Premier League 2017-2018

[hatterson]

Curious because I haven't been paying too much attention to the EPL since I am an Arsenal fan....

I noticed something odd, almost two months ago I saw that the top 4 is for the CL and 5th place qualifies for Euro. However, just last week in the standings where it said top 4 for the CL, but places 5th, 6th, and 7th is for Europa. Did the EPL get more spots from UEFA?

It's due to how the cups have gone down.

5th gets the league standings spot.
6th gets the FA cup that either Chelsea or United will have (United qualify for CL, Chelsea for CL or EL based on league standings).
7th gets the league cup spot from City as City has CL.


And technically 4th isn't guaranteed CL yet.

If:
- Chelsea win out
- Liverpool don't beat Brighton
- Liverpool win the CL
- Arsenal win the EL

Then 4th place (Chelsea) would get dropped down to the EL.

That could mean Chelsea could be on cloud 9 next Sunday for pulling off a great "escape" and getting to 4th to have CL football back, and then suddenly be dumped back to the EL.

 

[Jussi]

25 years ago:

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

If anybody cares, Kane, Dele and Trippier are playing Fortnite with Ninja, Twitch's largest streamer:



Edit: They had a good laugh at Arsenal getting knocked out.

 

[Desdichado93]

"Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had emergency surgery on Saturday for a brain haemorrhage."

Sir Alex Ferguson: Former Manchester United boss has emergency surgery

 

[Stray Wasp]

25 years ago:

Lies.

Surely that much time can't have passed. Can it?

 

[hatterson]

"Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had emergency surgery on Saturday for a brain haemorrhage."

Sir Alex Ferguson: Former Manchester United boss has emergency surgery

Hoping for a full and speedy recovery.

 

[robertmac43]

Whos winning the Swansea verse Southampton game on Tuesday?

 

[hatterson]

Whos winning the Swansea verse Southampton game on Tuesday?

Desperately hoping for a draw to keep Swansea’s story alive into the final day.

 

[Stray Wasp]

Whos winning the Swansea verse Southampton game on Tuesday?

It may be that I'm cursing Southampton by suggesting this, but I can't see Swansea winning.

Unless that late equaliser on Saturday has utterly demoralised the Saints, they can take heart from the fact they don't have to come out and play. Swansea is winless in seven, during which they've scored only two goals. And Carlos Carvahal is by nature a cautious coach rather than expansive. Yet they can't afford to lose here.

It's no remark of genius to say that the first goal is likely to define the game. If Swansea scores it, Southampton has on paper the talent to save the game. If their visitors score first, I can't see Swansea scoring twice without opening up so much the contest degenerates into a series of cavalry charges- a scenario in which Southampton's greater talent should again give them the edge.

Mark Hughes' tactical masterstroke of not being Mauricio Pellegrino seems to have breathed a little life into the Saints.
Admittedly losing Yoshida may leave them weak at centre back, and there remains the lingering doubt over their stomach in a tight spot that the experience of conceding first would put to the ultimate test. Still, Swansea strike me as having become rather a nowt nor summat team, and as Stoke proved, falling between two stools if often fatal.

 

[Havre]

I'm expecting Renato Sanches to bring this home for Swansea

That is about as evenly matched a game could ever be. Southampton are the better team, but Swansea got the advantage of playing at home. Both teams are desperate not to lose and probably not brave enough to keep on attacking if they go up 1-0. With a high degree of certainty will this be an extremely close game. If either team go up 1-0 they will spend the rest of the game defending their lead (the odd CA or set-piece might give them 2-0 of course).

Don't want Swansea to go down, but it would be worse if Southampton did. They are a half decent team playing some half decent football under a half decent manager.

 

[robertmac43]

I kind of want Swansea to stay up so Wales has that representation

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

I kind of want Swansea to stay up so Wales has that representation

Cardiff are getting promoted, so Wales will be represented in the Premier League next year either way.

 

[robertmac43]

Cardiff are getting promoted, so Wales will be represented in the Premier League next year either way.

lol good point, well then let Swansea stay up to have the derby

 

[YNWA14]

Thought this was interesting.

The below isn't opinion, it is just statements being made on the basis of looking purely at goals conceded data when on the pitch. Rank in terms of goals conceded in brackets. I don't believe too much should be read into any one piece of data. For example - players who come off the bench a lot towards of the end of games where we concede will see a huge impact on their numbers. So I am not surprised regular subs like Moreno, Milner & Chamberlain score worst here. Likewise, anybody who avoided playing in teh spurs and man city loses will be spared a big hit in their numbers.

1. Our best keeper is Karius (1)
2. Our best back 4 is: Gomez (9) - VVD (6) - Klavan (3) - Robertson (2)
3. Our best midfield 3 is: Gini (5) - Hendo (7) - Can (13)
4. Our best only forward 3 is: Mane (4) - Salah ( 8) - Firmino (11)

Subs: Migs (16), Lovren (9), Matip (14), Trent (12), Moreno (18), Milner (15), Chamberlain (17)

What might that suggest?
1. Karius instead of Migs makes a huge difference.
2. Robertson instead of Moreno makes a huge difference.
3. VVD instead of Matip makes a huge difference.
4. We suffer when either Gini or Hendo is out.
5. Klavan deserves the new contract he is reportedly being offered. He has the best goals against record of all center backs and has the best on the ball numbers of them all too. Although clearly has some weaknesses to his game (Aerial numbers), his strengths massively outweigh his weaknesses.

Digging into these a bit more.
1. We very rarely concede from outside the box when Gini, Hendo or Karius plays (midfield pressure on the ball? It is something people were critical of Can in the past (e.g. Wanyama) and Milner recently (Nainggolan).
2. We concede most from outside the box when Klavan, Can, Trent, Milner & Migs play. (weird to see Klavan as having the best goals against record but the worst from outside the box. Poor defensive headers? Doesn't close people down?)
3. Gini & Hendo block the least shots of our central midfielders - good positioning rather closing down then?
4. Klavan blocks almost half as many shots as our other center backs - the above makes some sense now.

I believe that the stats are based on GA/90 when the players are on the field. I think that Klavan has really benefited in these stats from his usage so I would have Lovren in there ahead of him. The Can stats surprise me a bit (even though he's 13th which isn't great) since a quick gander at his fixtures this season shows our defensive record is much better without him in the side (for example in games he hasn't played we've only conceded 7 in 11 outside of the CL and 14 in 16 in the CL (including the Roma games which both had goals where Liverpool were being very complacent after being comfortable).

 

[Savant]

@YNWA14

Interesting stats there but I do think the key thing that it is missing is Klopp doesn't really play Klavan and Virgil together. This is because both are LCB. I dont think Klopp will accommodate Klavan by moving VVD or vice versa. Its misleading because I can count the times that those two have played in the center together on one hand.

 

[robertmac43]

CH staying in Brighton for another three years! Puts a smile on my face, hes been amazing the past couple years

 

[Savant]

Aston Villa vs Fulham for the final spot in the PL

 

[robertmac43]

Hoping Fulham gets promoted would be nice to have 3 teams that have not been up in a while

 

[Havre]

I don´t mind Fulham, but I prefer Villa. Would like Villa to establish themselves as a top 8-10 club. The PL would benefit having a good team from Birmingham. Villa is a proper club with a brilliant history. I miss them.

 

[Savant]

I'm rooting for Fulham, simply because I like their stadium better.

 

[phisherman]

Fulham because f*** John Terry.

 

[Live in the Now]

Fulham because I want to see Sessegnon play in the top flight for them.

 

[robertmac43]

Fulham because I want to see Sessegnon play in the top flight for them.

Its also time for Mitrovic to come back to top flight football :p

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

Fulham are a little club living above their station thanks to their various rich benefactors through the years. I guess it helps being a little club based in one of the richest areas in the world.

Villa are a proper club and should be a permanent PL fixture (as they have been). They've been underachieving for a long time thanks to questionable ownership and management. It would do the league a world of good for a Midlands club to play a role in the upper half of the Premiership.

 

[Chimaera]

I do think Villa should be back in the EPL, but it's hard to figure out who should go and stay. Glad West Brom and Stoke are going down (though I think either club is a good shot at coming back up sadly).

It's getting harder and harder to predict who should actually go up and down, largely with the new investment. Wolves probably will spend to the point where they're in the 7-10 range (though maybe higher, depending on who they keep and who goes). I would expect Huddersfield and Brighton to go back down at some point, but who else will go is not a shoe in. Crystal Palace has hugged the line for parts of a few seasons, maybe if Zaha is sold, they'll go. It's way early to predict, but I wouldn't be shocked to see some change up.