2025 - 2026 Premier League thread
- Thread starter Thus Spake Mainer
- Start date
Poor keeping, but overall United was all over Arsenal. Completely dominated them, but still need that final product. At least we saw a pulse as a United fan, but they have a keeper problem and it really needs to get addressed. Onana is no better. Gunners with a big 3 on the road in a game they had no business really getting 3 from...it's what makes title teams tick.
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I was surprised the ref didn’t call a foul on Arsenal on that goal, the keeper got mugged.
Last year it certainly wouldn't have been a foul, but they are supposed to crack down on the holding in the box. He was obstructed, but to be totally honest GK's are supposed to crash through that regardless as they rarely get called for it. Not to mention the weak slap at it....that was on Bayindir all the way for playing like such a ****y in his own box. Even more so when they know what Arsenal is going to do as the same thing occurred last year. I also think the 3 CB's should know better and be clearing up his space that close to the line.
Good start for your gunners, but assuming that front 3 can stay healthy at least United has some forwards that chase things down and take people on. Mbuemo gave Arsenal fits in the first half and Cunha in the second half. Very disappointed in the result, but not the effort. Last year we didn't look that good against Ipswich...never mind Arsenal. They still have work to do, but that wasn't a bad performance by any stretch.
Anyone else fans of the speed up rules? I love it. Keepers cannot hold the ball, but the opposing team cannot impede the goalie or stand in front of him releasing it. I also love the corner kick for any goal kick taking over 8 seconds. Get the game and ball back in play....long overdue. I also would take it a step further and if you go down and require help from the sideline and it isn't a head injury....5 minutes before you can join the pitch again.
If I could make one change to soccer, it would be to get rid of the secret stoppage time clock. Just do it like the other sports. When play stops according to the rules, blow the whistle and stop the game clock. When play resumes, blow the whistle and start the game clock.
Premier League: 10 talking points from the weekend’s action
Kyle Walker has the World Cup in his sights, Nottingham Forest remain potent in attack and James Trafford delights the Manchester City fans
www.theguardian.com
Premier League: Counter-attack Liverpool - what we learned from opening weekend
BBC Sport picks out five observations from the opening weekend of the new Premier League season.
www.bbc.com
I think it’s cute how the players always argue with each other while the ref is checking VAR.
I’ve never seen what I considered to be unethical time keeping in injury time but if your idea would reduce flopping I’d be all for it.
I've always found it kind of funny that the lack of specificity on stoppage time bothers some folks.
Stoppage time is added for things like:
- time spent celebrating goals
- time spent dealing with injuries
- time spent waiting for VAR
- time spent explaining decisions to captains (only if it's excessive; if not, then that's just normal playing time
- other unusual issues (injuries to refs, field needing to be tended to, nets needing to be fixed, etc.)
Stoppage time is added at the discretion of the center ref. And their watches do have a counter on them that allows them to track how long various stoppages take during a half. I should also note that stoppage during stoppage time can also cause the ref to add additional time to the stoppage time. The addition of stoppage time happens pretty much in all FIFA matches around the world, and nowhere is the specific amount of extra time indicated. It's only in World Cup, high level pro leagues, international competitions, etc. where the fans are even given an approximation of the add of stoppage time added.
By comparison, high school (and middle school) soccer in the USA, which follows NFHS rules, does things the way you advocated. There is a set time for each half. The clock is stopped for goals, for injuries, for pretty much any of the things I listed above except for VAR, as that's not used in high school competitions. It works well, though it does require the refs, and the stadium clock operator, to stop and start their respective clocks, and there are often situations where the stadium clock and the ref's watch get out of synch. (The stadium clock is the official clock, but the ref can stop the game and have the stadium clock reset if the variance between the respective clocks becomes too large, or at the end of a half where the clock runs when it shouldn't.
One of the bigger differences is that in a FIFA game, if a team is on an offensive thrust when the time runs "out" on the ref's watch, they are given the time to complete the attack. If it attack ends up resulting in a corner kick, the "extra" time can be quite a bit. In a game following NFHS rules, a kid could be on a breakaway, but once the clock reaches 0:00, the game is over. (The rules were changed a few years ago from a shot must have crossed the line in the net before 0:00 to count as a goal, to if a shot is taken before 0:00, if it goes in after 0:00 it counts as a goal.)
My experience is that spectators prefer knowing when exactly a game will end, but that players and coaches prefer the gray area of stoppage time, and don't like not being able to play out an offensive thrust.
I’ve never heard a good reason to keep stoppage time a secret. I’ve always felt that sports should be as transparent as possible. Simply stopping the clock when play stops does that.
Manchester United are importing a sinister US tactic: Public money for stadiums
Similar grand promises made when building US sports arenas are now being used to justify a huge outlay in the UK, with little return to show for them
www.theguardian.com
Well the Glazers are awful billionaire American owners so this makes sense. Why would they pitch in and pay for anything....didn't Pegula do this in Buffalo....make billions and hoard it. It's the American way. Let the poors and middle class pay for it. It's not the first time BTW for this. Spurs, West Ham, Wembley(is the national stadium so I get that).....but it must be nice to be a billionaire and let the poors pay for your business upgrades. Almost like this is a problem across the world now, but nahhhh.Manchester United are importing a sinister US tactic: Public money for stadiums
Similar grand promises made when building US sports arenas are now being used to justify a huge outlay in the UK, with little return to show for them
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TV Schedule for This Weekend (8/23, 8/24, 8/25)
Saturday
7:30 am EDT -- Man C. vs. Tottenham Hotspur (USA Network)
10:00 am EDT -- Burnley vs. Sunderland (Peacock)
10:00 am EDT -- AFC Bournemouth vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers (Peacock)
10:00 am EDT -- Brentford vs. Aston Villa (USA Network)
12:30 pm EDT -- Arsenal vs. Leeds U. (NBC)
Sunday
9:00 am EDT -- Everton vs. Brighton & Hove Albion (USA Network)
9:00 am EDT -- Crystal Palace vs. Nottingham Forest (Peacock)
11:30 am EDT -- Fulham vs. Man U. (USA Network)
Monday
3:00 pm EDT -- Newcastle U. vs. Liverpool (USA Network)
Saturday
7:30 am EDT -- Man C. vs. Tottenham Hotspur (USA Network)
10:00 am EDT -- Burnley vs. Sunderland (Peacock)
10:00 am EDT -- AFC Bournemouth vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers (Peacock)
10:00 am EDT -- Brentford vs. Aston Villa (USA Network)
12:30 pm EDT -- Arsenal vs. Leeds U. (NBC)
Sunday
9:00 am EDT -- Everton vs. Brighton & Hove Albion (USA Network)
9:00 am EDT -- Crystal Palace vs. Nottingham Forest (Peacock)
11:30 am EDT -- Fulham vs. Man U. (USA Network)
Monday
3:00 pm EDT -- Newcastle U. vs. Liverpool (USA Network)
Just got in from a long walk in Rehoboth. Nice.
Watching the highlights, dang, that second goal was totally on the City keeper.
A little mad at myself. I was walking up Swedes Street in Dewey Beach and my wife was a little behind me, got caught up in ooing and awing a baby. Walked by a guy and when my wife caught up with me she told me he had been all “We Are!” (I was wearing a PSU sweatshirt.) I totally missed it, and am now angry at myself for not running back and catching up with him, “Penn State!” He probably thinks I’m a dick, he’d be right but not for that reason. Gotta do better!
Gunners looking good. Always nice to get an extra score right before halftime. COYG!
Arsenal alone at the top. Must have been a nice little spell for Spurs fans.
LOL, crap like this happens on quite a few corners. In situations where there is far less of a foul, players are always complaining that this or that happened to them. Without VAR, I wonder what would have been called here (there were fouls on both sides, and Man U, who was taking the corner, got to receive the ball and play it, so in real time, I doubt I would call anything here):
That play as well as obstructing the keeper happen on every single corner in professional football. This year they stated they were going to crack down on it, but on the same play you have Shaw for United tackling a Fulham defender directly behind the hip toss foul which too was a foul so how do you award a penalty there?
Every single corner in the premier league a foul could be called by VAR....every single one. Defenders wrap their arms around players prior to the kick and the officials have looked away for years. The problem with that one was a hip toss instead of the usual bear hug which made it appear worse than it was. I've seen way worse tackles/holds allowed forever. Just like diving FIFA and the officials let this go on forever, but now want to try to correct it. Good luck.
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