Weekend Football

[URZZZZ]

Consecutive fifth-placed finishes, an FA Cup win, League Cup semi-final, currently 11th, and on a net transfer spend comfortably in the bottom half of the league and not much higher than Watford's. A COVID outbreak also meant they only played two league games in the five weeks from middle of December. If Rodgers is in trouble then the game is gone.

That’s a claim you’ve repeatedly made that “the game is gone”. It’s simply a reflection of where the game is, whether you agree with it or not. Wasn’t aware they had played fewer games than pretty much every team so hands up but they should still be doing a lot better

Course, you can also spin it in the direction that they threw away two hefty leads to miss out on the CL the last two seasons. Leicester or not - they really shouldn’t have missed out both years

And that’s my gripe with Rodgers. Doesn’t learn from mistakes. You can’t concede so many late goals and concede so many set pieces and get away with it. You can’t progress repeating mistakes, and if that’s the case with Rodgers, why persevere?

Anyway, sure we went back and fro when I made the same point arguing United and Rodgers wouldn’t be a good fit

[Sanguine]

Consecutive fifth-placed finishes, an FA Cup win, League Cup semi-final, currently 11th, and on a net transfer spend comfortably in the bottom half of the league and not much higher than Watford's. A COVID outbreak also meant they only played two league games in the five weeks from middle of December. If Rodgers is in trouble then the game is gone.

That’s a claim you’ve repeatedly made that “the game is gone”. It’s simply a reflection of where the game is, whether you agree with it or not. Wasn’t aware they had played fewer games than pretty much every team so hands up but they should still be doing a lot better

Course, you can also spin it in the direction that they threw away two hefty leads to miss out on the CL the last two seasons. Leicester or not - they really shouldn’t have missed out both years

And that’s my gripe with Rodgers. Doesn’t learn from mistakes. You can’t concede so many late goals and concede so many set pieces and get away with it. You can’t progress repeating mistakes, and if that’s the case with Rodgers, why persevere?

Anyway, sure we went back and fro when I made the same point arguing United and Rodgers wouldn’t be a good fit

Should they?

On what basis?

[URZZZZ]

Consecutive fifth-placed finishes, an FA Cup win, League Cup semi-final, currently 11th, and on a net transfer spend comfortably in the bottom half of the league and not much higher than Watford's. A COVID outbreak also meant they only played two league games in the five weeks from middle of December. If Rodgers is in trouble then the game is gone.

Agreed, laughable to think its even questioned. Under pressure maybe, through his desire to wanting to be higher but come on, in trouble, no chance.

I stick by it. Their form since March/April side has been poor (remind you of anyone ) Battered by Forest. Knocked out the Europa League. Relatively poor Prem season. Still repeating the same mistakes as when he first joined

[URZZZZ]

Consecutive fifth-placed finishes, an FA Cup win, League Cup semi-final, currently 11th, and on a net transfer spend comfortably in the bottom half of the league and not much higher than Watford's. A COVID outbreak also meant they only played two league games in the five weeks from middle of December. If Rodgers is in trouble then the game is gone.

That’s a claim you’ve repeatedly made that “the game is gone”. It’s simply a reflection of where the game is, whether you agree with it or not. Wasn’t aware they had played fewer games than pretty much every team so hands up but they should still be doing a lot better

Course, you can also spin it in the direction that they threw away two hefty leads to miss out on the CL the last two seasons. Leicester or not - they really shouldn’t have missed out both years

And that’s my gripe with Rodgers. Doesn’t learn from mistakes. You can’t concede so many late goals and concede so many set pieces and get away with it. You can’t progress repeating mistakes, and if that’s the case with Rodgers, why persevere?

Anyway, sure we went back and fro when I made the same point arguing United and Rodgers wouldn’t be a good fit

Should they?

On what basis?

On the basis they finished 5th the last two seasons, then yes. A fall to 11th is disappointing comparatively

Sure, you can argue that Rodgers has made a rod for his own back by starting so well but that’s the nature of the game. As a fan, you want to see your side improve each week and season whereas Leicester under Rodgers are going the other way

[Sanguine]

Well by definition every team can't always improve. And yes, I think we're in silly season if therefore every team that goes backward sacks its manager. I think it's a little churlish to say 'well yes, he over-achieved, so tough, if he can't repeat it he should go'.

[South Coast Royal]

I for one am looking forward to Mitrovic being a useless lump next season as Fulham stay in the bottom three all year

With Bournemouth doing the same and Solanke failing to get into double figures.

[URZZZZ]

Well by definition every team can't always improve. And yes, I think we're in silly season if therefore every team that goes backward sacks its manager. I think it's a little churlish to say 'well yes, he over-achieved, so tough, if he can't repeat it he should go'.

We’re not talking about a little blip here. It’s a big decline. After 22 games respectively in their last two seasons, they had 45 and 42 points. They have just 27 this time around

You may think it’s churlish but again, it’s reality. On the face of things, Paunovic getting us to 7th looked great but there was more to it. You avidly disagreed with the notion that Paunovic would be in trouble in the near future at the back end of last season and look how that turned out

Ultimately, what’s the purpose of keeping a manager who can’t fix a recurring problem at great detriment? How can you progress as a club with that?

[Sanguine]

Well by definition every team can't always improve. And yes, I think we're in silly season if therefore every team that goes backward sacks its manager. I think it's a little churlish to say 'well yes, he over-achieved, so tough, if he can't repeat it he should go'.

We’re not talking about a little blip here. It’s a big decline. After 22 games respectively in their last two seasons, they had 45 and 42 points. They have just 27 this time around

You may think it’s churlish but again, it’s reality. On the face of things, Paunovic getting us to 7th looked great but there was more to it. You avidly disagreed with the notion that Paunovic would be in trouble in the near future at the back end of last season and look how that turned out

Ultimately, what’s the purpose of keeping a manager who can’t fix a recurring problem at great detriment? How can you progress as a club with that?

What I actually disagreed with on Paunovic was that if we had a poor start this season, he should be under pressure. That we have subsequently gone downhill, and we had another reasonable start (we briefly went 7th after 12 matches), doesn't change my view that we were right to give him time.

I think that 'progression' requires a wider view than less than one season. After winning the title, Leicester had three middling seasons where they lost more league games than they won. Rodgers came in and took them to an FA Cup win (aside from that League win, their only trophy in 20 years) and into Europe. It would be madness to bin him off because they aren't now in the Champions League spots. As I said above, if every new high becomes the demanded norm, then it all gets a little silly.

A season where you don't progress (which is where I would argue Leicester are - win their games in hand on West Ham and they are only five points behind them) isn't the same as one where you are structurally going backwards. If we're having this same discussion in February 2023, then I'd be more inclined to agree with you.

[URZZZZ]

Well by definition every team can't always improve. And yes, I think we're in silly season if therefore every team that goes backward sacks its manager. I think it's a little churlish to say 'well yes, he over-achieved, so tough, if he can't repeat it he should go'.

We’re not talking about a little blip here. It’s a big decline. After 22 games respectively in their last two seasons, they had 45 and 42 points. They have just 27 this time around

You may think it’s churlish but again, it’s reality. On the face of things, Paunovic getting us to 7th looked great but there was more to it. You avidly disagreed with the notion that Paunovic would be in trouble in the near future at the back end of last season and look how that turned out

Ultimately, what’s the purpose of keeping a manager who can’t fix a recurring problem at great detriment? How can you progress as a club with that?

What I actually disagreed with on Paunovic was that if we had a poor start this season, he should be under pressure. That we have subsequently gone downhill, and we had another reasonable start (we briefly went 7th after 12 matches), doesn't change my view that we were right to give him time.

I think that 'progression' requires a wider view than less than one season. After winning the title, Leicester had three middling seasons where they lost more league games than they won. Rodgers came in and took them to an FA Cup win (aside from that League win, their only trophy in 20 years) and into Europe. It would be madness to bin him off because they aren't now in the Champions League spots. As I said above, if every new high becomes the demanded norm, then it all gets a little silly.

A season where you don't progress (which is where I would argue Leicester are - win their games in hand on West Ham and they are only five points behind them) isn't the same as one where you are structurally going backwards. If we're having this same discussion in February 2023, then I'd be more inclined to agree with you.

Fair response

Think my view is slightly influenced on Rodgers’ stint at Liverpool, where he did so well in his second full season, hit a blip in his third season and never really got the side going again

We’ll see how it pans out. Either way, it’s paramount they sort out their set piece issues

[Hendo]

We’re not talking about a little blip here. It’s a big decline. After 22 games respectively in their last two seasons, they had 45 and 42 points. They have just 27 this time around

You may think it’s churlish but again, it’s reality. On the face of things, Paunovic getting us to 7th looked great but there was more to it. You avidly disagreed with the notion that Paunovic would be in trouble in the near future at the back end of last season and look how that turned out

Ultimately, what’s the purpose of keeping a manager who can’t fix a recurring problem at great detriment? How can you progress as a club with that?

What I actually disagreed with on Paunovic was that if we had a poor start this season, he should be under pressure. That we have subsequently gone downhill, and we had another reasonable start (we briefly went 7th after 12 matches), doesn't change my view that we were right to give him time.

I think that 'progression' requires a wider view than less than one season. After winning the title, Leicester had three middling seasons where they lost more league games than they won. Rodgers came in and took them to an FA Cup win (aside from that League win, their only trophy in 20 years) and into Europe. It would be madness to bin him off because they aren't now in the Champions League spots. As I said above, if every new high becomes the demanded norm, then it all gets a little silly.

A season where you don't progress (which is where I would argue Leicester are - win their games in hand on West Ham and they are only five points behind them) isn't the same as one where you are structurally going backwards. If we're having this same discussion in February 2023, then I'd be more inclined to agree with you.

Fair response

Think my view is slightly influenced on Rodgers’ stint at Liverpool, where he did so well in his second full season, hit a blip in his third season and never really got the side going again

We’ll see how it pans out. Either way, it’s paramount they sort out their set piece issues

Still think that was largely down to Sturridge staying injury free for nearly the whole season and no one knowing how to deal with him and Suarez.

[URZZZZ]

What I actually disagreed with on Paunovic was that if we had a poor start this season, he should be under pressure. That we have subsequently gone downhill, and we had another reasonable start (we briefly went 7th after 12 matches), doesn't change my view that we were right to give him time.

I think that 'progression' requires a wider view than less than one season. After winning the title, Leicester had three middling seasons where they lost more league games than they won. Rodgers came in and took them to an FA Cup win (aside from that League win, their only trophy in 20 years) and into Europe. It would be madness to bin him off because they aren't now in the Champions League spots. As I said above, if every new high becomes the demanded norm, then it all gets a little silly.

A season where you don't progress (which is where I would argue Leicester are - win their games in hand on West Ham and they are only five points behind them) isn't the same as one where you are structurally going backwards. If we're having this same discussion in February 2023, then I'd be more inclined to agree with you.

Fair response

Think my view is slightly influenced on Rodgers’ stint at Liverpool, where he did so well in his second full season, hit a blip in his third season and never really got the side going again

We’ll see how it pans out. Either way, it’s paramount they sort out their set piece issues

Still think that was largely down to Sturridge staying injury free for nearly the whole season and no one knowing how to deal with him and Suarez.

Possibly but Coutinho and Sterling were also big parts of that team, one brought through by Rodgers and the other signed by him(?)

He seems to get the attack flowing but he struggles to build a defence, with the summer signings of Lovren, Manquillo and Moreno all struggling

[Sanguine]

Statistical-ish observation about this season's Championship. It's been a season of fine margins. Fulham have scored 78 goals - next highest is Bournemouth's 49. Bristol City, in 17th, have scored 42. Goals conceded is even more uniform a stat. From Fulham in 1st down to Blackpool in 15th, every single club has conceded between 26 and 37 goals this season. And even Hull (20th) have only conceded 36. Blackpool in 15th are only eight points off the playoff spots.

[genome]

Statistical-ish observation about this season's Championship. It's been a season of fine margins. Fulham have scored 78 goals - next highest is Bournemouth's 49. Bristol City, in 17th, have scored 42. Goals conceded is even more uniform a stat. From Fulham in 1st down to Blackpool in 15th, every single club has conceded between 26 and 37 goals this season. And even Hull (20th) have only conceded 36. Blackpool in 15th are only eight points off the playoff spots.

Obviously skewed by the points deduction, but it's funny that both Reading and Peterborough have conceded 60 goals, but Derby, below them, have only conceded 35

[Winston Biscuit]

4th place really is Arsenal's to lose

[Winston Biscuit]

Sunderland sacked Lee Johnson when they were 3rd, since then they have picked up 1 point from 4 games and are in 7th.

Lol

[Franchise FC]

Sunderland sacked Lee Johnson when they were 3rd, since then they have picked up 1 point from 4 games and are in 7th.

Lol

See also West Brom for similar

New manager bounce

[Royality creeps In]

Lets hope Reading don't follow suit

[Winston Biscuit]

Sunderland sacked Lee Johnson when they were 3rd, since then they have picked up 1 point from 4 games and are in 7th.

Lol

See also West Brom for similar

Classic 'big clubs' thinking the play offs are beneath them and sack their manager only to find that maybe he wasn't doing so bad after all.

[genome]

Fantastic result for Spurs

[Winston Biscuit]

Title race now in Liverpools hands