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TAA always has been a liability in defence though. All these calls and labelling him the best right back in the world are proposterous. He may be assigned the role of a RB but he certainly does not play like one. He is essentially a wing back at best and has very limited defensive skills.
Weird for me that it took a moment of individual brilliance for Liverpool to breakdownt their defence._____________________________
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Tuchel clearly feeling the pressure. Not sure what Conte did to deserve the red, that was all Tuchel’s making.
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So my take having watched nearly all games this weekend:
Arsenal: Well, they definitely have a starting XI now that could make some serious impact. Problem still is the weakest link for me, Arteta. Same tactics as last season, go a goal up then try and defend it for the rest of the game. Really don’t see that getting them in the top four, they will finish 6th again. Chelsea, City, Liverpool, Spurs and a bolter will be above them (possibly ManU if they can sort their shit out)
Liverpool: I thought they needed a new dynamo in the midfield. They have their defence and attack set very well for the season ahead, but the graft Klopp requires from his midfield is going to take its toll over the course of the season. Still can’t see them winning it, nor finishing anything lower than 2nd
Chelsea: I know there were players missing, but boy were they flat against a very averrage Everton. Last season I was convinced they had the squad to push City all the way. This could be a make or break season here. I fear they may finish out of the top 4 but really shouldn’t.
City: When I saw the squad for the game I was surprised at how thin on it was for the start of the season (well, in City terms anyway). Could this smaller squad depth cost them at the pointy end of the season?
As for Haaland, well City now have a threat they’ve never really had before. Even with Sergio they never had that marauding runner outpacing defenders from the half way line. Now City have a completely new attacking strategy in their arsenal should they choose to deploy it. Will be very interesting to see. If injuries stay away, I can see them absolutely blitzing this comp.Spurs: Hard to tell from what I saw. I thought Saints were poor but did Spurs make them look poor. Not enough of a test for me but the squad they now have is impressive. Tipping them to take 3rd
Man U: Has anything changed? Doesn’t look like it. I personally can’t see them breaking the top 4 but who knows, TH could turn things around. Supposedly the viruses have been eradicated from that squad, let’s see if the recovery goes well.
Others: Wolves off to their ususal poor start but when they get on a run are very dangerous, possible bolter there. Leicester, despite the draw I thought we looked really good. Much like the last two seasons, a lot will depend on if we can keep the majority of our squad fit. Ricardo already likely gone for the season. We actually scored from a set piece rather than conceded!!!! West Ham, will always be dangerous but I don’t think they will get top 6, I think they missed their chance there, much like we did two seasons ago.
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Brian, have to completely disagree with you there. No way on any planet or league is Ake better than Evans!!! I didn’t rate him at Chelsea, nor when he was at Bournemouth. He’s done nothing at City where he has the best squad around him. Evans on the other hand has taken our defence to the next level. His absence these last 12 months are a major factor in our poor results. Ake is neither a leader in defence nor a bastian in stability. Evans is both of those
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I think Ake is a terrible player. Actually don’t see what people see in him. Very error prone. I heard we were in or him, hoping like mad we don’t take him
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I really rate Philips. His engine is amazing! He is exactly what Utd needed in their midfield intead of all this talk of Rice. I like Rice, he’s easily more technically gifted than Philips but nowhere near the same energy.
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Been saying this for years but Klopp makes players play above their grade. It will be very interesting to see how Mane goes at Bayern. I think he will be good but I suspect he won’t perform as well as he did at Liverpool.
I never subscribed to the belief that Gini was world class. I thought he was a very good player but Klopp just had a knack of getting players to play at 150% of their ability. Coutinho is another example. For me, there are actually very few truly world class players at Liverpool. Klopp is the key and without him the real players are exposed._____________________________
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I have been completely switched off from England internationals ever since Gareth took charge. He treats internationals like a nursery for kids, has zero tactical nous and is so incredibly defensive when we have some of the most exciting attacking threats in the world. At the last world cup and the Euros he has been in winning positions only to invite the oppostition to attack his team and we inevitably fall short. I’d actually say he could be a really good assistant manager for morale for a far more tactically knowledgable and experienced foreign coach.
If we wanted to keep it English, I’ve said all along, I’d love to see what Sean Dyche could do with the national team. He’s only ever had shoestring budgets and therefore technically-lacking players at his disposal, would love to see what he could achieve with the pool of talent at his disposal. Also keenly watching what Howe can do with talent at Newcastle. He definitely is one for the future in my mind._____________________________
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personally think everyone is reading too much into it. As always it will be a reporter asking a very specific fishing question trying to elicit a sensational response to create a headline. The interviewee can either refuse to answer it or the the answer they do give will be deliberately twisted. Clickbait pure and simple
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to be fair, I actually thought Salah had a good game. Honestly, any other keeper in goal that night and he scores.
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It does make me wonder whether Liverpool’s easier route to the final was their downfall in the end. If we look at their season, they have failed to beat Chelsea in normal time on 4 occasions as well as City on two. I wonder whether the lack of testing in the league outside of those two as well as the easy road to the final didn’t prepare them enough?
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Here’s my theory/view on Klopp.
I think that for all his brilliance, as long as Pep is at City I think City will continue to pip Liverpool to the league, barring crazy number of injuries at City. Pep is great at creating a well oiled machine that does the same thing week-in-week-out which is what you want for a league assualt, however his system isn’t as good at revving up the gears when it is needed (see his multiple failures in cup comps). Klopp’s system is far more reliant on graft and energy. That system is hard to maintain a consistent performance throughout the course of a season (the fact he’s come close to City so many times now is incredible), however they are brilliant at revving up and going up a gear for one-off games, which is greatly suited to cup comps. I have absolutely no doubt that Liverpool will make mincemeat of Madrid, in fact they would have beaten any club in Europe (City included) as they are animals when they have the bit between their teeth.
If (and that’s a big if) my prediction comes true and Klopp continues to be a cup-man rather than a league-man then they will be seen as the best Second-Best team ever to exist in my view._____________________________
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I think I made the comment on here about 2 or 3 games into Howe taking charge at Newcastle that they were in dire trouble and based on the lack of quality they had in defence and midfield they were going to finish 20th. Howe may have spent some money, but really in the grand scheme of things it wasn’t that much. One could argue they were simply spending what should have been spent in the previous 5 or 6 seasons of underinvestment, and even then it wouldn’t come close. If you consider that Fat Frank came in not long after Howe to a squad that had already invested huge amounts in comparison and then added DVB and Alli on top of that, Howe has done an incredible job. THe signings Newcastle brought in were hardly world class or renowned players, Trippier is the wrong side of 30, otherwise could fall into that category.
I don’t disagree too much with the argument for Thomas Franck, but we have seen countless examples of promoted teams coming up and finishing mid table before, it’s highly commendable but certainly not outstanding. Howe had half a season to turn around a langiushing team who were destined to finish 20th and finished 11th.
Just to cement the point about Howe, only Liverpool, City and Spurs accumulated more points than Newcastle in 2022, which when you consider he only took charge in late Nov is incredible!_____________________________
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Not sure what is funny by my logic Dirty Harry. I agree that I wouldn’t give it to Pep, he won the league by 1 point. I agree that Howe should have got it considering he had the biggest effect on his team IMO
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I do think Klopp is an incredible manager, but I am very confused how the Barclay’s Premier League Manager of the Year award can go to him? He finished second with a team that was expected to finish in the top 3. That is his only LEAGUE achievement, the cups and European achievements are irrelevant for this award
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I’m not sure why there is even an argument about Manager of the Year. Pretty sure that award is a Premier League award, right? How many cups or European games/comps Klopp has won is completely irrelevant, it’s based solely and purely on the league. Klopp finished 2nd in that comp. For me, it is between Pep, Conte and Howe. I’d go Howe.
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I’ve always believed being an Ast Manager means sod all. Too often they are tasked with only one aspect of the job, tactics, training or man-management, rarely all aspects and so when they makes those transitions from Ast Manager to full time manager it rarely goes well. I mean how many Ast Managers did Fergie have work under him and go on to be successful mamagers in their own right?
I actually think you’re better off earning your stripes as a youth team manager as you will more likely have to perform all the duties you are expected to from senior football in a lesser format_____________________________
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…and each manager after was worse than their predecessor
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I find it funny how no one is talking about the fact that it could be Chelsea that finishes outside the CL spots. I mean I know it is unlikely, but it could still happen
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Yeah, Arsenal’s fixtures are really tricky. Newcastle are no mugs these days and with them missing so many defenders I think Newcastle’s physicality will be their undoing. Then Everton on the final day who might have everything to do (depending on how Leeds go in this next game). If Spurs can get over this next game against Burnley with a win, which will be tough then I have them as taking that final spot on the last day.
Love watching Son, hardly ever mentioned in the same breath as other top performers in the league yet would easily walk into any starting XI in the league. One goal behind Salah now and he hasn’t even taken any pens this season. That’s some feat!
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