5000-1 - The 2016/17 Premier League thread

[Crimey]

First topic message reminder :

Also, considering mine and pretty much everybody's doubts Mane has been a fantastic signing.

[Crimey]

I also think that Wenger has already signed a contract to stay, they're just waiting until the right time to announce it. Meanwhile things just keep getting worse.

[lfc91]

With the International break you would expect to see both Henderson and Lovren available for the Everton game.

[Crimey]

With the International break you would expect to see both Henderson and Lovren available for the Everton game.

Klopp did say Henderson would be available for the derby game, so hopefully, but he's had a couple of setbacks in the past.

I assume Lovren is fully fit again and Klavan has been playing well enough that it would be unfair to drop him.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

I thought Can/Wijnaldum looked the best a Liverpool midfield has all season when I've seen them play this year - Can was excellent yesterday in particular. I'd be tempted to stick with that for a bit personally

[Crimey]

I thought Can/Wijnaldum looked the best a Liverpool midfield has all season when I've seen them play this year - Can was excellent yesterday in particular. I'd be tempted to stick with that for a bit personally

That is by far Emre Can's best performance this season though, I really like Can but he's been dreadful this year. Even against Burnley he was pretty poor but covered it up with a good goal. Henderson on the other hand has been pretty consistently top quality. I think Can plays better in Wijnaldum's position hence why they have been competing for a place most of the season. They offer different things but Can generally plays slightly better further forward as he lacks the discipline to play in the deeper role.

I can't help but feel Can looked better because he was basically competing against a very lethargic Yaya Toure.

[Hero]

I also think that Wenger has already signed a contract to stay, they're just waiting until the right time to announce it. Meanwhile things just keep getting worse.

When is that right time?

[Crimey]

I also think that Wenger has already signed a contract to stay, they're just waiting until the right time to announce it. Meanwhile things just keep getting worse.

When is that right time?

I'm guessing when they start winning games again.

I'm actually surprised they didn't do it after the Lincoln City game, but that would have looked pretty sad to be honest.

[Fernando]

yaya was pathetic, stealing a living that lad

were getting plenty of stick about pogba from city fans, how on earth they have the cheek with him in their midfield

Because Yaya is 33 and reaching the end of his career & isn't even 4th choice when everyone is fit at Citeh anymore to expect him to last 90 mins is optimistic in a fast end to end game nowadays and Pogba should be in the prime of his career yet keeps getting pocketed by various midfielders and cost £50m more then he's worth

I think that might be why he's getting stick bud

[GSC]

I can't imagine Wenger coming back for another year, what's the point. Even as stubborn as he is, it's over

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

I can see him signing the extension tbf - even purely from a monetary aspect of getting a pay off...ultimately it's the boards decision, not sure he should make it for them

[compelling and rich]

yaya was pathetic, stealing a living that lad

were getting plenty of stick about pogba from city fans, how on earth they have the cheek with him in their midfield

Because Yaya is 33 and reaching the end of his career & isn't even 4th choice when everyone is fit at Citeh anymore to expect him to last 90 mins is optimistic in a fast end to end game nowadays and Pogba should be in the prime of his career yet keeps getting pocketed by various midfielders and cost £50m more then he's worth

I think that might be why he's getting stick bud

fernando, delph are not over yaya. gundogen (who's a massive sick note) and fernadinho are so he's third choice as a centre mid and on one of the highest wages at the club. yesterday was nothing to do with his age, he was that slow at tracking back at 28. its merely a mind set with him, he just couldn't be bothered. it was a horrendous performance. pogba hasnt been close to yayas performance yesterday even with some really poor ones in there.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Grasping. Why should Pogba get stick if Yaya doesn't

Nando has it pretty nailed. Yaya is on the downhill path of his career and has also been there and done it. Pogba has just been bought for an astronomical fee and thinks he's the best player in the world

[Hero]

With Pogba he just really needs to gain some form of consistency though I do note that of late Mourinho has been reverting back to earlier in the season formations in which Pogba also wasn’t particularly great. Pogba’s actually got 8 MOTMs this season so when he’s in form he’s bossing games, it’s just when he’s not he’s pretty dire.

[GSC]

Problem for Pogba is you don't have much room for error given his price tag.

Can't forget he's coming off a summer where he had to deal with the pressure of being the face of the home nation, lost in the final in dramatic circumstances, came to United as the world's most expensive player largely without a preseason.

It's fair that he gets stick given what was paid, but also expect to see more of him next season

[Dolphin Ziggler]

I think hes been decent, but only when protected. Soon he wont be able to get away with being protected

[Crimey]

https://twitter.com/matt5cott/status/843955729405042688

Rumours coming out that support what I said the other day.

[Crimey]

West Ham are interested in taking on Rooney apparently.

[GSC]

Lukakus changed his mind apparently

[Dolphin Ziggler]

The club are stepping up their anti-Bilic propaganda campaign. Had a couple of their favourites journos on shows talking about him and his position and have even included rumours of his demise on the club website.

They have shown support to an "itk" through the official club website. The stupid f***ing c*nts

[compelling and rich]

they really are odious little runts your owners. hope they crash and burn. sick to death of them on media spouting nonsense

[Dolphin Ziggler]

They're that rung above the Cellino and other mental who kill clubs, but they're classless.

[compelling and rich]

liverpool fans to start campaigning for coutinho player of the year again now

[Jermaine2015]

Ndidi's goal for Leicester just a little bit special

[Hammersmith harrier]

It's a good hit but not something you don't see numerous times a season throughout the leagues.

[Guest]

If Man City beat Arsenal tomorrow, that's the top 4 confirmed. If Swansea beat M'boro tomorrow, that's pretty much Sunderland & M'boro relegated

[Hammersmith harrier]

United and Arsenal have games in hand on Liverpool who are far from being certainties for the top four.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Utd have won just 40% of their home games this season - worst % of wins at home in the league since 73/74.

They ain't gonna get top four

[Hammersmith harrier]

Utd have won just 40% of their home games this season - worst % of wins at home in the league since 73/74.

They ain't gonna get top four

Yet we're only six points off Liverpool with two games in hand.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

We're on our way, we're on our way, relegation, we're on our way!

[Afro]

United and Arsenal have games in hand on Liverpool who are far from being certainties for the top four.

Liverpool weren't that great yesterday. We wet bloody awful, especially at the back. You can't say Liverpool cut us to shreds. We gifted easy goals and they took the gifts with open hands.

[Guest]

Four wins in four in the Premiership for both Leicester and Crystal Palace - when not so long ago they seemed to be certainties for relegation. It is making it hard for Hull City to avoid relegation and I rate their new manager Marco Silva as a possible managerial genius - he had the most difficult task when coming in. I also rate the new Swansea boss Paul Clement highly but he had a better squad and a more stable club to work with. Sunderland are clearly no hopers. Middlesbrough look like they don't have the squad quality to survive. Leicester are back to last years high flyers (with Ndidi in the Konte role). Somehow Allardyce has put some magic back into Crystal Palace - transforming their defence. The third relegation spot should be Hull, but I hope Marco Silva is able to avoid it.

[Guest]

With the top four it now seems like Chelsea and Tottenham as certainties with one of three (Man City, Liverpool or Arsenal) joining them. Klopp and Liverpool have had the best results against the top teams including Everton, but seem to drop points against ultra defensive lower ranked teams (same as Man Utd). Everton are building a good young team under Koeman - I wonder if Steve Walsh (the genius behind many of Leicester's signings) is now having an impact.

[owen10ozzy]

When you look at the way Leicester, Palace, Swansea and Hull have all changed manager and pulled away from trouble or at least clawed their way back towards safety it makes one wonder a) why we took so long to do the same and b) why we havent actually gone and got someone with experience of this challenge

Even if Agnew settles into the role...he has come in far to late to actually get us out of trouble.

Swansea are the better side so far today and number of middlesbrough players have been poor today. Given they have had two weeks too impress im not sure what they have been showing Agnew in training. Fabio looks a liability waiting to happen...Ramirez has made lots of shocking passes today..looks well off the pace..Negredo's ability to draw others into play has failed miserably..and that age old problem of our striker looking isolated is still their. Shinging light has been Traore but for all his pace and ability to beat a man...his decision making lacks and thus he isnt that effective.

Hope Gibson has put neccesary touches into place ready for relegation because that's a certainity.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

We're sticking with ours. Just got to hope that Hull don't have enough. They were truly dire yesterday, but we were worse

[owen10ozzy]

That right their is the difference between staying up and going down...easy to say but I'd have put all my money on Rhodes burying a chance like that! Sadly swapped him for Gestede!! Eugh!!

Absolutely shambolic performance from us again...Swansea got on top around 30 mins into the game and Agnew did sod all to attempt to change that-- for the last 40 mins of the game we just defended for our lives for a point. Pathetic and we deserve to go down!

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

God Middlesbrough are awful

[owen10ozzy]

Couldn't agree more with you Olly! Absolutely awful to watch...if Steve Gibson thinks Agnew is the answer then the man has lost it! Saying that...what's he got to work with...Clayton...Fordham...De Roon?! None of them scream 'creativity'. It's clear Ramirez doesn't want to be their...I'm sick of seeing players revive their careers at Boro only to think the grass is greener once they have! Remember Geremi!

Our shining light is Ben Gibson who is without doubt in my eyes one of the best three CB's in the premier league this season! Won't keep hold of him in the Summer but I hope we don't get too wide eyed at the first offer we get. In today's climate I wouldn't be happy with anything less than £25 million.

[Guest]

Gibson aint top three in PL, aided massively by a team setup to solely defend, hence why they're the most boring PL side currently to watch. Lacks pace too, which isn't exposed playing so deep.

Arsenal 2-2 Man City

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Yeah Gibson is decent - but lets not go overboard here

No idea why Pep has brought on Yaya here - he was the issue against Liverpool last week cos he's too sow for these games now, and same here so far

[owen10ozzy]

Name 3 CB's who have been better than him this season. Lest we forget he has far inferior players around him than the likes of say Luiz...or lets say Smalling..

Of course we have been set up defensively but in some ways thats made his season more impressive...when you factor in just how under the cosh boro have been in at least a dozen games this year its incredible we have the 5th best defensive record in the league. He has been the biggest part of that!

[Nico the gman]

God Middlesbrough are awful

We're not that good Olly, the PL won't miss us shocking season, we could put an insomniac to sleep.

[dyrewolfe]

We're on our way, we're on our way, relegation, we're on our way!

Cheer up - at least you don't support Middlesbrough!

[GSC]

Cheer up - at least you don't support Forest.

[westisbest]

Cheer up, at least you don't support the blues

[Jermaine2015]

Mourinho continuing to destroy Luke Shaw...more than happy to have him in the FC Bayern squad...

[GSC]

Danny Mills is a pillock

One might suspect Shaw is paying the price for turning down Chelsea for United

[Hammersmith harrier]

Danny Mills is a pillock

One might suspect Shaw is paying the price for turning down Chelsea for United

Louis Van Gaal was the first to comment on his lack of fitness and drive so i'm inclined to believe there's an issue.

[GSC]

Breaking his leg in two places might contribute to his present condition

[Ent]

Danny Mills is a pillock

One might suspect Shaw is paying the price for turning down Chelsea for United

Not entirely sure what this means?

2 managers have questioned Shaw's fitness and commitment and he himself has admitted he wasn't fit enough before.

Bound to happen occasionally when you make teenagers millionaires.

[Ent]

Breaking his leg in two places might contribute to his present condition

LVG's comments and special training regime were before his break.

He turned up for pre season overweight.

[Sponsored content]