General Premier League Thread 2020-21 - Mod Notes in 1st post. [Updated 17/12/20]

Diggy78

Shanotheslayer wrote: »

So any decision prior that was controversial is essentially tough sh1t.

Yikes

I know what you mean, but I'm glad that they've at least acted early enough. If they suggested changing it halfway through it would be ridiculous, but 3 games I can live with. Better than putting up with the nonsense for the season anyway.

Shanotheslayer

Diggy78 wrote: »

I know what you mean, but I'm glad that they've at least acted early enough. If they suggested changing it halfway through it would be ridiculous, but 3 games I can live with. Better than putting up with the nonsense for the season anyway.

Aye probably for the best. But a few teams can feel very hard done by

8-10

Thiago tests positive for COVID-19

Out until after the international break at the earliest

Not good news

Fitz*

I presume Chelsea players have been tested since last Sunday and before tonight's game?

Widdensushi

Fitz* wrote: »

I presume Chelsea players have been tested since last Sunday and before tonight's game?

They couldn't get the ball off him, I doubt they could get covid off him.

chips1234

ShamoBuc wrote: »

Auba is a great player, no doubt.

Totally anonymous last night though.

Maybe the tactics didn't suit him. Playing out from the keeper, with 4 pool players waiting to pounce, 4 or 5 passes later they either lost possession or went aimlessly long as a result of pressure and lost it on the halfway line. Ridiculous tactics v liverpool. I think only once, did they work it out really well, there's just no point in repeating something that just does not work. Variation is key. Against other teams it looks better and can work but know your opposition. Inviting that type of pressure is suicidal football at Anfield I think.

being shifted out to the left is baffling to me, imagine having one of the most lethal strikers in the world and shifting him out to the left wing, its insane.

Cookiemunster

Fitz* wrote: »

I presume Chelsea players have been tested since last Sunday and before tonight's game?

All Premier league players are tested at least weekly, so they've all been tested once and more than likely twice since then

chips1234

chips1234 wrote: »

being shifted out to the left is baffling to me, imagine having one of the most lethal strikers in the world and shifting him out to the left wing, its insane.

I will never really understand this, I mean i know they have Laca but even when they didnt play him they used Auba out wide.

Now they have Willian who can also play that side.

There was deffo one chance Laca missed you'd have put a lot of money on auba scoring last night

chips1234

Deleted User wrote: »

I will never really understand this, I mean i know they have Laca but even when they didnt play him they used Auba out wide.

Now they have Willian who can also play that side.

There was deffo one chance Laca missed you'd have put a lot of money on auba scoring last night

yup chelsea seem to be doing the same thing with werner too but, im not 100% sure on it as they seem to be switching alot in game.

L'prof

Star player unable to produce the goods while played out wide in game where his team are starved of possession and creativity shocker

Quazzie

Potential Underachiever wrote: »

Stop watching it and micro analysing it then!

I think he just tried to fend him off with the arm as you see countless times per match and just misjudged it a bit, I don't think there was malice and I think a yellow was even possibly harsh but fair enough, definitely not a red.

I'd be more inclined to believe there was no malice intended if he didn't kick out at Bellerin literally seconds beforehand

So the Little Englanders, crying in the media, have got their way and a change to the interpretation of the handball rule.

Best league in the world.

gimli2112

in fairness the rule is terrible, when a ball accidentally strikes a hand and there's no clear advantage one way or the other, to award a penalty to the attacking team is simply wrong
it turns a tight game into a lottery

RugbyLover123

Rio Ferdinand and Gary Neville really not helping things for United with their antics on Twitter. I can only assume the club won’t give Ole the money going by Neville’s tweets. I’d assume he speaks to Ole.

JPA

[Deleted User] wrote: »

So the Little Englanders, crying in the media, have got their way and a change to the interpretation of the handball rule.

Best league in the world.

The rule or its interpretation is total BS and ruining games. It has to change.

Father Hernandez

RugbyLover123 wrote: »

Rio Ferdinand and Gary Neville really not helping things for United with their antics on Twitter. I can only assume the club won’t give Ole the money going by Neville’s tweets. I’d assume he speaks to Ole.

I very much doubt a club of United's size would refuse transfer money based on Gary Neville's tweets.

DVDM93

https://twitter.com/GNev2/status/1311199935241609217?s=20

https://twitter.com/SkySportsPL/status/1311215638040457216?s=20

JPA

VDB was critical after the Palace game and now his agent. Not helping himself.

TitianGerm

JPA wrote: »

VDB was critical after the Palace game and now his agent. Not helping himself.

He's a new player. He shouldn't be opening his mouth and let his play on the pitch do his talking for him and force his way into the team.
Does he just have a shi**y attitude or something?

JPA

TitianGerm wrote: »

He's a new player. He shouldn't be opening his mouth and let his play on the pitch do his talking for him and force his way into the team.
Does he just have a shi**y attitude or something?

He's Dutch.

Aren't agents just glorified secretaries? Leave the football to the professionals.

~Rebel~

6 wrote: »

Aren't agents just glorified secretaries? Leave the football to the professionals.

That glorified secretary won 3 European cups with Ajax as a player..

~Rebel~

~Rebel~ wrote: »

That glorified secretary won 3 European cups with Ajax as a player..

He should better then, than poking his nose in. Can't help the player. Agents should stick to their tasks.

~Rebel~

6 wrote: »

He should better then, than poking his nose in. Can't help the player. Agents should stick to their tasks.

Certainly doesn’t help this soon after joining alright.

There’s a time when agents doing this stuff can be a positive, being the bad guy so the player doesn’t have to be, but that’s usually to help get the player out of their club. In this case he’s only been there 5 minutes.

Shanotheslayer

The agent as messed up big time there imo. Absolutely no need for those comments.

What is he looking to benefit from them?

ERG89

~Rebel~ wrote: »

That glorified secretary won 3 European cups with Ajax as a player..

I wonder if he has watched United play the last few years and does he know who is managing them?
They ain't exactly on the verge of greatness and his client plays in the position where they already had Pogba and Fernandes.

Cookiemunster

He's not DVBs agent, he's a 'mentor. His agent is called Guido Albers.

https://twitter.com/skysports_bryan/status/1311296053652656128

Agent Coulson

That's nearly worse for me when it comes from his mentor and adviser than an agent.

If he confides these things to his mentor and adviser in private and who then feels the need to make them public.

DVDM93

It's a bit of a sh1t show at the moment really, isn't it!?

United can't sign players & then the one that they do manage to sign is carrying on like this.

rob316

DVDM93 wrote: »

It's a bit of a sh1t show at the moment really, isn't it!?

United can't sign players & then the one that they do manage to sign is carrying on like this.

No idea why they signed him, he wasn't what they needed at all in midfield. A replacement for Matic would have made more sense but this is United.

yourdeadwright

I know getting a first choice and expensive players is a little different but I really don't understand United

Liverpool came under fire from Norwich for making a bid that they felt was reasonable, Norwich rejected it and said we want X amount , Liverpool looked at it and nah we won't pay that and moved on to there next target Tsimikas , That how transfer's should work

I cant see how or why United are still dragging there heels over Sancho either pay what Dortmund want or move on, its going on a couple of months now,

Father Hernandez

yourdeadwright wrote: »

I know getting a first choice and expensive players is a little different but I really don't understand United

Liverpool came under fire from Norwich for making a bid that they felt was reasonable, Norwich rejected it and said we want X amount , Liverpool looked at it and nah we won't pay that and moved on to there next target Tsimikas , That how transfer's should work

I cant see how or why United are still dragging there heels over Sancho either pay what Dortmund want or move on, its going on a couple of months now,

Welcome to our world as fans.

Father Hernandez

rob316 wrote: »

No idea why they signed him, he wasn't what they needed at all in midfield. A replacement for Matic would have made more sense but this is United.

I can see why he was signed but he wasn't a priority.

Fernandes looked bóllóxed at the tail end of last season after being asked to play so many minutes, VDB is far superior to Lingard, Pereira, Mata as a squad option. IMO he should be ahead of Pogba in the starting XI but that's another matter.

A replacement for Matic, absolutely, LB and CB need replaced too. United haven't had a RW in years so what's another year! :pac:

As you said, this is United.

gimli2112

Much of the frenzy is media driven and a fan base desperate for success. Utd are trying to get their number one target from a club that doesn't particularly want to sell, or at least only at their price.
The funny thing is Utd have the money, we all know they have, they just don't want to spend it. I've seen the stories about the state of their finances but until I see them file for bankruptcy I don't believe it.

Comic Book Guy

DVDM93 wrote: »

It's a bit of a sh1t show at the moment really, isn't it!?

United can't sign players & then the one that they do manage to sign is carrying on like this.

Carrying on like what? Should he be accountable for his mentor speaking in a personal capacity?

His Crystal Palace post match interview was along the lines of "we played too slowly.....you need to speed up the game to create something". Hardly grenade throwing criticism.

Mitch Connor

Comic Book Guy wrote: »

Carrying on like what? Should he be accountable for his mentor speaking in a personal capacity?

His Crystal Palace post match interview was along the lines of "we played too slowly.....you need to speed up the game to create something". Hardly grenade throwing criticism.

Bruno also said the exact same after Brighton.

He wasn't giving out about his minutes. Don't see a problem with VDB at all to be honest. Mountains out of molehills by some.

I suspect VDB starts in our defeat to Brighton tonight. He really should start in our boring draw vs Spurs the weekend over Pogba.

yourdeadwright

yourdeadwright wrote: »

I know getting a first choice and expensive players is a little different but I really don't understand United

Liverpool came under fire from Norwich for making a bid that they felt was reasonable, Norwich rejected it and said we want X amount , Liverpool looked at it and nah we won't pay that and moved on to there next target Tsimikas , That how transfer's should work

I cant see how or why United are still dragging there heels over Sancho either pay what Dortmund want or move on, its going on a couple of months now,

The Van Dijk to Liverpool story ran from late 2016 for over a year. with the eventual price being far above initial speculation.

DM_7

Agent Coulson wrote: »

That's nearly worse for me when it comes from his mentor and adviser than an agent.

If he confides these things to his mentor and adviser in private and who then feels the need to make them public.

It doesn't appear he confided in anyone.

Swart told VoetbalPrimeur: "A substitute; I don't like it at all. I couldn't do it, coming on with four minutes left. You'd have to leave me on the bench. But, I have to say, he still did three good things.

"And the penalty, where the winning goal came from, came from him. He did well in those couple of minutes. But normally they should have lost 7-1. Brighton hit the post and the bar five times.

"They [Brighton] have a nice team, but that shouldn't happen to Manchester United.

https://www.voetbalprimeur.nl/nieuws/946895/swart-reageert-op-van-de-beek-situatie-bij-united-vind-het-helemaal-niets-.html

gimli2112

Deleted User wrote: »

The Van Dijk to Liverpool story ran from late 2016 for over a year. with the eventual price being far above initial speculation.

We'd have got him sooner but got caught doing something dodgy and had to back off.

yourdeadwright

Deleted User wrote: »

The Van Dijk to Liverpool story ran from late 2016 for over a year. with the eventual price being far above initial speculation.

It was different , they where not putting in a bid or preparing a bid every day for 2 months,

Southampton set a price that Liverpool and City where wiling to meet and the Saints left it up to the player to decided who to go to once bids where summited

But Liverpool jumped the gun and meet VVD in Blackpool before submitting a bid and without Southampton permission so the Saints refused to sell in that window as a principle and to save face,

Saints declined when the Fa asked if they wanted them to look into it and fine Liverpool ( hence why the fee went slightly up )

Big Virg decided on Liverpool and they then signed him on the 27th of December before the window even opened on the 1st of January

Fitz*

[Deleted User] wrote: »

The Van Dijk to Liverpool story ran from late 2016 for over a year. with the eventual price being far above initial speculation.

Well that's news to me.

It was only in summer 2017 when the potential transfer actually came about. Man City, Chelsea & Liverpool were all going to battle for him for ~£50m. Klopp met VVD in Blackpool and VVD agreed to move to Liverpool over the other 2. When Southampton got wind of this and knew there would be no bidding war they went mad. VVD handed in a transfer request as he wanted to join Liverpool.

Liverpool cooled off and then signed him in January 2018 after a 6 month delay. Paid a nice bit extra to keep Southampton sweet but from what I can gather, the clubs actually have a good relationship still.

yourdeadwright

yourdeadwright wrote: »

But Liverpool jumped the gun and meet VVD in Blackpool before submitting a bid and without Southampton permission so the Saints refused to sell in that window as a principle and to save face

They tapped up Van Dijk?

So when you said Liverpool do transfers the right way, you meant..they don't?

Shanotheslayer

[Deleted User] wrote: »

They tapped up Van Dijk?

So when you said Liverpool do transfers the right way, you meant..they don't?

Every transfer is tapped to some degree

Shanotheslayer

Shanotheslayer wrote: »

Every transfer is tapped to some degree

Oh very possibly.

But then fans should accept clubs will do whatever it takes to get their player, and not engage in some "the club I support does things the right way".

I recall Liverpool shovelling money into an agents pockets to get Harry Kewell and screw over the selling club. In fairness, it wasn't the current owners.

Fitz*

Yeah nearly every transfer these days is done that way now. There's a whole host of intermediaries and unofficial bids through these mediums before an 'official bid' happens. Sounding out a club to guage availability or prices etc.

I'd be surprised if any big money transfers these days are actually done in the timeline of an official bid first and then trying to agree personal terms with the player after. A club could agree a €70m fee with a club only to get told no by the player instantly and so the bid was a waste of time.

Baggly

Deleted User wrote:

I recall Liverpool shovelling money into an agents pockets to get Harry Kewell and screw over the selling club. In fairness, it wasn't the current owners.

Christ on a bike let it go

Baggly

Baggly wrote: »

Christ on a bike let it go

Did one reference really irritate you that much?

Sorry.

Happy to stand on the confirmation from Liverpool fans that the current regime taps up. It amounts to the same point really, that it's nonsense to say they go about transfers the right way. All clubs will do what suits them, legal or not, spending months trying every way or moving along quickly.

Baggly

Deleted User wrote:

Did one reference really irritate you that much?

It was two references. And one of them is from a decade ago.

And I'm a fulham fan ffs.

This tribal point scoring and grudge holding is just boring and has nothing to do with this year's PL.

Baggly

Baggly wrote: »

It was two references. And one of them is from a decade ago.

And I'm a fulham fan ffs.

This tribal point scoring and grudge holding is just boring and has nothing to do with this year's PL.

You're wrong.

There was one reference to Kewell. Not two

Afraid I don't understand your reference to Fulham. I'm a Cork City fan. But do have a fondness for Leeds. Hence the one single reference to Kewell.

What's the thing about tribal point scoring and grudge holding? Between Cork City and Liverpool?

rob316

Fitz* wrote: »

Yeah nearly every transfer these days is done that way now. There's a whole host of intermediaries and unofficial bids through these mediums before an 'official bid' happens. Sounding out a club to guage availability or prices etc.

I'd be surprised if any big money transfers these days are actually done in the timeline of an official bid first and then trying to agree personal terms with the player after. A club could agree a €70m fee with a club only to get told no by the player instantly and so the bid was a waste of time.

Unless it's a last minute style deadline day transfer, personal terms are agreed with the agent first.