2018/19 Premier League Thread - Jose’s Difficult Third Year

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

First topic message reminder :

And we start off with news Conte has been sacked by Chelsea, with Sarri and Jorginho's arrivals imminent

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

Rather incredibly Mourinho and United found their mojos and came from 0-2 down to win 3-2. Mata, Martial and Sanchez saving the day and perhaps Mourinho's job.

[Duty281]

Ferguson-esque comeback. Messiah confirmed. Give the man a new contract etc.

[Atila]

It was the most entertained that I have been by United for a long time now, I watched the game from start to finish except the moment Mata scored as I had gone to the bathroom.

Yeah, they're back in it now.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Mildly great that it’s Mata, Martial and Sanchez getting the goals, players he has shown a lack of trust in or are much maligned

[wisden]

This place is so quiet these days...back in the day, we would have had to close this page and be on the 3rd one for this topic due to volume of posts!

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Yeah, it’s not great any more, but then half the comments are people shutting down debate or saying the season is boring.

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

Chelsea steal a draw with United at Stamford Bridge 2-2. Chelsea lead through Rudiger's goal. Martial bagged a second half double. Barkley got Chelsea an undeserved equalizer in the 6th minute of added time. Quite where Mike Dean found 6 minutes is beyond me

[Duty281]

There were six separate substitutions - that's three minutes worth of added on time. We had Rashford's two minute sun lounge on the pitch. Then we had the two United goals - that's another minute's worth. Justifiable.

But the way stoppage time is calculated is a bit of a joke, as is the fact the clock doesn't get suspended for stoppages.

[Luke]

Always thought they should look at doing it the Rugby league way. If there's a stoppage in play stop the clock. You'd have to have a clock in the stadium, but at least then most people would now why there's injury time.

[westisbest]

I have always liked the idea of stopping the clock for subs/injuries etc.

Then when 90 mins is up whistle goes. No complaints then of where did the ref get 5 mins etc from.

Some have said it would take away the nervous/excitement of stoppage time, some like it I guess.

Don’t think they should add on time for subs, ref should hurry the players on and off the pitch quicker.

[Duty281]

One of the most beautiful goals of the season has just been scored by boring, boring Arsenal.

Just how football should be played.

[Guest]

Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha has been confirmed as being onboard the the helicopter which crashed outside the King Power stadium.

The owner's daughter, two pilots and an unidentified fifth person were also on board

RIP

[gazzyD]

Very sad. Yesterday was a grim day all round

Hoddle taken seriously ill, a brighton fan died at their game and then this after the Leicester game

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

Palace 2-2 Arsenal
Burnley 0-4 Chelsea
Manchester United 2-1 Everton

Xhaka stupidly fouled Zaha at the end of the game to rob us of another win. That said Lacazette cheated with a blatant handball in the Aubameyang goal.

Looks like Mourinho's continual rockets at Martial are finally paying off. Just as with Shaw, Mourinho was right. United a far better side without Lukaku and Sanchez. If united are smart they'll flog those two

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Looks like Mourinho's continual rockets at Martial are finally paying off. Just as with Shaw, Mourinho was right

Interesting take, although one id expect you to make. Mourinho has clearly wanted neither for a log time and their showings for a long time would suggest he was damaging them.

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

Mourinho is a serial winner and he demands certain things from his players. Shaw and martial failed to grasp the opportunities they where being given at a massive club like Manchester United. Mourinho's tough love has finally made the penny drop for both Shaw and Martial, their performances have subsequently improved drastically. Now if players like Bailly, Jones, Rashford and Lukaku listened they'd maybe become better players.

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

Bournemouth 1-2 Manchester United. Mourinho's men come from behind again to get the 3pts. Bournemouth played United off the park for the majority of the first half. Bournemouth took the lead with Wilson's 6 of the season. Anthony Martial equalized but it was against the run of play. United dominated the second half and Rashford got the winner in injury time. United without Lukaku again and they played better. 90m spent on the wrong type of player

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool. Milner put Liverpool ahead slight error by Leno. Lacazette rescued a point but we should've won this match. Liverpool once again showing they have no world class players. Salah was a one season fluke. Their midfield is awful no creativity at all. They will be lucky to get top 4

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Liverpool’s chances really should have won the game.

Bournemouth deserves a point

[Dolphin Ziggler]

https://twitter.com/Caley_graphics/status/1059249012543549445/photo/1

Interesting xG stats. Liverpool game apparently I was off on, although it seemed van Dijk could have easily had a hat trick so I'm surprised. I guess because of where his header was when he beat Leno to it, it's not a high goalscoring chance, but with the keeper out and beaten, it's a touch different.

[Atila]

Liverpool’s chances really should have won the game.

Bournemouth deserves a point

No they didn't.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

They really did. Dominated the first half, xG was 2.3/2.5 so extremely close, a game of two halves

[Duty281]

Good old xG. They should decide football matches based off of it. Ozil would soar in value, and Harry Kane's transfer value would fall to £11.20.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Procession at the Etihad

[Atila]

Surely Mourinho has to go soon? I'm surprised he's still there. United have spent over £400 million since Fergie left and they're playing catch up behind City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs, Watford and Bournemouth? If that's not bad enough, they're not even entertaining to watch.

[GSC]

Pep has raised the bar several levels since his first season. Mourinho has been left behind.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

To give him some credit, and I never want to, he did just go win in Turin.

[GSC]

Balanced against everything else and how it actually happened, it was kinda a fluke

[Dolphin Ziggler]

I don’t think it forgives all sins, but they’ve had a mini-revival in results and got beaten by a side that will be remembered as one of the greats.

Got to give them credit for results they get, so whilst I think he should be relieved of his duties come the season’s end, I also think he’s earned more time recently.

[Guest]

One of the greats? They haven’t even defended the title yet. Pep’s won a league and LC. City haven’t looked like winning the CL either. If anything, City have stagnated this season, possibly gone slightly backwards, in comparison to last season’s standard. Has helped Pep though, that many of their rivals have serious issues, or just in rebuilding phases.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

That was more prediction than fact.

Not sure you need to win the European Chanpions League to be one of the great Premier League sides

[Atila]

One of the greats? They haven’t even defended the title yet. Pep’s won a league and LC. City haven’t looked like winning the CL either. If anything, City have stagnated this season, possibly gone slightly backwards, in comparison to last season’s standard. Has helped Pep though, that many of their rivals have serious issues, or just in rebuilding phases.

I'm not a Man City fan in any way, Man Utd is the team I follow, but last season City lost 2 games and I'll be surprised if they lost 3 this season. They're just playing that well. Remember last season United were matching them in the beginning before City pulled away. I see City pulling away from Liverpool and Chelsea this season. I don't know what the odds are on City finishing the season unbeaten in the Prem, but it might be worth a flutter. Hope I'm wrong though.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Record points and record goals means they’ll be remembered

[Guest]

Claudio Ranieri has been appointed manager of @FulhamFC replacing Slavisa Jokanovic

[GSC]

A 5m leaving bonus for Scudamore sums up the PL perfectly

[Dolphin Ziggler]

It does, it’s disgusting too.

Ranieri to me seems a great relegation appointment

[Duty281]

A 5m leaving bonus for Scudamore sums up the PL perfectly

He deserves it. He's done a fantastic job.

[GSC]

Particularly when the suggestion for this leaving present apparently came from his mate.

[gazzyD]

Surely Mourinho has to go soon? I'm surprised he's still there. United have spent over £400 million since Fergie left and they're playing catch up behind City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs, Watford and Bournemouth? If that's not bad enough, they're not even entertaining to watch.

I don't think he'll be gone anytime before the Summer, even then I think the board will do it reluctantly knowing that even if he fails to meet top 4 they'll still have to pay him a wedge in compo. Best case scenario there is some truth in the Madrid presidents quotes the other week and they come calling for him in the Summer

There's talk of him even getting as much as £100m in the January window to spend, whilst the first team needs work I'm not a fan of giving him more money when his track record of signings for us is very very poor, whether they be poor players or him not able to make it work

Pogba - Think this was Ed's, as opposed to Joses signing, although Jose has failed to get the best out of him
Bailly - seemed a decent defender but fell out with him and now seems to be back up
Zlatan - fair enough he got a good tune out of him, obvs moved on
Mhiki - not here any more
Matic - Looked good early on, then just became a consistent 6/7 out of 10, so far this season seems to be the first name on the team sheet despite being a total liability
Lindelof - Looks good some games, looks borderline amateur in others
Lukaku - I like Rom, but the football we play isolates him more often than not. Great goal return last year though, this year looks like slim pickings with him often asked to play with little to no service, with his back to goal, ask him to hold play up when he's notorious for having one of the worst first touches in the Premier League
Sanchez - off loaded one of his signings who could operate in a position we are now lacking (RW) to bring in a player we never needed. Severely had a knock on effect on both Martial and Rashford. Only signed because we couldn't get near City on the pitch so had to show we could beat them off it instead
Grant - it is what it is. Thought we'd never actually need to see him play but then Romero saw red against Derby, likely the last we'll see of him too
Dalot - Too early to tell, but looked decent, albeit only against Young Boys. the most annoying thing about this transfer however is we've dropped £20m on a right back and still play Tony 'crumbles past the halfway line' Valencia or Ashley 'forget about me constantly being skinned and out of position because I played well against Salah' Young
Fred - Why have we spent £50m on him again when Jose would rather play a midfield 3 of Fellaini (garbage), Herrera (worse) and Matic (the worst). Again likely only signed because Pep wanted him and was seen as a victory over City


Just can't support the decision to give him more money

I really wanted this appointment to work out too. When he was cupping his ears against the Juve fans I pure cringed. Great result, but that was only because Juve were so wasteful. Even in previous wins against Bournemouth and Everton we were lucky to have come out with wins. I'm not going to call for his head and I'll still be behind him at Old Trafford for the palace game after the international break, but I won't be too gutted when he eventually goes either

[Guest]

VAR will be used in the Premier League next season

[Duty281]

So Tottenham have announced themselves as title contenders (at least until they lose to Southampton or something), and Huddersfield are set to pull off an incredible victory at Molineux which will send them soaring away from the relegation zone.

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

North London derby has been a thrilling contest so far. Arsenal 4-2 Tottenham. Mike Dean acting like that village idiot as per usual thrown in for free

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

Vertonghen sent off with 5mins to play. Should be done now

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Did Dean do much wrong?

Pickford wins the game for Liverpool

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

Son blatantly dived for Spurs' penalty and Dean was miles behind the play. Just reacting on the Spurs players cricket style appeal. Dean is incompetent. Anyway he got lucky today as we destroyed them in the second half

[Guest]

Mark Hughes sacked from Southampton

[Lowlandbrit]

Not really a surprise with the teams that looked certain for relegation early on finding some results.

Think Burnley are going to have to decide if it's better for the long term to keep Dyche or try to stay up at all costs too.

[Duty281]

Mark Hughes sacked from Southampton

Out of the jungle and back to Southampton?

[Dolphin Ziggler]

They're going German.

Bye Leslie, no one will miss you.

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

Chelsea 2-0 Manchester City, Chelsea end Guardiola's hopes of matching the legendary Wenger.

The hapless Klopp is now top

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