The Ongoing Serie A, La Liga, All English Football, Champions League Thread - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Part 55

[HammerDown]

Gary Neville keeps going on and on about MU finishing 2nd last season and that seems to be Ole’s biggest achievement and the biggest pilar for keeping his job even after all these results. Was it that much of a big deal?

Let’s look at last years PL table:
1. Manchester City (Champions + CL Runner Up)
2. Manchester United (EL Runner Up)
3. Liverpool * (CL Quarter-Finals)
4. Chelsea (CL Winners)

* Played without its top 3 center-backs.
- Van Dijk was out for 255 days.
- Matip was out for 226 days.
- Joe Gomez was out for 231 days.

So does that second place have that much merit? Liverpool had massive defensive problems and Chelsea focused on winning the CL.

 

[Iceman]

Penalty to Brighton after VAR review.

 

[Iceman]

Gary Neville keeps going on and on about MU finishing 2nd last season and that seems to be Ole’s biggest achievement and the biggest pilar for keeping his job even after all these results. Was it that much of a big deal?

Let’s look at last years PL table:
1. Manchester City (Champions + CL Runner Up)
2. Manchester United (EL Runner Up)
3. Liverpool * (CL Quarter-Finals)
4. Chelsea (CL Winners)

* Played without its top 3 center-backs.
- Van Dijk was out for 255 days.
- Matip was out for 226 days.
- Joe Gomez was out for 231 days.

So does that second place have that much merit? Liverpool had massive defensive problems and Chelsea focused on winning the CL.

The second was more about the others being off their best and Liverpool and Chelsea look a different prospect now.

 

[BatmanBeyond]

Gary Neville keeps going on and on about MU finishing 2nd last season and that seems to be Ole’s biggest achievement and the biggest pilar for keeping his job even after all these results. Was it that much of a big deal?

Let’s look at last years PL table:
1. Manchester City (Champions + CL Runner Up)
2. Manchester United (EL Runner Up)
3. Liverpool * (CL Quarter-Finals)
4. Chelsea (CL Winners)

* Played without its top 3 center-backs.
- Van Dijk was out for 255 days.
- Matip was out for 226 days.
- Joe Gomez was out for 231 days.

So does that second place have that much merit? Liverpool had massive defensive problems and Chelsea focused on winning the CL.

I share this viewpoint, and this is not even mentioning the weirdness of the 'Covid season', which I'm sure put off a lot of teams off of their game.

I mean, Gary Nevile, class of '92, member of so many United title-winning sides under SAF bringing up 2nd place as an achievement is damning, isn't it. Glazers and Ole have made mediocrity acceptable to our fanbase.

I also have to laugh at Neville's claim that because LvG and Jose failed with us, it means that's the reason the board doesn't want to go down the path of an established manager. **** off with that nonsense. He/they make excuses for Ole with the same sort of stuff which were sticks to beat the previous managers with. Also, where's the "Attack! Attack! Attack" brigade now? The stuff we're playing under the Ole One now is at least as turgid as the worse stuff under LvG and Mou.

 

[Iceman]

Newcastle do well to get a draw. Norwich manager sacked after first win lol. Meanwhile Ole perfectly safe.

 

[Iceman]

I share this viewpoint, and this is not even mentioning the weirdness of the 'Covid season', which I'm sure put off a lot of teams off of their game.

I mean, Gary Nevile, class of '92, member of so many United title-winning sides under SAF bringing up 2nd place as an achievement is damning, isn't it. Glazers and Ole have made mediocrity acceptable to our fanbase.

I also have to laugh at Neville's claim that because LvG and Jose failed with us, it means that's the reason the board doesn't want to go down the path of an established manager. **** off with that nonsense. He/they make excuses for Ole with the same sort of stuff which were sticks to beat the previous managers with. Also, where's the "Attack! Attack! Attack" brigade now? The stuff we're playing under the Ole One now is at least as turgid as the worse stuff under LvG and Mou.

Forget attack, attack, attack for now lol. Stringing a pass together or getting defensively organised to avoid a clanger every few minutes would be “progress” as Ole likes to call it.

 

[HarveyHarris]

Farke > Ole

I think that's what sums it up for me, if Bielsa went tomorrow and I had the choice between those 2 I'd have Farke everyday of the week. That can't be right.

 

[B]

Gary Neville keeps going on and on about MU finishing 2nd last season and that seems to be Ole’s biggest achievement and the biggest pilar for keeping his job even after all these results. Was it that much of a big deal?

Let’s look at last years PL table:
1. Manchester City (Champions + CL Runner Up)
2. Manchester United (EL Runner Up)
3. Liverpool * (CL Quarter-Finals)
4. Chelsea (CL Winners)

* Played without its top 3 center-backs.
- Van Dijk was out for 255 days.
- Matip was out for 226 days.
- Joe Gomez was out for 231 days.

So does that second place have that much merit? Liverpool had massive defensive problems and Chelsea focused on winning the CL.

Within some context it's an "achievement", if you want to call it that, in that we did improve on our overall points tally from the previous 2 seasons, which within reason does indicate improvement within the team's own individual consistency regardless of what happened elsewhere. Is that actually an achievement? I mean we're talking maybe 9 points more & still finished I think it was 12 off City who could have won it by 20+ if Pep wasn't rotating for FA Cup/CL QF, SF & Final games. Hell no it's not, it signifies some improvement, but was it enough of an improvement to signify giving OGS extended time to turn it around? No, because Mourinho finished 2nd, with an even higher points tally & then the following season results were pretty much what they've been like for OGS so far this season, scattered & inconsistent.. and Mourinho actually won trophies with us, with a worse squad.. and had a track record of being a top manager.

All that having been said I will say injuries are a part of the game & the age old saying is that the teams that do the best are usually the ones that stay injury free or close to it, but Liverpool having defenders missing wasn't the only reason they were off the pace & finished behind us, they also weren't scoring as much as they had in the previous 2 seasons.

Chelsea had no excuses, they sacked Lampard in January if I recall after a terrible Christmas period & appointed Tuchel & results/performances immediately improved across all competitions.

 

[B]

Newcastle do well to get a draw. Norwich manager sacked after first win lol. Meanwhile Ole perfectly safe.

Will be interesting to see if results start to turn around for Newcastle under Eddie Howe, he's not exactly who I thought Newcastle would get given their new found wealth, especially after he got relegated with Bournemouth although he did seem to do a solid job there overall despite how his tenure ended.

Even if Newcastle don't sign anyone in January, the team seems strong enough to basically not be in the situation they're in so I'd expect them to start picking up a few wins eventually & digging themselves out of their hole.

 

[Iceman]

Will be interesting to see if results start to turn around for Newcastle under Eddie Howe, he's not exactly who I thought Newcastle would get given their new found wealth, especially after he got relegated with Bournemouth although he did seem to do a solid job there overall despite how his tenure ended.

Even if Newcastle don't sign anyone in January, the team seems strong enough to basically not be in the situation they're in so I'd expect them to start picking up a few wins eventually & digging themselves out of their hole.

I’ve got nothing against him coming and wish him well if he does. Once we get a new manager and transfer window done, hopefully that is enough to see us over the line. Will be happy with 17th this season.

 

[Mandon Knight]

I'm old enough to have lived in the existence of seeing this match first hand, it's probably as poor a period of the club's history since.....

[89/90] Man City v Man Utd, Sep 23rd 1989 [Highlights] - YouTube

 

[Iceman]

I'm old enough to have lived in the existence of seeing this match first hand, it's probably as poor a period of the club's history since.....

[89/90] Man City v Man Utd, Sep 23rd 1989 [Highlights] - YouTube

Love watching old games like that. Fergie looks so young!

 

[Zantera]

Apparently there's some statistics that 21% of Man Utd's losses at home in the Premier League have come under Ole. Sounds quite high.

 

[Iceman]

Aston Villa sack Dean Smith. Everyone at risk except Ole!

 

[Mandon Knight]

Aston Villa sack Dean Smith. Everyone at risk except Ole!

I can't get my head round this or Farke leaving.

 

[Zantera]

I can't get my head round this or Farke leaving.

The timing of Farke is weird considering they just got their first win (though I assume this was decided before). Aside from that Norwich have been terrible in PL and if they want any chance at staying up it's probably for the best - though if he stays they would probably get promoted next season again (since his football seems strong in Championship).

Dean Smith seems sympathetic and I feel for the guy but Aston Villa has invested heavily and they only have 10 points out of 33 possible so far with 7 losses in 11 games. They're not just losing to better teams, they're losing against teams they should beat if they want to finish in the upper half.

 

[BlackFox]

Aston Villa sack Dean Smith. Everyone at risk except Ole!

How many managers is that now gone since Ole has been embarrassed at home on multiple occasions.

He must feel invincible, Villa played us off the park a few weeks back as well at home ffs.

 

[Iceman]

Leeds score but Leicester immediately equalise.

 

[Iceman]

Arsenal beat Watford to overtake Utd in the table. After losing the first 3 games of the season they’ve won 6 and drawn 2.

 

[Iceman]

How many managers is that now gone since Ole has been embarrassed at home on multiple occasions.

He must feel invincible, Villa played us off the park a few weeks back as well at home ffs.

Everytime he has a horrendous performance, a manager from a different club gets sacked!

 

[Iceman]

What a start! West Ham 1 up against Liverpool.

 

[BatmanBeyond]

Apparently there's some statistics that 21% of Man Utd's losses at home in the Premier League have come under Ole. Sounds quite high.

Cue the "Who cares about statistics? We are Man United" crowd.

 

[Iceman]

Trent equalises for Liverpool. 1-1.

 

[Iceman]

Formals makes it 2-1!!

 

[Mandon Knight]

Fair play to West Ham, 3-1 now.