English Football 2022/23

[Lyonnais]

Forwards


8.21 Erling Haaland (Man City, FW, 22, NOR)
8.12 Kevin De Bruyne (Man City, AMC, 31, BEL)
8.07 Harry Kane (Tottenham, FW, 29, ENG)
8.03 Bruno Fernandes (Man United, AMC, 28, POR)
7.90 Bukayo Saka (Arsenal, FWR, 21, ENG)
7.85 Solly March (Brighton, AMR, 28, ENG)
7.84 Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal, FWL, 21, BRA)
7.83 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool, FWR, 30, EGY)
7.81 Ivan Toney (Brentford, FW, 27, ENG)
7.73 Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal, FW, 26, BRA)
7.70 James Maddison (Leicester, AMC, 26, ENG)
7.69 Jack Grealish (Man City, AML, 27, ENG)
7.66 Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford, FWR, 23, CMR)
7.66 Phil Foden (Man City, FWR, 23,ENG)
7.65 Marcus Rashford (Man United, AML, 25, ENG)
etc.


Erling HAALAND
FW, 22, Man City & Norway (23 caps)
Career: Bryne - Molde - Salzburg - Dortmund - Man City (2022)
Titles:
- Champion of Austria 2019 & 2020
- Champion of England 2023
- Winner of the DFB Pokal 2021



Kevin DE BRUYNE
AMC, 31, Man City & Belgium (99 caps)
Career: Genk - (Werder) - Chelsea - Wolfsburg - Man City (2015)
Titles:
- Champion of Belgium 2011
- Champion of England 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 & 2023
- Winner of the DFB Pokal 2015
- Winner of the FA Cup 2019
- Winner of the League Cup 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020 & 2021



Harry KANE
FW, 29, Tottenham & England (82 caps)
Career: (Leighton) - (Milwall) - Tottenham - (Norwich) - (Leicester) - Tottenham (2013)

[Jackson Harrison]

I've just watched back the highlights of yesterday's game and I'm now convinced that the referee (Tim Robinson) didn't act in good integrity. I've decided I'm going to make a complaint to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), he is bias towards Sheff Wed and has sent a Barnsley player off in every match he's refereed! Barnsley were robbed and i'm going to fight the EFL as it's unfair! Sheff Wed cheated and it's unjust!

[Oldelpaso]

I've just watched back the highlights of yesterday's game and I'm now convinced that the referee (Tim Robinson) didn't act in good integrity. I've decided I'm going to make a complaint to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), he is bias towards Sheff Wed and has sent a Barnsley player off in every match he's refereed! Barnsley were robbed and i'm going to fight the EFL as it's unfair! Sheff Wed cheated and it's unjust!

Just seen the red card. Don't really see how there can be much complaint. Sliding in with studs up into the opponent's thigh.

[Jackson Harrison]

I've just watched back the highlights of yesterday's game and I'm now convinced that the referee (Tim Robinson) didn't act in good integrity. I've decided I'm going to make a complaint to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), he is bias towards Sheff Wed and has sent a Barnsley player off in every match he's refereed! Barnsley were robbed and i'm going to fight the EFL as it's unfair! Sheff Wed cheated and it's unjust!

Just seen the red card. Don't really see how there can be much complaint. Sliding in with studs up into the opponent's thigh.

But one foot was on the ground. I want to see the VAR conversation.

I don't see how he endangered the opponents safety to be honest.

What do you think of the penalty?

[Oldelpaso]

I've just watched back the highlights of yesterday's game and I'm now convinced that the referee (Tim Robinson) didn't act in good integrity. I've decided I'm going to make a complaint to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), he is bias towards Sheff Wed and has sent a Barnsley player off in every match he's refereed! Barnsley were robbed and i'm going to fight the EFL as it's unfair! Sheff Wed cheated and it's unjust!

Just seen the red card. Don't really see how there can be much complaint. Sliding in with studs up into the opponent's thigh.

But one foot was on the ground. I want to see the VAR conversation.

I don't see how he endangered the opponents safety to be honest.

What do you think of the penalty?

https://youtu.be/tMg-AdmYTQU Link for anyone else.

VAR will only intervene if its an error i.e. if the ref couldn't possibly be correct in viewing it as endangering the opponent. The speed he goes in at makes it reckless whether one foot or two. He isn't in control, and he clatters into the opponent's thigh. If it had been yellow you'd think "he got away with one there". That's its a bad foul isn't in question, it's determining the colour, and the ref is well within his rights to say red.

The penalty appeal is an odd one in that both players misjudge the flight of the ball. Remove the Wednesday player and the Barnsley man still mostly kicks air. Put it this way - if your team conceded a penalty from it would you have felt aggrieved? I think you certainly would.

[Lorric]

Some of my season previews made predictions, some didn't, but let's see what was right and wrong.
1. Manchester City
"City start as strong favourites to retain the title" No surprises there. I predicted a big second season for Jack Grealish, and he has indeed made himself a key player and part of the strongest XI. Tipping youngster Cole Palmer for a breakout season was wide of the mark though.

2. Arsenal
"Gabriel Jesus, who previously worked with Arteta at City, should be a shrewd acquisition... ...There's a core of good young players here: Saka, Smith-Rowe, Nkeitah. Will being a year older and wiser push them into the CL? I'm intrigued as to whether returning loanee Saliba will get a chance in defence, and whether Zinchenko will be deployed in midfield or defence. The weakness appears to be the base of midfield, where Xhaka is somehow still a fixture.

This feels like a make or break season for Arteta. He's been given the opportunity to shape the squad in his image... ...Now the rebuild is due for fruition. Arteta will either be lauded for taking Arsenal back to the CL, or out of a job."
Mostly accurate, but in terms of a CL place rather than a title push. The young core was huge, but I identified the wrong players. Saka was immense, but Smith-Rowe barely played and Nkeitah was strictly a back up. Martinelli was the one I missed. Saliba did more than get a chance, he was absolutely key. Xhaka proved me wrong and then some with a career year.

3. Manchester United
"How United's season goes will depend on how much of a tune they get out of those who have been underperforming. Rashford did not become a bad player overnight, nor Fernandes. Maguire and Fred are better than social media would have you believe. Sancho has had a season to get used to the rigours of the Premier League. Last season a big problem for United was the heavy reliance on Ronaldo for goals. They scored only 57, 12 shy of 4th placed Spurs and 42 behind Manchester City. Multiple forwards had the most barren season of their United careers. A bounce back from some of them is essential.

I'd expect United to be better than last year, but it would take a lot of improvement to reach the CL."
Some of the right noises here but ultimately a wrong prediction, largely because of other teams underperforming. Rashford did bounce back significantly. Maguire, Fred and Sancho did not. The most important change came after I wrote the preview - the signing of Casemiro. Without him I doubt CL qualification would have happened.

4. Newcastle
"At Bournemouth Eddie Howe presided over a team that was extremely leaky in defence. With the addition of the widely coveted Sven Botman, and goalkeeper Pope from relegated Burnley, the Newcastle defence now looks strong on paper. Howe will have no excuse for underperformance in this area."

No excuses needed. The best defensive record in the division. I tipped them to be "best of the rest" and qualify for Europe. They weren't just the best outside the Big 6, they comfortably outperformed half of them.

5. Liverpool

"It would be a shock if they do not contend for the title" Looked daft with this one, along with pretty much everyone else. A year before I'd suggested that their key players all turning 30 could cause a problem but this wasn't a decline it was a vertical drop, despite a late season rally.

Are you going to visit the rest of your predictions?

[Jackson Harrison]

FA cup final kicks off at 3 and I'll have that on TV and UWCL final on iPad!

My prediction is 3-1 to City in normal time with you know who to score at least.

Post your predictions before Kick off and if you're closest I'll donate £10 to a charity of your choice or £20 if you get it fully correct.

[Jackson Harrison]

Gundogan scores after 14 secs FA Cup final record beating Saha's 25 secs from 2009

[Lorric]

Gundogan thunders the ball into the top corner from outside the box 13 seconds into the FA Cup final! 1-0 City!

[Jackson Harrison]

Rodri nearly makes it 2 from a FK

[Jackson Harrison]

City dominating here

[angel_87]

Gundogan's contract should be renewed, it expires on 30 june...but sadly that won't happen

[Jackson Harrison]

Gundogan's contract should be renewed, it expires on 30 june...but sadly that won't happen

You never know I think he might stay!

[Jackson Harrison]

Akanji down nasty challenge from Casemiro.

[Jackson Harrison]

VAR checking possible red card - serious foul play