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2021-22 Premiere League Thread

Watford coach Xisco Munoz has left the club. He had been there less than a year, joining in December 2020 and bringing them to 2nd in the Championship. They’re 15th in the table with 7 points in 7 matches.
 
Watford coach Xisco Munoz has left the club. He had been there less than a year, joining in December 2020 and bringing them to 2nd in the Championship. They’re 15th in the table with 7 points in 7 matches.
15th in the tables and he got the sack? From Watford? What the ...?
 
Watford brought in a fresh new face to be the new manager.

Kidding, They hired Claudio Ranieri. It will be his 22nd managerial position, 4th in the Prem after Chelsea, Leicester and Fulham. He’s managed in 4 of the Big 5 European leagues, missing only Germany.
 
Watford brought in a fresh new face to be the new manager.

Kidding, They hired Claudio Ranieri. It will be his 22nd managerial position, 4th in the Prem after Chelsea, Leicester and Fulham. He’s managed in 4 of the Big 5 European leagues, missing only Germany.
That's an interesting hire. Forgot that he'd been at Fulham, though, so it's not like he's "slumming it" by taking over at Watford. Wonder what difference he'll bring?
 
Ranieri has always had two gears aside from his brief bonfire with Leicester. General competence and utter disaster. I don't think Watford's roster is all that terrible, so a little bit of general competence might actually go a long way. If he can't get the players to engage and goes into that turtle mode we've seen from him before, then Ranieri's results will look like they did at Fulham.
 
Saudi Arabia has ended the 4-1/2 year ban on beIN Sport broadcasts into the country. That will restore Premier League, UEFA and other FIFA matches to be legally broadcast. They were broadcast via a streaming device that pirated beIN Sports’ signal.

This could have implications for Mike Ashley to finally sell Newcastle. The Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund had submitted a bid but were forced to go through the owners’ and directors’ test, an issue that is still in arbitration . They ultimately dropped the bid when it became clear they wouldn’t be approved, with the Saudi government actively pirating the signal of a broadcast partner. They could revive the bid now that the pirating issue is solved, but still have to resolve the the owners’ and directors’ test.
 
Saudi Arabia has ended the 4-1/2 year ban on beIN Sport broadcasts into the country. That will restore Premier League, UEFA and other FIFA matches to be legally broadcast. They were broadcast via a streaming device that pirated beIN Sports’ signal.

This could have implications for Mike Ashley to finally sell Newcastle. The Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund had submitted a bid but were forced to go through the owners’ and directors’ test, an issue that is still in arbitration . They ultimately dropped the bid when it became clear they wouldn’t be approved, with the Saudi government actively pirating the signal of a broadcast partner. They could revive the bid now that the pirating issue is solved, but still have to resolve the the owners’ and directors’ test.

It's now official. Lot of folks unhappy about it.
 
It's now official. Lot of folks unhappy about it.
Of course, since I have several Newcastle fans as good friends, they are over the moon about it. I'm happy for them. But as far as the financial disparity impact, we'll have to see what the official group (PIF) does
 
Watford 0-5 Liverpool

That was a mauling. The Reds were so ruthless, and Watford looked like they gave up before Liverpool scored their second. Firmino hat trick and Salah with another wonder goal. On his current form, one of the Top 3 players in the world.
 
Premier League results today

Everton 0-1 West Ham
Newcastle 2-3 Spurs

But the story of the day is the quick-thinking of Sergio Reguilon and Erik Dier, whose actions (Reguilon to approach the match official to halt the match, Dier to notify the Newcastle physios of the cardiac emergency in the stands) quite literally saved the life of a Newcastle supporter in the 41st minute. Play was suspended for 20 minutes while the physios attended to the stricken fan. Understandably, Reguilon and Dier were awarded Men of the Match.

Reguilon's and Dier's actions save man's life
 
Tables after Matchweek #8 (one game to go yet). Arsenal can move up to 9th with a win, jump Villa to 12th with a draw, or drop to 14th with a loss.

Premier League
PTeamGPWDLFAGDPts
1Chelsea86111631319
2Liverpool85302261618
3Man City85211631317
4Brighton843185315
5Spurs8503912-315
6Man Utd84221610614
7West Ham84221510514
8Everton8422139414
9Brentford8332107312
10Wolves840488012
11Leicester83231314-111
12Aston Villa83141212010
13Arsenal7313510-510
14C Palace7142811-37
15Southampton8143610-47
16Watford8215715-87
17Leeds8134715-86
18Burnley8035513-83
19Newcastle80351019-93
20Norwich8026216-142
 
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I have a feeling Ole will get the sack soon; otherwise, you can probably kiss Man U's chances of winning the league goodbye. The top 3 are inseparable right now. I had a feeling Liverpool's toughest challenger would be Chelsea, but Man City has hung in there so far, despite their glaring attack problems. No side can look more convincing moving the ball forward and creating chances, and no side can be as wasteful with those same chances, as Man City. And I'm still not entirely convinced with their back four despite Dias' towering presence. Laporte just doens't look the same since his injury, Walker is inconsistent and Cancelo, while a menace moving forward, isn't the strongest defender.
 
By the way, my guess is if Brighton hang onto one of the European spots (and yes, that includes the Conference League), I'll be able to hear the shouts all the way from the deepest parts of Canada, am I right? ;)
 
Norwich keeper Dan Barden has been diagnosed with testicular cancer. He’s only 20 years o.d and is on lo and to Scottish side Livingston. He made his first team debut last year, playing 4 matches and earning him a new contract. He’s returning to Norwich for treatment.

The Carolina Hurricanes have a player who was diagnosed with testicular cancer in summer 2019, right around his 20th birthday. He said he really didn’t feel like himself until this past summer, 2 years after the diagnosis and surgery.
 
Norwich keeper Dan Barden has been diagnosed with testicular cancer. He’s only 20 years o.d and is on lo and to Scottish side Livingston. He made his first team debut last year, playing 4 matches and earning him a new contract. He’s returning to Norwich for treatment.

The Carolina Hurricanes have a player who was diagnosed with testicular cancer in summer 2019, right around his 20th birthday. He said he really didn’t feel like himself until this past summer, 2 years after the diagnosis and surgery.
Geez, and this is just five days removed from my post about Bournemouth MF David Brooks being diagnosed with Stage 2 Hodgkins. Awful to read about this. Hoping for successful treatment and a quick recovery for Barden and Brooks. 😔
 
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