ANOTHER New Footie Thread

[seminoleed]

Got my season tickets early and in the Supporter's section. Signed up as a Founding Member when they
were announced and have considered it money well spent. This hiring only confirms my feeling.

 

[seminoleed]

Hotpants play like champions today. Hmmm...where have I seen that before?

And The Arsenal snatch 3 points at the death, and hold 3rd spot, just 2 points behind Citeh.

 

[LesClaypool]

Arsenal win a game ugly. That's not typically one of our strengths.

Very happy w/the 3 points today.

 

[nole31906]

It was a good win for Arsenal. Turf Moor is not an easy place to win. Just ask Liverpool.

 

[LesClaypool]

International breaks SUCK!

 

[nole31906]

International breaks SUCK!

And tomorrow we are back!!

 

[seminoleed]

And the Gunners are the first test for newly hired Swans manager Bradley. Somehow, I think he's going to find the Prem a bit different from the Egyptian national team.

 

[LesClaypool]

I hope he finds it horrible today!

COYG!

 

[seminoleed]

Nervy game thus far. The Arsenal down to 10 men clinging to a 3-2 lead.

 

[LesClaypool]

A win is a win is a win.

Also, Xhaka was not worth the £35 mil, IMO.

 

[seminoleed]

Yep, I'll take it, especially with Citeh and Hotpants dropping points simultaneously. Tied for 1st on points, behind City by 1 goal on differential. Hard to believe considering how awful they were in the season opener.

 

[LesClaypool]

'Pewl and the Mancs both dropping 2 points today. All in all a great weekend for Arsenal w/everyone at the top drawing, other than Chelsea.

 

[LesClaypool]

Arsenal on FS2 AGAIN! Dammit! Comcast - pick up the damn channel!

In other news Man City just made asses out of themselves on defense as Messi scored to put Barca up 1-0.

 

[LesClaypool]

"We've got Ozil.
Mesut Ozil.
I just don't think you understand.
He's Arsene Wenger's man.
He's better than Zidane.
We've got Mesut Ozil!"

 

[Rishi]

Helluva game by Chelsea today (Sunday) vs United. Not in my wildest dreams did I think a 4-0 result was in the cards.

Best post match quote I saw was from former Chelsea ST Eidur Gudjohnsen who tweeted out: "Jose Mourinho can still get the best out of Chelsea." Loves me some banter.

 

[LesClaypool]

I love these midweek Cup matches.

A lot of Young Guns in for the Goons today. So far, I'm most impressed by Ansley Maitland-Niles. Kid had Walcott/Bellerin type of speed and hustles like a champ. I'm a fan.

Also starting:

Jeff Rene-Adelaide
Carl Jenkinson
Iwobi
Ox
Holding
Lucas
Gabriel
El-Neny
Gibbs

COYG!!

 

[LesClaypool]

Just saw Slaven Bilic's interview after West Ham knocked Chelsea out of the EFL Cup and he goes, "Just like Mike Tyson said, 'Everyone has a plan until they get hit in the mouth.'" Haha

I think he's my new favorite manager.

 

[Rishi]

We're 1/4 way through the campaign and for the first time in many years the teams that everyone figures should be at the top of the table are at the top of the table.

TV stations (both here and in the U.K.) must be loving that, since the last few years it seems like 3-4 of those clubs would be in the 10-15 range at this point.

Could be the closest race for the top 6 maybe ever (many years in the past have had close races for 1-3 and 4-6, but not 1-6).

Reasons for supporters of all the big clubs to be happy and almost as many reasons to be concerned.

As a Chelsea supporter, I've got to say even though we've gone through a rough patch (Liverpool/Arsenal fixtures), recovered well so that the funk is gone and only good thoughts are lingering in my mind (and hopefully all other Blues' fans as well).

The 3 most important numbers for me going into the season (and this still rings true) are/were: 95, 103 and 4.

95 -> Chelsea's record number of points for winning the PL in 2004/5;

103 -> Chelsea's record number of goals in the PL (2009/10); and

4 -> want to finish in the top 4 to be back in the Champions League for next season. Obviously top 3 is preferred so that we don't have to play the extra 2 games in the summer which shortens the summer break for the players.

Also want to win the league and being only 1 point back at this point, I can't say that's not feasible, but I didn't think that was a realistic goal in the pre-season. Still don't think we're good enough, but I'm turning slightly on that one as we go week-to-week and are still within touching distance of the top of the table.

 

[Rishi]

Didn't want to include this though in my previous post as it's probably going to garner more thoughts.

10 games in and Manchester United are 7 points out of 4th and 8 out of 1st. If come the end of the first half of the season (i.e. end of the calendar year), United continue at this pace they'd theoretically be ~15 points out of 4th. Even if we put that number down to 10-12 points out of 4th, will Mourinho still have a job come Jan. 1st?

I say no. Entering this campaign, I thought United wasn't a very good squad, but they had enough "match winners" in Pogba, Zlatan and Mata that they'd still be able to overwhelm the "weaker" sides in the PL and that Mourinho would get the tactics right against the bigger teams (like he did against Liverpool) to keep them in the race. I thought Jose was worth 12-15 points for the team and that would be good enough to get them in the top 4.

Mind you I didn't foresee every big club to have gotten off to a very good start.

The biggest reason I'm saying he'll be done by Jan. 1 if >=10 off the top 4 is that they haven't looked all that good in any of the top of the table matchups thus far. If that continues against Arsenal, Spurs and Everton I think he's in real trouble even if the gap is in the 6-8 point range come end of the 1st half.

Being in the Europa isn't helping as it's not as if he's kept kids around to play those games. The kids he's got, he needs for the PL eg. Rashford and Lingard. They probably need to rest in those games as well as the Pogbas and Zlatans so that they are fresh for the real testers.

However, b/c of the massive reward of the automatic UCL spot for the Europa League winner, he can't afford to not use resources there as it might be United's best hope of getting Champions League football for next year.

Wow, didn't realize I just rambled on that much about United. I'll stop here so that hopefully others on here can share their thoughts on United, the clubs you support (if not United) as well as the league in general as we hit the end of October.

 

[seminoleed]

Rishi, this year is a crap shoot and just about any of the top 8 have a shot. After the first match of the season, I wouldn't have a given a plug nickel for The Arsenal's chances, and yet...here they are, tied for first; only a goal differential of 2 separating them and Citeh. If this continues, every week is going to be a TV bonanza for us footie fans.

On a side note, I've been watching the MLS playoffs today, and wow, have they ever been exciting matches. No, the quality isn't that of Europe, but still...with Atlanta's team starting next season I've been trying to become more familiar with MLS sides, and I hope Mercedes-Benz Stadium is as exciting as say, Toronto's was tonight.

 

[LesClaypool]

Arsenal go down 2-0 inside of 15 minutes but have clawed back to tie it up at the half. Was hoping this would be an easy match so we could rest some starters early in the 2nd half...not to be it appears.

Also, Ospina's having a ROUGH match.

Good news is Tottenham have to play tomorrow, and against a tougher opponent. They'll have to field a strong side.

Either way, I'm as pumped for this Sunday's NL Derby @ 7am ET as I have been for any that I can remember.

 

[seminoleed]

Not to fear, Les. Ozul in the 88th minute for a 3-2 win with one of the most scintillating goals I've ever seen, at any level.

 

[LesClaypool]

What in the hell is going on at Man United?!

Also, C'mon you Gunners! Smoke Tottenham in Sunday's North London Derby!

 

[seminoleed]

Les, your comment above re: Hotpants fans being the Gators of the EPL had me laughing all the way to work yesterday. Spot on!

COYG!!!!!!

 

[LesClaypool]

Chelsea, and especially Eden Hazard, are bringing the pain today against Everton. The goal Hazard scored to go up 4-0 was just gorgeous.

 

[seminoleed]

Meanwhile, City is held at home, leaving an opening for The Arsenal to take sole possession of first with a win tomorrow over the despised Hotpants. Calling Mesut Ozil.

 

[LesClaypool]

I'm so friggin' nervous. Couldn't even sleep on w/the extra hour we got.

Oh well...



How does it feel to be Tottenham?
How does it feel to be small?
You sold Bale,
We signed Mesut Ozil...
Mesut Ozil...
Mesut Ozil!


And...



What do you think of Tottenham? (Shit!)
What do you think of shit? (Tottenham!)
Thank you.
That's alright.
We hate Tottenham and we hate Tottenham!
We hate Tottenham and we hate Tottenham!
We hate Tottenham and we hate Tottenham!
We are the Tottenham haters!
Yiddos! Yiddos! Yiddos!

 

[kooterridesagain]

Congrats to Koscielny, adding to his epl record of pks given up the last decade. He is consistent

 

[LesClaypool]

I'll take Koscielny over most CBs in the world, come what may.

 

[seminoleed]

Disappointing draw, to be sure, but that single point may matter greatly at the end of the year.

 

[nole31906]

A nice point all things considered. It looked like Mourinho was going to come out on top of Wenger again.

 

[seminoleed]

A draw that fells like a win (or a loss if you're a Red Devil supporter, a la the Choke at Doak).

 

[seminoleed]

Well, Jurgen is gone; sounds like Arena the most likely replacement.

No WC for US this time around.

 

[fsugrad06]

Think Arena can get the job done to qualify.

 

[rdbarks10]

Think Arena can get the job done to qualify.

I don't get why people think this will be different. Bruce had no strategy and never had any player improve under him. He's never coached overseas as well. Watch he'll play a 4-4-4-2 every time and teams will pick us apart.

 

[fsUTampa]

I like firing Jurgen. That was needed. But why Arena? I don't get it. He can't do anything with his all-star team in LA, and he didn't get it done in his first stint. Why him now? USSoccer needs to be gutted completely.

 

[rdbarks10]

I like firing Jurgen. That was needed. But why Arena? I don't get it. He can't do anything with his all-star team in LA, and he didn't get it done in his first stint. Why him now? USSoccer needs to be gutted completely.

I was about to say, I rather see Gulati fired then Klinsmann. Bruce is just going to take us back to World Cup 2006 type performance.

 

[fsugrad06]

I don't get why people think this will be different. Bruce had no strategy and never had any player improve under him. He's never coached overseas as well. Watch he'll play a 4-4-4-2 every time and teams will pick us apart.

If he can get the refs to let us play a 4-4-4-2. we should give him all the money in the bank. Kidding aside, I don't like him coming in long term, especially with his stance on foreign born national team players. But, I do think he can at least get us to qualify. I don't know what the plan is, but hopefully someone in power does and it involves both the long term and this Cup cycle.

 

[rdbarks10]

If he can get the refs to let us play a 4-4-4-2. we should give him all the money in the bank. Kidding aside, I don't like him coming in long term, especially with his stance on foreign born national team players. But, I do think he can at least get us to qualify. I don't know what the plan is, but hopefully someone in power does and it involves both the long term and this Cup cycle.

I don't think he can get us to qualify. Landon and Clint made him look good. He's the most overrated US coach in US soccer history. This is problem with Gulati, he thinks the National team job should be a promotion given to a successful MLS coach. Gulati ignores how those coaches are not prepared to go against highest level of competition in the world.

 

[seminoleed]

Gulati is the one who should have been fired.