GWT: Matchweek 28: Midweek fun

[The Abusement Park]

Fred... haha

Man I’m surprised he’s been as bad as he has. I wasn’t expecting him to shock the world and be some elite player, but I expected him to be useful at least.

 

[phisherman]

It's funny how some Liverpool fans always have the victim complex.

Arsenal finishing top 4 will be determined by their away form, like it is every year. They have the 3rd best home record in the league.

And Spurs never had a chance at the title. Who are we kidding.

 

[Il Mediano]

Man I’m surprised he’s been as bad as he has. I wasn’t expecting him to shock the world and be some elite player, but I expected him to be useful at least.

I only saw him twice before his move to United, and to be honest, he kinda bossed the game in Shaktar against Roma.

Based on that extremely limited sample size, and the fact City was apparently interested, I was expecting at least a little somethin', somethin'.

Not so much.

 

[The Abusement Park]

I only saw him twice before his move to United, and to be honest, he kinda bossed the game in Shaktar against Roma.

Based on that extremely limited sample size, and the fact City was apparently interested, I was expecting at least a little somethin', somethin'.

Not so much.

Same. I obviously didn’t get to see a lot of him since he played in Ukraine but whenever I’d see him in the CL he looked like he’d be a solid player. Definitely could hold his own agains some good teams, but he’s literally done nothing since he’s been here. Weird.

 

[Stray Wasp]

In terms of football, some factors in NUFC's improvement since the season's first half are:

1) Lejeune returning to health. Not only is he a solid defender, he's by some distance NUFC's best at playing the ball out from the back, which has better greased the team's attacking wheels.
2) Rondon is now fully healthy - he'd effectively missed pre-season because Ashley's refusal to sanction his permanent signing consigned him to weeks of training alone at West Brom, from which he took weeks of the season proper to recover. He's an authentic target man who works hard, creates space for others, and scores the odd goal. In short, he isn't the honest but utterly terrible Joselu.
3) Sean Longstaff plays central midfield as if he isn't an Englishman. Which is the highest compliment any English central midfielder can ever be paid.
4) Perez and Ritchie are supporting players. Factors 1-3 have reduced the burden on them to a level suited to their abilities.
5) Last season, the team improved from late January onwards after Kenedy arrived, because at that juncture he was on form, injecting into the team extra pace and skill, as well as rescuing Perez and Ritchie from the unsuitable respective roles of first and second creative threat. So far Almiron (who, lest we forget, is older than Kenedy and could scarcely be less mature as a player or individual) has had the same effect. Pace means backed-up opponents. Backed up opponents means greater space, and greater space is a lifeline to a team short on high-end skill.
6) Almiron's signing returned Newcastle United to being a football club, rather than some sort of therapy tool for its psychologically warped owner. The club's connected football coaches, football players, football administrators and football fans have been inevitably united and galvanised. Funny, that.

 

[Prntscrn]

Feel free to post a replay.

Or keep acting like it's some giant conspiracy to hate Liverpool.

Whichever you want I guess.

Way to overreact. By your words most people must be thinking there is some kind of conspiracy going on with Liverpool and the FA then. What I said was that most people want City to win it over Liverpool and that it shows. But as I also stated it was probably a poor moment to make that point.

Yes Liverpool has gotten more going their way compared to previous years, but they have also gotten themselves into positions to get calls their way by not giving up many chances and by being in the last third of the pitch a lot. You must see that connection after the SAF years? For the most part luck is something you create and earn, just what Liverpools has done. Not something you get.

Anyway it has gotten people to overreact with the Salah penalty and Mane’s ”offside” goal against Bournmouth as two examples. And let’s not forget everything hasn’t gone their way by being robbed by the refs away against Arsenal and Leicester at home to "even it out" some, but no one wants to see that side I guess.

 

[YNWA14]

It's funny how some Liverpool fans always have the victim complex.

Interesting comment given your own posting history.

 

[phisherman]

Interesting comment given your own posting history.

My "victim" comments about Arsenal are of a mocking nature to mock the well thought out analysis of Arsenal by the experts here.

 

[Cassano]

Finally NBC is stopping with the Spurs title narrative, but now they are saying this is a mini-crisis

I mean it very well could be.

Arsenal win Saturday and that 10 point lead down to 1. And they gotta play at Anfield and Etihad where they will certainly lose both games.

 

[East Coast Bias]

Just as Mats Zuccarello left my life and left a massive void in my love for Norwegians, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is quickly filling that void.

I love those Norwegians.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

Way to overreact. By your words most people must be thinking there is some kind of conspiracy going on with Liverpool and the FA then. What I said was that most people want City to win it over Liverpool and that it shows. But as I also stated it was probably a poor moment to make that point.

Yes Liverpool has gotten more going their way compared to previous years, but they have also gotten themselves into positions to get calls their way by not giving up many chances and by being in the last third of the pitch a lot. You must see that connection after the SAF years? For the most part luck is something you create and earn, just what Liverpools has done. Not something you get.

Anyway it has gotten people to overreact with the Salah penalty and Mane’s ”offside” goal against Bournmouth as two examples. And let’s not forget everything hasn’t gone their way by being robbed by the refs away against Arsenal and Leicester at home to "even it out" some, but no one wants to see that side I guess.

I love how you call it "the" Salah "penalty". They were dives and there's been at least three

And yes, Bernardo completely dove today. Awful penalty given.

 

[robertmac43]

Arsenal win Saturday and that 10 point lead down to 1.

Going to be a stressful game for sure, let's hope we put them into crisis mode

 

[bluesfan94]

Way to overreact. By your words most people must be thinking there is some kind of conspiracy going on with Liverpool and the FA then. What I said was that most people want City to win it over Liverpool and that it shows. But as I also stated it was probably a poor moment to make that point.

This board is like half Liverpool fans.

 

[Chimaera]

I don’t think it’s half. I know that’s an exaggeration for effect, and it might feel that way as three or four of the Liverpool supporters are some of the more active posters.

 

[Evilo]

Yeah I'm not sure most of this board wants City to win. I think the Pep fans do. And Pool rivals. Rest are either in favor of Pool or split.
Personally I'm split. I'd like Pep to fail, always amuses me. I'd also like to see Klopp win for a change. Even though he's utterly ridiculous in some aspects. I'd also like a few Pool fans to get that reward, though not all of them However, there are some players I love on this City team too (Bernardo comes to mind), and no french player on that Pool squad. And everyone knows you can't win a league without a french player
So I'm torn. What I would like to see is a race to the last game, pretty much everyone loves this.

 

[Prntscrn]

I love how you call it "the" Salah "penalty". They were dives and there's been at least three

And yes, Bernardo completely dove today. Awful penalty given.

That's because we're talking about the specific one against Arsenal which looked similar to Silvas's minus the kick from behind Salah recieved.

 

[maclean]

Time has passed, still nothing. But as I said it's understandable I would have prefered City over any of the other big teams aswell, just pointed out the obvious but maybe I should have done it in a different way.

Time has passed and still no one care, try again tomorrow

 

[YNWA14]

Virgil van Dijk yesterday:

1 for 1 on tackles
5 for 5 on aerial duels
2 interceptions
9 clearances
2 goals

Beast.

 

[WolvesFanSudbury]

If Arsenal beat Tottenham at Wembley on Saturday morning they(Tottenham) will not finish in the top 4. COYG!!!

 

[YNWA14]

Some more incredible stats from van Dijk over 34 appearances across the PL and CL:

149 out of 204 aerial duels
175 clearances
31 interceptions
20 blocks (29 including crosses and passes in the box)

...and then the really absurd stuff:

26 out of 26 tackles attempted
0 times dribbled past successfully

 

[Ajacied]

Van Dijk has distanced himself from the pack. The most imposing thing right now might be how easy he makes it look. Like it costs no effort at all.

Looking forward seeing him and De Ligt as the CB-pair in the foreseeable future.

 

[maclean]

If ever a player has lived up to the hype, it's certainly van Dijk. What I like most about him is his composure - just sublimely aware of everything going on and always on top of it

 

[YNWA14]

If ever a player has lived up to the hype, it's certainly van Dijk. What I like most about him is his composure - just sublimely aware of everything going on and always on top of it

I know in an era with Messi and to a lesser extent Ronaldo, plus guys like Mbappé and Neymar sniffing around, it's unlikely...but I feel like with the effect he's had on Liverpool if they can win the League or the CL this season, and the Netherlands continues on to win the Nations league (especially after coming out of the toughest group by far) he has to be in the running to win the Ballon d'Or this year (assuming he doesn't fall apart).

 

[maclean]

I know in an era with Messi and to a lesser extent Ronaldo, plus guys like Mbappé and Neymar sniffing around, it's unlikely...but I feel like with the effect he's had on Liverpool if they can win the League or the CL this season, and the Netherlands continues on to win the Nations league (especially after coming out of the toughest group by far) he has to be in the running to win the Ballon d'Or this year (assuming he doesn't fall apart).

Well, that's pushing it. Let him do it for a few years (which I've no doubt he can) and then lead the Netherlands to a Euro or World Cup and then we can have that discussion

 

[Prntscrn]

Time has passed and still no one care, try again tomorrow

Ha no need to, that just proves my point If it was Liverpool people would be fuming as we've seen before