@Donsteppa said in EPL 2022 / 2023:
I will make my annual football post to lament the relegation of Hartlepool United from League Two to the National League.
So no big Hartlepool v Notts County game next season as we pass in opposite directions. We just passed the 10th anniversary of this legendary game when Hartley and Poole scored.
The issue for Ange will be the level of opposition in the EPL compared to the SPL - up there, Celtic could have mediocre days and still win. If Spurs start badly next season, the pressure on him to get results will be massive. I hope he does well but will be get the patience and the backing?
I saw a joke: 'Celtic fans are even more gutted about Ange leaving than they were when he arrived'.
@KiwiPie said in EPL 2022 / 2023:
The issue for Ange will be the level of opposition in the EPL compared to the SPL - up there, Celtic could have mediocre days and still win. If Spurs start badly next season, the pressure on him to get results will be massive. I hope he does well but will be get the patience and the backing?
Also whether his employers will let him build the team he wants. He has a history of getting rid of players, no matter how big who don't play how he wants..thats a big ask with a team like this.
@bayimports said in EPL 2022 / 2023:
@KiwiPie said in EPL 2022 / 2023:
The issue for Ange will be the level of opposition in the EPL compared to the SPL - up there, Celtic could have mediocre days and still win. If Spurs start badly next season, the pressure on him to get results will be massive. I hope he does well but will be get the patience and the backing?
Also whether his employers will let him build the team he wants. He has a history of getting rid of players, no matter how big who don't play how he wants..thats a big ask with a team like this.
The last manager who did that was Pochettino. Hopefully Levy feels we have hit rock bottom and will sanction sale of anyone who won't buy in
@MajorRage said in EPL 2022 / 2023:
Ederson win the champs league for City with a truly amazing performance
Lukaku has a stunning ability to always pick out a defender.
Not a great game - especially in the first half but there was more than enough drama towards the end. Throw in Lukaku's performance in the game Belgium had to win at the World Cup, and he's had a great season for missing goals it looks easier to score. John Stones seems to have turned into the best midfield player in the world and Rodri's finish was superb given what a poor game he was having.
Good finals game though. Pitch did not appear to be very good. Poor communication in the back 4 for Man City. City were not sharp with their passing either lacking or having too much weight. Maybe just a little tired. As Bovidae mentioned Foden had opportunities to put the game away. They took their opportunity though. Fantastic team and coach.
Masterclass tactically from Inzaghi I thought in a losing effort. Blocked up the space in the middle of the park led by Brozovic and ably supported by Calhanoglu and Barella which took City's attackers out of the game completely and get DiMarco and Dumfries pushing up high in the space that City weren't protecting to whip balls in from wide to cause the City back 3 into panic, and it worked a treat. They probably should have won in the end but Ederson replicated Courtois effort from last year to win the game.
You can tell Pep doesn't come up against Italian opposition often as Italian sides like to block up the centre of the park and press from the middle, as opposed to English football where the press is always led by the front men, which means you have to be a lot more patient in your lead up play, as opposed to English football where defending is more zonal, to start counter attacks, so space in England opens up easier. Italian teams are more defence focused as we all know, and focus more on their positional play and City struggled to adjust all game.
Still, well done to City on their treble.
@African-Monkey While they had some good opportunities Inters chances were few and I think City defenders help out and were their own worst enemies today. Thats the worst I have seen them play in a while, perhaps a credit to Inter, but City were flat and nervy. Haarland was too static, Silva slowed down play too much as did Grealish. For a bad performance they are really that good.
@African-Monkey As Pep said, Italian teams feel like they are winning when it is 0-0, City had to not think they were losing when it was 0-0. Inzaghi's tactics were good in terms of stopping City playing but they didn't really look like crafting a goal other than from a City mistake - until after they fell behind. Italian teams defend well though and they were very good at hunting the midfielders down some way from goal - still in the EPL, the main plan for defending against a top team involves just putting bodies back in the box which just concedes 80% possession.
Well the Cherries just sacked their Manager…, didn’t see it coming after what he managed to do. Hopefully Foleys deep pockets buy some great direction
@bayimports said in EPL 2022 / 2023:
Well the Cherries just sacked their Manager…, didn’t see it coming after what he managed to do. Hopefully Foleys deep pockets buy some great direction
Strange - why appoint him as permanent and than not back him after he kept them up comfortably?
And Sheffield Wednesday have got rid of Darren Moore after their miracle promotion. Hope they both get relegated next season.
@KiwiPie said in EPL 2022 / 2023:
Strange - why appoint him as permanent and than not back him after he kept them up comfortably?
They always said he was going to remain until end of the season and reassess. Certainly, given he ensured they stayed up you would have thought that was an incredible feat and probably should be rewarded. Alas for ONeil, it did not equate to that outcome. I don't know much about the new appointee except for what i have read, but it appears they have been talking to Andoni Iraola for a while. If they wanted him, they had to sign before Leeds could. So welcome to our new Spanish manager and hopefully confirm also two players from Roma by end of this week.
Personally thought O'Neil did make some weird team selections throughout his time and that was shared by a few fans, but he showed enough nous to realise that if his risk didn't work, he was not afraid to make an early sub. Ultimately he had to keep the team in the premiership which he did, however I suspect the owners thought he was out of his league. I expect him though to pick up a job pretty quickly though
@KiwiPie I think it was a shit move by Bournemouth but sort of agree with what @bayimports wrote. This Spaniard does seem a grade above O'Neil.
Was he given his contract extension before the new owners came in? I think so but can't be assed checking.
The Moore sacking is a disgrace (reserve right to do a complete volte face if Moore turns up as the new Real Manager in a couple of days). Club record winning run, picks the team up after a 4-0 loss in first leg of play-offs. What more! can he do.
Like you would love to see them go down.
