The 2017-2018 EPL Discussion Thread

[bhurst99]

Re: The 2017-2018 EPL Discussion Thread

At some point they’ll lose to a team battling relegation.

Incredibly hard to do. I don't think it will ever happen again in the EPL.

Now that I've suggested it, they'll probably lose to Swansea on Wednesday.

I'm think the best bet for a loss might be if they wrap up the title early, they have a Champions League mid-week game and Pep decides to rest players.

[KG]

Re: The 2017-2018 EPL Discussion Thread

Herrera booked for diving warms the soul.

Jesus’ was much worse IMO and he walked away card-free.


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[Krebstar]

Re: The 2017-2018 EPL Discussion Thread

Jesus’ was much worse IMO and he walked away card-free.

...but it's Herrera.

[Brahvocado]

Re: The 2017-2018 EPL Discussion Thread

I don't care about your copy post - it was funny. But Lovren did absolutely nothing wrong there. Calvert-Lewin initiates the contact then flops. He should really be given retroactive punishment for that, but since Lovren places his hand on his back in a reflex because a guy bumped into his chest they probably won't. Mane is more to blame for the loss than the ref though because if he squares the ball it's a tap in for 2. I don't mind the team selection - we are in a stretch of playing every 3 days or so for over a month so guys can't play every game. That team still should have won that game.


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Calvert-Lewin is a freaking diver. He does that **** all the time, and the only reason he doesn’t have a reputation is because he’s English and runs around a lot.

Jesus’ was much worse IMO and he walked away card-free.


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Herrera’s reaction to the challenge that got Kyle Walker his yellow was worse than both imo.

I was really hoping people would be talking about that, it was absolutely embarrassing.

[KG]

Re: The 2017-2018 EPL Discussion Thread

I’d be surprised if Herrera didn’t act that way but Jesus has been flopping around under the radar since he came last year. Hell of a talent though


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[Leon]

Re: The 2017-2018 EPL Discussion Thread

So we've finally played all the big teams and Arsenal, with Pogba only being present against Arsenal, and it's time for me to call out Jose and his tactics against these teams. SHOW SOME ******* BALLS, MAN!

The very few times we actually tried and managed to keep the ball and attack City, we caused them some trouble. The 90% of the time we just hoofed it up to Lukaku or a City player, guess what? We did dog ****e out there. This isn't Barcelona with Messi, Iniesta, and Xavi; this isn't Madrid with Ronaldo, Benzema, Modric, Isco, and Kroos; hell, even if it were them, there's showing your opponent respect and there's showing them too much respect. We've shown all these teams too much respect and the results show. How the hell does West Ham cause more trouble for City than United? Why do we keep bypassing the midfield? No Pogba or Carrick, okay. Put Blind in there alongside Matic and Herrera; start with Mata in a midfield 3. When Mata came on, we actually had someone to create and he did that right away! Before coming on, Matic was the only one trying to keep the ball in midfield because it looked like everyone else had instructions to just hoof it up there and let's see what happens. Why not use the same formation from the Arsenal match against City?

Lukaku was poor as hell and played a huge part in giving City their goals, as well as missing a chance he should really score, but I can't be too hard on him when our service to him is "we're gonna kick the ball in the air and you try to win it while 2-3 players crowd you out." Why not start with Zlatan if we're gonna hoof it up all day?

Maybe Jose feels like he doesn't have the players to play a proper counter-attack against these sides, but it's stupid to keep doing the same thing with the players he has when it clearly doesn't work, the odd win aside. It's frustrating to see a side that's clearly capable of playing but doesn't because our manager, for one reason or another, respects the opponent too much. He's been great overall, but I just can't get with the mentality in these kinds of matches.

[ImTellinTim]

Re: The 2017-2018 EPL Discussion Thread

Especially since there's plenty of tape of Dejan Lovren single-handedly taking Lukaku out of matches when you try that...

[Brahvocado]

Re: The 2017-2018 EPL Discussion Thread

Jose sets his teams up to avoid losing, and relies on his best players to produce individual brilliance and win the game. Pogba wasn’t there, and the rest of his players really aren’t big game players. Maybe Rashford and Martial would fall under that category but they were both far from their best yesterday. Lukaku has never been a big game player, not ever. He’s a textbook flat track bully, players playing for worse teams than Everton have a better strike rate vs the big boys than Lukaku.

This is just how Jose is, he’s done this since Inter and he’s probably not going to change now.

[Leon]

Re: The 2017-2018 EPL Discussion Thread

Jose sets his teams up to avoid losing, and relies on his best players to produce individual brilliance and win the game. Pogba wasn’t there, and the rest of his players really aren’t big game players. Maybe Rashford and Martial would fall under that category but they were both far from their best yesterday. Lukaku has never been a big game player, not ever. He’s a textbook flat track bully, players playing for worse teams than Everton have a better strike rate vs the big boys than Lukaku.

This is just how Jose is, he’s done this since Inter and he’s probably not going to change now.

He's 24, I wouldn't write him off yet when it comes to being a big game player.

Defensive football is fine, hoof-ball is not. I barely watched him with Inter, but I have seen quite a few of his games with RM and Chelsea and correct me if I'm wrong, but I can't recall them playing hoof-ball under Jose the way we are. Come to think of it, this was happening under LvG too but his possession style actually allowed that to succeed -- not that it actually won us more games, but it worked for him.

Maybe it's the Fellaini effect.

[Krebstar]

Re: The 2017-2018 EPL Discussion Thread

When Mourinho "wins" a useful point after a 0-0 draw with another big side it'll all be forgotten and he'll once again be incorrectly praised for his pragmatism. I say incorrectly, as that would mean he's doing whatever it takes to win. Except he's not—he's doing whatever it takes not to lose with a squad of incredibly talented players.

[Brahvocado]

Re: The 2017-2018 EPL Discussion Thread

He's 24, I wouldn't write him off yet when it comes to being a big game player.

Defensive football is fine, hoof-ball is not. I barely watched him with Inter, but I have seen quite a few of his games with RM and Chelsea and correct me if I'm wrong, but I can't recall them playing hoof-ball under Jose the way we are. Come to think of it, this was happening under LvG too but his possession style actually allowed that to succeed -- not that it actually won us more games, but it worked for him.

Maybe it's the Fellaini effect.

Definitely not writing Lukaku off, but not every player can be(or needs to be) a big game player. Typically it isn't really something you develop later on. I'm sure he can improve a bit in that regard, but most players who are big game players have always been that way.

I see a lot of people online pointing to Drogba (the comparisons will never end, apparently) as a late bloomer, saying Lukaku might be the same way (same manager too). This isn't entirely true though. Jose definitely helped Drogba become a beast, one of the scariest strikers in Europe, but he was already a big game player when he got to Chelsea. He just needed more refinement to his all-around game. Jose helped make Drogba a BETTER player, but he was already a big game player.

Also worth noting, Jose Mourinho in 2005 was a VERY different person.

Anyway, I don't THINK he will magically become a monstrous big game player, but you also don't necessarily NEED him to be one. Probably the best move for United, would just be to go get a rotational striker that will show up in the big games (Zlatan is not that either). I dunno how great it would be for Lukaku's confidence knowing that the number 2 striker at the club will usually start over him in the big games, but for a club looking to win the title and CL, you need a player like that.

[Brahvocado]

Re: The 2017-2018 EPL Discussion Thread






This is the best thing I've seen in a long time. From the hilarious attention to detail yet still using City's old badge, to the water bottle graphic and the United players looking like they are in a dance battle.

This is the kind of journalism we need more of.

[ImTellinTim]

Re: The 2017-2018 EPL Discussion Thread

I thought that was a joke then I come to find out this actually happened. LMAO

Water and milk were thrown at Mourinho and City coach Mikel Arteta is understood to have ended up with a cut above his eye.

[KG]

Re: The 2017-2018 EPL Discussion Thread

Lol at “Non-Playing Captain Michael Carrick”


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[Leon]

Re: The 2017-2018 EPL Discussion Thread

This is the best thing I've seen in a long time. From the hilarious attention to detail yet still using City's old badge, to the water bottle graphic and the United players looking like they are in a dance battle.

This is the kind of journalism we need more of.

See, Mourinho does have the balls to attack.