Cant disagree with your top 5 at all.
Premier League Gameweek 31+32
- Thread starter Samid
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
He isn't far off those players and he is only 23. Another season or two and I've no doubt he will be right up there with any of those.
Funny to think that Kulusevski is younger than Sancho.
As i wrote in the Conte thread a while ago he is a reactive coach. But he is currently the best one from that bunch and the reason is that the ultimate goal of almost all of the other reactive coaches is not to lose the game, Conte's aim is to win it! He is a winner and wants to win all just like many of the best proactive coaches like Pep, Klopp etc.. just his way to do it is different.
Fair. Be interesting to see how he looks with more quality beside him as well.
For sure, he plays to win even if he's the very opposite to the modern philosophy. He's overachieved everywhere he's went.
XG is just like any other stat. Useless unless put into context. People swear by it like it’s the Bible though, it’s weird.
If he get the attack he wanted he will be as good as any coach. I am not buying into purist culture. He is not Jose or simeone. He tried to win mostly with scoring lots of goals. But also have pragmatic way to win matches if things not go his team s way.
First half today was prime example. His players try to defend as a team entire first half. That s an art to make players like Kane to fight for your team. Very few coaches able to do that.
Most importantly he try to find solutions within with fringe players. Purists like pep will never able to do those things and won big. It's ridiculous United opted against signing him for their coach.
His way isn’t sustainable for long term success for that reason, not in a league of Pep and Klopp anyways.
Laporte isn’t better than Matip, neither is Rudiger.
van Dijk is so clearly better than Dias.
It’s not in order
Pep is not a purist, actually he is as pragmatic as any other coach but just like Conte is different to other reactive coaches Pep is different to the so called proactive as well. His way to organise defence and control the opposition from creating chances is keeping the ball as much is possible. City's defence is one of the best in the league albeit it is not working as a traditional defence at all.
Rüdiger has been immense and one of the best CB’s in the world for well over a year now. He’s easily better than Matip who wouldn’t look nearly as good without VVD beside him and that midfield in front of him.
I said no order. And I agree VVD is better.
As much as I detest him Rudiger is probably on par with Matip. Not really much in it tbh.
Rudiger clearly ripe for a slapping in a back four, defo taking Matip ahead of him
Rudiger plays in a back three and has just as defensive midfield in front of him, he plays in a back three with Kante Kovacic and Jorginho who are all defensively inclined midfielders in front of him, in fact he has more protection than Matip does for Liverpool. Plays in a line not as high and with two other cbs.
Matip has been good for longer than Rudiger if that’s the argument, after all he was a starter in the CL over two years ago, VVD is good but you can’t argue every time that such and such player is only good because they play beside him when Matip has outperformed VVD for parts of this season and Rudiger plays alongside Silva who isn’t shabby himself.
I agree no way you can say he is easily better though, I feel Fofana was on his way to being mentioned in the same company also.
Also Chelsea have conceded like 8 goals in the last 2 games before Southampton they don’t look as comfortable in a back four, Rudiger just made a mistake in his last big game for example.
Other than a dip in form and falling out under Lampard's suicidal defensive tactics in which everyone in our team struggled, Rüdiger has been awesome for years and years. He has just taken it to another level under Tuchel.
If both Matip and Rüdiger were on the open market right now with years left in their contracts Toni would be worth a hell of a lot more.
Maybe I should learn to read things properly.
He would be worth more because he is less injury prone, if I’m playing a back four with expansive tactics I take Matip.
VVD
Dias
Matip
Silva
Rudiger
would be the top 5 for me, Laporte has not been as excellent as he was couple seasons ago and one could argue he is barely better than Stones these days.
There are not many CB in the league who id pick Maguire ahead of tbh
. He is shite, IMOThe last Spurs goal was a fantastic team goal. Kulusevski has already developed a brilliant understanding with Son and Kane.
Be interested to see Son's xG return over the season, he tends to outperform.
Spurs were clinical today. Villa will feel hard done by, especially after their first half performance but that's football. They'll win games nicking the odd goal, just like Spurs will lose one freakishly, having dominated.
Jesse Marsch has nice eyes
I would have Matip over all those players bar VvD. But that's the under rating Liverpool players continue getting despite breaking records.
First off, there are no “players like Kane”, so that’s nonsense. If you mean Kane, say so.
Secondly, to get Kane to fight for your team, you just get him to look at the cock-on-ball badge.
Literally any coach could do it.
Where have you been for the last 8 years?
Even Maguire would look great in a back four with VVD, Trent and Robertson.
xG is all well and good but teams like Spurs will get away with a lower xG because they have world class finishers like Kane and Son. Villa's forwards Watkins and Ings are by no means bad, but they are simply not on the same kind of level as Son and Kane.
Thus the underrating continues. Fine by us.
VVD is not God.
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Norwich take the lead, for all it matters. 1-0. Lees-Melou.
At least Burnley would have been almost as depressed by yesterday's game as we were.
After beating Everton then watching that half arsed performance by us. Yes they must be.
Didn't they also beat a half assed United? So we just evened the score
That's true. We don't even have the drive to be a full arse.
2 hours to go and I'm already shitting bricks... gonna be a long day.
Also think Burnley are fecked if they don't turn this around. Imagine Norwich of all teams being the team to practically
relegate you.
Also think Burnley are fecked if they don't turn this around. Imagine Norwich of all teams being the team to practically
relegate you.
Leicester beating Palace 1-0. Lookman.