The 2021-22 Premier League Thread - Dem Thicc Lines

by **Dolphin Ziggler** Wed 16 Jun 2021, 2:02 pm

First topic message reminder :

Opening Fixtures:

Brentford v Arsenal
Burnley v Brighton
Chelsea v Crystal Palace
Everton v Southampton
Leicester City v Wolverhampton
Manchester United v Leeds United
Newcastle United v West Ham United
Norwich City v Liverpool
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City
Watford v Aston Villa

by GSC Fri 12 Nov 2021, 4:02 pm

Does Rangers get him the Liverpool job anyway? Brendan won everything with Celtic and ended up at Leicester

by **Afro** Fri 12 Nov 2021, 4:20 pm

I don't think it would be as strong a chance as it would be if he is successful at Villa, which is why he is making the move.

But I think being successful at Rangers gives him more of a chance than he would have failing at Villa.

His status at Liverpool is so strong that getting it from being successful at Rangers was a possibility. Being a success at Villa makes it a shoe-in, whereas failing at Villa makes it a definite no.

So the risk of going to Villa is going from a guaranteed possible, to either a certain yes or a certain no.

by westisbest Fri 12 Nov 2021, 7:00 pm

GSC wrote:Does Rangers get him the Liverpool job anyway? Brendan won everything with Celtic and ended up at Leicester

Exactly. I couldn’t see Gerrard going from Rangers to Liverpool.
Even if he won the few league titles.

Needs to pitting himself in the prem against much tougher opposition than the SPL.

by Lowlandbrit Sat 13 Nov 2021, 1:37 pm

Dean Smith to Norwich seems an interesting choice all round.

Also, Liverpool would have hired Gerrard from Rangers and if he thought the job would be open soon he'd have stayed there. But as it is he wants to manage in the PL and spend more money on transfers so he's gone where he presumably believes he has a chance to build a side that's regularly in or around the European places.

by Duty281 Sat 20 Nov 2021, 1:19 pm

Chelsea looking incredible in the opening 45 minutes at Leicester.

by JDizzle Sat 20 Nov 2021, 2:03 pm

Think I said I was worried about Chelsea’s results masking some poor performances, but their last games (despite the draw vs Burnley) have been their two best of the season.

CHO has really come into his own with Lukaku and Werner out. Special talent and still only just 21. The front three without Lukaku does look a lot more fluid and the pressing is better…

by Duty281 Sat 20 Nov 2021, 3:05 pm

Total football from Chelsea, James is an exceptional footballer and should be starting for England next year. Difficult to see Chelsea getting caught, they look a complete side, and were able to grind out wins earlier in the season when they weren't in the best form, plus their GD is the best in the league.

by Guest Sat 20 Nov 2021, 4:55 pm

Watford destroy Manchester United 4-1. Maguire sent off to boot.

by Duty281 Sat 20 Nov 2021, 5:16 pm

4-1?

I presume Ole is staying on, because he seems to be un-sackable. Chelsea could boost their GD even further next week.

by Guest Sat 20 Nov 2021, 5:49 pm

Slightly at a tangent, PL legend Sergio Aguero has retired from football due to a heart condition.

by GSC Sat 20 Nov 2021, 6:27 pm

Sounds like United are about to finally give in

by westisbest Sat 20 Nov 2021, 11:00 pm

Good start for Gerrard today. Had 0-0 written all over it with 10 minuets to go.
Got the much needed win. Now need to back it up next Saturday away at Palace.

by Guest Sat 20 Nov 2021, 11:11 pm

OGS has been sacked. Announcement imminent

by Duty281 Sat 20 Nov 2021, 11:17 pm

Ole no longer at the wheel. Sad

Cheers for the comedy, Ole.

by Guest Sun 21 Nov 2021, 12:10 am

Mike Phelan also sacked

by alfie Sun 21 Nov 2021, 8:08 am

Jeff Navarro wrote:OGS has been sacked. Announcement imminent

Not exactly surprising. Getting smashed by Liverpool is one thing ; but Watford Shocked

Really sorry for the man. He is from all accounts a thoroughly decent and hardworking fellow and has done his best in a job in which one or two others have struggled in recent years ; but it just hasn't worked.

Lord knows who they will get next. Though I imagine many of the fans will be so glad to see him go they don't care if they hire Ted Lasso...

by GSC Sun 21 Nov 2021, 8:17 am

Ole had to go, but he remains a symptom of United's problems. And even now that's evident, they get smashed by Liverpool and pass on Conte. They get smashed by City and let Ole go on holiday during the international break. Then they lose to Watford in the very next game and have to sack him a few days before a big CL game. Just inept

by Guest Sun 21 Nov 2021, 10:56 am

Michael Carrick named as interim to the real interim. Don’t see how that solves the issue.

by Duty281 Sun 21 Nov 2021, 12:52 pm

GSC wrote:Ole had to go, but he remains a symptom of United's problems. And even now that's evident, they get smashed by Liverpool and pass on Conte. They get smashed by City and let Ole go on holiday during the international break. Then they lose to Watford in the very next game and have to sack him a few days before a big CL game. Just inept

And now they're apparently going to wait until the summer to appoint a permanent manager. Doh

So, Carrick is the interim interim manager, until such a time where they locate an interim manager to take them to the summer.

by Guest Tue 23 Nov 2021, 8:23 pm

Manchester United looking at Pochettino, PSG would expect €10m to buy the contract out, or Valverde as interim.

by Guest Thu 25 Nov 2021, 3:50 pm

David Ornstein says Manchester United have agreed terms with Ralf Rangnick to become interim manager.

by Duty281 Thu 25 Nov 2021, 4:13 pm

That is a brilliant appointment by United - six months as interim, then two years in a consultancy role. Fantastic stuff for them and now they can start the process of upgrading their coaching and tactical quality from the disaster it was under Ole to something that can match the heavyweight top three PL clubs.

by Guest Sat 27 Nov 2021, 2:34 pm

Arsenal 2-0 Newcastle, goals from Saka and Martinelli. Arsenal laboured at times. Newcastle remain bottom.

by Guest Sat 27 Nov 2021, 4:48 pm

Jeff Navarro wrote:Newcastle remain bottom

Fail to beat Norwich on Tuesday, and that’s us done. Life back in the Championship with Howe

14 PL sides with a negative GD. Standard really poor, outside the top 3

by westisbest Sat 27 Nov 2021, 6:10 pm

Stevie G 2 wins from 2. Great stuff.
Good win today. Thought we might get a draw.

Man City and Leicester this week. Tough games, 4 points would be great.

by Guest Sun 28 Nov 2021, 6:23 pm

Chelsea 1-1 Manchester United. Sancho scored his first PL goal after an error by Jorginho. Jorginho equaliser from a PK after AWB fouled Thiago Silva.
Decent game.

Manchester City 2-1 West Ham. Gundogan and Fernandinho keeping the champions just off the top.

by **Galted** Sun 28 Nov 2021, 10:42 pm

Just Gareth wrote:
Jeff Navarro wrote:Newcastle remain bottom

Fail to beat Norwich on Tuesday, and that’s us done. Life back in the Championship with Howe

14 PL sides with a negative GD. Standard really poor, outside the top 3

Interesting that - after this round the top 4 are the only sides to have plus goal differences in the Premier League, and of them only West Ham aren't 20+.

by Guest Mon 29 Nov 2021, 11:42 am

Ralf Rangnick has been confirmed as Manchester United interim manager. This consultancy job starting new summer seems to be director of football. But the wording seems a bit odd.

by GSC Mon 29 Nov 2021, 1:25 pm

I'm kinda hesitant on it. Long term he's what United need, but is he actually going to be taking the decisions at that level or just giving advice. At a glance, the way they're describing it in vague terms suggests the latter.

Short term, it doesn't really seem like the squad is built to fit his preferred style, he hasn't spent much time in management lately and he's never managed a club remotely on the same stature as United. So enough questions there for me. It does feel a bit like looking at Chelsea appointing Tuchel and just trying to mimic that at a high level

by Guest Tue 30 Nov 2021, 9:26 pm

Toon 1-1 Norwich FT

Both sides heading to the Championship. God awful.

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Tue 30 Nov 2021, 9:32 pm

We are absolutely tragic

by Guest Thu 02 Dec 2021, 8:37 pm

Just seen one of the most surreal goals at Old Trafford. Fred stands on de Gea, Smith Rowe put it in an unguarded net from some 20 yards. You have to see it to believe it.

by Duty281 Thu 02 Dec 2021, 9:06 pm

I really have seen it all now. Only a goal because Atkinson failed to blow the whistle before ESR put it in the net. Arsenal should have, morally speaking, given United a free goal in return. Surprised United didn't make more of a fuss.

Good indicator, also, of the number of plastics and day trippers who go to Old Trafford - a goal like that at Millwall or Leeds given against the home side and there'd be a riot. Barely a titter from the United 'fans'.

by Soul Requiem Thu 02 Dec 2021, 9:09 pm

Or it's more an indicator of Millwall and Leeds fans.

I don't see why Arsenal should stop, Fred takes out De Gea who decides to stay down rather than make what would be a routine save.

by pedro Thu 02 Dec 2021, 9:29 pm

You can’t have a system where keepers can speculate in faking injuries or deliberately going down. And since there was no foul play and the ref didn’t blow his whistle, it seems correct that the goal is allowed.

by GSC Thu 02 Dec 2021, 10:45 pm

It's a bit borderline, but overall I think it's morally fair given Fred injured his own keeper.

by Guest Thu 02 Dec 2021, 10:52 pm

Manchester United 3-2 Arsenal, a thrilling contest between the two fallen giants.
Ronaldo secured the win via a second half penalty.

Caretaker manager Michael Carrick resigned after the match.

by pedro Thu 02 Dec 2021, 11:35 pm

Re. the Arsenal goal. You can also look at it this way: If a striker runs towards an open goal and the keeper somehow twists his ankle and goes down injured, should the ref then blow his whistle? Of course not.

by Duty281 Fri 03 Dec 2021, 12:21 am

pedro wrote:You can’t have a system where keepers can speculate in faking injuries or deliberately going down. And since there was no foul play and the ref didn’t blow his whistle, it seems correct that the goal is allowed.

That is the current system, however - if there's a head injury/suspected head injury, or a player is injured in the vicinity of one of the goals, the referee will immediately stop play. At the moment this system is not generally abused by teams, though there are far more incidents than I would like of players feigning injury and then demanding the ball is kicked out, thereby disrupting an opposing team's rhythm.

The referee was going to stop play before Arsenal's goal, but he didn't see it soon enough and didn't blow the whistle in time (which is why it was ultimately correct the goal was awarded).

by Guest Sat 04 Dec 2021, 2:24 pm

West Ham 3-2 Chelsea, the Hammers twice come from a goal down to stunningly upset the lead leaders at the London stadium.
Chelsea’s previously watertight defence not looking as assured these past two games.
A pretty poor performance from Chelsea’s Mendy.

by Duty281 Sat 04 Dec 2021, 11:53 pm

Freakish winner for West Ham, Mendy caught out like Seaman v Ronaldinho 2002. Drops Chelsea down to 3rd after Liverpool's late winner and City's late afternoon cruise.

Newcastle winning (!) makes it a very odd-looking table - only six points separating 11th and 20th at nearly the halfway stage.

by Lowlandbrit Sun 05 Dec 2021, 2:34 pm

Duty281 wrote:Newcastle winning (!) makes it a very odd-looking table - only six points separating 11th and 20th at nearly the halfway stage.

It's gone from the whole bottom half of the table in the running for the last relegation spot to all of them in a couple of weeks. This is going to be a nervous, scrappy season.

by Guest Sat 11 Dec 2021, 7:26 pm

Manchester City 1-0 Wolves - Sterling 100th PL goal
Arsenal 3-0 Southampton
Chelsea 3-2 Leeds - thrilling game
Liverpool 1-0 Aston Villa - Salah pen
Norwich 0-1 Manchester United - Ronaldo pen

Chelsea defence is looking a bit dodgy in recent weeks.

by westisbest Sat 11 Dec 2021, 9:05 pm

Jeff Navarro wrote:Manchester City 1-0 Wolves - Sterling 100th PL goal
Arsenal 3-0 Southampton
Chelsea 3-2 Leeds - thrilling game
Liverpool 1-0 Aston Villa - Salah soft pen
Norwich 0-1 Manchester United - Ronaldo pen

Chelsea defence is looking a bit dodgy in recent weeks.

by **Galted** Sat 11 Dec 2021, 10:13 pm

The top 3 and Utd all winning with a penalty, I'm sure a lot of tin hats are exploding.

by Duty281 Thu 16 Dec 2021, 1:23 pm

Premier League heading for another shutdown, it seems. Quite a few postponements happening.

by GSC Thu 16 Dec 2021, 1:36 pm

Need to get on top of it really. Short shutdown and enhanced protocols coming I'm guessing

by JDizzle Thu 16 Dec 2021, 1:52 pm

Not much they can do unless they properly bubble in hotels? Which won’t be happening at Xmas surely. If it’s widespread in the country, it’ll be widespread in the PL.

by GSC Thu 16 Dec 2021, 2:09 pm

Short term bubbles might be an option I think.

by Duty281 Thu 16 Dec 2021, 7:15 pm

With half of the weekend's games off tonight's two games could be the last in the PL for a little while, maybe a 2-3 week break?

Won't be popular with TV companies, and it'll cause the schedulers a headache, but there doesn't seem to be another option.

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