The English Football Thread

[Laylabelle 9,412]

7 minutes ago, chippy said:

Yep! 

Jose being the only manager in the RA era to last longer than two seasons, proves your point.

Ridiculous way of running a club, but we do things differently from other clubs. But it has worked and that's what its all about at the end of the day.

Yep definitely works but seems silly to keep giving mangers long contracts..fire them then have to pay out lots again and again. Guess they don't think like that and hope it all works out.

City won

[Vesper 29,251]

fucking Citeh broke our all division English record for most consecutive away league wins in a season

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Friday May 14 2021 Football Nerd

Why Michail Antonio deserves more respect as a goalscorer By Daniel Zeqiri A turning point in David Moyes' time at West Ham was his decision to deploy Michail Antonio as a lone striker during Project Restart last year. Antonio had been moved around the pitch during his time at West Ham, viewed as a versatile forward who could unsettle defences by bringing an element of chaos. That does a disservice to the goal-scoring instincts Antonio has displayed since moving through the middle. West Ham travel to Brighton on Saturday and Antonio has been directly involved in 14 goals in his last 13 away Premier League starts with 11 goals and three assists. His underlying numbers are also very strong. When penalties are removed from the equation, Antonio has the highest expected goals per 90 average of any player in the league with more than 500 minutes on the clock this season. In this week's Football Nerd, I look at why Antonio has been so important to West Ham's European push.

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Asking if the FA Cup has lost its magic has lost its magic    A ‘yarn bombing’ is seen in the village of Syston as support for Leicester before the FA Cup final. The Fiver still has no idea what a ‘yarn bombing’ is. Photograph: Matthew Lewis/Getty Images Barry Glendenning  @bglendenning THE FINAL(S) COUNTDOWN Whisper it, but in recent years it hasn’t gone unnoticed that the FA Cup has lost its magic. So much so, in fact, that we’ve now reached the stage that not only has asking if the FA Cup has lost its magic lost its magic, but even asking if asking if the FA Cup has lost its magic has lost its magic. A once prestigious seasonal showpiece that used to grip a nation as tightly as Scrooge McDuck might clutch a bag of gold doubloons, the final has now fallen so far down the domestic pecking order that hoisting the famous old trophy is now considered far less impressive or important an achievement than finishing fourth in the league or having what looks on the face of it like a decent transfer window. FA Cup final and Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend Read more At the risk of sounding like a rheumy-eyed old man destined to forever shake a clenched fist at some clouds, back when The Fiver was a lad the FA Cup was a special standalone carnival of colour that marked the end of the season and was played in front of a packed Wembley. For a variety of reasons, ranging from general apathy, the greed of TV networks and the current apparently interminable Marie Celeste of a campaign, it has now sunk so low that Saturday’s final between Leicester and Chelsea doesn’t even mark the end of the day’s schedule of TV games. On the plus side, unlike the largely pointless three Premier League matches, the FA Cup final will at least be played out in front of a crowd. A total of 21,000 lucky fans will be allowed into Wembley, subject to the provision of individual negative lateral flow test results and compliance with the UK government’s Events Research Programme protocols. And to think just two longwinded paragraphs ago we were suggesting the occasion might have lost some of its romance. Meanwhile in Gothenburg, the players of Chelsea and Barcelona will contest the final of Women’s Big Cup on Sunday night, in a potential classic many enlightened gentlemen on the internet will take great glee in pointing out they wouldn’t bother watching if it was being played in the back garden that their bedroom in mum’s house overlooks. In the final for the first time and up against a team that has won all 26 of their league games this season, Chelsea are slight outsiders but their manager expects them to win. “I really respect Barcelona but I cannot wait to play them,” roared Emma Hayes. “It’s our time and there are so many players in that dressing room that can win the football match for us – we’ve seen it in recent weeks – the amount of players that have popped up all over the pitch to determine the outcome.” Insecure men tired of having women’s football “rammed down our throats” are advised to steer a wide berth of easily avoidable subscription channel BT Sport on Sunday night. LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE! Join Barry Glendenning from 8pm BST for hot Premier League MBM coverage of Newcastle 0-0 Manchester City. QUOTE OF THE DAY “If you had seen me as a player, what I did out of emotion it was insane … and I’m a completely normal guy” – in trying to play down some Sadio Mané handshake snub business, Jürgen Klopp reveals the current version of himself is shy and retiring compared to the Catherine Wheel of chaos he used to be.  Snub! Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian ONE DOOR CLOSES … 16 December 2018: “Playing for Spain is out of the question. I’m fighting to play for France because I’m French. I don’t have dual citizenship and I’m not going to apply for it” – Aymeric Laporte says he will always fly the flag for France even if he’s never selected. 14 May 2021: “Aymeric Laporte is eligible to play for the representative teams of the RFEF Spanish Football Association with immediate effect” – a Fifa suit confirms that, having been granted dual citizenship by the Spanish government, the defender can switch flags in time for Euro Not 2020. FIVER LETTERS “I am surprised in all the accounts of match officials (Fiver letters passim) that no Bolton fans have written to praise the modesty of their former international Harold Hassall, who played in the Matthews final of 1953 and for England. His obituary in the Times recorded that in 1951 he went to see his first team, Astley and Tyldesley Collieries, play and was asked to act as a linesman. One of the players objected when Hassall gave him offside and alleged he had never played football. When Hassall said he had played the previous weekend and was asked by said player to name his opponents, he modestly and accurately replied: ‘Argentina’” – Richard Bullock. “I was managing an U-12 team, we were away from home and 8-0 down. From the sideline, before it got to double figures, I kept asking the ref: ‘Is it over yet?’ After another one of my pleas, this kid in the opposition midfield looked straight at me, then back to the game, won the ball, beat the midfield, left the defenders behind and scored the goal of the day. No celebration, he just ran over to me and said: ‘It is now.’ Long journey home” – Jim Duggan. “On the assumption that The Fiver is actually making tea in the kettle (Fiver letters passim), surely there is no reason for it to be tepid. It’s a kettle! It is specifically designed for warming liquids” – Mike Anthony. Send your letters to [email protected]. And you can always tweet The Fiver via @guardian_sport. Today’s winner of our prizeless letter o’the day is … Richard Bullock. NEWS, BITS AND BOBS Gary Neville reckons it’s a damning indictment on the Glazers that Old Trafford resembled Strangeways before Manchester United’s ding-dong defeat by Liverpool. “What we’ve seen on that forecourt before is effectively Man Utd turned into a prison, it’s a devastating image,” he growled. EFL suits have lashed out at the Premier League’s new domestic TV deal, claiming it will perpetuate unfair parachute payments to relegated clubs and threaten the football pyramid. The Welsh government will allow 3,000 fans to attend Swansea’s Championship play-off semi-final home leg against Barnsley, with 900 at Newport for their League Two semi against Forest Green. It could be Frank Lampard’s Crystal Palace next season, but Mr Roy isn’t offering any clues. “I haven’t talked about retirement as yet,” he tooted. And following some fanciful boasts, you’ll be shocked to learn that Erik Alonso’s proposed takeover of Derby is as dead as his now deleted Social Media Disgrace Twitter account. STILL WANT MORE? “She has a skill you can’t buy”: a great read from Suzanne Wrack on the making of Chelsea boss Emma Hayes.  Ooh, fancy design work and all. Illustration: Guardian Design / Ana Pradas/Chelsea FC/Getty Images, REX/Shutterstock, AP, Getty Images Just your 10 things to look out for in the Premier League and FA Cup final. Clickety click. How Atlético are being pushed towards La Liga glory by fans chanting in a car park. By Sid Lowe. The Pope’s Newc O’Rangers face Aberdeen at Ibrox hoping to complete an unbeaten domestic season on Saturday. Robin McKie recalls being at the fixture in 1968 when they attempted – and failed – to complete the feat. Trent Alexander-Arnold treating Old Trafford like his playground reminded us why we love football, coos Jonathan Liew. In an extract from a new book, Virgil van Dijk discusses Alisson’s “sick” saves, that Barcelona match and how playing football like Roger Federer plays tennis can mess with an opponent’s mind. Oh, and if it’s your thing … you can follow Big Website on Big Social FaceSpace. And INSTACHAT, TOO! ALL THE FIVER EVER WANTED AS A CHILD

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Premier League – League Table – Predicted Final League Table

https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/premier-league/league-table/predicted

 

[Laylabelle 9,412]

Well...possibly...no thank you!

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10 minutes ago, Laylabelle said:

Well...possibly...no thank you!

yes, fuck that supercomputer

[Laylabelle 9,412]

It's still annoying we've caused our own slide..few weeks ago Liverpool were written off.. then bammm right back in it! The writing off was dumb definitely cause it was still possible..and now more so! 

Except now we've been written off really.. no reason we can't can't do it. Guess we'll know after Tueday. Drop points and its done. Don't think Liverpool will now

Edited May 14, 2021 by Laylabelle

[chippy 342]

13 hours ago, Laylabelle said:

It's still annoying we've caused our own slide..few weeks ago Liverpool were written off.. then bammm right back in it! The writing off was dumb definitely cause it was still possible..and now more so! 

Except now we've been written off really.. no reason we can't can't do it. Guess we'll know after Tueday. Drop points and its done. Don't think Liverpool will now

Liverpool have hit form and should comfortably win their last three games and be certain of top four.

Looking at the crucial goal difference between us and Leicester,  we are +1 over them. 

If we beat them by just one goal we could lose to Villa by one,  and still get top four if Leicester failed to beat Spuds. A 2 or. 3 goal win for us against Leicester would put a lot of pressure on them for the Spuds game.

 

 

[Laylabelle 9,412]

18 minutes ago, chippy said:

Liverpool have hit form and should comfortably win their last three games and be certain of top four.

Looking at the crucial goal difference between us and Leicester,  we are +1 over them. 

If we beat them by just one goal we could lose to Villa by one,  and still get top four if Leicester failed to beat Spuds. A 2 or. 3 goal win for us against Leicester would put a lot of pressure on them for the Spuds game.

 

 

Hmmmmm don't like the ifs..still annoyed but then didn't expect to beat City...and then we did and faffed around at Arsenal. Not convinced on 3 goals lol. Depends who plays..gana be a long 90 that's for sure. And if we lose.. guess dont have to worry about it no more..or hope again Liverpool drop points..

 

[Magic Lamps 11,677]

On 14/05/2021 at 03:05, Magic Lamps said:

the achievement of the past week have been noted and celebrated. But we have won nohting yet. Ofc we are a much better side, a much improved team than under Lamps, there is no denying that. TT has transformed us. But all this is worth shit if we dont win a title or at least qualify for CL. So why should a week where the points I made were most evident, namely us needing tons of chances and acres of space to score as we demonstrated vs City and Real disprove it?

I would agree our midfield has improved a lot as has our defence but my point remains - and you seem to agree, so I am not sure why you are laughing - our offence is terrible at converting chances and creating vs thick buses.

Kai has not improved under TT, he is actually only recovering some of his form he had for Leverkusen. he had long covid before so it is not fair to compare his performances with the ones from q4/2020. Mount,Pulisic are young players in development. I dont think TT has been too much of a factor in a sense that Lampard would not have been. Ziyech imo has been poor under TT apart from very few games, same under Lampard. So yeah overall our attacking output has regressed massively even though individual performances are somewhat the same.

Today proved it again. No creativity vs thick buses. Shit conversion rate.

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2020-21 English Premier League

Brighton & Hove Albion      
West Ham United                 

http://www.sportnews.to/mysports/2021/premier-league-brighton-hove-albion-vs-west-ham-united-s1/

https://www.totalsportek.com/west-ham-page/

[Milan 17,881]

Rice is back for them. Would be nice to have a one rival less after this game.

[Milan 17,881]

Brighton missing chances for fun ffs

[Milan 17,881]

West Ham losing 1-0. Only Liverpool can now overcome us.

[Jase 43,479]

And that's West Ham out of the CL running...

[Milan 17,881]

damn 1-1

[Magic Lamps 11,677]

It doesnt matter. the dippers are the danger not the spammers.