2024 - 2025 Premier League Thread
- Thread starter Thus Spake Mainer
- Start date
LOL, good call there. The dude can finish at a crazy clip, but nothing I said was wrong. His touches per game are low as are his passes completed. I'm not making that up, that is the book on him and the stats show it. Just like his goal rate per touch is through the roof. Rodri is the glue to that team and it shows as look at City since he went down. They are average.Yeah, and Josh Allen is a lousy defender.
Sorry, didn't realize Haaland was beyond legit criticism that the dumb Allen comparison had nothing to do with what I said. Talk about apples to trash cans. You can pretend his defensive work rate is good or he makes life easier by working back and being a part of the build up...but people that understand the sport know the difference. Not every great scorer defended well....Ronaldo and Messi didn't either.
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Haaland signs record new 9.5-year City deal
Erling Haaland has signed a mammoth nine-and-a-half-year contract at Manchester City, tying him to the club until 2034.
www.espn.com
I never claimed that Erling was the glue of the team. You comparing a striker to a defensive midfielder is an apples to trash cans comparison. Criticizing Håland‘s defense makes as much sense as criticizing Ederson‘s goal rate per touch. Not every great keeper scored well…..
I’m not comparing those 2 at all for their touches. Lol, Haaland missed chunks last year and they won the treble. Rodri is out this year and they lost 8 of 11. They are completely struggling without him. Hell they missed KDB for chunks last year too. Two simple points that hopefully you comprehend.
1. Haaland has no defensive work rate.
2. Rodri is the engine for City.
Disagree if you want, no skin off my back.
I comprehend that Erling is a striker, and his job is to score. If he even thinks about his defensive work rate, he should be benched immediately.
I also comprehend that Rodri is a defensive mid. If he were to ever drunkenly dream of becoming a striker, he should be cut immediately.
Criticizing either player for not doing things that are not their job is asinine.
TV Schedule for this Weekend (1/18, 1/19, & 1/20)
Saturday
7:30 am EST -- Newcastle U. vs. AFC Bournemouth (USA Network)
10:00 am EST -- Leicester C. vs. Fulham (Peacock)
10:00 am EST -- West Ham U. vs. Crystal Palace (USA Network)
10:00 am EST -- Brentford vs. Liverpool (Peacock)
12:30 pm EST -- Arsenal vs. Aston Villa (NBC)
Sunday
9:00 am EST -- Man U. vs. Brighton & Hove Albion (Peacock)
9:00 am EST -- Nottingham Forest vs. Southampton (Peacock)
9:00 am EST -- Everton vs. Tottenham Hotspur (USA Network)
11:30 am EST -- Ipswich Town vs. Man C. (USA Network)
Monday
3:00 pm EST -- Chelsea vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers (USA Network)
Saturday
7:30 am EST -- Newcastle U. vs. AFC Bournemouth (USA Network)
10:00 am EST -- Leicester C. vs. Fulham (Peacock)
10:00 am EST -- West Ham U. vs. Crystal Palace (USA Network)
10:00 am EST -- Brentford vs. Liverpool (Peacock)
12:30 pm EST -- Arsenal vs. Aston Villa (NBC)
Sunday
9:00 am EST -- Man U. vs. Brighton & Hove Albion (Peacock)
9:00 am EST -- Nottingham Forest vs. Southampton (Peacock)
9:00 am EST -- Everton vs. Tottenham Hotspur (USA Network)
11:30 am EST -- Ipswich Town vs. Man C. (USA Network)
Monday
3:00 pm EST -- Chelsea vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers (USA Network)
If you are coaching in 1993 and have a team that isn't a high pressing team you would be right, but that isn't the case here. City's system isn't sitting in a low block, it's quite the opposite. They bring their lines all up to press in the other teams half and they were incredible at it. They defend very high up the pitch as most teams sit in a lower block against them. If you are pressing high and your striker isn't keying that press or participating in it it's much easier to break the press. Nothing I have said about Haaland is off the mark. Others have said it and if you ever click on a user profile his defense is always marked as a weakness. Saying a striker is there to just hang out is antiquated.
You have to work as a team if you are going to press high just as you have to defend as a team in a low block. In a low block you will see #9's hanging out to be an outlet....City isn't a low block team. It's a reason why as a United fan I have issues with Rashford. His defensive work rate is atrocious as well as his inability to go up for the ball in the air without turning his back and flinching. If your forwards don't press well up high, you will never be able to press effectively. Keeping the lines tight and knowing when to trigger the press as a unit is huge or those systems fail. It's why certain teams can do it effectively and others fail at doing it. I'm not putting their struggles all on him at all, but it shows you how important having the best #6 and midfield on the planet can make or break a team that loves to press up high.
He's the best #9 on the planet...not saying he isn't, but he can do more.
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Very deceiving score line. Southampton deserved at least a point, but I think they got gassed. Amad is the only thing keeping this United team from being a relegation team at this point in time. They looked ok versus Liverpool, defended well against Arsenal, but once again played down at home to a lesser team. It's clearly mental and the coach is calling them out on it rightfully...just need to break the cycle. I can see Brighton beating this team 2-0 or more if they play like that again on Sunday. They can get up for the big games, but are flat against anyone else...so frustrating.
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Mateta at the double as Crystal Palace cruise to win against West Ham
Crystal Palace striker scored early in the second half before sealing a 2-0 win at West Ham, who had Konstantinos Mavropanos sent off, from the spot
www.theguardian.com
Pretty tough one for arsenal fans. Disallowed goal and shot of the post in the waning minutes after leading 2-0.
I don't doubt that. And with Liverpool earning a victory in stoppage time earlier in the day, it had to sting.
Arsenal dominated the game; just not the final score. Some stats:
Possession: Arsenal - 66%, Aston Villa - 34%
Shots: Arsenal - 12, Aston Villa - 4
Shots on Target: Arsenal - 6, Aston Villa - 4
Corners: Arsenal - 10, Aston Villa - 1
Fouls: Arsenal 9, Aston Villa - 17
When a team dominates the stats to that degree, they should win the match. But that's why you play the games.
I just enjoyed the contest.
When a team dominates the stats to that degree, they should win the match. But that's why you play the games.
Welcome to life as as Arsenal supporter.
Came here to comment on this. As an Arsenal supporter it's tough for me to say that I actually like the manager of Spurs. Kind of like Klopp, I didn't want to like him but I did. Same with Big Ange. But, he's got to be done right? Spurs are really a mess.
3-2 final but still not enough to cover whatever goofy strategy he employed in the first half. Spurs have at least 4-5 key players out with hammy injuries and that really impacts the defense. When you need to play Dragusin, oh boy!
Well, I had been seriously considering staying off the Bills-Ravens thread.
Premier League: 10 talking points from the weekend’s action
Manchester United’s wing-backs are struggling, Phil Foden is back to his best and Bournemouth are top-four contenders
www.theguardian.com
From Bournemouth to Brighton, the Premier League’s middle class is booming | Jonathan Wilson
A growing number of well-run clubs have shown what can be achieved by recruiting smartly and playing to a system
www.theguardian.com
TV Schedule for this Weekend (1/25, 1/26)
Saturday
10:00 am EST -- AFC Bournemouth vs. Nottingham Forest (USA Network)
10:00 am EST -- Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Everton (Peacock)
10:00 am EST -- Liverpool vs Ipswich Town (Peacock)
10:00 am EST -- Southampton vs. Newcastle U. (Peacock)
10:00 am EST -- Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Arsenal (Peacock)
12:30 pm EST -- Man C. vs. Chelsea (Peacock)
Sunday
9:00 am EST -- Crystal Palace vs. Brentford (Peacock)
9:00 am EST -- Tottenham Hotspur vs. Leicester C. (USA Network)
11:30 am EST -- Aston Villa vs. West Ham U. (Peacock)
2:00 pm EST -- Fulham vs. Man U. (USA Network)
Saturday
10:00 am EST -- AFC Bournemouth vs. Nottingham Forest (USA Network)
10:00 am EST -- Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Everton (Peacock)
10:00 am EST -- Liverpool vs Ipswich Town (Peacock)
10:00 am EST -- Southampton vs. Newcastle U. (Peacock)
10:00 am EST -- Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Arsenal (Peacock)
12:30 pm EST -- Man C. vs. Chelsea (Peacock)
Sunday
9:00 am EST -- Crystal Palace vs. Brentford (Peacock)
9:00 am EST -- Tottenham Hotspur vs. Leicester C. (USA Network)
11:30 am EST -- Aston Villa vs. West Ham U. (Peacock)
2:00 pm EST -- Fulham vs. Man U. (USA Network)
When was the last time this matchup carried this much weight? The Vegas Golden Knights owner bought Bournemouth for $147 million in Dec 2022. Wonder how much their valuation has gone up since then?
Bournemouth's new American owner says Premier League club a 'bargain' compared to buying MLS team
ESPN
Dec 16, 2022, 03:26 PM ET
I honestly don't under the economics of pro soccer.
The last three expansion fees for NWSL teams have been $53 million for San Jose & Boston in 2023, and now a whopping $110 million for Denver earlier this month.
The last four expansion fees for MLS have been $150 million for Austin in 2019, $200 million for St. Louis in 2019, $325 million for Charlotte in 2019, and $500 million for San Diego in 2023.
That's just the expansion fees, no actual assets. He bought an actual, existing team with access to a stadium that has been getting Championship or Premier League media money for the previous decade for $147 million. Never thought that $147 would sound like a bargain.
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Crap out and apparently crap in at Hotspur Stadium. Unreal
One of our resident Arsenal fans:
