EPL: What’s There Left To Watch For?

Posted: February 23, 2018 in Arsenal, Chelsea, Football, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur
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Guest Author: Michael B. Howell

It’s been a while since the EPL season felt spoken for quite this early in the New Year. By early February people were already looking at when Manchester City could mathematically seal the deal, which is really rather absurd, (though delightful for plenty of City supporters, no doubt). One could be easily forgiven for calling it something of a bummer for what’s supposed to be one of the most competitive sporting leagues on the planet.

Man City’s presumed title, (the club would essentially have to fall off the face of the Earth to avoid winning outright at this point), makes you wonder what else there really is to watch for in the EPL. Sure, there’s always the relegation battle, but for fans in Manchester or those who zero-in on the top of the table, this isn’t actually that compelling. It’s more interesting to look at after the fact, in some cases. Read the rest of this entry »

Did JosĂ© Mourinho Underestimate The Size Of The Rebuilding Job At Manchester United?

Posted: February 22, 2018 in Arsenal, Chelsea, Football, Jose Mourinho, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur
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Louis van Gaal – The only United manager as boring as Dave Sexton and Frank O’Farrell, although Moyes came close!

When José Mourinho breezed into Manchester it was, for all but the most cynical of United fans, like a breath of fresh air.

The days of David Moyes promising that the team would try to be as good as City and making Liverpool favourites to win a league game at Old Trafford were a distant memory.

The days of Louis van Gaal sitting rigidly in his seat rather than encouraging his team from the sidelines while they sent the crowd to sleep with mind-numbingly boring football were also consigned to the history books.

Mourinho was here! The “Special One” was now the Manchester United manager having been anything but special in his final season at Stamford Bridge, from where he had been sacked with Chelsea in 16th position in the league. Read the rest of this entry »

Why Are Mourinho And Guardiola Such Bad Losers?

Posted: February 21, 2018 in Arsenal, Chelsea, Football, Jose Mourinho, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Pep Guardiola, Tottenham Hotspur
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Wigan Athletic v Manchester City - The Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round

Sergio AgĂĽero – Involved with the crowd

Judging by the scenes at the end of the FA Cup game between Wigan and Manchester City at the DW Stadium, Pep Guardiola, some of his team and some of the City fans don’t appear to be very gentlemanly in defeat.

Supporters threw seats and anything else they could get their hands on, the players stomped and sulked and Guardiola wandered round like a child whose favourite toy had been taken from him.

At the end of the day they had lost a football match, nothing more. They had been beaten because they failed to take any of their numerous chances whereas Wigan, who had two, scored from one of them. Read the rest of this entry »

Who Are The Favourites To Progress To The FA Cup Semi-Finals?

Posted: February 20, 2018 in Arsenal, Chelsea, Football, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, The FA Cup, Tottenham Hotspur
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Three of the Premier League’s top six remain in this year’s competition as we reach the quarter final stage.

In what can only be described as a crazily premature draw, as it was made before the fifth round was complete, the big three were kept apart with Manchester United given a home draw whilst the two London clubs received away ties, although Spurs are yet to overcome Rochdale to officially book their place.

Sheffield Wednesday and Rochdale will still feel as though they have a chance of progressing but that chance is now very remote. Having both managed to draw their home games they are now favourites to exit the competition in the replays away from home. Read the rest of this entry »

Mata’s Knee, Pogba’s Position & A Vague And Ridiculous Way To Reach A Decision

Posted: February 19, 2018 in Arsenal, Chelsea, Football, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur
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(Juan Mata’s knee races ahead of everyone but fails to beat the system despite the strangely shaped lines not being parallel to the penalty area!)

Juan Mata scored a goal, against Huddersfield in the VAR Cup, which was ruled out due to his right kneecap being in an offside position.

Unlike the War of Jenkin’s Ear, which resulted in a conflict between Britain and Spain lasting nine years, the VAR of Mata’s Knee only resulted in much discussion, disagreement and conjecture, and will probably last a few days.

Mata, for a midfielder, is caught offside far too often. His goal was the third occasion on which he had been penalised in the first half alone which, for the intelligent footballer he undoubtedly is, is around three times too many! Read the rest of this entry »

Would Winning The FA Cup And A Top Four Finish Represent An Improvement Over Last Season For Manchester United?

Posted: February 18, 2018 in Arsenal, Chelsea, Football, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League, The FA Cup, Tottenham Hotspur
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On one hand, yes. On the other hand, no. If we had a third hand we would also plump for not knowing whether or not those two accomplishments would be deemed an improvement over last season’s three trophies.

In the league table, it has to be admitted, that any finish above sixth would be seen as an improvement but it must also be remembered that the final few games of last season’s Premier League campaign were deemed less important than usual due to United’s intent on winning the Europa League.

Winning the FA Cup would, of course, be an upgrade on winning the Carabao Cup as it is the major domestic knock-out cup in England. It requires, however, a favourable draw at some stage of the competition so United will be hoping for this in the coming rounds. Read the rest of this entry »

Paul Pogba Has Every Right To Be Unhappy, But No Right To Complain

Posted: February 17, 2018 in Arsenal, Chelsea, Football, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Paul Pogba, Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur
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Alexis Sánchez – Reportedly being paid more than Pogba

When Manchester United signed Alexis Sánchez it was reported that the first thing on the mind of Paul Pogba was to ensure he received a pay rise so as not to be paid less than the Chilean.

We here at WSA find this difficult to believe as his contract had previously been negotiated and signed and he was obviously quite happy with the result.

If Sánchez is now being paid more than Pogba that is not his fault. If his agent negotiated a better deal than that of Pogba then good for him.

Manchester United are certainly not in a position whereby they have to give the Frenchman more money. If anything, and judging by his recent form, they should add a couple of performance-related bonuses and take away some of the basic! Read the rest of this entry »

City, Liverpool And Tottenham All Looking Good. Can Chelsea And United Follow Them?

Posted: February 16, 2018 in Arsenal, Champions League, Chelsea, European Football, Football, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Tottenham Hotspur
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Ilkay GĂĽndoÄźan – Man-of-the-Match and two goals to boot.

After emphatic away wins for Manchester City and Liverpool they are both, barring disasters of seismic proportions, through to the quarter finals of the Champion’s League.

Having beaten Basel 4-0 in Switzerland City fans will be thinking that there will be tougher tests ahead and they would be right in so thinking.

The only question raised by the performance of the Swiss team is how they managed to beat Manchester United and Liverpool in the recent past!

On this form, which has been pretty consistent all season, City need fear nobody and are certainly a match for the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern MĂĽnich. Read the rest of this entry »

What Manchester United Need To Do To Compete With Manchester City

Posted: February 15, 2018 in Arsenal, Chelsea, Football, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur
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José Mourinho is a winner. He hates losing almost as much as Pep Guardiola likes winning. His big problem is that, this season, it would appear that Guardiola is going to win more than his Portuguese counterpart.

There is a very slight chance that United will win the Champion’s League and the FA Cup but it is highly unlikely and there is a far greater chance that City will win the Carabao Cup and the Premier League, particularly as they are so far ahead in one that they have disappeared from view of the chasing pack, and they are in the final of the other with only Stubborn Old Man’s Arsenal standing between them and the first trophy of Pep’s City career.

City are among the favourites for the Champion’s League and the FA Cup as well so the season could be spectacular! Read the rest of this entry »

How Some Managers In The Top Six Have Benefitted From JosĂ© Mourinho’s Past Decisions, Including Himself!

Posted: February 14, 2018 in Arsenal, Chelsea, Football, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur, Transfers
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Manchester City will end this season as Premier League champions. They have been far and away the stand-out team in the division since day one and will, deservedly, be confirmed as winners, possibly as soon as when they play Manchester United at The Etihad in April.

Is that rubbing salt into United wounds? Not really, City are bound to be crowned champions at some stage and does it really make a difference against which team they are playing when it happens? Absolutely not.

What must be more annoying, particularly for JosĂ© Mourinho, is that one of the main reasons City have been so good this season is the form of one of his Chelsea cast-offs! Read the rest of this entry »

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