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Northern Ireland26505 Posts
I think them caking the league also played some part of it, switched off a bit. But yeah the drop off was pretty considerable, it can’t be all of it.
Can’t be easy losing a colleague too, and one who by all accounts was extremely popular in that dressing room, so that could be having some effect as well.
Although primarily it does seem to be attributable to Slot trying to shift the style and that just not bedding in yet.
I think they’re missing Trent more than many would have anticipated, he’s almost a unique player in his position and he’s been a core part of that side for years. His passing range from deep was a huge weapon, and not one other more orthodox full backs have in their locker
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meanwhile, united fans...
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Northern Ireland26505 Posts
On October 30 2025 21:49 sharkie wrote:
Sheesh. This totally looks like that Slot's style was figured out by everyone and the title win totally overshadowed it... There was nothing done in the summer to keep evolving.
Evolving is precisely the problem, they’ve tried to shift the style and it’s not yet worked.
If Liverpool had remained static in how they set up, and were getting diminishing returns in terms of results, I think that you could definitely attribute it to folks working out how to play versus Liverpool, but I don’t think that’s the case.
You can look at Ange’s Spurs, a very strong start, a weaker end to his first season, and a disastrous second season, and I think that’s an example of what a setup being figured out looks like.
On October 30 2025 23:29 DropBear wrote:
Yeah it's increasingly looking like 400m very poorly spent.
Ekitike has been good. Otherwise...
Kerkez has been poor
Wirtz has been poor
Isak has been poor
Frimpong has been injured the whole time
Meanwhile Diaz is destroying in the Bundesliga
Could really use Quansah, Tsimikas and Nat Phillips as defensive cover right now too
It’s a bit of a strange one. Of the new signings, Frimpong’s from another league so there’s adjustment, and he’s been injured. Wirtz is also from another league, but also a different kind of player than they’ve had recently, and Isak didn’t have much of a pre season. Ekitike from another league, and like his former strike partner Marmoush, only really had a pretty short spell of being hugely prolific and productive at Frankfurt under his belt.
If they’d all hit the ground running, that wouldn’t have surprised me, but teething issues also wouldn’t.
The weird one is Kerkez, he was the one I thought would be a lock to give you a minimum 7/10 performance every week, but he’s probably been the worst of all the signings so far.
Ekiteke has been actually good, I think Wirtz has been OK, doesn’t have the numbers to show it yet, but I think he’s playing better than some would have you believe.
Then we’ve got the established players. MacAllister hasn’t remotely looked himself yet, Konate has had a few wonky games. Virgil is Virgil but he’s looked unsure at times, given how dysfunctional the whole defence is looking. Salah historically is either dangerous and involved a whole lot, but if he isn’t doing that, then he’s super decisive and nabs goals and assists in games he’s not done much in. At present he’s doing neither.
Alison’s done his job alright. Ekiteke has been good, I think Gakpo has generally been solid as well. Aside from that who would you give an A-B grade for performance so far this season? It’s basically Gravenberch and Szoboszlai.
Even the most talented teams around would struggle to compete for honours with so many of their number performing at a B-/C level or worse.
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Robertson stabilising the defensive lineup nice! Two clean sheets
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Northern Ireland26505 Posts
Connor Bradley seems to be a Real Madrid specialist at this point!
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Bayern look utterly terrifying
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On November 05 2025 22:10 DropBear wrote:
Bayern look utterly terrifying
Agreed, they are going to win CL this year if they continue like that. Even without Musiala they are so dominant.
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Northern Ireland26505 Posts
On November 05 2025 22:18 gTank wrote:Agreed, they are going to win CL this year if they continue like that. Even without Musiala they are so dominant.
I wonder if that helps, oddly enough. Kane can drop sometimes and he’s got Diaz and Olise outside who while also excellent creatively, do have the attributes of a classic winger.
I mean Bayern have beaten Milan’s record for consecutive wins to start a season, and extended their own record twice now. It’s been working rather well!
Having Musiala ready to come back after a lay-off is a nice problem to have, but I do wonder if it’s a problem. Wirtz is similarly talented but we’ve seen Liverpool struggle to fully integrate him so far. One nice aspect of this is because Bayern are running so hot, at least the player won’t be rushed back prematurely.
How Bayern are going is possibly a blueprint for Tommy Tuchs come the World Cup. Saka is surely a lock for the right for England minus injury, and I think he’ll stick a more pacey winger on the left. He seems to like Rashford, and he’s doing OK for Barca, Anthony Gordon is probably the other realistic option.
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If it was PL, I'd be a bit worried on Kane's fitness towards the latter half of the season. On Bundesliga the can probably manage his workload quite nicely though, so he should be in prime shape once the more important UCL games kick in.
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51574 Posts
van de ven's goal last night is definitely goal of the season
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Northern Ireland26505 Posts
On November 06 2025 05:18 GTR wrote:
van de ven's goal last night is definitely goal of the season
Phenomenal goal! Would recommend checking it out if anyone hasn’t seen it
He’s a bit clear now as Tottenham’s top scorer so far this season too
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Oh FFS, what the hell is this drivel? I didn't think I'd ever say this, but can we please have Sepp Blatter back?
https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/fifa-launches-annual-peace-prize-with-first-be-awarded-world-cup-draw-2025-11-05/
Nov 5 (Reuters) - FIFA announced a new annual award called the FIFA Peace Prize which will be given to its first winner during the 2026 World Cup finals draw in Washington D.C. next month, world soccer's governing body said on Wednesday.
Dubbed the "FIFA Peace Prize – Football Unites the World", FIFA said it was created to "reward individuals who have taken exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace".
How obsequious and pathetic can you get? I also really don't think Trump (and the "winner" of the prize has not yet been announced but can there be any doubt?) will at all appreciate getting the FIFA equivalent of
So it doesn't even seem like an effective way brown-nosing.
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Norway28781 Posts
Tbh I could picture this being something Trump demanded from them and during 2027 rallies he'll ramble on about that he was such a great champion for peace that FIFA even created a peace prize just so they could give it to him.
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Dan Burn's header against Bilbao is easily the best headed goal I've ever seen.
I've never seen someone get so much swerve on a header.
It's a thing of beauty.
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Northern Ireland26505 Posts
On November 06 2025 16:32 Acrofales wrote:Oh FFS, what the hell is this drivel? I didn't think I'd ever say this, but can we please have Sepp Blatter back? https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/fifa-launches-annual-peace-prize-with-first-be-awarded-world-cup-draw-2025-11-05/Show nested quote +
Nov 5 (Reuters) - FIFA announced a new annual award called the FIFA Peace Prize which will be given to its first winner during the 2026 World Cup finals draw in Washington D.C. next month, world soccer's governing body said on Wednesday.
Dubbed the "FIFA Peace Prize – Football Unites the World", FIFA said it was created to "reward individuals who have taken exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace".
How obsequious and pathetic can you get? I also really don't think Trump (and the "winner" of the prize has not yet been announced but can there be any doubt?) will at all appreciate getting the FIFA equivalent of So it doesn't even seem like an effective way brown-nosing.
For all Blatter being a bit of a corrupt arse, and it suiting him personally as he built a power base, he did actually do quite a lot to spread the game more globally.
Infantino is like Blatter’s worst characteristics amped up to 11, without any of the mitigating ones.
Plus he’s just so cringe it’s painful at times.
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I can't believe I am agreeing with you all guys but yeah I miss Blatter... Infantino seemed to be such a better guy back then
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Blatter was a cunt who rightly will never darken football with his presence again.
Just cos Infantino is worse, it doesn't change what already is.
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how do we end up with these clowns anyway. i havent been happy with a single thing fifas done in god knows how long now
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United States10354 Posts
On November 05 2025 07:24 WombaT wrote:
Connor Bradley seems to be a Real Madrid specialist at this point!
Bradley's only job in life is to make RMA left wingers miserable. Two matches, two pockets. It's weird because he looks so ordinary against mid-table sides in the prem but just turns it up against Madrid.
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Northern Ireland26505 Posts
On November 07 2025 06:56 FlaShFTW wrote:Show nested quote +On November 05 2025 07:24 WombaT wrote:
Connor Bradley seems to be a Real Madrid specialist at this point! Bradley's only job in life is to make RMA left wingers miserable. Two matches, two pockets. It's weird because he looks so ordinary against mid-table sides in the prem but just turns it up against Madrid.
Maybe he’ll turn out to be similar to Aaron Wan-Bissaka, where he can boss a flank defensively in pretty authoritative fashion, but if you’re at a ‘big’ team, there aren’t too many games where you need that, versus someone bombing forward and potently.
Not that I think Bradley doesn’t have some ability bombing forward.
I guess if nothing else it focuses you on your task if you’ve an Mbappe or a Vini. A difficult task for sure, but probably a simpler one than juggling both sides of the role as much.
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EPT![[image loading]](https://s.studiobinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Michael-Jackson-Popcorn-GIF.webp?resolution=1680,2)
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