2021-22 English Premier League Discussion Thread

[Sedale Threatt]

I play CIV V and CK3. If I decide to load up CIV V at the start of the weekend, it is death sentence to all my free time. Never played Football manager outside of few hours like 15 years ago, I am just casual Football fan and dont understand game enough, so I never trusted myself to get into these games.

I won't keep derailing the thread, but it's not really that complex. Or rather, it's as complex as you want it to be. Some people come up with their own tactics and continue to tinker down to the training schedule. Me, I spend an hour or so before I start a save searching on YouTube for a good formation that looks interesting and I just set it and forget it outside of in-game tweaks.

By far, the biggest drain on my FM time is scouting players. It gets tedious as the save wears on but it's the lifeblood of your team so if you do well there you're going to have success. It's crazy how attached you can get to these little fantasy people, but that's the magic of the game -- building your own dramas and history.

[HIF]

I guess we differ on our definition of quality. Every team in the prem has times when they play wonderful football, consistent wonderful football for 90 minutes, for a season, is quality. Liverpool and Man city are quality.

Yeah, forget I said anything about Spurs and quality in the same sentence. We're crap.

Congrats to Arsenal on top 4.

You're not crap, you're just not consistently good. That's the same for Arsenal (who have played a lot less games this season and were always likely to make top 4 because of that) and Man U. All three clubs have fallen into the idea of the "big 6" when in actually playing ability we have a "big 2.5".

Making Europa league and nothing else...is that a success, failure or somewhere in between for you?

[Baphomet]

You're not crap, you're just not consistently good. That's the same for Arsenal (who have played a lot less games this season and were always likely to make top 4 because of that) and Man U. All three clubs have fallen into the idea of the "big 6" when in actually playing ability we have a "big 2.5".

Making Europa league and nothing else...is that a success, failure or somewhere in between for you?

It's difficult to say. I think everybody knew it would be difficult to break into the top four with our squad to start this season. Kane wanting to leave and a very poor managerial search left the club in a state of flux, and even when Conte came in that was still a deeply flawed squad. A very good January window gave the team some momentum, and they've shown some flashes of what Conte's Chelsea and Inter teams did, but we're still short in one critical area for "Conte Ball", and that's wing backs. Doherty, Emerson, Sessegnon and Reguilon don't have the composure or quality in the final third, or the defensive work rate to perform in this system. Doherty aside, they're young and can grow into the role, but we need to add real quality there in the summer. Doc had a brief purple patch in the last month or so, but I can't see it lasting.

Still, knowing that we hauled ourselves back into the top four race and then blew it would be difficult to take. I'd be fine with the EL, but next season will be the crucial one for Conte, and the likes of Son and Kane. Failure there could herald the beginning of a full rebuild.

Favourable schedule or not, Arsenal need to be credited for turning around their decaying momentum with two huge wins against two rivals, albeit two rivals in a state of utter shambles at the moment. I can see them dropping back a bit with mid-week games to deal with next season unless they're able to sign a top quality striker, which if rumours are to be believed, they might.

I agree with your assessment that the big 6 is a myth.

[LDNMagic90]

Mino Raiola passed away, for those that aren't sure who he is... He is the agent of Pogba, Haaland, Gravenberch, De Ligt, Donnarumma, Malen, Veratti and Ibrahimovic.

RIP

Annnnnnndddd it's fake lol, journalism is so sh*t these days.

Dr. Alberto Zangrillo from San Raffaele Hospital in Milano tells Ansa on Mino Raiola conditions: “I’m outraged by the phone calls from pseudo-journalists speculating on the life of a man who is fighting to survive”.

[HIF]

Well if that's the best Spurs can do against the Leicester second 11, they really don't deserve european football.

[HIF]

Conté ought to say yes to PSG.

[Baphomet]

Well if that's the best Spurs can do against the Leicester second 11, they really don't deserve european football.

Conté ought to say yes to PSG.

I thought it was very comfortable. We weren't, and aren't great but had more than enough to beat a poor depleted Leicester team.

[Baphomet]

Chelsea did a favour for their old mate Fat Frank. Might keep them up.

[HIF]

Well if that's the best Spurs can do against the Leicester second 11, they really don't deserve european football.

Conté ought to say yes to PSG.

I thought it was very comfortable. We weren't, and aren't great but had more than enough to beat a poor depleted Leicester team.

You played your main cast against a very poor and weakened second string and you really weren't that comfortable. You could have gone in behind at half time imo.

[The_Brecht]

Tuchel is trying to get sacked.
Getting out with a bag of money.

[UcanUwill]

0-1, not a terrible score, but game wise, probably one of the crappiest halfs you will ever see from Man United.

[SgtPepper]

^^I doubt it. Chelsea's is stuck and comfortable in CL qualification for this season so they're in full player development and tactics experimenting mode for next season already. Strong hint that's the case with Lukaku starting in the league at all.

[Baphomet]

Worst Man United team I've seen in my lifetime.

And we lost twice to this shower.

[Baphomet]

Unbelievable atmosphere at Anfield. I'll be happy if we don't get battered, to be honest.

Come on Spurs.

[Baphomet]

Fantastic performance, shame we couldn't hold on to win.

Will be difficult for Liverpool to win the title now, and for Spurs to make top four.

[The_Brecht]

Pathetic excuse of a second half against a ten men Leeds team.

[HIF]

Brendan out. Please.

[danfantastk32]

Fantastic performance, shame we couldn't hold on to win.

Will be difficult for Liverpool to win the title now, and for Spurs to make top four.

Yes....this was a heartbreak game for my squad. I think the title is forgone now (again). Your guys played well, and really shoulda won there at the end. I think Liverpool's gas tanks are empty. I hope Klopp rests the main squad today and saves them for Sat.

I think Conte has done a great job. I thought you'd be mid-table this season. And I thought Kane was gone. I like Conte alot. I think he's a great coach. I think Klopp was just frustrated when he made those comments. Conte needs to worry about his squad and their path to top-4....not some fantasy Liverpool were toying with.

Curious if United can screw it up, and miss Europe altogether. Even as a Liverpool fan, it's hard to watch what has happened there. I think it will get worse before it gets better. I see Ronaldo leaving, and several others....and I don't picture good signing coming back. Much like the Liverpool squad of about 6-8 years ago.......United are gonna have to do some "building". No A-listers rolling in to save the day.

[Baphomet]

Yes....this was a heartbreak game for my squad. I think the title is forgone now (again). Your guys played well, and really shoulda won there at the end. I think Liverpool's gas tanks are empty. I hope Klopp rests the main squad today and saves them for Sat.

I think Conte has done a great job. I thought you'd be mid-table this season. And I thought Kane was gone. I like Conte alot. I think he's a great coach. I think Klopp was just frustrated when he made those comments. Conte needs to worry about his squad and their path to top-4....not some fantasy Liverpool were toying with.

Curious if United can screw it up, and miss Europe altogether. Even as a Liverpool fan, it's hard to watch what has happened there. I think it will get worse before it gets better. I see Ronaldo leaving, and several others....and I don't picture good signing coming back. Much like the Liverpool squad of about 6-8 years ago.......United are gonna have to do some "building". No A-listers rolling in to save the day.

I have to admit, I've enjoyed the backlash that we've got from some Liverpool fans after the game at the weekend, with accusations of using "Allardyce tactics". Some were claiming that preventing Liverpool's hypothetical quadruple was the biggest moment in our history. Like you said, we've got to worry about our own team, not rolling out the red carpet for Liverpool. Klopp is a good man and an even better coach, but he can be a very sore loser at times. All great coaches hate to lose, or draw, in this case.

Regarding United, it's probably for the best that they'll miss out on A-listers. Might actually have to do some scouting instead of buying flavour of the month players.

[LDNMagic90]

Salah and Robbo on the bench, Villa only have to deal with Mane, Diaz, Jota, Thiago, Trent and Frimino now