GWT: Premier League Round 32

[Evilo]

Not at all. Neither of them are in. Nothing to see here.

That's called double standards :
"Ten of those names I feel pretty good about. Virgil may have be the 11th man of he was at Liverpool all season, but, as of now I wouldn't feel right putting him in there. Maybe next year."
So you considered Virgil, who sucked like crazy for half the season and hasn't even been out of this world in the second half, but you wrote off Eriksen who had a slow start and has been amazing for a while now.
Come on Savant.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Eriksen's first two months were pretty lukewarm, but in october/november I just don't understand what got into him. The technical aspects he usually excelled at became absolutely awful. All of a sudden he couldn't control simple passes and kept fumbling with the ball leading to turnovers. He was a liability on the pitch in most of those games. That's why I wouldn't consider him to be in the TOTY, even if he is playing really well right now.

 

[YNWA14]

That's called double standards :
"Ten of those names I feel pretty good about. Virgil may have be the 11th man of he was at Liverpool all season, but, as of now I wouldn't feel right putting him in there. Maybe next year."
So you considered Virgil, who sucked like crazy for half the season and hasn't even been out of this world in the second half, but you wrote off Eriksen who had a slow start and has been amazing for a while now.
Come on Savant.

He's saying if VvD had been at Liverpool all season (and I'm assuming that means if he'd been in the same form all season) he'd be in, but he says he wouldn't feel right putting him in there based on what actually happened.

Nothing to see here.

 

[spintheblackcircle]

Eriksen's first two months were pretty lukewarm, but in october/november I just don't understand what got into him. The technical aspects he usually excelled at became absolutely awful. All of a sudden he couldn't control simple passes and kept fumbling with the ball leading to turnovers. He was a liability on the pitch in most of those games. That's why I wouldn't consider him to be in the TOTY, even if he is playing really well right now.

All this talk about what a bad year Dele has had and how good Son and Eriksen has been:

Goals and assists in league play
Dele-17
Eriksen-16
Son-16

In all matches
Son-28
Dele-27
Eriksen-23

And he's 5 years younger than both.

 

[Live in the Now]

Re: Alonso the way I remember it is him scoring crucial goals and along with Hazard being the only consistent attacking threats for that team. He also didn't start the season inexplicably benched so even though that's clearly the weakest position in this league I'd put him there.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

By the way, Tottenham's financial reports were released today and they nearly managed a 50% increase in revenue in 16/17 compared to 15/16. Can't wait to see the financial report after the first season in the new stadium.

 

[Evilo]

He's saying if VvD had been at Liverpool all season (and I'm assuming that means if he'd been in the same form all season) he'd be in, but he says he wouldn't feel right putting him in there based on what actually happened.

Nothing to see here.

So he considered him. Not Eriksen.
And what if Eriksen had been in great form all season?
This makes zero sense.

 

[YNWA14]

So he considered him. Not Eriksen.
And what if Eriksen had been in great form all season?
This makes zero sense.

I'm sure if Eriksen had been in great form all season he would have considered him also? I don't think this needs to be explicitly stated but the discussion you quoted was about the inclusion of Tarkowski and how there was surely better options. Eriksen wasn't even brought up then.

 

[Savant]

That's called double standards :
"Ten of those names I feel pretty good about. Virgil may have be the 11th man of he was at Liverpool all season, but, as of now I wouldn't feel right putting him in there. Maybe next year."
So you considered Virgil, who sucked like crazy for half the season and hasn't even been out of this world in the second half, but you wrote off Eriksen who had a slow start and has been amazing for a while now.
Come on Savant.

Two things:

Virgil plays a much less competitive position for spaces. That figures in. I also said I only thought one CB was worthy of a spot, which illustrates how uninspiring the PL centerbacks have been this season.

Secondly, the way I look at it, its not about if you are the 12th man. Its about whether you are in or not. Virgil isnt the twelfth man, but as explained above there are much better midfielders and forwards than defenders in the PL.

As I said. Nothing to see here

 

[Savant]

I'm sure if Eriksen had been in great form all season he would have considered him also? I don't think this needs to be explicitly stated but the discussion you quoted was about the inclusion of Tarkowski and how there was surely better options. Eriksen wasn't even brought up then.

And I am taking a mulligan on Tarkowski

 

[Live in the Now]

All this talk about what a bad year Dele has had and how good Son and Eriksen has been:

Goals and assists in league play
Dele-17
Eriksen-16
Son-16

In all matches
Son-28
Dele-27
Eriksen-23

And he's 5 years younger than both.

I think Dele has had a very good season and people have overreacted to his play. His scoring role has decreased because Eriksen has been more of a scorer and that means he has to adjust. He's pretty young and needs time to learn how to do that. He hasn't been great, that would be too far, but he's still a learning player and defenses now know they can wind him up big time.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

I think Dele has had a very good season and people have overreacted to his play. His scoring role has decreased because Eriksen has been more of a scorer and that means he has to adjust. He's pretty young and needs time to learn how to do that. He hasn't been great, that would be too far, but he's still a learning player and defenses now know they can wind him up big time.

Dele described it himself in a recent article.

Dele Alli exclusive: I'm numb to critics, and opponents are more concerned with me

"I don't think I've changed. The game is always changing, every game is unpredictable," said Alli. "The way people deal with me in games is different; there are a lot more tackles. I found myself in a lot of space last year, and now when I get in the box I feel people are a lot more concerned about me, and marking me.

"It's a good thing, but when I run off the ball now, running in behind, whereas last year they may not have followed me as much they follow me a lot more now.

"I think it's good, it gives other players the space. We have a great team, so to make space for other players is a good thing."

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

Savant PL TOTY

GK. David de Gea
RB. Kyle Walker
LB. Andrew Robertson
CB. James Tarkowski
CB. Jan Vertonghen
DM. Fernandinho
CM. David Silva
CM. Kevin De Bruyne
RW. Mo Salah
LW. Leroy Sane
ST. Roberto Firmino

TOTY (4-4-2, because it always is):

Kane - Salah
Hazard - De Bruyne - David Silva - Sane
Alonso - Otamendi - Vertonghen - Walker
De Gea

This team has five shoe-ins: Kane, Salah, De Bruyne, Silva, and De Gea. The rest is personal discretion IMO.

I'm curious as to how the PFA will consider Salah. I was uncertain whether to put him on one of the wings and Aguero/Firmino in the other striker spot, but decided Salah has been more of a forward.

 

[hatterson]

By the way, Tottenham's financial reports were released today and they nearly managed a 50% increase in revenue in 16/17 compared to 15/16. Can't wait to see the financial report after the first season in the new stadium.

Primarily driven by ~77M in CL media money. I wouldn't expect them to see as significant a percentage raise this year given that CL money will go down slightly due to 5 English team splitting the pot and two of them outpacing Spurs in terms of how far they are going.

 

[YNWA14]

I'm curious as to how the PFA will consider Salah. I was uncertain whether to put him on one of the wings and Aguero/Firmino in the other striker spot, but decided Salah has been more of a forward.

This was also something I considered, but ultimately they usually go by starting position, and while Salah really plays as more of a wide poacher, or even outright up front at times, he's almost always 'starting' on the right in the line-ups and matchday squads. So I imagine it'll be on the right (which was also my logic in including Firmino alongside Kane.

I could see an argument for Hazard over Sane also. It's just hard not to put more City players in with the way they've dominated the league (and I prefer Kane to Aguero personally).

de Gea
Walker - Azpilicueta - Vertonghen - Robertson
Salah - de Bruyne - Silva - Hazard
Firmino - Kane​

I don't think the TotY cares about having a balanced squad IIRC, so I could see this being the team also.

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

This was also something I considered, but ultimately they usually go by starting position, and while Salah really plays as more of a wide poacher, or even outright up front at times, he's almost always 'starting' on the right in the line-ups and matchday squads. So I imagine it'll be on the right (which was also my logic in including Firmino alongside Kane.

I could see an argument for Hazard over Sane also. It's just hard not to put more City players in with the way they've dominated the league (and I prefer Kane to Aguero personally).

de Gea
Walker - Azpilicueta - Vertonghen - Robertson
Salah - de Bruyne - Silva - Hazard
Firmino - Kane​

I don't think the TotY cares about having a balanced squad IIRC, so I could see this being the team also.

They will almost definitely put Salah out wide, I just wanted an excuse to put Hazard in

I also wanted to roll with Azpilicueta over Otamendi, but decided I couldn't justify two Chelsea defenders considering that we've been a damn sieve, and decided that the gap between Alonso and #2 was larger than that between Azpi and Otamendi.

I'd be surprised if they went with Firmino over Aguero (even though I think there's a great case for Firmino) simply because they're gonna wanna give as much credit to this City team as possible.

 

[Havre]

Firmino is more than just a better athlete. His intelligence and off the ball work are 2nd to none, and especially his off the ball movement (in possession and without) are on a completely different level to Eriksen. He's also just as creative, in different ways, and a better goal scorer.

But weird to see the complaints about 'hyperbole' after saying Eriksen has been 'far better' than Kane this season, or saying you'd 'much rather' have Eriksen than Firmino or Kane.

Again, great player, but not on the level of Firmino or Kane.

Fair enough (bold part).

You make Firmino sound like a mix between Messi, Ibrahimovic and Roy Keane. Rather clueless to say Firmino is "completely different level" when Eriksen´s movement off the ball is world class. But I guess no two people have ever gone from disagreeing to agreeing on an online message board when it comes to. these things. And now I see Hazard in teams as well - I just got to accept my views are different (can´t help thinking Hazard is in there based on his name and potential - not his actual performances this season - not unlike Kane).

 

[Evilo]

It's just hard not to put more City players in with the way they've dominated the league (and I prefer Kane to Aguero personally).

de Gea
Walker - Azpilicueta - Vertonghen - Robertson
Salah - de Bruyne - Silva - Hazard
Firmino - Kane​

It is hard. No doubt.

But you did a great job considering you managed to put as many City players as Liverpool players. A+ for effort.

 

[Havre]

Primarily driven by ~77M in CL media money. I wouldn't expect them to see as significant a percentage raise this year given that CL money will go down slightly due to 5 English team splitting the pot and two of them outpacing Spurs in terms of how far they are going.

In that financial year they went out in the group stages. Also played at a reduced capacity WHL compared to Wembley.

You are correct that the jump won’t be as big, but still expecting a fairly significant increase over the two next seasons as long as there is CL football.

Also quite interesting with £41m retained profit. Would not be surprised if Spurs spend some serious money in the summer (not that I personally care how much money that is spent).

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

It is hard. No doubt.

But you did a great job considering you managed to put as many City players as Liverpool players. A+ for effort.

I honestly laughed out loud at this. Not many times you can say LOL. Thanks.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

---- Kane - Aguero---
-Sane - KdB - Silva - Salah
Alonso - Azpilicueta - Otamendi - Walker
---- De Gea

4-4-2
What I expect.. I would not be surprised to see Lukaku instead of Aguero because of.. United.

 

[Live in the Now]

---- Kane - Aguero---
-Sane - KdB - Silva - Salah
Alonso - Azpilicueta - Otamendi - Walker
---- De Gea

4-4-2
What I expect.. I would not be surprised to see Lukaku instead of Aguero because of.. United.

Lukaku will be nowhere near that thing. Aguero, Vardy, Firmino, Sterling, and Kane have all been better forwards this season.

 

[Havre]

Lukaku will be nowhere near that thing. Aguero, Vardy, Firmino, Sterling, and Kane have all been better forwards this season.

Yeah. Even the Utd-connection won't be enough.

The state of LBs in the PL when guys like Alonso and Robertson are mentioned as the best (not that they are bad players, but they really shouldn't be the best). Not that I see anyone else being clearly better - Young might have a shout. Mendy and Rose would have been clear choices if it hadn't been for the injuries.

DDG
Walker - Vertonghen - Young
KDB - Silva - Eriksen - Salah
Kane - Aguero - Firmino (edited due to only 10 players)

Obviously not balanced. And I do realize that it is a bit Spurs-centric, but been extremely impressed with Vertonghen this season (a guy I have previously considered as a weak link - much better than Alderweireld even before the injury). I don't have a clear candidate for the best CD at the moment. Utd don't have a clear go to man. Eriksen is why Spurs are basically just as good without Kane. When Eriksen is a bit off (as earlier in the season) Spurs look slow and uninspiring. Additionally he is never shy of covering ground defensively - never out of position. Kane would be my first Spurs player to go. Maybe one could argue Firmino has been better, but I don't see it (if I supported the team in red maybe - I don't know). Even at 95% Kane is more effective than Lukaku and Vardy.

I love Sane. One of, if not the most exciting players in the league (I don't think Salah's performances are sustainable), but he lacks a bit of consistency for me. Also benefits from playing for City. Just feel like the others are more the primary source of attacking play than he is at the moment. Sane could very well become the best player in the league in a year or two though.

For central defenders Utd don't have any go to guy at the moment. To me Azi are on these teams because of his reputation. Christensen impressed me until recently (clearly tired). van Dijk for me hasn't been that good. Otamendi maybe, but I think Vertonghen has been better. I get Tarkowski actually.

For goalkeepers I was tempted to have Pope. Haven't watched him as often as DDG, but he has been extremely impressive. I do wonder if I went for DDG just because of the name actually.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Everybody here dropping Fernandinho are off their rockers.

 

[Evilo]

You miss one guy Havre likely a CB.