The Europeometer™ (2023/24)

[Kid Icarus]

Also worth repeating again that despite the harder start, the injury crisis, and playing more matches, we're 2 points ahead of where we were last season. 

 

That might be due to change though, last season we won every match from week 13 to 17 and were unbeaten until week 24

[The College Dropout]

46 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said:

 

Last season post that Brentford 4-0 loss they didn't look anything special but they looked a lot better than they do this season imo. They're a point ahead of where they were at this point last season, but by this point last season they had played Brighton, Liverpool, Arsenal, Man City, Newcastle, Spurs, Chelsea, West Ham, Villa, losing only 4 matches against Brighton, Brentford, Man City, Villa, while picking up wins against Arsenal, Liverpool, Spurs, West Ham and draws against Newcastle and Chelsea.

 

This season they've only played 4 out of those 9 teams - Spurs, Arsenal, Man City, Brighton and lost all of them handedly. 

 

They're Man United and they're often incredibly spawny, but last season it didn't look as bumbling as it does this season when I've seen them. They're not as bad as Spurs were last season for being absolutely shit yet still picking up points, but they feel like they're much more in that territory than they were last season. 

 

 

 

I do feel like they are in Spurs territory. Spurs were generally good for the first 10 games of the season. 10-20 they started to concede, throw away leads and Conte started acting up. Their form 11 to whenever Conte left wasn't top 4 form. But their first 10 games were title challenge numbers so they were still in the mix.

 

I agree that Man U look worse this season. Last season against weaker teams they looked solid at the back and that was reflected in De Gea winning the golden boot. That's not the case this season. 

 

If we don't progress well in the cups. We can win 8 out of 10 league games post-January with a fit squad. So my hope is he stay in touching distance until January. Deep European and Cup runs and I don't think we can keep pace, even with a fully fit squad.

[Tiresias]

1 minute ago, The College Dropout said:

I do feel like they are in Spurs territory. Spurs were generally good for the first 10 games of the season. 10-20 they started to concede, throw away leads and Conte started acting up. Their form 11 to whenever Conte left wasn't top 4 form. But their first 10 games were title challenge numbers so they were still in the mix.

 

I agree that Man U look worse this season. Last season against weaker teams they looked solid at the back and that was reflected in De Gea winning the golden boot. That's not the case this season. 

 

If we don't progress well in the cups. We can win 8 out of 10 league games post-January with a fit squad. So my hope is he stay in touching distance until January. Deep European and Cup runs and I don't think we can keep pace, even with a fully fit squad.

 

Blimey don't remember him winning the golden Boot, did that surprisingly under the radar! 

[Froggy]

55 minutes ago, Erikse said:

Our game against you guys is hard to predict. If we get more injuries tomorrow, then it's tough for us. We also basically have to play the same players every game at this point, so fatigue will be a factor aswell.

 

We have to play Galatasaray in a must win game in Turkey on Wednesday. We'll be tired ourselves. I think that's big trouble against your style. 

 

Just hoping for a Bruno Fernandes masterclass.  Hopefully Rashford dropped as well.

[Froggy]

5 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

I agree that Man U look worse this season. Last season against weaker teams they looked solid at the back and that was reflected in De Gea winning the golden boot. That's not the case this season. 

 

Onana is tied for most clean sheets.

[wormy]

Be bloody gutted if we're Man U's first points off taken off the top ten.

[Gallowgate Toon]

4 minutes ago, Froggy said:

 

We have to play Galatasaray in a must win game in Turkey on Wednesday. We'll be tired ourselves. I think that's big trouble against your style. 

 

Just hoping for a Bruno Fernandes masterclass.  Hopefully Rashford dropped as well.

Can't believe how bad he's currently looking, like. Genuinely struggling to do much right in a game, constantly picking the wrong options. Must be maddening.

[Erikse]

12 minutes ago, Froggy said:

 

We have to play Galatasaray in a must win game in Turkey on Wednesday. We'll be tired ourselves. I think that's big trouble against your style. 

 

Just hoping for a Bruno Fernandes masterclass.  Hopefully Rashford dropped as well.

 

Ofcourse! But then again, the difference is that you actually have senior players to put on at around 60 minutes into the games. We kind of need to keep most of our senior players on the field for 80+ minutes, because no player on our bench are of PL material. Not sure if we can play our style in a good way if we play the same players for 80+ twice a week, just look at the Bournemouth game. Then again, maybe they wont be as tired as we would think.

 

 

Edited November 27, 2023 by Erikse

[The Prophet]

 

[The College Dropout]

17 minutes ago, Froggy said:

 

Onana is tied for most clean sheets.

You got a clean sheet yesterday with an Xgc of over 2. Poor finishing gave you that clean sheet. 
 

Defend like that against us - and we should hit you for 3 again. 

[Kid Icarus]

Arsenal have the most clean sheets with 6, it's us, Man United and Palace tied on 5

[gbandit]

Imagine the season Man U would be having if they had a decent keeper. Their footballing style is absolutely shocking to watch. Will be interesting to see them when they get their fit players back. Not expecting their style to improve at all

[Erikse]

25 minutes ago, Tiresias said:

 

Blimey don't remember him winning the golden Boot, did that surprisingly under the radar! 

 

It was crazy actually, 17 clean sheets (nearly half the games).. I believe next on the list was 14. They still conceded a decent amount of goals, simply due to some horror shows.

[wormy]

Surprised we're the shortest odds after the obvious three.

[Froggy]

9 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

You got a clean sheet yesterday with an Xgc of over 2. Poor finishing gave you that clean sheet. 
 

Defend like that against us - and we should hit you for 3 again. 

 

I'm sure there were plenty of moments like that last season as well. I'm just replying to you saying it's evidenced by De Gea winning the golden glove. At the minute, Onana is tied first in the golden glove race. Mad, but true.

[The College Dropout]

Just now, Froggy said:

 

I'm sure there were plenty of moments like that last season as well. I'm just replying to you saying it's evidenced by De Gea winning the golden glove. At the minute, Onana is tied first in the golden glove race. Mad, but true.

Ok you were shit defensively last season and got away with it loads... and you're doing it again this season.

[Erikse]

17 minutes ago, Froggy said:

 

I'm sure there were plenty of moments like that last season as well. I'm just replying to you saying it's evidenced by De Gea winning the golden glove. At the minute, Onana is tied first in the golden glove race. Mad, but true.

 

Luke Shaw coming back is huge. I was surprised that he was starting already vs Everton after just 1 week of training? I know he's important, but that seemed a bit risky. I did put Wan Bissaka in my fantasyteam, so with my luck it makes perfect sense why that happened.

 

 

Edited November 27, 2023 by Erikse

[Froggy]

9 minutes ago, Erikse said:

 

Luke Shaw coming back is huge. I was surprised that he was starting already vs Everton after just 1 week of training? I know he's important, but that seemed a  bit risky. I did put Wan Bissaka in my fantasyteam, so with my luck it makes perfect sense why that happened.

 

Shaw is huge. He was tired though and thought it was risky myself. I think it's madness if he plays on Wednesday. 

[Froggy]

12 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

Ok you were shit defensively last season and got away with it loads... and you're doing it again this season.

 

Shit defensively in moments last season, but generally solid. 

 

Completely shit defensively this season from game one until now.  

[Matt1892]

Man Utd’s issue isn’t the defence, it is that they have only managed 16 goals in 13 league games.

 

It isn’t that they have been wasteful either, they just have struggled to create a great deal with Rashford out of form, who carried them at times last season.

[Upthemags]

Probably stubborn on my part but I just don't believe Villa yet. And fully believe we'll finish ahead of them.

 

They've played very well, but I think they've also been very lucky on the fitness side (Mings aside) of things and aren't deep enough to sustain. Similar to Spurs where if a key player goes down - a Watkins or Diaby or McGinn - can they hang in for an extended period? I don't think so.

[The College Dropout]

Just now, Upthemags said:

Probably stubborn on my part but I just don't believe Villa yet. And fully believe we'll finish ahead of them.

 

They've played very well, but I think they've also been very lucky on the fitness side (Mings aside) of things and aren't deep enough to sustain. Similar to Spurs where if a key player goes down - a Watkins or Diaby or McGinn - can they hang in for an extended period? I don't think so.

Ramsey in for McGinn. Bailey in for Diaby (subbed at HT last night), Watkins is harder to replace but the understudy looks a player.

 

They've got a good squad.

[janpawel]

6 minutes ago, Upthemags said:

Probably stubborn on my part but I just don't believe Villa yet. And fully believe we'll finish ahead of them.

 

They've played very well, but I think they've also been very lucky on the fitness side (Mings aside) of things and aren't deep enough to sustain. Similar to Spurs where if a key player goes down - a Watkins or Diaby or McGinn - can they hang in for an extended period? I don't think so.

They remind me of us last season, I think they could get 4th

[Upthemags]

23 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

Ramsey in for McGinn. Bailey in for Diaby (subbed at HT last night), Watkins is harder to replace but the understudy looks a player.

 

They've got a good squad.

My point is Emery hasn't really had his hand forced (at all) this season. Will be interesting to see how they perform when the adversity inevitably hits

 

Edit to add that I do agree with you they're good, but is it sustainable, I think that remains to be seen

 

 

Edited November 27, 2023 by Upthemags

[Kid Icarus]

14 minutes ago, Matt1892 said:

Man Utd’s issue isn’t the defence, it is that they have only managed 16 goals in 13 league games.

 

It isn’t that they have been wasteful either, they just have struggled to create a great deal with Rashford out of form, who carried them at times last season.

 

I was just thinking last night watching Rashford that I can't think of a player where there's a bigger disparity between what I think of them off the pitch as I do on it. I really admire all of his off-field stuff, but on the field he's a really unlikeable player imo. He's not dirty or anything obviously, but he's so lazy, stroppy, and plays like he thinks he's better than he is. 

 

 

Edited November 27, 2023 by Kid Icarus