If us and Leicester win our next game and Chelsea get beat by Liverpool we can play out a draw in the last game to both qualify. This would be weird.
Top 4 Race 19/20 | duffer: "We [Chelsea] are getting 3rd. Despite what the lunatics in here think, Man United are not all that."
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And really difficult to play. Both sides want to win to not concede a 90th min goal and lose.
Although he's not old, Ole does strike me as being from the "old school". I can't imagine he'd ever do that.
I really don't know what would happen in that scenario. It would be sensible for both teams to have a mental understanding and just play out a draw. Very easy and safe way to secure cl. Imagine Leceister deciding to go for a win and United punishes them for that and wins or vice versa. Why unnecessarily risk that
I'd prefer United and Chelsea to go to the Cl though. Leceister wouldn't represent the pl well
Match fixing is never sensible.
Are you suggesting we fix a match?
Feck that. Leicester are in the doldrums so we should try to demolish them.
We just need to beat Wham by as big a margin as possible and hope that Liverpool and Spurs can do likewise respectively.
How about we just send them a copy of this as a reminder. We needed the point for the title, Blackburn needed the point to stay up....no harm done?
Us playing it about at the back to draw with Leicester and make sure Chelsea finish 5th would be very funny.
I don't think that will happen but just the fact there's a possibility of it and Chelsea fans will be nervous over it is nice.
I don't think that will happen but just the fact there's a possibility of it and Chelsea fans will be nervous over it is nice.
Nobody thinks Manchester United will try to fix a match.
Even the great Sir Alex did it and it's not match fixing or I wouldn't call it that
It's not about fixing but if there's 10 minutes left vs Leicester and its 0-0 and a draw will suit us both, I don't think there'll be much desire from either team to take a risk and score. That wouldn't be match fixing. We've done similar before.
I'm not saying we'll both shake hands before the game and agree to draw.
It was beautiful
Never seen that nor do I remember it
Is there a scenario where we loose to Leicester but they still miss out? I guess only if there were a massive swing in GD?
Aye.
If they get beat 3-0 by Spurs say and we smash West Ham 5-0 then we could afford to lose 1-0 and make top 4 I think.
Very unlikely.
This scenario would be really fun with fans
If Leicester lose to Spurs by 2 and we beat an already safe WHU team on holiday by 4 we can afford to lose by 1 last game.
Again unlikely but not out of the question.
That 9-0 vs Southampton was a bit of a killer.
We could afford to lose 2-0...or by 2 goals in that scenario.
You're forgetting losing by 2 would be a 4 goal swing.
This threads started going round in circles, we need the next game to be played now
Um no, if we win 5-0, our GD will be 33, if Leicester lose 3-0, their GD will be 28.You're forgetting losing by 2 would be a 4 goal swing.
This threads started going round in circles, we need the next game to be played now
Sooooo if we lost 2-0 our GD would drop to 31 and theirs would go up to 30. We would go through on a better GD.
yeh just checked. If spurs win tomorrow though i think its leicesters nail in the coffin
Liverpool haven’t lost a league game at home since April 2017 which is a pretty damn remarkable record. Do people really think they are just going to happily surrender that record, especially on the night they are going to be presented with the title? I don’t think Klopp has that mentality.
That Chelsea defence have conceded more goals than fecking Arsenal out of all teams and well all know how laughable their defence has been for a long time.
That Chelsea defence have conceded more goals than fecking Arsenal out of all teams and well all know how laughable their defence has been for a long time.
A loss would mean they’ll have to go for it against us on the final day unless we really feck up and lose to West Ham.
A draw for them vs Spurs makes things a bit more complicated as they’ll go ahead of you on GD which will stay the case if you lose to Liverpool, they’d then only need to match your result on the last day regardless of what we do against West Ham.
If they beat Spurs it’ll be a very nervous time for us, as then it would only take a Chelsea win vs Liverpool to leave us relying on Wolves on the last day, or alternatively having to thump West Ham and Leicester to overtake them on GD.
EDIT: Ignore last part, was being dumb - just have to beat Leicester.
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A lot of Liverpool's home record comes from the Anfield crowd buying into the hype of the place being a fortress - opposition teams turn-up expecting an intimating atmosphere which makes it all the harder to concentrate on the actual game, which is vital when playing a long-ball team like Liverpool. Without the crowd, it's just another venue.
Klopp might well want to win the match against Chelsea, but he looked totally unable to motivate his side to recover against Arsenal during the week, and that's such a big part of what makes him the best manager around right now - if he's as ineffective on the sideline against a motivated Chelsea as he was against Arsenal then the result is far from certain, regardless of the trophy ceremony afterwards.
If we're calling playing for a draw match fixing, wouldn't every small team that's played any big team the last few years be getting the book thrown at them? It's just playing it safe, nothing wrong with that. But theres no way Ole wont be going for the win.
We wouldn’t have to thump anyone. Two 1-0 wins and we’re guaranteed top 4, regardless of whether Leicester win 100-0 tomorrow
Sorry you’re spot on, we’d just have to beat Leicester if we match their result vs Spurs against West Ham.
If the scenario occurs where a draw suits United and Leicester perfectly fine for top 4 and they tap it around the back for an hour and a half, is there anything that could be done?
Or is just "against the spirit of the game"?
Or is just "against the spirit of the game"?
The spirit of the game is to win, right?
Yeah, if we want to just need a draw at Leicester and they win tomorrow, that’s when we need to thump West Ham.. but the first option is the most simple and most satisfying!
This kind of thing happen in most leagues in most seasons, just that people don't notice cause it rarely happens in the very high profile games.
There's nothing in the rules against playing for a draw, when you have a scenario where both sides want to play for a draw, it becomes quite convenient.
I doubt anything could be done unless either club was stupid enough to formalise the arrangement. It’s just game theory so wouldn’t be a need to agree it with Leicester anyway.
In order to avoid the bad publicity it would more likely be a case of a very cagey match with super conservative attacks. Think tame shots right at the keeper or Rashford “trying” to dribble past the whole defence by himself without support. By the later parts of the game both sides will be happily shepherded back to their defenders when in possession and just play keep ball.
Open question, would it be sporting if both teams sat down for 90 minutes once the game started?
No, both teams should at least make the effort to stand and jog a little.
Id like it to be as obvious as possible. Maybe they kick off and then set up a game of rounders or something. Maguire and Wes Morgan make a few TikTok videos. Pogba go live on Instagram and interview each player
That would cause quite a stir.
First of all, where have you been, and what ridiculous trait do I know you for?
Second, are they allowed to jog without the ball?
Just don't get up from the pre-match knee. Both clubs making a statement. Call anyone who questions it a racist.
This is foolproof!