General Premier League Thread 2020-21 - Mod Notes in 1st post. [Updated 17/12/20]

yourdeadwright

Esse85 wrote: »

Walker is a poor defender for me.
His pace allows him to get out of many mistakes he creates.

Poor positionally, often gives the ball away, not intelligent, but his blistering speed and engine means his recovery to get back and help out is second to very few.

His passing is actually very good,
Last season had 89 % passing success and 90% the season before that is quite exceptional for a full back who gets forward ,

I actually forgive his positional sense as a lot of the time he plays in a odd inverted full back roll and sometimes as almost a 3rd CB for City , its not a natural position

Its concentration that seems to be his main downfall

adaminho

https://twitter.com/johncrossmirror/status/1328428796308033538

MisterAnarchy

gimli2112 wrote: »

He called him an idiot, I mean seriously?

Its a sign of the times we live in.
Political correctness gone mad, censorship , propaganda .
Will be interesting to see how Sky respond as its become a very woke network since Comcast took over.

theoneeyedman

Esse85 wrote: »

Walker is a poor defender for me.
His pace allows him to get out of many mistakes he creates.

Poor positionally, often gives the ball away, not intelligent, but his blistering speed and engine means his recovery to get back and help out is second to very few.

It's less Walker himself, its the system Pep and City use. He prefers Footballers at the back to defenders.

They leave the defenders very exposed at times, they rely in the cynicism of the midfield and forwards to prevent counterattacks, and at times they leave their defenders very exposed with little or no cover. They do their defending with the ball, get a goal ahead, then play keep ball and bore the pants off the opposition and wait for an opening to occur when the opposition tire or lose concentration.

It's been OK when they typically have 70/80 percent possession in Epl, but against better teams in Europe or even in England recently when teams don't fear them and push up into them, it's less effective.

CSF

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

Its a sign of the times we live in.
Political correctness gone mad, censorship , propaganda .
Will be interesting to see how Sky respond as its become a very woke network since Comcast took over.

Not to mention the 5G

Isn't Kyle Walker the footballer who held sex parties during lockdown while telling fans to stay at home and isolate from everyone other than their families? Because that strikes me as a man who could be called an idiot.

gimli2112

you have to laugh at Richard Keys' desperate attempts to remain relevant

https://www.caughtoffside.com/2020/11/16/richard-keys-reignites-his-feud-with-former-man-united-star-over-kyle-walker-comments/

and in an astonishing example of hypocrisy
“I can only imagine what would’ve happened If we’d ever called Gary Neville a ‘car crash’ and an ‘idiot’. And there were plenty of opportunities!

yourdeadwright

I just realised that 26 year-olds Laporte still has no French caps!!!!!!!How is that even possible,
He'll be just shy of 27 by the time the next set of internationals roll around,


He is probably the second best CB in the Prem just behind VVD its kind of crazy

Panrich

adaminho wrote: »

https://twitter.com/johncrossmirror/status/1328428796308033538

I could see another break coming up soon if the cases in the UK don't start to come down. Hopefully the new measures will begin to have an impact before we have too many cases but with players coming back from international duty, the risks increase.

SureYWouldntYa

yourdeadwright wrote: »

I just realised that 26 year-olds Laporte still has no French caps!!!!!!!How is that even possible,
He'll be just shy of 27 by the time the next set of internationals roll around,


He is probably the second best CB in the Prem just behind VVD its kind of crazy

France aren't exactly short at CB in fairness

I believe he's from the Basque region, and could have played for Spain either and that was part of the reason across the years he didn't get a call up

gimli2112

gimli2112 wrote: »

you have to laugh at Richard Keys' desperate attempts to remain relevant

https://www.caughtoffside.com/2020/11/16/richard-keys-reignites-his-feud-with-former-man-united-star-over-kyle-walker-comments/

and in an astonishing example of hypocrisy
“I can only imagine what would’ve happened If we’d ever called Gary Neville a ‘car crash’ and an ‘idiot’. And there were plenty of opportunities!

Richard Keys, the man who had any affair on his wife while she had cancer. Can't take him or his opinions seriously.

DM_7

I am not going to talk about personal lives but in terms of throwing comments at players, Keane made his fair share of bad choices on a football pitch.

In the end Sky have Keane there for the quick sound bites and encourage the type of comments made about Walker (calling him an idiot flat out rather than making a bad choice etc).

It is the kind of comment they could probably throw at each other when having a conversation in person but has greater connotations when put forward on TV as people across the audience can take different meanings and the player is not in a position to respond.

~Rebel~

DM_7 wrote: »

I am not going to talk about personal lives but in terms of throwing comments at players, Keane made his fair share of bad choices on a football pitch.

In the end Sky have Keane there for the quick sound bites and encourage the type of comments made about Walker (calling him an idiot flat out rather than making a bad choice etc).

It is the kind of comment they could probably throw at each other when having a conversation in person but has greater connotations when put forward on TV as people across the audience can take different meanings and the player is not in a position to respond.

It is kind of a ****ty thing to do alright, it’s a bit too personal with all his family and friends probably watching, over football. Seems like they could do with the same rule as here - attack the choice, not the person.

Same reason I hate managers throwing players under the bus on tv after games. It’s all very public embarrassment that’s just not necessary.

He called him stupid, lets not overreact here.

If anything City making a story out of it looks far worse on Walker than being called stupid by Keane.

~Rebel~

AdamD wrote: »

He called him stupid, lets not overreact here.

It in itself is not the biggest thing in the world, but I totally understand City making a complaint just to draw a line in the sand at personal abuse for the future. It’s not the path you want punditry and analysis to start going down, where it turns into lowest common denominator mean spirited reality tv stuff.

rob316

Lodging official complaints because he called him an "idiot" is ridiculous but all to familiar in todays world.
Keane ended his own United career by slamming his team mates on the club channel, he's on Sky for that exact reason, create controversy. He doesn't offer any sort of tactical analysis its all

"idiot"
"lazy"
"i wouldn't let him on the bus"


You only have to look at social media after he's be on, his sound bites are viral. Sky aren't idiots they know what they hired when they brought in Keane.

noodler

I do think English pundits get away (and the old soccer Saturday guard in particular) with labelling a foreign player as lazy, a diver or useless quite often.

They might not say "he is a.." but probably talk more about their activities.

Fitz*

Looks like the Championship is going to bring in the 5 subs rule.

The Premier League will have to follow suit, but it could be too little too late for some clubs who have seen their players become injured because of the condensed fixture schedule this season.

https://twitter.com/TeleFootball/status/1328695492461604865

CSF

Fitz* wrote: »

Looks like the Championship is going to bring in the 5 subs rule.

The Premier League will have to follow suit, but it could be too little too late for some clubs who have seen their players become injured because of the condensed fixture schedule this season.

https://twitter.com/TeleFootball/status/1328695492461604865

They still can’t do it without the required number of votes right? Obviously the pressure has ramped up for clubs to vote a certain way, but it still wouldn’t be mad to see them vote in their own interest.

~Rebel~

CSF wrote: »

They still can’t do it without the required number of votes right? Obviously the pressure has ramped up for clubs to vote a certain way, but it still wouldn’t be mad to see them vote in their own interest.

Given that a few of them have already said they'd vote differently if it came up again, I think it'll pass alright.

As well as the insane numbers of injuries, Covid recovery for those that aren't asymptomatic is now a real concern, with a lot more players getting it over the past few months than in the "Return" bubble. For instance, West Brom have 3 infected right now, that we know of.

rob316

It'll pass, the cynics thought it would help the big clubs when in reality it was to protect the welfare of players who are dropping like flies at all clubs.

CSF

~Rebel~ wrote: »

Given that a few of them have already said they'd vote differently if it came up again, I think it'll pass alright.

As well as the insane numbers of injuries, Covid recovery for those that aren't asymptomatic is now a real concern, with a lot more players getting it over the past few months than in the "Return" bubble.

Who else other than Moyes has said that so far?

The 5 subs only helps with the insane number of injuries if you actually use them. Villa against Arsenal for instance made 1 sub with a couple of minutes left. Arsenal with their stronger squad would have loved 2 more though.

CSF

rob316 wrote: »

It'll pass, the cynics thought it would help the big clubs when in reality it was to protect the welfare of players who are dropping like flies at all clubs.

It is to help the big clubs though. They’re the ones who have 3 games a week with Europe and a full squad of internationals.

For the likes of Burnley, Sheff United or Fulham, the summer may have been shorter but their routine hasn’t changed that much otherwise.

~Rebel~

CSF wrote: »

Who else other than Moyes has said that so far?

The 5 subs only helps with the insane number of injuries if you actually use them. Villa against Arsenal for instance made 1 sub with a couple of minutes left. Arsenal with their stronger squad would have loved 2 more though.

I would say plenty of games will go by without the 5 subs being used, but it being an option is the important part. Yes, it will help some teams more than others, just as every single rule in place does, but the priority has to be on player welfare.

Also, I'm not entirely sure that it will actually hurt the smaller teams against the big teams. If Liverpool are 1 or 2 up with 20 minutes to play, they're more likely to take off Mane and Salah to bring on Origi and Minamino (who aren't getting a sniff of gametime now) which inarguably weakens them - but they're taking a calculated risk so as not to crock their main players. If anything, this gives weaker teams a slightly improved chance of getting back into the game.

I'n not sure changing 5 players ever makes you better in a game really... it's too much disruption. But it does maybe allow players to keep going for a crazy season with a genuinely negligent fixture list for teams in Europe.

CSF

~Rebel~ wrote: »

Sure one way or another if there's another vote we'll know immediately anyway.

I would say plenty of games will go by without the 5 subs being used, but it being an option is the important part. Yes, it will help some teams more than others, just as every single rule in place does, but the priority has to be on player welfare.

Also, I'm not entirely sure that it will actually hurt the smaller teams against the big teams. If Liverpool are 1 or 2 up with 20 minutes to play, they're more likely to take off Mane and Salah to bring on Origi and Minamino (who aren't getting a sniff of gametime now) which inarguably weakens them - but they're taking a calculated risk so as not to crock their main players. If anything, this gives weaker teams a slightly improved chance of getting back into the game.

I'n not sure changing 5 players ever makes you better in a game really... it's too much disruption. But it does maybe allow players to keep going for a crazy season with a genuinely negligent fixture list for teams in Europe.

I would agree that it’s a huge thing for player welfare for the clubs in Europe. Which is why the clubs who aren’t may well choose to try gain the competitive advantage by keeping things as they’ve always been.

I don’t think this affects player welfare too much for the teams who play once a week. If it did, this would have been brought out long before.

6

6 wrote: »

Richard Keys, the man who had any affair on his wife while she had cancer. Can't take him or his opinions seriously.

I find it hard to believe he could have found another woman who'd have sex with him. What were the chances of that?

DM_7

On the 5 subs rule, championship teams in general have played more games than many premier league teams. Brentford and Stoke are both still in the League Cup and have played 15 games this season.

Liverpool have also played 15 (including Community Shield), Spurs 15, Man Utd have played 13. Chelsea 13.

Aston Villa by comparison have played 10. Sheffield United and Leeds have played 9.

(apologies for any miscounts above).

So there could well be a strategic split in the Premier League if it comes to a vote anytime soon.

~Rebel~

DM_7 wrote: »

On the 5 subs rule, championship teams in general have played more games than many premier league teams. Brentford and Stoke are both still in the League Cup and have played 15 games this season.

Liverpool have also played 15 (including Community Shield), Spurs 15, Man Utd have played 13. Chelsea 13.

Aston Villa by comparison have played 10. Sheffield United and Leeds have played 9.

(apologies for any miscounts above).

So there could well be a strategic split in the Premier League if it comes to a vote anytime soon.

I think the PFA actively rolling in behind it will be just enough to flip it. Will likely be pressure from the FA as well, with an international tournament at season's end that England should really be pushing to win - if they can avoid too many injuries in the lead up.

CSF

~Rebel~ wrote: »

I think the PFA actively rolling in behind it will be just enough to flip it. Will likely be pressure from the FA as well, with an international tournament at season's end that England should really be pushing to win - if they can avoid too many injuries in the lead up.

How would they convince clubs to vote against their own interests though? There'd have to be something to convince them right?

~Rebel~

CSF wrote: »

How would they convince clubs to vote against their own interests though? There'd have to be something to convince them right?

No idea how the conversation will go, but I've a feeling the end result will be 5 subs.

I'm still just not convinced it's all that big a difference to the smaller teams... the main benefit they gain is the hope that some of the big teams have injured players against them. I don't think the 2 extra subs actually improve your chances in any given game. Your 4th and 5th subs are not game changers - they're lads coming on to get your key players off the pitch.

And ultimately - all the money those lower teams get from being in the Premier League is because of the international interest in those top teams. That's what brings the eyeballs. Perhaps a show of good faith at this point can be favorable in keeping the profit breakdown somewhere similar to where it is in the next profit sharing deal - where obviously the bigger clubs would rather a significantly bigger slice of the pie, seeing as they would consider themselves to be the breadwinners. Or the other direction, perhaps the increased threat of a less egalitarian deal, or even a new push for a breakaway.