2022-23 PL season.

First topic message reminder :

Liverpool won the Community Shield 3-1 over Manchester City at the King Power Stadium.
TAA opened the scoring.
Julian Alvarez scored on his City debut.
Salah scored a penalty after Dias handball.
Darwin Nunez scored late on, also ok debut.

Seems like the media really have to hype up Liverpool for some reason…

Debut to forget for Erling Haaland, largely anonymous. And missed a sitter from 6 yards out late on. Hit the crossbar in fact.

Wild over the top celebrations over a pre season match…genuinely baffling scenes.

The €100m man scores on debut
Manchester United 1-0 arsenal after 35 minutes

Manchester United 1-1 Arsenal - Saka levels up
30 minutes to go

Manchester United 2-1 arsenal - Rashford

Manchester United 3-1 Arsenal - Rashford
The Red Devil’s might be reawakening

Manchester United 3-1 Arsenal - EtH’s revolution taking shape. United throughly deserving winners. Arsenal dominated the ball prior to Antony’s goal but created nothing of note.
Christian Eriksen really pulling the strings as the deep playmaker. Lovely player to watch.

A clinical United against a profligate Arsenal. Arsenal have been profligate in previous games, but they were playing weaker teams so it didn't matter as much. Now it does.

Not sure about Arsenal's goal being disallowed by VAR. It wasn't a clear and obvious error. Referees have been letting challenges like that go all season. And Leicester, in the earlier game, were allowed a goal for a similar incident.

Arsenal, about to begin the European grind, brought back to reality. United on a good run and have a chance to push it a little further before the international break.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62787324

The refereeing body has accepted the VAR decisions in the Newcastle and West Ham games were wrong. It's a total mess.

VAR needs to be removed because football is far too subjective and up to interpretation to make it a worthwhile innovation. We're seeing perfectly good games of football slowed to a halt to discuss marginal decisions. Let's get back football back to a pre-VAR age. It was better then. Can we honestly say VAR has made PL football better?

Duty281 wrote:It must be the end for Rodgers now - a defence better only than Bournemouth and no wins from six.

And then what though? Squad's not changing until January (and even then it might be sell to buy); so unless you think putting one of the assistants in will improve the mood enough to stay up, who's out there that's better than Rodgers and would take it?

There is so much money in the Premier League and so much expensive surveillance technology and yet the people in charge still make stupid decisions.  Just focus on the "clear and obvious" and let everything else go as before.  

However, for potential off sides that are not clear - allow play to continue and check later - that is an example of using the technology correctly - and that would have allowed the wonder goal from Coutinho to stand. With offsides make sure there is a good margin of error - e.g. let's say it has to be something like 5 cm rather than mm's for which the technology is not good enough to that accuracy.

Lowlandbrit wrote:

Duty281 wrote:It must be the end for Rodgers now - a defence better only than Bournemouth and no wins from six.

And then what though? Squad's not changing until January (and even then it might be sell to buy); so unless you think putting one of the assistants in will improve the mood enough to stay up, who's out there that's better than Rodgers and would take it?

Rodgers has lost the dressing room and has fallen out with several players. His position is no longer tenable. There are many managers out there who would do a better job than Rodgers.

Leicester are only hanging on so long because of the pay-off it'll take to sack him.

Tuchel left Chelsea. Been pretty so so since the CL win

I'd be trying hard to convince Potter to leave Brighton

GSC wrote:I'd be trying hard to convince Potter to leave Brighton

This makes a lot of sense. Think he fits far better with the vision of what the owners want, or what we can glean so far, then Tuchel did.

Something strangely reassuring about a shock firing of a Chelsea manager. Club DNA.

No real surprise about Tuchel's departure, I thought. Maybe a little early, but the football and the results have been deeply uninspiring so far.

I am a huge fan of Potter's management and would absolutely love him to get the Chelsea job. Best English manager around by far. The one caveat is that Chelsea is a hugely volatile club, but then most of the top clubs are.

Sad about Tuchel’s sacking, he’s a great coach. But he seems to have that Mourinho element about him where things turn to crap - Dortmund, PSG and Chelsea.

Potter or Zidane would be good.
Poch less so.

I have been really surprised with Chelsea. With the sudden removal of Abramovich and all the associated top tier management associated with him, and then being run by Boris Johnsons government I thought this was the beginning of the end for Chelsea's period of sueccess - which came from the careful and ruthless stewardship of Abromovich plus the enormous investment he put into the club.

Then under the new owner (who I haven't been paying much attention to) I was surprised with the enormous investment he seemed to be putting into the club buying big players (e.g. Sterling) and being associated with other top players in the transfer window - so it actually looked like business as usual.

Then with the poor results it has been suggested that because of the removal of the top tier managament under Abromovich this has created a sort of vacuum above Tuchel and it is that that has created uncertainty and has destabilized Tuchel as well as the squad. I don't know what the new management above Tuchel is like or whether all the posts have been filled. Anyway that is what I have heard but I could have misundersood some of the things I heard and so I could be wrong.

With regard Graham Potter I think he needs the right club and ownership to work his "magic". I think he could be a failure at many big clubs that expect constant and immediate success and working with players on big money and big egos.

You don't pay 2.5 billion for a club to settle for distant 3rd place

Still strongly believe the transfer ban was the best thing to happen to Chelsea recently, and that they'd be in better shape now if it hadn't been lifted early. They were just building a new foundation, and then tried to take the next steps too quickly imo.

I think there's a few ways to look at it. Tuchel hasn't really come close to the level of City or Liverpool, but neither has collapsed to the level of United, Arsenal or Spurs over that period. There's something to be said for that.

But I don't think it can really described as a quick trigger firing imo. Tuchel has never managed to gel a lot of individually talented players into a cohesive attacking unit, despite a pretty hefty outlay from the club in doing so. And now the defense looks a complete mess at the moment. Could argue the new signings need to settle but it doesn't really look like he has too many ideas on how to address that. They look comfortably the weakest of the top 6 right now, and Boehly and co definitely didn't pay 2.5bn to play in the Europa League

It has been suggested that Chelsea could now plummet in the short to medium term.  280 million summer transfer window spend, Tuchel signings on big salaries, Aubameyang the last signing saying he was looking forward to playing with Tuchel again, but was toxic in his final years at Arsenal.  No Head of Recruitment, no director of football, no Thomas Tuchel (manager), owners that are a group of investors with no footballing experience.  The club has been gutted of the top level footballing expertise and knowledge that sustained Chelsea and now they are left with a very expensive squad with thirteen players starting their first season at the club.

Sounds like Potter to Chelsea is a done deal. Contracts are drawn up and Potter is saying his goodbyes at the Brighton training ground.

Really hope it works out for Potter. He's carrying the hopes of all English managers with him.

Will be interesting to see what happens to Brighton and in what direction they go. They should look at Dyche taking over.

Excited to see how Potter goes. His biggest challenge will be the bloated squad and managing the egos of players on £200k a week. Requires a different set of skills to Brighton.

Ten Hag's first two games at Man United were disastrous. Only by dropping big names, on big wages, with big egos did he turn it around. However he had a transfer window bringing his own players in - and they form a key part of their new defence. Potter has to overcome the egos of the players and "mess around" to try to work out how to set these players up in the best way, without creating resentment and cliques forming against him, with no time for training as they are playing two competitive games a week until the world cup. It would be a miracle to see an upturn in form from Chelsea. Also there is nobody above him with footballing experience of this squad or of the previous Abramovich regime.

Potter confirmed as Chelsea manager.

2 days clearly isn't enough for everyone to recover emotionally to watch a football game...

When I heard the Irish FA had called off the NI football games earlier this morning, I thought the postponement to PL and EFL games was coming.

It's still an odd thing to do though. The old King George VI died on the 6th February, but football league fixtures still went ahead on the 9th, and society was much more reserved and reverential in those days.

Also places even more pressure on an over-congested calendar.

I don't understand why at all this is necessary but I'm sure somebody would've been offended if they didn't

Someone really should have asked the Queen, at some point in those 70 years - "should the sporting calendar be suspended when you pass away?"

It would have put an end to this uncertainty. And someone should ask Charles right now, so we're all prepared in twenty years time or so.

Sounds like it'll be off next weekend too

Duty281 wrote:Someone really should have asked the Queen, at some point in those 70 years - "should the sporting calendar be suspended when you pass away?"

It would have put an end to this uncertainty. And someone should ask Charles right now, so we're all prepared in twenty years time or so.

Can kind of understand professional football being canned, even if I don't agree with it myself, but they are postponing everything. My youngest kids first game of the season has been pulled. They are 8 years old for f*cks sake. Do we really need to stop a bunch of 8 year olds running around on a Saturday morning. Explain it to them, have a minutes silence, do what you feel is necessary but don't compound their misery by stopping them being kids. Not a chance Lizzie would have wanted that.

Go to work, but don't you dare have fun.

Rugby and cricket are continuing tomorrow so someone feels a bit silly now

And the golf is carrying on. And the boxing. Every sport is in a business as usual mode over the weekend, except the nation's favourite.

Too late for a U-turn?

It should have been business as usual with every match taking one or two minutes of silence, followed by the taking of the BLM knee, followed by kick-off.  I suppose it is Liz Truss that decides what to do or does each sport get to decide what they do? All this has implications for travelling fans and pre-booked hotels etc. The economy is already in the doldrums.

Someone should get the president of the fa on the line

No name Bertie wrote:It should have been business as usual with every match taking one or two minutes of silence, followed by the taking of the BLM knee, followed by kick-off.  I suppose it is Liz Truss that decides what to do or does each sport get to decide what they do?  All this has implications for travelling fans and pre-booked hotels etc.  The economy is already in the doldrums.

Government already said sport is free to continue before football cancelled itself

Duty281 wrote:And the golf is carrying on. And the boxing. Every sport is in a business as usual mode over the weekend, except the nation's favourite.

Too late for a U-turn?

No one will notice if the g*lf carries on or not.  

The Marshall v Shields fight is postponed till October?

Mind the windows Tino. wrote:

Duty281 wrote:And the golf is carrying on. And the boxing. Every sport is in a business as usual mode over the weekend, except the nation's favourite.

Too late for a U-turn?

No one will notice if the g*lf carries on or not.  

The Marshall v Shields fight is postponed till October?

I apologise, I thought I saw this morning that it was continuing.

I will notice if the golf's on, I've got a bet on the big Irish lad.

Imagine they can't u turn if they say it's off out of respect

Mind the windows Tino. wrote:

Duty281 wrote:Someone really should have asked the Queen, at some point in those 70 years - "should the sporting calendar be suspended when you pass away?"

It would have put an end to this uncertainty. And someone should ask Charles right now, so we're all prepared in twenty years time or so.

Can kind of understand professional football being canned, even if I don't agree with it myself, but they are postponing everything. My youngest kids first game of the season has been pulled. They are 8 years old for f*cks sake. Do we really need to stop a bunch of 8 year olds running around on a Saturday morning. Explain it to them, have a minutes silence, do what you feel is necessary but don't compound their misery by stopping them being kids. Not a chance Lizzie would have wanted that.

Go to work, but don't you dare have fun.

We have the same for our under 11s., who I have been volunteered into managing. Discussion among our coaches was similar to your sentiments - maybe have a minute's silence and put on some black arm bands, but why stop kids having the chance to run around and let off some steam?

I saw a comment elsewhere suggesting that the reason for cancelling the EPL was to reduce the strain on the police, many of whom in London will be redirected to the vicinity of royal sites where large crowds are likely. Not sure how much truth there is in this, but it has an air of plausibility.

Mind the windows Tino. wrote:

Duty281 wrote:And the golf is carrying on. And the boxing. Every sport is in a business as usual mode over the weekend, except the nation's favourite.

Too late for a U-turn?

No one will notice if the g*lf carries on or not.  

The Marshall v Shields fight is postponed till October?

Oh dammit, I was looking forward to watching Marshall punch a hole in Shields, got to wait five more weeks now.

Soul Requiem wrote:

Mind the windows Tino. wrote:

Duty281 wrote:And the golf is carrying on. And the boxing. Every sport is in a business as usual mode over the weekend, except the nation's favourite.

Too late for a U-turn?

No one will notice if the g*lf carries on or not.  

The Marshall v Shields fight is postponed till October?

Oh dammit, I was looking forward to watching Marshall punch a hole in Shields, got to wait five more weeks now.

Yep. Don't watch anywhere near as much boxing as I used to but was absolutely jazzed up for this one. Really disappointing that it has been delayed.

And yes, would love to watch Marshall put Shields through the ring apron.

dummy_half wrote:

Mind the windows Tino. wrote:

Duty281 wrote:Someone really should have asked the Queen, at some point in those 70 years - "should the sporting calendar be suspended when you pass away?"

It would have put an end to this uncertainty. And someone should ask Charles right now, so we're all prepared in twenty years time or so.

Can kind of understand professional football being canned, even if I don't agree with it myself, but they are postponing everything. My youngest kids first game of the season has been pulled. They are 8 years old for f*cks sake. Do we really need to stop a bunch of 8 year olds running around on a Saturday morning. Explain it to them, have a minutes silence, do what you feel is necessary but don't compound their misery by stopping them being kids. Not a chance Lizzie would have wanted that.

Go to work, but don't you dare have fun.

We have the same for our under 11s., who I have been volunteered into managing. Discussion among our coaches was similar to your sentiments - maybe have a minute's silence and put on some black arm bands, but why stop kids having the chance to run around and let off some steam?

I saw a comment elsewhere suggesting that the reason for cancelling the EPL was to reduce the strain on the police, many of whom in London will be redirected to the vicinity of royal sites where large crowds are likely. Not sure how much truth there is in this, but it has an air of plausibility.

Dummy - yes, it does but only for professional teams in London and certainly not for an under 11 side wherever it may be under your adroit management. 

One of the characteritsics that exemplified the Queen was her ability to keep calm and carry on. Imo the FA would have honoured her memory far more appropriately if they had tried to do the same albeit with appropriate respects being displayed (black armbands, minute's silence, national anthem). That might also have had the incidental benefit of uniting royalists and republicans for a short time.

I think theyre mostly running scared of the backlash when the silence gets booed in some places

GSC wrote:I think theyre mostly running scared of the backlash when the silence gets booed in some places

Hopefully not at the games involving Junior Tino and Dummy's under 11s!  

However, yeah, I think you're probably right as regards the professional game. I'm not convinced though that being scared of something possibly happening should prevent the right thing (imo anyway) occurring in the first place. If there was to be some booing, then maybe the Royal Family, the Government, the FA and Supporters' Associations would need to consider why and that might ultimately be a good thing.

Fair to say, I think, that there has been no booing in other sports which resumed today.

GSC wrote:I think theyre mostly running scared of the backlash when the silence gets booed in some places

It's why there should be a minute's applause, rather than a silence. But even then there will almost certainly be ugly chanting from certain clubs e.g. Liverpool and Celtic.

Liverpool-Rangers early next month (x2) could get rather fiesty.

Most people don't care for royalty.  The media poke fun at them, create lots of stories, but love the glamor and try to get invited to royal garden parties to hobnob with the privileged.    Football should have gone ahead with a minute applause to toast the Queens longevity and ceremonal status, players wear arm-bands and people move on with their mundane lives.   The shut down to "pay ones respect" is going to leave a lot of people and businesses out of pocket in an era of rising inflation and increasing unemployment.

On the subject of other sports going ahead, delighted rugby union has. Really enjoyed watching London Irish’s win over Worcester.

Back to the football. Agree it should have gone ahead this weekend. Minuets silence/applause(might have been better), black arm bands, national anthem. Then get on with the football.

I’m sure Gerrard and Rogers were happy, they won’t be getting sacked this weekend, in the el sackio.

The enigmatic Diego Costa has joined Wolves on a free transfer.

Chelsea-Liverpool and United-Leeds off this week, in addition to Brighton-Palace.

Can't they just play 'em behind closed doors?