The Footie Thread

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1 point from their last three games - Slot out?? This is a crisis.
Got to feel sorry for Arsenal? If they had repeated last seasons points tally, they'd have been champions. And if Liverpool fail to win at the weekend, their points tally from 2 seasons ago could have been enough as well.

Are they in decline? Or do they just need to get a striker?
 
Got to feel sorry for Arsenal? If they had repeated last seasons points tally, they'd have been champions. And if Liverpool fail to win at the weekend, their points tally from 2 seasons ago could have been enough as well.

Are they in decline? Or do they just need to get a striker?

Blimey we can go through many seasons with points total varying

What a team got last season is irrelevant to this season

Arsenal this season aren’t going to get the same points they did last season
 
Blimey we can go through many seasons with points total varying

What a team got last season is irrelevant to this season

Arsenal this season aren’t going to get the same points they did last season
Yes, I know. That was sort of my point.

I was only making a light hearted comment. Did you take some sort of offence about it? I didn't realise you were an Arsenal fan? :unsure:
 
Light hearted? Ah missed that bit within the post
OK. I didn't expect anyone would have thought I was trying to solve world peace.

I was simply surprised that Arsenal had dropped off so much from last year. Being second in the table almost helps the perception that they've sort of plateaued and stayed at the level they were, rather than improved. Yet if you actually look at the table in detail, they've actually dropped off a fair bit from where they were last season.

You can even take Liverpool. At best they can finish 4 points better off than last season, at worst 1 point better. Very similar goals for and against, unless there is a big score in last game. So, have they made significant improvements in last season, or have other clubs dropped off?

It looks like the title could be won this season with less points than any other season since 2015/16, when Leicester won. And before that, 2010/11 when Man Utd won. This isn't a dig at Liverpool, but more an observation that I wonder is the lower points total because some of the biggest sides have fallen away from their dominant positions, and it is a sign of a more level playing field (above the relegation positions anyway)
 
OK. I didn't expect anyone would have thought I was trying to solve world peace.

I was simply surprised that Arsenal had dropped off so much from last year. Being second in the table almost helps the perception that they've sort of plateaued and stayed at the level they were, rather than improved. Yet if you actually look at the table in detail, they've actually dropped off a fair bit from where they were last season.

You can even take Liverpool. At best they can finish 4 points better off than last season, at worst 1 point better. Very similar goals for and against, unless there is a big score in last game. So, have they made significant improvements in last season, or have other clubs dropped off?

It looks like the title could be won this season with less points than any other season since 2015/16, when Leicester won. And before that, 2010/11 when Man Utd won. This isn't a dig at Liverpool, but more an observation that I wonder is the lower points total because some of the biggest sides have fallen away from their dominant positions, and it is a sign of a more level playing field (above the relegation positions anyway)

I think it’s pretty clear that as soon as the title was won the foot came off the pedal

The players were on the pop this week in Dubai , the manager in Ibiza

There are some players that won’t play again this season

If they wanted too they could have kept going at the same intensity and created a big points gap and be over 90 points

But the title was won
 
I think it’s pretty clear that as soon as the title was won the foot came off the pedal

The players were on the pop this week in Dubai , the manager in Ibiza

There are some players that won’t play again this season

If they wanted too they could have kept going at the same intensity and created a big points gap and be over 90 points

But the title was won
I agree that the foot came off the pedal a while ago, roughly around the time of the R16 matches in the Champions League and the EFL Cup final :)
 
OK. I didn't expect anyone would have thought I was trying to solve world peace.

I was simply surprised that Arsenal had dropped off so much from last year. Being second in the table almost helps the perception that they've sort of plateaued and stayed at the level they were, rather than improved. Yet if you actually look at the table in detail, they've actually dropped off a fair bit from where they were last season.

You can even take Liverpool. At best they can finish 4 points better off than last season, at worst 1 point better. Very similar goals for and against, unless there is a big score in last game. So, have they made significant improvements in last season, or have other clubs dropped off?

It looks like the title could be won this season with less points than any other season since 2015/16, when Leicester won. And before that, 2010/11 when Man Utd won. This isn't a dig at Liverpool, but more an observation that I wonder is the lower points total because some of the biggest sides have fallen away from their dominant positions, and it is a sign of a more level playing field (above the relegation positions anyway)
One club has very clearly and noticeably dropped off, which was unexpected. It's often said in the Prem if you stand still you're moving backwards - I think in Arsenal's case they simply stood still. Failed to bring in a striker and thus stagnated a bit. Liverpool were threatening to stagnate prior to this season, but I think Slot came in, shook things up just enough to get them playing well again, and capitalise on the other two not being at their peaks. Newcastle, Chelsea & Villa all similar to last year, there or thereabouts but were never going to compete for a title.
 
The PL top placed teams have dropped off, but there’s more teams performing well and getting results.
Which is it….the top placed teams dropping off and the PL a 2 horse race, or the league is more even with more teams challenging well?
 
I suspect you are just trying not to tempt fate, after all, it is much more difficult for any fan to brashly announce your team will win. Because you can only look silly if it doesn't happen.

Regardless of record against each other previously, Utd are abysmal in attack. But they know they have to attack, and cannot play ultra defensive like "smaller" clubs because they'd get slated for it. So, we are impotent in front of goal, gift possession too easily, and the rest of the team are not set up to absorb constant attacks against us. I do like our defense in the main, but they are just bombarded with unnecessary counter attacks that inevitable they will likely concede.

The only thing going our way is that the Europa final will be over, so there will no longer be any hint of any players maybe trying to protect themselves from injury. Perhaps they might give 1%-2% extra. Plus, last game of season at home. These are only minor positives though, I still have little faith we can win a game where a the league is long but over, and the opposition have something to play for. And if we lose on Wednesday night, the atmosphere in the stadium could make it very very difficult for the Man Utd players.

Nah mate, we just never win at United. Some academy kid or wildly out of form striker is scoring a last minute goal to break our hearts, happens almost every season when we play United.

Also - our record in "must win" games is actually quite poor. Moments seem to get to us.
 
The PL top placed teams have dropped off, but there’s more teams performing well and getting results.
Which is it….the top placed teams dropping off and the PL a 2 horse race, or the league is more even with more teams challenging well?

It can be argued both ways but United have certainly dropped off rather than being caught up with.

If you take " The Big 6"

City - having a down year but this is actually somewhat common, fergie had gaps where he didnt win the league for 2 seasons but bounced back when he rebuilt a team again.
Arsenal - remaining consistent - been top 4 for ages now
Liverpool - as above with Arsenal, Klopp lifted them back over his tenure and theyve not dropped off.
Spurs - huge drop off, poor recruitment and transfer policies hurts them the most
Chelsea - dropped off but on their way back with a very young but talented team.
United - bit of everything really but Woodward in my mind was the single biggest failure post-fergie

Newcastle, Villa, Brighton, Forest (this season) are catching up with good transfers, investment and strategy. But commercially behind which is holding them back.
 
It can be argued both ways but United have certainly dropped off rather than being caught up with.

If you take " The Big 6"

City - having a down year but this is actually somewhat common, fergie had gaps where he didnt win the league for 2 seasons but bounced back when he rebuilt a team again.
Arsenal - remaining consistent - been top 4 for ages now
Liverpool - as above with Arsenal, Klopp lifted them back over his tenure and theyve not dropped off.
Spurs - huge drop off, poor recruitment and transfer policies hurts them the most
Chelsea - dropped off but on their way back with a very young but talented team.
United - bit of everything really but Woodward in my mind was the single biggest failure post-fergie

Newcastle, Villa, Brighton, Forest (this season) are catching up with good transfers, investment and strategy. But commercially behind which is holding them back.
Agree with all of the above.
This season I see it as similar to the Tiger Woods syndrome. In other words every body upped their game to compete.
Same with the premiership, mid table teams have really changed and are more than capable of beating the so called top six. Fulham, Bournemouth, Brentford, Brighton, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa are all high pressing with fit and quick players on the counter attack.
Long may it continue and look forward to more of the same next season. 👍
 
It can be argued both ways but United have certainly dropped off rather than being caught up with.

If you take " The Big 6"

City - having a down year but this is actually somewhat common, fergie had gaps where he didnt win the league for 2 seasons but bounced back when he rebuilt a team again.
Arsenal - remaining consistent - been top 4 for ages now
Liverpool - as above with Arsenal, Klopp lifted them back over his tenure and theyve not dropped off.
Spurs - huge drop off, poor recruitment and transfer policies hurts them the most
Chelsea - dropped off but on their way back with a very young but talented team.
United - bit of everything really but Woodward in my mind was the single biggest failure post-fergie

Newcastle, Villa, Brighton, Forest (this season) are catching up with good transfers, investment and strategy. But commercially behind which is holding them back.
Can't disagree here.

I've alrready mentioned it, but think it would be good for the sake of football (and also funny) if City miss out on Champions League and end up with Conference League and effectively winning nothing after spending £150m in January alone, with Villa, Newcastle and Forest (obviously) rounding out the top 5. Helps show that if a club is well run, with good recruitment and ambition, that they can compete with the Sky 6.

Obviously for that to happen, A LOT needs to happen in the right direction on Sunday (and depends on City's result with Bournemouth before then), but the fact we're even in the position going into the final week with multiple teams separated by 1 point is great from an entertainment perspective.
 
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Nah mate, we just never win at United. Some academy kid or wildly out of form striker is scoring a last minute goal to break our hearts, happens almost every season when we play United.

Also - our record in "must win" games is actually quite poor. Moments seem to get to us.
Utd to be 2-0 down with 5 minutes to go, and Hojlund to score a hat-trick (all assisted by Garnacho) in the last 5 minutes plus injury time for Utd win 3-2.

Might stick a bet on that, probably get decent odds :)
 
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