2020/2021 English Premier League

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by d_phaneuf

So maybe start cavani more ole

I was actually impressed that he made the substitution at half time and didn't try his normal wait and see if the first 15 minutes of the second half change anything before making a change.

Having said that I was questioning why he didn't take off one of the DMs for Greenwood given they were a couple down. Cavani could have had a hat trick today had Rashford been a touch less selfish.

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by Bagor

I was actually impressed that he made the substitution at half time and didn't try his normal wait and see if the first 15 minutes of the second half change anything before making a change.

Having said that I was questioning why he didn't take off one of the DMs for Greenwood given they were a couple down. Cavani could have had a hat trick today had Rashford been a touch less selfish.

Ya I expected matic

I think no Greenwood gave bruno a bit more space to roam around, not sure if that was the plan or just a happy accident

For not playing with each other a lot, bruno and cavani have picked up some quick chemistry

Van de beek played well too, was all over the field, showed he can play a deeper role, him and fred could be a really strong 2 in games where ole fields 4 attackers

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by Slava

I think there are too many games jammed in from that perspective. Frankly, as a fan who for the time being can’t have meetings to conflict with matches it’s great! But for the players it’s obviously asking a lot.

Holy crap!
As mentioned.
It used to be a 42 game season.
FA cup games had replays and replays...
Used to be one sub.
Christmas and January games were players chasing an orange ball through mud.

[devo22]

sorry, but who cares about what "used to be"? The game changes, it's become way faster and more demanding. Plus, you have 38 league games + FA Cup + Caribou Cup + CL/EL + glorified friendly national games. All in the midst of a ####ing pandemic. The calendar is beyond ridiculous.

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by devo22

sorry, but who cares about what "used to be"? The game changes, it's become way faster and more demanding. Plus, you have 38 league games + FA Cup + Caribou Cup + CL/EL + glorified friendly national games. All in the midst of a ####ing pandemic. The calendar is beyond ridiculous.

Because it’s been beat on for 30 years.

What hope is there for change?

[devo22]

if there isn't any during a global pandemic? None. Doesn't mean everybody just has to bend over and silently take it.

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by Bagor

Holy crap!
As mentioned.
It used to be a 42 game season.
FA cup games had replays and replays...
Used to be one sub.
Christmas and January games were players chasing an orange ball through mud.

Last time I checked too teams are allowed to register more than 11 players...

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by devo22

sorry, but who cares about what "used to be"? The game changes, it's become way faster and more demanding. Plus, you have 38 league games + FA Cup + Caribou Cup + CL/EL + glorified friendly national games. All in the midst of a ####ing pandemic. The calendar is beyond ridiculous.

Well obviously I do or I wouldn't have mentioned it.

Instead of a simple statement as if it's fact why don't you expand why the game had become more demanding?
Is it that they have to travel on winter break sun break training campus to places like Dubai?
Is it that they play less games than before?
On carpet like pitches to the point that God forbid they have to play on a lower league pitch in mid winter they're doing for the games to be relocated ?

You've listed games as if they're something new? What's your point there? As mentioned they've less games than before.

And in the middle of a pandemic? So frickin what? How's that affected them? Apart from not having to do extra curricular activities that they would normally have to do.

And let's not forget that these poor over exploited critters are earning hundreds of thousands of dollars a week.

As for an Xmas break? The reason they're all getting these huge figures is because they're getting paid well by broadcast companies to provide entertainment.

The only reason it's an issue, and rightly so is because of this Wednesday night Saturday 1230 screw up.

What do you suggest? Cut the number of PL teams? Play second string teams in the Carabou or FA cup. Because that isn't already happening?

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by devo22

if there isn't any during a global pandemic? None. Doesn't mean everybody just has to bend over and silently take it.

Take what? Oh the hardship!

Asides from the Wednesday/Saturday 1230 fiasco what is this cruelty you speak of?

[The Big Chill]

Why wouldn’t we want to seek out a solution that keeps the top players on the pitch more often? Look at some of the players in the top clubs lineups in recent weeks, there are multiple youth players that are nowhere near this level of play. All the stakeholders should want the best players to be able to play most of the games.

I’d start by cutting the Caribou cup completely and reducing the amount of international friendlies. That would make a huge difference.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by The Big Chill

Why wouldn’t we want to seek out a solution that keeps the top players on the pitch more often? Look at some of the players in the top clubs lineups in recent weeks, there are multiple youth players that are nowhere near this level of play. All the stakeholders should want the best players to be able to play most of the games.

I’d start by cutting the Caribou cup completely and reducing the amount of international friendlies. That would make a huge difference.

We shouldnt be having International Friendlies in the middle of a Global Pandemic anyways!

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Bagor

Instead of a simple statement as if it's fact why don't you expand why the game had become more demanding?
Is it that they have to travel on winter break sun break training campus to places like Dubai?
Is it that they play less games than before?
On carpet like pitches to the point that God forbid they have to play on a lower league pitch in mid winter they're doing for the games to be relocated ?

it's the simple fact that players usually run 10 or 11 km per game these days. Would you say that was the same during the 70s or 80s? Go back and watch one of those games and tell me those players logged more than half of that. You obviously love to reminisce about the good old times and you're obviously frustrated with a perceived softness of the modern game, and that's fine. I'd agree with a lot of that. But let's not act like today's game isn't a lot faster.

Originally Posted by Bagor

You've listed games as if they're something new? What's your point there? As mentioned they've less games than before.

And in the middle of a pandemic? So frickin what? How's that affected them? Apart from not having to do extra curricular activities that they would normally have to do.

the games are nothing new, but it's the same amount of games in a much shorter season. The league started a full month later than normal. Now you're entitled to your opinion that today's footballers are wimps, but with the amount of games, it's no wonder that injuries pile up and the quality of the games suffers. So yeah, I'd have been in favour of decluttering the schedule just for this one season because of, you know, the ####### virus that affects us all. Now I know there's money involved and I know that's always more important than player health, but scrapping the Caribou Cup and keeping the CL/EL format of last season would have helped.

And maybe they could have refrained from playing national games this autumn where Covid is ravaging the whole continent. Not only has it led to numerous positive tests among players, it has also been completely farcical at times. Austria was pretty much gifted the group win because Norway had to forfeit one game and then had to send a group of U21s to play in another.

And again, I know money trumps logic and therefore it was clear that nothing was going to change, even for just one year (which is all I'd ask for). But I understand the frustration of players and managers because I also think the schedule is ridiculous this season. It's easier to demand those wimps to just man up though, of course, because things used to be so much harder, right?

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by The Big Chill

Why wouldn’t we want to seek out a solution that keeps the top players on the pitch more often? Look at some of the players in the top clubs lineups in recent weeks, there are multiple youth players that are nowhere near this level of play. All the stakeholders should want the best players to be able to play most of the games.

I’d start by cutting the Caribou cup completely and reducing the amount of international friendlies. That would make a huge difference.

You talk about multiple hurry players that are nowhere near the level of play.

Isn't that what the Carabou is for? Something to give these young uns and peripheral players and backup goalkeepers a run out?

I'm not disagreeing that i yes pretty much a redundant competition for the top teams but it serves the purpose of bringing through fresh talent.

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by devo22

it's the simple fact that players usually run 10 or 11 km per game these days. Would you say that was the same during the 70s or 80s? Go back and watch one of those games and tell me those players logged more than half of that. You obviously love to reminisce about the good old times and you're obviously frustrated with a perceived softness of the modern game, and that's fine. I'd agree with a lot of that. But let's not act like today's game isn't a lot faster.

Spare me the putting words into my mouths bit.

Look at your argument. You're the one that's actually frustrated with the softness of the modern game calling for them to be more coddled. I actually feel the modern player is managing just fine.

How do you equate that pointing out the facts that they played more games in worse conditions in days gone by as reminiscing about the good old days. It's a simple fact. They played more days in worse conditions.

Just as it is a fact that like pretty much every other game on the planet it is faster now than it was then. No argument there. But it's also a fact that the modern athlete is more set up for increased performance than days gone by due to increased research and resources in the form of nutrition, body management (pre/post massages), exercise techniques etc. And as mentioned the playing surface is dramatically different. They are more managed.

Originally Posted by devo22

the games are nothing new, but it's the same amount of games in a much shorter season. The league started a full month later than normal. Now you're entitled to your opinion that today's footballers are wimps, but with the amount of games, it's no wonder that injuries pile up and the quality of the games suffers.

Again, refrain from putting words into my mouth that I haven't said. Where have I implied that "today's footballers are wimps"? I'm actually arguing the opposite against the likes of yourself that are suggesting they are as the schedule is too tough for them.

Originally Posted by devo22

And again, I know money trumps logic and therefore it was clear that nothing was going to change, even for just one year (which is all I'd ask for). But I understand the frustration of players and managers because I also think the schedule is ridiculous this season. It's easier to demand those wimps to just man up though, of course, because things used to be so much harder, right?

See, there you go again.

You're whining that the season is too tough for the players whilst implying that I'm the one that is insinuating they're wimps.
All I'm saying is stop being all knee jerky and crying about it. They'll be fine. Is there evidence that the teams that are playing in Europe are picking up more injuries than those that aren't?

[Bagor]

Edinson Cavani, the Manchester United striker, could face a three-game ban if the Football Association deems that he used discriminatory or racist language in an Instagram story shared from his account on Sunday evening.The FA has confirmed it is investigating the post, which was published shortly after United’s 3-2 win over Southampton, in which Cavani scored two goals after coming on as a half-time substitute.
In the post – which was later deleted – the words “gracias negrito!” are used to thank a follower congratulating Cavani on his performance in the match at St. Mary’s.Social media postings are covered by FA Rule E3, and if a comment is deemed to include a reference to a person’s ethnic origin, colour, race or nationality, then that will be regarded as a potential aggravating factor in any punishment. The rules also make it clear that the owners of social media accounts are responsible for any content posted from their account, whether by themselves or by a third party.
Additionally, deleting an inappropriate post does not necessarily prevent a sanction from being imposed. Last year, Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva was banned for one match after posting and then deleting a tweet comparing his teammate Benjamin Mendy to the cartoon figure on a brand of Spanish chocolate. If the FA decides to pursue the case it will write to Cavani in the next few days asking for his written observations. Any charge must be issued by next Monday.
The word in question – “negrito” – was the same one used by Cavani’s friend and Uruguay teammate Luis Suárez to Patrice Evra during a game between Liverpool and Manchester United in 2011. At the time, Suárez argued that the word was a term of endearment and not intended as a form of racial abuse. However, the FA’s disciplinarary panel rejected this explanation, and Suárez was banned for eight matches.

https://www.theguardian.com/football...instagram-post

Bolded bit not entirely true. The FA accepted in the Suarez case that the word can be used in a friendly and affectionate way but was not in the case when he was racially abusing Evra.

Cavani was by all accounts thanking a well wisher with the word. I would expect and hope that they look at the context. He's replying to a post in Spanish using a word that has zero racist connotations in that language.

Nonetheless, it's United. Probably get a three game ban.

[Slava]

^One of my clients from South America was talking to me about the lingual/cultural differences between here and there. It's quite striking, but "they" tend to be a lot more forward about talking to others about the way they look, or at least identifying them with that. I can't remember the exact phrase he was using as an example, but it was something to do with race and it was just a commonality. While (now) in North America we see that as racial, it's just a completely different context there. It' not seen as hateful or racial at all. That seems like what happened with Cavani there.

[The Big Chill]

9 games should do it, no? It’s a bit of an awkward one to deal with given the Suarez incident.

Shouldn’t be a punishment, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see him get a game.

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by Slava

^One of my clients from South America was talking to me about the lingual/cultural differences between here and there. It's quite striking, but "they" tend to be a lot more forward about talking to others about the way they look, or at least identifying them with that. I can't remember the exact phrase he was using as an example, but it was something to do with race and it was just a commonality. While (now) in North America we see that as racial, it's just a completely different context there. It' not seen as hateful or racial at all. That seems like what happened with Cavani there.

well it is still racial, its just in most of South America being a racist ###### is normal, Spanish European looking, your golden, black or native looking, back to the favela you scum.

[VladtheImpaler]

No mention here, but Raul sustained a fractured skull in his collision with Luiz yesterday.

[brocoli]

Don't look now, but Fulham is having a day. Here's hoping the boys can keep it rolling