PL 2017-2018 Thread
- Thread starter lejackal
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I've got to say Arsenal were unlucky last night, could easily have won that and I almost found myself rooting for them in the last few minutes! Reminded me very much of Juve knocking Spurs out of the CL, they were masters of frustration and solid defending. A leaf quite a few English teams could take out of the European teams books. To have a hope of beating Real, Liverpool need to tighten up at the back, you can't concede 4 goals per game and win a European trophy.
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What you doing, don't give that team from Merseyside any ideas! Arsenal were a little unlucky, but the best team went through over the two legs, Madrid missed some chances.
I see Brighton are trying to make things interesting by beating United tonight! Well done Chris Hughton and his players for securing Premier League football again next season, but what are we to make of United's situation? After Spurs threw away 2 points against Brighton themselves recently, I had written off my prediction of a second place finish for Spurs, and it looked like 4th was the best they could hope for. But then Liverpool drawing with Stoke after also drawing with West Brom puts Tottenham right back in the running for 3rd, and if United keep leaking points themselves, who knows?
A number of different permutations are still quite possible from 2nd place downwards, but if Spurs can keep their heads and win their last three games (West Brom away, then two home games against Newcastle and Leicester), they guarantee themselves at least 3rd place. The Chelsea v Liverpool game is pivotal for Chelsea's CL hopes, so you've got to expect them to come out all guns blazing. And although Arsenal can't qualify for CL football now, they play Burnley next, the team below them in 7th place, before ending the season with a pair of away games, and given their abysmal away form this calendar year, I doubt many Arsenal fans will be brimming with confidence about winning both of those, so Burnley and Arsenal may yet swap places...
It's all getting a bit exciting, isn't it? :-D
A number of different permutations are still quite possible from 2nd place downwards, but if Spurs can keep their heads and win their last three games (West Brom away, then two home games against Newcastle and Leicester), they guarantee themselves at least 3rd place. The Chelsea v Liverpool game is pivotal for Chelsea's CL hopes, so you've got to expect them to come out all guns blazing. And although Arsenal can't qualify for CL football now, they play Burnley next, the team below them in 7th place, before ending the season with a pair of away games, and given their abysmal away form this calendar year, I doubt many Arsenal fans will be brimming with confidence about winning both of those, so Burnley and Arsenal may yet swap places...
It's all getting a bit exciting, isn't it? :-D
Well apparently Spurs don't want 3rd place after all. Although they completely dominated against West Brom, it was more of the same old tired side-to-side, back bollocks with no attempt at all to put the ball in the box. It's incredibly frustrating to watch them play like this, especially when you know what they actually are capable of! When they can be bothered to attack, they're really dangerous, but if they never put the ball in the box they pose no threat at all, and risk exactly what happened; conceding a thoroughly undeserved late goal against a **** side who will be relegated anyway despite this fluke win :-(
Yes that was a painful game to watch. Spurs seem to struggle most against sides that sit back, and I just knew WB were going to score from that corner as soon as Lloris casually watched it roll out when he could easily have ran to stop it. Spurs can be so complacent sometimes and that's one of the reasons they never win anything. 4th is not guaranteed yet they still play like it's a testimonial.
On the plus side I do quite want West Brom to stay up :lol:
On the plus side I do quite want West Brom to stay up :lol:
Would be astonishing if WBA manage to escape! Swansea vs Southampton is gonna decide it all.
Cracking goal from Nobes yesterday 8)
Cracking goal from Nobes yesterday 8)
Utd, Pool and Spurs all seem to be doing their best to buck away CL qualification. Chelsea are the only side who look like they want it, but they have been pish for huge chunks of the season. I expect them to beat Pool today and thus Pool to need to beat Brighton on the last day to guarantee CL. Utd and Spurs have enough winnable games that they should be safe enough.
Seconded. I do wonder how the proper football men are taking the fact that one of their own, Pardew, got 9pts in 18 games with WBA and some blow-in with no experience has 11 from 5 including games against Pool, Utd and Spuds. As well as beating two CL winning managers. Kinda shows Pardew up for the patehtic excise for a "manager" that he was (I refuse to say 'is' as surely his career in management is over now, one win in 38 games or something close to it, that's beyond shocking. Anyone on this forum could take over and do better).
edd_jedi said:
Seconded. I do wonder how the proper football men are taking the fact that one of their own, Pardew, got 9pts in 18 games with WBA and some blow-in with no experience has 11 from 5 including games against Pool, Utd and Spuds. As well as beating two CL winning managers. Kinda shows Pardew up for the patehtic excise for a "manager" that he was (I refuse to say 'is' as surely his career in management is over now, one win in 38 games or something close to it, that's beyond shocking. Anyone on this forum could take over and do better).
Wow! Chelsea have done Spurs a favour with that one. At least their fate is back in their own hands again. I suspect Liverpool's thoughts were at least partly on the CL final; quite understandable, but irritating for their fans no doubt.
Liverpool are in a weird position. To make it to next season's CL all they need to do is win 1 of 3 games. Chelsea, Brighton or Real. Yesterday was always going to be 'after the lord mayors show'. The issue they have is there are no options to change the team or rest players. They have 3 fit midfielders in the club and that's it. If one of those three gtes injured they are ****ed. Up front they have a lethal front three but the back ups are Danny Ings, who is willing but not great and Dominic Solanke who was utterly absymal yesterday. I'm not sure if he completed a single pass. That kinda means their front 6 HAVE to play. Add in that the replacement LB is the worst player in the PL, the bcak up RB has played all season cos Clyne is out and only just coming back to match fitness now, and their CB options are VVD, Lovern and Klavan. There is just no back up at all.
Can, Lallana, Ox, Matip and Gomes are all injured and Sturridge is on Loan. However you look at it, those six would make a pretty strong bench.
The last 4 games, WBA, Stoke, Roma (A), and Chelsea, Pool have looked flat and tired. Partly it cud be they were distracted by CL and in the case of Roma knowing they were as good as through (the score line did not reflect that second leg), but as it stands Pool are in a bit of a rut. That front three haven't looked great in any of those four games either. It could be just a mini dip in form, it could be caused by CL distraction, or could be they are all bucked after a long season. I hope not. But one slip against Brighton and Pool could have thrown away a CL spot that should have been guaranteed weeks ago.
Knowing Liverpool, they'll lose to Brighton and then go and beat Real. But it would be nice if just for once they could do things the easy way!
Can, Lallana, Ox, Matip and Gomes are all injured and Sturridge is on Loan. However you look at it, those six would make a pretty strong bench.
The last 4 games, WBA, Stoke, Roma (A), and Chelsea, Pool have looked flat and tired. Partly it cud be they were distracted by CL and in the case of Roma knowing they were as good as through (the score line did not reflect that second leg), but as it stands Pool are in a bit of a rut. That front three haven't looked great in any of those four games either. It could be just a mini dip in form, it could be caused by CL distraction, or could be they are all bucked after a long season. I hope not. But one slip against Brighton and Pool could have thrown away a CL spot that should have been guaranteed weeks ago.
Knowing Liverpool, they'll lose to Brighton and then go and beat Real. But it would be nice if just for once they could do things the easy way!
weasel said:
I'm telling you I think this is Liverpool's, Ronaldo has now ****ed up his ankle. They're saying he's fit but that was a nasty knock he got. I doubt it will be 100% and I know one thing. If i was playing out there in that final for Liverpool and got a half chance early on him. I'd aim to fully test it.
So, with another less than convincing performance, Spurs have finally secured Champions League football for next season... Thank Christ! Talk about making hard work of it. If they'd remained focused, they could be in second place right now, but no! It's rarely been a comfortable experience over the years as a Spurs fan watching them play, as they always seem to do things the hard way. In the last couple of years things have definitely improved in both results and performance (although Poch's style of play remains far too negative for my liking), however in the last few games it's been like watching the bad old days of a few years ago where Spurs struggled to take more than a handful of points from their last few games, or snatched 3rd place behind Arsenal (of all teams!) after 2nd looked a certainty... However, they have finally done it, with a very nice goal from Kane, to be fair, so congratulations.
And speaking of Arsenal, I see all the hypocrites in the stands were chanting Wenger's name this evening as though he was their hero, as they slumped to yet another embarrassing away defeat in 2018 (7 away PL games in 2018 and zero points to show from them... that really is dreadful). These would be the same fans chanting for Wenger to go just a few weeks ago, I presume?
Anyway, Chelsea drawing at home against the mighty Huddersfield this evening certainly sets things up nicely for Sunday, where Liverpool could yet fall out of the top 4 behind Chelsea if they don't watch out against a tricky Brighton side that are finishing the season brightly, whilst Chelsea are away at Newcastle. I really don't like Chelsea much, but I can see them sneaking past Liverpool if the latter don't stop thinking about the CL final and start playing properly once again...
And speaking of Arsenal, I see all the hypocrites in the stands were chanting Wenger's name this evening as though he was their hero, as they slumped to yet another embarrassing away defeat in 2018 (7 away PL games in 2018 and zero points to show from them... that really is dreadful). These would be the same fans chanting for Wenger to go just a few weeks ago, I presume?
Anyway, Chelsea drawing at home against the mighty Huddersfield this evening certainly sets things up nicely for Sunday, where Liverpool could yet fall out of the top 4 behind Chelsea if they don't watch out against a tricky Brighton side that are finishing the season brightly, whilst Chelsea are away at Newcastle. I really don't like Chelsea much, but I can see them sneaking past Liverpool if the latter don't stop thinking about the CL final and start playing properly once again...
Richard_H
Grand Master
Snaketibe said:
Not quite. Yes Arsenal have been dreadful away from home but there is a distinct difference between the home (corporate and occasional fans) and the away fans. Wenger needed to go (quite a few years ago) but it doesn't mean his memory or achievements should not be celebrated.
How about the hypocrites in the Spurs team with these gems this morning which Arsenal have been called out on most seasons "finishing in the CL is better than winning a trophy" and "to finish above Arsenal and Chelsea mean a lot"
Winning an FA Cup is better than getting 2-4th in the league IMO. Fair enough the league cup.
Finishing above rivals means something to fans but shouldn't really be a goal for the players.
I agree it was a silly thing for Lloris to say, was bound to provoke a response. I think it's different for the players and the teams as CL means more money and better transfers etc. But as said before I would prefer Spurs to win a trophy than to finish top 4. That's because I know Spurs are not good enough to win either the league or the CL yet, so a knock out trophy is their best chance of winning something as there is a large element of luck in the draws involved. You need to play 30+ good games to win the league - but you only need to play about 5 games, many of which against teams in lower divisions, to win a trophy. That's why it frustrates me so much that they haven't won one in recent years. I'm under no false impression that Spurs are the best team in the league, but they are definitely good enough to have won a trophy in the last few years.
And I agree about last night's game, was not an enjoyable one to watch!
And I agree about last night's game, was not an enjoyable one to watch!
So who's going to nick the final spot, Pool or Chelsea? I really hope Chelsea don't sneak in, not because I particularly dislike them but Liverpool have been in the top 4 pretty much all season so (like Spurs) it would be criminal to lose it now. But, stranger things have happened...
Mr-shifter
Sith Lord
edd_jedi said:
I know I don't normally chip in on this thread but.....
I am a member of a few spurs groups. The attitude of some of the fans has been rank the past couple of weeks. Go back 10 years and we were 5th/6th and then 11th. Yes we won a league cup but the past three seasons have been 3rd, 2nd, poss 3rd and two fa cup semis plus progress in the cl.
Go back 20 years and remember what it was like then.......
Spurs are making slow progress in the right direction.
Anyway, on to the above, I have a feeling Brighton will beat Liverpool this weekend and Chelsea will nick 4th.
I would have been more certain if the seagulls needed a point to stay up, but Brighton have had a great season vs what was expected and Liverpool have one of the most important games in their recent history on the horizon. I think Liverpool will rest players and not have the level of concentration that might have been there, whilst Brighton are having a day out.
I don't think Chelsea deserve it, but I can see them doing it.
Hope Klopp has got plenty of spare glasses.
Mr-shifter said:
I think there are a couple of things to consider. Firstly Spurs are the only top six side that haven't won anything of note recently, which boils down to nothing more than bad luck. All the other teams have won the league, FA cup or Champions League. Spurs, nothing. So although progress is being made, I understand the frustration about not winning anything, it is overdue. And nit-picking, 3rd-2nd-3rd/4th is actually not progress, which is what I think worries people.
Secondly, if you are talking about Spurs fans enjoying their moment of success, albeit relative success, why not? Remember 20 years of St Totteringham's day? Remember Chelsea celebrating like they'd won the league a couple of seasons ago because they drew with Spurs denying them any chance of winning the league? The other big London clubs not only have had their moments of glory in recent years, but have well and truly enjoyed kicking Spurs while they are down. So I also completely understand any animosity. It's funny how it's "a joke" when other teams do it, but ego when Spurs do.
Richard_H said:
Don't misunderstand me. I've long said (as a self-confessed Spurs fan) that Wenger has been a tremendous servant for Arsenal over the years. He's shown total loyalty and has brought them a great deal of success in his time at the club, often with rather limited resources since Arsenal (much like Spurs), rarely splash the cash as their owners run them as businesses rather than vanity projects where money's no object and or massive debts are accrued (Chelsea, Man U, Man City). Wenger's overall time with Arsenal has been a triumph, but inevitably all things (good and bad) eventually come to an end, and like many people, my personal opinion is that he probably should have left the club 2 or 3 season ago. Yes of course his time and achievements with the club should be celebrated by Arsenal's fans, and they should be truly thankful for all he's done for them and the club.
None of that means however that there weren't plenty of fans carrying 'Wenger Out!' banners and shouting for him to go at both home and away matches this season, not just home ones. And as for Lloris and accusations of hypocrisy against him, he would only be a hypocrite if he had criticised others for saying the same things he has just said ('finishing in the CL is better than winning a trophy', etc.). Has he criticised others for saying that? If not, he's not a hypocrite.
