PL Finale: Matchweek 38

[Live in the Now]

100 points.
Just today, Levante, 15th in la Liga scored 5 on Barca.

League One Wigan beat City this season. We could say that La Liga is crap because nobody beat Barcelona until Levante did, but that would be bull. In fact I know someone would say it which is why I'm calling it bull.

I think the European results speak for themselves. One team made the SF from each of the best four leagues. I don't want to defend City either because they weren't all that great and I don't think the EPL was very great this season either. There were three good teams that could compete, City, Liverpool, and Tottenham. United had to play horribly defensively to get their point totals and couldn't play in Europe, neither could Chelsea for the same reasons. Arsenal were just outright poor.

Still, lots of bad teams in all leagues. I think the BL may have the least bad teams, and it's hard to judge what Bayern would have done with their full team. Remember Boateng and Robben got hurt very early in the SF.

 

[sabremike]

100 points.
Just today, Levante, 15th in la Liga scored 5 on Barca.

Question: did they play their starters or did they play all their reserves (which is what I'd suspect because they have already won the league and they have nothing to play for)?

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Question: did they play their starters or did they play all their reserves (which is what I'd suspect because they have already won the league and they have nothing to play for)?

They played everyone minus Messi... and they had something to play for and blew it.

 

[gary69]

Question: did they play their starters or did they play all their reserves (which is what I'd suspect because they have already won the league and they have nothing to play for)?

They played Yerry Mina who was a disaster running all over the place and making wrong decisions in every goal. Other than that they had mostly starters, although Messi wasn't there.

 

[sabremike]

They played everyone minus Messi... and they had something to play for and blew it.

That's kinda a big absence no, like if my Sabres beat the Pens with Crosby in the press box?

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

That's kinda a big absence no, like if my Sabres beat the Pens with Crosby in the press box?

Nah, he's just a product of Iniesta and Xavi.

 

[hatterson]

Teams not winning a repeat championship doesn't automatically equate to a strong league.

In each of the EPL's last three seasons, it's been indicative of the coach and his players falling out.

Leicester didn’t repeat becuase they weren’t good enough. They went on a miracle run that coincided with most of the big teams being down/having off years. Don’t think their lack of repeat is fair to blame on a manager.

With Chelsea the fallout definitely played a part in their two, but given its now happened two times in a row, the core of that team deserves some examination and a fair share of blame as opposed to it all falling on Mourinho and Conte’s shoulders.

As to LITNs point about the bottom being worse, I don’t agree. I don’t think the bottom 7-8 teams are much different as a whole than they’ve been for a whole. Where the big points for most of the big teams (75 points to make fourth is really good) came from this year was that there’s just no more second tier any more. You have the big 6 and then a bunch of trash teams.

 

[YNWA14]

Teams not winning a repeat championship doesn't automatically equate to a strong league.

In each of the EPL's last three seasons, it's been indicative of the coach and his players falling out.

I mean at the very least the number of teams that can win (realistically) any given season points to it being more competitive at the top than some of the others. How many titles have Barca/Real won in the last decade? Bayern? PSG? I mean in reference to one team leagues you can't really just look at a one season win especially since it's highly unlikely to be repeated.

 

[les Habs]

As for yet another league debate, I will say that I think La Liga is more difficult because their mid to lower end of the table sides are better. The top teams are already as competitive at worst, but as you go down the table I think you've got better sides in La Liga until you hit the relegation places. It's crazy too considering the money that Premiership sides have at their disposal.

Question: did they play their starters or did they play all their reserves (which is what I'd suspect because they have already won the league and they have nothing to play for)?

Not sure why you're not getting a right answer to your question, but I'll set it straight. It was a mixed squad missing four starters, arguably five. That said a guy like Semedo, who isn't first choice RB, should be.

I'd expect some reserves and possibly some B team players in most other seasons. The catch here is that the team was still undefeated and the B team is in a relegation fight. So while I can see some rotations, under the circumstances you'd expect a stronger team.

Also, Mina has played three matches worth of minutes in the league this season. Three, and he was brought in back in January. Semedo won't even finish the season with half a league's worth of minutes. Vermaelen even fewer. So again, a mixed squad to a degree and thanks to Valverde some players who haven't played as much as they could and probably should have done.

Of course they should still get the result, though it should be noted Levante held Madrid to two points this season.

 

[njdevsfn95]

Burnley qualified for Europe without being awarded a penalty all season.

Newcastle, who typically don't get them, managed a top 10 finish with only 1, ironically against Burnley...and subsequently missed it.

 

[Savant]

Burnley qualified for Europe without being awarded a penalty all season.

Newcastle, who typically don't get them, managed a top 10 finish with only 1, ironically against Burnley...and subsequently missed it.

Here are some more fun with penalties stats:

The team that won the most PKs this season was Crystal Palace with 10. Two teams finished tied for 2nd with 8 PKs. Man City and Everton. Three offensive juggernauts.

Interestingly, Crystal Palace were awarded 7 PKs at Selhurst Park this season; 7 PKs from 461 touches (1 in 66) in the opposition box.

By comparison, Liverpool have been awarded 6 PKs at Anfield, in the last three years combined; 6 PKs from 1791 touches (1 in 299) in the opposition box.

 

[Savant]

James Pearce says Oxlade-Chamberlain is out until November.

That sucks

 

[The Abusement Park]

32w-4d-2l | 106-27 | 100

Win record: 32 wins
Goals for record: 106 goals
Points record: 100 points
GD record: +79

Let the Manchester be blue for eternity from now on.

And yet they still aren’t the greatest BPL team ever. I think the mid ~’06 Chelsea and ‘08 United teams are better than this City tSam.

 

[Burner Account]

Mohamed Salah, a gift from Allah.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

And yet they still aren’t the greatest BPL team ever. I think the mid ~’06 Chelsea and ‘08 United teams are better than this City tSam.

Yeah right. Broke more than half of all the records. Twice the better than any team, like ever.
I only highlighted 4 of their 9 records what came this season. (the biggest point difference to 2nd place
was one of them)

There was more than a chance to go without losses this season, in all competitions and win everything.

Few silly losses (ala; loss to Wigan in the cup,that totally unnecessary Champions League group stage loss
in the final game against the Ukrainian side), we had all the keys to go all the way this season in the UCL
but, Liverpool....oy-vey. - Hey, all the credit to them and to one Salah - Talking about Liverpool...
that nutty nutty 3-4 loss at Anfield, still can-not understand what the F happened in that first half...
...and then was that loss against United at Etihad...which really didn't happen, the match ended after first half .

 

[hatterson]

There was more than a chance to go without losses this season, in all competitions and win everything.

Not sure why "they had a chance to win everything, but they didn't" is a huge selling point....

 

[Havre]

It is strange how the PL seems to have developed. Obviously the big teams basically just steamrolled the rest earlier as well, but the effect seems to have been increased (I admit I haven't looked up the numbers). I don't want to romanticize the past, but I would agree that this isn't the best PL team ever. To me they aren't solid enough defensively. It feels like they can score almost at any time, but it also feels like they can quite easily concede a goal or two.

I also believe they benefited from some weak opposition. Not really unique for this year, but having watched every second of the season from Spurs there is no doubt Spurs played worse football this year than last - and still managed 3rd. Having watched a lot of the Man Utd games I'm not sure if I can ever remember a second placed team that weak. Add to that three newly promoted teams surviving without really spending much money and you had the circumstances for City to do something special.

They executed. Credit to them for that, but the best ever? Not for me. Chelsea, Utd and Arsenal have all had better teams in my opinion.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Mohamed Salah, a gift from Allah.

Please shut up.

 

[The Abusement Park]

It is strange how the PL seems to have developed. Obviously the big teams basically just steamrolled the rest earlier as well, but the effect seems to have been increased (I admit I haven't looked up the numbers). I don't want to romanticize the past, but I would agree that this isn't the best PL team ever. To me they aren't solid enough defensively. It feels like they can score almost at any time, but it also feels like they can quite easily concede a goal or two.

I also believe they benefited from some weak opposition. Not really unique for this year, but having watched every second of the season from Spurs there is no doubt Spurs played worse football this year than last - and still managed 3rd. Having watched a lot of the Man Utd games I'm not sure if I can ever remember a second placed team that weak. Add to that three newly promoted teams surviving without really spending much money and you had the circumstances for City to do something special.

They executed. Credit to them for that, but the best ever? Not for me. Chelsea, Utd and Arsenal have all had better teams in my opinion.

They were incredibly consistent this year. They never really went through a slump while others did, but I agree that they don’t instill a ton of confidence in me defensively. In saying this they definitely are one of the best teams of all time, but this team will never be better than the mid ‘00s Chelsea and Utd teams.

 

[koyvoo]

Harry Kane challenges Mo Salah to prove his greatness

Kane on why Liverpool's Salah isn't a 'great' just yet


He should just officially change his name to Hater Kane

 

[Live in the Now]

That guy is a f***ing idiot.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Not really I mean he didn't say anything that crazy. If you disregard the hyperbolic headline.

Most Journalism is pure garbage given these idiotic headlines that just seek clicks. Shameful.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

That guy is a ****ing idiot.

I presume you mean the journalist?

 

[Live in the Now]

I presume you mean the journalist?

No I mean myself because I did the classic "only read the headline"

 

[YNWA14]

I mean, there's nothing wrong with what he said. I do feel it's very 'yeah, sure he did great this year but remember I've been doing it for years' type thing since he couldn't get the golden boot even with a little bit of 'help'.

That said I know I'm in the minority, but I think that Salah's season has been a bit overblown. I still think Suarez was better overall in 13/14 for example, and I don't think Salah has actually been Messi level. I don't even think he's been the clear-cut best player on the team. He's had quite a few pretty bad games where he ends up scoring anyway because of the number of chances, or because of his composure.