General Premier League Thread 2023-24 Mod Note in op 27/6/23 And 21/05/24

As a Brighton fan who still believes the last six seasons have been a Dallas shower scene and will turn out to not have happened; today is only making it feel ever more dreamlike.

There's no bogeymen for Brighton anymore, but it looks like there's a new one for Man U

I used to stand in Withdean on meccano stands, wearing a £1 poncho watching random league 1 teams tonk Brighton. I was at the last league game there and the first in the Amex. It still feels surreal

While not wanting to be part of the pile on, I am going to do it.

The warning signs were there for Casemiro. He was and is the wrong side of 30 for the role he is playing. A lone holding midfielder and his legs have been on the wane since last winter. He is not a Pirlo or Modric spraying passes at 36 while being protected with legs beside them with Vidal/Valverde etc. He is being asked to shore up a midfield on his own, stupidly. Maybe Mount missing there is a problem, but I don't think is the player to play as a second midfielder, he's more of a third midfielder and Bruno already fills that role. Eriksen performed that role well last year, but again wrong side of 30.

And The Butcher. Got turned yet again today for a goal. It happens a good bit. There's a lot of bark from him, but little bite. He is fine when progressing the ball and starting attacks but I'm not convinced that he is the defensive CB leader that you need at the top end of the table. He was only won 50% of his ground duels this seasons and 17% of his aerial duels. 17!!

Maguire? Martinez was woeful today. Again. At the scene of all 3 crimes today. Holding his hands behind his back for 2 of their goals today when he should have been closing the player down.

That's some really poor decision making by the goalkeeper.

Complete dive from Antony Gordon, but not surprising from him. Turns his body away from the keeper and is on the way down knowing that they will collide eventually.

Flekken must still be having nightmares of facing Ireland.

He looked good before the break, had a nightmare against Ireland and has carried it into today.

Newcastle and Brentford both very poor today. The Toon Army can be cheered by the fact that AC Milan got tonked 5-1 in the Derby della Madonnina earlier.

Doku looks like as useful lad! City, a bit like Liverpool (although not as bad) are guilty of giving away a lot of big chances to the opposition every time I see them play.

Fernandinho, alves, marcelo, silva all played till late 30s

Call me crazy but I just don't think Ten Hag is all that. Definitely lacks the man management skills of a top manager, in game management is poor, his signings have been largely poor too.

My god this is some awful awful match