Premier League 2020/21

[DavidMarrio]

Tottenham's been that bad for him this season he proactively wants to go back to Madrid 

[Gazz]

All the golf courses being shut iver here has forced him to play football. A living nightmare.

[gunnar hendershow]

If he wants to play golf that badly he should just get it over with and come to Inter Miami.

[Gazz]

Quote

 

Shortly after taking charge at Sunderland Steve Bruce was asked if he had considered experimenting with a Christmas Tree formation. "I'm not really into tactics," he replied. At the time that response was easy to interpret as a deliberately flippant or, perhaps, a self-deprecating means of avoiding answering the question. As the seasons passed, though, the suspicion grew that the former Manchester United captain had simply been honest.

Arguably one of the principal reasons Bruce is no longer in charge at the Stadium of Light concerns his apparent inability to tweak formations or tactics during matches. Whenever a rival manager re-configured his system mid-game, Bruce invariably failed to come up with a countermeasure.

In recent months Alan Pardew, Mark Hughes, Roy Hodgson and, most recently, Roberto Martínez have all seemingly out-thought him as Sunderland dropped points against supposedly weaker sides they really should have beaten.

If he failed to cut it as a tactician, the 50-year-old did not seem much of a strategist either. Including loans, 30 players were signed – several of whom have subsequently been moved on – during Bruce's two-and-a-half years on Wearside. That represents an unsettling "churn" factor and hardly proved conducive to developing either a clear playing philosophy or strong team spirit.

Always rather amorphous, if not downright scrappy, Sunderland's high-tempo style lacked creativity, not to mention control, in central midfield. Unable to dictate play, the team frequently failed to press home early advantages.

In many ways Bruce's decision to make the hot-headed, yellow card-prone Lee Cattermole his captain proved emblematic of a rather gung-ho reign during which players such as David Meyler were rushed back from serious injuries only to suffer further complications, the idea of hiring a sports psychologist was dismissed and the manager boasted about his inability to send an email. While Bruce – who did finally learn how to log on last summer when the club issued him with an iPad – may well argue this lack of computer literacy was hardly relevant, many of his peers spend countless hours checking out the latest sports science innovations, researching transfer targets and analysing Prozone statistics on their increasingly indispensable laptops.

Unashamedly old school, Bruce believed that motivation was the key to management but the influx of overseas coaches has raised the Premier League's technical bar and despite his relative youth, he has begun to look suspiciously like a man whose era has passed.

 

Spoiler

Written in 2011. Change a few names and that could have been written today.

 

[Lineker]

Quote

Everton’s planning application for their new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock has received government approval.

Robert Jenrick, the secretary of state for housing, communities and local government, had been reviewing the club’s plans since last month and has given the green light. Liverpool City Council unanimously approved the plans on 23 February.

An Everton statement read: “The decision to approve a new 52,888-capacity waterfront arena allows the club to complete its agreed acquisition of the site from Peel L&P and the funding solution for the project, ensuring the club can begin to make the plans a reality.

“It is estimated that the stadium development and plans for a Goodison Legacy will deliver a 1.3bn boost to the economy, create more than 15,000 jobs and attract 1.4m new visitors to the city.

“On such a momentous day, the football club would like to thank every Evertonian, along with the many organisations, the tens of thousands of people across the city region and the team of dedicated staff who have played a vital role in ensuring the club reached today’s milestone.”

Everton identified the site as its preferred location in January 2017 and in November of the same year agreed a 200-year lease with Peel Holdings for the land. Everton hope to relocate for the 2024-25 season.

 

[gunnar hendershow]

Really curious what Everton supporters think about them leaving Goodison Park after over 130 years. It's kind of sad to think of these incredibly old stadiums being rendered obsolete but at the same time updating Goodison for the modern era would probably cost a significant amount anyway and strip it of its old character. It's such a major part of a club identity though, when you've called the same ground home for over a century.

[Adam]

51 minutes ago, damshow said:

Really curious what Everton supporters think about them leaving Goodison Park after over 130 years. It's kind of sad to think of these incredibly old stadiums being rendered obsolete but at the same time updating Goodison for the modern era would probably cost a significant amount anyway and strip it of its old character. It's such a major part of a club identity though, when you've called the same ground home for over a century.

It is but the club have been looking for a new stadium site for literally decades and Goodison is rather outdated for the modern game in a lot of ways. It's a great place but you need to move with the times and I think this can only ultimately be a very good thing for Everton FC, and hopefully the city of Liverpool too.

[Nerf]

Too early for the transfer window thread, but The Athletic claim Liverpool are in the process of finalising a deal for Leipzig's Ibrahima Konate.

[Lineker]

 

[DavidMarrio]

Hope he's happy to be behind the Bolton Baressi in the pecking order 

[Lineker]

Manchester City have confirmed that Sergio Aguero will leave the club at the end of the season. 

[Gazz]

Welkun to Newcastle Sergio.

[Tigerstyle]

Aguero is still so so good. I guess things like him and Suarez leaving are because they’re wanting 4-5 year big contracts?

[DavidMarrio]

It'll probably allow them to get someone in a lot younger and for the long term whilst getting one of their high earners of the books. Especially if they go all in on the Haaland wagon 

It'll probably also allow a European team to sign a striker on a free who could offer them something in the short term for the next few seasons. Could easily see him going back to Spain or possibly likes of Juve. 

[Hobo]

13 minutes ago, DavidMarrio said:

It'll probably also allow a European team to sign a striker on a free who could offer them something in the short term for the next few seasons.

I'm looking forward to seeing Sergio Aguero sign for Shamrock Rovers

[METALMAN]

Sergio Aguero will be to the Danske Bank Premiership what David Beckham was to the MLS. Ten years from now he'll be at the helm of the highly divisive Inter Tralee franchise.

[Lineker]

lol, Chelsea

[Baddar]

Still loads of time, but any dropped points from Chelsea would be welcomed.

Edit: 1-3!

[Colly]

lol, Chelsea.

Also, if Allardyce can keep this team of Championship players up over the squad that Steve Bruce has to play with surely no club will make the stupid mistake of appointing him again.

[The Lusophone]

4!

West Brom's Callum Robinson has four Premier League goals in his career, all of them coming against Chelsea.