Board 8 > 2024 Premier League(/Football general?) Topic

(+) Yeah! (+)

Absolutely respectable decision, fully understandable.

Don't think they're the most hated team, same reaction would probably happen with a bunch of others.

I just watched the game and didn't read any coverage of it afterwards. No idea people were that pissed off at Arsenal.

In my view, they (Arsenal) did what they had to do. They DID play really well defensively. Haaland was smothered (which seems to have worked a lot this year). City's "smalls" (Silva, Foden, KDB) just didn't have the space to make their magic. And they didn't get a wonder strike from someone like Rodri or Walker.

Conversely, City's passing was almost perfect. They smothered us at times with their counter-press, and they ALSO defended really well.

I don't know why anybody is mad at either team. Neither wanted to lose. City wanted to win more coz they were at home and needed it more. We just canceled each other out.

Neville remarked at the start of the game that both teams were essentially playing with traditional back 4s but with all 8 members being 6ft or taller (Akanji, Ake (replaced by Lewis early, who obviously isn't 6ft I know), Dias, Gvardiol; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior). Think that contributed to neither team being able to exploit the width on offer with a packed midfield through overloads in high wide positions, although both Gvardiol and White did threaten a bit. Proper width/getting to the byline is really necessary to create chances in open play when the game is congested in the middle, no one makes positioning errors, and everyone is super fit & strong. Grealish and Doku were pretty ineffective when they tried in the last 20 minutes too (Grealish because he cut inside almost every time, Doku because he was wasteful).

But both teams will probably be happy enough, especially Arsenal. A loss would have been a huge blow.

I wanna know why Pep was absolutely fuming with Grealish at the end. The camera was on it for about 45 seconds of Pep just yelling at him the whole time lol

ExThaNemesis posted...

That Saka cross that Jesus missed will haunt me for the rest of the week :(

I'm more disappointed at the Trossard break near the end. He should've played the big cross to Martinelli instantly, that had to have been a goal.

No guarantees Martinelli finishes it but yeah, Leo MUST pick his head up there before the ball gets to him smhhh

I think it's the kind of game or playstyle where Alvarez is much better than Haaland, surprised he wasn't brought on.

I think Alvarez started at the Emirates and was poor. I feel like Alvarez has had much less of an impact this season for some reason.

Today I'm torn between hate-watching Liverpool or subjecting myself to what Chelsea and Yanited pass off as 'football' these days.

ExThaNemesis posted...

I think Alvarez started at the Emirates and was poor. I feel like Alvarez has had much less of an impact this season for some reason.

It's the opposite actually, he has way kre G/A already because he can also fall back a bit which is exactly why I think he'd be better suited for a game where Arsenal played that defensively, they didn't the first time. He's better than Haaland in matches like than because he can drop down and help in build up. Haaland is a better traditional 9 but yeah.

Also.you can watch the first half of Liverpool and depending on the score switch to Chelsea United.

Until recently (past month?), Alvarez had started every EPL game for City this season. He'd played well too and looked to be taking a step forward.

I guess I don't watch enough City. I do think the recent Haaland criticism is a fucking piss-take. Roy Keane in particular saying that the rest of his game made him look like a league 2 player is embarrassing analysis from a "legend"

More penalty goals for "cold" palmer the state of discourse on football twitter will be insufferable tonight

Oh knock it off, Sheffield. Don't do that to me.

I didn't mean to criticize Haaland at all!

Chelsea vs United the battle between who sucks more, it's a great match.

ctesjbuvf posted...

I didn't mean to criticize Haaland at all!

Oh you weren't who I meant! He's come under a lot of criticism online and in punditry.

Ah I see. Yeah when you're among the best it's often like that sadly.

I can recommend Chelsea and United to everyone.

see you in the prem never again sheffield

jesus christ Chelsea lmfaooooo

They were in complete control for 30 minutes then gave United a huge gift.

I'm not sure exactly what it is that makes someone look like a bond villain, but Garnacho has it!

ExThaNemesis posted...

jesus christ Chelsea lmfaooooo

jesus christ United lmfaooooooooo

The f just happened

United self destruct in the 97th minute. Had two chances to take it to the corner flag and failed, then left Dalot 1v1 against Madueke and he gives up a penalty. Then they fall asleep defending a corner and Palmer wins it with the last kick of the game. Unreal.

One of the craziest I've ever seen. I think one of the Chelsea bench got booked for running on to celebrate LOL. Cole Palmer is a special player but both these teams are a mess.

ExThaNemesis posted...

More penalty goals for "cold" palmer the state of discourse on football twitter will be insufferable tonight

What about now that he got perhaps the weakest hattrick since Chelsea's against 9 man Spurs lol.

It's already started.

I swear to God any time one of Palmer or Foden do something good the first thing that gets brought up is Saka. Even more-so now that Saka is in rough form.

So the rest of this week is gonna be extra awful lmao

At some point English media will break Palmer too when two weak penalties and a deflection against an absolute trash performance by United is being talked about as GOAT performance.

I mean yes he's a good bit better than the rest of the team he's from but that says close to nothing. Appreciate him but chill.

City getting away with more blatant penalties that aren't called. Must be the title run in.

That was not a penalty imo. Probably doesn't make a difference anyway, but yeah.

well yeah Palace are poor. Just happy they didn't run the goal difference up. We've still got that as a clear advantage. Need to do the job this afternoon though.

That was an awful 10 minutes and now we down 3-2 give me a break Villa

Unai Emery bottling another top four run in against fucking Tottenham meanwhile Arteta has Arsenal head and shoulders above every club in the entirety of Europe but people wanna tell me that dude was better. Give me a break.

Cause being a year into Villa reign is the same thing as being about 5 into an Arsenal reign?

the salt lol

It's still impressive, Villa doesn't have the same squad depth it takes to keep it up all year. Finishing 5th would be very good. Especially because it might still give CL.

I know all teams have injuries but theyve also been without Mings and Buendia all year and Ramsey, Kamara, Pau for long stretches of time which is like half their starting XI

Unless Arsenal win the league then Villa finishing 5th would be more impressive to me

You're insane. Even competing at the top right now, with the level of the three clubs up there, is far more impressive than which of the three clubs down there can successfully give away 4th or 5th.

Arsenal were 5 points off the title last season and only took 13 points from a possible 27 to finish the season (including losing 3 out of their final 6 games). Villa were 10 points off 4th.

Arsenal last year were far better than anyone expected so ended up far closer to title contenders than Villa did to CL contenders

Over the last 4 seasons

4th: 71, 71, 67, 66
5th: 67, 69, 66, 62

Whoever finishes 4th/5th will outdo the points total for those finishes in recent years. There is no 'giving it away'

And let's be realistic, it's going to be Spurs/Villa in some order at 4th and 5th. Man Utd have no shot given they have to win out (zero chance) and hope both those teams drop a lot of points. Utd would only have 72 points and a far inferior GD even in the highly unrealistic scenario they win 8 in a row (which would involve beating Liverpool and Arsenal somehow). Utd will be lucky to get to 66 points

Yeah United are a shower.

I knew better than to expect anything of them today. Liverpool aren't gonna drop points the rest of the way, are they? :(

Also there is absolutely giving it away when you look at the manner of points Villa have dropped recently, and the way they've done it.

And it's super funny how I had to hear about Arsenal bottling last year, with no reference to the injuries we suffered in the run in, but that's the first excuse trotted out for Emery's boys. The standards are so different for the team who let it slip to the greatest side in the history of European football, but yeah.

Im the only person who has brought up the injuries. I wasnt giving you anything last year sooo

Plus Arsenal had a 5 point lead with 9 to go and went on to get a 0.48 PPG rate over those 9 games

9 game ago Villa were 4th, on 46 points, and 2 up on spurs. They now have 60 points and are 4th and 3 points up on Spurs. Thats 14 points which is a PPG of 1.56 over their last 9. Hell, over their last 6 they are on 8 points, which is a 1.33 PPG

but tell me again how these are the same thing

With wins by City and Arsenal and a draw by Liverpool, the teams are now separated by a single point, with Arsenal expanding their goal differential a bit more as well.

All 3 have midweek UCL/UEL matchups. Liverpool have the easiest run in but it's also a Thursday game, so less recovery time for the weekend.

Next week sees City playing first again, with a Saturday game. Liverpool and Arsenal play Sunday. Arsenal with the seeming hardest fixture of the group in Aston Villa. Liverpool take on a Palace team that looked a little feisty at times against City. City against Luton should be an easy win except that Luton is battling relegation and you know they'd love to take a point.

Win 7 games and we're champions.

Win the 5 games in Europe and we've also won an incredible double.

We can do both of these things. We are the ARSENAL.

Massive game today lads.

Bunch of fucking bottlejobs.

I watched Real City and it was an extremely good match

I think the draw was a fair result, but I don't know what is a penalty and what isn't anymore.