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

Blue Moon is open for registrations if people have referee conspiracy theories to spout.

I think we're actually seeing more fairness from decision making this season without baying crowds in the stands but it's always going to be inconsistent and it's only the high profile decisions that get highlighted.

Mitch Connor wrote: »

A footballing body has to trust the refs, to the point that i find the notion of certain refs not being allowed to ref certain teams call into question the ethics and integrity of ref in general, and thus they should not be a ref.

If he's from Woking, and there's pictures of him walking around in a Woking jersey when he was a teenager, and celebrating when Woking won whatever they won.....
He may be the most ethical person in the football world, but I can see how it would be opening a can of worms to ever have him ref a Woking game.

So it seems sensible to have 1 or 2 teams that each ref can't do.

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

If he's from Woking, and there's pictures of him walking around in a Woking jersey when he was a teenager, and celebrating when Woking won whatever they won.....
He may be the most ethical person in the football world, but I can see how it would be opening a can of worms to ever have him ref a Woking game.

So it seems sensible to have 1 or 2 teams that each ref can't do.

what about reffing a game that involves a rival of Woking, that a no too? surely it has to be by extention. And who a rival is could change every week based on league position.

Mitch Connor wrote: »

what about reffing a game that involves a rival of Woking, that a no too? surely it has to be by extention. And who a rival is could change every week based on league position.

They may well do that already for Woking's main historic rival.
Though as you say their 'position rival' could change on a weekly basis.
It's hard to know exactly what their appointment formula is.

It's slightly more clear cut at international level.
It's interesting to look at say the Champions League groups. Obviously no-one refs a game with a team from their own country, but it also seems this extends to the full group. At a quick glance it seems none of the top refs have done a game in which there was a team from their country in the group. Is that UEFA casting negative vibes at the international refs, personally I don't think so?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019–20_UEFA_Champions_League_group_stage#Groups

Look, I agree with you that it's not ideal but it seems a sensible compromise. There's a hell of a lot of refs to go around, so appoint them to suitable games where their neutrality can't be questioned (fan paranoia notwithstanding)

yourdeadwright wrote: »

After watching Liverpool last night how was comparing Wan Bisska to Trent was even a thing

Some on here had Bisska in the team of the year ahead of Trent what sport do some people be watching,

The kids is just exceptional

I don't even think he's good defensively and that's supposed to be his best quality. His positioning is absolutely awful

To be honest I think Wan Bisska has regressed from the form he showed at Palace that got him the move to Man U.

At Palace he was part of a defence that was drilled by Roy to play the same way week in week out no matter the team they were playing.

I'm not sure that is the same at Man U.

Agent Coulson wrote: »

To be honest I think Wan Bisska has regressed from the form he showed at Palace that got him the move to Man U.

At Palace he was part of a defence that was drilled by Roy to play the same way week in week out no matter the team they were playing.

I'm not sure that is the same at Man U.

That wouldn't surprise me. Ole doesn't really look like he knows what he's doing.

Potential Underachiever wrote: »

Wouldn't like to get into the d1ck waving going on here regards Aubamayang being the best African player or whatever but I must say last night I did think his attitude stank a fair bit, I did observe him more than once just strolling about the place, he had no interest tackling back or putting in any graft, dunno what Arsenal fans made of it? Maybe he's always like that and Arteta gives him the licence to do it but it just stood out like a sore thumb last night while Liverpool were hunting like a pack of Wolves he seemed to be sauntering about the place.

I think that is a criticism often levelled at him and that's just the way he is. His contribution is goals, goals goals and he's very good at that.

There looks to be very little tactical training at United. The philosophy is to attack at pace but when they’re in attacking situations they look lost, where they should know exactly what they want to to do or who should be available in what position.

When United have gone on winning runs, it was when Ole first joined and then Fernandes came in, both added unpredictability to their attack. But eventually other teams figure out how to play them, but they persist with trying the same thing over and over again. They could get Sancho in, and for the first while get results, but they’ll regress eventually again when there’s no tactical evolution with it.

It’s actually shocking to me that they persist with Ole when it’s clear he has a ceiling much lower than a lot of other PL managers, especially when Poch is also available.

McFly85 wrote: »

There looks to be very little tactical training at United. The philosophy is to attack at pace but when they’re in attacking situations they look lost, where they should know exactly what they want to to do or who should be available in what position.

When United have gone on winning runs, it was when Ole first joined and then Fernandes came in, both added unpredictability to their attack. But eventually other teams figure out how to play them, but they persist with trying the same thing over and over again. They could get Sancho in, and for the first while get results, but they’ll regress eventually again when there’s no tactical evolution with it.

It’s actually shocking to me that they persist with Ole when it’s clear he has a ceiling much lower than a lot of other PL managers, especially when Poch is also available.

Is he though or is he already lined up for another job.

There are a lot of top clubs that could have gone for him already but haven't

The more I watch that Mane elbow the more I can't get over how that's not a red.

They've been given plenty of times.

McFly85 wrote: »

There looks to be very little tactical training at United. The philosophy is to attack at pace but when they’re in attacking situations they look lost, where they should know exactly what they want to to do or who should be available in what position.

When United have gone on winning runs, it was when Ole first joined and then Fernandes came in, both added unpredictability to their attack. But eventually other teams figure out how to play them, but they persist with trying the same thing over and over again. They could get Sancho in, and for the first while get results, but they’ll regress eventually again when there’s no tactical evolution with it.

It’s actually shocking to me that they persist with Ole when it’s clear he has a ceiling much lower than a lot of other PL managers, especially when Poch is also available.

While i have no doubt Ole wants to be a succesful manager of Man United and win trophies, and that doing so would mean more to him than any other manager - I also think it is fairly clear that he is also just delighted to be man untied manager and probably knows that if he isn't United manager it is probably back to Norway with him. He won't be getting the Spurs job or Villa etc.

As such I think the United board don't really need to worry about him. They can provide him with minimal backing, to hopefully get 4th place, and he won't cause any drama in the press like Jose did. The reality is Ole will retain his job for the same reason Woodward and Judge do - they may not be succeding according to football metrics or what the fans want from them, but as long as they are delivering dividends for the Glazers every year that is all that will be wanted of them.

I actually do think Ole has the right idea for where United need to be, I just don't think he is a good enough manager/coach to actually get United there. At the same time, it has to be said that United are dealing him a rubbish hand, just as they did Moyes, just as they ended up doing to Jose. United haven't had a right winger since Valencia stopped being a right winger. We have 3 viable forwards. 1 have 1 defensive midfielder. Our backup defenders are forever injured Bailly, Jones and Tuanzebe (along with Smalling who Ole doesn't rate as first choice and Rojo).

The issue is both Ole isn't good enough, and that Woodward/Glazers simply don't care. They don't care about winning the league or the CL. The money they get for just finishing 4th and getting out of the CL group stage (in a good season!) is more than enough for them. the money they would get on top of that for winning either isn't worth the cost of buidling to it (when there is no certainty of winning either).

United are gambling that Ole and minimal additions to the squad is good enough to get 4th place. If they are right, they'll meet their targets.

rob316 wrote: »

I watched it a few times and its more a shove than a swing out. It doesn't look good though, did VAR review it?

No clue I was half watching at the time. I assume it was reviewed. Agree completely he shoves with his elbow rather than initiate a malicious swing