Match Day Thread 2016/17 Premier League, Cups & Euro Watch

Bit harsh this?!

Barcelona punish club official over comments about Argentina forward

Barcelona have punished a club official for expressing a "personal opinion" about forward Lionel Messi "that does not match that of the club".

What did he say?

Gratacos said: "Messi wouldn't be as good without Andres Iniesta or Neymar."
He added: "Obviously Leo is the most important player of the team but it was Luis Suarez and Gerard Pique as well - the whole team - who got us through."

 

I do find it funny you lot don't see the irony in your posts.

Do you lot never think before posting "hey that equally applies to us too"?

Stinks of #fear in here. Goodnight ladies.

 

No. Going on stats and results don't say everything about improvement, you can play about with it as much as you want.

On a serious note, I think you guys have improved since our game. I think it was the Swansea game you first started playing with Jones and Rojo and I smirked at the defensive disaster I thought I was about to see. Since then they have been tight and you are now playing the defensively sound boring Mourinho football we all know. Mix that with a little help from the officials in the attack and you will challenge for the title this year.

 

By nowhere do you mean up from 8th to 5 points clear at the top, ahead of a team that has just had their best ever first half to a PL season?

 

Or 13 wins on the bounce and they are only 2 results away from being overtaken by a team that have apparently been in a downward trajectory for past 8 games.

 

Maybe because of the games before those 13?
You do realise that they have already overtaken that team they are only 2 results away from, if they have already come back from being 6 or 7 places behind to go 5 points ahead what makes you think things will suddenly turn around?

 

You do realise that in the 12 games since Liverpool last played man united we have already extended the lead over them by 2 points. What makes you suddenly think things will turn around?

 

Really?

 

I have read that on here (not checked it). where have I said that would turn around

 

Yep, really. What indication do you have that Liverpool will suddenly start winning more points than Chelsea?

 

So you don't think united can close 5 point gap on Liverpool over course of next 18 games?

 

Well the first point would be that Chelsea climbed from 8th to 1st because it was early in the season and the gap between those positions are a lot easier to close than they are now (look at the table).
The other factor is that Chelsea's main goal threat that was so pivotal in the 13 game run was Costa, who has now put Chelsea in a difficult situation as he wants to retire on a handsome pay packet in China.
Add to that they had to recall Ake because Alonso has been playing with a ****ed leg.
There are plenty of reasons to suggest that we can catch Chelsea.
That's not to say the other teams around us, including yourselves, can't take advantage of the situation.

 

Of course I think they can/could, at the moment we are playing better than we were earlier in the season (as are Chelsea), have Liverpool improved?
I have never said you can't get above Chelsea, only asked what you have seen to convince you this will happen.

 

I think you are pinning your hopes on Costa going missing and nobody else scoring the goals, they have others well capable.
I actually think Ake will be an improvement on Alonso with his ****ed leg.

There are plenty of reasons to suggest any of 5 teams could catch Chelsea, the problem is most of them depend on Chelsea..

 

But it's still a reason to believe things will turn around. Chelsea looked poor before they changed formation and a couple of positions. I agree with Ake though, but it's a big change nonetheless and it's certainly interesting for the rest of us in terms what will may happen.
My reply to you was because you asked what has happened to suggest things will change. The Costa situation is a great reason to think that, I doubt Chelsea fans or even yourself would disagree. But this is football, they'll probably find themselves getting stronger from this. But I hope not.

 

#brave

 

This is very true, that said, Chelsea are well equipped to replace him in this window if they get the quoted price for him. The trick is to get the right man and I think Conte is quite astute there.

 

Yes, I think you are, very. You plough on regardless and totally ignore the fact that you get 95% wrong

 

I wish we were playing one of the other Top Five teams on Sunday: we seem to raise our game against the top sides.

 

Second leg of your cup final mate. You managed to keep it level in the home leg, do you think Klopp will go all out to win the away leg and win the "we beat United" cup?