Off Topic Non-Sunderland games

Leeds deserved that no bother.

But Everton. Ye Gods we all know how attritional Moyes' teams are, but tonight they had nothing apart from a few balls into the box and Grealish on to win a few free kicks.

Only one game and all that, but they have been roundly beaten by a promoted side. As with West Ham, almost all of the other teams they face will be better. They have no pace, an unbalanced back line and Beto up top.

They need some players. That side would not frighten the Championship.

 

Carra and Neville both agreed it was a penalty. He absolutely leaned into the ball and because of the distance it travelled… definite penalty.

 

I thought penalty too.

 

Yep. Penner. Looks harsh because of where it hit him, and where his arm was, but he made a pretty big lunge at the ball. That's what clinched it.

 

Your arm is part of your body. He lunged for the ball. The ball was deflected and travelling at pace. His arm was not exaggerated. The ref didn't see it and linesman at 25 yards at 90° gave it. Not a pen for me.

 

Changed my mind. He effectively leads with the arm knowing he'll not get there and block with his torso, given the distance the ball comes from.

It's arm to ball really.

 

He seemed genuine in the interview. Not sure what he would really say though if he wasn't

 

A penalty was probably the only way either side was going to get the ball in the net. I predict they'll both struggle

 

Aye. Leeds looked better side, but they were ‘busy’ not ‘good’.

I swear they looked better last season.

 

So after the first round of games,

Everton, Brentford, Burnley, West ham are all in trouble no?

as long as we are better than 3 of them we're good.

yes, 37 games but promising signs

 

Yeah, just watched the Neville and Carra post game analysis of it. They seen it the same as me, I just don't see any reason why there can be complains. He isn't a goal keeper. He has dove into the direction of the ball and it's hit his arm with the strike being directly towards goal. I would genuinely have no complains if that was us.

 

Don't think we can say anyone is in trouble after one match,still a couple of weeks of the window to go too.
I think if I was a Brentford fan,I'd be feeling very uneasy. New head coach,better players gone or going.....Villa at home on Saturday...then they have to come to us......if they lose those it could start to be a very difficult season.

 

We missed Solomon wide left and we played 4-3-3; last season it was 4-2-3-1 - Last season was much lesser opposition and we also had Bogle and James missing much of preseason due to injury.

Ampadu, Tanaka and Stach were solid in the middle, very pleased with that trio. We need a corner taker, having Stach as the best deliverer of a ball when he is a mountain himself is not ideal. Looks like we are getting Okafor £13m (15m Euro) and a possible £5m in additions and performance related. Farke said after the game he is confident on more players coming in before the deadline, we shall see

Just good that two promoted teams took three points each against teams that could possibly be drawn into a fight at the bottom

 

Stach and Tanaka really impressed me during game sure I commented here.

You look better than West Ham, who looked better than Everton, but both looked better than Brentford.

Nobody can tell me we can’t both stay up.

I assume you are after an extra forward cos there was no focal point at all? I know you’ve signed 2 and one scored but both have had injury issues (DCL always will).

I said when you signed Nmecha could be a superb pinch if he stays fit, quality penalty.

You looked untroubled at the back in the main but was some flapping when Everton had their 16 seconds of pressure mid second half.

Great start, you just wanna win. We’d have taken a 1-0 all day and night was just a beautiful thing that the lads didn’t see it like that.

We both here now. You need that first win and we both have it.

 

DCL is a strange one, we have lost three strikers and signed two so in theory we could be in for another, more likely Okafor and another player similar who can cover a couple of positions. DCL played a good few games last season and he had the worst XG in the division.

Very early days, but I have a feeling Farke has built a team to compete against those you would expect to be in the bottom half, we are not going to be an all round team, we will look good against Everton, West Ham and anyone else south of the middle but possibly pretty dull against those at the top end. Maybe that is simply because we are waiting on a couple more signings.

For me, Everton was a must win as we have three hard games coming up now. First four games I had us down as W L D D and you guys down as D W W D

An early good performance from both of us could be the swaying factor in those final transfers coming in too. If we had both got stuffed 4-0 then everyone would have been saying long hard season for the three promoted teams and everyone would have been calling us relegation certainties

 

It’s not a bad aim really, the be all and end all is staying in the league.

We both gonna get a great idea where the land lies from our next 2 games (Sunderland’s, not both teams).

We gonna see how Burnley and Brentford shape up v a team they’ll think they need to beat. I can’t see a set of circumstances where Burnley beat either of us over a season, so really can’t wait for the Brentford game.

If we win at Burnley. We are in a massive position. If you lose at Arsenal, it’s not harmful.

Forest a good side, and not in the battle, but how comprehensive it was should worry Brentford. 3-1 was a lucky escape.

 

Shouldn't have been one, in a sensible world. But in today's one, I thought they would give it. But who knows what they might do next week? Bloody game is a lottery now.

 

I bet referees hate VAR. At least in the past they could hide behind the fact that their decisions were made in 'real time'. Now having to make 'grey area' decisions on the back of slow motion replays and a mob of 30K supporters on edge with anticipation? I mean, even pundits and supporters in the comfort of their own chair after a good nights sleep still cant agree. Must be stressful for the refs.

VAR should only be used to stop obvious error, not to make judgements.

What should happen, using last night as an example. Referee rightly or wrongly gives penalty. Advised by VAR to take a look. One or two quick looks. Not an obviously wrong decision/grey area. Penalty!
If the referee had not given the penalty. Referee takes a quick look. Not an obviously wrong decision/grey area. No penalty!
Put the decision chiefly in the referees hands and not having them closely scrutinising slow motion replays on the side of the pitch for ages.......

.....or get rid of VAR!!!!!

 

Fully agree. VAR is trying to do jobs for which it is not sufficiently well developed and is not suitable.

 

I remember when VAR was introduced. We were chatting amongst the lads and we mainly said ‘but **** decisions are part of the game’

We thought it was taking away a fundamental part of football.

Now, we get the same **** decisions, but kill game momentum at same time. It’s a crock of ****.