The Beautiful Game thread, season 2018/19

[dbdynsty25]

Well it's been an extremely good morning for Liverpool...w/ Man City going down again and putting up another 4 goals in a clean sheet. Tottenham is playing well tho and it doesn't appear they are letting up on the gas...need to keep pushing.

[wco81]

The financial disparities between clubs are astounding.

Roma overachieved last year to make the CL semi-finals and then turns around and sells one of their best players to Liverpool (which barely won over Roma to make the finals) for a record fee.

Now Liverpool, a city of 500k, is at the top of the EPL table.

EPL TV money can only be matched by a handful of clubs outside of England.


Maybe Brexit will help tip the scales the other way.

[XXXIV]

Maybe Brexit will help tip the scales the other way.

LOL!

What?

[Jimmydeicide]

Now Liverpool, a city of 500k, is at the top of the EPL table

LOL! What?

[wco81]

Up by 7 points.

[XXXIV]

Up by 7 points.

LOL

Really?

He knows Liverpool's lead in the standings...He is asking wtf you are on about.

[GB_Simo]

Now Liverpool, a city of 500k, is at the top of the EPL table.

Now Liverpool, one of the most populous cities in England, is at the top of the EPL table. I'm going to need this one explaining to me.


In Hartlepool, a town of 93k with a recently redeveloped marina, an early unbeaten run had us firmly in the National League promotion picture, despite performances suggesting that our summer signings were yet to really gel. Some called it a false dawn, saying we'd played poor opposition, rode our luck and were about to be found out. Others said we were a team full of potential and that it was just a matter of time before we really battered someone.

We settled that little debate by losing 7 matches in a row and sacking the manager.

Sudden, dramatic losses of form are nothing new to us. Back in 1992/93, having sat 2nd in the old Division Two, Pools became the first lower league side to knock a team from the newly-formed Premier League out of the FA Cup, beating Crystal Palace 1-0. The winning goal was a penalty, and while I can't say for certain that Nicky Southall dived to earn it, the only bloke who could possibly have made contact with him from the nearest Palace player's starting point was Inspector Gadget. The memories you make at the age of 7 grow dull with time, but as I sit writing this, I'm certain that Gadget wasn't in the starting 11.

Tomorrow, January 2nd, is the 26th anniversary of that little achievement. Sensing the magnitude of what they'd done, our squad gave us time to appreciate it fully by not scoring another goal until March 6th, some 14 matches later, or winning again until April 5th, a further 7 matches up the road.

Compared to that, losing 7 on the spin and scoring a few goals along the way almost seems half-hearted. "What do you mean, you can't even fail properly? We have standards to maintain!"

Still, never mind. Non-league, mid-table obscurity has its merits. They can't laugh at you if they've forgotten you exist, can they?

[wco81]

He quoted that one sentence out of context.

There are much larger cities in Europe but the clubs in those cities don't have anything like EPL TV money.

That is why Liverpool can raid the best players out of Roma, paying a record fee for Alisson, though the Roma owner is probably more interested in the bottom line than winning.

Chelsea just reported all-time record revenues and profits. Of course they're in a big city so that's more understandable.

But maybe the top dozen EPL clubs have more money than all Serie A teams except maybe Juventus. Then maybe it's top 6 or top 8.

Despite the money, EPL clubs haven't dominated in the CL yet but that's got to change if they keep buying up the talent form all the other leagues.

[pk500]

Match of the Season at 3 p.m. (ET) Thursday on NBCSN: City v. Liverpool.

This is a must-win for City. Lose, and it's 10 points behind with 17 games to go. Doubt City can make up that deficit, and Spurs already is showing inconsistency that proves they're not deep enough or good enough to win a title.

If Liverpool wins, it should cruise to the title, barring injuries. The team scores for fun, and the defense is incredible this year -- just eight goals allowed in 20 EPL matches.

[XXXIV]

Match of the Season at 3 p.m. (ET) Thursday on NBCSN: City v. Liverpool.

.

The DVR is set.

[RobVarak]

Pulisic to Chelsea is a damn shame. Sarri is a fine manager, but I don't expect him to last there.

[10spro]

Pulisic to Chelsea is a damn shame. Sarri is a fine manager, but I don't expect him to last there.

I think he’ll do just fine, thank you. While I seriously doubt Pulisic is the player that Sarri was looking for, he can still polish his skills for the remaining of the season in Dortmund. His dribbling, affinity for quick off ball runs, and defensive pressing ability are some of the intangibles needed to play as a winger in Sarri’s system. His players never have a set position, they are constantly interchanging each other such as the case of Hazard with Pedro.

Don’t know the immediate future of Hazard in the club, ditto for Odoi, while players like Willian and Pedro are aging. Pulisic will have to earn his starts, especially if all those names remain in the club, but I am sure he’ll learn to adapt to Serri’s constant position interchange among his players to create space for one another. He can play both wings, in the half spaces and his flexibility up front will attract the attention of the Blues.

[RobVarak]

Sorry if I was unclear. I'm sure that he would do well if given the time under Sarri. I don't see Sarri lasting any longer than anyone else has at Chelsea of late. Maybe the next manager is a good developer of talent, but I think it's as likely that the next manager is a retrograde failure like Hiddink, Conte etc.

Add this to the fact that reports are that Sarri was not involved in the Pulisic signing, I think my concerns about him being yet another misused young player at that club are valid.

I think it's clear that the list of young players misused and tossed aside by Chelsea in the last decade is considerably longer than the list of young players who have been developed there.

Who knows, maybe he will end up loaned out and sold to Roma before being snatched up by Liverpool and setting the world alight?

[pk500]

There's always room in Newcastle if Chelsea wants to loan Pulisic.

[pk500]

What a scintillating match. Such incredible entertainment. TITLE MATCH ON!

Best players:
Liverpool -- Robertson. A beast on both ends. Can defend so well with Van Dijk and also flies up the wings to ping balls into the box.
City -- Bernardo Silva. Dude was all over the pitch, getting stuck in constantly. Thought he was superb. Honorable mention to John Stones, who saved the day in the goalmouth scramble early in the first half. 1.22 centimeters away from a goal!

[10spro]

Intense matchup for sure, the real season starts now between those two teams and don’t underestimate the Spurs. I gotta understand better the goal line rules, I thought the bell looked inches in but nevertheless a great play by Stones.

[dbdynsty25]

What a scintillating match. Such incredible entertainment. TITLE MATCH ON!

Best players:
Liverpool -- Robertson. A beast on both ends. Can defend so well with Van Dijk and also flies up the wings to ping balls into the box.
City -- Bernardo Silva. Dude was all over the pitch, getting stuck in constantly. Thought he was superb. Honorable mention to John Stones, who saved the day in the goalmouth scramble early in the first half. 1.22 centimeters away from a goal!

How can you not say sterling was not MOTM for City? He was aboslutely brilliant...and I HATE watching him play with a passion. He was so good though.

What a fun game to watch. Now it’s really going to be a battle to the end. Even a draw would have made it tough on City, now it’s a race!

[dbdynsty25]

Intense matchup for sure, the real season starts now between those two teams and don’t underestimate the Spurs. I gotta understand better the goal line rules, I thought the bell looked inches in but nevertheless a great play by Stones.

What’s to understand? The entire ball has to be over the line. There was a sliver of it still in the white of the line.

Basically it’s the opposite of the NFL. Lol.

[pk500]

Intense matchup for sure, the real season starts now between those two teams and don’t underestimate the Spurs. I gotta understand better the goal line rules, I thought the bell looked inches in but nevertheless a great play by Stones.

The entire ball must cross the back of the goal line. Stones saved that goal by 1.22 centimeters, according to goal line replay.

Kompany should feel lucky that VAR isn't yet in the Premier League. I think he would have received a red card for that challenge on Salah if reviewed on video. That was nasty, studs-up, launch-at-the-player stuff. Vinny usually is not a dirty player; I think it was more of a reflection of the intensity of the match and the balls-out effort City mustered to win.

[pk500]

How can you not say sterling was not MOTM for City? He was aboslutely brilliant...and I HATE watching him play with a passion. He was so good though.

What a fun game to watch. Now it’s really going to be a battle to the end. Even a draw would have made it tough on City, now it’s a race!

Because Sterling wasn't the best player for City. Bernardo Silva or Fernandinho was. Silva ran more than 8 MILES in the match, according to tracking stats, chasing down every ball like a madman. He won 18 duels for the ball, usually against bigger guys. He completed 10 ball recoveries. The dude was EVERYWHERE. And Fernandinho provided incredible protection for City's back line throughout the entire match from the midfield.

Sterling was good -- at times. But there also were times when Robertson bottled him very well. Robertson is becoming one of the best left backs in Europe, in my opinion.

[RobVarak]

Yeah, Fernandinho, Bernardo and Sane were all better than Sterling. As usual, he's all speed and no product. He's soccer John Wall, basically.

Hell of a match. So many sliver-thin moments. Two balls hit the inside of the post, one goes in and one doesn't. How Stone's clearance off the line didn't hit Salah, I still don't know. As Paul says, Kompany should have been off with a red. The technique on the half-volley by Aguero for the first goal was outrageous. Even guys at his level mis-hit that as often as not, and to score from that angle is incredible. Both GK had key, one-hand saves in one-on-one situations.

Neither side was at their best at the end of he holiday fixture deluge, but it was hugely entertaining nonetheless.

[pk500]

He's soccer John Wall, basically.

Good thing I didn't have coffee in my mouth when I read that. So funny -- and true.

[XXXIV]

You tube and Google f***ed up my DVR ...you tube had the score up

My bad..

The good...

Its game on...

Go Liverpool!

[pk500]

Newcastle 2, Manchester City 1

I've supported Newcastle United since 2000, and I can't remember a bigger upset. I'm in RAPTURE.

All you Liverpool supporters can send your cards of thanks to St. James' Park, Newcastle, UK.

[dbdynsty25]

Newcastle 2, Manchester City 1

I've supported Newcastle United since 2000, and I can't remember a bigger upset. I'm in RAPTURE.

All you Liverpool supporters can send your cards of thanks to St. James' Park, Newcastle, UK.

Incredible. Wish we got to see more than the last minute or two of "extra" coverage after the ManU/Burnley snoozer. Midweek Premier League coverage is really lacking on the major cable providers.