The season opener has started already, barely time to gather our thoughts since the last season ended. The transfer window looks to drag on into half the season, MESSI is coming (or maybe not) only Chelski has strengthened significantly so far, no one has bought a world class center back, so lots of attacking and weak defences = lots of goals hopefully.

Whats going to happen, who knows, but lets discuss and predict anyway, so we can look back later in embarrassment.

I’d sort of like to see Messi in the PL but him leaving Barca under a cloud and going to Man City seems a bit sad all round really.

Liverpool haven’t really strengthened at all and were pretty lucky with injuries mostly so seems like it will be tough to defend their title but I have faith in Klopp obvs.

Smeagol’s lot to remain irrelevant despite 672 penalties.

After 16 years away it’s good to be back in the Prem. I don’t expect to pull up any trees but I’m hoping we’ll survive our first season back. Some prem teams may be surprised by Bielsa-ball but I don’t think we’ll threaten Liverpool, Citeh, Chelsea, ManU.
Come on Leeds, MOT.

Liverpool haven’t really strengthened at all and were pretty lucky with injuries mostly so seems like it will be tough to defend their title but I have faith in Klopp obvs.

I think Liverpool will struggle to replicate the past 2 years, especially with the African cup of nations coming again in February, Mane and Salah missing from the team for a month.

I think the winning points total will be a fair bit less than the past few seasons. Chelski could challenge Liverpool and city or at least bridge the gap, while united and arsenal probably won’t be close challengers could still be taking points from the top teams. Spurs to be drowning in mediocrity and the moaner to be picking fights with his own players until they sack him.

Yup agreed MSP. Chelsea defo ones to watch after their spending spree, if they can manage to integrate all the new players quickly.

Stay classy Man U fans 😛

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/aug/29/greek-lawyer-in-harry-maguire-case-reveals-details-of-hate-mail-he-received

Agree with Johndrummer, really good to be back with the big boys.
Don’t expect to be challenging at ( or near ) the top for European spot but at the same time don’t expect to be in the relegation fight either.
Steady upper mid table spot will satisfy for the first year back.
M.O.T.

Pretty surprised some of the bigger teams haven’t invested in decent centre halves – but I don’t think there’s that many out there?

City should start as favourites, as they always should given the depth and quality in their squad. Klopp not signing anyone is a gamble on the injury front although they have been heavily linked with Alcantara all summer. He’d be good I think, bit more guile than what they have in central midfield.

Chelsea are interesting – I think they have almost too many players, especially attacking. Be interesting how Frank fits them all in/keeps them happy.

Amazed Utd haven’t signed any defenders and if they don’t they’ll struggle to get in the top 4. Arsenal look to be a bit more solid under Arteta though. Also looking forward to the inevitability of Jose’s meltdown.

Clicked on here to read some interesting takes on the season ahead. Pretty sure there was a Maguire thread the other day 🙄

Pretty surprised some of the bigger teams haven’t invested in decent centre halves – but I don’t think there’s that many out there?

There are a few, Dayot Upamecano is the obvious one I am surprised a bidding war hasn’t started for him. The two Wolves centre backs Coady and Boly would improve most teams, and of course Koulibaly although personally I wouldn’t wast time negotiating with Napoli.

The thing is none of those clubs appear to need to sell (without knowing exactly what effects coronavirus is having on individual clubs) I think they all have owners who can finance the clubs and it is a little unclear how FFP will be applied for the next couple of years. In an ever escalating price war before coronavirus a lot of players have got themselves locked into buyout clauses that trap them. Now even the European elite can’t even afford them, especially with the financial mess Barca and Madrid are in being revealed.

Selling clubs are probably bluffing IMO, if their bluff is called, I expect the prices will drop drastically in the next transfer window or 2. But realistically I expect Barca and maybe Madrid to press the panic button, spend hundreds of millions they don’t have and therefore continue the current madness, while uefa turn a blind eye.

Liga will enforce the Messi £700 million Euro buy out clause.

you could probably buy Bayern Munich for that.

La Liga were always going to back Barca, you only need to remember the hissy fit they threw when Neymar was bought. That time they refused to accept the buyout clause, until the courts told them to stop behaving like spoiled children.

Not that I think Messi has a strong case, but he does have an argument to make, and it is the courts not the La Liga who will decide on the legality of his contract.

It’s pretty difficult to predict anything with over a month left to go before the transfer window closes. Who knows what the top squads will look like by then? Quite significantly different from the ones that kick off the first game, in most cases.

For instance, on five live yesterday, they were on about Arsenal desperately trying to offload the 759 rubbish defenders they’ve got on the books and replace them with some half-decent ones

Tonight BBC 1 Liverpool FC: The 30-Year Wait. I know one particular thread group that might not be tuning in.

I expect I’d enjoy most of that, apart from the ending 😃

Funny how little things mean so much but as a Leeds fan I’m looking forward to Match of the Day for the first time in years.

Good to be back and some sensible transfers mean I’m hoping to stay up.

As as spurs fan I am not sold on morinho still, likely never will be, fear his tactical ideas are old and know they are boring. If he wins us something….so what? An fa cup is not particularly worthwhile trade for that in my view, and nor is the europa. The only advantage to that is it’s my cl place. I want spurs to face up to the hard job of a rebuild, to earning a top 4 spot, and in time challenge for the prem. This year? Not likely, to although 2 of our 3 signings maje massive improvements to our side by tackling our weakest spots. Hart signing I’m confused by. I’d like a CB too but have to hope dier takes up the role well.
Pre season seems to have been very very successful going by the results and some comments about players, eg Gedson at RB. Make a good start and maybe we could get our poch belief back? I expect Liverpool, city and Chelsea to be top 3, but still think utd and arsenal are largely in the same boat as us, relying on the manager to pull the team together, and a team) squad that has some issues at that. Possible for all 3 teams to be far far better then last year, or all 3 to be stunningly mediocre. Will we see Leicester and wolves up at the top again? I’ve no idea.

And Messi’s staying. Who’d a thunk it?

Hart signing I’m confused by.

Homegrown innit.. we were on the limit, considering depending on Europe/PL both Dier & Davies don’t count as homegrown. Replacing Vorm with Hart gives us an extra space.

Hart can be a good goalkeeper if he gets his confidence back, and probably more suited to a role where he is active throughout the game rather than having to keep concentration for a couple of moments a game.

Stirling Albion:  to get a slow start, tickle the play-off places and then slump to mid-table.

Happy days.

What league are you lot talking about?

Another Leeds fan – hoping we can be more like Sheffield United than Villa on our long-awaited return to the Premier league. I think Bielsaball will cause a few teams a big surpirse and I think/hope we will comfortably finish mid-table without having the worry of being drawn into a relegation scrap. Can’t see past Liverpool and Man City for the title – it’ll be much closer than last season with Chelsea possibly getting in the mix if they can get all their signings to gel as a team.

MOT / ALAW

This Liverpool Leeds game is a cracker. Watch on MOTD if you didn’t blow all your money on NowTV as I did.

I’d have taken a 4-3 away defeat before tonight,
But funnily feel robbed now ☹️

M.O.T

Yes I know what you mean. At least 1 of the penalties looked dodgy.

Absolutely belting match, that. Leeds certainly aren’t here to just make up the numbers, are they?

When was the last time anyone put 3 past Liverpool at Anfield and still lost?

Palace, 19 January 2019.

At least 1 of the penalties looked dodgy.

Both clear penalties.

Not seen MOTD yet and I’m probably a bit biased as my childhood team was Leeds! Great game though.

Both clear penalties

Not since they changed the handball rule. To quote IFAB

” Except for the above offences, it is not an offence if the ball touches a player’s hand/arm:

directly from the player’s own head or body (including the foot)”

Clearly deflected off his thigh onto his arm. Textbook not a handball. Can see why Oliver missed it but what’s the point of VAR if they can’t catch obvious errors like that?

By the letter I agree, but with arm away from the body like that and stopping a clear goalbound shot, it would be odd if that is no longer considered handball. I don’t think IFAB have it right yet.

don’t think IFAB have it right yet.

Agree with you there. By the old old handball rule, it wouldnt have been. Since they changed the rule a few years ago to stop the John Terry crucifixion pose school of shot blocking, they’ve been desperately trying to get it right. I hate the new rule. Just go back to the old rule and tell refs what you want.
Same thing with the VAR induced offside procedure. Poor striker sprints 50 yards in the 89th minute to get in the end of the through ball, only to get it called back. Or worse, keeper and striker collide both out for weeks or worse on a sequence that gets brought back due to offside.
I hate it.

I thought it was if your arm was in an unnatural position it was still handball even if it came off your own leg first?

Anyway, Man U can’t have all the dodgy penalties this season too.

thought it was if your arm was in an unnatural position it was still handball even if it came off your own leg first?

That was the previous revision, codename “the turd needs a bit more shine on the left”. Now we are onto codename “the swine needs a bit more lippie. ”

Or if you prefer:

A free kick or penalty will be awarded if:

– the ball goes into the goal after touching an attacking player’s hand/arm
– a player gains control/possession of the ball after it touches their hand/arm and then scores, or creates a goal-scoring opportunity
– the ball touches a player’s hand/arm which has made their body unnaturally bigger
– the ball touches a player’s hand/arm when it is above their shoulder (unless the player has deliberately played the ball which then touches their hand/arm)

There is no offence if:

– the ball touches a player’s hand/arm directly from their own head/body/foot or the head/body/foot of another player who is close/near
– the ball touches a player’s hand/arm which is close to their body and has not made their body unnaturally bigger
– if a player is falling and the ball touches their hand/arm when it is between their body and the ground to support the body (but not extended to make the body bigger)
– If the goalkeeper attempts to “clear” (release into play) a throw-in or deliberate kick from a teammate but the “clearance” fails, the goalkeeper can then handle the ball

Prepare for midseason adjustments when a rich team is on the wrong end of a decision.

Anyway, Man U can’t have all the dodgy penalties this season too.

Well since Clattenburg and Howard retired the odds are certainly lower but has the club officially signed off on the change?

Nice to see Maureen carry on his with his fast-paced, creative, freeflowing, attacking football.

Spurs are playing like this is a pre-season friendly

After relegation and the off field traumas that overshadowed last season it was nice to get the new season of to a win. 2-0 to Charlton, in Bowyer we trust.

Also good to see Mourinho has carried on the lovely cosy relationship seen in the All or Nothing Doc with his players, and hasn’t resorted to slagging them off after one bad result.

Oh no wait….

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/sep/13/jose-mourinho-lazy-tottenham-players-after-everton-defeat

It’s like watching a sportsman desperately trying to keep playing when his legs have gone and the body doesn’t work like it once did. If he wasn’t such a raging tool it’d be sad. Send him out to grass/punditry – he was alright at that.

Lost the dressing room already? That didn’t take long.

I wonder who’ll have been on the phone to their agent after the match and while the transfer windows still open?

Maybe the England striker who never touched the ball for the whole second half?