Football season 2018/19

Looking forward to watching on Sky this evening the most important fixture of the Premier League season so far.  A hard one to call but I suspect it will be entertaining. Will be watching it with some Liverpool fans who no doubt be a lot more tense than me.   

Mike.....Counting down the hours at the moment.Just so hard to call but more pressure on City then Liverpool.It's a must win game thats for sure.KDB back and David Silva fit.As long as Ottemendi doesn't start as we always seem to lose big games when he doe's.

Ian - Liverpool have the form and (albeit somewhat aged) pedigree but I'm sure Pep will be reminding his players that they are the reigning PL champions and are performing in front of their fans so should have bags of confidence.  I'll be interested to see Pep's tactics. He has the players to play an open game but won't want to get caught on the break by Liverpool's forward line.  I think a tight, tactical game would suit City better. 

Mike agree.

Hopefully will be posting a pic of a triumphant City team at 10 pm.....just hope it isn't a draw.

Yep looking forward to this one - my left nut says City win tonight but Liverpool will be Premier League winners come May.

Wow what an exciting game a right thriller.Thought Bernardo Silva was brilliant and Le Porte and Kompany.

Leeroy !

All three goals were terrific and I thought the result was fair.

An absorbing game.  I think if I were a Liverpool fan I would feel they didn't deserve to lose.  Man City enjoyed a tad more luck eg some refs would have seen Kompany's tackle as a straight red (both feet off the ground when tackling) but City's goals were class.  As a neutral this was probably the best result for keeping the title chase open.   

Are there any other Fantasy Premier League players here?

It occurs to me that we could set up a forum league????

There have certainly been times when I have thought Southampton's continued existence in the Premier League was little more than a fantasy, Jamie.

But a new poster near our ground, from one of the club's sponsors reads, 'Welcome to Ralphampton'

Another pretender to the invisibles crown is knocked down. 

It's weird I always liked City but I suppose a spot of jealousy crept in and the Match of the Day weekly City love in with Lineker and co got tedious but I'm so f****** pleased you beat Liverpool.

Jurgen Klops teeth were nowhere in sight he looked like he was going to cry, Liverpool will look back on this match as the day they lost the title another Stephen Gerrard slip moment.

Christopher_M posted:

There have certainly been times when I have thought Southampton's continued existence in the Premier League was little more than a fantasy, Jamie.

But a new poster near our ground, from one of the club's sponsors reads, 'Welcome to Ralphampton'

Managed to keep Chelsea from scoring the other night.

Mind, I think a small rabbit with its head buried in the sand could do the same at the moment...

Bob the Builder posted:

Another pretender to the invisibles crown is knocked down. 

It's weird I always liked City but I suppose a spot of jealousy crept in and the Match of the Day weekly City love in with Lineker and co got tedious but I'm so f****** pleased you beat Liverpool.

Jurgen Klops teeth were nowhere in sight he looked like he was going to cry, Liverpool will look back on this match as the day they lost the title another Stephen Gerrard slip moment.

Bob,

I was thinking exactly the same about Jurgen's nashers last night they are perfect - Just so white - The sort of teeth you see in dentists waiting rooms on the videos of women with perfect teeth running there cleaning brushes between their gums and looking back in the mirror at their perfect set.

Brilliant game last night.Just so intense.At 1-1 I thought it was going to be a draw but City kept the pressure up as did Liverpool.Pep thought it was the best night of his Managerial carear.

JamieWednesday posted:

Christopher_M posted:

There have certainly been times when I have thought Southampton's continued existence in the Premier League was little more than a fantasy, Jamie.

But a new poster near our ground, from one of the club's sponsors reads, 'Welcome to Ralphampton'

Managed to keep Chelsea from scoring the other night.

Mind, I think a small rabbit with its head buried in the sand could do the same at the moment...

We went and enjoyed it though I could understand why Chelsea fans might not have. We sat in the Lower Shed, next to one of the corner flags. I thought it was a shame for you that Willian went off because I thought he looked good.... dangerous and creative, the man most likely to score.

Even the £25 for the two pints of beer and two medium glasses of sauvignon blanc afterwards couldn't mar it.

Bob the Builder posted:

Another pretender to the invisibles crown is knocked down. 

It's weird I always liked City but I suppose a spot of jealousy crept in and the Match of the Day weekly City love in with Lineker and co got tedious but I'm so f****** pleased you beat Liverpool.

Jurgen Klops teeth were nowhere in sight he looked like he was going to cry, Liverpool will look back on this match as the day they lost the title another Stephen Gerrard slip moment.

"invisibles" - best example of a Freudian slip I've seen in a long time Bob …

ynwa250505 posted:

Bob the Builder posted:

Another pretender to the invisibles crown is knocked down. 

It's weird I always liked City but I suppose a spot of jealousy crept in and the Match of the Day weekly City love in with Lineker and co got tedious but I'm so f****** pleased you beat Liverpool.

Jurgen Klops teeth were nowhere in sight he looked like he was going to cry, Liverpool will look back on this match as the day they lost the title another Stephen Gerrard slip moment.

"invisibles" - best example of a Freudian slip I've seen in a long time Bob …

I thought Lovren put the kibosh on that when before last night's game he suggested Liverpool could emulate the Gunners' unbeaten season.  You might think it, but you don't tempt fate by saying it. 

Call me pedantic.  Arsenal had a great team in Season 2003/4. They had a fine season, Unbeaten in the league - yes (although they drew 12 games, (thats nearly a 1/3) but they lost to Chelsea in the Champions League, Middlesbrough twice in the League Cup and To Manchester United in the FA Cup.  Invisibility may have helped but they weren't invincible.

Daveas posted:

Call me pedantic.  Arsenal had a great team in Season 2003/4. They had a fine season, Unbeaten in the league - yes (although they drew 12 games, (thats nearly a 1/3) but they lost to Chelsea in the Champions League, Middlesbrough twice in the League Cup and To Manchester United in the FA Cup.  Invisibility may have helped but they weren't invincible.

It is ancient history of course but to go unbeaten through an entire Premier League season is an achievement that will  never be repeated,  the amount of draws doesn't come into it and the League Cup, FA Cup and the Champions League are not Premier League matches they are cup games.

So they were invincible in the Premier League because they were unbeaten and if you need a reminder of how difficult it is Fergie's treble winning side couldn't do it and as good as the current Man City side is they have not and will not be able to do it because the league is much, much more difficult now and much more competative which is exactly why it will not be repeated.

Tabby cat posted:

Bob the Builder posted:

Another pretender to the invisibles crown is knocked down. 

It's weird I always liked City but I suppose a spot of jealousy crept in and the Match of the Day weekly City love in with Lineker and co got tedious but I'm so f****** pleased you beat Liverpool.

Jurgen Klops teeth were nowhere in sight he looked like he was going to cry, Liverpool will look back on this match as the day they lost the title another Stephen Gerrard slip moment.

Bob,

I was thinking exactly the same about Jurgen's nashers last night they are perfect - Just so white - The sort of teeth you see in dentists waiting rooms on the videos of women with perfect teeth running there cleaning brushes between their gums and looking back in the mirror at their perfect set.

Brilliant game last night.Just so intense.At 1-1 I thought it was going to be a draw but City kept the pressure up as did Liverpool.Pep thought it was the best night of his Managerial carear.

Exactly but my point was that usually all you can see at full time is his big Cheesy grin and the huge pearly whites but the other night nothing it looked as though he might cry and cry he might because he had a League trophy in his hands and dropped it the other night.

Liverpool and Klop and all their supporters were already doing a lap of honour four months early. They couldn't contain themselves Lovren saying they could go unbeaten less than two weeks after Christmas sums it up perfectly, over hyped and over confident.

Pep would have used that to his advantage absolutely and that win will be huge in the title race. Liverpool can come back of course and they have a few matches coming up that they should win easily so it is still their's to lose.

As an occasional football supporter can I have a moan?

I used to really like the FA Cup 'first' Saturday when big v minnow games all kicked off more or less at 3pm and the radio would scoot around the country as stories developed. It appears that is no more.

I'm sure it will be TV implicated in some way. The FA Cup is becoming pretty sadl, not far above the 'other' cup whatever it is called now for insignificance.

Bruce

I don’t think that’s changed so much. They seem to be in 3 banks of kick off times today from 12:30 to 5:30 so the same mix lasts longer, only with breaks for lunch and tea!

I’m sure 5live/talksport will be covering.

Bob the Builder posted:

Daveas posted:

Call me pedantic.  Arsenal had a great team in Season 2003/4. They had a fine season, Unbeaten in the league - yes (although they drew 12 games, (thats nearly a 1/3) but they lost to Chelsea in the Champions League, Middlesbrough twice in the League Cup and To Manchester United in the FA Cup.  Invisibility may have helped but they weren't invincible.

It is ancient history of course but to go unbeaten through an entire Premier League season is an achievement that will  never be repeated,  the amount of draws doesn't come into it and the League Cup, FA Cup and the Champions League are not Premier League matches they are cup games.

So they were invincible in the Premier League because they were unbeaten and if you need a reminder of how difficult it is Fergie's treble winning side couldn't do it and as good as the current Man City side is they have not and will not be able to do it because the league is much, much more difficult now and much more competative which is exactly why it will not be repeated.

It may well never be repeated and I'm not knocking Arsenal's achievement, its semantics. You're either invincible or you're not, It would be interesting to see whether others would prefer their teams to 'do the treble' or go through a league season unbeaten.

In my view, 'a treble' is the bigger and more valuable achievement.   

MDS posted:

In my view, 'a treble' is the bigger and more valuable achievement.   

If you’re a neutral I think you’re probably right. Gooners might possibly disagree!

Daveas posted:

Bob the Builder posted:

Daveas posted:

Call me pedantic.  Arsenal had a great team in Season 2003/4. They had a fine season, Unbeaten in the league - yes (although they drew 12 games, (thats nearly a 1/3) but they lost to Chelsea in the Champions League, Middlesbrough twice in the League Cup and To Manchester United in the FA Cup.  Invisibility may have helped but they weren't invincible.

It is ancient history of course but to go unbeaten through an entire Premier League season is an achievement that will  never be repeated,  the amount of draws doesn't come into it and the League Cup, FA Cup and the Champions League are not Premier League matches they are cup games.

So they were invincible in the Premier League because they were unbeaten and if you need a reminder of how difficult it is Fergie's treble winning side couldn't do it and as good as the current Man City side is they have not and will not be able to do it because the league is much, much more difficult now and much more competative which is exactly why it will not be repeated.

It may well never be repeated and I'm not knocking Arsenal's achievement, its semantics. You're either invincible or you're not, It would be interesting to see whether others would prefer their teams to 'do the treble' or go through a league season unbeaten.

Hold on a minute I didn't say I'd prefer my team to go unbeaten than win a treble are you one of those really annoying people that keeps changing the parameters of a discussion to prove your original but different point your not a politician are you Dave?