2020/21 Premier League Thread: VAR Check Complete - No Cough

[Dolphin Ziggler]

First topic message reminder :

We have our 20 as Fulham take the playoff spot and we welcome back West Brom, Fulham and, most importantly to the nation (apparently) Leeds.

[Guest]

If Manchester United could keep Bailly fit he would pretty much solve their CB issues. He’s strong, quick and brave. He’s like a commanding presence.
And they should get Grealish instead off Sancho.

[Soul Requiem]

The last thing United need is another player who excels in the centre, they need more options on the flanks. Grealish won't start in the same team as Fernandes so would be a huge waste of money.

[Guest]

Becoming a joke now. Clubs and players should be fined for not following the protocols, or at least heavily punished. Tottenham & WHU players caught mixing at Xmas party and they now have Covid. Several Fulham players have Covid now, and their match with Burnley postponed. Can only see this worsening over the next week.

[Soul Requiem]

Should result in a forfeiture of the Leeds match.

[GSC]

Agree the PL/FA need to start cracking down on this now. No real excuse for not following guidelines at this point, the clubs all know what's at stake

[Guest]

Spurs 3-0 Leeds FT

Another masterclass from Bielsa. Those tactics just played right into Spurs and Jose’s hands. Spurs just picked them off, and go four points behind Liverpool.

[GSC]

Big job for Big Sam

[Guest]

Lampard under serious pressure

4 points cover the top 6

[JDizzle]

Sounds like the vultures are beginning to circle for Frank. They were completely outclassed in the first 45, albeit City played as well as they have for a long, long time. Still suspect he is here till at least the CL as they have a more straight forward run coming up.

Whatever happens, he’s leaving behind a far improved squad to the one he inherited - which can’t be knocked and he has rebuilt and integrated youth as promised.

[Atila]

Becoming a joke now. Clubs and players should be fined for not following the protocols, or at least heavily punished. Tottenham & WHU players caught mixing at Xmas party and they now have Covid. Several Fulham players have Covid now, and their match with Burnley postponed. Can only see this worsening over the next week.

Now what is a greater offence, Cavani's tweet or players not following the protocols? I would say not following the protocols. So being that Cavani got a 3 match ban and a £100,000 fine, the players who didn't follow the protocols should get worse.

[Lowlandbrit]

he has rebuilt and integrated youth as promised.

I think there's an argument to be made that Lampard and Chelsea would have been better off if the transfer ban hadn't been reduced.

[Guest]

Southampton 1-0 Liverpool FT

Liverpool look like a side that is paying for the previous two years standard. Look physically spent. Front three needs freshening up, and TAA has been woeful this season.

4 points cover the top 7

[Soul Requiem]

TAA has never been a great defensive full back anyway.

[Guest]

I think Manchester City are now the big favourites for the title. This new over my dead body defence is their trump card.
With Manchester United you never know if the likes of Bailly and Lindelof can stay fit.

[GSC]

Saw Trippier got banned for telling his mates on WhatsApp he was moving to Madrid.

What a crock of ****

[Guest]

No surprise, a significant Covid outbreak at Aston Villa.

[westisbest]

Yep. Probably only a matter of time before Villa team were it by covid.
If the game does go ahead tomorrow, it will be down to the U23’s.

Reverse of same fixture.

[Guest]

The 0 has gone for Sheff Utd. Bruce should be gone tonight.

Never seen such a negative mindset from a manager. Five at the back, two holding midfielders, and one up front, against, Sheff Utd.

Even before the Fraser sending off, there was only one team who looked like they had not won a PL game this season, and it wasn’t, Sheffield United.

Embarrassing.

[Atila]

Still early as not half the season completed, but I like looking at the table and seeing United top. I wonder how long it will last, maybe only until they play Liverpool on Sunday?

[Duty281]

Tottenham drop more points with a very disappointing home draw against Fulham, though Son should have sealed the win when he had a great chance to put his side 2-0 up.

Just one win in the last six for Tottenham, they've now slipped behind Leicester and Everton and are out of the top four.

[Guest]

Liverpool 0-0 Man U FT

No surprise with a draw. Liverpool go three games without scoring.

[Soul Requiem]

Feels like 2 points dropped for United, the game was there for the taking if they went for it.

[Atila]

Liverpool 0-0 Man U FT

No surprise with a draw. Liverpool go three games without scoring.

I'm not surprised it finished 0-0 either. Didn't get to watch the game but I'd have to guess that Liverpool, being the defending champions, and at home would be more disappointed with the result than United would be.

[Duty281]

Liverpool got into some good positions in the final third and, as expected, dominated possession, but chance creation eluded them again. Pogba should have won it at the end for United. 

Every thing is squeezed very tightly at the top, with Leicester and Tottenham picking up expected wins.

[Lowlandbrit]

Liverpool were all over them in the first half, United just seemed to be hoping they'd tire themselves out. Although there's absolutely a chance that United could just pace themselves to the title given the circumstances this season.

[Guest]

Toon in serious trouble. Not even sure removing Bruce would save us. Squad is a shambles. Only hope is Fulham or WBA not going on some kind of run.

[Duty281]

Nothing going Frank's way. First, Ndidi - of all players - scores a half-volley. Then Chelsea win a penalty, only for it to be overturned to a FK on VAR (rightly). The FK gets blasted miles over the bar, and from the Leicester goal-kick a nothing ball lumped forward is not dealt with and Leicester make it 2-0.

Chelsea have been the big disappointment of the season so far. Their signings haven't gelled (particularly Havertz and Werner) and it's fair to say they look awful at the moment.

[Guest]

I’d imagine Roman pulls the trigger soon. Top 4 drifting away. No identity or improvement being shown. Might be another foreign interim needed until the summer.

[JDizzle]

I’d still be slightly surprised if Roman pulls the trigger yet - they aren’t quite as trigger happy as they used to be, but tonight felt like a new low and like it could be the end. But it felt like that at points during Conte’s second season and definitely during Sarri’s year, so who knows. Depends how much they like Tuchel.

The ability to find a formation that gets the best out of Werner and Havertz definitely the biggest failing even if they haven’t helped him out either. Werner’s season summed up by scoring but being a fraction offside. Would like to see more of the more 442-ish shape we got tonight though. With Havertz and Werner up top.

[Duty281]

Entertaining game between City and Villa, but I'm utterly astonished that City's crucial first goal wasn't ruled out by VAR. It was a clear offside.


Just had it clarified as to why it wasn't offside. The law is an ass in this case.

[westisbest]

I wasn’t surprised duty as it was against us.
They did say afterwards that when a player touches the ball it’s another phase of play, so he isn’t offside.

Thought we played well again. Could have scored 2 ourselves. Also considering first team not played since New Year’s Day.

Newcastle and Burnley up next. Nothing less than 6 points.

[Soul Requiem]

Entertaining game between City and Villa, but I'm utterly astonished that City's crucial first goal wasn't ruled out by VAR. It was a clear offside.


Just had it clarified as to why it wasn't offside. The law is an ass in this case.

I don't agree with the interpretation given, Rodri is active at all times therefore from the initial header he is offside and should have been flagged as such, that is not then superseded by Mings touch.

[Guest]

Fulham 1 Manchester United 2. United once again came from behind to win on the road. Fulham took the lead with some shocking United defending. Cavani equalised after ex PSG teammate Areola made a mistake gathering a straightforward cross. Pogba sealed the points with a stunning strike.
Whether they are good enough to be champions remains to be seen but you can see progress.

[westisbest]

Also if that’s not offside, then as Smith says, are we going to see forwards 5/10 yards offside, wait for the defender to touch the ball and then go and tackle them an score.

Seems a bit odd.

[Soul Requiem]

Also if that’s not offside, then as Smith says, are we going to see forwards 5/10 yards offside, wait for the defender to touch the ball and then go and tackle them an score.

Seems a bit odd.

It was offside, we all know that but Jon Moss has always been useless. After these incidents you always get ex refs coming out and making an excuse for why it was the correct decision, having a ref view is the most pointless thing the broadcasters have brought in.

[westisbest]

According to the law it’s not offside. As soon as Mings touched it, then it became another phase. So the rules say apparently.

It will be interesting to see next time that happens if the ref/VAR give offside.

[Soul Requiem]

According to the law it’s not offside. As soon as Mings touched it, then it became another phase. So the rules say apparently.

It will be interesting to see next time that happens if the ref/VAR give offside.

It becoming another phase doesn't then stop Rodri from previously being offside, he makes himself active in the previous phase therefore it's offside. If Mings had touched the ball and it had gone backwards directly to Rodri it's offside.

[westisbest]

Just saying what they said after the game. It should be offside.
Apparently the last time this happens Moss was in charge to.

[Guest]

Further evidence tonight of Liverpool just not being at it this season

[Duty281]

Liverpool in dire trouble. Haven't scored in the last four games, Origi missing a simple chance pretty much sums it up for them. Klopp looks fairly rattled and unable to adjust things. I'm starting to wonder if we're at the beginning of the end for him at Liverpool.

For Burnley, Pope had a great game. Should be England's number one over the erratic Pickford.

[Atila]

Obviously a great win for Burnley.

I was surprised to see the Burnley keeper, who caught the last Liverpool corner in extra time, then hoof the ball up the field. Doesn't he know to waste some time and play the ball from the back rather than letting Liverpool get the ball back and launch another attack? I guess he was just getting too excited who knows.

[GSC]

Saw it with Peps city, hard to keep that standard up with the same group. Injuries and regression end up taking a toll.

[Guest]

This high counter pressing style isn’t sustainable over more than 3 seasons. Klopp suffered the same regression at Dortmund.

[Duty281]

De Bruyne out for up to six weeks just as City were hitting top form. Will miss key games against Liverpool and Tottenham, and possibly the one in early March against Manchester United.

Vardy also out for a few weeks.

[Guest]

Klopp complaining about the Liverpool owners refusing to sign a new CB. Seems like a messy divorce is on the cards.

[Atila]

Klopp complaining about the Liverpool owners refusing to sign a new CB. Seems like a messy divorce is on the cards.

A few months ago, Klopp leaving Liverpool under a cloud would have seemed impossible, but you might be right. After all, if Ranieri and Leicester City could part ways so soon after their against the odds title winning season, Klopp leaving Liverpool isn't that big a stretch.

Strange season for Liverpool. If Spurs, Everton and Villa can win their games in hand, Liverpool will be in 7th place.

[GSC]

Lampard gone today apparently

[JDizzle]

Lampard gone today apparently

Tuchel in to replace him. Matt Law at the Telegraph has confirmed it and he is reliable.

Wheels have fallen off a bit in the last few months, and his failure to fit Havertz and Werner in property has been his downfall - hence the German coach coming in next. I will say he has done what no manager at Chelsea has done for a long time and that is leave a much better squad than he inherited and I hope it’s not the end for the integration of the academy. As guys like Anjorin and Soonsup Bell are super talented.

Tuchel won’t last 18 months given his penchant for falling out with people. But he has a specific job to do in getting the best out of Werner and Havertz.

[GSC]

Maybe the person who decided to spent all that money on Werner/Havertz should face up some of the criticism. Chelsea had 6 months of looking like they were developing a cohesive.

[Guest]

Chelsea wanted Nagelsmann but couldn’t reach an agreement with RB Leipzig.
Can’t see Tuchel doing to much, he’s a miserable and temperamental individual at the best of times.

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