Match week 32 gamethread

OCST

Sunny von Bulow
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Villa keeper just did a Carly Rae Jepsen first pitch on a routine throw. Fell right to Jota who had the whole net but blasted over the bar.
 

67YAZ

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Just saw the highlight...or lowlight? Very sporting of Jota not to take advantage of that mistake.
 

mauf

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Too bad. Norwich City held Man U off the board with 10 men for about 30 minutes before conceding a goal with just a couple minutes to go in extra time. Tim Krul with some of the best goalkeeping you’ll ever see.
 

SocrManiac

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That Matic-Pogba-Bruno midfield is so fun to watch.
Pogba has been part of an incredible midfield or two in his career. As with everything else about him, it’s down to his motivation.

He gives you the ability to play with a truly defensive midfielder and an attack-minded playmaker. He can play box to box, flexing his style to be a hard nosed defender and a creative force in the span of a single movement. It’s incredible.

When he was with Vidal and Pirlo, he provided cover for Pirlo (who played far deeper than a traditional playmaker and was of limited use defensively) and created space for Vidal (another hard-nosed box to box guy). Pogba was the key. If he was truly defensive, the attack would have stalled. If he was purely attacking, the side became top heavy. When he found his stride, flexing back and forth, Juventus were unstoppable.

I would take Pogba over Ronaldo in a cocaine heartbeat right now (though Ronaldo has his best match in ages yesterday).
 

OCST

Sunny von Bulow
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Too bad. Norwich City held Man U off the board with 10 men for about 30 minutes before conceding a goal with just a couple minutes to go in extra time. Tim Krul with some of the best goalkeeping you’ll ever see.
Some PL club will grab Krul when the go back down.
 

fletcherpost

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Sheffield Utd get the equaliser - it's actually the third time they've had the ball in the back of the net, but the first two were offside. I think they deserve to be on terms. As ever Arsenal shaky defending set pieces.
 

Kliq

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Whoops, didn't see this thread.

Guiata should have saved that one but I love that set piece/execution by Mee and Burnley.
 

fletcherpost

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If Dyche leaves, what's the over under on how many seasons before Burnley get relegated? Got take the under if the line is 1.5.

He's done miracles at Burnley.
 

swiftaw

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If Dyche leaves, what's the over under on how many seasons before Burnley get relegated? Got take the under if the line is 1.5.

He's done miracles at Burnley.
I'd say they go down next season if Dyche leaves this offseason, as you would also think some of their best players might be poached too. Where would Dyche go?
 

Cellar-Door

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What did he do to you?
To be fair, West Ham is the natural landing spot for all deeply negative British managers, they come to the east side of London, range from shit to mediocre, the fans turn on them for boring awful viewing experiences, they get sacked and their careers dwindle into obscurity... this is the way.
 

candylandriots

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I'd say they go down next season if Dyche leaves this offseason, as you would also think some of their best players might be poached too. Where would Dyche go?
There has been a lot of talk about him to Palace, though that’s died down a bit since Hodgson signed a one year extension. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him there for 21-22 though.
 

Jimy Hendrix

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To be fair, West Ham is the natural landing spot for all deeply negative British managers, they come to the east side of London, range from shit to mediocre, the fans turn on them for boring awful viewing experiences, they get sacked and their careers dwindle into obscurity... this is the way.
I thought they'd hit on a nice rotation now, where they zig-zag between a befuddled European and David Moyes.
 

SocrManiac

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Whoops, didn't see this thread.

Guiata should have saved that one but I love that set piece/execution by Mee and Burnley.
I tried posting a picture from my phone but it was too bug for SoSH.

It was Sunday League from Guiata. The ball came in left to right and is just off the center of his goal when headed, but he absently drifted so far to his right he never had a chance. Poor footwork sealed his fate. Awful goalkeeping in every aspect, and shocking from a guy that’s had a good season. Whatever horseshoe he had jammed up his ass may have finally fallen out over quarantine.
 

OCST

Sunny von Bulow
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Ben Mee looks like Denis Leary.

Burnley's badge looks like it was designed on an Apple II.
 

The Gray Eagle

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If I was an announcer for one of the rare times Ben Mee scores a goal, my commentary would be like, "What a goal, for Mee! Mee! Yes, Mee! Amazing play by Mee! It's all about Mee!
It's clear now that the man of the match is... Mee!"

That's just one of many reasons why I will never be an announcer.
 

fletcherpost

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could keep the same gear
Aye, and he's not gonna get a sniff of the Everton job. He might get the VIlla job if they go down, or Newcastle...basically the sub set of possible gigs an English manager who's done well with an unfashionable club playing unfashionable football can reasonably hope for. West Ham is the pinnacle.
 

fletcherpost

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Naebdy cares but Man U are humping Brighton at the Amex. Three goal to the good and playing some fine stuff. They're looking like a proper team.
 

fletcherpost

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Best we’ve looked in a long time.
Been checking out some podcasts and youtube content relating to Man U and it seems that Ole has not been able to sign every player he fancied by any means. I think he deserves some credit for this side/squad he is building. The signings he has made have ranged from great to decent and he's got them playing some old school Man U footie.
 

OCST

Sunny von Bulow
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Pogba/Bruno combo is fantastic, they’re a gear quicker in their speed of thought than everyone else on the pitch
 

Zomp

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Hmmm really? I haven’t read much about targets he didn’t aside from Bruno in the summer.

We’ve looked good in spurts before only to turn shit again but the feel good factor is there right now. Pogba and Bruno are linking up just fine and Mason Greenwood might be the most talented 18 year old I’ve seen since Rooney.
 

Kliq

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Everton already up 2-0 over Leicester, Richarlison with the first and Sigurdsson buried a penalty for the second. Leicester really starting slow since coming back from the break.

Dwight Gayle scores again for Newcastle, they lead Bournemouth 1-0.

No score between Arsenal and Norwich as the bottom-feeders desperately need a win. Norwich could also use the 3 points.
 

OCST

Sunny von Bulow
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Everton up early 2-0 vs. Leicester.

Beautifully worked from 19-year-old academy product Anthony Gordon, from the byline to Richarlison, a one-timer right in front of the goal.

Then a handball called against Ndidi in the box via VAR, Siggy converting the penalty. Very long VAR review, the telecast must have shown it 50 times. Harsh to Leicster, maybe I wouldn't have given it, but Toffees have been right fucked by VAR this year and have not had a penalty all year so I'll take it.

Toffees look good.
 

OCST

Sunny von Bulow
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Everton already up 2-0 over Leicester, Richarlison with the first and Sigurdsson buried a penalty for the second. Leicester really starting slow since coming back from the break.

Dwight Gayle scores again for Newcastle, they lead Bournemouth 1-0.

No score between Arsenal and Norwich as the bottom-feeders desperately need a win. Norwich could also use the 3 points.
Agree that Foxes look poor.
 

Kliq

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Agree that Foxes look poor.
They are currently three points clear of Man U and Wolves with a game in hand, but both Man U and Wolves (not to mention Chelsea) have looked pretty good since the break. They need to show some life soon or risk slipping out of the Champions League.
 

Cellar-Door

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West Ham can be terrible and still have a good chance to stay up because good lord are Bournemouth and Norwich bad
 

OCST

Sunny von Bulow
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Toffees hang on to win 2-1. Maddison and Inheacho on at the half, Richarlison off with an injury at 50', and Leicester was rampant in the second half. Goal was a fluke off Inheacho who is the bane of Everton's existence, but Foxes had 75% possession and Everton were pinned very deep. For all their pressure, though, Leicester's attempts were all poor. Everton finally brought in Mina for five-at-the-back and that calmed things down somewhat.

Michael Keane again MOTM. He had lost his starting place and was also in danger of getting dropped from the English side. Since the restart he's been a rock, even scoring the goal in Everton's 1-0 win at Norwich last game.
 

OCST

Sunny von Bulow
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Very interesting table right now.

LEI, CHE, MUN, WOL all within three points of each other for 3-6. Foxes the weakest of those for sure right now.

ARS, TOT, BUR, SHU, EVE, CP, NEW all within 4 points for 7-13. Blades dropping fast. Gunners are kind of a hot mess. Don't believe in Burnley. Everton and Newcaslte the hot sides in this group with 7/9 points each since the restart.

Since Toffees fired Marco Silva after 5-2 loss in the Merseyside derby on December 4, they are at 8W, 6D, 3L, for 30 points in 17 games. Announcers said that's a pace good for a CL spot over that span of games, I'm not going to check every other side but I think that's right. Big problems still, midfield is very thin especially, but Carlo has them playing disciplined football. I feel better than I have in a long time.
 

Kliq

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West Ham score one of the ugliest goals of the season, but VAR overturns it for...something.
 

Cellar-Door

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Offside on the man lying on the ground by half an inch apparently?

That's an awful use of VAR, I've seen a handful of worse missed calls on VAR just this week.
 

Kliq

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Pulisic cleverly moves around Diop to draw a penalty and Willian buries the PK to put Chelsea in front. Aggravating last few minutes of the half for WHU.
 

Cellar-Door

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3 minutes of stoppage time? the VAR review alone took 3 minutes plus a drink break, this should be at least 6.