[Albion] Premier League 21-23/08/21

[Swansman]

My in-depth analysis is that Chelsea appears to be pretty good and Arsenal pretty bad.

 

[Washie]

That has to be a penalty.

 

[Southern Scouse]

Arse look so light weight.

 

[pb21]

That has to be a penalty.

Would have been last season, not sure it was though, certainly not an obvious error by the ref, therefore VAR shouldn't intervene.

This is a much better implementation of VAR, and how it should have been last season.

 

[Acker79]

AFTV later I think.

They do a live watchalong. It's so much more fun than the Sky Commentary.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ig804Pps76Y

 

[Weststander]

The boos ring out at the Emirates.

When don’t they?

 

[*Gullsworth*]

My in-depth analysis is that Chelsea appears to be pretty good and Arsenal pretty bad.

Even if Potter moves on can you still be our resident oddball Swanny?............I enjoy your input so much.

 

[Weststander]

Are Holding and Mari the worst CB pairing in the EPL?

Physically weak, ball watchers.

 

[Icy Gull]

Even if Potter moves on can you still be our resident oddball Swanny?............I enjoy your input so much.

When Potter goes it will be to a top team, can’t see [MENTION=38333]Swansman[/MENTION] being overly happy about this

It could of course be Arsenal quite soon

 

[Billy the Fish]

Looking at Arsenal Ben's done himself a favour getting covid! Was on a hiding to nothing this week against Lukaku, his stock will rise a bit by not playing.

 

[Icy Gull]

Looking at Arsenal Ben's done himself a favour getting covid! Was on a hiding to nothing this week against Lukaku, his stock will rise a bit by not playing.

Believe me nobody will be getting their stock rising with Arsenal fans

 

[Weststander]

When Potter goes it will be to a top team, can’t see [MENTION=38333]Swansman[/MENTION] being overly happy about this

It could of course be Arsenal quite soon

But wouldn’t Potter would go to a top club?

 

[Bob!]

Bottom 8 currently looking good.
Long may it stay like that.

 

[Swansman]

Where is the "would you take the current league table?" poll?

 

[Icy Gull]

But wouldn’t Potter would go to a top club?

I said the same to an ardent United fan and he said “Arsenal is not a step up” how fecking far have we come

 

[Hendrax]

Rhys James just got clattered. Looked knocked out briefly, and being allowed to carry on? What's that all about.

 

[BNthree]

ArsenLOL


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[stewart_weir]

They do a live watchalong. It's so much more fun than the Sky Commentary.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ig804Pps76Y

How hilarious would it be if NSC did one of these every game with whining and moaning members invited along

 

[Acker79]

Last weekend we saw a lot of home wins, with just three exceptions. Liverpool beating Norwich was perhaps something you would expect, the quality gap was too big for home advantage to overcome. Us v Burnley and West Ham v Newcastle were the others.

This weekend, all the away teams were at home for the first time in a long time. So there was an expectation that they would benefit from the home advantage. Of the 6 games yesterday, 4 were home wins the other two were draws.

Should there be concern* for those that didn't make use of their home advantage?

Newcastle - two losses
Home against west ham - a team they beat well last season. But also one that finished significantly higher than them in the table last year
Away against villa - a team that struggled last week, and has lost it's star man
Other: Not sure what other mitigation can be offered

Burnley - two losses
Home v Us - a team they would see as at a similar level, so one that home advantage should give them the boost to win
Away v Liverpool - they beat them last year, so would have the confidence, but that victory was in an empty anfield against an out of sorts liverpool who had a comparatively poor season without VVD
Other: Not a great amount of investment in the team, a squad that has given their all for six years, are they just tiring?

Palace - one loss, one draw
Away v Chelsea - a team that last season won every game following a european midweek fixture (I think I read that), a massive gulf in quality, probably an expected loss
Home v Brentford - home advatage against a newly promoted side
Other: New manager, largely changed squad, trying to play a new style - that would take time to come good (if it even is going to).

Leeds - one loss, one draw
Away v Man U - Man u with momentum, and a higher quality, confidence of large victory last season
Home v Everton - Would see Everton as around the level they view themselves, so would expect home advantage to give them a win
Other: Is the squad that good, or is it Bielsa's magic, possibly "second season syndrome"

Norwich - two losses
Home v Liverpool - gulf in quality just too much
Away v Man City - gulf in quality just too much
Other: A really tough opening pair of fixtures for a newly promoted team that has sold one of their best players


*I say "concern" thinking from their own fans' perspectives or perhaps that of sympathetic neutrals. "Hope" for us, I suppose - that these results could be indicative of the teams that will struggle this season. When they have the supposed boost of a more special than usual home advantage, they were unable to make it count - how will it help when it starts to feel 'normal'?

Or is the home advantage thing something that is overplayed, and these teams will pick up points and start to soar.

Wolves, Arsenal and Saints failing to make home advantage count, too...

 

[HalfaSeatOn]

6 points after 2 games. Took us 8 games to get 6 points last season. Nice.