GWT: PL Matchweek 1

[Jersey Fresh]

I didn't watch West Ham vs Newcastle. Was Newcastle actually decent or is West Ham just that poor?

The latter.

That was an abomination.

 

[Blender]

I didn't watch West Ham vs Newcastle. Was Newcastle actually decent or is West Ham just that poor?

Bit of both. I thought Newcastle looked like the more organized and cohesive team, but West Ham was also pretty poor and completely collapsed after the 2nd goal.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

Gold, Sullivan and Brady are the worst owners in Premier League and West Ham will be relegated because of it.

Sold Diangana for what? f*** all.

 

[Theokritos]

There was pretty clearly a foul there, too.

Guess I got to see another replay.

West Ham have been flirting with relegation for a couple years and the only team change they made was adding Soucek so there’s really no reason to expect them to be good.

The latter.

That was an abomination.

Bit of both. I thought Newcastle looked like the more organized and cohesive team, but West Ham was also pretty poor and completely collapsed after the 2nd goal.

Thanks guys.

 

[Live in the Now]

Yeah, it was a foul. That was one of two things in the game that Jones needs to learn. Most importantly at this level is to always track runners when they head into his box. Then that he doesn't need to foul attacking a corner because VVD will get to that ball without help.

On the ball he was pretty good though.

 

[hatterson]

Yeah, it was a foul. That was one of two things in the game that Jones needs to learn. Most importantly at this level is to always track runners when they head into his box. Then that he doesn't need to foul attacking a corner because VVD will get to that ball without help.

On the ball he was pretty good though.

Yea I thought Jones played really well, especially the first 10 or so mins he was on. Seemed like he was getting a touch almost every time the ball was in the attacking third.

 

[King Makar19]

WHU.FULHAM

are top candidates for relegation.

No quality there and coaching is avg.

 

[Chimaera]

Yea I thought Jones played really well, especially the first 10 or so mins he was on. Seemed like he was getting a touch almost every time the ball was in the attacking third.

Yeah, if he plays assertive like he did, it should be interesting. He came in and was all over the place.

 

[Chimaera]

Klopp did say they were going to attack the next title, not defend it. So, makes sense.

 

[Live in the Now]

Another thing from the game I noticed was that two of the most tactically innovative managers there are decided that their midfields were basically unimportant and played the ball straight past them all game, or if their midfielder got the ball they were supposed to release it forward immediately. There was no concept of slowing the game down at all until Leeds nicked their third goal. There will be a wave of teams that copy this in the next few years.

 

[hatterson]

Another thing from the game I noticed was that two of the most tactically innovative managers there are decided that their midfields were basically unimportant and played the ball straight past them all game, or if their midfielder got the ball they were supposed to release it forward immediately. There was no concept of slowing the game down at all until Leeds nicked their third goal. There will be a wave of teams that copy this in the next few years.

Yea I had seen this tweet earlier:

 

[bluesfan94]

I mean, Kalvin Phillips was solid for Leeds

 

[Blender]

Another thing from the game I noticed was that two of the most tactically innovative managers there are decided that their midfields were basically unimportant and played the ball straight past them all game, or if their midfielder got the ball they were supposed to release it forward immediately. There was no concept of slowing the game down at all until Leeds nicked their third goal. There will be a wave of teams that copy this in the next few years.

I mean, I watched the game and didn't see this, and the stats don't support it, especially for Leeds. Leeds defenders and midfielders had the majority of the touches and passes, and for Liverpool outside of Salah and the two fullbacks touches were pretty spread out among the rest of the players and their passing was very even overall. Leeds clearly played the ball through their midfield, and Liverpool played the ball to wherever the openings were, which is pretty normal for them to do.

 

[Cassano]

 

[YNWA14]

I mean, I watched the game and didn't see this, and the stats don't support it, especially for Leeds. Leeds defenders and midfielders had the majority of the touches and passes, and for Liverpool outside of Salah and the two fullbacks touches were pretty spread out among the rest of the players and their passing was very even overall. Leeds clearly played the ball through their midfield, and Liverpool played the ball to wherever the openings were, which is pretty normal for them to do.

I could see where the Leeds midfield was pressed up high a lot and Liverpool opted to play very direct to try and take advantage of the space left by the positive play of Leeds, but in controlled possession Keita, Jones and Henderson were still on the ball quite a bit, and Leeds used their midfield a lot.

 

[bluesfan94]

Yeah, this is nothing. This is just two competitive people warming up. Shit happens. Ceballos posted an insta after saying as much

 

[les Habs]

Which CB got a free pass? I’ve seen messages disparaging Koch, VvD, and Gomez. I guess no one really mentioned the arsenal or Fulham CBs.

Say what you will, but I'm not going down that road. While he didn't get a free pass, he didn't get scorched like other CBs would have. He had another play he was sleeping on too though it was called offisdes. Anyway, there's another CB in another league that is lauded here when he shouldn't be. At the end of the day there are CBs who tend to be targets despite being generational players and others who aren't despite having gaps in their careers.

Told y'all he's a . Now he's an overrated .

Yeah, this is nothing. This is just two competitive people warming up. Shit happens. Ceballos posted an insta after saying as much

Well that settles it. I'm just curious though, was this before or after he suggested Nketiah's house be bombed?

 

[Cassano]

Say what you will, but I'm not going down that road. While he didn't get a free pass, he didn't get scorched like other CBs would have. He had another play he was sleeping on too though it was called offisdes. Anyway, there's another CB in another league that is lauded here when he shouldn't be. At the end of the day there are CBs who tend to be targets despite being generational players and others who aren't despite having gaps in their careers.



Told y'all he's a . Now he's an overrated .



Well that settles it. I'm just curious though, was this before or after he suggested Nketiah's house be bombed?

Rio said it’s ‘passion’

 

[Stray Wasp]

Another thing from the game I noticed was that two of the most tactically innovative managers there are decided that their midfields were basically unimportant and played the ball straight past them all game, or if their midfielder got the ball they were supposed to release it forward immediately. There was no concept of slowing the game down at all until Leeds nicked their third goal. There will be a wave of teams that copy this in the next few years.

Given this would be a template for the game to become stupider, I hope not.

 

[Stray Wasp]

Mention of the word 'stupid' for some reason turns my mind to West Ham v Newcastle. The result is pleasing - NUFC's first opening day win since 2012 - such a long time ago that Alan Pardew was beginning his infamous, ludicrous eight-year contract.

Otherwise, West Ham played as though at 2am in the morning, all their players had awoken bolt upright in their beds and screamed, 'Oh, God, I have to play in a team managed by David Moyes.'

The second I saw Bruce's selection with Jeff Hendrick shoved to the right, I pulled a face. But then I saw Moyes had opted for a weird eleven too - one of Yarmolenko or Haller should surely have started against a team playing with a new, young left back who had in front of him a player who, for all his talents, has a sketchy idea of providing defensive cover. Its debatable whether Newcastle will play a worse team all season than this version of West Ham. And the trouble is, once the Hammers take the logical step of chucking Moyes into the Thames, some degree of improvement is likely.

So, even within the limited context of one game, little can be deduced. Lewis and Wilson's semblance of an understanding was encouraging. Hendrick's liking for making runs into the opposition penalty area is useful. We also learned that Ryan Fraser cannot resist a temptation to stick a finger up his own nose, even when he suspects a camera is trained on him. Andy Carroll's congratulations to Manquillo and Hendrick over the first goal were a lip-reader's treat.

With Carroll in the team, a tactic of 'get it out wide as quick as possible, and into the box for the big man' was inevitable. Since Big Andy played 88 minutes yesterday, whether he'll be seen again before November is a moot point. Fundamentally, what this game suggested is a new-found synergy between Newcastle's miserably limited ambitions, their coach, their tactics and their personnel. This 90 minutes may prove one of the season's highlights, which is chilling.

Even if Bielsa and Klopp do abolish midfield, that hardly makes them innovators. The English always struggled to have much use for that part of the playing area, going back as far as the 1880s - it was Scots who preached the possession game, and spread the gospel around the globe. This spectacle matched an Englishman against a Scotsman who has spent too much time thinking Sassenach thoughts, and whose career as a top-flight boss is surely running short.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

 

[bluesfan94]

Say what you will, but I'm not going down that road. While he didn't get a free pass, he didn't get scorched like other CBs would have. He had another play he was sleeping on too though it was called offisdes. Anyway, there's another CB in another league that is lauded here when he shouldn't be. At the end of the day there are CBs who tend to be targets despite being generational players and others who aren't despite having gaps in their careers.

Shocking that you refuse to name names.

 

[hatterson]

Cool. Peacock isn't available on Roku so I'm stuck trying to stream it via my chromecast and hoping that works.

Screw you NBC.

 

[bluesfan94]

Cool. Peacock isn't available on Roku so I'm stuck trying to stream it via my chromecast and hoping that works.

Screw you NBC.

Not available on my Smart TV either. I wanna say it’s a Samsung. I could watch on my laptop but eh.

 

[AB13]

This midfield will make Everton a genuinly top team this year. Dominating the first 10 here