Ugly loss....
Sophomore jinx for Slot.
Sophomore jinx for Slot.
Soccer/football thread 2022
- Thread starter Priller
- Start date
I'm just in a bad mood.
Gapko should be a carpenter with the amount of woodwork he touches plus an open header missed.
Wtf was up with Salah? One sitter, one slightly less easy both missed.
Ekitike started off like a whirlwind and died like one after 10 minutes.
Chiesa was good, Frimpong was good, Kerkez was eager. Gapko was just unlucky today.
Priller
Well-known member
Landed back from two weeks of bliss in Italy to that score yesterday afternoon. That plus the sh*te weather did little to brighten the already sour mood.
Trying to remind myself that they need time to sort out the system, and thinking back to how long it would take for Klopp to start new players regularly, despite the clamour to see them. I said at the beginning of this season that I'd be satisfied with a Champion's League spot considering the massive turnover and system change, and I'm sticking to that.
Still, losing to ManU at Anfield, especially THIS ManU, is a kick in the nuts. I think they need to sort out the defensive frailty before they can build into attack, but it feels like this system is very house of cards, every piece needs to work for it all to work.
PS - While in Italy, I was able to take in a Sampdoria game in Genova. Stadio Luigi Ferraris is magnificent, very unusual for Italy in that it's a proper stadium where the stands come right to the pitch. Sampdoria, for those not old enough to remember, is a side with a storied history, including an explosion of success in the '90s. But like their local rivals Genoa, they've faded from that due to mismanagement, despite incredible home support. They escaped relegation from Serie B to Serie C last year only because another team got docked points for financial jiggery-pokery, and are sitting at the bottom of Serie B again this year. We saw them play Pescara, and after a frustrating first half, they took over with four goals in the second to take their first win of the year. The support was absolutely incredible, with both ends singing their hearts out. The walk back to our hotel was the most hyper-Italian experience imaginable, with thousands of scooters streaming through the streets back from the stadium, all honking gleefully as if Italy had just won the World Cup.
Genova is a city that has strong links to the UK due to a shared maritime history with little conflict, going back to when the city allowed England to 'borrow' their cross of St George flag. It shows in their football culture, which is full of English-isms, from calling one club Genoa (as opposed to the Italian Genova), to calling managers 'mister', to the way their supporters sing, which is more English in its response to the game rather than pre-planned songs led by tifosi leaders.
Trying to remind myself that they need time to sort out the system, and thinking back to how long it would take for Klopp to start new players regularly, despite the clamour to see them. I said at the beginning of this season that I'd be satisfied with a Champion's League spot considering the massive turnover and system change, and I'm sticking to that.
Still, losing to ManU at Anfield, especially THIS ManU, is a kick in the nuts. I think they need to sort out the defensive frailty before they can build into attack, but it feels like this system is very house of cards, every piece needs to work for it all to work.
PS - While in Italy, I was able to take in a Sampdoria game in Genova. Stadio Luigi Ferraris is magnificent, very unusual for Italy in that it's a proper stadium where the stands come right to the pitch. Sampdoria, for those not old enough to remember, is a side with a storied history, including an explosion of success in the '90s. But like their local rivals Genoa, they've faded from that due to mismanagement, despite incredible home support. They escaped relegation from Serie B to Serie C last year only because another team got docked points for financial jiggery-pokery, and are sitting at the bottom of Serie B again this year. We saw them play Pescara, and after a frustrating first half, they took over with four goals in the second to take their first win of the year. The support was absolutely incredible, with both ends singing their hearts out. The walk back to our hotel was the most hyper-Italian experience imaginable, with thousands of scooters streaming through the streets back from the stadium, all honking gleefully as if Italy had just won the World Cup.
Genova is a city that has strong links to the UK due to a shared maritime history with little conflict, going back to when the city allowed England to 'borrow' their cross of St George flag. It shows in their football culture, which is full of English-isms, from calling one club Genoa (as opposed to the Italian Genova), to calling managers 'mister', to the way their supporters sing, which is more English in its response to the game rather than pre-planned songs led by tifosi leaders.
And Notts County and Juventus have history with their shirts.
Priller
Well-known member
I'll relax about Liverpool when they can handle a side who sits deep and hoofs it long to speedy wingers again. Wirtz looked great on the wing (Courtois nearly did them again!), and Bradley and Robbo were back to bossing the corners. It's no coincidence that reverting back to something like the old system led to a lot more defensive stability and faster attacks. I'll be very curious if Slot can make his plans work with enough time. whether he simplifies back, or sticks with it to the death...
I'm still trying to recover from the tie with Spurs this weekend. Weird team to watch this year, one game they are clicking and then the next game back to sub par performance and effort.
Definitely not consistent this year. Really frustrating for sure.
Sad but I think that’s about right. He’s turned into a provider rather than a goal scorer. His legs have gone a bit from previous seasons. Liverpool might not get anything for him in a free transfer but the $800k a week he was getting will go towards another player.
Congrats to Arsenal, Pep on his way out, City still sitting with 115 charges....
Liverpool and Chelsea disastrous seasons- Spurs or West Ham still fighting for survival.
Standard of officiation has gone backwards, i spent more time this year watching the lower leagues than the premier league.
Liverpool and Chelsea disastrous seasons- Spurs or West Ham still fighting for survival.
Standard of officiation has gone backwards, i spent more time this year watching the lower leagues than the premier league.
Priller
Well-known member
The PL needs to fix how they call set pieces in the box. Being so permissive has led to this mess. No other league would allow the pick and rolls and rugby rucks that happen on every corner now. Like you, I've watched a lot more lower league football, particularly enjoying Serie B in Italy.
As for Liverpool, what an unbearably sh!te season. With all the turnover, I was prepared to accept a top-4 season for Liverpool, but assumed that meant some early struggles as the new shape was bedded in. What I didn't expect was the team just looking steadily worse and worse, flatter and flatter and more and more confused.
Haramball wins the league, too. I just hope they don't win the CL. Add the red Mancs suddenly looking competent again and Chelsea signing Alonso to my nightmare bingo card.
I can't figure out how much of my frustration is a product of having the bar raised by winning the league last year and how much is just that this side is infuriatingly disjointed, but this feels more frustrating than even that Hodgson low ebb. Everyone looks incompetent and incapable and so universally bad in all positions that it becomes impossible to pinpoint where the problems are. Obviously the coach is the common denominator, but the side was also badly assembled and hit with a lot of bad luck.
I'd be excited for the season to be over, but I don't see this being sorted for next year without another massive outlay, which I can't see happening again. We could be looking at a side without Salah, Robbo, Alisson, Jones, Gomez, Chiesa, Mac Allister, Endo and Konate next year. Considering the amount of leadership there, plus the money back would likely be less than £100M in total, that leaves some significant and expensive gaps to be filled.
Of course, that all gets even more complicated if things go badly on Sunday. They have a goal difference advantage on Bournemouth of 6, but a 3-0 loss to Brentford and a 3-0 win for the cherries would erase that. Considering how the season has gone, I'm not calling it impossible...
I can cut Slot a lot of slack. He lost our new Italian defense signing (who looked awesome on his debut) to injury on his first game out, Isak already was unfit coming in and then gets a broken leg, Bradley out with a serious injury, Frimpong on and off the injury list, same with Ekitike, Konates dad dies and the prelude and aftermath of that can’t be easy to deal with. Salah loses form so rightly gets benched a bit then lashes out and undermines the coach and hence the team. Kerkez took a bit of time to settle but I like what he’s doing now, a speedy attack minded player gaining confidence. When Frimpong is fit he’s a nightmare for defenders as is Ngomoa who really looks like a young Steve McManaman the more I see him play.
Here’s what I would have preferred though. More effort to keep Arnold and Diaz (that guy is on fire at Bayern). Heck, even keeping Nunez would have been a smart move. He was unpredictable and very strong physically.
For all their numerous woes Liverpool look set to finish in the top 5 and secure a champions league berth. That’s not that bad considering.
Amazing actually, they played terrible this year and didn't look like a top 5 team. Klopp's heavy metal style of football didn't appear once this season and i think that's why a lot of fans were calling for Slot's firing. Sophomore jinx is now over, lets see what happens with a healthy lineup This is now his team not one he inherited.
Priller
Well-known member
Thank heavens PSG took that, definitely the lesser of two evils for me. As a constant consumer of podcasts and other Premier League content, an entire summer of debating whether this Arsenal were one of the great sides (they're not) would have been unbearable. I only hope the Premier League refs took a look at how that German ref managed Arsenal's shenanigans and took some notes.
Looking like Iraola is a shoo-in to take over at Liverpool. I'm still fuming that they let Alonso get away, feel like that was a massive dropped opportunity. But one thing is certain: Iraola will not be boring next year. After all the passive-aggressive complaints from the players about Slot's relaxed approach to training, it will be interesting to see if this group of primadonnas will revolt against the 'no days off and run your legs off' approach that Iraola is known for. It'll also be interesting to see how he manages four competitions, considering he's never gone deep in either domestic cup or had to manage a European campaign. He's definitely a football nerd's darling, beloved by the tactics and data folks I listen to online, going back to his time at Rayo Vallecano.
One way or another, the Premier League is going to look very different next year. Pep gone, ManU showing signs of life, Alonso at Chelsea, Iraola at Liverpool, De Zerbi at Spurs, and Arteta with stability at Arsenal. Emery's Villa will have to contend with a much tougher Champion's League, plus the luck they had can't continue, so I expect they'll regress somewhat. Glasner gone at Palace (looking like Mage from Lens is top of the list there), Bournemouth needing to kick on without Iraola and with European football. Everton initially looked incredible under Moyes, but faded badly in the last couple months, they need to figure something out.
I just hope PGMOL finds their berries and cracks down on the ridiculous set-piece shenanigans that dominated this season. No other league allows what they allowed this year. And Liverpool took advantage almost as much as Arsenal as the season wore on, so it's not just sour grapes...
Looking like Iraola is a shoo-in to take over at Liverpool. I'm still fuming that they let Alonso get away, feel like that was a massive dropped opportunity. But one thing is certain: Iraola will not be boring next year. After all the passive-aggressive complaints from the players about Slot's relaxed approach to training, it will be interesting to see if this group of primadonnas will revolt against the 'no days off and run your legs off' approach that Iraola is known for. It'll also be interesting to see how he manages four competitions, considering he's never gone deep in either domestic cup or had to manage a European campaign. He's definitely a football nerd's darling, beloved by the tactics and data folks I listen to online, going back to his time at Rayo Vallecano.
One way or another, the Premier League is going to look very different next year. Pep gone, ManU showing signs of life, Alonso at Chelsea, Iraola at Liverpool, De Zerbi at Spurs, and Arteta with stability at Arsenal. Emery's Villa will have to contend with a much tougher Champion's League, plus the luck they had can't continue, so I expect they'll regress somewhat. Glasner gone at Palace (looking like Mage from Lens is top of the list there), Bournemouth needing to kick on without Iraola and with European football. Everton initially looked incredible under Moyes, but faded badly in the last couple months, they need to figure something out.
I just hope PGMOL finds their berries and cracks down on the ridiculous set-piece shenanigans that dominated this season. No other league allows what they allowed this year. And Liverpool took advantage almost as much as Arsenal as the season wore on, so it's not just sour grapes...
My sister was at the Arsenal parade in London for the premiership title the other day. She sent me a pic. I replied with”what an utterly boring team to watch” and she hasn’t spoken to me since.
I sincerely hope that Liverpool haven’t purchased a bunch of players made of glass and that this year was just a blip. Get them all fit and firing on all cylinders in consistent fashion and I think they will be great.
I wonder which player they will sign as a Salah replacement as the fans will demand.
The biggest worry for me is that I don’t see how you beat a team like PSG easily. Arsenal showed you can smother them if you have practically no ambition to score a goal of your own. Bayern showed that you can get pretty close if you just attack them constantly. They are pretty much the perfect team in my book aside from one thing, physicality and that’s negated by the refereeing these days.
My worry is Iraolo going to be just like a Graham Potter reincarnation? It's one thing to manager a small team like Brighton or Bournemouth, the to take over at highest level where everywhere move will be analayzed to the finest detail. Very similiar to the pressure with managing the Maple laughs.
Sad news about Kevin Keegan, forgotten by most that he was a back to back Ballon d'or winner.
Sad news about Kevin Keegan, forgotten by most that he was a back to back Ballon d'or winner.
