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Baphomet wrote:It's late and I'm struggling to sleep, so I'll try and gather my thoughts on the season so far:

- Still early, but very impressed by Everton. Having a proper manager in Ancelotti and upgrading the midfield is bringing the best out of the players they have. Calvert-Lewin looks like a man reborn playing with James. I can't see them maintaining title level form, but there's a marked improvement in the energy and quality they're showing.

- The new handball law is obviously a joke. There's not much I can say about it that hasn't been said, other than the people responsible for implementing it obviously aren't football people, and they can eat a mile of my turds.

- Spurs have shown signs of greatness and baffling futility. Kane is looking like Totti out there with his passing, and Son feels even more predatory than ever. Hojbjerg and Reguilon are great signings, and Ndombele is starting to look like the player we envisaged upon signing him. That's without even factoring in Bale who, assuming he can regain about 70-80% of his former brilliance, can be a huge X-factor for this team. Still need a quality CB but I fully trust Mourinho at this point.

- Arsenal look improved as well. Annoyingly. There were times when they looked absolutely disinterested last season, but they seem to be working a lot harder as a group. They're going to feel the loss of Gunnersaurus, though.

- Man United have been terrible and haven't really addressed their core problems with the new signings. Cavani is obviously a very experienced target man, and Telles is a big upgrade on Shaw, but neither of them are going to solve the clownshoes defending from that awful group of CBs. Maybe they shouldn't have sold Chris Smalling? He's been killing it in Rome. I wish I was joking but even he has to be better than Maguire/Lindelof/Bailly.

- Liverpool and City still obviously have the quality to be considered title favourites once again, but there's a big element of sloppiness creeping into their games, possibly due to lack of fans (not that that's ever bothered City before). Both teams have made some good signings (Thiago, Ruben Dias, Jota, Torres), so I doubt it'll be long before they're clicking and leading the charge once again.

- Fulham are the worst PL team I've seen since Paul Jewell's Derby County.

- Not sure what to make of Leicester yet, either, but they will probably be top 6 again. After they dicked City down, I was starting to have 2016 flashbacks. Then they went and got mullered by West Ham. I like their squad a lot, though, and Brendo seems to be getting a tune out of them.

- Chelsea and Lampard are walking a tightrope. They've made some serious investment this summer, but I feel like Lampard has avoided most criticism because he's English and is "in" with the Sky Sports mob. If they don't (Mason) mount a serious title challenge, I don't see him lasting the season. Is that fair? Probably not. It's hard to integrate so many players at once, even if they are mostly top class, but Abramovich is famously cutthroat and they don't look convincing just yet. We'll see how it goes.

HIF wrote:Is there any team that can win in the prem without their best striker, best midfield player and best defender against a full strength team? Looking at it like that and I shouldn't feel so bad about losing last night.

I wonder if the news of Soyuncu now being out for 3 months will get the same seriousness as VVD out. The 2 prem league team selections at CB last season.

aggerrard wrote:

HIF wrote:Is there any team that can win in the prem without their best striker, best midfield player and best defender against a full strength team? Looking at it like that and I shouldn't feel so bad about losing last night.

I wonder if the news of Soyuncu now being out for 3 months will get the same seriousness as VVD out. The 2 prem league team selections at CB last season.

... no shame in losing to Villa

J-Mezzy wrote:Where do you think James and Everton end up?

Baphomet wrote:

J-Mezzy wrote:Where do you think James and Everton end up?

Difficult to say based on a small sample size. I've always been a pretty vocal supporter of Ancelotti on here, and I like their signings a lot. I'm impressed by their football, but I think they're a top winger away from being a fringe top 4 team. I don't rate Richarlison, personally. Chelsea, United, Spurs, Arsenal and Leicester will all still feel like they're better teams fighting for those positions. Whether that's true or not will shake out over the course of the season.

J-Mezzy wrote:

Baphomet wrote:

J-Mezzy wrote:Where do you think James and Everton end up?

Difficult to say based on a small sample size. I've always been a pretty vocal supporter of Ancelotti on here, and I like their signings a lot. I'm impressed by their football, but I think they're a top winger away from being a fringe top 4 team. I don't rate Richarlison, personally. Chelsea, United, Spurs, Arsenal and Leicester will all still feel like they're better teams fighting for those positions. Whether that's true or not will shake out over the course of the season.

What don't you like about Richarlison?

Baphomet wrote:

J-Mezzy wrote:

Baphomet wrote:
Difficult to say based on a small sample size. I've always been a pretty vocal supporter of Ancelotti on here, and I like their signings a lot. I'm impressed by their football, but I think they're a top winger away from being a fringe top 4 team. I don't rate Richarlison, personally. Chelsea, United, Spurs, Arsenal and Leicester will all still feel like they're better teams fighting for those positions. Whether that's true or not will shake out over the course of the season.

What don't you like about Richarlison?

He has big time talent but is too ill-disciplined for my liking. He's a bit like United-era Pogba in the sense that he has moments of class, but his head doesn't seem in the game most of the time, like he's not interested in putting in a shift unless he has the ball. Makes rash challenges too.

J-Mezzy wrote:

Baphomet wrote:

J-Mezzy wrote:
What don't you like about Richarlison?

He has big time talent but is too ill-disciplined for my liking. He's a bit like United-era Pogba in the sense that he has moments of class, but his head doesn't seem in the game most of the time, like he's not interested in putting in a shift unless he has the ball. Makes rash challenges too.

Hmm.

Interesting because one of the things I've noticed is that he runs like a mad man and plays a lot of defense.

But you are right, he is reckless on attack. He sometimes gets greedy looking for goal. Just seems like he lacks some IQ in attack even though he is very talented

Baphomet wrote:

J-Mezzy wrote:

Baphomet wrote:
He has big time talent but is too ill-disciplined for my liking. He's a bit like United-era Pogba in the sense that he has moments of class, but his head doesn't seem in the game most of the time, like he's not interested in putting in a shift unless he has the ball. Makes rash challenges too.

Hmm.

Interesting because one of the things I've noticed is that he runs like a mad man and plays a lot of defense.

But you are right, he is reckless on attack. He sometimes gets greedy looking for goal. Just seems like he lacks some IQ in attack even though he is very talented

Putting in a shift is probably the wrong way to phrase it. He does track back reasonably well and isn't afraid of a tackle. But I think his attacking effectiveness is limited by the fact that he's too eager to drift inward, cut in and shoot. That sometimes makes him easier to defend than a player of his talent and athletic qualities otherwise should be, and susceptible to a press.

I think of him as being like a lone wolf both in his mentality and how he plays. There's a single-mindedness to that, and when he isn't able to get involved or be the hero his proclivity to tackle becomes reckless instead of productive. This is all pure speculation on my part of course. I think to reach his full potential he needs more competition at his position.

This might be an old fashioned mindset, but I personally like wide players to stretch defences out laterally and be less predictable with their running, and offer a crossing/cutback threat on the byline. James' presence proves that Everton's biggest need has been playmaking, but generally I feel like Richarlison is more likely to try to dribble out of trouble than pass the ball. Sonny used to be like that but he's expanded his all-round game big time. Mane as well.

I should add, it's not that I don't like him. He's a solid player. I'm just not sure if I see world class potential there, but I've often been wrong before (Sterling).

The_Brecht wrote:Is Vardy injured for the weekend?

HIF wrote:

The_Brecht wrote:Is Vardy injured for the weekend?

Not certain yet. Bet you're hoping he is.