Premier League 2020/21

I’m a very liberal bloke. I’ve no beef with Millwall or Palace. Think it’s a daft ‘rivally’. 

I recall playing in an important game where we had a late penalty to win it. We were discussing who should take it with the ball on the spot and one of our team had a rush of blood to the head and ran up to the ball, kicked the ground first, got so little contact that it rolled towards the goal so slowly that it wouldn't have crossed the line even if the keeper hadn't picked it up! We were still together discussing who would be taking it as he hoofed it upfield.

When I managed, I always went through the penalty takers before the game. Sometimes I would get a 'we know' but I wanted to remind the players what should happen. I had a list going down to five. Number one would take the penalty unless he didn't fancy it, then it would go to two etc... I went to five because we had roll on roll off subs and I didn't know who would be on the pitch. The one time they broke my rule, because a player was on a hat-trick, the player missed it. Although it didn't cost us the game I made a point of that never being repeated.

Chris_from_Sidcup said:

Arsenal fans seem to like Arteta but as an outsider i can't see that they've really improved.

They won the FA Cup somehow, and defensively they're not conceding as many goals as they were but overall i can't say they really look any better and they seem as far away as ever from finishing top 4.

You would have thought that they should have got one against Leeds, a team who are always looking to press and attack. 

Saying that, defence has been a long term issue with Arsenal and players like Tierney, Holding and Gabriel have all looked very good. 

I think it's seen as more a positive that the swamp is being drained in the background. Alot of bloated salaries for expensive decisions, letting that Raul Sanllehi go and having Arteta and Edu have more a say in transfer deals for one. I imagine getting Mustafi and Ozil off the wage bill will be more than beneficial. 

They sacked Emery last November when they were 8th in the table, and 8 points off the top 4.

A year later they are 11th and have scored 9 goals in 9 games.

Chris_from_Sidcup said:

Arsenal fans seem to like Arteta but as an outsider i can't see that they've really improved.

They won the FA Cup somehow, and defensively they're not conceding as many goals as they were but overall i can't say they really look any better and they seem as far away as ever from finishing top 4.

I agree. Think they are really struggling with creativity, they have a reliance on Aubameyang to score goals with nobody else chipping in or anybody to create. Nelson and Martinelli haven't really kicked on and Ozil is obviously frozen out. Pepe was probably meant to be that man but even ignoring yesterday's stupidity he hasn't done enough. 

JohnnyJoeyDeeDee said:

How many Arsenal players would get in a combined team with Spurs at the moment? Leno and Lloris are fairly even. Maybe Bellerin or Saka? Maybe Partey once he’s settled. 

Aubameyang would easily, you'd have him left, Kane central and Son right of a front 3.

North Lower Neil said:

JohnnyJoeyDeeDee said:

How many Arsenal players would get in a combined team with Spurs at the moment? Leno and Lloris are fairly even. Maybe Bellerin or Saka? Maybe Partey once he’s settled. 

Aubameyang would easily, you'd have him left, Kane central and Son right of a front 3.

They would be unstoppable, as we now know Kane is superb at assists and can play as a central striker or deeper. Aubameyang  can play central or do great runs down the Channels and Son is the same but being smaller isn't a traditional Centre forward but his skill levels are immense and his partnership with Harry is outstanding.

3 excellent strikers/forwards/ goalscorers.

Chris_from_Sidcup said:

Arsenal fans seem to like Arteta but as an outsider i can't see that they've really improved.

They won the FA Cup somehow, and defensively they're not conceding as many goals as they were but overall i can't say they really look any better and they seem as far away as ever from finishing top 4.

I think they are probably 2 or 3 players away from being a title chasing side. That can be considered not much or a lot. Getting 2 or 3 of the right players isn't easy as everybody else wants them too.

soapboxsam said:

These coming together with the head  wouldn't knock your granny over but would still like to see Pepe given a 3 match ban for being a moron and the Leeds player should get a two match ban for being a hammy actor. 

People taking about it as if it's something new. I remember Neil Redfearn collapsing to get a player sent off after a similar incident when playing for us 20 years ago

Didn't know you could get that from falling over.

If the score stays the same, Palace will have lost 14 of the last 16 games that Zaha hasn't featured.

Who says that they are a one man team?

I'm surprised the story wasn't

Zaha goes down with Coronavirus. Palace awarded a penalty

Addick Addict said:

Zaha has tested positive for Covid and misses today's game. 

Made him my FF captain for today ffs.

Nick Pope did that for Charlton imo

Well that's cheered me up!

Now fuck off you jammy cheating stripey cnuts!

AND relax...