December 1-2 Gamethread

candylandriots

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Good start in the jkempa house, as Union Berlin defeated Darmstadt 3-1 on what I thought was a hat trick by Sebastian Andersson, but they apparently called one an own goal. I didn’t see it that way, but whatever. Still undefeated and pushing for promotion (knocking wood).

Now Palace and Burnley at Selhurst, with our ultras back in the corner finally (first time this season, weird story). Sounds like Selhurst again.

Did anyone even know or care that Cardiff played Wolves last night?

And Kouyate can’t quite get to a tap-in. Back to frustration.
 

candylandriots

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My stream froze just as Max Meyer scored for Palace. This team needs three points badly.

Edit: nope it was MacArthur. Meyer didn’t touch it.
 

candylandriots

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Does anyone else get “Playback Restricted” errors on NBC Sports Gold? Or is it because I’m using a vpn? It doesn’t really stop me, I just have to select the game again, but it’s annoying as hell.
 

CPT Neuron

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I was about to come in here and post how NO ONE has the horses to beat Man City for the PL title as their "B" has been cruising over Bournemouth.....then Wilson bangs in a header to level. With full acknowledgement of this, pretty sure my hypothesis is unchanged. Man City is really freaking good, and I can't come up with a way, short of the entire squad contracting the plague, that they don't win the league again.
 

candylandriots

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If there were any justice in this world, Palace would be up by 5 instead of 1. How did Burnley get so bad?

Palace’s luck they’ll nick one at the end.

Shots are 22-0 in Palace’s favor.
 

candylandriots

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Finally! Beautiful by Townsend. 6-pointer at the bottom of the table.

This is as comprehensive of an ass-whooping I’ve seen in the league all season.
 

OCST

Sunny von Bulow
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Jan 10, 2004
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I was about to come in here and post how NO ONE has the horses to beat Man City for the PL title as their "B" has been cruising over Bournemouth.....then Wilson bangs in a header to level. With full acknowledgement of this, pretty sure my hypothesis is unchanged. Man City is really freaking good, and I can't come up with a way, short of the entire squad contracting the plague, that they don't win the league again.
You’re right of course, but I do think City can be got at. Bournemouth are one of the more attacking mid level sides and I figured they’d be good for a goal or two today (while getting shredded themselves naturally).
 

teddykgb

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City played a really weak side today and Bournemouth played 5 at the back. City are not invincible when rotation occurs which is why the next month is so critical in this league. That City have played this well without KDB is a good thing but surviving December will be the most important thing for all of the title contenders. Which isn’t really new, it’s just impossible to really know who is gonna take the title until you see how teams cope with the injury and fatigue of this time of season
 

fletcherpost

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City played a really weak side today and Bournemouth played 5 at the back. City are not invincible when rotation occurs which is why the next month is so critical in this league. That City have played this well without KDB is a good thing but surviving December will be the most important thing for all of the title contenders. Which isn’t really new, it’s just impossible to really know who is gonna take the title until you see how teams cope with the injury and fatigue of this time of season
A noble post. But come on man, City are winning the league. If it's not by a margin of 6 points or more with the best goal difference in the league I'll be expecting Independence before December 31st 2020.
 

Kliq

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Jose has to go.

Who is the early season player of the year? Sterling?
Aleksander Mitrovic.

Seriously, it’s hard to think of a non-City player at this point; Sterling, David Silva and Aguero would probably be my top three; maybe Hazard?
 

teddykgb

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A noble post. But come on man, City are winning the league. If it's not by a margin of 6 points or more with the best goal difference in the league I'll be expecting Independence before December 31st 2020.
I really think the next month matters. Mendy is out the whole month so City are already playing either Zinchenko or Delph at LB and neither is very good. An injury to Fernandinho or Laporte (he’s been insanely good under the radar) would really disrupt all the free flowing play. Liverpool are right there, even a bad two weeks could leave City chasing them come Jan 1. Chelsea coming up soon too and they’ll definitely give City a match. Given how well those teams have clawed points to this point they’re right there should City dip. This is without a doubt the best football I’ll ever see my team play but they need to navigate this Xmas period before I’m frowning even them favorites
 

lars10

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How is Mike Dean.. a known Spurs fan allowed to ref this match?

edit: and the next time Son attempts to stay up after a fly touches him will be the first.
 

DJnVa

Dorito Dawg
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Dec 16, 2010
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How is Mike Dean.. a known Spurs fan allowed to ref this match?

edit: and the next time Son attempts to stay up after a fly touches him will be the first.
Ooo, salty. 2-1 good guys into the break.
 

lars10

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Ooo, salty. 2-1 into the break.
Definitely salty.

That Son penalty was an absolute joke.. also Dier should have had a card before his celebration, but apparently his tackle wasn't a card but Mustafi's is.. ok (they both should have been).

edit: and they're replaying it fifteen times to try and find contact.

 

DJnVa

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And Mustoe thinks it was the right call. And if they replay it 15 times and find the contact, then it was the right call.
 

blueline

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Very typical Arsenal being undone by sloppiness. I imagine there's another 2-3 goals coming in the 2nd half.
 

DJnVa

Dorito Dawg
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Eh, let's screenshot it anyway.

Ball still with player, he had been fouled, ref makes the obvious advantage signal, goal goes in, video retconned to say ref celebrated goal BEFORE he scored.

 

lars10

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And Mustoe thinks it was the right call. And if they replay it 15 times and find the contact, then it was the right call.
That's the problem.. they didn't. I know I'm biased, but if you watch the clip fifteen times you maybe see a touch on the ankle.. but Son was going down before that happened.
 

lars10

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Eh, let's screenshot it anyway.

Ball still with player, he had been fouled, ref makes the obvious advantage signal, goal goes in, video retconned to say ref celebrated goal BEFORE he scored.

He pumped his fist five times after the goal went in.. but I know it's probably just coincidence.. I am being salty. I wasn't talking about the advantage call.

There are just entirely too many cards and penalties every time Dean does one of these matches.
 

Time to Mo Vaughn

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Arsenal has had the better opportunities all match. Great to see them put them into the back of the net finally after all these years.

Is this the end of Ozil? Sell him in January and re-sign Ramsey?
 

lars10

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Spurs finally make subs, 15 mins late.

Poch has gotten out-managed today.
Spurs have looked un-Spurs like today.. possibly on the manager too, but despite the two goals they've been thoroughly outplayed I think anyone would agree. Kane has been completely silent thus far.

And I think that card against Vertongen is a bit unfair.
 

lars10

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Arsenal has had the better opportunities all match. Great to see them put them into the back of the net finally after all these years.

Is this the end of Ozil? Sell him in January and re-sign Ramsey?
Do you think there's a place for either of them? I think Ozil fits better in the team, but either could play a high mid behind Abumeyang and Lacazette.

Emery has made a huge difference with Xaka and Torreira has been a great addition. Perhaps Ozil and Ramsey need to go so that this team continues to play this semi-relentless style.
 

lars10

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It’s rare but I honestly have no idea what the right call is there. He played the ball but was somewhat out of control with bad contact. You could sell me on no card and straight red. Really weird incident
I thought his foot had to be in that position to touch the ball the way he wanted and that Lacazette ran onto it creating the contact more than anything...the ball was already gone. I didn't see any malicious intent.
 

coremiller

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Spurs have looked un-Spurs like today.. possibly on the manager too, but despite the two goals they've been thoroughly outplayed I think anyone would agree. Kane has been completely silent thus far.

And I think that card against Vertongen is a bit unfair.
1) They had no plan to press against the back 3. Arsenal always had an easy square pass to an unmarked defender to get away from the highest pressing forward.
2) Playing a narrow diamond in the first half against wingbacks was a huge mistake. Arsenal had numbers on the wings and an easy path to progress the ball forward because there were no natural markers for the wingbacks. In theory the flipside should have been that Spurs had control of the center with four CMs but with Sissoko and Dier as the two deepest midfielders they didn't have enough quality passing in tight spaces to take advantage of it.
3) Poch tried to compensate at halftime by switching to a back 3, with Dier dropping into defense and Eriksen dropping deeper. This allowed Spurs' fullbacks to more directly match up with Arsenal's wing backs. But it also conceded control of midfield (partly because Dele played curiously high for unclear reasons) to an Arsenal midfield 3 willing to take up aggressive positions, as Spurs now had Sissoko and Eriksen in a two against Ramsey/Torreira/Xhaka.

Now it didn't help Poch that there were a lot of poor performances today. Dele was almost completely invisible offensively and did nothing off the ball to slow down Arsenal's midfield. Dier, Vertonghen, and Foyth all made stupid individual errors that led directly to goals. Aurier and Davies were not good. Kane did very little. Arsenal scored two from outside the box, one deflected, which is sort of hard to guard against. But even apart from that, except for a 15-minute spell before half time, Spurs struggled to get a grip on the game and were always on the back foot.