GW 20 game thread

Stanley Steamer

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Time for some midweek EPL action, and I have the morning off.
4 games on the slate today, starting with:
Newcastle v Leeds in the north, and
Palace v West Ham in the south.
Following the appetizers, we have:
Southampton v Arsenal, and
West Brom v Man City
There is no dessert nor cheese plate. Enjoy!
 

Stanley Steamer

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Walking wounded for LUFC. Meslier just took a knee to the face, Dallas requiring attention but carrying on, while Llorente subbed off at 9 minutes after a long time off. I still haven't gotten to see him play.
 

SocrManiac

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Zaha has been a real piece of work lately. I thought he'd turned the corner, but he's a full-on shithouser.
 

Stanley Steamer

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Sloppy giveaway leads to a Newcastle equalizer, but Harrison with a quick response. Not easy being a fan of either team. Should be more goals in this one.
 

Stanley Steamer

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A precious three points for Leeds, against one of the few teams in as poor a run of form as their own.
26 points at halfway is a very good haul, but I suspect they'll need it.
Newcastle find themselves in familiar territory. They usually find a way to escape, but sure look vulnerable to the drop.
 

Morgan's Magic Snowplow

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Tuchel drops the golden child, plus Reece James. This could be just rotation after Sunday so its hard to know what to read into it.

I'm not convinced that Tuchel's appointment is necessarily good news for Pulisic. He was playing regularly under Lampard and while he broke into the BvB team under Tuchel, that happening in a context in which Tuchel was throwing fits about the club selling older players like Mkhitaryan, and Pulisic never really nailed down a consistent starting place that year.

38336
 

cromulence

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Tuchel drops the golden child, plus Reece James. This could be just rotation after Sunday so its hard to know what to read into it.

I'm not convinced that Tuchel's appointment is necessarily good news for Pulisic. He was playing regularly under Lampard and while he broke into the BvB team under Tuchel, that happening in a context in which Tuchel was throwing fits about the club selling older players like Mkhitaryan, and Pulisic never really nailed down a consistent starting place that year.

View attachment 38336
He also dropped Abraham after he just scored a hat-trick, and Mount as well after he's basically started every game this year. It's probably too early to read into any of this.
 

OCST

Sunny von Bulow
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I feel like the Random Chelsea Lineup Generator would do a job as well as Lampard, Teuchel or anyone else right now.

Burnley-Villa also playing at 1:00. Check who the home team is before you tune in, lest you confuse yourself.
 

cromulence

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The BT feed (not sure if it's the same on Peacock) just showed Pulisic and Tuchel joking/laughing about something just before the half started. Seemed pretty chummy.
 

OCST

Sunny von Bulow
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Burnley 3-2 Villa at 88'. Heckofa game, it seems. I've had Chelsea-Wolves on in the background and it's been dull for the most part.
 

fletcherpost

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Wolves came for a point and left with a point. Chelsea made a lot of passes. If Wolves showed more ambition they might have got all three.
 

OCST

Sunny von Bulow
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Godfrey has a young Kyle Walker vibe to him - powerful guy who gets up and down the flank in a hurry.
Yup, minus the COVID hooker parties.

Leicester were really taking it to the Toffees in the first fifteen minutes without anything to show for it.

Chaim-ezzz hit a beautiful goal from the top of the box at 30', kissing it off the inside of the far post. He is fragile and not the most robust defender, but he plays beautiful attacking football.

Ndidi just came off hurt. Leicester's advantage in this game, with Vardy out, is in the middle of the park. Let's see what happens.
 

OCST

Sunny von Bulow
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I guess you can alway rely on Jordan Pickford.
Fucking hell.

But that's what you get when you bunker like a drop-zone side. Toffees haven't kept the ball and advanced it into the Leicster half at all. No excues for Pickford but do something with the ball other than hammer it out of touch or give up a corner FFS
 

fletcherpost

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Man Utd get the equalizer, but then Sheffield Utd get a lucky deflection from a Burke shot and they're back in the lead. Bloody Hell.
 

OCST

Sunny von Bulow
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EVE 1-1 LEI

Pickford throws the ball into our net

Toffees miss several chances late

Richarlison looks like he's been running in molasses, having a crappy season

I'll take the point, at least we didn't lose to relegation fodder today
 

coremiller

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Looks like City are going to run away with the title in the second half of the season. Seven wins in a row and they've taken 29 of the available 33 points from their last 11 games. In those 11 games they've outscored their opponents 26-2 with an xG of 20-4.4.
 

teddykgb

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Looks like City are going to run away with the title in the second half of the season. Seven wins in a row and they've taken 29 of the available 33 points from their last 11 games. In those 11 games they've outscored their opponents 26-2 with an xG of 20-4.4.
City’s fate will be decided in the stretch of matches from Liverpool to United in Feb/early March. It’s been a soft period and you need to win those matches but Liverpool,Spurs, Arsenal, Monchengladbach all in the space of a little more than 2 weeks will be an opportunity to drop a lot of points
 

coremiller

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Spurs: Lloris (C), Aurier, Rodon, Dier, Davies, Doherty, Hojbjerg, Ndombele, Bergwijn, Son, Kane.

Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Robertson, Matip, Henderson, Milner, Thiago, Wijnaldum, Salah, Firmino, Mane

Weird formation for Spurs, that's a 5-2-3, 3-4-3, or 5-4-1 depending on the emphasis from the wide players. I guess the idea is to double up on the flanks against Liverpool's attacking FBs? Leaves Spurs a little light in MF though. A lot of responsibility for Hojbjerg and Ndombele. Also odd to see Rodon over Alderweireld.

No Fabinho for Liverpool. Kane and Son will fancy their chances against a Matip/Henderson CB pairing, but I worry that Milner/Thiago/Wijnaldum will dominate the game in the center of the park.
 

Morgan's Magic Snowplow

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Looks like a classic Jose bus parking job. Play five across the backline with two midfielders in front of them. Cut out a thousand crosses and then try to release your front three against the Henderson, Matip, Thiago trio a handful of times. No Fabinho is a big miss for Liverpool in that kind of game as with VVD out he is probably their most athletic defender in space.

Ugly football but I can see it working.
 

Zososoxfan

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Yep. If we're going by the wisdom of your formation is your shape without the ball, this is a 5-3-2 bunker job. Bergy and the WBs will spring forward on the counter. Without Fabinho, it's a good plan, but one that won't be fun to watch without an early goal.