GWT: PL Matchweek 7

Halladay

Registered User
Feb 27, 2009
65,105
7,804
H Town
I feel the draw was also in Arsenal's best interest as it means Chelsea/Liverpool both fall behind City for the title race for now...
Arsenal isn't going to be near Liverpool/Chelsea imo. It is Spurs and United's results that are more relevant to them.
 

Chimaera

same ol' Caps
Feb 4, 2004
30,888
1,713
La Plata, Maryland
Can’t complain about a point away to Chelsea. I think Liverpool had the better chances (Salah had acres of space on a few attempts and was not hitting the mark) and on other days probably score on one or two more.

It was an exciting match to watch and Chelsea are much improved. Sarri and his transformation is pretty impressive. But then again it’s also down to buy in from players as well. He has parts doing things they don’t usually do. Not many managers can get that out of players, but it also shows how much some of them hated Conte.
 

WhiskeySeven*

Expect the expected
Jun 17, 2007
25,154
770
Can’t complain about a point away to Chelsea. I think Liverpool had the better chances (Salah had acres of space on a few attempts and was not hitting the mark) and on other days probably score on one or two more.

It was an exciting match to watch and Chelsea are much improved. Sarri and his transformation is pretty impressive. But then again it’s also down to buy in from players as well. He has parts doing things they don’t usually do. Not many managers can get that out of players, but it also shows how much some of them hated Conte.
We'll see how long it lasts. I don't think it's fair to slate off Conte when he got them to buy-in and play excellent football just the season before. The players felt he lost his authority and they tuned him out. We'll see how long it takes for Marina to toss Sarri aside.

The match itself was good - and while I'm nominally supportive of Henderson I think he was dire today, he's just not good enough.
 

S E P H

Cloud IX
Mar 5, 2010
30,710
16,238
Toruń, PL
That was a brilliant strike my Sturridge, but I am going to take some shock away from the goal and contribute to trash defending by Kante. Let him pretty much line up that shot for a good 4-5 seconds.

Arsenal dominated and it wasn't against an opposition as easy as people think they are.

This back line is so bad
105 million for Pogba though, a player who wants to leave the club. :laugh:

He made it look worse but that was a clear penalty.
It was a weak ass call, not surprised you get a Spurs player going down easy in the box.

Arsenal isnt competing with either of those teams.
Arsenal would've easily beat Chelsea at Stanford if the BVB brigade didn't have their clown shoes on/.
 

Baxterman

Registered User
Aug 27, 2017
6,939
1,499
It was a weak ass call, not surprised you get a Spurs player going down easy in the box.

There was nothing weak about it at all. Rose was by him and he clearly grabbed him. That is a foul 10/10. It may not have been enough to take Rose down like he did but it was still a no doubt penalty.

The two guys, one a former defender in the EPL, on TSN said the same thing so it’s not like it’s a homer Spurs thing.
 

Luigi Habs

Captain Saku
Jul 30, 2005
17,466
3,802
Montreal
I like Milner and Wijnaldum, but Klopp needs to inject a bit more creativity in that midfield. He's got good players on the bench now compared to last year.
 

bluesfan94

Registered User
Jan 7, 2008
30,719
8,079
St. Louis
Liverpool really need Salah and Mane to sort it out. Shouldn't have needed that incredible goal from Studge but I'll take the draw I guess. We created more chances for sure.

Great game though. Chelsea look good under Sarri.

Also I dont know why Arsenal would be interested in this result either way. Both of these teams will absolutely smash Arsenal.
Check out the table. In actuality, Chelsea barely beat Arsenal at home. A clinical Auba and arsenal at least draws
 

Live in the Now

Registered User
Dec 17, 2005
53,029
7,489
LA
Just now finished the game these hours later. A point is a very good result. The Sturridge goal was spectacular, one he nearly scored from similar position on Wednesday. If he could have stayed healthy for all those years, we would have been talking about one of the game's best. Instead, it didn't work out like that. Great strike though, the result was fine. Not like points were dropped against a poor team.
 

These Are The Days

Oh no! We suck again!!
May 17, 2014
34,119
19,684
Tampa Bay
Just now finished the game these hours later. A point is a very good result. The Sturridge goal was spectacular, one he nearly scored from similar position on Wednesday. If he could have stayed healthy for all those years, we would have been talking about one of the game's best. Instead, it didn't work out like that. Great strike though, the result was fine. Not like points were dropped against a poor team.
I might be biting off more than I can chew but I feel LFC played well enough to win. Chelsea's quick transition kept them in it (especially on the goal) and kept the Reds on their heels but that was a contrast to an effective, methodical attack that saw Salah in particular get many chances but just not enough foot on them. It could have been a 2-1 contest either way because the Reds never consistently struggled to get upfield and a small bounce the other way and either side could have won.

A win against City will go a long way in controlling their Premier League destiny over the next month
 

Savant

HFBoards Sponsor
Sponsor
Oct 3, 2013
36,496
10,479
Chelsea did a very good job of shutting down Liverpool's full backs yesterday. Robertson had a tough time offensively, especially getting past his man. Hazard kept Trent honest. Neither had great games. Forced Liverpool too narrow, which didn't work for them which that midfield they played. I dont think it's a coincidence that they scored after Keita came on.

A draw was probably a fair result I dont think Chelsea did anything particularly special, but I also dont think they are a team that Liverpool matches up well against with Hazard in form. And Hazard has always been a Liverpool-killer anyway.
 

Blender

Registered User
Dec 2, 2009
51,305
45,253
Check out the table. In actuality, Chelsea barely beat Arsenal at home. A clinical Auba and arsenal at least draws
This is the same bad argument that has been getting posted since the game, and it's cherry picking Arsenal's chances to fit the argument. Chelsea had 62% possession, out shot Arsenal 24-15 and put 11 shots on target to Arsenal's 6. I can easily say "a clinical Willian and Chelsea scores 2 more", and we can go around in circles with that all day. The result was a fair result based on the game as a whole, and you're purely focusing on a 10-15 minute stretch where Arsenal looked better while ignoring the 75-80 minutes they didn't.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Peen and Il Mediano

Cassano

Registered User
Aug 31, 2013
25,610
3,818
GTA
This is the same bad argument that has been getting posted since the game, and it's cherry picking Arsenal's chances to fit the argument. Chelsea had 62% possession, out shot Arsenal 24-15 and put 11 shots on target to Arsenal's 6. I can easily say "a clinical Willian and Chelsea scores 2 more", and we can go around in circles with that all day. The result was a fair result based on the game as a whole, and you're purely focusing on a 10-15 minute stretch where Arsenal looked better while ignoring the 75-80 minutes they didn't.
xGoals were 2.2 vs 1.66 in favor of Arsenal. I think it was a harsh result TBH.

@S E P H was right, if the Dortmund boys didn't choke on their schoolboy sitters, they'd easily have won.
 

YNWA14

Onbreekbaar
Dec 29, 2010
34,543
2,560
I'm probably one of the only people that predicted Arsenal to finish in the top 4 and continue to. They aren't as good as Chelsea or Liverpool and they won't be competing for the same spots.
Chelsea did a very good job of shutting down Liverpool's full backs yesterday. Robertson had a tough time offensively, especially getting past his man. Hazard kept Trent honest. Neither had great games. Forced Liverpool too narrow, which didn't work for them which that midfield they played. I dont think it's a coincidence that they scored after Keita came on.

A draw was probably a fair result I dont think Chelsea did anything particularly special, but I also dont think they are a team that Liverpool matches up well against with Hazard in form. And Hazard has always been a Liverpool-killer anyway.
Kind of a weird analysis of the midfield. We had plenty of chances to score before Keita came on, and while I'd been calling for him to come on the whole game he didn't really have much to do with the goal we did score. I still think if he started that game and Wijnaldum was playing the 6 from the beginning we would have probably won emphatically.
 

bluesfan94

Registered User
Jan 7, 2008
30,719
8,079
St. Louis
This is the same bad argument that has been getting posted since the game, and it's cherry picking Arsenal's chances to fit the argument. Chelsea had 62% possession, out shot Arsenal 24-15 and put 11 shots on target to Arsenal's 6. I can easily say "a clinical Willian and Chelsea scores 2 more", and we can go around in circles with that all day. The result was a fair result based on the game as a whole, and you're purely focusing on a 10-15 minute stretch where Arsenal looked better while ignoring the 75-80 minutes they didn't.
It was more like 35-55 in terms of time looking good. Arsenal looked better for half the first half and a large chunk of the second. And Arsenal's three missed chances were within 12 yards and not on target, so citing shots on target is silly, especially because a handful of Chelsea's were from off angles. xG stats support my argument: Chelsea 3 - 2 Arsenal (August 18 2018) | EPL | 2018/2019 | xG | Understat.com

Either way, the point was that Chelsea wouldn't "absolutely smash" Arsenal; we have the game to prove that. Chelsea, no matter how much you exaggerate their dominance, did not "absolutely smash" Arsenal.
 

Savant

HFBoards Sponsor
Sponsor
Oct 3, 2013
36,496
10,479
I'm probably one of the only people that predicted Arsenal to finish in the top 4 and continue to. They aren't as good as Chelsea or Liverpool and they won't be competing for the same spots.

Kind of a weird analysis of the midfield. We had plenty of chances to score before Keita came on, and while I'd been calling for him to come on the whole game he didn't really have much to do with the goal we did score. I still think if he started that game and Wijnaldum was playing the 6 from the beginning we would have probably won emphatically.
I feel like the majority of chances early was from Salah getting behind Alonso. I didn't think the midfield did enough Wijnaldum probably should be playing 6 right now. I think their best midfield is Keita-Wijnaldum-Milner until proven otherwise.

I think the Fabinho situation is getting interesting. I don't think talent is the issue, but I don't really know if he would have been able to make a difference in a game like that. I am still glad he is in Liverpool but he is going to have to be a bit of a specialist for them. I'm not sure he is a Klopp 6 though. There are many times over a game where Klopp's 6 is the highest midfielder up the pitch. I don't think that's Fabinho. Fabinho plays very deep, and I think he might be best in a midfield 2. Still plenty of time to coach him up though.
 

Savant

HFBoards Sponsor
Sponsor
Oct 3, 2013
36,496
10,479
I'm probably one of the only people that predicted Arsenal to finish in the top 4 and continue to. They aren't as good as Chelsea or Liverpool and they won't be competing for the same spots.

Kind of a weird analysis of the midfield. We had plenty of chances to score before Keita came on, and while I'd been calling for him to come on the whole game he didn't really have much to do with the goal we did score. I still think if he started that game and Wijnaldum was playing the 6 from the beginning we would have probably won emphatically.
I feel like the majority of chances early was from Salah getting behind Alonso. I didn't think the midfield did enough Wijnaldum probably should be playing 6 right now. I think their best midfield is Keita-Wijnaldum-Milner until proven otherwise.

I think the Fabinho situation is getting interesting. I don't think talent is the issue, but I don't really know if he would have been able to make a difference in a game like that. I am still glad he is in Liverpool but he is going to have to be a bit of a specialist for them. I'm not sure he is a Klopp 6 though. There are many times over a game where Klopp's 6 is the highest midfielder up the pitch. I don't think that's Fabinho. Fabinho plays very deep, and I think he might be best in a midfield 2. Still plenty of time to coach him up though. A better Klopp 6 could be a guy like Rabiot, who might be realistic.
 
Last edited:

Blender

Registered User
Dec 2, 2009
51,305
45,253
xGoals were 2.2 vs 1.66 in favor of Arsenal. I think it was a harsh result TBH.

@S E P H was right, if the Dortmund boys didn't choke on their schoolboy sitters, they'd easily have won.
As far as I'm aware, xgoals has not been shown to be statistically meaningful in a single game, only as a future predictor of scoring. Do you have a links that validate the model for analyzing the expected outcome of individual games?
 

Burner Account

Registered User
Feb 14, 2008
37,418
1,744
I like Milner and Wijnaldum, but Klopp needs to inject a bit more creativity in that midfield. He's got good players on the bench now compared to last year.
I thought Liverpool was forced to pass around the perimeter for most of the match yesterday. Think Keita needed to come on much earlier to create through the middle.
 
Mar 1, 2002
66,103
12,072
Sakho committed A selfish foul to give up a PK with about four minutes to go. Robbie Earle absolutely destroyed him after the game on NBC sports
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->