News: Teams competing for Trophies - The Other Teams Thread [R]

Entertaining and open game between Juve and Napoli, even if Napoli are all over the place tactically and are in need of some serious tightening up.
Don't know if it is too soon for Lozano but if he's good to go, would like to see him get on at some point in the 2nd half.

And he's come on right at the start of the 2nd half, with Insigne apparently having picked up an injury. Playing up front, alongside Mertens.

 

It appears that Neymar was ready to put up up to €20mil of his own money to help make a deal happen, to no avail. So that looks like the end of that saga.

 

Game, set and match for Juve as Ron puts Juve up 3-0. Napoli, in terms of their shape and defensive solidity were improved this half but Juve are just too strong. Costa btw has been superb today.

Manolas scores to make it 3-1 and give Napoli a ray of hope....but Lozano now has scored to make it 3-2! It's game on now. De Ligt was far too casual there, just letting Lozano go thru.

This game is living up the hype! The Napoli keeper pulled off an amazing save on a superb shot from Costa.

3-3 now, with Napoli coming back from 3 down. De Ligt once again looked sloppy as he fails to pick up Di Lorenzo. He was very good in the first period, looking his strong, composed self, but he's having a bit of a mare since.

 

What a ********ing match. Napoli fight back from 3-0 down to tie it up, only to have Koulibaly put it into his own net in the last minute... Juve dodged a bullet there.

 

Bad og from Koulibaly: was under pressure whatsoever and just shanks it for the goal. Rough on Napoli who did very well to come back.
A superb match, if we're being perfectly honest.

 

Question is, if we were not in for Bruno F then who were we in for?

If the answer is nobody, then bigger question is having lost two CMs and having a weakness at #10 then why the F were we not in for anybody?

 

Sounds like we were probably in for Eriksen and Dybala at some point. But Dybala only popped up at the last minute so that begs the question, did we really spend the whole summer chasing Eriksen?

As for deeper in CM, we were clearly in for Longsraff for some mysterious reason. Maybe because we thought we could get him for peanuts.

 

Highlights of an incredible game of football.

 

We were in for Longstaff for the same reason we were in for James.

They are quality young players who fit a certain type.

Ole isn't doing very well as a manager. But he's doing very well at identifying the type we need.

 

Great game between Everton and wolves for the neutrals. Richarlison looks pretty decent

 

Agree, the Eriksen and Dybala attempts came across as pretty opportunistic and late as you suggest

The mysterious reason with Longstaff was that Carrick rated him apparently, what we saw it seemed was also half-hearted in the sense that when it became clear Newcastle wanted AWB type money for him we backed off pretty quickly.

Considering we lost Fellaini and Herrera before the window even opened and considering Lukaku and Sanchez were always looking to move - it genuinely feels that we were not really targetting CMs or strikers in any committed way.

Certainly not once we had commited to James/AWB/Maguire - that seemed to blow the budget for anybody else regardless of Lukaku money.

I think the longer-term desire for Sacho is real, but seems we were told he won't come here unless we qualify for the CL and show some ambition. No signs of us doing that and the winter transfer window is usually dead / difficult. Plus will we have money for necessary CM targets or will next summer just be Sancho?

Just truly mind-boggling for me for a team that finished 6th and has so many squad gaps.

 

Eriksen opens the score for Spurs, against the run of play and some terrible defending from Arsenal.

 

Good shot by Son but he missed playing through the player streaking down the middle when he just received that outlet pass

 

Make that 0-2, Spurs as Arsenal keep pushing that 'self destruct' button over and over.

Arsenal finally get on the board right before HT, from a Lacazette belter.

 

Alderweireld caught flat and Laca with some quick feet and good finish.

Entertaining game.

 

Two good games today

 

Lloris great save

 

Kane off the post and deserved a goal

Not great tactically or technically but wide open and excited again for the new trolls

 

Ceballos coming on (which is a great move), but it shouldn't have been for Torreira IMO...

Clever and opportunistic from Aubameyang to bring Arse level. Anyone's game now.

 

Xhaka needs to settle down: that was a clear foul he committed on Lo Celso. Not sure what he's trying to argue with the official or trying to get into it with Lo Celso.

Going to be a long 5mins, plus change for Spurs. Need to hold that result at a minimum.

 

Heck of a game. Watching the Napoli free kicks reminds how we have no one who can deliver a dangerous ball in the box on FK and corners.