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Grading the managers
Arsenal: Unai Emery has got to be the manager of the year so far. Not only did Arsenal buy cheap and decent, they were also quote dysfunctional. They now seem to have structure and direction. Plus the team has to be the most exciting in the EPL in terms of player freedom while maintaining defensive discipline. Grade – A
Chelsea: If there was a Mourinho opposite, It has to be Sarri. Warm, wise, respectable, and plays football with the ball. He has surely reignited the sleeping giant. It’s quite remarkable how Abramovich keeps unearthing these gems. He just seems to never lack options, and brilliant ones at that. Its just his godfatherly nature and the football his team is playing that endear him. The fact that he took a team, itself in a shambles and now looking like the only real competition to city earns him a lot of points. Grade – A
Liverpool: I’m beginning to think Klopp is a very good manager who just fall short of the very best. He is just a tier below the best. He can do it once, but cannot sustain it. In my opinion, not only should he be challenging, the summer business they had, means his team should be playing way better than they are. Grade – B+
Man City: Pep can assemble a squad, scratch that, Pep can buy a squad. Anybody who questions the notion that City are buying league titles must be a blinkered city fan. The fact that they have dropped intensity this year and are still winning 6-0 just shows the gulf in class. The fact that next year, a couple of these players will be moved on, and newer better ones bought just diminishes what they achieve. They should be walking it, yet they have been neutered by several teams already. Grade – B
Tottenham: Pochettino has been touted as the next big thing, and taking into account how the Spurs board has failed to support him, and how frustrating it must be, he deserves nothing but accolades. But, just like Klopp, he seems to fall just short even when equipped with the best tools. This Spurs side should have won, at least 2 titles before city got organized and took over. However they played bridesmaid on both occasions. The football seems to be on a downward trajectory, the mood seems sombre but they are keeping their heads above water. I think Pochettino deserves credit for what he has achieved, but this year it’s just not looking good. Grade – B-
Man Utd: Mourinho, obnoxious, infuriating, and a down right d**khead. A manager is supposed to be the middleman and buffer between the board and players, and should protect his players. He somehow finds fault in some of his best, finds not fault in some of his worst, and is ready to mouth off given any opportunity. He seems to have found some semblance of sanity and maybe this will help control his insanity but he had been the worst of the elites this season. Grade – D
Dave (2,3,4 will change position, but that’s it for the league this year), Somewhere
Welbz ?
After frustratingly reading some so-called United fans reviews of the Juve game in the mailbox – enjoy the moment fer Christ sakes – I then saw the news on Welbeck’s injury.
Like most true United fans, I hope Welbz recovers quickly and we will soon see him and his lovely smile back on the field. To me and my sons, he’s forever ‘Dat Guy’ and one of our own, whoever he plays for.
Steve, (ex-Flixton Red) Guelph, Canada
Sterling work
Dear Chris, MUFC. Firstly, how many footballers are you aware of that proactively seek to reverse an incorrect refereeing decision that has gone in their favour? ‘Naa sorry Ref, that was never our throw-in/corner/free-kick, you got that one wrong!’ It doesn’t happen, so drop the act.
Secondly, (and apologies to all for having already brought this up recently) on 25th August during our away game at Wolves, Willy Boly scored Wolves’ only goal of the game with his hand, resulting in a 1-1 draw. That was a goal as illegal and as obvious as they come – upon replay inspection at least. Presumably, you would have wanted to see Willy pleading with the referee to reverse an error that was arguably more sinister and undeniably more significant?
Thirdly, the oxymoron. Something cannot be simulation – shocking or otherwise – if it is unintentional. The entire concept of simulation is predicated on imitation; the act of pretending; the intent to deceive. Seeing as none of these traits were present in Sterling’s stumble – as that was all that it was – your characterisation of it as “shocking simulation” is incorrect, misleading and defamatory, quite frankly.
Finally, and for no other reason than to stir the pot some more, Sterling’s inability to connect foot with football during locomotion was just embarrassing, and rather comical. Jose Mourinho taking to the field in a European arena and goading the local supporters was calculated and provocative. It is apparent to you which is worse, right?
Anyway, nice try mukka, see you Sunday! Can’t wait!
Rusty Blue, MCFC
Risk/reward
As it is a Friday, how about a relatively harmless thought experiment.
This was inspired by Manchester United’s CL group scenario, so I will use them as an example, but it can be applied to other teams too.
United are currently second on their group. Assuming they beat YB in the next match (which I feel is a likely) and Juve beat Valencia, then they are through to the knock-out stages, but likely to finish second, as Juve would be playing YB in the last round, and would only need to match the result of United to win the group.
However, if Valencia were to somehow beat Juve, then United would probably be top of the group going into the last round of matches, but with the risk that a loss against Valencia could mean finishing 3rd.
So what do fans think is better? Going into the last game having qualified, but knowing that it will almost certainly be in second place (and the tougher tie that could bring in the new-year), or being in a situation where first is in your own hands, but 3rd place is also possible?
Obviously the answer will change depending on the exact make-up of the teams in the group, but I think if I were a United fan, I would take 2nd with a game to spare, rather than have qualification decided by what would essentially be a ‘cup final’ type match in the final round.
Michael, Basel
Tackling the stats
A thing that has been bugging me for quite some time, the use of statistics around tackles and how players are lauded for putting in a handful over a game.
CL winners & losers had a piece on Harry Winks lauding him for 4 tackles, in 90 minutes, a tackle every 22.5 minutes, as a central midfielder. Now I never played much 11 a side football (I’m Irish, we have our own more aggressive form of football, and we call the foreign one soccer), mostly 5 a side but that sounds miserable. Is the role of a centre mid not to be tackling, winning the ball back, spraying it around? Or have I completely missed the point of this game for the last 40 years.
Mel – Berlin
P.S. don’t get me started on when a centre half is lauded for a few tackles, it is pretty much their only job. Anything less than double figures is slacking off.
