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SF - I’m not sure I’d describe a starting line up of Tony Marshall, Rashford, Fernandez and Pogba as a front four as ‘conservative’
Should be a blinder, this
Bit simplistic jonv. Why did Klopp play Jota in the dead rubber champions league group game - injured. He was putting genuine pressure on the front 3 which is more than Origi will ever do. Gomez too was injured on international duty with no one near him and Matip is always injured.
I meant the Fred / McTominay shield as per all Man U’s big games.
Should be a blinder, this
Thanks, Binners.
Apologies for this kiss of death there
Still 3 points clear though 😃
Disappointing lack of penalties/VAR drama.
Salah forgot to put his Speedos on?
It was indeed. Couldn't have been better for them. The form they're on at the moment too, they've got to be clear favourites for the title
Every time John Stones is mentioned it makes me laugh at this
https://twitter.com/TotalStoneRoses/status/764449388915728384?s=20
they’ve got to be clear favourites for the title
looking good at the moment, but this season, lose a couple of players to covid for a while, an injury or 2 and when the fixtures are coming thick and fast things can change quickly. There are still some twists and turns to this season IMO.
Leicester are quietly sneaking up on the inside, can't remember if they are still in the FA cup, I wonder if they might sacrifice Europe and go for the league. The team with least games to play could have a massive advantage.
Guardiola always wants to win everything, and while it has brought us a lot of trophies, IMO he plays senior players in too many matches they don't need to be involved in, I think it has been a contributing factor in losing out in the champions league. When we get to the final stages we keep playing at the same level (which is not exactly bad) but the teams that win are raising their games and peaking at the end of the season. This year especially I fear a drop off towards the end of the season.
He tinkers too much in the big games too. Impressed with how solid they look now - Laporte can’t get a game!
Commentator on the radio made me chuckle making the same point adding that City had spent £400 million to get their defence sorted....more than some countries spend on defence.
All part of the fun Nick. The Premier League is about as far detached from reality as you can get, and all the better for it.
Amazed Liverpool haven’t signed a centre half yet, given the transfer window is open - unless Gomez is due back soon?
Surprising lack of talk about asterisks, weak leagues, and cancelling seasons now eh. Funny that.
Amazed Liverpool haven’t signed a centre half yet, given the transfer window is open – unless Gomez is due back soon?
They seem to be saying they can't afford much because of Covid reducing income but then I think they said that before they signed Jota and Thiago.
I guess defensively they have actually done well since the Villa game - but Fabinho and Henderson at the back and maybe the full backs not as advanced might be affecting them going forwards?
Surprising lack of talk about asterisks, weak leagues, and cancelling seasons now eh. Funny that.
Oh, there would be if you were top, wouldn’t there? Because we all know how hard done by Liverpool are, don’t we?
It’s all just, like, SOOOOOOO NOT FAIR! 😂
Nothing to do with Liverpool being hard done by just that Man City and Man U fans (in particular) are a bunch of hypocritical ****s. As you've just proved once again.
When Liverpool were top I was saying the league this year is a load of shite, I'm still saying it now. If you get excited about Bruno Fernandes spending literally his entire Man United career rolling around on the floor then banging in shady penalties in an empty stadium covered up by fake crowd noise then good luck to you.
Aaaaaaaah.... so it’s not just us now? It’s Citeh that are part of the anti-Liverpool conspiracy as well?
I know that Fergie, despite officially being retired, still briefs all the refs at the start of the season, but are you suggesting he now takes Pep into the meeting with him too?
Makes you think...
No conspiracy just a sport that now centres around penalties/VAR and is utterly tedious. Man Utd are admittedly the best at this new penalty-ball sport.
I think that most footy fans would be happy to see the back of VAR, but it’s a bit of a push to call this season tedious. There’s been some absolutely bonkers matches this season and some quality football played.
Did you see Ndombele’s goal yesterday?
And it’s a proper title race this season. There’s nothing separating the top half of the table.
People got all giddy because of some freak results but honestly the whole thing just leaves me cold, even before Man U fans got wildly over-excited about a temporary league position ;).
I could understand finishing a season that was most of the way through but starting a new one and carrying it on through 'lockdown' seems insane to me, especially continuing all competitions including CL, EL and internationals. The combination of lack of crowds and VAR/constant penalties, players out with Covid, excessive injuries, defenders holding arms behind backs - it's just all a bit farcical really. When they started bringing crowds back it started to seem semi-hopeful but when is that likely to happen again this season?
Did you see Ndombele’s goal yesterday?
Yup, meh. Quite impressive but also quite flukey IMO.
I think it might be best if you stopped watching football. You don’t seem to be getting much out of it
Read the hype and hyperbole about Ndombele’s goal before seeing it, expecting something Cantona esque. Underwhelmed! He was just hooking it into the middle hoping someone got on the end of it.
Another Pub Side performance from Chelski. Appalling defending. Proper Sunday League stuff
If this was anyone else other than Lampard serving up this dross they’d have been sacked weeks ago. Long May it continue 😂
Looks like Leicester are going top. They’ve played Chelski off the park first half
Read the hype and hyperbole about Ndombele’s goal before seeing it, expecting something Cantona esque. Underwhelmed! He was just hooking it into the middle hoping someone got on the end of it.
I wasn't convinced it was deliberate, and I don't think it was goal of the season.
I can't believe anyone thinks Ndombele’s goal was intended, clearly just kicking it back into the goal mouth area hoping someone can get onto it.
I agree with Grum that it has been a poor season, the compression at the top of the table is masking some very dull football. There were a few crazy weeks right at the beginning, then it settled to a couple of months of tedium. And while as a city fan it has been looking better the past couple of weeks, I suspect that when the European games start up again fatigue will once again result in a lot of lacklustre matches.
I don't want the season to be stopped, it is still more entertaining than no football. But if a few more games are postponed to coronavirus, I don't see how it can be scheduled with cancelling the euros in the summer.
Internationals taking place at the moment is just mental! Not just the pointless friendliest last year, but planning to go ahead with the Euros in summer is just ridiculous.
It’ll end up as the same farce as the Australian Open Tennis but just on a massive scale. A mobile plague ship.
Back to the Premiership: Chelski are woeful! Absolutely toothless up front and a complete shambles at the back
Frank can’t have many games left to turn it around
Leicester looked good though. 2-0 flattered Chelski. I had an outside punt on Leicester for the title at 40/1
I don’t think it was goal of the season.
Nope.
John Swift scored that against Coventry tonight.
Club legend or not I fear the sickle will fall on Frank soon. And Chelsea bought big.
Goal of the season was Kemar Roofe v Standard Liege, incredible.
What are the current odds on Leicester? I considered having a punt on them at weekend, not usually a betting man though so not sure how to go about it.
It wouldn't suprise me though if chelski sack frank, Brendan might be one of their main targets, the Liverpool job might have come a bit too early for him, but he looks a good fit to take on a regular champions league team now. When Pep leaves city, I wouldn't mind him getting the job.
Current odds are:
Citeh - 1.5/1
Scousers - 4.5/1
Man Yoo - 8/1
Leicester - 20/1
Anyone recall when he left Celtic their fans unveiled a massive banner claiming he’d swapped immortality for mediocrity (or something similar?!). The brodge knows! Magnificent, tremendous, outstanding.
Anyone recall when he left Celtic their fans unveiled a massive banner claiming he’d swapped immortality for mediocrity (or something similar?!). The brodge knows! Magnificent, tremendous, outstanding.
Despite now referring to him as the rat, they'd take him back in a minute now.
His post match interviews are hilarious and annoying in equal amounts, he loves blowing smoke up the fans backsides. "This is a magnificent club, best in the world, the fans deserve glory... blah blah" They bought it at Liverpool, and they bought it again at Celtic only to realise it was just meaningless words when he left. He has toned it down a little bit now, but he can still barely control the hyperbole when if front of a camera.
Yep, he’s a bit of a tit but his teams play decent football. Nice to see Leicester up top again.
Vote of confidence impending for Lampard?
Wasn't the problem at Chelski always 'player power'? If Roman's favourite players were unhappy, they'd go to the owner directly to moan about the manager.
I was looking at the player's attitudes in the second half yesterday. After such a piss poor first-half performance you'd be expecting the hairdryer at half time and a reaction for the second 45. There was nothing.
Leicester, far from backing off, were going for more goals right to the final whistle. And why wouldn't you? You could see the Chelski players heads were down and they just weren't up for it at all.
Its when not if, Frank will be sacked, and then we say this every time: who on earth would want the Chelski job? Other than for the inevitable payoff. You're on borrowed time from day one. Anything less than winning the Champions League (or in Di Matteo's case, actually winning the FA Cup and champions league) is considered a failure. You might as well go to Watford.
Back to the title race, there's a good chance the lead could change hands 3 times in 24 hours. This season's great! Not least as we're, somewhat surprisingly, in the mix 😀
https://www.theguardian.com/football/quiz/2013/apr/02/brendan-rodgers-david-brent-quotes-quiz
On a similar theme......😀
That's brilliant! 😀
I still don't really understand his infamous envelope speech. He seems to be saying he's written the names of three people who will let the club down, don't be one of them - but if they are already written down... 🤔
Hi! 😃
Well, Mrs Binners, who’s like Mystic Meg when it comes to footy betting, stuck a fiver on Burnley at 14/1 and advised I should do the same. So I did. We rather enjoyed that!
To be fair, Burnley were superb tonight! Liverpool look a shadow of last seasons team. What’s going on with the front 3? They’ve been absolutely ruthlessness consistent up to now, and it’s gone completely out of the window. Not scored for 4 games?
It’s bizarre Binners - little over a month ago they walloped Palace, Wolves and Leicester. They look like they could go all season without scoring again?!
Are they knackered? Everyone looks off the pace. Salah sulk over the captaincy hinting at bigger problems within the squad? Injuries caught up with them?
It's quite simple, the pope saves
i posted this link a couple of week's back about the high press / fast press teams being less effective this year because the recovery time between games is not enough for them to be able to press as often as they like. As a result they are pressing 20% less than they did in previous seasons and they just aren't as effective at breaking a massed ranks defence down as they are on turnover and fast break possession.
Well, Mrs Binners, who’s like Mystic Meg when it comes to footy betting, stuck a fiver on Burnley at 14/1 and advised I should do the same. So I did. We rather enjoyed that!
aftertimer
Are they knackered?
97 points 18/19
99 points 19/20
not sustainable
not sustainable
shortbread_fanylion
> https://www.theguardian.com/football/quiz/2013/apr/02/brendan-rodgers-david-brent-quotes-quiz < On a similar theme……😀
"8/10
You're world class at guessing quotes but could you guess them on a wet night in Stoke?"
Think I might have been in Stoke (Hanley) once on a wet night but no one asked me any questions 😉
Think I might have been in Stoke (Hanley) once on a wet night but no one asked me any questions
Not even "looking for business, love?"
I've just remembered I got confused and it's actually Leicester I support, not Liverpool - easy mistake to make.
Looking generally jaded/tired, shame Jota went injured when he was banging 'em in for fun. Hey ho. I will concede that luck generally went Liverpool's way last season and it's generally not this season. Origi should have scored or put Mane in.
I really hope fans can come back towards the end of the seasom.
Do you think they will cash in on Salah in the summer?
Even towards the end of last season it was clear he was playing for personal glory rather than the team, and you could see the frustration in his team mates. He had a good reputation for being a "good guy" before, but that hasn't been translated into his on pitch actions for a while.
Klop has also lost his mojo this season, from before the form slipped. The gaslighting about the pitch condition moan earlier in the season for a European game was idiotic. But he has been whining a lot, if it was meant to be a psychological ploy to create a fortress mentality it appears to have backfired for now. I think he is lucky that the media hasn't really called him on it, but they are starting to now a little bit.
I think they probably should tbh. It's weird if you look at his stats for goals and assists they are still pretty good but he does often seem to choose the wrong option and stop/slow attacks down.
I agree on Klopp I think he seems mentally exhausted also, he's always been a bit grouchy at times but it's wearing a bit thin this season. I guess lots of people are finding life a bit harder currently.
Do you think they will cash in on Salah in the summer?
They'd be daft not too. Apparently he's being a bit of a Pogba/diva behind the scenes and wants either a transfer or a big hike in wages
he’s always been a bit grouchy at times
He was a brave/stupid man to be gobbing off at Sean Dyche in the tunnel. Thats only ever going to end one way. You didn't have to be an expert in lip-reading to see that he was telling Jurgen to kindly go away and keep his opinions to himself 😀
When asked about it in the post match interview, he actually said 'he started it' like a 3 year old
Its not often I agree with Maureen but he was right when he said that if any other manager behaved like Klopp, they'b be sent to the stands.
Yeah, I’d sell Salah, keep Mane as he might cheer up a bit of Salah is away. The key to their front three has been Firmino though. He’s pretty unique and replacing him might mean a different style entirely.
I wonder too if Thiago will resemble Veron at United.
Is it time for the Kop Flop Klopp set for Chop headlines?
I think he’ll implode before he gets chopped.
If you look at the possession stats for Liverpool this season it's clear that teams are sitting back and hitting us on the counter. Firstly we're not good enough to unpick a well drilled defence, our attackers like open space on a counter attack. We look clueless when we just pass it side to side. And with our high line it leaves us open to a ball over the top, Van Dijk and Gomez were quick enough to deal with that threat, none of our current fit defenders are.
I think it's fair to say that last season a lot of good luck came our way which isn't the case this season. Virtually no one looks anywhere near top form (only Jota who is injured) and we've got a lot of injuries meaning we have people playing out of position and others we can't rotate (TAA) who need a rest. Although we won the league last season and our football was effective (based on points won), I think our football has got worse over the last three seasons, the number of times we won by one goal last season was significant and however well you're playing is always a dangerous position.
When asked about it in the post match interview, he actually said ‘he started it’ like a 3 year old
Dyche's answer was far shrewder "just two managers passionate about winning matches, and that's a good thing" or something like that.
I did like Harvey Barnes reply when asked about the incident with Fabinho:
"It was just a bit of handbags"
the number of times we won by one goal last season was significant and however well you’re playing is always a dangerous position.
My scouse mate says the same, and that the 1-0's you were grinding out last couple of seasons have now become the 0-0 draws of recent weeks, as you can't carry on riding those forever
As a United fan, I'd dispute that. Thats how Fergie won all those titles. Grinding out 1-0's when you're not playing particularly well on a cold, wet Monday night in Stoke.
Good to see a bit of variety - Man U player diving for a Fernandes free kick rather than a penalty. How's the victory parade planning going binners?
Accusations of diving from a team that contains Mo Salah? 😂
Decent game that, some signs of life from Liverpool. Thiago looked ok in spells as did Firmino. Felt sorry for the young lad at the back - not good enough and probably never will be. Suspect Klopp played him to prove a point to the board. Amazing they didn’t have a centre half lined up on Jan 1st.
United were ok, did enough. Binners, the stars are aligning, it has to be your year for the league! De Bruyne out for 6 weeks, Aguero’s return delayed by covid and Vardy injured now too. United have no injuries and a big squad and skilfully got dumped out the Champions League as soon as possible 😀
I still think the title is Citeh’s to lose and can’t quite believe we’re top.
But I’m just loving being 6 points clear of the scousers, putting them out of the FA cup and listening to the usual ‘boo hoo, poor us, it’s all just, like, soooooo not fair’ persecution complex where it’s all a conspiracy (but let’s not mention going 4 games without scoring) 😂
Cheer up lads. If you can put a run together you might still be in with a chance of a top four finish 😉
Beep Beep!
😆
Somewhat inevitably...
https://twitter.com/standardsport/status/1353649286563684353?s=20
I wonder who's next through the Chelski revolving door? Nice of them to brief the press that he was about to be sacked. Classy.
Who have they lined up though? Benitez is suddenly free, would he take over again? They treated him pretty shoddily last time around, especially the fans, what would it take for him to walk through the revolving door again?
No on else notable is currently free that I can think of, and its not like going to chelski is seen as a career boost or a permanent position.
edit: actually Tuchel is free as well isn't he, but he never really impressed at PSG.
Tuchel I think. Maybe Rodgers, which Binners will be praying for, to avoid Leicester doing another Leicester? Avram Grant as caretaker until the end of the season?
Bit harsh on Frank but ironic if player power did for him.
But I’m just loving being 6 points clear of the scousers, putting them out of the FA cup
Commemorative DVD on sale already I heard.
Apparently yous lot and Chelski are competing for the same signature to shore things up until the end of the season 😀
#KloppOut
Isn't lovely to see Utd fans having something to celebrate again after having won the League and the FA Cup in January. 5+ years in the dumps does some strange things!
You try watching a couple of seasons of what Jose Mourhino serves up as football and see what effect it has on you 😉
Surely John Terry is a shoe-in
This sums up some of my thoughts on football at the moment, though it's just about VAR never mind no crowds etc.
I read that article on Saturday and completely agree that’s VAR is ruining the game.
What’s absolutely infuriating is the offsides. WTF is going on with the linesmen not flagging for offsides until the ball is in the back of the net. It’s an absolute farce! Why bother having linesmen any more?