Newcastle and Man U got top 4 last season because Liverpool and Chelsea were pants - I don't think either of them were ready for CL football. This year we have recovered but Chelsea are saddled with a nutjob owner and are still out of it. Man U and Newkie are more or less where they should be. Spurs really ought to be the other top 4 place, but they're Spursy.
good to see ref go to the monitor yesterdsy and not give a pen in the Brentford Brighton game. However the worrying thing is that the var ref (Michael oliver) thought it was a pen and sent him there in the first instance! Was a clear foul by dunk and it’s amazing that ref is sent for something like that, but then isnt sent for the mac tackle in the city game…
newcastle had a season from the gods for their level. Pope and botman are misses but defensively they now look like a howe side. if man utd didn't waste a billion in transfers they would be up in 4th. they have been shocking for years. there's should be a cut throat battle for 3rd to 6th with the oil/lunatic cheats out in front but in reality nobody can consistently get their act together as they are shambolically run. thankfully we bought will this summer and are up there. arsenal have spent a fortune to be where they are but at least they bought fairly well mostly and allied it with young players. city are city. rampant cheats. everyone else is chaos on and off.
I read that De Zerbi isn't looking happy at Brighton. He's either ruled himself out or not being considered as our next manager. Brighton have recorded record profits and have a really good scouting system which is unearthing gems year on year. I wonder what the problem is.
He’s been saying few weird non committal things in press conferences like he can’t commit to staying but isn’t looking to leave but also seems a bit pissed that wasn’t able to strengthen properly in January. I think Problem is Brighton model is always going to be buy young and then sell and reinvest. And it’s worked brilliantly for them but then de zerbi probbaly wants to keep players and buy more to help push beyond that 7th/6th place but just not how Brighton working atm. He seems to have that fiery Italian personality which seems very different from the previous few managers in Potter and Houghton who are very calm and composed. I think he only wants the best and isn’t trying to get sacked but I don’t think he’s going to win the fans over by potentially slagging off the board - Tony bloom is a legend in Brighton and fans will always back him over any manager.
he's whinging about money and backing. I think he sees the next job coming and is doing what the wolves lad did last year. I mean Brighton just don't have the cash to sustain the amortisation even if they do have 120mil right now is the bank. you.have to be able to cover the amortisation of signings either by sales each year or revenues. thats ffp.
I can't say that I've taken much interest in him at all. I don't know his management style or how he comes across in interviews. He's another manager who rarely smiles so it's hard to see his personality. I have no desire to see him at Liverpool but I've got no interest anyway atm in thinking about Klopp's replacement.
he's a hot head who jumps up and down a lot. it's not like klopp doesn't. his team reflect his attitudes. hard work but do anything to get a result. every trick in the book. I'm fairly sure he is already looking to tjr next job as he knows he cannot sustain Brighton in the top half.
I don't know who I want yet. I see flaws in everyone that isn't Klopp. I'm sure I'll welcome anyone that arrives, but they'll have to win me over before I trust them half as much as Klopp. I don't watch Portugoose football so maybe I don't get the big deal... Amorim won a title, but Sporting were always in the top three close to the title before him. They only finished outside top three five times in last twenty years (and one of those times was with Amorim). It was inevitable Sporting would eventually win with someone, it's not like Klopp pulling us back up after we had fallen out of the Champions League. Maybe I'm being simplistic by just looking at finishing positions and it's a bigger result than it looks on paper.
Anyone seen the pen. given to Leverkusen in their cup game last night.......handball......beyond ludicrous
A bit daft of me I know, but I'm more attracted to the idea of Amorim precisely because I know nothing about him. None of the managers I do know fill me with confidence over their ability to carry on the work started by Klopp.
For some reason I thought sporting hadn’t won the league for 20 odd years before they did it a couple years ago? Maybe misread that though.
So sporting won title in 01/02 title then didn’t win it again until 20/21 so yes although they’re one of the big clubs and regulalry finish in top 2/3 they aren’t as big as benfica or Porto when it comes to success so he did well to break those 2.
The team usually reflects the manager. Our team definitely does. Look at the teams diving, feigning injuries and employing snide tactics and then look at their managers. Enough said.
I will go and have a look. Edit: absolute madness. I'm not even convinced it touched his arm or hand. Just goes to show that sometimes when your luck's in, it's really in.
L'Kusen won the game easily...4-0...and that pen.was the fourth...but it could have been a more important goal. Still see some mad decisions given,even in the world of VAR
They hadn't. That's partially why he's getting such plaudits in the press. But they're always in the top three very frequently finishing second to either Porto or Benfica and never really that far off. It's not like Klopp inheriting the squad in 5th... and Sporting were 4th last year, below their average for the last 20 years... But, as I said, other than end of season results, I've not really paid any attention to portugal and I'm far from an expert... I'm probably drastically over simplifying things. Also to be fair, looks like Amorim now has Sporting back in 1st, so might do it a second time. (He was in 2nd last time I looked) I'm also in no way saying he's a bad manager (he's obviously a good manager)... I'm more saying I think the press is probably over-reacting about him.
Think maybe being a bit harsh. Yes was on top 3 but top 3 in Portugal is probably equivalent of top 4 in England due to the finances those 3 have in comparison. How close were they in those years they finished 2nd and 3rd to top? Jose did I shed 2nd with United one year but was about 20 points behind city so not really in a title fight. Klopps won 1 title with us and then we finished 5th last year so you can’t say klopps been brilliant then putting downer on Amorim’s record when he’s essentially done what klopp has done?
On top of the man management and tactics, we need someone who can energise the crowd. It's a cliche, but Anfield really does make a difference when they're behind the team.
