Gameweek 1/29-2/2

Cellar-Door

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West Ham getting ready to get destroyed by Liverpool.

Moyes, without the new signing available has started...... Noble/Rice/Snodgrass with Lanzini in front. Undoubtedly the worst and slowest midfield 4 in the league.

WHere is Fornals the best (non-Anderson) midfielder in the squad..... on the bench because Moyes is a Nonce.
 

Cellar-Door

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As if Liverpool needed the help, John Moss has been awful. Gave a 22 yard free kick on a bad call, and then worse, then Liverpool took a foul to stop a break, not only did he not give a yellow, he played on.
 

67YAZ

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Mane out, Origi in. Otherwise it’s Klopp’s currently preordered starters.
 

Cellar-Door

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Good thing West Ham is on their 5th string RB, just got put through by a lazy pass, but half and halfed it between a cross and a shot
 

Cellar-Door

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Definite penalty, though by the book VAR should have called it off as that ball definitely touched Firmino's hand in the buildup.
 

Morgan's Magic Snowplow

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United go up 1-0 on a nice Matic strike, very against the run of play.

City could have been two or three up before then so in some sense Pep's tactics worked. But you still have to wonder about the thought process where the manager is strategizing about how to securely defend a two goal lead in the tie at home and the answer is a lineup with one CB, two RBs, two CMs, and five attacking players.
 

Cellar-Door

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I thought the last camera angle from behind the net showed the defender actually had a hold of Firmino’s arm and pulled it away from the ball .. VAR has been pretty thorough on this sort of thing ..
I thought it looked like it hit him on the back of the hand. Doesn't really matter though, it was a clear penalty and the handball probably didn't make a difference in controlling the ball. Just one of those moments where you see how VAR isn't really working because of the inconsistency.
 

SoxFanInCali

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California. Duh.
I remember when every corner against Liverpool, it seemed like a 50% chance of conceding. Now it's like it's a 50% chance of scoring on a counter.
 

fletcherpost

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This Manchester Derby has been a lot of fun. Utd still a goal up on the night but down 3-2 on aggregate. Both teams are looking for a goal. A lot of Utd players are wanting way too much time on the ball. City players are snapping at their heels and winning the ball back but not being able to carve out a really good chance, except for the semi-sitter than Sterling missed. Greenwood got a knock and was subbed by James at the half. Utd look a bit lightweight up front.
 

fletcherpost

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Love it. City tried to do an Arsenal and walk the ball into the net and came a cropper. United are awful though and they can't do much on the counter.
 

fletcherpost

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Shame too. I thought he was playing pretty well.
I was thinking as a fan it has to be one of the worst feelings; away from home, needing a goal, then you lose a man...it's such a gut punch.

And i agree, he was having a good match winning important tackles...it's a shame Utd have been so toothless up front. They've been shocking around City's penalty area.
 

fletcherpost

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Utd get a free kick in a prime spot just outside City's box, this is the big chance...but no...Fred batters it into the wall. Utter shite.
 

SoxFanInCali

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19 points ahead. Wow.

This is also the first time Liverpool have ever beaten every other team in the league in a top flight season. Only other time they've done it was in the Second Division in the 19th century.
 

fletcherpost

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Mon the Foxes. I really want to see a Leicester win to make it interesting for the 4th CL spot. No goals and Chelsea are in that weird away strip with the strange horizontal neckline that makes them impossible to root for.
 

SocrManiac

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Chelsea are in that weird away strip with the strange horizontal neckline that makes them impossible to root for.
Two comments...

1. THAT is what makes Chelsea impossible to root for?

2. That neckline really worked on the mid-90’s Italy kits. One of my all time favorites.

28304
 

fletcherpost

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Oh Vardy...Leicester on the break Vardy has the ball in the box, he has an easy pass to his right to create a great chance and he flubs it. I couold have made that pass.
 

67YAZ

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I haven’t watched Leicester much this season. I’m impressed by Choudhury’s work at the base of the midfield. Sadly, he missed that open header...
 

fletcherpost

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Two comments...

1. THAT is what makes Chelsea impossible to root for?

2. That neckline really worked on the mid-90’s Italy kits. One of my all time favorites.

View attachment 28304
It's different for Italians, home of Armani and all the rest. I'm not great with terminology but the vertical bits that flank the neckline on the Chelsea strip tip it over the edge into something that offends me, thus making it impossible for me to root for them, where before it was highly unlikely...there was a smidgen, now there is no smidgen of rootability. Hope that answers your querie. It's shallow, but so are Chelsea so in that regard i think my reasoning is on point.
 

fletcherpost

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I haven’t watched Leicester much this season. I’m impressed by Choudhury’s work at the base of the midfield. Sadly, he missed that open header...
I think a lot of credit has to go to Leicester for how quickly they rebuilt the squad after the gradual dismantling of the title winning team. For a side that is not one of the traditional big 6 it's a huge achievement. They're a really good side. Their league position does not flatter them. replacing the ever green Vardy has to be on their minds though - he can't keep going forever.
 

OCST

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I think a lot of credit has to go to Leicester for how quickly they rebuilt the squad after the gradual dismantling of the title winning team. For a side that is not one of the traditional big 6 it's a huge achievement. They're a really good side. Their league position does not flatter them. replacing the ever green Vardy has to be on their minds though - he can't keep going forever.
He's regressing to the mean after an insanely hot first half of the season.

He is so lethal as a shotmaker, but a player so dependent on pace has to fall off a cliff at some point in his 30's, you'd think.
 

67YAZ

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I think a lot of credit has to go to Leicester for how quickly they rebuilt the squad after the gradual dismantling of the title winning team. For a side that is not one of the traditional big 6 it's a huge achievement. They're a really good side. Their league position does not flatter them. replacing the ever green Vardy has to be on their minds though - he can't keep going forever.
completely agree. It’s well balanced with talent all over the field. There’s great veterans and young’uns. There’s talent off the bench. Jon Rudkin is really overlooked as one of the best directors in the EPL.
 

Tuff Ghost

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It’s a bold statement by Lampard to play Caballero over Kepa today. Kepa is having a rough year, but to not play him in this top-4 match took me by surprise.

An article on the Athletic a couple weeks ago dove into Kepa’s struggles.
Kepa has conceded 29 goals in the Premier League this season, almost six more than Chelsea’s expected goals against (xGA) figure of 23.21. Using expected goals on target (xGOT) — which factors in how difficult shots on target are to save — it emerges that Kepa has allowed 7.45 goals more than the average goalkeeper would have been expected to.
 

tmracht

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When you're hot you're hot Barnes with a deflected goal that loops over a hopeless Caballero.
 

tmracht

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Whelp that will be a talking point of benching Kepa as Caballero is running around his box like a chicken with his head cutoff as Leicester ping pong the ball around the box for a goal.

Chelsea give up another second half lead. Ugh.
 

fletcherpost

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He's regressing to the mean after an insanely hot first half of the season.

He is so lethal as a shotmaker, but a player so dependent on pace has to fall off a cliff at some point in his 30's, you'd think.
I have no idea who's out there that could do what he does for Leicester. It seems as though you have to replace like for like or change the way their entire attacking strategy works.

Wowza 2-1 to Leicester now.
 

tmracht

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Kovacic subs in for Jorginho and immediately gets a yellow right outside the box as Rudiger was spun. Luckily right into the wall. Evans should have scored from ensuing corner.
 

67YAZ

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This is a wild one. I’m feeling a winner is coming soon...not sure for who, though.
 

OCST

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I have no idea who's out there that could do what he does for Leicester. It seems as though you have to replace like for like or change the way their entire attacking strategy works.
can't/shouldn't have a 4-1-4-1 without someone like him. When he's gone they're mid-table.

Great game. 2-2 84' and I think there's another goal in it.
 

fletcherpost

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2-2 is a fair result, but Leicester might feel they should have won with the better chances late in the game. I'm really looking forward to the Man U/Wolves match.