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Other Discussions => Other / General Sports => Revolution / Soccer => Topic started by: Sixth Man on August 13, 2016, 05:00:56 AM

Title: EPL 2016-17
Post by: Sixth Man on August 13, 2016, 05:00:56 AM
2.5 hours until the Foxes begin their title defense! 
Title: Re: EPL 2016-17
Post by: Who on August 13, 2016, 07:12:37 AM
Predictions

(1) Man City (2) Man United (3) Arsenal (4) Tottenham
(5) Chelsea (6) Liverpool (7) Everton (8] West Ham
(9) Leicester (10) Stoke (11) Bournemouth (12) Middlesbrough
(13) Southampton (14) Swansea (15) Burnley (16) Crystal Palace
(17) West Brom (18) Sunderland (19) Watford (20) Hull

I like Watford and Hull to get relegated. Last 4 teams fighting it out to avoid being 3rd team.

The two Manchester teams to fight it out for the title.

I think the rest of the big teams (CHE, TOT, LIV, ARS) are firmly in the trailing pack.
Title: Re: EPL 2016-17
Post by: Yoki_IsTheName on August 13, 2016, 11:46:56 AM
So, Leicester lost today (vs Hull).

If they lose to Arsenal next week, will Riyad Mahrez push for an Arsenal move? Hope so.
Title: Re: EPL 2016-17
Post by: Sixth Man on August 14, 2016, 07:13:59 AM
So, Leicester lost today (vs Hull).

If they lose to Arsenal next week, will Riyad Mahrez push for an Arsenal move? Hope so.

He was pretty dreadful, today, was he not? 
Title: Re: EPL 2016-17
Post by: Sixth Man on August 19, 2016, 05:07:56 PM
So, Leicester lost today (vs Hull).

If they lose to Arsenal next week, will Riyad Mahrez push for an Arsenal move? Hope so.

He's signed an extension with Leicester City.  I think Arsenal needs a defender or two and a striker (does this sound familiar?).  Xhaka should be a revelation, however...
Title: Re: EPL 2016-17
Post by: Yoki_IsTheName on August 25, 2016, 07:26:35 PM
So, Leicester lost today (vs Hull).

If they lose to Arsenal next week, will Riyad Mahrez push for an Arsenal move? Hope so.

He's signed an extension with Leicester City.  I think Arsenal needs a defender or two and a striker (does this sound familiar?).  Xhaka should be a revelation, however...

Right on...

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/37185258

So, we came from not willing to pay a £30 million valuation from Valencia to buy Skhodran Mustafi to agreeing to pay £5 million more because it has been desperate times?

LOL. Even when he's actually doing good business, you can't help but laugh at Arsene Wenger's transfer policy...

But hey, I'll take it. Finally done something, eh manager?
Title: Re: EPL 2016-17
Post by: Sixth Man on August 25, 2016, 08:43:23 PM
So, Leicester lost today (vs Hull).

If they lose to Arsenal next week, will Riyad Mahrez push for an Arsenal move? Hope so.

He's signed an extension with Leicester City.  I think Arsenal needs a defender or two and a striker (does this sound familiar?).  Xhaka should be a revelation, however...

Right on...

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/37185258

So, we came from not willing to pay a £30 million valuation from Valencia to buy Skhodran Mustafi to agreeing to pay £5 million more because it has been desperate times?

LOL. Even when he's actually doing good business, you can't help but laugh at Arsene Wenger's transfer policy...

But hey, I'll take it. Finally done something, eh manager?

The great impediment to real spending on real players by Arsenal is majority owner Stan Kroenke.  Now that he has his moneymaking machine in Los Angeles, maybe he'll loosen the pursestrings a little at Arsenal.  By the way, how do you like your CL draw?  As a City fan, I assumed that UEFA would ensure that we were drawn in with either Bayern or Barca (former Pep clubs), and sure enough...

Title: Re: EPL 2016-17
Post by: Sixth Man on August 25, 2016, 08:44:54 PM
Hey, Yoki, if you need a good young keeper, English too, we've got one we're attempting to sell - an opportunity for a real "bargain" for Wenger, and that is something we all know he really loves!  Cech isn't getting any younger, you know...
Title: Re: EPL 2016-17
Post by: Yoki_IsTheName on August 25, 2016, 09:31:34 PM
Hey, Yoki, if you need a good young keeper, English too, we've got one we're attempting to sell - an opportunity for a real "bargain" for Wenger, and that is something we all know he really loves!  Cech isn't getting any younger, you know...

Is he better than Wojciecch Szczensny?

Honestly though, that's a poopy way to treat Joe Hart. I thought he's going to Everton on loan?
Title: Re: EPL 2016-17
Post by: Yoki_IsTheName on August 25, 2016, 09:37:35 PM
So, Leicester lost today (vs Hull).

If they lose to Arsenal next week, will Riyad Mahrez push for an Arsenal move? Hope so.

He's signed an extension with Leicester City.  I think Arsenal needs a defender or two and a striker (does this sound familiar?).  Xhaka should be a revelation, however...

Right on...

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/37185258

So, we came from not willing to pay a £30 million valuation from Valencia to buy Skhodran Mustafi to agreeing to pay £5 million more because it has been desperate times?

LOL. Even when he's actually doing good business, you can't help but laugh at Arsene Wenger's transfer policy...

But hey, I'll take it. Finally done something, eh manager?

The great impediment to real spending on real players by Arsenal is majority owner Stan Kroenke.  Now that he has his moneymaking machine in Los Angeles, maybe he'll loosen the pursestrings a little at Arsenal.  By the way, how do you like your CL draw?  As a City fan, I assumed that UEFA would ensure that we were drawn in with either Bayern or Barca (former Pep clubs), and sure enough...

I'm a little bit pessimistic compare to most of the fans.

I've read Arseblog, and people seem to be okay with the group, and I get it. PSG with no Zlatan and a new manager. Really good team, but it's easy to expect that they aren't as good of a squad as they were.

And then we got Basel and Ludogorets. I don't fancy a trip to Eastern Europe, but hey, at least it's not Russia on a cold December night.

But Basel scares me. That squad gave Manchester United and Chelsea some fits. They really, really scare me.

As for you guys, hey, atleast this time you're getting Barcelona in the group stage and not at the knockouts. It's weird that Claudio Bravo will right away face his former team. That could be fun, and should be an easy group for you guys to get out. We took one of Monchengladbach's best players, so there's that. Does Brendan Rogers scare you? LOL

At least it's not Group D. Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, Sporting Lisbon. What a way to have your first ever European tournament appearance, FC Rostov, here's your reward.

Title: Re: EPL 2016-17
Post by: Sixth Man on August 30, 2016, 06:39:46 AM
So, Leicester lost today (vs Hull).

If they lose to Arsenal next week, will Riyad Mahrez push for an Arsenal move? Hope so.

He's signed an extension with Leicester City.  I think Arsenal needs a defender or two and a striker (does this sound familiar?).  Xhaka should be a revelation, however...

Right on...

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/37185258

So, we came from not willing to pay a £30 million valuation from Valencia to buy Skhodran Mustafi to agreeing to pay £5 million more because it has been desperate times?

LOL. Even when he's actually doing good business, you can't help but laugh at Arsene Wenger's transfer policy...

But hey, I'll take it. Finally done something, eh manager?

The great impediment to real spending on real players by Arsenal is majority owner Stan Kroenke.  Now that he has his moneymaking machine in Los Angeles, maybe he'll loosen the pursestrings a little at Arsenal.  By the way, how do you like your CL draw?  As a City fan, I assumed that UEFA would ensure that we were drawn in with either Bayern or Barca (former Pep clubs), and sure enough...

I'm a little bit pessimistic compare to most of the fans.

I've read Arseblog, and people seem to be okay with the group, and I get it. PSG with no Zlatan and a new manager. Really good team, but it's easy to expect that they aren't as good of a squad as they were.

And then we got Basel and Ludogorets. I don't fancy a trip to Eastern Europe, but hey, at least it's not Russia on a cold December night.

But Basel scares me. That squad gave Manchester United and Chelsea some fits. They really, really scare me.

As for you guys, hey, atleast this time you're getting Barcelona in the group stage and not at the knockouts. It's weird that Claudio Bravo will right away face his former team. That could be fun, and should be an easy group for you guys to get out. We took one of Monchengladbach's best players, so there's that. Does Brendan Rogers scare you? LOL

At least it's not Group D. Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, Sporting Lisbon. What a way to have your first ever European tournament appearance, FC Rostov, here's your reward.

Amazing - Wenger spends  £££!  I think Arsenal has a chance to steal the group - why not?  You'll need to be careful with both Basel and Ludogorets, but it would be a shock to lose to them. 

Thanks for signing Xhaka, as now we won't have to face him again.  We'll have to see if we can steal a match against Barca and somehow win the group on goal differential. 

I think Begiristain really mismanaged the Hart situation.  I don't have any real issue with the decision, as I figured both Hart and Caballero were probably not long-term for Pep, but I believe he thinks he can get this squad performing at a high level pretty quickly, so Bravo is in, probably debuts at Old Trafford in the derby on Sept. 10th. 
Title: Re: EPL 2016-17
Post by: Who on October 31, 2016, 09:08:35 AM
Very happy with how Chelsea are playing since the shift to a 3-4-3. I think Chelsea have looked the most complete and dominant team in the league since Conte changed his tactics and went away from that 4-2-4 which wasn't working.

I am really liking Chelsea's chances to win the league now. Liverpool and Man City both playing very good football as well. They are the top 3 teams for me. Then Arsenal, Tottenham and Man Utd lagging behind.
Title: Re: EPL 2016-17
Post by: Who on October 31, 2016, 09:18:09 AM
Disappointed but not totally surprised by Man Utd.

Talent wise, I thought they were (and still rate them as) a top 2 team in the league alongside Man City entering the season. But Jose Mourinho is doing an absolute terrible job just like he did at Chelsea last season.

Mourinho has tunnel vision with that 4-2-3-1 even though it doesn't make the most of the players he has at his disposal. I'd love to see Man Utd shift to a 4-4-2 diamond. I don't know why Jose hasn't done that. Especially given the success he had with Porto in that formation and at times with Inter as well. I'd love to see Carrick at the base with Pogba and Herrera on it's sides. Then Mkhitaryan as AMC with Rashford and Ibrahimovic up front. They have Mata, Schweinsteiger, Martial, Depay, Rooney. Lots of players who can provide depth beyond the first choice players. Valencia would be awesome as an attacking right full back also. Shaw or Blind would be fine on the left.

Even a 4-3-3 just to get Pogba into a comfortable role where he can fully show his range of skills. Or a 3-5-2. Or a 3-4-3. All options that offer more of sound base for United's stars than what Jose is doing right now.

I hate how isolated Ibrahimovic has been up front.

PSG bought Cavani because Ibra needed a 2nd striker alongside him who can make runs and get in behind defenses. That was 3-4 years ago. This was well known before he came here. To get the most of Ibra you either have to (1) play a 2nd striker (2) get lots of quick attacking mids (not Rooney or Mata) who will make runs behind Ibra (3) play slow possession based football and gradually probe your way through teams.

Mourinho does none of these things. We know he isn't comfortable with possession football. He continues to play too many slow AMCs (Mata, Rooney, Pogba) who do not fit what Ibra needs. And he will not play a 2nd striker alongside Ibra instead shifting his striker out into a wing role.

And he is completely ignoring Mkhitaryan ... talk about self-sabotage!
Title: Re: EPL 2016-17
Post by: Sixth Man on October 31, 2016, 01:50:58 PM
Disappointed but not totally surprised by Man Utd.

Talent wise, I thought they were (and still rate them as) a top 2 team in the league alongside Man City entering the season. But Jose Mourinho is doing an absolute terrible job just like he did at Chelsea last season.

Mourinho has tunnel vision with that 4-2-3-1 even though it doesn't make the most of the players he has at his disposal. I'd love to see Man Utd shift to a 4-4-2 diamond. I don't know why Jose hasn't done that. Especially given the success he had with Porto in that formation and at times with Inter as well. I'd love to see Carrick at the base with Pogba and Herrera on it's sides. Then Mkhitaryan as AMC with Rashford and Ibrahimovic up front. They have Mata, Schweinsteiger, Martial, Depay, Rooney. Lots of players who can provide depth beyond the first choice players. Valencia would be awesome as an attacking right full back also. Shaw or Blind would be fine on the left.

Even a 4-3-3 just to get Pogba into a comfortable role where he can fully show his range of skills. Or a 3-5-2. Or a 3-4-3. All options that offer more of sound base for United's stars than what Jose is doing right now.

I hate how isolated Ibrahimovic has been up front.

PSG bought Cavani because Ibra needed a 2nd striker alongside him who can make runs and get in behind defenses. That was 3-4 years ago. This was well known before he came here. To get the most of Ibra you either have to (1) play a 2nd striker (2) get lots of quick attacking mids (not Rooney or Mata) who will make runs behind Ibra (3) play slow possession based football and gradually probe your way through teams.

Mourinho does none of these things. We know he isn't comfortable with possession football. He continues to play too many slow AMCs (Mata, Rooney, Pogba) who do not fit what Ibra needs. And he will not play a 2nd striker alongside Ibra instead shifting his striker out into a wing role.

And he is completely ignoring Mkhitaryan ... talk about self-sabotage!

Mou is a "specialist" in self-sabotage - just look at his stints at Real Madrid and Chelsea (TWICE). 
Title: Re: EPL 2016-17
Post by: LatterDayCelticsfan on May 23, 2017, 04:13:10 PM
Now can Arsenal bounce straight back to the Champions League?
Title: Re: EPL 2016-17
Post by: HomerSapien on May 23, 2017, 04:24:17 PM
Now can Arsenal bounce straight back to the Champions League?
It's not going to be easy.  There is a lot of competition for the Top 4 in the Premier League, and other than Cech, Alexis, Koz, and maybe a couple of other guys they don't have the same caliber of players as the other top teams do.  Wenger has slowly let the talent on the team degrade as the years have gone on, and now it finally bit them.

#wengerout
Title: Re: EPL 2016-17
Post by: Who on May 27, 2017, 02:36:00 PM
What a fantastic FA Cup. Lots of attacking football (unlike Man Utd's Europa League Final = what a stinker of a game that was. Bordering on unwatchable).

Terrific performance from Arsenal. Mertesacker was excellent. Looked like Tony Adams out there. Marshaled everything from the back. Positioning was wonderful. Lots of key interceptions and blocks. Stood up to Diego Costa and won his fair share of physical challenges. Did a good job in possession directing things from the back. Fantastic.

Alexis Sanchez was wonderful. Showed up and out-shone Eden Hazard. Best player on the pitch. His touch, dribbling and defensive work-rate were absolutely incredible.

Granit Xhaka and Aaron Ramsey were excellent in the middle of the park. Outplayed Kante and Matic. Ramsey is hugely underrated. One of the best box-to-box midfielders in Europe. Love seeing Xhaka do well. I think he is a fantastic footballer and have been sick of all the abuse he has gotten this year. Xhaka didn't get off to a good start in England but the quality is there and I hated seeing how quickly he was being written off. Great to see him doing well.

Welbeck deserves big praise too. Super work-rate as normal. Both when defending and with his movement off the ball in attack. Did all the little things. Heskey-esque. Another under-rated footballer. Giroud came off the bench and made that great assist for Ramsey. Big contributions from the strikers.

Monreal and Holding did very well at the back.

I thought Chelsea lost in midfield. Gave Arsenal too much time and space. Fabregas came on too late. Chelsea needed more passing in midfield in attack. Fabregas could have made a difference. Moses was an idiot with that dive. Chelsea could've still won it if Moses hadn't got himself sent off.

Diego Costa was a menace (in a good way - mostly!) throughout. Courtois did a great job in goal for Chelsea. Azpilicueta was his usual superb self (Dennis Irwin-esque = not many man of the match games but no stinkers. Always a 7-8 out of 10. So reliable). Pedro and Willian (when he came on - again, too late plus already a man down) were good. Constantly moving and working. I thought Pedro was the most likely (after Costa) to score a goal. Wasn't happy to see him go off.

Needed a bit more from Alonso in attack down that left flank. Hazard was quiet. A few good moments but not enough of them. The back 3 ... Arsenal got behind them too often and too easily. Needed to do better.
Title: Re: EPL 2016-17
Post by: Sixth Man on May 28, 2017, 03:58:03 PM
Now can Arsenal bounce straight back to the Champions League?

I think that it's up to Stan Kroenke.  This squad needs heavy investment for a window or two.  Maybe now that the LA Rams project is in full swing, Stan the Man may be willing to spend some of that dosh (he'll make a killing in LA) to achieve that.  Losing Alexis would not be a step in the right direction.