The Premier League - 2020/21 - All Match Discussion In Here

Villa have made fantastic signings. A proper goalscorer, a creative player on loan to take the load from Grealish, a really good right back and I think they bought Arsenal's best keeper as well.

A far cry from the pretty woeful side from last season. Bit jealous, but better them than Bournemouth.

 

It's weird seeing them and Everton (though they'll fallen away recently) in the spotlight this season, two teams we have gone toe to toe with in recent years. Not sure it's 'jealousy' as such, they're both big clubs that when they get their **** together, definitely have the potential to be something exciting

 

Yep, fair play to Villa, just shows the fine margins in football. Any one of about 10 incidents go our way, they go down, sack Smith, sell Grealish.... and we buy Cash and Watkins instead.

Ok, that last bit is pure fantasy of course.

 

I think the last bit is pretty accurate. We certainly focused on getting Cash fairly unsuccessfully last window.
Fine margins. If we had held onto that lead at AV or at least got a draw, if they hadn't been given the point against SU....As it is their morale would have been sky high as the start of the season plus they could then use their financial muscle to spend big on Watkins, bring in Barkley, hold onto Grealish etc. Compare their last window to the summer 2019 and Jan window when they brought in utter tosh in desperate buys/loans.

 

Good to see the managers from the top top clubs whining again about the fixtures. They want 5 subs back too. Starting to really look forward to the European Super League now and these massive clubs disappearing off into their tub of money.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54866411

 

I think fair enough, the Championship is a much more congested schedule in my option. The wealthier clubs should in theory have more resources at their disposal as well.

 

From the Geordies:

NB He's their *only* strike-force option...

 

How is this the same Villa as only a few months ago

https://www.reddit.com/r/soccer/comments/jqpwyy/ross_barkley_jack_grealish_showboating_in_the/

 

Villa remind me of Leicester five years ago - awful most of last season, looking almost certain to go straight back down, then a late rally saves them and they carry it on into the next season.

Only that is where the superficial resemblance ends - Villa just scraped a few results right at the end against seemingly disinterested sides without scoring much, whereas Leicester's escape was much more emphatic and they did it with something to spare and it wasn't that surprising when they started the following season with more of the same. But Villa are now free-scoring and beating good sides convincingly under the same manager whose future was uncertain even after he narrowly kept them up, after they only managed 15 goals in 20 games at one point. How can just a few players have made such a difference?

 

Arsenal. Not making any real attempt to tackle. Bloody Arsenal.

 

Of course that would benefit us greatly...put aside the lack of left-backs and we've got some fantastic squad depth

 

No change in manager either, a lot of Villa fans seemed to think that Smith was out of his depth last season but fair play to the club for backing him with some great signings. They did a real number on us a few games ago, perfect away performance in many ways with a late winner.

This season could be the last chance for sides like Villa to have a crack at the top 6. It’s chaos at the minute and with a few whipping boys at the bottom of the league it’s going to be a real bun fight if everyone can keep this up.

On a separate note we’re already seeing certain managers ready to throw their toys out of the pram. I’m not a fan of changing the rules half way through the season to allow more subs but I think it’ll end up happening in an attempt to restore some ‘order’ to the league.

 

While I can see the point of view of the clubs moaning about what is a very packed schedule, the fact is that the richest clubs have the deepest playing resources. They are perfectly capable of using their whole squads to cope with injuries and to 'protect their players'. However the managers are never prepared to do this, except in the Cups they deem to be not important, because they feel under pressure to keep winning as many games as possible in the PL/Europe.

 

Manchester City’s state of the art, incredibly expensive, in no way part of a huge sports washing campaign academy which in the last 10 years has yielded Phil Foden and Rory Delap’s son.

 

Leicester have surprised me as well, I actually thought you’d struggle as your form last season after the start of the new year was woeful, but now you are firmly back on track.

 

Yeah it’s been fantastic, given how bad we were from Christmas onwards last season. Looks like Rodgers has learned from some of his mistakes too, we’re looking pretty solid at the back and the recruitment in the summer was spot on. Fofana is one hell of a player, can’t wait fir the endless debates about which Manchester club should sign him....

 

I'm still annoyed we didn't go for Mings - pretty sure we would have stayed up had we got him instead of Dawson. Sure he would have cost a fair bit more, but it would have been worth it.

 

And Liam Delap was pinched from Derby at that. Man City pinching top prospects from other clubs for a pittance? Never!

 

Mo Salah tests positive for the virus.

 

It’s a ridiculous vindictive story. Just because he campaigned for the school meals he somehow shouldn’t actually spend any of his own money?

he’s a footballer at one of the biggest clubs in the world, he’ll earn shed loads of money but because he campaigns for good causes does that mean he has to give the money away and have nothing himself? Such bizarre logic to pick up on such a thing.

 

You are right it shouldn’t be linked to his campaigning.

That said there is not enough affordable housing in the country - footballers hoovering up five new 200k homes in one go isn’t going to help that. Rashford won’t be alone in that of course.

 

I believe some of them are for his close circle, and some of them are investments. Agreed with Jumbolina that it's not the best look when affordable housing is in short supply here (I really hope he's not taking the piss out of his tenants), but of course he's not alone, and I don't for one second think the Mail are acting in good faith here

 

That’s a good point, although the way the tax on second properties is structured it’s only worthwhile for the rich to do this in the first place. There is the 3% property tax but for ‘normal’ person to do this they’d need mortgages and ultimately if they declared things properly it would cost them money to own them.

It’s the governments own fault for having a system that only benefits the rich to stock pile properly and penalises everyone else.

The current stamp duty break would also be benefiting him So he’d just be paying the 3%.

 

It's almost as if the ultra-right Daily Mail don't care about rich people hoarding properties and only care about using perceived hypocrisies from 'lefties' as a stick to beat them with. Also note how they're very careful with the language used, it's not aggressive stuff, they merely mention something and you know their footsoldiers in the comments will come up with the pure bile

 

They look like their table position says they are,mid table.
Spurs couldn't win it this season could they?
They seem to be free from injuries and playing well.

 

It'd be good to see Spurs finally win it.
They have had a likeable team for quite a while(Poch created something special)and,surprisingly,Mou hasn't spoilt it.
As for City.They were pretty poor in the league last season and again this.What should the owners do-give Pep a new contract!
It is looking like he has been found out.