PL 2018-2019 Thread

[Richard_H]

So, Spurs, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manure are all shite this season.

So, how come 3 are in the semi-finals and possibly in the final of the European cups. Makes no sense to me at all.

 

[theforceuk]

Man Utd are shite, no arguements there! I feel really sorry for Ajax. The way they slumped on the pitch as soon as the third Spurs goal whent in. I think the Ajax players and fans may hit the crystal meth after that.

 

[edd_jedi]

So, Spurs, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manure are all shite this season.

So, how come 3 are in the semi-finals and possibly in the final of the European cups. Makes no sense to me at all.

All four in the finals! Amazing achievement, well done to all.

BUT as I have said before winning a cup has a lot to do with luck. Which draws you get, what form you and the opponent are in that day, how busy your schedule is, etc. There have been plenty of cup flukes in recent years, but it's virtually impossible to fluke a league title (ahem Leicester.) I'm the first to admit Spurs are not the second best team in Europe, they're not even the second best team in England, so luck has played a massive part in them getting to the CL final. I will take it though considering we're usually on the **** end of luck.

 

[weasel]

I would also feel sorry for Ajax if a team like Man Utd or Chelsea 'stole' the final from them, but Spurs are every bit the underdog Ajax are, they shouldn't be in the final, they shouldn't even have got out of the group stages, and it probably won't happen again in my lifetime. If Liverpool win it will be a case of about time, if Spurs win it will be one of those beautiful underdog stories like Portsmouth or Wigan winning the FA Cup. There are no losers in this final.

True. I meant more the fact that English sides do better in CL and have more money, which whatever way you spin it means more chance of success in CL. Spurs arent the richest and have gone about things 'the right way' by building a team etc, but they have a lot more money and a lot more chance of reaching the latter stages of the CL again soon than Ajax do.
Taking nothing away from Spurs though, amazing achievement.

So, Spurs, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manure are all shite this season.

So, how come 3 are in the semi-finals and possibly in the final of the European cups. Makes no sense to me at all.

All four in the finals! Amazing achievement, well done to all.

BUT as I have said before winning a cup has a lot to do with luck. Which draws you get, what form you and the opponent are in that day, how busy your schedule is, etc. There have been plenty of cup flukes in recent years, but it's virtually impossible to fluke a league title (ahem Leicester.) I'm the first to admit Spurs are not the second best team in Europe, they're not even the second best team in England, so luck has played a massive part in them getting to the CL final. I will take it though considering we're usually on the **** end of luck.

Agreed, 100%.

I saw a list of City's cup opponents this season. Domestic cups. An absolute list of gimmies. Not saying that's why they are cleaining up, everyone knows how highly I rate this City side, just saying that getting drawn at home to Burton Albion in the worthless cup semi is a lot easier than playing Spurs or Chelsea.

 

[Mini99]

Good luck to both contenders tomorrow... it's been the best season for neutrals in a long time.

 

[edd_jedi]

Congrats to City, and Liverpool for coming such a close second. I don't think they could have tried any harder, City are just unstoppable at the moment.

Tottenham's game against Everton pretty much summed up our season, a bizarre back 4 choice from Poch that were fragile and let down a solid midfield and offensive performance. This is where Spurs need to focus on over the summer, we simply do not have a top 4 let alone title-winning defence. I expect it will be what lets us down in the CL final.

Although finishing 3rd/4th is academic it's typical that third was there for the taking but a couple of sloppy goals threw it away, as bad as Spurs have been in recent weeks Chelsea simply do not deserve third IMO based on their poor form all season (as Weasel called them "Hazard and 10 other blokes.")

 

[edd_jedi]

And I've got to point out this again, absolutely shocking from all! How can you come third or fourth finishing the season this badly? To put it in perspective, relegated Fulham got more points from their last 5 games than any of the teams that came 3rd-6th.

 

[weasel]

Yeap, fair play to City. Some effort that. 198pts in two PL seasons is amazing. Not sure we'll see the like of that team again. Once Pep goes obviously.

Shocking result for Utd. Granted the game was a dead rubber but to get 1pt from your last two games against already relegated sides is pish. To lose 2-0 at home on the last day is shocking? Ole has a lot of work ahead of him, and I still don't think he's the right man for the job. What odds on Utd having a new manager by this time next year!?

a bizarre back 4 choice from Poch that ...... I expect it will be what lets us down in the CL final.

****, I hope so!!!
I saw something that Pool had a 3 or 4% chance of beating Barca and now have a 70% chance of beating Spurs. Seventy? I'd make it a lot lot closer than that. Games between thsoe two have normally been fairly tight. 55:45 for me.

Ohh and yeah, I agree, Spurs REALLY should have finished 3rd. But third or fourth is academic. Spurs are in CL no matter what.

 

[Michael Sith]

Great achievement for city unlucky for Liverpool but that's football no one remembers 2nd place but TBF City have been outstanding this season and are the benchmark for all PL teams you can talk about what ifs what could have been etc, but City have again shown the way superb football, team spirit and the strength and breadth in the team to win the premiership...well done city

European Cup is a breath away now for Spurs, can they do it...I think it's on the cards and would be well deserved

As a Man Utd fan I am obviously glad the lesser of 2 evils have been successfull in the PL but again TBF City have edged it whatever anyone says, close but no cigar for Liverpool and whatever you look back on the end result is still the same...congratulations to City...well deserved PL success.s

 

[weasel]

Utd finshed THIRTY ONE points behind Liverpool?
Jesus!!!!
That is shocking.

Liverpool could have stopped playing after 27 games and they would have finished above
Utd! Or on the 24th of FEBRUARY! ****ing February :shock:

 

[Michael Sith]

Liverpool finished 1 point short of winning the premiership ...how bad is that :shock:

 

[theforceuk]

Utd finshed THIRTY ONE points behind Liverpool?
Jesus!!!!
That is shocking.

Liverpool could have stopped playing after 27 games and they would have finished above
Utd! Or on the 24th of FEBRUARY! ****ing February :shock:

And you still didn't win the league, 30 years at least now!!!! You have to feel hard done by I admit, City have bought the league no arguments.

 

[weasel]

:lol:

Sorry, you can't do tone on an online post. I wasn't typing that to gloat or to laugh at Utd. More out of genuine amazement at the gap between the two teams this season. I am genuinely amazed how far ahead Liverpool are or how far behind Utd have fallen, delete as appropriate there.

I do fear for Utd. That club is a mess at the minute and it doesn't look to be getting its **** in order either. Interviewing Rio ****ing Ferdinand for Director of football? Based on what experience? They would be as well appointing Susan Boyle.
All that means poor auld Ole, who is so far out of his dpeth it's not funny, is gonna be left trying to rebuild a squad with someone who has no idea how to be a Director of Footy in charge of signing players for him. I just don't see how the blind and the inexperinced blind lead that club to anywhere even resembling "safety".

And you still didn't win the league, 30 years at least now!!!! You have to feel hard done by I admit, City have bought the league no arguments.

Liverpool finished 1 point short of winning the premiership ...how bad is that :shock:

Hand on heart, I have been resigned to City winning the league for quite a few months now. The missus can vouch for the fact that my instant reaction to Brighton going one up was "Doesn't matter City will still win 4 or 5." I think I said all along that they are a class act and it would take something special to beat them. Pool came dam close, but in the end came up short.
On the one hand it is gutting to get the third highest points total in PL history and get **** all for it. To play 38 games, lose one, and get nothing for it. BUT, that is the way sport works. It's all part of the vagaries of league tables. It doesnt really matter how many points you get if you want to stay up you just need 1 more than three other sides (ignoring GD) or if you want to win the league you just need 1 more than everyone else (again, ignoring GD). You get the exact same trophy for winning with a record low pts total, a record high points total, on GD, or by a record margin.
Coming second to that City team is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. They have picked up 198pts in two years. That is unbelievable consistency.
Does it bug me that they have "bought" their titles, if I'm honest, it does a little. But only a little. Such is the way with football these days, and Liverpool arent exactly paupers. True, they don't have a petro-state as owners and havent, at the time of writing, been accused of fiddling Financial Fair Play and their books in general. But, Liverpool are a rich club, with a huge fan base, and a rich owner. So it would be sour grapes to use that as an excuse.
Besides, that City side play fantastic football and they all seem like fairly decent guys (for footballers) Pep doesn't go in for that 'mind game' crap either. That was just an excuse for being a dick. Neither of those first two are things you could say about Chelsea.

I guess it will take a while for this whole season to sink in. I suspect the CL outcome will impact how I view it. But it's just been nice to watch Liverpool genuinely compete for a title again. That hasnt happened for a long long time.

If you had offered me second place, without the record pts total, and a CL's final, even another losing one, in August i would have bitten your hand off. I suspect any fan of a big 6 side, bar City, would have.

 

[edd_jedi]

I agree, it's hard to say City have bought the title when Utd are paying Pogba etc obscene amounts of money and getting nothing back in return. I saw MOTD last night and that goal he was responsible for was shocking, no wonder the fans were booing him at the end. He should be the first out IMO, talent is meaningless if you don't put in any effort.

Brighton have sacked Hughton, a bit surprised by that to be honest, he did well keeping them up again, I live in Brighton so obviously like them being in the PL but there is nothing PL about the team - players, stadium etc. If they want to do better than just staying up they have much bigger problems to solve than the manager.

 

[SAVORY100]

Had to check my maths and I'm still concerned I got it wrong...
6th place is the same points gap to 1st as it is to Cardiff?!?!?
Shows just how many points were hoovered up by the top two I guess

 

[weasel]

Brighton have sacked Hughton, a bit surprised by that to be honest, he did well keeping them up again, I live in Brighton so obviously like them being in the PL but there is nothing PL about the team - players, stadium etc. If they want to do better than just staying up they have much bigger problems to solve than the manager.

Agreed. With all due respect to Brighton, the lower reaches of the PL are about their level ATM. I'm not sure what more they were expecting. Although the team did look like it had lost all direction for the last few months of the season. I was half expecting Hughton to walk. Sacking him seems harsh. Fat Sam to the "rescue"?

Had to check my maths and I'm still concerned I got it wrong...<br abp="339">6th place is the same points gap to 1st as it is to Cardiff?!?!?<br abp="340">Shows just how many points were hoovered up by the top two I guess

Yup. Scary isn't it.
Utd are to City what Cardiff are to Utd. Insert your own funny bout Cardiff beating Utd yesterday.

 

[theforceuk]

I know you weren't rubbing it in Weasel and if you were it's only banter. Man Utd are in a mess but they will be back one day, I consider myself fortunate to have supported a team that has already won so much in my life time, if someone had shown me Man Utd's role of honour up to 2019 when I was 8 I would have never believed it!

As for anyone argueing that City have not bought the league then forget it. Any Man City supporters I know admit they have, end of! They are the biggest spenders in European football in the last 10 years and they still haven't got a european trophy to show for it. Man Utd and Liverpool have spent big to try and keep up with them, because everyone in football wants success tomorrow.

I'm not a bitter Man Utd fan, I would rather City win their 6th league title than Liverpool win their 19th. Infact Man City are actully now being run correctly and Man Utd could learn from their model, but they still go out and buy whoever they want, including one of the best managers who has spread the spanish way of playing throughout european football.

I'm pretty sure Liverpool will have the last laugh this season, if they play like they can, they will blow Spurs away in the final. It's a shame because if I could pick one team to win the European Cup apart from Man Utd I would choose Spurs. It's about time Liverpool won one of the big trophy's it's been 14 years since their last one and 15 years before that one!

 

[edd_jedi]

I just think Pep has done a great job of motivating the team to perform at that level, as Pogba proves money alone is not enough.

 

[theforceuk]

I just think Pep has done a great job of motivating the team to perform at that level, as Pogba proves money alone is not enough.

I understand where you are coming from, you can't just throw money at a club and hey presto. But City have been winning league titles since 2012 under three different managers, ok Pep has taken them to a new level, although he still hasn't won the Champions Leaugue without Messi in his team. They have bought success at the end of the day and Pep has spent over £500 million at City in 3 seasons and over £1 billion as a manager!!!

Look at the teams he has managed, Barcelona, Buyern Munich and Man City, where's he going next, Celtic or PSG? I believe in years to come he will be remebered more for how he has changed the way football is played. I mean teams in league 1 and 2 pass it out from the back now.

 

[weasel]

Rumours of some members of UEFA wanting to ban City from CL if/when they are found guilty of breaching FFP for a second time.

I'm kind of on the fence on that one. IF, and it is still and 'if', City have breached FFP for a second time then they deserve to be punished and a ban from CL footy for a season sends out a bloody strong message. BUT, FFP is a joke. It was designed by the rich old clubs of European footy to stop billionaires buying football clubs, pouring money in and winning everything. It was dressed up as protecting clubs best interests and stopping them from over spending but it was just the old boys network (of which Pool and Utd are a part) trying to stop some newly rich clubs stealing their very lucrative CL spots. So in that respect if I was City, or PSG, I would be sticking two fingers up to UEFA and challenging the legality of FFP in the Courts.

There is also the doubt that had, say, Barca or Real broken FFP twice would UEFA have the balls to ban them from the CL? Would they ****. The fact City are a relative newbie in CL terms, don't have the global following Barca, Real, Liverpool, Utd, or Juve do and the fact that they are English mean UEFA see them as a soft touch/scape goat.

Regardless, if it happens, City will appeal.