UPDATE: (reverse chronological order)
At the end of Louis Van Gaal's question and answer with a Sky Sports reporter who asked if he had the support of Manchester United, Van Gaal answered "We have to wait and see." The reporter ended with "Thanks for your time" and as Van Gaal exited he directed some looks at the reporter that have been characterized as "icy" or as "death stares":
I think I see...
A lack of mental toughness among the Premier League's expected top teams, an inability to will a result, a mental fragility. Louis Van Gaal used the word "dare" today:
"My thoughts are that we didn't dare to play football in the first half and then we gave a very bad goal away."
"...I have to say the second half was much better. We created one or two chances and you have to score. Then the belief is coming back, and we played better in the second half, but the problem is we didn't dare to play. That is my analysis."
"It is not only the circumstances with the wind but also with the pressure. That is in my opinion the reason why they didn't dare to play football."
Asked whether he was the man to motivate the United players, he said: "That is now the big issue."
Very interesting. United did not "dare" to be great, the "pressure" made them tentative. Van Gaal cannot "motivate" them.
Chelsea's players are simply worn out mentally this year. Could not be motivated even by Mourinho.
For Arsenal, this is the story of recent years. Here is from today's write-up. You could cut-and-paste from numerous past write-ups:
Gunners lack energy, enthusiasm
"In the grander scheme of things, this defeat shouldn't be that shattering to Arsenal since they remain just two points behind a Leicester City side that are still expected to fall away, but the worry for Wenger is how these little things build into one big problem. They still just can't seem to properly step up."
It is not just in England or in soccer. In the summer of 2014 Miami "Heat" president Pat Riley said in his infamous "I'm pissed" press conference that over and over again in his exit interviews with the players the term mental fatigue or exhaustion came up. Riley had no fucking sympathy: Have the "guts" to stay he told them. Don't run out of town. Which is exactly what the best of his players did. LeBron James.
It's not just in England or in soccer but the Miami "Heat" were one team and Devon Loch one horse. In English soccer this year there are four teams who have at varying times and to varying degrees "spit the bit" of greatness: Arsenal, the two Manchesters, and Chelsea.
...
Are you kidding me?
Flat on their Arse.
Arsenal went to Southie today with a chance to go north in the table and, yeah...
Southampton 4, Arsenal 0.
4-0 to the 12th place "Saints" or "Sinners" or whatever they are. In-excusable. INEXCUSABLE!
City go to the King Power Point Stadium, home to the "Flying Foxes" of mighty Leicester on Tuesday and...I bet they lose. I bet City loses. It has been that kind of season so far.
...
Vincent Kompany after his injury today, still on the pitch.
And on his Facebook page:
A message from our captain @VincentKompany.
...
Feel very bad for Louis Van Gaal. He is hurt, devastated really. A thing I think I see in soccer (It's cloudy down there.): the players will just quit on a manager. In the States, there would be an open revolt, confrontations, public. At least in England there is a passive-aggressive approach. Chelsea's players just quit on Jose Mourinho and now, two managers in succession, Manchester United players are not performing up to their capability.
...
Before City's match today I read that captain Vinny Kompany was on the bench. That was a good sign, at least he was in uniform and available and not in the stands in civies. I also read that City was 8-0 with one goal conceded in the matches he had played and whatever-whatever in the matches he was out injured.
And he played today, Vinny played. He came on in the 62' minute after the match was decided to ease back into play...And he went off in the 71' re-injured on the same calf.
At the end of Louis Van Gaal's question and answer with a Sky Sports reporter who asked if he had the support of Manchester United, Van Gaal answered "We have to wait and see." The reporter ended with "Thanks for your time" and as Van Gaal exited he directed some looks at the reporter that have been characterized as "icy" or as "death stares":
I believe those characterizations are accurate.
...I think I see...
A lack of mental toughness among the Premier League's expected top teams, an inability to will a result, a mental fragility. Louis Van Gaal used the word "dare" today:
"My thoughts are that we didn't dare to play football in the first half and then we gave a very bad goal away."
"...I have to say the second half was much better. We created one or two chances and you have to score. Then the belief is coming back, and we played better in the second half, but the problem is we didn't dare to play. That is my analysis."
"It is not only the circumstances with the wind but also with the pressure. That is in my opinion the reason why they didn't dare to play football."
Asked whether he was the man to motivate the United players, he said: "That is now the big issue."
Very interesting. United did not "dare" to be great, the "pressure" made them tentative. Van Gaal cannot "motivate" them.
Chelsea's players are simply worn out mentally this year. Could not be motivated even by Mourinho.
For Arsenal, this is the story of recent years. Here is from today's write-up. You could cut-and-paste from numerous past write-ups:
Gunners lack energy, enthusiasm
"In the grander scheme of things, this defeat shouldn't be that shattering to Arsenal since they remain just two points behind a Leicester City side that are still expected to fall away, but the worry for Wenger is how these little things build into one big problem. They still just can't seem to properly step up."
It is not just in England or in soccer. In the summer of 2014 Miami "Heat" president Pat Riley said in his infamous "I'm pissed" press conference that over and over again in his exit interviews with the players the term mental fatigue or exhaustion came up. Riley had no fucking sympathy: Have the "guts" to stay he told them. Don't run out of town. Which is exactly what the best of his players did. LeBron James.
It's not just in England or in soccer but the Miami "Heat" were one team and Devon Loch one horse. In English soccer this year there are four teams who have at varying times and to varying degrees "spit the bit" of greatness: Arsenal, the two Manchesters, and Chelsea.
...
Are you kidding me?
Flat on their Arse.
Arsenal went to Southie today with a chance to go north in the table and, yeah...
Southampton 4, Arsenal 0.
4-0 to the 12th place "Saints" or "Sinners" or whatever they are. In-excusable. INEXCUSABLE!
City go to the King Power Point Stadium, home to the "Flying Foxes" of mighty Leicester on Tuesday and...I bet they lose. I bet City loses. It has been that kind of season so far.
...
Vincent Kompany after his injury today, still on the pitch.
And on his Facebook page:
A message from our captain @VincentKompany.
...
Feel very bad for Louis Van Gaal. He is hurt, devastated really. A thing I think I see in soccer (It's cloudy down there.): the players will just quit on a manager. In the States, there would be an open revolt, confrontations, public. At least in England there is a passive-aggressive approach. Chelsea's players just quit on Jose Mourinho and now, two managers in succession, Manchester United players are not performing up to their capability.
...
Before City's match today I read that captain Vinny Kompany was on the bench. That was a good sign, at least he was in uniform and available and not in the stands in civies. I also read that City was 8-0 with one goal conceded in the matches he had played and whatever-whatever in the matches he was out injured.
And he played today, Vinny played. He came on in the 62' minute after the match was decided to ease back into play...And he went off in the 71' re-injured on the same calf.
I don't understand it. These are world-class athletes, young, in world-class physical condition, they train and play on perfectly level, perfectly maintained grass playing surfaces, they have, I presume, world-class medical staffs and training regimens. And the sport requires them to run, not run and get tackled by 250 lb opposing players, to run! like boys. Of course there is acceleration and deceleration but not like in, e.g. basketball: stop, start, turn on a dime, on hardwood. And there is about the same hard physical contact in soccer as in basketball.
The injuries that plague Kompany, Kun Aguero, most soccer players, are not the devastating torn ligaments that one sees in basketball and tackle football, they are strained muscles. What?! C'mon, how can that happen?
City won 4-1. Liverpool beat Leicester 1-0. The latter are now first by two over Arsenal who play at Southampton later on and by three over City.
...
It's a rainy day in England's Second City and Sunderland is getting deluged. DeBruyne in the 54' and it's 4 nil.
...
Van Gaal to resign?:
"We have lost a fourth game, so we have to wait and see," he said. "The club doesn't have to fire or sack me -- sometimes I do it by myself."
Asked whether he was the man to motivate the United players, he said: "That is now the big issue.
"I have tried to do everything but the pressure shall be higher and higher with every match. That is the problem now."
...
It is Boxing Day in the UK, a traditional football day, and already Manchester United have gotten a lump of coal in their stocking they will want to return. The "Buccaneers" lost, again, to Stoke.
At the Etihad Stadium: Boom, Sterling 12', Boom, Toure 17', Boom, Bony 22' and the Angels lead Sunderland 3-0 at the half. Wow.
...
It's a rainy day in England's Second City and Sunderland is getting deluged. DeBruyne in the 54' and it's 4 nil.
...
Van Gaal to resign?:
"We have lost a fourth game, so we have to wait and see," he said. "The club doesn't have to fire or sack me -- sometimes I do it by myself."
Asked whether he was the man to motivate the United players, he said: "That is now the big issue.
"I have tried to do everything but the pressure shall be higher and higher with every match. That is the problem now."
...
It is Boxing Day in the UK, a traditional football day, and already Manchester United have gotten a lump of coal in their stocking they will want to return. The "Buccaneers" lost, again, to Stoke.
At the Etihad Stadium: Boom, Sterling 12', Boom, Toure 17', Boom, Bony 22' and the Angels lead Sunderland 3-0 at the half. Wow.
