EPL 2023/2024
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@DaGrubster said in EPL 2023/2024:
This is a quote from Michael Oliver from a few years ago. I’m not sure if the same rules apply at the moment but you can see why Nottingham Forest were able to raise questions about the allegiance of the VAR official.
"I never referee Newcastle games. We have to declare if we have an allegiance to any club or if a family member works at a club. You can’t do any match involving that team and I can’t do Sunderland, either, for obvious reasons.
"Because Newcastle are invariably involved in a relegation battle, when you get to March or April, it means I can’t referee anyone around them towards the bottom three.
"If Newcastle needed a point to survive and the team they were fighting to get above was say Villa, I couldn’t referee Villa’s game either. I wouldn’t want to. It’s not worth the hassle."
No idea if the same rules apply for the ref in charge of VAR - they aren't meant to be making the decisions as such, such decide whether to refer back to ref to make a call. Or draw lines and not entirely sure how much control they have over that and how much is automatic.
I should at this point state that I am a Notts County fan and we are duty-bound to dislike the mob from across the Trent. But Forest have been hard to like this season (bar Chris Wood) for their whining and employing of a ref - and complaining about their points penalty having spent a ridiculous amount last season.
Liverpool are out of the title race now unless both Arsenal and City slip up more than once - Liverpool's maximum is 86 points and given the relative goal difference, they would need Arse to get 8 points from 4 games and City 9 from 5 to finish above them.
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Have to say Craig Pawson the ref does a fairly good Paul Newman impression.
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How we got a draw out of that game I'll never know. Chelsea murdered us all across the park today.
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Bournemouth have officially scored their highest amount of points in a PL season, after the start they had, bloody amazing and currently best south coast club lol
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There’s been a decent number of goals scored this season after goalies or backs try to pass out in front of their goal. It’s not the first time I’ve seen the goalie gift the ball to the opposition striker.
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that's what happens when every manager tries to copy Manchester City / Liverpool by playing tiki-taka from the back with players who aren't good enough to do it. Football needs a Mourinho to come along and be different and break the way City etc play - arguably its what Madrid did in the quarter final. trouble is everything is so data driven now that people are terrified to buck the trends.
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haha, yes, not quite the 'innovator' i was thinking of. Interestingly though, they get a lot of stick for the styles of play of their teams, but if i'm honest i find the City style equally dull. I miss the Man Utd days of fast counter attacks with rapid wingers bombing down the line and firing in crosses to a big lad in the middle.
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Arsenal were coasting before they almost threw it away this weekend.
Amazing the different media response to Arteta compared to ten Hag a week ago when United did something similar. There is obviously a lot more context which can be applied, but ultimately the two teams went from a position of coasting to one of panic in a short space of time.
City don't look like losing or drawing anytime soon though, so this season is a bit of a formality from here on in. Their biggest test is Spurs, and it's hard to see Spurs really lifting to their game to help Arsenal win the gong.
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@Dodge said in EPL 2023/2024:
that's what happens when every manager tries to copy Manchester City / Liverpool by playing tiki-taka from the back with players who aren't good enough to do it. Football needs a Mourinho to come along and be different and break the way City etc play - arguably its what Madrid did in the quarter final. trouble is everything is so data driven now that people are terrified to buck the trends.
It's interesting to see how teams adapt. A lot of teams try to draw the other team forward to break them open with one pass or long ball. That was what Brighton were about when they were doing well - but it is a fine line and it only takes one misjudged pass for the whole thing to break down. I see teams combating City by aggressively harassing them in midfield and then releasing wide players after turning over the ball - safer than pressing high as your defence remains in place. Forest had an hour of success doing this and if Chris Wood wasn't wearing lead in his boots, they would have had a couple of goals. But doing it for a whole game is exhausting and they ran out of steam.
Bournemouth (@bayimports might want to wade in here) definitely look to hit their wide players early to get in behind an advancing full/wing back. That has given them success against the better teams.
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Leicester back up as champions - no surprise but like Sheff U, it looks like they will have to sell their best players to avoid a point penalty. Given it is likely that all 3 promoted teams from last year will go down, and all 3 relegated teams could come up, there needs to be some adjustment to the whole system - can't see it happening though.
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@KiwiPie it has, the team has become a lot fitter and we also conceded a lot of goals in adjusting to the pattern of play. But the style of football is certainly more exciting to watch.
We have also been using a winger to cover fullback due to injuries lol (Outtara). But we are creating more breaks than ever and are incredibly dangerous now on a counter. If Unal can get more accuracy with shots on target, we will create real pressure with an alternative to not just Solanke. Kluivert proving a great buy though for us too
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@KiwiPie said in EPL 2023/2024:
Given it is likely that all 3 promoted teams from last year will go down, and all 3 relegated teams could come up
Ipswich are now in the box seat having beayten Coventry.
They need one point from their last game to head off Leeds.
If Leeds win their last they will go ahead of Ipswich on GD.
Ipswich have much the easier final opponents. Both they and Leeds are at home but Ipswich face relegated Huddersfield while Leeds host Southampton
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Will be awkward if Birmingham go down as they're looking to build a 60,000 seat stadium.
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@African-Monkey They have Norwich. Plymouth have Hull both at home. Norwich have cemented a play-off place Hull still hope to do so by beating Plymouth and hoping West Brom get nothing at home to Preston - who have nothing to play for.
Brining in Rooney was a masterstroke...
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Birmingham City deserve to go down.
When Rooney was appointed, they were 6th - 18 points from 11 games.
When Rooney was sacked, they were 20th - 28 points from 25 games.Replaced by Tony Mowbray on 8 Jan, he was forced to step down needing medical treatment meaning Gary Rowett is now in charge. 7 seasons before, Rowett was in charge and Birmingham were on the fringes of the playoffs when he was replaced by Gianfranco Zola. Zola had a similar record to Rooney and they brought in Harry Redknapp to win a couple of games near the end to stay up.
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