We Go Again! The Premier League thread

by **Crimey** Wed 02 Mar 2016, 8:54 pm

First topic message reminder :

This would be a huge day for Leicester if it stays like it is.

by guildfordbat Sun 10 Apr 2016, 9:48 am

Largely unmentioned yesterday as they've realistically been safe for a while but still a great achievement by Bournemouth in going past 40 points. clap

to Eddie Howe and his players. I'll own up to having them as near certs for relegation last August.

by sirfredperry Sun 10 Apr 2016, 10:01 am

Hero wrote:I'll be very surprised if we see Villa back in the Premier League anytime soon as well tbh.

They could bounce straight back or they could start going down thru the divisions. Remember Northampton back in the 60s? They went from 4th to 1st and then 1st for 4th in just a few years.
In recent times, Pompey have plummeted. Luton Town dropped right out of the Football League for a while. Big clubs such as Wolves, Sheff Untd and Burnley all had spells in the 4th Division in recent decades. Manchester City were in the old 3rd at one point.
Big clubs with large grounds and a huge following usually find their way back up from the lower leagues. Villa will be hoping this trend continues.

by westisbest Sun 10 Apr 2016, 10:03 am

Hero wrote:I'll be very surprised if we see Villa back in the Premier League anytime soon as well tbh.

We will see on who new manager is what players leave/sign in the summer.
If we get things right, we could challenge for promotion next season.

We shal see what happens.

I don't think we will drop to league 1.
Makes me laugh when people say Villa will struggle next season with this squad.

We won't have the same squad next season.

Hopefully the right manager and players to help us bounce straight back.

by **Dolphin Ziggler** Sun 10 Apr 2016, 11:54 am

Wouldn't be the first club to need some gutting out. Need to hire the right manager.

But I've seen it happen to us. The viruses in the team often leave when you go down and a new manager and new focus can bring a team together.

by Guest Sun 10 Apr 2016, 3:25 pm

Sunderland 0-2 Leicester FT

Pretty much champions

by Corporalhumblebucket Sun 10 Apr 2016, 4:47 pm

Leicester's win now leaves Arsenal and Man City with no more than a negligible chance of the title. If Spurs don't win today then their hopes are at best as long shot outsiders.

by **hampo17** Sun 10 Apr 2016, 4:48 pm

2-1 at half time, great play by Ojo for the second goal. Made Shaqiri look silly.

by **Dolphin Ziggler** Sun 10 Apr 2016, 4:58 pm

Cracking game brewing at Spurs. United dominated the start and now Spurs are terrifying them

by Ent Sun 10 Apr 2016, 5:24 pm

Need to get rojo off. Complete liability.

by **hampo17** Sun 10 Apr 2016, 5:25 pm

4-1 now, Origi with two coming off the bench. Seems to be finding his feet now after a slow start.

by lfc91 Sun 10 Apr 2016, 5:27 pm

Origi nailed on to start Thursday, only question is does Sturridge also start (not likely IMO). Good performance this if we get to the end without completely imploding like at Southampton...

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Sun 10 Apr 2016, 5:33 pm

Utd playing Ashley young up front and martial left wing

Huh

by **hampo17** Sun 10 Apr 2016, 5:35 pm

Not often Joe Allen has had a stand ovation at Anfield, deserved today.

by lfc91 Sun 10 Apr 2016, 5:36 pm

My thoughts exactly. Was glad to see him come off aswell, get a rest for Thursday.

by **Hero** Sun 10 Apr 2016, 5:42 pm

Olly wrote:Utd playing Ashley young up front and martial left wing

Huh

That pretty much sums up why LVG has to go, 4 attacking players, none of which in their preferred position.

by **Dolphin Ziggler** Sun 10 Apr 2016, 5:48 pm

Martial is so good, and looks the type to get scarily better

by **Dolphin Ziggler** Sun 10 Apr 2016, 6:01 pm

Game over

by Guest Sun 10 Apr 2016, 6:01 pm

Spurs 2-0 United - alderweireld

Fosu-mensah went off & it went to s***

by **Dolphin Ziggler** Sun 10 Apr 2016, 6:03 pm

Demoralise them for Wednesday please, thanks

by Jermaine2015 Sun 10 Apr 2016, 6:04 pm

Wow Manchester United falling apart against a not so special Tottenham side...the 2016-17 champions league will see many English defeats.

by Ent Sun 10 Apr 2016, 6:04 pm

This United team is dreadful, truly dreadful.

by **Hero** Sun 10 Apr 2016, 6:07 pm

Ent wrote:This United team is dreadful, truly dreadful.

The squad is not that bad, when you have a potential world class striker and then stick Ashley Young up front then you know you've got problems with the management rather than the players.

by Born Slippy Sun 10 Apr 2016, 6:10 pm

Very impressive display from Spurs given Leicester's result. Really turned it on in the 2nd half.

by Jermaine2015 Sun 10 Apr 2016, 6:11 pm

Funny how these average type players like Kyle Walker have a couple of flukey seasons and they think they are some sort of world class legends...

by Hammersmith harrier Sun 10 Apr 2016, 6:22 pm

There's no such thing as a flukey season and I doubt Walker thinks he's a world class legend of the game.

by TRUSSMAN66 Sun 10 Apr 2016, 6:32 pm

Think the premiership is changing...So called lesser teams are pressing so tirelessly now that better players are having less time on the ball..

Can see Leicester..Spurs and definitely Liverpool being in the mix next year providing in the former twos case they keep their players..

by Stella Sun 10 Apr 2016, 6:40 pm

Will Leicester repeat this season or come close? I can't see it. The stars have aligned to make it their title to lose.

City with Pep will be better, as will Chelsea.

West Ham could do well again, especially if they get some decisions go their way Wink

by Ent Sun 10 Apr 2016, 6:52 pm

Hero wrote:
Ent wrote:This United team is dreadful, truly dreadful.

The squad is not that bad, when you have a potential world class striker and then stick Ashley Young up front then you know you've got problems with the management rather than the players.

The players are dogshite and incapable of doing the basics.

Lvg isn't helping but these players are having a laugh at our expense.

De gea. Smalling. Martial. The only ones with any sort of future at the club if we aspire to challenge for trophies again.

by TRUSSMAN66 Sun 10 Apr 2016, 7:26 pm

Come on...You lost to Spurs..My club City had 6 put past them in 2 games...

Spurs are good...

Just calm down..

by **Crimey** Mon 11 Apr 2016, 10:54 am

Does Van Gaal's performance as Manchester United manager mean that history will look more favourably on David Moyes tenure? Or are they both just poor choices?

by GSC Mon 11 Apr 2016, 11:07 am

Can it not be both.

I think United let Moyes down massively, failed to strengthen the squad the first summer until Fellaini at the very end. But he always seemed out of his depth, and I think he knew it.

LVG has spent a lot of money, for very little return. The reality is hes had to play kids because his big money signings failed badly. I think he's done a really poor job for a man of his experience.

That all said, Ed Woodward is clearly not the next David Gill, and United should be looking for an experienced hand to take over the football recruitment side.

by sirfredperry Mon 11 Apr 2016, 11:09 am

I was at the Spurs-Man U match. Untd started well, pressing Spurs, with Martial a constant threat. They looked organised, eager and quick. Just a cutting edge was missing.
So what did LVG do? He makes a half-time change which was never going to work. Spurs managed their first three shots on target in the space of a few minutes, Martial - after a terrific run - missed a good chance and after that it was game over.

by Guest Mon 11 Apr 2016, 11:37 am

The young lad at RB was very good and I fully expect the assembled media and Utd fans to wax idiotic about him and proclaim him world class for the next six weeks.

Most telling thing at the weekend was Ryan Giggs and the "If I could f*cking kill him, I would" look on his face when the third goal went in. Still I can't gloat as we've sp*nked away three goals from winning positions on so many occasions that it makes my cry when I think about it.

by dummy_half Mon 11 Apr 2016, 12:18 pm

So another weekend passed, and the possible outcomes are becoming clearer.

Bottom:
Villa - well, not mathematically relegated, but need Norwich to pick up no points, Sunderland to pick up no more than 1 other than beating Norwich, to win all their matches and to reverse an approximately 20 goal GD disadvantage. No problem...

Newcastle - Look doomed at the moment. Had a couple of decent performances when Benitez came in, but in defeats to top 6 sides. Now look almost as helpless and hopeless as Villa.

Sunderland v Norwich is huge now. Norwich win and I think we can call it a day, otherwise it stays between the two. Palace just out of range now, especially with their good GD.

Top of the table:
Well, Leicester still clear of Spurs by 7 with 5 matches to go. Arsenal 6 points further back with one in hand and Man City two points back with a game in hand.

Leicester's run-in:
Home to West Ham
Home to Swansea
Away to Man U
Home to Everton
Away to Chelsea

Say City win all their games, get to 75 points. Leicester need 4 more points in 5 games to be certain of beating that. Should be straight-forward enough with their run-in.

Need 6 more points to be sure of beating Arsenal, 5 may be enough (oh and Arsenal v Man City is to come).

3 wins (or 2 wins and 3 draws, which I can actually see happening) sees them take the title, regardless of what anyone else does. It really is there's for the taking, even though they haven't played particularly well for about a month (and yet have won 5 in a row).

Champions League spots look close to decided, in part because Man U don't look to be in form to put a run of results together. WHU just too far away, as are Liverpool. All are in the race for 5th though.

by Ent Mon 11 Apr 2016, 1:28 pm

We'd need to win 5 games to have a chance of getting fourth - in other words no chance.

Think we need a clear out this summer and to begin a slow rebuilding process. The likes of Fellaini, mata, rojo, Carrick need to go and be replaced by quality first 11 players. The rest and some of the youngsters can fill out the squad and develop over a few seasons.

by Guest Mon 11 Apr 2016, 1:46 pm

Ent wrote:We'd need to win 5 games to have a chance of getting fourth - in other words no chance.

Think we need a clear out this summer and to begin a slow rebuilding process. The likes of Fellaini, mata, rojo, Carrick need to go and be replaced by quality first 11 players. The rest and some of the youngsters can fill out the squad and develop over a few seasons.

Think the days of United being allowed to develop a squad for the long term have long gone. Chelsea and City will be quite happy to spend money to get the necessary quality to win trophies and not give a flying one about legacy and history etc. Utd, for all their principles will be forced to do the same if they want to compete. Martial is one of the few I could see staying but the nature of the game is that should Utd fail to secure CL football then expect to see players of Martial's calibre start looking elsewhere.

Spurs, West Ham, Liverpool etc can afford to give their managers more time to rebuild as nothing major is expected of them. As much as I'd love it, Liverpool are not at the same level as Chelsea Arsenal Utd or City financially and will have to accept there's a period of readjustment required, but to do so, they have maintain a core of quality players to build around. Same for Spurs and West Ham.

United demand/expect to be competitive and are fortunate that they can afford to spend millions to get back on an equal footing but then they'll have to keep spending to stay in contention with the uber rich.

by **Crimey** Mon 11 Apr 2016, 3:10 pm

Ibrahimovic interested in Manchester United move if Louis Van Gaal is sacked.

by Ent Mon 11 Apr 2016, 4:19 pm

DAVE667 wrote:
Ent wrote:We'd need to win 5 games to have a chance of getting fourth - in other words no chance.

Think we need a clear out this summer and to begin a slow rebuilding process. The likes of Fellaini, mata, rojo, Carrick need to go and be replaced by quality first 11 players. The rest and some of the youngsters can fill out the squad and develop over a few seasons.
Think the days of United being allowed to develop a squad for the long term have long gone. Chelsea and City will be quite happy to spend money to get the necessary quality to win trophies and not give a flying one about legacy and history etc. Utd, for all their principles will be forced to do the same if they want to compete. Martial is one of the few I could see staying but the nature of the game is that should Utd fail to secure CL football then expect to see players of Martial's calibre start looking elsewhere.

Spurs, West Ham, Liverpool etc can afford to give their managers more time to rebuild as nothing major is expected of them. As much as I'd love it, Liverpool are not at the same level as Chelsea Arsenal Utd or City financially and will have to accept there's a period of readjustment required, but to do so, they have maintain a core of quality players to build around. Same for Spurs and West Ham.

United demand/expect to be competitive and are fortunate that they can afford to spend millions to get back on an equal footing but then they'll have to keep spending to stay in contention with the uber rich.

Our money comes from on field success so we have to spend to aim to get back up with the top sides.

There's nothing to stop us building a side over a few years, players join on 5 year deals plenty of time for us to become competitive again.

by Guest Mon 11 Apr 2016, 4:32 pm

Ent wrote:
DAVE667 wrote:
Ent wrote:We'd need to win 5 games to have a chance of getting fourth - in other words no chance.

Think we need a clear out this summer and to begin a slow rebuilding process. The likes of Fellaini, mata, rojo, Carrick need to go and be replaced by quality first 11 players. The rest and some of the youngsters can fill out the squad and develop over a few seasons.
Think the days of United being allowed to develop a squad for the long term have long gone. Chelsea and City will be quite happy to spend money to get the necessary quality to win trophies and not give a flying one about legacy and history etc. Utd, for all their principles will be forced to do the same if they want to compete. Martial is one of the few I could see staying but the nature of the game is that should Utd fail to secure CL football then expect to see players of Martial's calibre start looking elsewhere.

Spurs, West Ham, Liverpool etc can afford to give their managers more time to rebuild as nothing major is expected of them. As much as I'd love it, Liverpool are not at the same level as Chelsea Arsenal Utd or City financially and will have to accept there's a period of readjustment required, but to do so, they have maintain a core of quality players to build around. Same for Spurs and West Ham.

United demand/expect to be competitive and are fortunate that they can afford to spend millions to get back on an equal footing but then they'll have to keep spending to stay in contention with the uber rich.

Our money comes from on field success so we have to spend to aim to get back up with the top sides.

There's nothing to stop us building a side over a few years, players join on 5 year deals plenty of time for us to become competitive again.

There is when your policy includes signing 31yr old Bastian and when you're so desperate for success you'll consider sp*nking away £600k a week on a 34yr old Ibra in the knowledge that you'll recoup that money by selling a lot of t-shirts as a result. Ibra won't be signing any 5 year deal as Utd are clearly going for marquee signings rather than long term investment. The fact they can afford to pay over the odds for some of these players does nothing more than highlight their folly when it goes wrong and sadly, Utd appear to have got it wrong more than they've got it right in recent years....and if they don't think there'll be an ego clash with Ibra and Rooney then someone's head needs looking at

by Ent Mon 11 Apr 2016, 5:14 pm

Got to blend experience with peak players and young players. We haven't got that blend right since Ferguson left.

Don't think ibra would be a great signing but it would be entertaining.

by **Dolphin Ziggler** Mon 11 Apr 2016, 5:27 pm

Ibra will go there if Mourinho is there.

by Hammersmith harrier Mon 11 Apr 2016, 5:55 pm

I'd rather LVG stayed than see that prima donna play for us.

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Mon 11 Apr 2016, 6:09 pm

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/33780720

What a load of horse sh*t this is

by compelling and rich Mon 11 Apr 2016, 6:35 pm

on the moyes reign, i dont think you can look back on his tenure any more favorably just because LVG has been a failure. moyes was seen as a attempt to continue what fergie had been doing (tough scottish disciplinarian). so for him to come straight in and rip out fergies backroom staff and stick in load of everton staff was a poor start. think everybody knew we needed strengthening and for him to just sign felliani made it a disastrous start, something dont think he ever recovered from. you can argue this wasn't all his own fault but none of us know the full ins and outs of what really happened and felliani was definitely a moyes signing.

the other major differences for me, is that there have been highlights under LVG. our form against the top sides has been good and we have beaten our main rivals city and Liverpool well under him. under moyes we couldn't even compete. never looked like doing anything against the good signs and cant think of too many highlights.

LVG has been a poor spell and we have seen some of the worse football i have ever seen (moyes wasnt too far behind). but there have been changes for the positive. with the right manager and a few tweaks i could see the side challenging for trophies, i certainly wouldn't have said that about the side when moyes left

by compelling and rich Mon 11 Apr 2016, 6:38 pm

Olly wrote:http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/33780720

What a load of horse sh*t this is

nothing new that olly, weve been paying for the council house, i mean citys ground for a while.

by **Dolphin Ziggler** Mon 11 Apr 2016, 6:55 pm

Olly wrote:http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/33780720

What a load of horse sh*t this is

The alternative was much worse.

by **Hero** Mon 11 Apr 2016, 7:20 pm

Most clubs would have done the same as West Ham, it doesn't make though what West Ham have done anything to be proud of.

by **Dolphin Ziggler** Mon 11 Apr 2016, 7:25 pm

Proud of? Like we should be ashamed of it? Of what? The only people who have made a mess of this is the planning committee. And we're the only offer that actually took into account the Olympic legacy so talked about.

Wonderful old Spurs hired private investigators to go through the trash of staff members of West Ham to try and find details they could exploit, whilst refusing to budge on the athletics proposals. Every other idea left an empty "white elephant"

by GSC Mon 11 Apr 2016, 7:40 pm

That "deal" takes the urine royally

by Hammersmith harrier Mon 11 Apr 2016, 7:50 pm

It's an absolute joke of a deal, West Ham are being gift wrapped a bigger stadium and with it more money, disgraceful.

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