Football season 2020/2021

[Jessicka]

Wonder if lampard was watching with his little fine rule book at what a real manager can do with chelsea

For all the hype, Atleti were shite and Chelsea weren't really any better. You don't get much luckier than a miss-hit clearance falling to you in an offside position and having it deemed after 5 minutes 'an intentional play of the ball'.

[crusadernero]

For all the hype, Atleti were shite and Chelsea weren't really any better. You don't get much luckier than a miss-hit clearance falling to you in an offside position and having it deemed after 5 minutes 'an intentional play of the ball'.

Hey its good practice for the VAR team to use as much time as possible, so they can fit in the future ADs. Cant wait to see games were VAR intervenes and we get a 2 minute ad show telling us to drink coca cola and eat some veggy burger.

[euRosa]

Hey its good practice for the VAR team to use as much time as possible, so they can fit in the future ADs. Cant wait to see games were VAR intervenes and we get a 2 minute ad show telling us to drink coca cola and eat some veggy burger.

Maybe this will be introduced as "experimental" by TV stations in the near future. Like a quick pop-up.

[crusadernero]

Maybe this will be introduced as "experimental" by TV stations in the near future. Like a quick pop-up.

They already do it in the US. Probably not a big deal there, cause they are so used to it in every other sport. One of the reasons I never really managed to get hooked into NHL, after trying to follow it. To much stopping and to much ads.

In EU, Italy is the first ones out with it. Think it will start sometime next season.

from a personal standpoint, the way football is consumed at higher levels is getting tiersome. Theres more and more things that break up the flow of the game and especially with VAR its getting out of hand. Certain situations takes 3+ minutes. With it comes ads and alot of "noise" that distrubt the beautiful game.

Now im not going to derail this thread into a pro/against VAR discussion, so i'll leave it with this.

The biggest strength of football in my eyes is that it last 45x2 with little distrubtion and "noise". What happens on the pitch is genuine and real, for good and for worse. Refs do mistakes, players do mistakes. THe hunt and desire to remove mistakes from happening, is ruining the game.

[RobertoCarlos]

For all the hype, Atleti were shite and Chelsea weren't really any better. You don't get much luckier than a miss-hit clearance falling to you in an offside position and having it deemed after 5 minutes 'an intentional play of the ball'.

Changing the shape has made them a lot more defensively solid. Franky would have had em leaking goals

[euRosa]

Last round of EPL had 5 VAR events (one per match) while the remaining 5 matches were without VAR. I think that's easy to digest. If we'll have 5-6 VAR events per game then yes, it will be VERY annoying.

[Zantera]

Looks like we'll finish 20-25p behind City this season after all despite all the praise for Ole and the hype just a month ago about us being a serious challenger.

There's a lot that needs fixing but you can just look at the results against the other 'top teams' and it paints a good picture. While we are busy going for the 0-0 against the competition, City goes for the win and we're just throwing so many points away. Yeah 0-0 as an isolated result away against Chelsea isn't bad but this is a game we've seen several times this season.

[DingDongKing]

Looks like we'll finish 20-25p behind City this season after all despite all the praise for Ole and the hype just a month ago about us being a serious challenger.

There's a lot that needs fixing but you can just look at the results against the other 'top teams' and it paints a good picture. While we are busy going for the 0-0 against the competition, City goes for the win and we're just throwing so many points away. Yeah 0-0 as an isolated result away against Chelsea isn't bad but this is a game we've seen several times this season.

The thing is City are on another level as far as financial backing is concerned, so short of an all-out miracle season, most teams are going to struggle.

Whilst everyone (except Chelsea/City) including United are trying to survive the blowback of the pandemic, them two teams can just buy their way out of trouble.

Doesn't detract from how insanely talented Guardiola is as a manager, but when you can buy multiple full backs worth £50m+, there's going to be a gap. United have done as well as they can thus far, and will need to seriously strength in the summer to close the gap.

[Zantera]

The thing is City are on another level as far as financial backing is concerned, so short of an all-out miracle season, most teams are going to struggle.

Whilst everyone (except Chelsea/City) including United are trying to survive the blowback of the pandemic, them two teams can just buy their way out of trouble.

Doesn't detract from how insanely talented Guardiola is as a manager, but when you can buy multiple full backs worth £50m+, there's going to be a gap. United have done as well as they can thus far, and will need to seriously strength in the summer to close the gap.

You're not wrong but you gotta have some balls as a manager. This whole "its better to go for the 0-0 draw than to risk a loss" is a big reason why we are so far behind. There's still a lot of quality in this team and even though you can argue 2-3 signings would greatly help, the lack of good tactics and the lack of desire to go for the throat really sets us back sadly.

[Tommy T]

Ole rattled. Love to see it.
Poor game. Feels bad seeing all our attacking players being utterly useless right now.

[DingDongKing]

You're not wrong but you gotta have some balls as a manager. This whole "its better to go for the 0-0 draw than to risk a loss" is a big reason why we are so far behind. There's still a lot of quality in this team and even though you can argue 2-3 signings would greatly help, the lack of good tactics and the lack of desire to go for the throat really sets us back sadly.

Yes and No. His strategy is a sound transitionary one. Don't get battered against the big sides, so that the team's confidence stays in tact.

Then pick up as many points as you can against the rest of the shite. With a full Old Trafford, those home draws against the top 6 could be wins.

Ole rattled. Love to see it.
Poor game. Feels bad seeing all our attacking players being utterly useless right now.

It's an identity issue, tbh. Lampard spent no time trying to build any, and at the same didn't instil his players with the trust that they're top performers. Sounds weird, but it's what Zidane and Ole are doing. They're not tactical geniuses, but they have superb talent at their disposal.

So their management style is about allowing them to just go out and there be amazing. And it's reliant on the rest of the workhorse players doing their job. Lampard kinda did nothing in particular. So Tuchel will adapt to what's needed at the club and slowly build a fully functional team.

[Marleycat]

Looks like we'll finish 20-25p behind City this season after all despite all the praise for Ole and the hype just a month ago about us being a serious challenger.

There's a lot that needs fixing but you can just look at the results against the other 'top teams' and it paints a good picture. While we are busy going for the 0-0 against the competition, City goes for the win and we're just throwing so many points away. Yeah 0-0 as an isolated result away against Chelsea isn't bad but this is a game we've seen several times this season.

Passive football is a disease of the last 18 months Id say. Along with maybe arsenal everton and City I wouldnt usually accuse Utd of that but seems when they play "the big six" thats what they do and look scared. It doesnt help that Bruno goes missing soon as hes not playing West Brom Newcastle etc. Im not sure if thats the system change against bigger teams if theres just better players to shut him down or hes just not that good against better players. Id say Ole goes missing in these games too.

Fans here and elsewhere talk a lot about buying a new defence, but I dont know who youd get thats better than what you have, I think they are badly managed coached but thats getting better. IMO Utd really lack a good forward and I'm surprised that's not where people see a need. Player for player they have one of the best defences and midfields in the league.

Looks like the league is over but Newcastle and Utd have blown a 10 point lead with less than 10 games to go so you never know, But both those occasions the chasing teams were the stronger teams. Man city are the only team that's averaging 2 pts per game which is usually needed just for top 4, Im afraid the rest of us are very average this season.

[RobertoCarlos]

Passive football is a disease of the last 18 months Id say. Along with maybe arsenal everton and City I wouldnt usually accuse Utd of that but seems when they play "the big six" thats what they do and look scared. It doesnt help that Bruno goes missing soon as hes not playing West Brom Newcastle etc. Im not sure if thats the system change against bigger teams if theres just better players to shut him down or hes just not that good against better players. Id say Ole goes missing in these games too.

Fans here and elsewhere talk a lot about buying a new defence, but I dont know who youd get thats better than what you have, I think they are badly managed coached but thats getting better. IMO Utd really lack a good forward and I'm surprised that's not where people see a need. Player for player they have one of the best defences and midfields in the league.

Looks like the league is over but Newcastle and Utd have blown a 10 point lead with less than 10 games to go so you never know, But both those occasions the chasing teams were the stronger teams. Man city are the only team that's averaging 2 pts per game which is usually needed just for top 4, Im afraid the rest of us are very average this season.

wtf is passive football.

And no football style is a "disease". Everything outside the rules is perfectly valid. How else are small teams like chelsea supposed to compete?

Its up to the other team to break it down and its not even that hard. Pass side to side until gaps open up in the 80th minute or in stoppage time like any tournament final.

[Marleycat]

The thing is City are on another level as far as financial backing is concerned, so short of an all-out miracle season, most teams are going to struggle.

Whilst everyone (except Chelsea/City) including United are trying to survive the blowback of the pandemic, them two teams can just buy their way out of trouble.

Doesn't detract from how insanely talented Guardiola is as a manager, but when you can buy multiple full backs worth £50m+, there's going to be a gap. United have done as well as they can thus far, and will need to seriously strength in the summer to close the gap.

I dont get this Man Utd spend more than anyone on players dont even get started on transfer "net spend". Id say they are different from City and Chelsea in that they spend money that they make rather than it appearing from thin air, but they are as guilty of trying to buy success as the teams you mention. In fact just look on this thread whenever theres a problem at Man Utd all you see suggested by the fans here is buying your way out of the problem, but I am interested who you would sell and replace them with.

[Northern Goblin]

Sorry, but the idea that United played for a draw is ridiculous. They had opportunities and simply failed to finish them, both teams did, there was a lot of counter attack and on the break football to be had.

Chelsea were lucky with the handball, I still don't see how it wasn't given. Hudson-Odoi's arm has no business being in that position and he clearly handled the ball.

United under Solskjaer are showing year on year improvement, we're up from where we were last year, and that was after the board completely failed to back the manager again over both the Summer and January windows. More than can be said for some other teams who have completely fallen off the wagon.

[Zantera]

I feel like some of the Bruno criticism is unfair though. When you have 1 player who can create and the other 2 people in the midfield are Fred and McTominay, it's the easiest thing in the world to make it harder for that 1 player to create.

I don't like Pogba much (mostly due to being tired of his antics) but with him on the pitch as well it does usually give Bruno a bit more freedom.

[RobertoCarlos]

I feel like some of the Bruno criticism is unfair though. When you have 1 player who can create and the other 2 people in the midfield are Fred and McTominay, it's the easiest thing in the world to make it harder for that 1 player to create.

I don't like Pogba much (mostly due to being tired of his antics) but with him on the pitch as well it does usually give Bruno a bit more freedom.

Pogba is the only player capable of spreading the ball with quality as well which is needed to break down teams sitting deep.

[Northern Goblin]

but I am interested who you would sell and replace them with.

The problem is twofold, the players we need to sell won't raise much cash, and the cash the club generates is being syphoned by the Glaziers into their back pockets.

Also United haven't always been a spending team, one or two marquee signings sure, but that really didn't become a thing till Abramovich entered the league and changed how PL football is done.

[Marleycat]

wtf is passive football.

And no football style is a "disease". Everything outside the rules is perfectly valid. How else are small teams like chelsea supposed to compete?

Its up to the other team to break it down and its not even that hard. Pass side to side until gaps open up in the 80th minute or in stoppage time like any tournament final.

I forget I have to use smaller words for you, I mean football that rely on errors from the other team to succeed. That goes backwards and sideways more than forward. Football thats seems to have the mentality not to lose than trying to win....

And while I understand you believe cheating is ok if it means Utd win "Everything outside the rules is valid" seems a little extreme even for you!

[Tommy T]

Man United complaining about not receiving a penalty.
Inject it into my veins.