Big Sam it is then…
I just hope in two years time you’ll give me a right coating for doubting him.
As it was written, so it has come to pass - THE BIG SAM cometh.
Honestly it’s a decent appointment. No one’s going to say he’s an amazing manager or anything like that but I think systems go a long way in tournament football. A mediocre system that everyone understands with total clarity beats the hell out of a good system that players don’t understand or cannot implement properly.
Plus, he’s a proven motivator and man manager who won’t stand for any shithousing from serial failures like a Steven Gerrard or a Raheem Stirling.
This England squad is technically good but an emotional liability. When a supposed weaker nation parks it up and defends for 90 mins, which happens all the time in tournaments, they fall to pieces. 20 mins in without a breakthrough they panic and their heads drop. A system of play, plus real man-management, will make all the difference IMHO. Time will tell.
Some of this is surely psychological and Big Sam has previous for pushing psychologists and their work into his squads, so fair enough on that score.
I can’t totally square your first sentence here with the second though. Another reason why England can’t break down a side that parks the bus on them is because they don’t have the technical skills to break sides down, not just because they start flapping like fish out of water when it happens. Indeed, one probably feeds the other. The players don’t trust their skills to beat the opposition so lose it mentally - but if their skills were better, they’d probably trust in them more and perform better. The reverse aspect can also be true - that the skills they do have would be better performed if they weren’t in a panic. Indeed, I think it’s both, at the same time.
I said after the Iceland game in the Euro thread that it will all be alright. Come the start of August, all these players that fail at international tournaments will go back to being bailed out by better players from other nations in their club teams and we’ll continue to think we’ve got great players, due to performances in a league that affords them more space than they find at the World Cup or the Euros. Allardyce will struggle manfully with the job, but not much will change, and those that put their club above performances by England (not that they’re wrong to think this, each to their own) will continue to be reasonably happy with what’s happening.
Well the facts are on your side as the England players certainly looked bereft of technique in the Euros. I don’t, however, think they are anywhere near that bad fundamentally and the raw material is actually pretty good - possibly a minority opinion.
There’s not that elite, true world class player there [well there is, but the libero spent all tournament on the bench ;)], but generally you’ve got good talent and some fine players. Dele Alli ran premiership midfields week in week out last season. Harry Kane has to be technically accomplished as he’s certainly not scoring goals due to physical prowess. I watched Ross Barkley a lot at Goodison and his technique can be absolute top drawer - unfortunately he slumped pretty badly second half of the season so couldn’t command a starting place.
Both Kane and Alli were garbage in the Euros which is symptomatic of the psychological contagion of failure that stalks the national side. I think TheBigSam will take an axe to that and create an environment were the players can perform. That doesn’t mean we’ll start laying down the law to the top sides, but I expect a night and day improvement over the past two regimes.
The preseason Manchester Derby in China has been cancelled .
Juve have bought Higuain for £75 million. Looks like they’re spending the Pogba money already…
Bastian Schweinsteiger has retired from international football. Based on their runs of club form over the last two years I think he and Lahm retired in the wrong order, but it feels a bit like the end of an era nonetheless.
A rare chance for Americans to see Leicester City on ESPN vs PSG at this moment.
sigh It will always be the “Carling Premiership” to me. (I still can’t shake the habit of calling it the “Premiership”)
I’m an Arsenal supporter (wave, fellow Gooners). If this is indeed Wenger’s last season, I would love to see him finish it with a major trophy–but I really can’t see us winning anything beyond, perhaps, another FA Cup. Wenger hasn’t really evolved in managerial style since he arrived almost 20 (!) years ago–and as revolutionary as his style of play was back then (and up through the Invincibles season of 03/04), other managers have since figured out how to contain us. And it seems like we’ll never come close to repeating the almost-glory of the 2006 Champions League final–just surviving the group stage seems the best we can do.
I was deeply impressed by Leicester’s march to the title last season. This time around, I expect the PL will switch back to the standard positions (since the mid-noughts, anyway) of Chelsea and the Manchester clubs dominating the top of the table, with Arsenal and Spurs (and maybe Liverpool, Leicester, and West Ham) hovering just below them and fighting over the fourth-place finish.
I despise Mourinho and Manchester United, so nothing would delight me more than to see them collapse spectacularly this season–especially if Ibrahimovic gets sulky, Pogba fails to deliver, and Mourinho has another meltdown over refereeing decisions or his own medical staff. Oh, how I would love that. But I have the bad feeling that Man U will bounce back this year.
Which sides do we predict for relegation this season?
Would people be interested in a Straight Dope Fantasy Premier League? I’d be willing to set one up.
Maybe, how does premier league fantasy work? Head to head or categories?
Sure, I’d play a fantasy league. I know there was one in the past.
There are two kinds of leagues, I was going to go with the head to head one, with a bonus prize for the team that finishes highest on points.
Yeah, I’d give that a shot. I took time off from my fantasy baseball team this year so I have a bit of a void to fill.
Count me in.
Ok, gang, I’m convinced. Please give me a day or two to get this set up, a bit busy at the moment. But I will get to it, I promise.
I’ve created a fantasy head-to-head league at https://fantasy.premierleague.com
The private code to join is: 855957-322860
It’s a head-to-head league, which I have found to be the most fun and strategic. You win the league trophy based on total match points earned, same as usual: 3 pts win, 1 pt draw, 0 points loss. The is based on game points earned by your side’s players versus the side you’re matched against that game week.
I think we’ll unofficially grant recognition to the side with the highest game points earned as well. A sort of “golden boot.” ETA: this is how you win a “classic league.”
My side is Inextinguishable FC.
Join us! It’ll be fun. More opportunity for smack talk, too. Deadline is Aug. 12.
Cheers Knorf, joined. Let battle commence…
Jurgen Klopp has endured himself to Liverpool fans for life. The Facebook comments include a bunch of kudos from Everton supporters as well. Screw the S*n.
Alright, lads. Only mascaroni and I have joined the fantasy league.
Without more participants, it isn’t going to work, though, so, come on! Step it up! Join! Link and password above.
If it’s still me and mascaroni by, oh, say, 5pm tomorrow, I’ll have to pull the plug. (mascaroni, I have another friend’s league I can give you info for if that happens. You’ll end up knowing my real name, but whatever. 
)