English Premier League 2021/2022 Season

[Dedinbed]

Chelsea showed the gulf 'tween thereselves and Arsenal yesterday and even the visually challenged will have recognized that AFC got off lightly with just a 0 - 2 .. it's too Chelsea for Arsenal to tintack Arteta any time soon but the pressure will start to build after losing their opening two games .. 

Arrival of another new Messiah at Tottenham has seen them quietly go about winning their openers so all good at the Lane .. 

Norwich on the face of it have taken a tonking but it should not be unobserved that they've faced the 2 teams that are faves to win the title come next May and now they are out of the way and the Canaries can get back to lesser teams we might get a better evaluation ..

Brentford scratched a point against Palace with Zaha getting suitably frustrated with all and sundry .. and Watford's first match euphoria was doused with some reality with Brighton's Seagulls nicking their chips at a 2 - 0 .. 

Still early doors though .. 

Edited August 23, 2021 by Dedinbed
Sp

[BigHewer]

30 minutes ago, Dedinbed said:

Brentford scratched a point against Palace with Zaha getting suitably frustrated with all and sundry ..

Brentford remind me of Blackpool 10 or so seasons ago. They got off to a flyer, were everyone’s second favorite team, but the wheels fell off in the last 10 or 15 games and they were relegated.

Palace look in complete disarray. I originally had Watford, Brentford and Southampton down for relegation, but Palace are definitely in the mix. 

[Lowseasonlover]

West Ham top of the league they battered Leicester 4-1 

[SnapDragon]

13 hours ago, BigHewer said:

Brentford remind me of Blackpool 10 or so seasons ago. They got off to a flyer, were everyone’s second favorite team, but the wheels fell off in the last 10 or 15 games and they were relegated.

Palace look in complete disarray. I originally had Watford, Brentford and Southampton down for relegation, but Palace are definitely in the mix. 

I think the worst collapse ever was Carlisle.

In the 1974/75 season, they won their first three fixtures to go top of League Division One. The early success was short lived and they began sliding down the table, finishing the season in bottom place, and were relegated

 

[BigHewer]

10 hours ago, snapdragon said:

I think the worst collapse ever was Carlisle.

Let’s not forget the Toon in 95/96, though from 1st to 2nd rather than relegation.

”I’ll tell you honestly, I’ll love it if we beat them, love it!”. -

But of course, “we” didn’t, 10 points up at Christmas notwithstanding.

I must say though, Newcastle 5-0 Man United the following season was one of football’s sweetest days, apart from maybe England 5-1 Germany in 2001.

 

 

[SnapDragon]

22 minutes ago, BigHewer said:

Let’s not forget the Toon in 95/96, though from 1st to 2nd rather than relegation.

”I’ll tell you honestly, I’ll love it if we beat them, love it!”. -

But of course, “we” didn’t, 10 points up at Christmas notwithstanding.

You are right about that BigHewer. Good to bring it out. I'd forgotten that one.

Going back a bit further; West Brom had a disastrous run in one year (1953-54). Leading Wolves by three with nine games left, they lost six of those and Wolves took the title by four points.

That year they were  a real Jeckel and Hyde club. Went to Newcastle and won 3-7 and beat Cardiff 6-1. But got undone by Chelsea 5-0 and Villa 6-1.

Won the FA cup 3-2 beating PNE.

 

Edited August 24, 2021 by snapdragon

[BigHewer]

10 minutes ago, snapdragon said:

West Brom had a disastrous run in one year (1953-54).

Very interesting parallel, snapdragon. I didn’t know about that. I wonder if their manager had an “l’d love it if we beat them” meltdown on live TV? Maybe not.

[SnapDragon]

1 hour ago, BigHewer said:

Very interesting parallel, snapdragon. I didn’t know about that. I wonder if their manager had an “l’d love it if we beat them” meltdown on live TV? Maybe not.

I reckon our Kev is the only one credited with that. But he did say another funny thing on live TV. When asked about his new born he replied "Babies only do three things; eat, sleep and sh!t." Love it! One of a kind.

For me, the late 1950s were perhaps the most exciting times in English footy.  They were certainly unpredictable. You could never tell how a game was going to finish. Teams would win 0-5 away and the following week get six put past them at home. I think the worst/best club for this was Wolves. London teams were often hammered by them. I can recall a 9-0 (Fulham), a 1-5, a 6-1 and 8-1 (Chelsea), 7-3 (Charlton), 1-6 (Arsenal), 5-0 (WHU) and a few other 6s and 5s. Although Spurs had them 5-1, and WHU 5-0, to get some London revenge.

I started watching footy from about 1957. My uncle would take me to West Ham and The Orient. At that time The Orient had cinder banking north end. When I look back at those days now, I'm surprised that there were not players knocked out. The balls were hard and heavy. The pitches muddy, and often under water at the sides. Half the goals seemed to be from headers. In one game; if my memory serves me, a game between Villa and Man U, every goal was headed; the score 4-4. That was the days of flying wingers and big bustling center-forwards.

Liverpool changed that when the arrived from the second division in the early 1960s; with Paisley and Shanks at the helm. Another story that is.

Edited August 24, 2021 by snapdragon

[BigHewer]

9 hours ago, snapdragon said:

For me, the late 1950s were perhaps the most exciting times in English footy.  They were certainly unpredictable. You could never tell how a game was going to finish.

I missed all of that, unfortunately. I’ve always looked at those outrageous scores and wondered what it would have been like week to week.

I’m still old enough to remember sitting by the radio, or even the treat of not knowing a result, avoiding finding out and then opening the next day’s newspaper like a Christmas present. 

I didn’t start going to games regularly until the 90s. My “local” teams were Hammer SpVg (in the German 4th tier) and Borussia Dortmund (before they were cool). It was raucous back then, still is I guess but me personally, less so.

I don’t remember ever once sitting on a seat at any game. At Hamm, I’d sit on the grassed terrace near one of the beer carts and at Dortmund, the whole southern end was standing room only. If the home side scored, you could end up three rows away from the person you were previously standing next to after the chaotic post-goal celebration. Good times.

 

 

[Lowseasonlover]

What was the first game you went to? mine was Manchester United v Birmingham 1957 at Old Trafford 

[BigHewer]

Dortmund vs Kaiserslautern 1992 at Westfalenstadion. Ground wasn’t even half full but the southern stand was absolutely packed.

1957 Respect. I’m just a whipper snapper.

[SnapDragon]

58 minutes ago, Lowseasonlover said:

What was the first game you went to? mine was Manchester United v Birmingham 1957 at Old Trafford 

That goes way back.

Must have been the FA Cup game. United won 2-0.

Mine was 7 Feb 1959 Leyton Orient v Sheffield Wednesday - League Division Two game we lost 0-2.

Played the Owls the following week at home in the FA Cup. Lost 0-2 again. Sheff Wed were just getting into their stride around this time. They were a match for anyone for a few years.

Can't recall my first visit to the Boleyn ground to watch The Irons.

Edited August 25, 2021 by snapdragon

[Lowseasonlover]

24 minutes ago, snapdragon said:

That goes way back.

Must have been the FA Cup game. United won 2-0.

Mine was 7 Feb 1959 Leyton Orient v Sheffield Wednesday - League Division Two game we lost 0-2.

Played the Owls the following week at home in the FA Cup. Lost 0-2 again. Sheff Wed were just getting into their stride around this time. They were a match for anyone for a few years.

Can't recall my first visit to the Boleyn ground to watch The Irons.

I got my years wrong, the FA cup game was played at Hillsborough semi final 

 Manchester United v Birmingham City, 18 August 1956 was 2-2

[SnapDragon]

It was around late 1959 that I started getting out on my own without Uncle Wally looking after me. I started watching Spurs (Tottenham Hotspur) quite a bit. I would get the train from Barking to Northumberland Park. Can't recall ever buying a ticket. The trains would be jam-packed. At the destination, the crowd would just march on through. Ticket collectors just moved aside. It was cheap too. Can't remember how much to get in the ground but a programme was sixpence.

My favourite spot, once in the ground, was in the corner, back from the telegraph pole floodlight holders. Went there for the first game for the 1961/62 season, and the poles had been replaced by metal pylons. Really spoiled my view. It was never the same again. Although I watched nearly all Spurs home games , and if they played in London, their away games for the previous double winning season.

The Orient were smashing teams to bits and got promoted. Both The Orient and The Irons were back in the top flight for the 1962/63 season. Time to move back to East London. And anyway there were news kids on the block in the top flight. Spurs reign was over.

[Lowseasonlover]

As a kid I went to Boundry Park more it was easy for me only one bus then walk across the fields to get to the ground

[SnapDragon]

1 hour ago, Lowseasonlover said:

I got my years wrong, the FA cup game was played at Hillsborough semi final 

 Manchester United v Birmingham City, 18 August 1956 was 2-2

Yes! bang on the money there. 18th Aug; as you say.

Strange how the mind can play tricks with the memory. I had a favourite fishing spot in Epping Forest. Didn't go to school much as I was sickly. Didn't like school anyway. This would be around 1959/60. Went there on my cycle. Caught little Tench and Crucian Carp. Went back 40 years later and I was amazed to see how small the place was. I remembered it as a medium size lake, but in reality it was little bigger than a swimming pool.

Called Warren Pond. The clue was in the name.

[SnapDragon]

The Orient. Just around the corner from their illustrious neighbours; WHU and Spurs. Now a lot nearer since West Ham left their Upton Park ground and moved into North Stratford. Grounds now just 2km apart.

Yes, The Os. Came up with Liverpool in the 1961/62 season. Nothing much in it in result terms that year. Their  two games were both draws; 3-3 at Anfield and 2-2 at Brisbane Road.

Although I did not support the club, they did a 'Leicester' back in 1961/62. Ipswich!!! Won the league in their first season after promotion from the second. Well! If those tractor boys could win the league first time in, so could we. High optimism for us 'O' fans.

It was with great expectation that we welcomed The Gunners to our humble home for the first match. A 1-2 defeat. Not to worry; these things happen. Can only get better. But not for a few games; just one win in the first five matches. Against The Irons, as one might expect; 2-0. But!! Then came the highlight of the season. Two wins on the bounce against giants; Manchester United and Everton. That was about that. A run of seven straight losses, mid season, and only two wins in the last 17 games sent us back down Although one of those wins was against Liverpool.

Both Liverpool and Everton went on to win the league, while we slipped down and down, until eventually finishing bottom of Div 2 with just 5 wins and 23 points in 1965/66; ending up in the third tier down.

Strange as it seemed in that era, I was sometimes appreciative of greater things to come. I remember a match at White Hart Lane against a newly promoted team called Liverpool. I can remember saying to my travelling companion Colin on the way home after watching a 7-2 win. "Saw a new style of play today Col." Yes! The Reds played a new system. New to me anyway. Midfielders dropping back to defend and defenders moving to midfield. Didn't know it then but we were watching the embryo of  system that would dominate English Football for the next 30 years. The 4-4-2.

Just two seasons later Liverpool were crowned champions.

 

Edited August 25, 2021 by snapdragon

[Lowseasonlover]

 

Man City star Benjamin Mendy, 27, is charged with four counts of rape and one of sexual assault against three people and is suspended by the Premier League champions

The 27-year-old, who plays at left-back for the Premier League champions

He was immediately suspended by Manchester City pending investigation

Remanded in custody and is due to appear at magistrates' court tomorrow

 

[Lowseasonlover]

1 minute ago, Lowseasonlover said:

Man City star Benjamin Mendy, 27, is charged with four counts of rape and one of sexual assault against three people and is suspended by the Premier League champions

The 27-year-old, who plays at left-back for the Premier League champions

He was immediately suspended by Manchester City pending investigation

Remanded in custody and is due to appear at magistrates' court tomorrow

Must be pretty serious if the clubs lawyers cant get him bail

[SnapDragon]

22 minutes ago, Lowseasonlover said:

Man City star Benjamin Mendy, 27, is charged with four counts of rape and one of sexual assault against three people and is suspended by the Premier League champions

The 27-year-old, who plays at left-back for the Premier League champions

He was immediately suspended by Manchester City pending investigation

Remanded in custody and is due to appear at magistrates' court tomorrow

Better get him out of my fantasy team sharpish.

[Lowseasonlover]

Not looking good for Arsenal first time they have been bottom since 1954, I think it's time to cal Fat Sam

[BigHewer]

I was wrong about Arsenal. I predicted they’d be bottom of the league outright at the international break. I didn’t think it’d come down to goals scored. 

Looking forward to the relegation six-pointer in week 4 at home to Norwich.

[Lowseasonlover]

 

'I hope Ronaldo isn't watching because he'll be pulling out of the deal': Roy Keane blasts Man United's 'lacklustre' first half against Wolves after urging Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to give his players a 'rollicking' at half-time

 

[Lowseasonlover]

 

Ohhh, we got away with one there, in more ways than one! After seeing it slowed down, that was a clear foul by Pogba in the lead up to our goal, but Wolves should've been at least 2-0 up by then. We couldn't keep the ball, we were getting carved apart through midfield and Fred... Words fail me how bad he was today! Still, am not complaining. Three games in, seven points, unbeaten and ahead of City. I'll take that. :-)

I don't really know which game Ole was watching. We were under the cosh for most of the game, not just for "a spell"; Wolves were clearly the better team and had they fielded a proper finisher, they would've won with ease. Very, very lucky today. Keane made me laugh with what he said at half time:

Hope Ronaldo's not watching; he'll be pulling out of the deal!

 

[gummy]

38 minutes ago, Lowseasonlover said:

'I hope Ronaldo isn't watching because he'll be pulling out of the deal': Roy Keane blasts Man United's 'lacklustre' first half against Wolves after urging Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to give his players a 'rollicking' at half-time

Ronaldo coming possibly secures Ole Gunnar Solskjaer job for the season.