General Premier League Thread 2023-24 Mod Note in op 27/6/23 And 21/05/24

Terrible result for Liverpool against a really bad Utd team. How bad was Curtis Jones though…..awful when he came on.

As a United fan I'll take a point...thought they lack any composure and rely on moments of magic...Liverpool still in it but really need Jota back...Nunez tries hard but is very limited so need to replace him with Jota asap

Gotta say I didn't think Wan Bissaka fouled Elliott. I initially thought it was a penalty but after watching replays I don't think it was.

He never made contact with the player and Elliott put his foot down between his legs and basically took a dive, there was no need for him to go down there. It's quite clear he wasn't affected in any way by putting his foot where he did.

What was Wood at? Blasting it from 2 yards out

Has Maddison just got away with a red there because his punch was a **** one?

Sly dig wasn’t it

They have developed into a really strange team.

They basically okay without a midfield. Casamiro is a busted flush, and for all their talent none of Bruno, McTomoney, Ericson or from what I've seen of Mainoo have any presence in the middle. They basically sit into a low block, concede lots of shots, and if they get the ball back kick it forward to the fast lads up front and hope they pull a rabbit out of the hat or won a penalty or something.

It's a.strange setup, effective at times but not sustainable for a team battling for league honors, which I suppose is why they are so far off of the top.

What a screamer from VDV.
That fella is a hell of a player.

"This Ronaldo's a cod"

Not surprised it was given sadly.

Mainoo goal was special.

It was special alright. He started it, drove forward, played it out wide and instantly demanded it back, didn't get it, demanded it again, got it and what a finish. He knew it was in once he hit it.

In the couple of sub appearances I've seen of Antony recently I think he's starting to click. I thought he was a busted flush but now I'm not so sure.

Were they?
I posted this in the Liverpool thread last summer.

There was some pool fans understating their position but a lot thought they were the best-placed team to challenge City - it turns out they were right.

I'm just pointing out that they are a level below what they were maybe 24 months ago. They would have killed that Utd team 18-24 months ago.

I have a feeling Arsenal or City wouldn't have let Utd back into that game today and it's especially hard to see Arsenal or City going behind like Liverpool ended up doing today.

It's not over by a long stretch but Liverpool will need to come up a gear or 2.

He's more the second striker in a 4-4-1-1 setup I think.

Needs to be given license to roam and create etc..
But yeah I'd agree Bruno isn't much of a "midfielder"

Liverpool started the season as 3rd favorite for the league.

https://www.nbcsports.com/soccer/news/premier-league-2023-24-season-odds-title-winner-top-four-relegation-golden-boot

They were heavy odds-on to be Top4. It was only City and Arsenal ahead of them?
They also had the 2nd favorite and 3rd favorite for the golden boot.

I grasp Liverpool had a poor season last season but I also grasp that they still had the 2nd/3rd best squad in the league at the start of this season.

It's not THAT distant all the same. Looking at 4.5 for Arsenal and 8.00 for Liverpool on Aug 11th.

https://talksport.com/football/1441544/premier-league-winner-odds-2023-24-manchester-city-arsenal/

City are the biggest effect on the price as they come in heavy favourites after doing the treble. Understandably, bookies would not be taking on the treble winners in prices.

If we look at the markets without Man City in the betting
Looking at 2.75 for Arsenal and 4.00 for Liverpool. It's clear those 2 are considered next in line should City not go on a tear

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/betting/football/bet365-hub/premier-league-winner-without-man-city/

Bookies had Liverpool shorter than Utd who had finished 3rd… 8 points ahead of them for example. And there was a lot of talk of Utd pushing on again this season after good work done last year.

Shorter than Chelsea and their massive transfer outlay and new manager. Shorter than the richest club in the world in Newcastle who many tipped to push on again…

I'm not buying the idea that Liverpool were some also ran, no hopers at the start of the season. They had the 2nd/3rd best squad and baring City running away with it (which you cannot really control) then Liverpool would have fully expected to be in the hunt or close to it, as the odds reflect.

I'm not saying we were predicting that Liverpool could put up 100 points or anything like that. I'm saying that if City had a more regular season and end up in the 85 point range then Liverpool would have a shout.

City as it turns out did that and both Arsenal and Liverpool are in the hunt… Who could have predicted? Well, everyone it turns out 😂

I don't know why Liverpool fans have this obsession with trying to play themselves down as massive underdogs all the time…

But if we ask how many world-class players are currently playing in the PL we'd get loads of shouts for VVD, Salah, Allison, TAA etc… so which is it like?

Utd have a bigger fan base and finished 8 points and 2 places ahead of Liverpool last season. But started behind them in the betting?
That doesn't really hold up

Lol, Arsenal haven't won the title or anything of note really in 20 years.