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

[Dolphin Ziggler]

True, I don’t know why I’m doing it

[Guest]

Anyone seen proposed new rules for next season, along with VAR?

1Accidental handball goals will be disallowed
2.Handball will be given if it strikes an arm beyond the body's natural silhouette -regardless of intent
3.Attackers banned from walls at free kicks
4.Substituted players must leave by the nearest touchline or goalline
5.Goalkeepers need only have one foot on the goalline at penalties
6.Red and yellow cards to be shown to dissenting team officials.
7. A penalty is over as soon as the goalkeeper saves it. Think that’s awful, takes away all the excitement and all that frantic action during the subsequent scramble for a rebound etc.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

So what happens when it rebounds? Corner?

[Guest]

Goal kick, I believe

[Dolphin Ziggler]

I don’t mind 1, 4, 5, 6.

[lfc91]

I don’t mind 1, 4, 5, 6.

Agreed.

7 is terrible. Also, can't understand why 3 would even be considered. What does it matter?

[lfc91]

OK so it has just dawned on me that means opposing teams attackers....

My bad.

[Duty281]

Anyone seen proposed new rules for next season, along with VAR?

1Accidental handball goals will be disallowed
2.Handball will be given if it strikes an arm beyond the body's natural silhouette -regardless of intent
3.Attackers banned from walls at free kicks
4.Substituted players must leave by the nearest touchline or goalline
5.Goalkeepers need only have one foot on the goalline at penalties
6.Red and yellow cards to be shown to dissenting team officials.
7. A penalty is over as soon as the goalkeeper saves it. Think that’s awful, takes away all the excitement and all that frantic action during the subsequent scramble for a rebound etc.

1/3/4 are all fine. 6 won't be enforced (well except during the first week of the season). 5 is pretty much the case already. 2 will cause greater confusion than ever before. 7 is a bizarre change and not one I would support.

[Afro]

I don't get the need for 7. Usually rule changes are done to resolve an issue or to clarify something that is unclear.

Who thought there was an issue with play continuing when a keeper saves a penalty.

Also what about if it comes off the post or bar back into play?

[Duty281]

Apparently the rebound rule isn't actually coming into force, and it has been misreported by various news sites. I can't actually find any mention of it on the IFAB website. Another actual change is that the ball doesn't have to leave the penalty area during a goal kick.

http://theifab.com/news/133rd_annual_general_meeting

[Afro]

Another actual change is that the ball doesn't have to leave the penalty area during a goal kick.

That's is probably sensible as teams are using it to try and take a quick goal kick, but then stepping inside if they come under pressure

[compelling and rich]

if they brought in 7 it would be terrible. one of the most dramatic moments in recent history wouldn't have happened (watford v leceister playoff game) if this rule was applied

[Beer]

7 got rejected i believe.

[Guest]

Newcastle 0-2 Everton HT
Newcastle 3-2 Everton FT

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

Jordan Pickford doing his best to emulate the hapless Joe Hart

[Duty281]

Tottenham threw away another lead - looks like they'll finish 6th.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Some days VAR is questioned, but surely it would have seen Pickford sent off and Sterling’s first goal ruled out. Baffling decisions

[Duty281]

Shaky start from Liverpool, and Burnley score direct from a corner. Collectors item.

[Atila]

Ole confirmed as manager of United.

[compelling and rich]

Ole confirmed as manager of United.

most positive thing from the press conference was that it sounds like we will be in for at least couple of new players. for me rw,rb and cb should be the priority

[GSC]

In amongst the title fight and Uniteds resurgence under Ole, Emery quietly has Arsenal in the driving seat for a return to the CL.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Yes indeed, which has been all the more helped by Spurs going mad. Worth noting that whilst their home form is terrific, 10 wins on the spin, but 5 of their last 7 are away. 

Even though they have no big six opposition left, going away to Everton, Watford, Wolves, Leicester and Burnley could be just the kind of tricky that Arsenal go barmy for.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Race for the top four with points, goal diff and fixtures:

63 (+26) Arsenal: Everton (A), Watford (A), Palace (H), Wolves (A), Leicester (A), Brighton (H), Burnley (A)
61 (+24) Spurs: Palace (H), Huddersfield (H), City (A), Brighton (H), West Ham (H), Bournemouth (A), Everton (H)
61 (+19)United: Wolves (A), West Ham (H), Everton (A), City (H), Chelsea (H), Huddersfield (A), Cardiff (H)
60 (+18) Chelsea: Brighton (H), West Ham (H), Liverpool (A), Burnley (H), Man U (A), Watford (H), Leicester (A)

Looking at that, Arsenal and Spurs should make up the final two places, leaving Ole at the wheel of a Europa campaign, but depends on Arsenal keeping their s*** together.

[GSC]

Be something if Emery and Sarri delivered CL football and Potch and Ole were left on the outside

[Duty281]

Would back Arsenal and United to finish in the top four as things stand. Tottenham have completely collapsed since Kane returned - four PL wins in a row when he was out, one point out of 15 since his recovery.

[superflyweight]

Think Spurs and United might do it.

Spurs should take 18 points from those 7 games and the move to their new stadium might just give them the boost they need.

Think it's then between Arsenal and United and can see Arsenal dropping points away from home (they have five away matches and none of those trips are particularly easy).

[Guest]

Fulham relegated

3 defeats in 4 for United. Been poor for a while, with the PSG comeback masking the fact that they’ve pretty much reverted back to JM performances. No idea why United felt the need to announce OGS as permanent manager either, when the main objectives had still not been achieved. Honeymoon well and truly over for OGS.

[Atila]

Fulham relegated

3 defeats in 4 for United. Been poor for a while, with the PSG comeback masking the fact that they’ve pretty much reverted back to JM performances. No idea why United felt the need to announce OGS as permanent manager either, when the main objectives had still  not been achieved. Honeymoon well and truly over for OGS.

I have no problems with Solskjaer so far. The job was never going to be easy and there is still a lot of work to do during the off season.

For me, Solskjaer is a good appointment and I think he is what is needed if United are going to appoint a Director of Football. Solskjaer I think, is part of a restructuring of the way the club will be run with regard to the playing side which I think United need. United have appointed a company man rather than a big name manager like Mourinho who constantly moaned about players and United business in the press.

As for the players? I do want United to win the Prem, Champ League etc. but I only want players there who want to be there. I'd be happy to watch a mid-table United with players wanting to be there and trying their best to represent the club rather than a bunch of mercenary "superstars" screwing the club who will take off as soon as a better offer comes along. Players like Pogba make me sick.

If Pogba wants to leave, then sell him and get as much as they can for him. I've been following United since before Pogba was born. I support United, not Pogba.

GGMU.

[GSC]

Probably too soon to say on Ole. But the issues off the pitch still remain. Will see if the technical director is more of a PR ploy or leads to a genuine shake up. My money is probably more on the former.

[Atila]

I don't see why it would be a PR move. Appointing a technical/director of football seems like a good idea and something tells me that Solskjaer won't be allowed to identify his own targets and just go out and try to buy them like managers used to do. Other people will be involved in decision making on players.

[GSC]

I think United are aware of Woodwards public profile, and I suspect it's more damning than the private perception of what he does. 

Bad midweek for United, the game against Chelsea probably looks like a must win now.

[Guest]

Leicester 0-1 Newcastle FT

Benitez masterclass over Rodgers

[Atila]

Well done Newcastle United. I think they're going to make it, by make it I mean stay up.

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

Phil Foden's first premier league goal was enough for a nervous Manchester City to beat Spurs 1-0 and return to the top of the table.

All in City's hands now

[Duty281]

Everton presently pummelling Man United.

[GSC]

A few United players already on their holidays

[Duty281]

3-0 is nearing humiliation territory. This will be six losses in the last eight games for United, with only narrow home wins over West Ham and Watford providing solace.

[Guest]

4-0

[Duty281]

United lost. Tottenham lost. Arsenal are 1-3 down at home to Palace, at a time of the season when they usually play like title winners. Nobody wants places three and four.

[Duty281]

6/1 available on Cardiff to stay up. Might be worth a punt. They have two very winnable games - home to Palace, away to Fulham - and an away tie against Manchester United. Brighton have away games against Tottenham and Arsenal, plus home games against Newcastle and City.

[Duty281]

Valuable late win for Tottenham - neat hit by Eriksen - after Chelsea drew yesterday.

[Duty281]

City cruising against United, 2-0 up, De Gea doing very poorly for both goals. Three games from the title, and no difficult games on the horizon. Nice to see Sane having an impact in this one. Bar Rashford, United haven't threatened at all.

Arsenal getting battered in the Midlands, meanwhile.

[GSC]

Regardless of who they want to win the title a pretty sobering night for United. City never hit top gear and won easily. Glazer's cant deny bigger changes than a few players or manager needed at this point.

City have been the team finishing strong while Liverpool hang on, but it only takes one bad game...

[GSC]

Spurs probably just about secure in the top 4 now with a 4 point gap to Arsenal in 5th.

Pick whichever of the other 3 falls over the line

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

Never thought I'd see a club in a shambles than my beloved Arsenal at the end with Wenger, but United might actually be worst. Their transfer work looks worst by every passing game.
Pogba €100m
Lukaku 90m
Fred 50m
Matic 40m
Sanchez and his ridiculous salary

Pogba is vastly overrated, he was a luxury at Juve surrounded by genuinely great players. United can't afford 'luxury players', when they've got so many mediocre players.

Lukaku isn't a top striker and never will be. Matic was on the slide at Chelsea and gets worst after every game for United. Fred is one of the worst players I've ever seen especially for a club of United's caliber.

Lingard is no more than a squad player. Martial has the attitude of an all time great when in reality he's a rather average player.

Without wholesale changes United will end up like Liverpool, living in the past.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Regardless of who they want to win the title a pretty sobering night for United. City never hit top gear and won easily. Glazer's cant deny bigger changes than a few players or manager needed at this point.

City have been the team finishing strong while Liverpool hang on, but it only takes one bad game...

The good news is they just hired a manager who's greatest achievement is beating some vikings in Norway, and are apparently going to hire a man as technical director who in his last job of similar ilk took his team to the bottom of the A League against some kangaroos

[Guest]

PFA team of the year

Ederson
Alexander-Arnold
Laporte
Van Dijk
Robertson
Fernandinho
Pogba
Bernardo Silva
Sterling
Mane
Aguero

Virgil Van Dijk awarded Player of the Year

[Marky]

Remember when Man U fans lauded it up over signing Sanchez and Fred ahead of City?

[GSC]

Dont have much issue with that team. Think Wan-Bissaka got hit with the not playing for a top 6 team modifier to an extent and Pogba is an eye raiser after last night but was also pivotal in Uniteds winning run soooooo I dunno.

[sirfredperry]

Pogba is probably the most controversial - and incorrect - choice since the Prem Lge started.

I happen to think he is a brilliant player. But he was abject for the first part of the season, played a few good games when OGS took over and then was fairly crappy for the rest of the time. How he got in ahead of the likes of Hazard is a complete mystery.

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