ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE 2016 - 20XX Onwards...

evil wasabi

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The Lichaj goals were fantastic. We did not deserve to win that game.

The rumor that Wenger will step down and join the boardroom if they can get Mikel Arteta to replace him are intriguing.
 

Rot

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Wenger has been a great servant to Arsenal over the years...

I remember the exciting brand of football... but times change...

The vast majority of EPL teams have evolved into a more physical, more organised playing style... I do believe because of the money involved, they wish to maintain their position in the EPL league even if it is mediocre mid table...

Teams are harder to break down and Wenger hasn't brought well over the past 5 years... so it's inevitable that he's under pressure atm...

Saying that tho... the Arsenal fans are split whether he should go or not... change can be a scary thing tbh...

xROTx
 

Naika

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Wenger has been a great servant to Arsenal over the years...

I remember the exciting brand of football... but times change...

The vast majority of EPL teams have evolved into a more physical, more organised playing style... I do believe because of the money involved, they wish to maintain their position in the EPL league even if it is mediocre mid table...

Teams are harder to break down and Wenger hasn't brought well over the past 5 years... so it's inevitable that he's under pressure atm...

Saying that tho... the Arsenal fans are split whether he should go or not... change can be a scary thing tbh...

xROTx

I personally want him to stay, but if he gets savaged all the time by asshat pundits and the fans, I think he should go when he thinks it's time. If Arteta came in, I'd be very much fine with it. He was one of my favorite players when he came to Arsenal as a player and if he gets better with Pep on the sidelines, he'd be a top man for me in the dugout.
 

Rot

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I personally want him to stay, but if he gets savaged all the time by asshat pundits and the fans, I think he should go when he thinks it's time. If Arteta came in, I'd be very much fine with it. He was one of my favorite players when he came to Arsenal as a player and if he gets better with Pep on the sidelines, he'd be a top man for me in the dugout.

Poor Wenger... losing away today aint gonna help his mood...

4th is sorta gonna be a stretch for them if they keep this sort of form up...

xROTx

PS. Liverpool beat Man Shitty... Revenge is sweet... SWEET!
 

Naika

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Poor Wenger... losing away today aint gonna help his mood...

4th is sorta gonna be a stretch for them if they keep this sort of form up...

xROTx

PS. Liverpool beat Man Shitty... Revenge is sweet... SWEET!

Well done lads!
 

evil wasabi

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The Walcott era ended today, which means there is an open hospital bed at the north London medical center.
 

Naika

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The Walcott era ended today, which means there is an open hospital bed at the north London medical center.

He served us well...when he was broken in a heap. Hope he shines with Everton and Big Sam....and hope Sam gives Mourinho another taste of 18th century football.
 

Naika

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He served us well...when he was broken in a heap. Hope he shines with Everton and Big Sam....and hope Sam gives Mourinho another taste of 18th century football.

I was wrong. Big Sam ain't helpin' Theo here after that 5-1 thrashing.

Speaking of thrashing, what the hell happened today with Chelsea???
 

Rot

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I was wrong. Big Sam ain't helpin' Theo here after that 5-1 thrashing.

Speaking of thrashing, what the hell happened today with Chelsea???

Poor Conte... I don't think he's a bad manager...

I feel the players just don't wanna turn up for him... it seems nowadays you have to be a child psychologist and a strategic genius to survive at Chelsea...

xROTx

PS. I understand why teams fire managers in fear of Relegation etc etc... but this fan/board/owner based high expectancy level type firing is somewhat unfair...

...and yes... I know it's mainly about teh money they would lose if the so called "BIG SIX" teams don't do well...
 

evil wasabi

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Conte is not a great manager. His entire track record came at Juventus - and guess what, they are pretty happy with his replacement, who was a joke at Milan for his inability to make adjustments. What did Conte do for Italy? He didn't do shit for Italy's national team.

Italians can thank Conte for the current state of affairs where top talent shuns the Serie A, because there's no confidence in integrity. When Juve wins, everyone says the ref was given a ferrari (fiat owns ferrari). The Serie A should burn to the ground, and let Conte burn with it.
 

oliverclaude

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What did Conte do for Italy? He didn't do shit for Italy's national team.

He didn't, yes, but he's no exception to the rule. Top league managers are more than often bad national team coaches. Both come from different worlds. Instead of coaching their team on a daily routine, a team which they assembled to their likings from a broad international pool of players, national team managers have to live with a very limited amount of time to convey their ideas to players they'd hardly choose, if they had a choice.

This is a two-edged sword and I don't think that Löw would be a good manager for, let's say München, since his name came up. Managers that actually were both successful in a league and a national team are scarce and this disparity has become bigger in times of such complex differentiations we face now in league football. There's also another hurdle I've been thinking about lately: priorities.

In order to succeed with a national team, you have to become what we call in Germany a Fußballnation, a football nation. That means building structures, that means providing means and accompany players from their youngest age. That also means to sacrifice. The British are not ready to sacrifice their Premier League for a World or Europa Cup. The old continent sets different priorities. That's why in other countries, one team dominates a league, which is not the case in Britain.

Consequently, this team is made out of 80%, what we will see in the national team, which will consist of players, who know each other. A real team, so to speak. A manager has then only to provide a good atmosphere and protect the the health and self-confidence of his players. That's why Podolski was in Brazil, that's why dehydration was such a big issue there for Löw. Anyway, it's a tl;dr story, but one that preoccupies me lately.
 

Naika

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So where's our Man City trophy parade? What happened?
 

Rot

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The 2018 Champions League Semi-Final draw:

Liverpool vs Roma
Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid

...initial impressions is that Roma and Liverpool are the happier of the teams... as they'll each fancy their chances against each other....

The other one is MUCH tighter.... Bayern munich have already won the Bundesliga... but Real Madrid who are struggling in that league, are unpredictable enough to win...

xROTx
 

evil wasabi

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The 2018 Champions League Semi-Final draw:

Liverpool vs Roma
Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid

...initial impressions is that Roma and Liverpool are the happier of the teams... as they'll each fancy their chances against each other....

The other one is MUCH tighter.... Bayern munich have already won the Bundesliga... but Real Madrid who are struggling in that league, are unpredictable enough to win...

xROTx

Top analysis. LFC are more complete than Roma but Daniele De Rossi is better than any player LFC has in terms of full pitch ability. He can play any midfield or defensive position, and helps wherever needed. And while Salah knows Roma, all of Roma knows Salah.
 

JoeAwesome

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The 2018 Champions League Semi-Final draw:

Liverpool vs Roma
Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid

...initial impressions is that Roma and Liverpool are the happier of the teams... as they'll each fancy their chances against each other....

The other one is MUCH tighter.... Bayern munich have already won the Bundesliga... but Real Madrid who are struggling in that league, are unpredictable enough to win...

xROTx

Where's Tak? We can get a cheer going. Bayern uber alles!
 

oliverclaude

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Where's Tak? We can get a cheer going. Bayern uber alles!

It's rather Bayern, das einzig Wahre ;). Them in the CL is one of those rare occasions, where every German becomes a little Bavarian himself. My prediction: Lewandowski is so eager to go to Madrid, that he'll fight them like a lion to win this one for the Reds.
 

Rot

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Where's Tak? We can get a cheer going. Bayern uber alles!

Tak would rather poke his own eyes out than support Bayern Munich....

It's going to be a few interesting matches imo...

I think the Bayern vs Real Madrid Tie will prob decide who wins the Competition tbh... but you never know... there is always hope :D

xROTx
 

evil wasabi

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It's rather Bayern, das einzig Wahre ;). Them in the CL is one of those rare occasions, where every German becomes a little Bavarian himself. My prediction: Lewandowski is so eager to go to Madrid, that he'll fight them like a lion to win this one for the Reds.

In the words of Franck Ribéry and Karin Benzema “too old”
 

oliverclaude

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In the words of Franck Ribéry and Karin Benzema “too old”

Solid argument, though sometimes it's not who you get, but whom you're taking away. See the Götze-Munich transfer, which was doomed from the start, yet substantially weakened the BVB during a pivotal period. Speculation, of course, but that's part of the fun ;).
 

evil wasabi

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Solid argument, though sometimes it's not who you get, but whom you're taking away. See the Götze-Munich transfer, which was doomed from the start, yet substantially weakened the BVB during a pivotal period. Speculation, of course, but that's part of the fun ;).

I don't think RM need to weaken Bayern. Bayern won the CL when they had the window to do so. But the team is decrepitly old now. Remember when Robben had hair, back in like 2006? That was a football career ago.
 

JoeAwesome

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I don't think RM need to weaken Bayern. Bayern won the CL when they had the window to do so. But the team is decrepitly old now. Remember when Robben had hair, back in like 2006? That was a football career ago.

And that's still after two retirements at midfield, but I'd argue a healthy Ribery and Robben were better than any other natural wings they've had, including Costa and Coman. Robbery complimented each other very well, but that should happen with time.

Otherwise, who's "old"? Mueller? The pace isn't there from a few years ago, I admit, but imo, their experience does well to make up for it.
 
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evil wasabi

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And that's still after two retirements at midfield, but I'd argue a healthy Ribery and Robben were better than any other natural wings they've had, including Costa and Coman. Robbery complimented each other very well, but that should happen with time.

Otherwise, who's "old"? Mueller? The pace isn't there from a few years ago, I admit, but imo, their experience does well to make up for it.

The team that terrorized the CL is half gone. A lot of those players aged out. schweini, Lahm, and Robben and Ribéry to follow. Crazy how guys like Tymoshchuk, Van Buyten, and Pizarro are all almost my age and played in that team.
 

JoeAwesome

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Crazy how guys like Tymoshchuk, Van Buyten, and Pizarro are all almost my age and played in that team.

Even making it the final against Inter, those were awful years in recent memory. An out of position CB; a tall, but slow CB; and a striker retread because the best we had was a striker who could only do well for the national team, and a FW who couldn't get his feet fucking together. Never mind Van Gaal was there. Makes it all the more commendable what Heynckes has been able to do.
 
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