Premier League 2020/21

[Lineker]

5 minutes ago, Kaney said:

Really hard to see what Artetas process is meant to be these days. Its so far removed from the FA Cup final when I felt a genuine excitement about the team. Dont know how this gets better.

You play us next.

 

Spoiler

You'll probably win.

 

[FLiam]

1 hour ago, Kaney said:

Really hard to see what Artetas process is meant to be these days. Its so far removed from the FA Cup final when I felt a genuine excitement about the team. Dont know how this gets better.

I agree. It’s kind of worrying. We look utterly out of ideas, which is weird because Arteta does nothing but drill patterns of play into the players. Maybe they’re not suited? Maybe he isn’t? I don’t know. We’re just awful.

[The Lusophone]

Arteta reminds me of a manager who I think should be a shoe in to replace him:

Spoiler

 

[Lineker]

Quote

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 disciplinary panel rejected this explanation, and Suárez was banned for eight matches.

At the start of this season, the FA issued fresh guidelines on racist language and behaviour on social media, with offences carrying a minimum ban of three matches. Manchester United were not available for comment on Sunday night.

 

[The Lusophone]

I hope we've got a good t-shirt printer ready.

[Lineker]

Quote

Newcastle United were forced to abandon plans to stage a first-team training session on Sunday amid fears they are in the grip of a coronavirus outbreak. Two more players have tested positive over the weekend, meaning five members of the first-team bubble – understood to be four players and one member of staff – are now self-isolating.

The situation has prompted another round of testing, with Steve Bruce waiting anxiously on the results as the club’s training ground is deep-cleaned. Already preparations for Friday night’s trip to Aston Villa have been disrupted and there now has to be some degree of doubt as to whether that Premier League fixture will take place.

Although Bruce has declined to name the individuals concerned, the midfielder Isaac Hayden missed last Friday night’s 2-0 win at Crystal Palace because of illness and the quartet of Emil Krafth, Andy Carroll, Allan Saint-Maximin and Jamal Lascelles were also absent, reported to be injured. Martin Dubravka, Paul Dummett and Dwight Gayle are recovering from longer-term injuries.

“It’s been a tough week,” said Bruce, who would normally have started Hayden in central midfield at Selhurst Park and rarely excludes the Sweden defender Krafth from his matchday squads. “Can we avoid a bigger outbreak? We sincerely hope so but it’s difficult at the minute. It’s a concern and difficult to manage. But we’re trying our best to control the situation; we’re trying to stay as safe as we can be.

“My concern is not just for the welfare of my players – which is, of course, vitally important – but my staff too. I’m a bit anxious.”

Newcastle’s manager is not sure whether the cases originate from players returning from abroad following the recent international break or closer to home. Steve Agnew, Bruce’s assistant, was back in the technical area at Palace but had missed the previous weekend’s home defeat to Chelsea during the course of well over a week away from the training ground.

Until the outbreak ends, Ben Dawson has been temporarily relocated from the academy to assist with first-team coaching.

 

[gunnar hendershow]

Good to see multiple sports teams I support apparently are dealing with Covid outbreaks.

[Colly]

NULL AND VOID.

[Jimmy]

Jimenez is responsive after a successful surgery after suffering a fractured skull last night. 

--

Wolves have released the following update on striker Raul Jiménez, who suffered a fractured skull during the early stages of last night’s win at Arsenal.

“Raul is comfortable following an operation last night, which he underwent in a London hospital.

“He has since seen his partner Daniela and is now resting. He will remain under observation for a few days while he begins his recovery.

“The club would like to thank the medical staff at Arsenal, the NHS paramedics, hospital staff and surgeons who, through their skill and early response, were of such help.

“The club ask that Raul and his family are now afforded a period of space and privacy, before any further updates are provided in due course.”

[DavidMarrio]

7 hours ago, MadJack said:

I hope we've got a good t-shirt printer ready.

Ed Woodward will have one on speed dial. The official t-shirt printers of Man Utd

[Baddar]

Only half the squad will wear them at the weekend though, as he's bought them in instalments.

[DavidMarrio]

Interesting point I saw raised regarding the use of VAR:

Mike Riley, head of the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), oversaw the session. We were told a few concrete things, as my notes from that afternoon reveal:

• There will be minimum VAR intervention (maximum benefit, minimum interference) 

• The point is not to re-referee games

• There will be a high bar for clear and obvious 

• Only overturn a decision if it is clearly wrong

• There to pick up big missed incidents, not painstakingly search for them" 

 

1 - Funny definition of the word minimum compared to how it's often used. Also what is this benefit word that Mike speaks of?

2 - Doesn't seem that way at times. 

3 - High bar... Ha! Good one

4 - Bit obvious and it is doing this but on other occasions it's coming up with some mad decisions

5 - It is finding big missed incidents but it's also doing what they don't want it to do as they seem to be using it to justify the technology.

Oh his toenail is 1mm offside that's a massive advantage to the attacker. 

[Baddar]

Fulham 2 up at Leicester. 👀

[Colly]

They've found someone who can score a penalty!

[Liam]

2 minutes ago, Baddar said:

Fulham 2 up at Leicester. 👀

We'll see if it lasts, but I feel that was a good use of VAR. Was definitely a pen and it caught an obvious mistake.

Just now, Colly said:

They've found someone who can score a penalty!

The guy who missed the last one!

[Colly]

I've had (and dropped) Lookman from my draft team, and Mitrovic is on my bench. I've been thoroughly grumpy every time you've had a pen.

[Matt]

So Cavani is going to be ostracised from the team now, I'm sure. It'd be a complete lack of principles not to, after all

[Lineker]

1 hour ago, Matt said:

So Cavani is going to be ostracised from the team now, I'm sure. It'd be a complete lack of principles not to, after all

Isn't your club captain a massive racist prick?  

[Matt]

5 minutes ago, Lineker said:

Isn't your club captain a massive racist prick?  

Liam Cooper? Our reserve goalkeeper that we were by all accounts trying to get rid of in the summer who was inexplicably given the captaincy for one game is a racist prick, however. Used the same word as Cavani, actually.

 

But that was sort of the point.

[Lineker]

Ah, I thought that the goalie was club captain for some reason.