with Shaw gone? There are problems all over the pitch due to a lack of cohesion.

I think we were lucky, as good as Liverpool were, I don’t think that was them at their best.
 
So there was a lot of rumours and speculation regarding Ole today and whether he'd get the sack, nothing has actually happened, apparently MD Richard Arnold did have a meeting with the Glazers about Ole and the poor form. the Glazers were in India over the weekend trying to buy an IPL team.

Not a lot happening football wise this week, its the fourth round of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday and Wednesday, Arsenal v Leeds and Preston v Liverpool are the two games that will be shown on Sky, There are games in the Vanarama National, a few games in League One and Two, EFL Trophy games and games in the Scottish Premier League and that's it.
 
Dave A
This is exactly the problem, man for man we’re A good team, on paper. But we don’t play with any real shape or system. Rashdord for example has stopped tracking back, where has his partership with Shaw gone? There are problems all over the pitch due to a lack of cohesion.

I think we were lucky, as good as Liverpool were, I don’t think that was them at their best.
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And Liverpool pretty much stopped attacking after the 5th goal, and passed it about to keep a clean sheet. I don't think Cit€h would ease off in a similar situation. And judging by Chel$ki's result on the weekend, I doubt they would ease off either atm.
 
MUSC4EVER
So there was a lot of rumours and speculation regarding Ole today and whether he'd get the sack, nothing has actually happened, apparently MD Richard Arnold did have a meeting with the Glazers about Ole and the poor form.
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So our business/commercial director steps in to discuss/make a football decision. Does that happen at other clubs? Genuine question as I don't know.
 
When asked about Harry Maguire's post game quote of "I'm only here because I have to be here" one of the pundits on ESPN FC said, "To be fair to him it was the first time that day he was in the right place" 🤣
 
Ole took training today, looks like he will be in charge for the Spurs game at least.
 
Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds are at their first Wrexham game tonight; we concede two goals in ninety seconds to be 0-2 down and have a man sent off with a straight red. Absolutely the most predictable thing ever. There is not one single Wrexham fan who didn't think this exact scenario was happening.

Never dream.
 
Well to be fair to them they pulled it back to 2-2 despite having a man sent off, McElhenney and Reynolds will be at the home game against Torquay at the weekend too.
 
Carabao Cup fourth round round-up.

Arsenal 2-0 Leeds
Chelsea 1-1 Southampton (Chelsea win 4-3 on pens)
QPR 0-0 Sunderland (Sunderland win 3-1 on pens)
Burnley 0-1 Spurs
Leicester 2-2 Brighton (Leicester win 4-2 on pens)
Preston 0-2 Liverpool
Stoke 1-2 Brentford
West Ham 0-0 Man City (West Ham win 5-3 on pens)

Big news there is that current holders Man City knocked out by West Ham, draw for the next round will take place on Soccer AM on Saturday morning.
 
MUSC4EVER
Big news there is that current holders Man City knocked out by West Ham...
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An amazing run of 5 years unbeaten for Cit€h in the League Cup, and 4 consecutive League Cup trophies. :bowdown:

Great instinctive goal by Divock Origi against Preston. 😲 Worth a look if anyone hasn't seen it. ;) The guy scores some great and timely goals when he is called upon. 🙂 Preston were a bit unlucky, and had more chances than a much changed Liverpool team from the one that played on the weekend. Liverpool were just a bit more clinical with their chances.

I would rather the draw for the next were tonight after the games were over, or tomorrow, rather than waiting till Saturday while the interest is on this competition before the Premier League takes over.

Edit:Added link to all angles of Divock Origi's goal. Amazing.
 
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Hasnain282
www.fcbarcelona.com

Ronald Koeman relieved of his duties as first team coach

The president of the club, Joan Laporta, informed him of the decision after the defeat against Rayo Vallecano
www.fcbarcelona.com www.fcbarcelona.com
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What an absolute mess that club is. I feel bad for Koeman; not to say that everything he did or tried to to was great but he'll only be seen as a fall guy when in reality, anybody coming in was going to have a horrible time.
 
Liquid
What an absolute mess that club is. I feel bad for Koeman; not to say that everything he did or tried to to was great but he'll only be seen as a fall guy when in reality, anybody coming in was going to have a horrible time.
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They lost to Rayo yesterday. That is pretty damning. I don't think I've ever seen Barca lose to Rayo in the last two decades.
 
I think Barcelona and Real managing positions are precarious places to be for awhile because of the finances of both teams.

The spending power that usually got them past difficult times is not there, unless they do some dodgy dealing, which you wouldn't put past them looking back at their histories. Messi is a huge void to fill, and it would take a quality 'team', following a consistent structure to get close to being back to that level. Changing managers/coaches all the time is not conducive to that approach. Spending loads of money on overpaid stars and the manager/coach being a interchangeable figurehead is much easier. It just comes at a cost, which is seemingly now due. ;)

Another very surprising result was Bayern Munich losing 5-0 to Borussia Monchengladbach in the German Cup. 😲 Their heaviest defeat since 1978. And I don't think it was a weakened team for the cup either.
 
This weekends games.

Saturday.
Burnley v Brentford
Leicester v Arsenal (12.30 BT)
Liverpool v Brighton
Man City v Crystal Palace
Newcastle v Chelsea
Tottenham v Man United (5.30 Sky)
Watford v Southampton

Sunday.
Aston Villa v West Ham (4.30 Sky)
Norwich v Leeds (2pm Sky)

Monday.
Wolves v Everton (8pm Sky)

Interesting that City, Liverpool and Chelsea are all on the 3pm tomorrow.

It'll be Ole's last game in charge of United on Sunday I think, I have little faith in him and the current coaching team that they can turn things around, I'm a bit bewildered that he is still in the job TBH.
 
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MUSC4EVER
Saturday.
Tottenham v Man United (5.30 Sky)

It'll be Ole's last game in charge of United on Sunday I think, I have little faith in him and the current coaching team that they can turn things around, I'm a bit bewildered that he is still in the job TBH.
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He'll probably still in the job through the Man City game. Who can the club appoint so immediately? Not sure about Fletcher or any of the coaching staff as interim manager.
 
Phelan will get the job interim/caretaker most probably.
 
Time for El Sackico.
 
Todays games were quite interesting!

Leicester 0-2 Arsenal
Burnley 3-1 Brentford
City 0-2 Palace
Liverpool 2-2 Brighton
Newcastle 0-3 Chelsea
Watford 0-1 Southampton
Spurs 0-3 United

Surprise result at the Etihad where a below par City lost at home to Palace, Zaha scored after six minutes and Laporte was sent off right on half time, Gallagher got the winner in the 88th minute, Brighton pegged Liverpool back after Henderson and Mane put them ahead but Mwepu and Trossard gave Brighton a great point, Arsenal fantastic against Leicester with Gabriel and Smith-Rowe scoring and Ramsdale with some brilliant saves, Newcastle held on a bit until the 65th minute but James with two and a Jorginho penalty gives Chelsea the win, Burnley scoring three is a surprise!

Spurs-United just finished, I read on the socials that United might be playing three at the back and that's what we did, it was Varane, Maguire and Lindelof at the back with wingbacks and Ronaldo and Cavani up front...and it worked, much better than Liverpool game and three great goals, Ronaldo with a fantastic half volley, great build up play from Cavani, Bruno and Ronaldo which led to Cavni scoring and Rashford came on to score a great finish, it was helped with the fact that Spurs were terrible and offered little, but it was better and Ole picked an experienced team and a different formation and it worked, eases the pressure a bit but still work to do.
 
Norwich 1-2 Leeds
Villa 1-4 West Ham

Three goals in six second half minutes brightened up a pretty poor game at Carrow Road, Raphinha and Rodrigo with a great goal each with a header from Omobamidele sandwiched in between, much needed win for Leeds, Norwich were a bit better but its still 2 points from the last 60 available in the PL for them, and no team has ever had a worse goal difference than -22 after 10 games.

Good times continue for West Ham with a convincing and impressive away win. Johnson, Rice, Fornals and Bowen with their goals and Watkins with Villa's goal, Konza was sent off for Villa at 1-2 for a last man challenge (there has been a few of them this weekend) which was a bit contentious, Nakamba should have seen red in the build up to that when he laid out Fornals.

Nuno Espirito Santo job at Spurs is in serious doubt after Daniel Levy and the Spurs board are in discussions about it.
 
Major sack-race action this morning, with Nuno merely the third manager to lose his job today.

The league's bottom club, Scunthorpe United, have sacked Neil Cox. Barnsley, bottom of the Championship other than points-deducted Derby, have sacked Markus Schopp. And then of course Spurs, who are bo... oh wait, they're eighth in the table and a point outside the European places.


Honestly, Premier League clubs and their supporters don't even realise they're born sometimes. Bitching about being one place below where they finished last season and potentially only getting £145m instead of £150m (as if Brighton is going to be up there with its paper-thin squad once injuries start happening).
 
Nuno wasn't the problem at Spurs, the stagnating squad is the issue. Kane should have left for City for a load of money, but after his poor showing over the last few months since the Euros, his price is dropping every day. That saga of not selling a player that's wanted to leave has swamped through the whole club, and it's not allowed the rest to shine. Kane's great, but so is £100m which can be reinvested easily.

And yeah, to get rid of a new manager when the club is 8th is crazy. Honestly, looking at the current PL table, Leeds, Newcastle and Norwich are the only clubs that are miles behind where they should be or should be hoping to be. Everyone else is either flying high (West Ham, Brighton) or around where they should be, -ish... Arsenal have recovered from a terrible start, Man U, Tottenham and Leicester are probably the 3 teams that might feel they're below their hopes from last season, but they're not in an unrecoverable slide or anything. Nuno hasn't had time to really show what he can do at the club, so it's a surprise that he's the first to go. Solskjaer has been at United for a while and has had plenty of time to bring his ethos into the club, and it still isn't working despite many marquee signings. Like, what has Sancho done this season? Ole is a mauling at City away from being sacked surely, and maybe Nuno would be a good candidate for that job :lol:
 
After seeing what Nuno Espirito Santo did in his last season at Wolves, him turning up at Spurs was a big surprise. 😲 That he was supposedly 4th or 5th choice, and the fans knew it, it would have needed an amazing start to get the fans on his side, and he must have known he was a handful of bad results from being shown the door. The Kane saga didn't help, and seems to have affected the whole team.

With regards to him going so soon into the season, with Spurs seemingly not in that bad a position, I think Spurs, especially after reaching a Champions League final in the last few years, may feel they need to be at least in Europe. Having a £1B stadium to pay for means that if they think Europe is a diminishing expectation so early on, and the Spurs performances have not been inspiring so far, then they will try making a change to get the team moving in the other direction up the table.

Conte seems to be the favourite, but I don't think he stays too long in the places he coaches. Time will tell. But as mentioned above, the Kane money could have started an overhaul, as it is, if Kane stays, money will still have to be spent to get some better players in. Arsenal, in a similar decline, seem to have a group of young players coming through for light at the end of the tunnel, I don't see evidence of that at Spurs.

Interesting times at Spurs. ;)
 
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