leffe186

Quite enjoying Cov v West Brom tbh.

I’d take Hojlund in a heartbeat. Imagine what Ange would make of him. Not really got a feel for how good Varane is on the ball, but we need a backup CB so he’d do. Fernandes would all depend upon how he is off the pitch. Other than that, it’s crazy but you’re right. There are a fair few players you’d take to bolster the squad, but arguably hardly any that would improve the team - which is insane.

That stat is ace - their xG from this game was higher than yours when you won 8-0

Honestly needs an Adebayor to flick V’s at the home fans. Schadenfreude is fucking ace.

10 yards . Ref just didn’t want to have to send a player off.

Fernandes has completely lost his head. Captain.

Goal now would be *chef’s kiss*

Won’t lie this is fucking hilarious.

Compare and contrast those two pairs of subs for each team. Both those going off and those coming on. A massive gulf between the teams.

Man City taking all of the piss now.

He stops though. I’m waiting for Stifler’s call.

This. Schar nicks the ball, the other guy just pulls out and Schar holds his foot up then flings himself sideways.

Speaking of the game, I rewatched it late last night. Having those refs who don’t want to book players is all well and good, and seems even-handed on the face of it, but when one team is systematically spoiling and fouling from the front as part of their gameplan then you just end up favouring them dramatically. Watch Jordan Ayew. Every single thing he did when he didn’t have the ball but was somewhere near it was a foul. It was amazing. Anyway, job done, the fact that we played Monday and Friday and came away with 6pts is ace and now we can take it easy for 10 days or whatever it is.

It’s a bit bizarre because putting the football stuff aside all he’s doing is just being a normal - albeit clever and witty - bloke. The fact it stands out so much is a bit glaring. Just look at Neville’s mildly hysterical laughter when they were chatting after the game last night.

Right now you could argue that with Bentancur back Maddison might not be the biggest issue. The drop-off after Son, the keeper and the centre-backs is arguably greater. Remains to be seen how fully Bentancur has recovered from his horrible injury though.

They’re Ok: I like them, I like them, I like them, I like them, I la-la-like them.

I do think it’s a mark of how strong the Premier League is that a side in sixth with three losses and very inexperienced in the CL can acquit itself so well against such strong opposition. Man U’s comedy failings notwithstanding, English teams seem to be collectively even better than they have been relative to other top sides. The injuries are obviously going to be a problem, and it was always going to be a test. Without Europe we’ve been able to nurse a clearly injured Son and Maddison through most of every game. IIRC Isak and Wilson have been injury-prone for many years (is this right?) and it wouldn’t be a surprise if the high-energy pressing game is taking its toll on them. Feels like this might be a very busy January for us both. We’re in desperate need of cover in a couple of positions and it looks like you will be too. The one issue we do have without Europe and the League Cup is that our backups are not getting many minutes.

(He has shite He has shite He has shite shoes on his feet.) (He has shite He has shite He has shite shoes on his feet)

Sunderland have effectively pushed an extra player forward to press and it’s been working…but it often leaves them one-on-one at the back. It’s led to an open and exciting game, but Leicester should have buried it just then.

And they really, really should have equalized there.

Good response from Sunderland this.

Leicester look far too good for this league tbh.

Wow. So close.

Oh yeah, one key change in the Premier League at that time was Abramovich. Suddenly there was a fucking ton of Russian oil money being pumped in, and Levy (among other chairmen) had to decide how to compete.

The key transition year for us was 2004. Santini Jol came in, Arnesen started as Director of Football (before Chelsea nicked him) and we cleared house on the pitch. A load of young players came in, then another load of young players. It was all about building from then.