Premier League 2016-2017 - part 2
- Thread starter Ar-too
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Jussi
Registered User
Police raid Newcastle and West Ham in a financial probe:
http://www.skysports.com/watch/vide...71/breaking-police-raid-at-newcastle-west-ham
http://www.express.co.uk/sport/foot...y-Newcastle-arrested-tax-probe-statement-news
http://www.skysports.com/watch/vide...71/breaking-police-raid-at-newcastle-west-ham
http://www.express.co.uk/sport/foot...y-Newcastle-arrested-tax-probe-statement-news
Paulie Gualtieri
R.I.P. Tony Sirico
- May 18, 2016
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Jussi
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hatterson
Registered User
So couple interesting facts
If Spurs win out, they'll tie United's 11/12 campaign for most points by a non-winning club in PL history and they'll likely better United's goal difference from that year so a pretty solid argument could be made that this season they're the best club in PL history to not win a title.
Also likely going to finish the year as most points earned by the top 4 and the top 7 in PL history.
If Spurs win out, they'll tie United's 11/12 campaign for most points by a non-winning club in PL history and they'll likely better United's goal difference from that year so a pretty solid argument could be made that this season they're the best club in PL history to not win a title.
Also likely going to finish the year as most points earned by the top 4 and the top 7 in PL history.
Blender
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Hopefully they can pull it off. They are putting together a title winning quality season, it's just unfortunate for them that Chelsea is having an even better season.
It's pretty clear right now the grouping in the Premier League this season has been:
1/2
3 to 7
Everyone else
YNWA14
Onbreekbaar
- Dec 29, 2010
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It's kind of funny. Last season the top 7 was pretty drab and a team like Leicester slipped through the cracks and grabbed the trophy. This year it's probably the most competitive top 7 in PL history, with strong teams all around actually playing to their abilities for the most part.
It will be really interesting to see how well the PL shows in Europe next season.
It will be really interesting to see how well the PL shows in Europe next season.
Paulie Gualtieri
R.I.P. Tony Sirico
- May 18, 2016
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Us winning the title during our last year at WHL would be like a fairytale to me. I'll admit that I'm a bit salty that Chelsea have had such luck with injuries whilst we dropped alot of points thanks to them, but I didn't expect us to get this far anyway.
Not too hopeful of these next two seasons though seeing how we were so reliant on playing well at home.
Not too hopeful of these next two seasons though seeing how we were so reliant on playing well at home.
Don't think it's close to being a good year for the EPL. Especially in history. Or maybe you mean competitive in terms of close.
They showed their weakness in Europe too. United has barely survived in the EL, all of the other EPL teams were sent hom early except Leicester which played to its best potential.
They showed their weakness in Europe too. United has barely survived in the EL, all of the other EPL teams were sent hom early except Leicester which played to its best potential.
bleedblue1223
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Agreed. Besides Chelsea and Tottenham, the other teams in the top 7 are more known this season for their flaws and weaknesses than their strengths and positive play.
ManU and Arsenal are very flawed teams, and would get ripped to shreds by top teams in Europe (like Arsenal did).
City is an offensive juggernaut that plays youth level defence - and a somewhat one-dimensional team (though with very high quality).
Liverpool is a team filled with "good" players and the odd star-quality guy, but it's Klopp that's making them look better than they are IMO.
Guys like Clyne, Milner at LB, Lovren, Henderson are very good players - but they're not Carragher, Gerrard, etc.
As with the Arsenal and ManU, they likely get run over by Barca, Real, Bayern, Juve, PSG...
Chelsea and Tottenham have proper quality squads, and the Spurs are so young as well.
My point is...
I think the level of competition in the EPL was much higher 10 years ago, with a peak Arsenal, ManU, Chelsea and Liverpool, all capable of winning the league and beating anyone in Europe - as opposed to today.
YNWA14
Onbreekbaar
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That's a nostalgic way to look at it. The landscape is very different now.
Obviously Europe was not great for the English teams this year around, but if you still put it into perspective City pushed Monaco to the brink and only lost on away goals, and they're currently on pace to finish 4th. Leicester gave Atletico a very competitive tie in the Quarters and are a mid-table team. United have a very good chance of winning the Europa league (though obviously I'd much rather they didn't, and that Ajax make it and thrash them) and that's with a ridiculous number of injuries to some of their best players. Only really Spurs and Arsenal have been overly disappointing in Europe and I think Tottenham will continue to improve while Arsenal have had issues with top teams for years and are looking at a 6th or 7th placed finish in the PL anyway.
Liverpool have been fantastic against top opposition, Chelsea had one down year but look to be very strong, and City will likely improve from this year. I think next season, if things stay as they are there may be 5 English clubs in the CL and all of them to be at their strongest in a while I think.
Obviously Europe was not great for the English teams this year around, but if you still put it into perspective City pushed Monaco to the brink and only lost on away goals, and they're currently on pace to finish 4th. Leicester gave Atletico a very competitive tie in the Quarters and are a mid-table team. United have a very good chance of winning the Europa league (though obviously I'd much rather they didn't, and that Ajax make it and thrash them) and that's with a ridiculous number of injuries to some of their best players. Only really Spurs and Arsenal have been overly disappointing in Europe and I think Tottenham will continue to improve while Arsenal have had issues with top teams for years and are looking at a 6th or 7th placed finish in the PL anyway.
Liverpool have been fantastic against top opposition, Chelsea had one down year but look to be very strong, and City will likely improve from this year. I think next season, if things stay as they are there may be 5 English clubs in the CL and all of them to be at their strongest in a while I think.
Duchene2MacKinnon
In the hands of Genius
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hatterson
Registered User
Yeah, somehow forgot about that. But I still think that it is more of an Arsenal issue than a overall PL team in Europe issue.
I doubt any PL team will struggle in Europe next year. Liverpool in particular can sneak in a good run with how they always step up against big teams and I'm sure a Mourinho coached team will not ship in 5 goals on a regular basis.
I doubt any PL team will struggle in Europe next year. Liverpool in particular can sneak in a good run with how they always step up against big teams and I'm sure a Mourinho coached team will not ship in 5 goals on a regular basis.
bleedblue1223
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I think that's being overly optimistic. The flaws of these clubs will only be magnified in Europe. Liverpool will probably leak goals. Chelsea and Tottenham will need to add quality depth to truly compete in Europe, and Tottenham will need to prove themselves. United and Mourinho are complete question marks.
The EPL has competition in the top 7, but almost every club with have fairly significant question marks going into next season. Because of that competition, we likely won't see one club dominate domestically year after year, and it will be difficult for English clubs to consistently go far in Europe IMO. They are fighting each other for talent, so they won't have as much as the big clubs did in the past, and with more tough games, the fatigue will build.
Live in the Now
Registered User
Liverpool won't leak goals. What Liverpool will have a problem with in Europe next season is scoring. When you think about it, their attack isn't any better than the teams they'll be playing, so they will be forced to defend, just like in the league against the top half. And they defend well against the top half. The problem with their defense is concentration and pushing too far up, which doesn't make any sense to me. But against good European teams just as good English teams, they won't do either of those things.
The realist in me says that Liverpool will never be able to break down the top defensive sides and that's how they'll go out of Europe. Can't ever imagine them scoring against the likes of Juventus, or any other team that approached a two legged tie with the intention of not conceding and going through on a jammy goal. If they go into a hypothetical group with Juve, Sevilla, and Olympiacos...even though I'd like our chances, I'd be shocked if we went through considering the intentions of the opposing managers.
Anyway, if you look at the way teams currently sit, it's far more likely Liverpool and Spurs will wind up with the likes of both Bayern and RM in their draw than ever before. I don't expect anything from Europe next season considering that's the case.
The realist in me says that Liverpool will never be able to break down the top defensive sides and that's how they'll go out of Europe. Can't ever imagine them scoring against the likes of Juventus, or any other team that approached a two legged tie with the intention of not conceding and going through on a jammy goal. If they go into a hypothetical group with Juve, Sevilla, and Olympiacos...even though I'd like our chances, I'd be shocked if we went through considering the intentions of the opposing managers.
Anyway, if you look at the way teams currently sit, it's far more likely Liverpool and Spurs will wind up with the likes of both Bayern and RM in their draw than ever before. I don't expect anything from Europe next season considering that's the case.
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That's what it seems to me. Definitely doesn't seem to be as much quality as advertised. Spurs - Arsenal for me was a clear indication of that.
Deficient Mode
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koyvoo
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Juve?
Série A is weak but they can't go better than winning it. Could be a historic season for them still.
Série A is weak but they can't go better than winning it. Could be a historic season for them still.
Live in the Now
Registered User
I definitely wouldn't look to that game (or much of any that don't feature Chelsea, Liverpool before the Mane injury, or Everton) for good football.
It hasn't been discussed too much, and I find it odd considering the team and their fans outlook on Wenger, but Arsenal would be very near the bottom of the table on the form they've displayed since the middle of the season. Of course it's "Wenger out" in some people's minds, but I struggle to think of many good squads that bring home 20 points from 14 games. In fact I've only seen such a thing in Europe one time. The most offensive part to me is that they still have some tough games to go, and the last match they won was out of sheer luck with a deflection.
So yeah, hard to watch an Arsenal team and think there's much of any quality in their squad (in the current market they probably need a 200m overhaul), and it's impossible for them to play good football. I wouldn't keep much of anyone who plays there were I the person replacing Wenger. For that matter I don't think Spurs play particularly great football either. I know their goal total says otherwise and that's fine. I think their style resembles Benitez's Liverpool quite a lot, and they get the results because of that. Sometimes the performances are great, sometimes they're not and they win anyway, and sometimes they get negative results that come about as the result of running out of ideas. The results in the CL definitely fall into the latter category. I know Spurs fans might take the following comments as disrespectful, but it's just a fact. They really only have two players that would get into the best Benitez team of that time. The goalkeeper and the left back. The rest would be on the bench, but that Spurs team is currently the only one even close to the current leaders. I think that says a lot. I'm not trying to be disrespectful, they're obviously the second best team in the league. I'm just stating a fact.
The Premier League is nowhere near what it used to be, considering that. Barcelona and Milan at times were the only teams as good as those, 8-10 years ago. Chelsea may be the only team that approaches these now, but their squad is so small and so thin. They also don't play any of their academy players and it's impossible for almost any club including theirs to spend the money to make up for that. That being said I think the overall state of football is a lot better and I don't think it was good for the sport for four of the six best teams to be in one league. While I think this is a better time for the sport, I do notice that there are lots of players who lack individuality and run out of ideas to win matches, but that seems to be an inevitability of enhanced tactics and team play.
It's also funny the way people talk about the mid-table sides being better. They do have better managers and players than they used to have, but they've been absolutely blown apart this season. Even when the Premier League had those four very high quality teams, there was never the problem of only seven teams managing to garner 50 points. I don't have the time to go back and check, but it could be unheard of. Worst of all I think only three teams have actually played entertaining football this season. Bournemouth does too to some degree, so I'd make that four.
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I agree, they're not better than last year, especially Leicester and WHU, even Soton.
Either through key departures or injuries, those 3 have suffered, and those were the 3 that were giving the "top-6" a hard time last season.
That said, the top-6 have improved on last season, through some key signings (some from those mid-table teams, like Mane).
As a West Ham fan, a team which has struggled with new stadium, Payet thing, key injuries, some shoddy signings, just a comparison:
2016 vs the top-6: 7W, 4D, 1L, goal difference 21-14
2017 vs the top-6 (10gms, still to play Lpool and Spurs): 0W, 2D, 6L (goal difference 5-23)
It's fairly similar for Leicester, WBA, Soton, etc.
The odd win here and there, but last year some of the mid-table teams looked good, played actual football, not just a Pulis 90-min bus parking with set piece goals.
...
This season... It's pretty bad.
I dare say a team like Malaga actually plays football on a much higher level than a team like WBA or WHU or Soton, more skill involved, better passing, better counter-attacking etc.
The physicality is there with these teams, the running, the aerial threats etc... but the actual skill level is questionable, passing and ball control, and the average football IQ of these guys, and their instincts... are questionable as well (not with all players obviously, but with a lot, yes).
