EPL 2021 / 2022

@mariner4life said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

not sure he's even close to ATG level is he? for all the improvements at the Clubs he has managed, there isn't enough trophies in the cabinet. I just like the fact that Liverpool are a side that compete for lots of things and play pretty good football.

The 2nd paragraph is key there. A manager with a philosophy and an ownership group committed to putting the right resources in place to ensure that philosophy has the best chance at succeeding. Players are developed, gaps are plugged by (mostly) finding the right players. Depth is built every year. It sort of looks sustainable too.

See what happens when/if Salah fucks off to Spain for ludicris money i guess.

Crazy tie this morning. City are through, and then bang bang bang City are out. Football eh? bloody hell.

I think he's close. He's proven at more than one big club, and shown he knows how to manage the big players, he's just a couple of trophies / cups short in the cupboard. If it wasn't for Guardiola and City, he'd have at least one more EPL & has taken Liverpool to CL final a few times.

I think a second CL or a 2nd EPL would put him right up there.

@KiwiPie said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

@dogmeat said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

My Oh My

the wait goes on for City.

Two goals from Madrid in injury time to level the tie and then the winner in extra time

Real will be full of belief that this is their year

Unbelievable

Liverpool are surely favourites for the final but if any team "has their name on the cup" it must be Real Madrid this season - seemingly down and out in all knockout ties in the second leg but each time coming back. They didn't really look like scoring as full time approached and Grealish almost scored twice - then bang, bang. Incredible.

It's all about the occasion. Real Madrid have big match occasion in spades and will turn up.

Liverpool have shown to be slightly flaky here, although have hugely improved over recent seasons on this front.

I'll be cheering Real all the way as I can't stand Liverpool. But my money is on Jurgen. It almost feels a bit "in the stars" so to speak.

@MajorRage Couldn't agree less. Real for me epitomise everything wrong with football. The whole Galacticos bullshit, the ongoing pursuit of the ESL concept, the fact that they are effectively bankrupt several times over but still seem to be able to restructure loans at will in order to buy the latest shiny thing.

Liverpool are no saints but Real as a club stinks.

Just to ram home what Klopp has done at Liverpool, this was the lineup for his first game

Mignolet, Clyne, Skrtel, Sakho, Moreno, Lucas, Can, Coutinho, Lallana, Origi, Milner. On the bench: Bogdan, Toure, Allen, Sinclair, Texiera and Randall.

That, right there, is why Liverpool were a "UEFA Cup spots" team for a fair while.

@mariner4life Brendan Rogers did pretty good too then - given the cattle he had to work with.

@dogmeat said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

@mariner4life Brendan Rogers did pretty good too then - given the cattle he had to work with.

he's a good manager that's why. Just not quite good enough.

@dogmeat said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

@MajorRage Couldn't agree less. Real for me epitomise everything wrong with football. The whole Galacticos bullshit, the ongoing pursuit of the ESL concept, the fact that they are effectively bankrupt several times over but still seem to be able to restructure loans at will in order to buy the latest shiny thing.

Liverpool are no saints but Real as a club stinks.

Good for you. I actually agree with you for the most part so I think you must only be disagreeing with me on supporting Real in the final.

My reasons for not liking Liverpool are well document and I got bored of that fishing trip a while ago. Did dine out on it for a number of years though.

@mariner4life said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

Just to ram home what Klopp has done at Liverpool, this was the lineup for his first game

Mignolet, Clyne, Skrtel, Sakho, Moreno, Lucas, Can, Coutinho, Lallana, Origi, Milner. On the bench: Bogdan, Toure, Allen, Sinclair, Texiera and Randall.

That, right there, is why Liverpool were a "UEFA Cup spots" team for a fair while.

It also underpins exactly what Klopp has done. He's changed almost the entire team.

well thankfully all the "omagerd quadruple" talk can go as Liverpool draw, and then City smack 5 past Newcastle to take a stranglehold on the league.

@KiwiPie Listened to the King pod (and Stanford) over weekend. Both fascinating. King particularly. What a complicated tangle of deceits he constructed - and almost pulled it off. Genius level imagination.

Indeed Pep, indeed ....

@MajorRage said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

Indeed Pep, indeed ....

View embedded content

I do feel a bit for Pep because he's done amazing things with City but everyone's completely focused on Liverpool's (now moribund) quad, plus United's collapse. It's simply a case of ears and eyeballs for broadcasters, however.

That said, I can't believe for a second that the entire country wants Liverpool to do well - there's a massive contingent of United, Chelsea, Arsenal and other "neutral" fans who can't wait for Liverpool to lose their Cup Finals.

@junior said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

@MajorRage said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

Indeed Pep, indeed ....

View embedded content

I do feel a bit for Pep because he's done amazing things with City but everyone's completely focused on Liverpool's (now moribund) quad, plus United's collapse. It's simply a case of ears and eyeballs for broadcasters, however.

That said, I can't believe for a second that the entire country wants Liverpool to do well - there's a massive contingent of United, Chelsea, Arsenal and other "neutral" fans who can't wait for Liverpool to lose their Cup Finals.

He obviously doesn't mean literally. There is a pro-Liverpool slant to most reporting though, that is unequivocal. Yes, a fair bit of that has been excitement about the potential for an unprecedented quadruple trophy season (even my Dutch colleagues were talking about it), but even in standard times, Liverpool are quite fondly written of. Half of sky sports punditry are openly very pro Liverpool.

It's part of the reason why Chelsea fans like I, throughly enjoy watching them lose. Something that hasn't happened often of late ...

@junior said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

That said, I can't believe for a second that the entire country wants Liverpool to do well - there's a massive contingent of United, Chelsea, Arsenal and other "neutral" fans who can't wait for Liverpool to lose their Cup Finals.

Not to mention all of the supporters of lower league teams who want to see ALL of the big clubs doing badly.

@KiwiPie plus the Blue half of Liverpool.

Man City are arrivistes and are unpopular because (like Chelsea before them) they are a traditionally second tier - as in just below the elite not second Division - who many believe undeservedly bought their success.

So fans of the 'elite' clubs resent them gatecrashing their cozy little club and other clubs with ambitions deride them as Citeh / Chelski while secretly wishing they had a sugar daddy to'buy' them success. The most recent expression of this is the Newcastle fans circumlocutions to avoid having to confront how unsavoury their new owners are. If they are honest all these other little character clubs would do a deal with the devil if it guaranteed then top six security ad infinitum.

then as @Kiwipie points out the majority of the English football pyramid loathes them all.

City, with the pressure slightly relieved, have crushed another opposition, and now have one hand and 3 fingers on the premier league

if Haaland maintains his standards next year, holy shit you might need 100 points to win the league instead of the probable 96 to win this year

phenomenal team.

@dogmeat said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

@KiwiPie plus the Blue half of Liverpool.

Man City are arrivistes and are unpopular because (like Chelsea before them) they are a traditionally second tier - as in just below the elite not second Division - who many believe undeservedly bought their success.

So fans of the 'elite' clubs resent them gatecrashing their cozy little club and other clubs with ambitions deride them as Citeh / Chelski while secretly wishing they had a sugar daddy to'buy' them success. The most recent expression of this is the Newcastle fans circumlocutions to avoid having to confront how unsavoury their new owners are. If they are honest all these other little character clubs would do a deal with the devil if it guaranteed then top six security ad infinitum.

then as @Kiwipie points out the majority of the English football pyramid loathes them all.

City are definitely resented for becoming successful due to money injected having not been a traditional powerhouse - same with Chelsea. Liverpool have bought a lot of players in the last few years but don't get the same resentment. Liverpool's transfer business has been great, especially for their forwards Mane, Salah, Jota and Diaz - moderate prices for modern times and they have also moved on Solanke, Brewster etc for decent money. City seem to target particular players and then spend whatever it takes to get them, Liverpool look for value except for the absolute key players like VvD.

Klopp can pretty much rest all his key players for the final 2 EPL games if City win on Sunday given Liverpool have the FA Cup this weekend. If City lose or even draw with West Ham then it is all on for the final day.

@mariner4life Barney Ronay has a different spin

@KiwiPie said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

@dogmeat said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

City are definitely resented for becoming successful due to money injected having not been a traditional powerhouse - same with Chelsea. Liverpool have bought a lot of players in the last few years but don't get the same resentment. Liverpool's transfer business has been great, especially for their forwards Mane, Salah, Jota and Diaz - moderate prices for modern times and they have also moved on Solanke, Brewster etc for decent money.

Solanke was a great buy for Bournemouth, if it wasn't for Mr cheat code from Fulham he would have topped the championship goal scoring list Buying players from Liverpool have proven value for others too

@bayimports

Harry Wilson has been great for Fulham this season too.

Hoping Neco Williams will be next year...

@bayimports

Solanke would probably have done even better under a different Manager with a more attacking philosophy, rather than playing keep ball in your own half

@dogmeat lol your parker hate runs deep..29 goals was a good return. I think controlling of possession worked for us mostly as we have bit of speed on the break and with Brooks back that should help too. Will be interesting to see if it works at all next year though

There is a short video doing the rounds up here (on whatsapp) of a radio show talking about Asthma in the UK. The below webpage summarises it:

Reminds me of the TdF thing where something like 80% of TdF cyclists have asthma. Yeah right.

Not sure how prevalent this is in UK football, or even if the whole thing is bullshit. But I will say, and this is as one of the tiny minority who don't like Liverpool, I'd be looking at the statistics across all PL clubs before pointing the finger.

@bayimports said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

@KiwiPie said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

@dogmeat said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

City are definitely resented for becoming successful due to money injected having not been a traditional powerhouse - same with Chelsea. Liverpool have bought a lot of players in the last few years but don't get the same resentment. Liverpool's transfer business has been great, especially for their forwards Mane, Salah, Jota and Diaz - moderate prices for modern times and they have also moved on Solanke, Brewster etc for decent money.

Solanke was a great buy for Bournemouth, if it wasn't for Mr cheat code from Fulham he would have topped the championship goal scoring list Buying players from Liverpool have proven value for others too

Solanke is going well now but it took a while and not sure if he will make it at the top level and Liverpool got 20 million for him. Brewster went for over 20m quid to Sheff U and has hardly played so far.

Meanwhile in 6 years or so, Klopp has bought

Mane 30 million
Matip Free
Wijnaldum 25m (sold for more)
Salah 34m
Solanke 6m
Robertson 8m
Oxlade-Chamberlain 35m
van Dijk 75m
Fabinho 39m
Keita 52m
Shaqiri 13m
Alisson 56m
Elliott 4m
Minamino 7m
Tsimikas 12m
Thiago 20m
Jota 41m
Konate 36m
DIaz 35m

That's a lot of signings and a clear indication of why they now have so much depth.

@KiwiPie said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

@bayimports said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

@KiwiPie said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

@dogmeat said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

City are definitely resented for becoming successful due to money injected having not been a traditional powerhouse - same with Chelsea. Liverpool have bought a lot of players in the last few years but don't get the same resentment. Liverpool's transfer business has been great, especially for their forwards Mane, Salah, Jota and Diaz - moderate prices for modern times and they have also moved on Solanke, Brewster etc for decent money.

Solanke was a great buy for Bournemouth, if it wasn't for Mr cheat code from Fulham he would have topped the championship goal scoring list Buying players from Liverpool have proven value for others too

Solanke is going well now but it took a while and not sure if he will make it at the top level and Liverpool got 20 million for him. Brewster went for over 20m quid to Sheff U and has hardly played so far.

Meanwhile in 6 years or so, Klopp has bought

Mane 30 million
Matip Free
Wijnaldum 25m (sold for more)
Salah 34m
Solanke 6m
Robertson 8m
Oxlade-Chamberlain 35m
van Dijk 75m
Fabinho 39m
Keita 52m
Shaqiri 13m
Alisson 56m
Elliott 4m
Minamino 7m
Tsimikas 12m
Thiago 20m
Jota 41m
Konate 36m
DIaz 35m

That's a lot of signings and a clear indication of why they now have so much depth.

Relative wise, Salah was an absolute bargain.

I remember being rather surprised at the time at the cost of van Dijk, but I'd argue that's been the best signing. It's certainly been the one that in my opinion has brought the most success.

If pundit's weren't so obsessed with giving the award to Messi, he'd have a Ballon D'Or as well to show for it.

@MajorRage said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

There is a short video doing the rounds up here (on whatsapp) of a radio show talking about Asthma in the UK. The below webpage summarises it:

Reminds me of the TdF thing where something like 80% of TdF cyclists have asthma. Yeah right.

Not sure how prevalent this is in UK football, or even if the whole thing is bullshit. But I will say, and this is as one of the tiny minority who don't like Liverpool, I'd be looking at the statistics across all PL clubs before pointing the finger.

View embedded content

Was rife in British rugby about 20 years ago

@bayimports Nah I don't hate Parker. I just think he's been very lucky to get the two managerial positions that he has despite having zero track record.

I'd have been in favour of him getting the chance to bring Fulham back up from the Championship this season. What most Fulham fans hold against him is the way he left.

It was very clear that he wanted to sign with Bournemouth but he wouldn't resign dragging it out and then tried to get Fulham to pay out his contract.

Mate you want out - we're prepared to let you go and part amicably, best for all concerned tec. Don't try and screw us.

then the fact that Silva took basically the same players and transformed them while the Cherries looked increasingly shite....

I don't think he's got what it takes and reckon Bournemouth are doomed with him in charge. Mind you I'm not that hopeful of Fulham staying up either.

@KiwiPie said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

@dogmeat said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

@KiwiPie plus the Blue half of Liverpool.

Man City are arrivistes and are unpopular because (like Chelsea before them) they are a traditionally second tier - as in just below the elite not second Division - who many believe undeservedly bought their success.

So fans of the 'elite' clubs resent them gatecrashing their cozy little club and other clubs with ambitions deride them as Citeh / Chelski while secretly wishing they had a sugar daddy to'buy' them success. The most recent expression of this is the Newcastle fans circumlocutions to avoid having to confront how unsavoury their new owners are. If they are honest all these other little character clubs would do a deal with the devil if it guaranteed then top six security ad infinitum.

then as @Kiwipie points out the majority of the English football pyramid loathes them all.

City are definitely resented for becoming successful due to money injected having not been a traditional powerhouse - same with Chelsea. Liverpool have bought a lot of players in the last few years but don't get the same resentment. Liverpool's transfer business has been great, especially for their forwards Mane, Salah, Jota and Diaz - moderate prices for modern times and they have also moved on Solanke, Brewster etc for decent money. City seem to target particular players and then spend whatever it takes to get them, Liverpool look for value except for the absolute key players like VvD.

Klopp can pretty much rest all his key players for the final 2 EPL games if City win on Sunday given Liverpool have the FA Cup this weekend. If City lose or even draw with West Ham then it is all on for the final day.

now that City are all but confirmed, i have seen a lot of chat around City and how no one will remember them blah blah,

mainly from bitter Liverpool and Man U fans

Yes, they are loaded and spend heaps. But guess what? So the fuck does everyone else at the top (especially England with a league full of Europe's biggest spenders).

It's really hard to find just outlay information, as everything is net spend. But you know who has the biggest net spend over the past decade? Man U. And they are shit. Money isn't everything
(as an aside, Liverpool always come in low on these things, something Liverpool supporters love to throw around, but that is only because somehow Barcelona were tricked in to spending $135M on Coutinho, and also the sale of Suarez for $82M).
Effectively, some fans think City are shit simply for the crime of not being huge in the 90s when the money in football exploded. Fact is they are an incredible team with a great manager, and people are wildly jealous. Their football is also fucking brilliant, but some people hate that too (see the reactions to Barcelona and the way they played). They score more than 2.5 goals a game in the league FFS

The fact is football is a money game. having money is not a difference maker. Fans of any big side whinging because City can just go buy who they like are having a laugh surely,.

It must be infuriating for them that they keep fucking up the Champs League though

@mariner4life said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

@KiwiPie said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

@dogmeat said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

@KiwiPie plus the Blue half of Liverpool.

Man City are arrivistes and are unpopular because (like Chelsea before them) they are a traditionally second tier - as in just below the elite not second Division - who many believe undeservedly bought their success.

So fans of the 'elite' clubs resent them gatecrashing their cozy little club and other clubs with ambitions deride them as Citeh / Chelski while secretly wishing they had a sugar daddy to'buy' them success. The most recent expression of this is the Newcastle fans circumlocutions to avoid having to confront how unsavoury their new owners are. If they are honest all these other little character clubs would do a deal with the devil if it guaranteed then top six security ad infinitum.

then as @Kiwipie points out the majority of the English football pyramid loathes them all.

City are definitely resented for becoming successful due to money injected having not been a traditional powerhouse - same with Chelsea. Liverpool have bought a lot of players in the last few years but don't get the same resentment. Liverpool's transfer business has been great, especially for their forwards Mane, Salah, Jota and Diaz - moderate prices for modern times and they have also moved on Solanke, Brewster etc for decent money. City seem to target particular players and then spend whatever it takes to get them, Liverpool look for value except for the absolute key players like VvD.

Klopp can pretty much rest all his key players for the final 2 EPL games if City win on Sunday given Liverpool have the FA Cup this weekend. If City lose or even draw with West Ham then it is all on for the final day.

now that City are all but confirmed, i have seen a lot of chat around City and how no one will remember them blah blah,

mainly from bitter Liverpool and Man U fans

Yes, they are loaded and spend heaps. But guess what? So the fuck does everyone else at the top (especially England with a league full of Europe's biggest spenders).

It's really hard to find just outlay information, as everything is net spend. But you know who has the biggest net spend over the past decade? Man U. And they are shit. Money isn't everything
(as an aside, Liverpool always come in low on these things, something Liverpool supporters love to throw around, but that is only because somehow Barcelona were tricked in to spending $135M on Coutinho, and also the sale of Suarez for $82M).
Effectively, some fans think City are shit simply for the crime of not being huge in the 90s when the money in football exploded. Fact is they are an incredible team with a great manager, and people are wildly jealous. Their football is also fucking brilliant, but some people hate that too (see the reactions to Barcelona and the way they played). They score more than 2.5 goals a game in the league FFS

The fact is football is a money game. having money is not a difference maker. Fans of any big side whinging because City can just go buy who they like are having a laugh surely,.

It must be infuriating for them that they keep fucking up the Champs League though

There's no doubt a lot of jealousy there, and also some upset from the bigger, more established clubs that their stranglehold on English footy has been rendered moribund. They still have massive fanbases, though, which is why Liverpool's relative success gets massive headlines and now and why, even when they're now absolutely shite, Man U still get loads of media attention. It's also part of the reason why everyone's a bit blasé about Man City's success. Add in the resources at their disposal, and the amount spent, and people expect City to walk the league practically every year now. While what they have done is impressive, it's at risk of becoming only Bayern Munich levels of impressive (and thank God for Liverpool actually creating a couple of good title races in recent years). And that's where the UCL becomes important (not just to add to their impressive trophy collection but also to elevate them globally).

The other thing is that the Man City "story" has lost a bit of romance. No one will forget 2012 and "Agueroooooo", but basically since Pep has come in they've gone from rags to riches underdog to financial and footballing soulless juggernaut. Even the "story" of the rich foreigner coming in and taking over and creating this monster that changes the face of English football isn't that compelling because Chelsea did it first.

@junior said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

@mariner4life said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

@KiwiPie said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

@dogmeat said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

@KiwiPie plus the Blue half of Liverpool.

Man City are arrivistes and are unpopular because (like Chelsea before them) they are a traditionally second tier - as in just below the elite not second Division - who many believe undeservedly bought their success.

So fans of the 'elite' clubs resent them gatecrashing their cozy little club and other clubs with ambitions deride them as Citeh / Chelski while secretly wishing they had a sugar daddy to'buy' them success. The most recent expression of this is the Newcastle fans circumlocutions to avoid having to confront how unsavoury their new owners are. If they are honest all these other little character clubs would do a deal with the devil if it guaranteed then top six security ad infinitum.

then as @Kiwipie points out the majority of the English football pyramid loathes them all.

City are definitely resented for becoming successful due to money injected having not been a traditional powerhouse - same with Chelsea. Liverpool have bought a lot of players in the last few years but don't get the same resentment. Liverpool's transfer business has been great, especially for their forwards Mane, Salah, Jota and Diaz - moderate prices for modern times and they have also moved on Solanke, Brewster etc for decent money. City seem to target particular players and then spend whatever it takes to get them, Liverpool look for value except for the absolute key players like VvD.

Klopp can pretty much rest all his key players for the final 2 EPL games if City win on Sunday given Liverpool have the FA Cup this weekend. If City lose or even draw with West Ham then it is all on for the final day.

now that City are all but confirmed, i have seen a lot of chat around City and how no one will remember them blah blah,

mainly from bitter Liverpool and Man U fans

Yes, they are loaded and spend heaps. But guess what? So the fuck does everyone else at the top (especially England with a league full of Europe's biggest spenders).

It's really hard to find just outlay information, as everything is net spend. But you know who has the biggest net spend over the past decade? Man U. And they are shit. Money isn't everything
(as an aside, Liverpool always come in low on these things, something Liverpool supporters love to throw around, but that is only because somehow Barcelona were tricked in to spending $135M on Coutinho, and also the sale of Suarez for $82M).
Effectively, some fans think City are shit simply for the crime of not being huge in the 90s when the money in football exploded. Fact is they are an incredible team with a great manager, and people are wildly jealous. Their football is also fucking brilliant, but some people hate that too (see the reactions to Barcelona and the way they played). They score more than 2.5 goals a game in the league FFS

The fact is football is a money game. having money is not a difference maker. Fans of any big side whinging because City can just go buy who they like are having a laugh surely,.

It must be infuriating for them that they keep fucking up the Champs League though

There's no doubt a lot of jealousy there, and also some upset from the bigger, more established clubs that their stranglehold on English footy has been rendered moribund. They still have massive fanbases, though, which is why Liverpool's relative success gets massive headlines and now and why, even when they're now absolutely shite, Man U still get loads of media attention. It's also part of the reason why everyone's a bit blasé about Man City's success. Add in the resources at their disposal, and the amount spent, and people expect City to walk the league practically every year now. While what they have done is impressive, it's at risk of becoming only Bayern Munich levels of impressive (and thank God for Liverpool actually creating a couple of good title races in recent years). And that's where the UCL becomes important (not just to add to their impressive trophy collection but also to elevate them globally).

The other thing is that the Man City "story" has lost a bit of romance. No one will forget 2012 and "Agueroooooo", but basically since Pep has come in they've gone from rags to riches underdog to financial and footballing soulless juggernaut. Even the "story" of the rich foreigner coming in and taking over and creating this monster that changes the face of English football isn't that compelling because Chelsea did it first.

I should also say that I am seeing more and more people mentioning the sports washing thing when talking about Man City's success. I guess more people have now clocked onto this as a concept in light of the recent Abramovich / Chelsea stuff, as well as Newcastle's new ownership. I'd bet about 90% of that is pure cope and the overwhelming majority of football fans would not give a shit if their club was owned by the same people (provided of course that the club was well run and the team had on field success)

What a great NLD for Spurs fans. I can’t recall us looking that dominant for some time. Arsenal just seemed lacking in composure, typified by Holding who played like a man who didn’t seem to think he could defend Son straight up so he had to resort to illegal tactics. Some might argue about the penalty, I was impressed it was given because often the attacker is interfered with in the air and it's ignored. So many players gave good accounts of themselves, Conte basked in the love and it seems he intends to stay. We need strengthening at the back, and some added creativity. But what a night, that’s the kind of game the new stadium was built for.

The run in is going to be huge. Spurs have the easier run on paper. But we often have problems with lower teams that pack the defence and play physical. Arsenal will have a tricky game against Everton who may still be battling relegation by game time, and an improved Newcastle side who will want to finish the season on a high in front of their home fans

@MajorRage said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

@dogmeat said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

@MajorRage Couldn't agree less. Real for me epitomise everything wrong with football. The whole Galacticos bullshit, the ongoing pursuit of the ESL concept, the fact that they are effectively bankrupt several times over but still seem to be able to restructure loans at will in order to buy the latest shiny thing.

Liverpool are no saints but Real as a club stinks.

Good for you. I actually agree with you for the most part so I think you must only be disagreeing with me on supporting Real in the final.

My reasons for not liking Liverpool are well document and I got bored of that fishing trip a while ago. Did dine out on it for a number of years though.

@mariner4life said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

Just to ram home what Klopp has done at Liverpool, this was the lineup for his first game

Mignolet, Clyne, Skrtel, Sakho, Moreno, Lucas, Can, Coutinho, Lallana, Origi, Milner. On the bench: Bogdan, Toure, Allen, Sinclair, Texiera and Randall.

That, right there, is why Liverpool were a "UEFA Cup spots" team for a fair while.

It also underpins exactly what Klopp has done. He's changed almost the entire team.

And all without spending 3 gazillion bucks like most other big clubs do

@Mackerzzzz said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

@MajorRage said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

@dogmeat said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

@MajorRage Couldn't agree less. Real for me epitomise everything wrong with football. The whole Galacticos bullshit, the ongoing pursuit of the ESL concept, the fact that they are effectively bankrupt several times over but still seem to be able to restructure loans at will in order to buy the latest shiny thing.

Liverpool are no saints but Real as a club stinks.

Good for you. I actually agree with you for the most part so I think you must only be disagreeing with me on supporting Real in the final.

My reasons for not liking Liverpool are well document and I got bored of that fishing trip a while ago. Did dine out on it for a number of years though.

@mariner4life said in EPL 2021 / 2022:

Just to ram home what Klopp has done at Liverpool, this was the lineup for his first game

Mignolet, Clyne, Skrtel, Sakho, Moreno, Lucas, Can, Coutinho, Lallana, Origi, Milner. On the bench: Bogdan, Toure, Allen, Sinclair, Texiera and Randall.

That, right there, is why Liverpool were a "UEFA Cup spots" team for a fair while.

It also underpins exactly what Klopp has done. He's changed almost the entire team.

And all without spending 3 gazillion bucks like most other big clubs do

First half of FA Cup final very poor. Before kick off the Liverpool fans booed Abide With Me, they booed when the PA announced the Chelsea players (every single one), they booed Prince William, they even booed God Save The Queen. 45 minutes after that surprisingly low energy for a Cup Final. This one has 0-0 for 120 minutes then penalties written all over it.

0-0 after 87 minutes. Both sides looking very, very tired.

Yep, it went to penalties.

Liverpool won it on penalties. They win the FA Cup, their second competition of the year.

Real Madrid will be glad it went 120 monjtesninmthe sunshine. Some very heavy Liverpool legs by the end. They managed no shots at all in Extra Time. Real Madrid will fancy their chances in Paris in two weeks time.

Well, my gut feeling was wrong and my head was right on the FA cup final. As soon as it was going to penalties I knew we were toast. Like England, it feels like Chelsea just lose shootouts. I actually can't tell you the last time a team I was supporting won one.

Oh well, fair play to Liverpool, the quad remains on.

Awesome last week coming up with none of the league, champs league spots & relegation sorted.

League - City still hot favourites, however looked vulnerable yesterday against West Ham, coming back from 2-0 down at half time to draw 2-2. 4 points ahead of Liverpool with 7 goal difference. Basically Liverpool need to win next 2 and City lose on Sunday. Liverpool have a tricky away match to Southampton tomorrow. SH will be more relaxed with safety assured and may well make things difficult. Can't see it myself though, expect a dogged 1-0 to setup a final day showdown which I think City will take

Champs League - Chelsea, Spurs & Arsenal vying for 2 spots. Chelsea sitting at "all but" really needing two points from two games and Arsenal needing to win 2 to be assured. Chelsea will be fine if they don't have an FA cup hangover, and I think Spurs for the other. Not sure why

Relgation - Norwich & Watford are toast with Leeds, Burnley & Everton(!) fighting it out. Everton should have been clear yesterday but they blew it against Brentford with players losing their heads and showing the frailty they've shown all season. They are still in pole position though requiring 2 points from their last two games. Leeds looking most likely as they are on an horrific run of form although they are head of Burnly right now (who have a game in hand) but points on the board really matter at this point!

So yeah, thats my predictions. Thus, you can be sure Liverpool will wing the league, Arsenal & spurs for CL & Everton to go down.

Huddersfield beat Luton 1-0 at home to take the play-off semi 2-1 on aggregate and end Lton's dream run from non league football (for now). Luton had the better of the game although Huddersfield were denied what sounds like a stonewall pen appeal.

I was hoping Luton would go up.

Meanwhile Gunners are behind 1-0 at Newcastle with less than 10 to play

Arsenal fall to Newcastle 2-0. Spurs need a point on the final day to claim 4th against a Norwich side already relegated while Arsenal play Everton who are fighting to stay up