Watched Liverpool, Chelsea and City today. No one impressed me, tbh. Maybe just Chelsea played a very good second half, but just because Bournemouth just kept defending. You are gonna concede sooner on later in this way.
Premier League Gameweek 4 fixtures (1st - 2nd September 2018)
- Thread starter Sandyman
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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.
City missing de Bruyne massively, but who wouldn’t? Dull game from them today - but they still create lots more than let’s say Liverpool and Chelsea did today. So people can’t start talking about them as Champions and leaving out City, doesn’t make any sense
Depends if they take the EL seriously. Thursday night football might do for them.
Sterling - "It wasn't quite as we expected. They defended really well."
Bit harsh
Bit harsh
Same, but I don't think any of them have hit anything resembling top gear yet. The WC has expectedly done a number on how sharp teams look at the beginning of the season.
Watched Liverpool, Chelsea and City. City look by far the best. Chelsea reminded me of Van Gaal. Lots of possession but very little penetration. But i think they will get better and it may take a whole season to gel. Liverpool were away as well which can explain why they were not great. Not saying they were poor, but it could easily have been a draw.
Apart from the odd game here and there no team is really playing well so far. The WC seems to be having a bigger effect than usual. In our case we've got away with it so far but we need to step up fast because the run of games we have after the intl break is very tough and our current performance level won't cut it.
It's four games into the season, with the WC and a short season break it's understandable teams aren't firing.
I think we'll take it pretty seriously. We've thankfully got a big squad this season unlike last so we can rotate a lot early in the competition. This is where the likes of RLC, Barkley, Drinkwater, Zappacosta etc. will come in handy.
With a CL place at stake teams in Europa take this more seriously nowadays. The players you mention above will easily handle the first few games but when the third placed CL teams drop in it will be your first XI pretty much all the way from thereon in.
Anyone noticed how that only 3 additional minutes was given. I bet if Walker hadn't scored we would have seen minimum of 6 additional minutes.
Chelsea, as ever are a mood swing or injury to Hazard from being a pretty average team. City are excellent but at least so far teams are putting up more of a fight that the embarrassing capitulation of last season.
Liverpool still look like a team who will have bad months to me, might take them out of contention. Very dangerous side but the talent level is not as high across the team as some make out. Continues to baffle me that Maguire is rated so highly, his ball playing ability must be carrying a heavy weight with his fans but defensively he is a long way from elite, find it remarkable that so many chose to ignore how flat footed and slow on the turn he can look.
Liverpool still look like a team who will have bad months to me, might take them out of contention. Very dangerous side but the talent level is not as high across the team as some make out. Continues to baffle me that Maguire is rated so highly, his ball playing ability must be carrying a heavy weight with his fans but defensively he is a long way from elite, find it remarkable that so many chose to ignore how flat footed and slow on the turn he can look.
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Except that apart from us and Arsenal all the big guns have had very good starts?
Weird to think it's September 1st and I'd take Chelsea winning the league as a pretty acceptable season right now.
This is only the beginning of the nightmare that will be this season.
Comments like this always puzzle me. Aside from City who at any given time will have several £50m+ players on their bench, which clubs in the league wouldn't look "average" without their best player? Take Kane from Spurs and they're a completely different team. Liverpool don't look nearly as scary if Salah is out. Who would score goals for you guys if Lukaku were out?
Weird how people keep saying this about Chelsea as if we're a one man team. Or like we're the only big club in the PL who rely on a top player.
I'd actually say we don't rely on a top player but not by choice, purely becuase our 'big' names are so unreliable.
Hazard is just a great great player so if he doesn't play you're a different team, same with Kane/Spurs, KDB/City, Salah/LPool even Zaha/Palace
Considering Liverpool are bottlers, 18-19 will be a mano a mano between Chelsea and City.
No United on TV today. It makes sense, two unbeaten teams go against each other, but still, quite a rare occurrence.
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Yesterday's game was an odd one. Given that a draw away from home in the Premier League is never to be sniffed at unless the opposition is Derby or Sunderland level of poor I'd have been content with the draw before the start of the game. However, any team worth their salt should be seeing out a two goal lead when there's only 25 minutes remaining - not doing so is criminal.
Cech starts today for Arsenal. Anyone know why Leno isn't getting a game? Very strange to shell out for a keeper and not play him.
Maybe Emery didn't choose him ?
Cardiff City vs Arsenal
The front 3 looks great.
Strong line-up from Arsenal. They will win this comfortably.
It's Arsenal, they can't win anything comfortably.
Cardiff players not even household names in their own house.
I can't remember if he came pre or post Emery, but Cech seems like a keeper whos best days are behind him. Just seems a bit strange.
He's still a very good keeper, though. I don't see much wrong with wanting to ease Leno in while learning from Cech. Later this season/next season is when I expect Leno to be #1 outright.
Think today arsenal will win comfortably
Cardiff will go down imo.
Arsenal to this win 4-0.
Arsenal to this win 4-0.
Games aren’t won on paper, thankfully. Arsenal will find it tough today.
Cardiff are not a PL team at all. Arsenal to win easily, 2 or 3 nil.
Cardiff are genuinely rubbish. If they don't finish 20th, I'll be very surprised.
Maybe Cech has hinted he's leaving/retiring soon, and they wanted to have his replacement settled in when he does?
Cardiff gonna get a draw here.
Is Rwanda peaceful now?
Well that was nearly a good start for Cech.
One of the most peaceful in the region, if not continent.