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I watched El Classico and what a game, that was one game of football. Shame their is only 3 teams in that league. When Messi banged in the winner I bet you loved Ronaldos reaction Weasel! :lol:
PL 2016-2017 Thread
- Thread starter edd_jedi
- Start date
theforceuk said:
I'm surprised you didn't hear me swearing at him when Messi scored it was loud enough to drift over:lol: . The missus was a bit taken aback at just how much a hate that wanker, not sure she'd seen me swear with that much hatred before. Ahhh well lol.
Real will still win la liga, but it's always nice seeing Ronaldo upset. It makes up for seeing Fat Sam smile.....a little.
Well, that was exciting! Well done Jose, YET ANOTHER "big game" you suck any joy and entertainment out of. Give yourself a big pat on the back.
It's got to the stage now where I am considering not bothering to watch any more "big" games where Jose is the manager. The odds of it being anything other than a dour 0-0 or an equally dour 1-0 backs to the wall are astronomical. That's fine if you're Sunderland going to Stamford Bridge but Jose has been in charge of some of the biggest sides in Europe. He just doesn't do entertainment or excitement.
Not quite sure why Utd played the way they did. Jose always goes safety first in the big games, try not to lose and gamble you will pick enough points up against the dross, BUT Utd are 6th, they have Spuds and Arsenal to play, City aint exactly on fire and Utd are unbeaten in how long? If ever there was a time to you know actually try and play football and win a ****ing game that was it.
I know Utd and City can both finish above Pool if they win their last 5 games, but I can't help but feel Jose missed a great chance to get one over on Pep and also possibly knock Liverpool's chances of a CL spot.
Ohh and as for Bravo getting strapped in to a stretcher and carried off with a calf strain. FFS man grow a set of balls. If I had been one of his team mates I would have untied him, pushed him out of it and told him to walk off. What kinda girl is he? Ibrahimovic walked off with a tweaked Cruiciate. FFS Staurt Pearce tried to run off a ****ing broken leg (there is video footage of him trying to jog up the touchline with the physio waving his arms and trying to stop him)! And there is Bravo getting strapped to a stretcher and carted off by a crowd of paramedics. I've had tougher shites than that boy. Truly a pathetic sight.
It's got to the stage now where I am considering not bothering to watch any more "big" games where Jose is the manager. The odds of it being anything other than a dour 0-0 or an equally dour 1-0 backs to the wall are astronomical. That's fine if you're Sunderland going to Stamford Bridge but Jose has been in charge of some of the biggest sides in Europe. He just doesn't do entertainment or excitement.
Not quite sure why Utd played the way they did. Jose always goes safety first in the big games, try not to lose and gamble you will pick enough points up against the dross, BUT Utd are 6th, they have Spuds and Arsenal to play, City aint exactly on fire and Utd are unbeaten in how long? If ever there was a time to you know actually try and play football and win a ****ing game that was it.
I know Utd and City can both finish above Pool if they win their last 5 games, but I can't help but feel Jose missed a great chance to get one over on Pep and also possibly knock Liverpool's chances of a CL spot.
Ohh and as for Bravo getting strapped in to a stretcher and carried off with a calf strain. FFS man grow a set of balls. If I had been one of his team mates I would have untied him, pushed him out of it and told him to walk off. What kinda girl is he? Ibrahimovic walked off with a tweaked Cruiciate. FFS Staurt Pearce tried to run off a ****ing broken leg (there is video footage of him trying to jog up the touchline with the physio waving his arms and trying to stop him)! And there is Bravo getting strapped to a stretcher and carted off by a crowd of paramedics. I've had tougher shites than that boy. Truly a pathetic sight.
Good result for Spuds today. Head and shoulders above Arsenal. That game was the definition of two teams going places, but heading in opposite directions.
Chelsea have effectively won the league, and rightly so, since they went to three at the back they have been the best team. Spuds have run them close and those two definitely deserve their spots in the CL. I just hope Spurs make a better fist of Euopre than they did this year.
As for the other four sides fighting for a CL spot, over the course of the season, none of them have looked like they deserve one. City and Utd have underachieved massively, especially given the money spent on those squads. Arsenal have massive issues and are regressing, fast. Liverpool are the definition of jackal and hyde.
All four have massive issues with their squads as well, City's is too old and has no decent defenders or keepers, Utd need a striker and a few solid defenders and possibly a Keeper when Real finally pinch DDG. Arsenal need .......a team. Sanchez and Ozil are gone and the rest are good squad players or the kinda guys who can fit in round some quality but just not good enough to do it on their own. How many aRsenal players would make the sides of those round them? Pool, need a keeper, a CB, a LB and depth in what is a paper thin squad.
I suspect whoever misses out on CL will find it very hard to attract the claibre of players they need.
Saying that the two that do make CL won't be anywhere near contention. They should get out of the group, after that it's pot luck, but no "big" European side will worry about facing them.
Chelsea have effectively won the league, and rightly so, since they went to three at the back they have been the best team. Spuds have run them close and those two definitely deserve their spots in the CL. I just hope Spurs make a better fist of Euopre than they did this year.
As for the other four sides fighting for a CL spot, over the course of the season, none of them have looked like they deserve one. City and Utd have underachieved massively, especially given the money spent on those squads. Arsenal have massive issues and are regressing, fast. Liverpool are the definition of jackal and hyde.
All four have massive issues with their squads as well, City's is too old and has no decent defenders or keepers, Utd need a striker and a few solid defenders and possibly a Keeper when Real finally pinch DDG. Arsenal need .......a team. Sanchez and Ozil are gone and the rest are good squad players or the kinda guys who can fit in round some quality but just not good enough to do it on their own. How many aRsenal players would make the sides of those round them? Pool, need a keeper, a CB, a LB and depth in what is a paper thin squad.
I suspect whoever misses out on CL will find it very hard to attract the claibre of players they need.
Saying that the two that do make CL won't be anywhere near contention. They should get out of the group, after that it's pot luck, but no "big" European side will worry about facing them.
Richard_H
Grand Master
The best team won, Dele Ali is the best player in England at present. I think the England team should be built around him and just let him float just off a main striker.
Chelsea do deserve the league, Spuds deserve second.
Nobody else deserves top 4.
Wenger needs to go.
Chelsea do deserve the league, Spuds deserve second.
Nobody else deserves top 4.
Wenger needs to go.
By far the best team won... not just speaking as a Spurs fan, but a football fan. Not only on the pitch was it the right result on the day, but after 22 years finishing below the Arse, it's about time things changed... does that include Wenger... I think so, but I said that 5-6 years ago too. Spurs looking likely finish second and highly unlikely to crumble and fail to stay in the top 4 is good for the game, the traditional top four is shifting and that can only be a good thing. Add to that the minor detail that Spurs have a core of English players, surely that can eventually transfer into the picking and playing of the England squad itself in time.
As for Arsenal... I struggle with the media obsession about Sanchez being a great player. When ever in his Arse career has he taken a game (against a top 6/top 8 team) buy the scruff of the neck and bossed it.. I'll tell you.. never. I live in a painful world, where my brother and my two best mates, my boss and the guy I is to next to at work are all Arsenal fans, two of them season ticket holders. They are all in agreement. He's like a version of Walcott or Wilshere, flashes of brilliance (against weaker teams) and so much potential, so little ever delivered in reality though.
Ozil; no getting away from it, he was for a season the leading assists player in the Premier (poss all leagues I forget), he's got bags of talent, but let down by the team around hi the last two years... he truly deserves to move on a play in a better (or better managed) squad.
Bellarin on the other hand is hardly mentioned, but IMO is the best player in the squad and the only one I'd covert to be in the Spurs squad. Great defender, full of pace, capable of moving forward and providing when doing so...
Rest of them though are just squad players at best in their current system/coaching/managerial set-up.
So, what's the realistic options... club is cash rich, one of only a couple that turn a regular profit. They can let Wenger go and bring in a new guy. The two perceived best player (Ozil and Sanchez) will both leave anyway, more cash coming in. Who is left to build a team around though. How do you start from scratch with no key player and no manager... I can't see that happening... Surely Wenger will stay and they will reinvest the sell off cash in 1 or 2 key 'big name' / 'big game' players that he can bed in for a season to at least make it more attractive for the incoming manager the year after...
As for Arsenal... I struggle with the media obsession about Sanchez being a great player. When ever in his Arse career has he taken a game (against a top 6/top 8 team) buy the scruff of the neck and bossed it.. I'll tell you.. never. I live in a painful world, where my brother and my two best mates, my boss and the guy I is to next to at work are all Arsenal fans, two of them season ticket holders. They are all in agreement. He's like a version of Walcott or Wilshere, flashes of brilliance (against weaker teams) and so much potential, so little ever delivered in reality though.
Ozil; no getting away from it, he was for a season the leading assists player in the Premier (poss all leagues I forget), he's got bags of talent, but let down by the team around hi the last two years... he truly deserves to move on a play in a better (or better managed) squad.
Bellarin on the other hand is hardly mentioned, but IMO is the best player in the squad and the only one I'd covert to be in the Spurs squad. Great defender, full of pace, capable of moving forward and providing when doing so...
Rest of them though are just squad players at best in their current system/coaching/managerial set-up.
So, what's the realistic options... club is cash rich, one of only a couple that turn a regular profit. They can let Wenger go and bring in a new guy. The two perceived best player (Ozil and Sanchez) will both leave anyway, more cash coming in. Who is left to build a team around though. How do you start from scratch with no key player and no manager... I can't see that happening... Surely Wenger will stay and they will reinvest the sell off cash in 1 or 2 key 'big name' / 'big game' players that he can bed in for a season to at least make it more attractive for the incoming manager the year after...
SAVORY100 said:
Funny, he was the one other player I thought of when i aksed who else would get in another top six club's team. Well, him and Peter Cech would walk into Liverpool's team, but then Liverpool play without a keeper most weeks so that doesn't say much.
SAVORY100 said:
Wenger will stay, spending a few quid, 50 million maybe, nothing too extravagant (in modern footballing terms), he'll stick his head in the sand, continue to take Arsenal backwards, Sanchez and Ozil will run down their contracts and leave for free as he will refuse to sell them his year and the end result will be the unravelling of a club he built up. It's sad, but it's all too predictable.
lejackal
Grand Master
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Well done Spurs, I might not like it but you were the better team today, have been for most of this season and realistically probably deserved to put an end to St Totteringhams day last year.
Spurs have not finished above Arsenal in all my adult life but the last 10 years that has all we have really had to celebrate in the league come April time and really that should not have been acceptable given what the 10 years prior delivered in terms of success.
I will be forever grateful for what Wenger brought to my club but enough is enough, this slow motion car crash has got to stop, please Mr. Wenger head upstairs, to France, to China, to the US, wherever but please do so with some dignity remaining, reputation only slightly tarnished.
Failing that sell the deadwood, open the treasure chest and buy some absolute top draw, bone fide, battle hardened winners.
Spurs have not finished above Arsenal in all my adult life but the last 10 years that has all we have really had to celebrate in the league come April time and really that should not have been acceptable given what the 10 years prior delivered in terms of success.
I will be forever grateful for what Wenger brought to my club but enough is enough, this slow motion car crash has got to stop, please Mr. Wenger head upstairs, to France, to China, to the US, wherever but please do so with some dignity remaining, reputation only slightly tarnished.
Failing that sell the deadwood, open the treasure chest and buy some absolute top draw, bone fide, battle hardened winners.
lejackal said:
Not taking the piss here,but assuming Arsenal miss out on the CL, who will they realistically be able to attract?
English clubs don't attract the very top players, they go to Spain. With Utd, City and Chelsea probably able to offer CL (Utd should win the EL) and much higher wages, and Spurs and Liverpool, able to offer CL plus a claim to be going somewhere (stronger claim for Spurs), why would anyone want to join Arsenal?
The calibre of player Arsenal want is exactly the kinda guy who will have sat and watched Bayern rip them to bits in the CL and if Wenger stays will anything really change and would any sane player pick Arsenal over any of the other 5 side, or the likes of PSG, Sevilla, Atletico?
I like Arsenal as a club, but this summer is massive for them. They need to get rid of Wenger and get the right man in to rebuilt/stabalise the club. I don't know who he is, but if they **** it up they just need to look at how long it took Liverpool to sort themselves out, 20 odd years and counting, and at how pathetic the current Man U sides are compared to Fergies sides from the turn of the millenium.
If they let Wenger continue he will take the club backwards, like he has done for at least the last five years. We all know the B.O.D at Arsenal have no backbone, so Wenger will stay and Arsenal can start the wonderful journey Liverpool have been on, the fading giant.
Ohh and Utd draw, City draw, Arsenal lose, fantastic weekend of results for Liverpool as they travel to a Watford side who have been on the beach for the last month.
Get your money on Liverpool NOT winning.
Get your money on Liverpool NOT winning.
Richard_H
Grand Master
That is a concern of mine too. However, there is the London factor, also Chelsea coped.
Bit surprised by some fans celebrations of Spurs fans, they've won nothing and finishing second is far bigger than finishing above Arsenal which never should be the goal. It was going to happen sooner or later. Spurs are in a position we've been in for the last 10 years. They need to build on this. Arsenal are in a cup final with a chance of winning silver ware. Would I swap it for CL? Well, seeing we get eliminated last 16 every year then I have to say no. Only not qualifying for CL can hopefully shake them up. Winning the cup would be great.
Bit surprised by some fans celebrations of Spurs fans, they've won nothing and finishing second is far bigger than finishing above Arsenal which never should be the goal. It was going to happen sooner or later. Spurs are in a position we've been in for the last 10 years. They need to build on this. Arsenal are in a cup final with a chance of winning silver ware. Would I swap it for CL? Well, seeing we get eliminated last 16 every year then I have to say no. Only not qualifying for CL can hopefully shake them up. Winning the cup would be great.
Chelsea are a hit different though. There's was a one season aboration. Granted Arsenal's track record has been CL qualificationfor 16 odd years so it may just be a blip, but Chelsea where Champions, then finished ehh 10th was it? And now are back looking like Champions.
Arsenal have been slowly regressing for years.
Plus chelsea have the, effective, blank cheque book of Ibramovic. Arsenal are by no means poor, but they don't splash the cash the same way.
I'd also say Chelsea had the core of solid CL side, Jose just ****ed it up. There is more 'deadwood' than ehhh livewood (is that a word?) in that Arsenal squad.
I do fear for Arsenal. I think the club are at a massive crossroads and the scary thing is they (Wenger and B.O.D) don't realise it.
Arsenal have been slowly regressing for years.
Plus chelsea have the, effective, blank cheque book of Ibramovic. Arsenal are by no means poor, but they don't splash the cash the same way.
I'd also say Chelsea had the core of solid CL side, Jose just ****ed it up. There is more 'deadwood' than ehhh livewood (is that a word?) in that Arsenal squad.
I do fear for Arsenal. I think the club are at a massive crossroads and the scary thing is they (Wenger and B.O.D) don't realise it.
Richard_H
Grand Master
Because it's all about £
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I think Liverpool will finish 3rd now, what a goal by the way! Man City will probably get the 4th. Be suprised if Man Utd are not in CL one way or another though. It's amazing how competitive the premier league is, even if not the best standard, has certainly lived up to expectations this season.
Chelsea are probably going to win the league with basically the same squad as last season, plus Kante who you can certainly say has made a difference. Still think their might be a twist in the title race. :?
Chelsea are probably going to win the league with basically the same squad as last season, plus Kante who you can certainly say has made a difference. Still think their might be a twist in the title race. :?
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I think Arsenal fans have to be careful how you view Spurs, they have always been a big club underachieving up until the last couple of seasons. Even if Arsenal were playing a lot better and challenging for the league it doesn't mean Spurs would just go away and Arsenal would finish above Spurs.
I'm a Man Utd supporter and I don't really care if Man City finish above Utd unless both clubs are in the top 2. My point being Tottenhams surge is nothing to do with Arsenal being poor, with Spurs getting a new stadium and such a young squad I think their here to stay and challenge for a while and Arsenal fans need to except that Spurs have woken up.
I'm a Man Utd supporter and I don't really care if Man City finish above Utd unless both clubs are in the top 2. My point being Tottenhams surge is nothing to do with Arsenal being poor, with Spurs getting a new stadium and such a young squad I think their here to stay and challenge for a while and Arsenal fans need to except that Spurs have woken up.
I think the Spurs Arsenal thing is more the fact Spurs have the best squad they have had for decades and at the same time Arsenal appear to be a ****ing shambles. It's a double edged sword. Not like Arsenal fans can say "ahh you got lucky this year" or "ahh we'll get you next year". This has been coming for a few years now, and it looks to be a real changing of the guard of north Laaaandan.
Yeah, for most footballers it is! Sad, but I guess if someone offered any of us 20-30-40% extra wages to do the same job for a company 100 miles away, we'd be mad not to at least consider it. Or go in to see our boss and say 'I've got this offer, can you match it?'
As for the Pool game last night, it was ****ing shite. It was probably only marginally better than the Manchester Derby. The goal, Lallana hitting the bar and Prodl hitting the bar in stoppage time were about the sum highlights. Still 3 pts is 3pts. Fingers crossed Southampton stick to form and actually try and play football cos after watching Liverpool "play" WBA, Palace and Watford it'd be nice to see a game were the ball didn't spend half the time in the air and one team wasn't sat in its own half trying to kick anything that moved.
Richard_H said:
Yeah, for most footballers it is! Sad, but I guess if someone offered any of us 20-30-40% extra wages to do the same job for a company 100 miles away, we'd be mad not to at least consider it. Or go in to see our boss and say 'I've got this offer, can you match it?'
As for the Pool game last night, it was ****ing shite. It was probably only marginally better than the Manchester Derby. The goal, Lallana hitting the bar and Prodl hitting the bar in stoppage time were about the sum highlights. Still 3 pts is 3pts. Fingers crossed Southampton stick to form and actually try and play football cos after watching Liverpool "play" WBA, Palace and Watford it'd be nice to see a game were the ball didn't spend half the time in the air and one team wasn't sat in its own half trying to kick anything that moved.
Sorry guys been away on holiday otherwise I would have been on here at 6.31 on Sunday :lol:
I'm hugely relieved it has finally happened, and as I'm pleased to see a few people have already said has been a long time coming. Spurs have had a better manager and technically better squad than Arsenal for a good few seasons now, and IMO have probably been the biggest under-achievers of the last two decades considering some of the players they have had over the years. And much as Arsenal fans like to joke about it, Spurs are not a 'small club', they have as glittering a domestic and European history as most of the big boys, the problem is they haven't won anything of note for 25 years.
Saying that, as already said they have not won anything. Sure there is joy, and why wouldn't there be after two decades of Arsenal fans posting memes on Facebook and printing t-shirts, but 2nd place is not a trophy and unless they win something soon, the manager and big players will look elsewhere. That is a genuine concern. They need to drop this habit of coming close and actually win something. I don't think they'll win the title this year, but I really hope they give it a good stab next season and make a better go at the CL.
I think Chelsea will slip up in at least one of their four remaining games, but so will Spurs.
I'm hugely relieved it has finally happened, and as I'm pleased to see a few people have already said has been a long time coming. Spurs have had a better manager and technically better squad than Arsenal for a good few seasons now, and IMO have probably been the biggest under-achievers of the last two decades considering some of the players they have had over the years. And much as Arsenal fans like to joke about it, Spurs are not a 'small club', they have as glittering a domestic and European history as most of the big boys, the problem is they haven't won anything of note for 25 years.
Saying that, as already said they have not won anything. Sure there is joy, and why wouldn't there be after two decades of Arsenal fans posting memes on Facebook and printing t-shirts, but 2nd place is not a trophy and unless they win something soon, the manager and big players will look elsewhere. That is a genuine concern. They need to drop this habit of coming close and actually win something. I don't think they'll win the title this year, but I really hope they give it a good stab next season and make a better go at the CL.
I think Chelsea will slip up in at least one of their four remaining games, but so will Spurs.
edd_jedi said:
I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't end on a point difference... but, we'll still come second...
Next year will be the biggest challenge in many, many years Spurs.
Moving to Wembley for a season (at least) is going to be seriously challenging for the squad to get used to as well as the teams visiting being 'up for it' every single game. Only the very low teams will be phased by it, the rest will revel in it. Add into that the added fixtures (hopefully) of a longer CL campaign, its going to be a very big year that must end without going backwards in order to keep the manager and squad together ready for the homecoming season the year after...
One thing in Spurs favour (other than league position, CL qualification and general perceived future potential) is that they already have in place what is considered to be the best training facilities in the country already, so attracting players should be fairly achievable... where the true weaknesses are in the first team (injuries aside) is more difficult to define and finding a player to improve position on position without upsetting the team balance and camaraderie already in place will be tough.
Not wanting to cut the current season short, but the summer is going to be very interesting on both sides of North London...
