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

To be fair the bickering from a Liverpool / United title race would be better to read than the last 10 years of bickering when they've barely been competing at the same level in any of the seasons, yet somehow managing to make every thread about the rivalry

doc_17

You can’t spend as much money as United and pretend you’re not in the title race. You can’t be defending champions and pretend you’re not in the title race!

I’d be stunned if any team ran away with it. Liverpool not having the luck, Utd scraping enough to win games and that’s why it’s close at the minue. But I think city will have a big say on where the title goes.

NITRO95

Liverpool are the team to beat no matter what injuries, bad luck, VAR etc goes against them. If a team finishes above Liverpool then they will be champions

Utd have spent a Lot but even non Utd fans are aware of the issues Utd have. Pogba (the problems with PP varies from week to week), heavily reliant on Bruno, Ole is not a great manager, defensive frailties.

However despite all of that after 16 games and shocking home form they find themselves in 2nd place and best positioned RIGHT NOW to challenge Liverpool. Will they sustain that challenge? I don't think so but to see fans from both sides in some sort of game of "we are the underdogs" is ridiculous.

Spurs, Chelsea and City could all be there or thereabouts too but on 31/12/20 it's Liverpool that are the favourites and Utd best placed to challenge despite both teams limitations mentioned above

DeanAustin

NITRO95 wrote: »

Tbf neither Utd or Liverpool are in the title race if you believe their fans in this thread

Some load of nonsense. You could understand Ole or Klopp saying that but for either club's fans to say it on here is dumb.

I'm a Spurs fan. I still believe we're in it if Jose would just take the handbrake off a bit.

Long way to go and all clubs are dropping points you'd never expect because of the amount of games and surreal circumstances. Everyone in the top 8 should feel they have a chance.

Fitz*

In some ways, Man Utd this year remind me of Liverpool in 13/14. I always use the phrase "fell into a title race" when talking about that season. Liverpool were not even expected to get top 4 that season, and even up until February people were doubting them. But somehow the players up front just clicked, caused havoc and when they were on fire, nothing was stopping them.

A world class player spearheading the side in Suarez alongside great players like Gerrard & Sturridge carried the rest of the team, aided by some great youngsters & kids in Coutinho, Hendo & Sterling. With a poor defence that can be got at and a goalkeeper extremely prone to errors who cannot be entirely relied on. Liverpool only had about 13 viable players that season. Didn't have European games that year, so they made the most of the free time and other teams tiring.

Now you can see Bruno spearheading the Man Utd title charge. With Rashford off of him and Cavani settled, there is the makings of a very good attack that can click when they get the space to run and play into. The same when Greenwood can play. The variables in a lot of games seem to suit these players. A large squad with no real injuries to important players is working in their favour, along with getting the rub of the green in a lot of games, like Brighton, the WBA multiple penalties debate, West Ham opening goal which kickstarted the comeback, getting the bounce of the ball against Wolves the other night etc. The momentum is building, and confidence is growing as a result of these, and other high scoring games. The big question still remains - What happens if Bruno gets an injury where he misses 4 or 5 weeks?

Father Hernandez

Fitz* wrote: »

In some ways, Man Utd this year remind me of Liverpool in 13/14. I always use the phrase "fell into a title race" when talking about that season. Liverpool were not even expected to get top 4 that season, and even up until February people were doubting them. But somehow the players up front just clicked, caused havoc and when they were on fire, nothing was stopping them.

A world class player spearheading the side in Suarez alongside great players like Gerrard & Sturridge carried the rest of the team, aided by some great youngsters & kids in Coutinho, Hendo & Sterling. With a poor defence that can be got at and a goalkeeper extremely prone to errors who cannot be entirely relied on. Liverpool only had about 13 viable players that season. Didn't have European games that year, so they made the most of the free time and other teams tiring.

Now you can see Bruno spearheading the Man Utd title charge. With Rashford off of him and Cavani settled, there is the makings of a very good attack that can click when they get the space to run and play into. The same when Greenwood can play. The variables in a lot of games seem to suit these players. A large squad with no real injuries to important players is working in their favour, along with getting the rub of the green in a lot of games, like Brighton, the WBA multiple penalties debate, West Ham opening goal which kickstarted the comeback, getting the bounce of the ball against Wolves the other night etc. The momentum is building, and confidence is growing as a result of these, and other high scoring games. The big question still remains - What happens if Bruno gets an injury where he misses 4 or 5 weeks?

Good summarisation.

On the last point, it's where VDB would come in and look to replace him IMO. He's not on Bruno's level and I do think United would suffer. A fit Bruno is key to United's season which is plainly obvious.

Apart from this place having an utter meltdown, a proper United-Liverpool title race would be something else from neutrals perspective, not so sure it would be as entertaining biting finger nails each week. Whether it happens this season or not is a different story, long way to go yet but certainly has potential.

pjohnson

This years title race as a whole is summed up here.



Theres no consistency. Chelsea and Spurs both looked like contenders but have slipped down a bit. Arsenal were almost in a relegation fight but are moving up again. United have generally been shìte but have started to lurch out some kind of momentum to get up the table. Man City have been poor throughout.

Aston Villa, Leicester and Everton are all qualifying for Europe as things stand.

The bottom 5 aside the table looks pretty mental.

paulie21

Re fixtures

12th Jan Burnley v Man Utd
20th Jan City v Villa

Agent Coulson

Cavani given a 3 game ban and £100k fine for using racist word on social media.

citytillidie

Agent Coulson wrote: »

Cavani given a 3 game ban and £100k fine for using racist word on social media.

Now we know why the squeezed in that game in hand before the Liverpool game

Shanotheslayer

citytillidie wrote: »

Now we know why the squeezed in that game in hand before the Liverpool game

Why?

brinty

citytillidie wrote:

Now we know why the squeezed in that game in hand before the Liverpool game

Think fixtures are decided by the premier league mate. Bit one eyed to think United have any influence over that. But whatever floats your boat.

And forgive but I think our game in hand/missed game from the start of the season was against Villa. Open to correction.

Was sure there were a few games today. **** it anyway!

citytillidie

Shanotheslayer wrote: »

Why?

With out the game in hand being squeezed in he would have been suspended for the Liverpool game, but then its not a PL suspension so he is banned from all comps so guess it does not matter.

DM_7

citytillidie wrote: »

Now we know why the squeezed in that game in hand before the Liverpool game

United had three domestic games before the Liverpool one anyway, it is 4 now.

Fitz*

Cavani only misses 1 PL game which is nice considering it's a 3 game ban. No conspiracies, it's just how the fixtures fall. It could end up costing Man United in 2 cup games and knock them out, who knows. Although that said, having less cup games this season could also be a blessing in disguise with the fixture pile ups.

On the topic of Cavani, I got a bit of abuse for mentioning it in here at the time, but Cavani's grab/push/throw (whatever you want to call it) incident with Mina in the league cup game has since been looked at by the retrospective panel and it could have brought an extra ban. But they deemed it not worthy of a ban.

Shanotheslayer

citytillidie wrote: »

Now we know why the squeezed in that game in hand before the Liverpool game

citytillidie wrote: »

With out the game in hand being squeezed in he would have been suspended for the Liverpool game, but then its not a PL suspension so he is banned from all comps so guess it does not matter.

So guess you don't know :pac:

citytillidie

DM_7 wrote: »

United had three domestic games before the Liverpool one anyway, it is 4 now.

forgot about the League Cup game

Shanotheslayer wrote: »

So guess you don't know :pac:

ahh well

DM_7

brinty wrote: »

Think fixtures are decided by the premier league mate. Bit one eyed to think United have any influence over that. But whatever floats your boat.

And forgive but I think our game in hand/missed game from the start of the season was against Villa. Open to correction.

Game in hand is Burnley. Villa were to play City. I think United wanted the game placed around the 12th, mindful that further delays to arranging the game could leave it very difficult to find a suitable time later on in season.

Cavani is a big loss to United in the League Cup.

El Gato De Negocios

citytillidie wrote: »

Now we know why the squeezed in that game in hand before the Liverpool game

Oh for gods sake. :rolleyes:

Unearthly

That was very Rawkish, and then to be debunked within minutes. Very embarrassing

This is it

citytillidie wrote: »

With out the game in hand being squeezed in he would have been suspended for the Liverpool game, but then its not a PL suspension so he is banned from all comps so guess it does not matter.

Debunked your own conspiracy, lovely hurling

El Gato De Negocios

Unearthly wrote: »

That was very Rawkish, and then to be debunked within minutes. Very embarrassing

Ive often seen Blue Moon lampooned around here for their outlandish conspiracy theories. This place is just as feckin bad by times with silliness like that.:pac::pac::pac::pac:

This is it

El Gato De Negocios wrote: »

Ive often seen Blue Moon lampooned around here for their outlandish conspiracy theories. This place is just as feckin bad by times with silliness like that.:pac::pac::pac::pac:

We're all guilty of it the odd time in fairness. Doubt you'd have to look too far back to see something silly you or I posted

El Gato De Negocios

This is it wrote: »

We're all guilty of it the odd time in fairness. Doubt you'd have to look too far back to see something silly you or I posted

Oh Ive no doubt Ive posted some absolute pony over the years on Boards but I can categorically state that footballing conspiracy theories are beyond even me. :pac::pac::pac:

Dr. Bre

Will city Chelsea go ahead this weekend?

giveitholly

If this is true then surely Walker and whoever attended the party should face lengthy bans

https://global247news.com/2020/12/31/kyle-walkers-christmas-party-in-london-causes-premier-league-covid-infections/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Lucas Hood

giveitholly wrote: »

If this is true then surely Walker and whoever attended the party should face lengthy bans

https://global247news.com/2020/12/31/kyle-walkers-christmas-party-in-london-causes-premier-league-covid-infections/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

I've heard rumours of this but I wouldn't trust that source.

Fitz*

Heard that myself too.

All the COVID cases in the clubs associated with the players mentioned is making it too hard to ignore. Kyle Walker has history with this too.

Sounds like it is going to break in the British media in the coming days.

If true, I presume it could cause substantial losses.

For which Man City could be variously liable. Especially as they seem to be fairly tolerant of the repeated breaches by their employee and, knowing this, allow him to mix with teammates and opponents.

Though not sure they can be charged by the FA, the failure to control players rule relates to actions during a match.