The 6th Place Trophy - The 2017/18 Premier League Thread

[Dolphin Ziggler]

First topic message reminder :

The fixtures have been released, players have been signed and summer is already a bit boring, so here's the Premier League 2017/18 season thread.

Opening fixtures:

Arsenal v Leicester City
Brighton & Hove Albion v Manchester City
Chelsea v Burnley
Crystal Palace v Huddersfield Town
Everton v Stoke City
Manchester United v West Ham United
Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur
Southampton v Swansea City
Watford v Liverpool
West Bromwich Albion v Bournemouth

[Guest]

Not surprised. Monshiri doesn't want Allardyce, he wants someone sexy, in the mould of Silva. He might have to back down, as circumstances have escalated drastically, to the point whereby the job is now ideally suited to Big Sam, for six months.

[Afro]

Sounds like they are definitely talking to both Big Sam and Fonseca. I suspect O'Neill is the third name on the shortlist that they are supposed to have.

[Guest]

Even Mourinho can't believe what he's seeing from Young tonight

Tottenham's season imploding

[Duty281]

Watford aren't playing too badly; they've just been undone by a clinical attack.

Tottenham 2 down.

[Guest]

Leicester 2-1 Tottenham
Brighton 0-0 Crystal Palace
Watford 2-4 Manchester United
WBA 2-2 Newcastle

[GSC]

https://twitter.com/RobDorsettSky/status/935839371869278209

The new dynamic duo

[GSC]

The next time somebody moans that foreign managers are blocking young british managers should probably point some of the British retreads taking over prem clubs

[Guest]

John Carver

[Lowlandbrit]

The next time somebody moans that foreign managers are blocking young british managers should probably point some of the British  retreads taking over prem  clubs

Premier League clubs just don't trust anyone coming from the Football League. If do you somehow make it in as a British manager, you're more or less on the longlist for every job that opens up forever.

[Duty281]

Another win for City tonight. Beat United on the 10th of December and the title race will be pretty much done and dusted.

That will leave them room to properly target the Champions League (as long as Pep doesn't emulate Wenger with a fixation for an unbeaten league campaign).

[Ent]

City have gained 7 points from very late goals already this season - Everton, Bournemouth, Huddersfield, Southampton.

Championship winning stuff but we might get a title race should that sort of thing stop happening.

[Luke]

The next time somebody moans that foreign managers are blocking young british managers should probably point some of the British  retreads taking over prem  clubs

Premier League clubs just don't trust anyone coming from the Football League. If do you somehow make it in as a British manager, you're more or less on the longlist for every job that opens up forever.

Agree. And would add that the money floating around in the PL means that chairmen aren't willing to take a risk on an unproven manager.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Don’t wanna take a risk on someone, go with the experienced failures.

[superflyweight]

Don’t wanna take a risk on someone, go with the experienced failures.

Don't knock it - that kind of thinking from my wife is what has saved our marriage.

[westisbest]

https://www.facebook.com/fcplanetfootball/videos/337958483204640/

Big sam celebrating his first win as Everton boss tonight

[Dolphin Ziggler]

A game where all stats would tell you arsenal should have won, yet I think man united deserved it. Remiscent of the Park Ji Sung counter attacking wins against Arsenal, Lingard had his best beer game, Pogba was brilliant and De Gea almost screamed at people who deny he’s the best keeper in the world.

Entertaining, end to end, the most “Premier League” spectacle you’ll see

[Duty281]

This City-West Ham game is a repeat of last week's City-Huddersfield fixture.

[Guest]

City 2-1 WHU

[Duty281]

Yep, yet another late goal and winner for City. Fourteen wins out of fifteen. Chelsea's record of 95 points is threatened.

Eight points clear, now - Manchester derby next week at Old Trafford. United need to win, but I imagine Mourinho will play safe.

[No name Bertie]

It seems to me that teams are learning how to play Manchester City. City are no longer rolling over teams (Huddersfield, Southampton, West Ham) Much has been said that Manchester City lack height and physicality and are vulnerable to set pieces. Maybe it has something also to do with the current intensity of the fixtures - maybe the City players are slowing down due to insufficient recovery time and / or heavier winter pitches.

[Crimey]

The thing is, these games where City haven't been rolling over the opposition are the ones where you'd then expect them to drop points. The fact that they're just going and pulling wins out of nowhere late on make me more certain that nobody has a chance of catching them, more than the games where they steamroll teams. 

I think the main thing that may lead to them dropping more points is if they end up in the late stages of the Champions League and need to rest players. Even then they have such ridiculous depth in most positions. They have barely been using Bernando Silva who was a star of the Champions League last year.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

The thing is, these games where City haven't been rolling over the opposition are the ones where you'd then expect them to drop points. The fact that they're just going and pulling wins out of nowhere late on make me more certain that nobody has a chance of catching them, more than the games where they steamroll teams. 

I think the main thing that may lead to them dropping more points is if they end up in the late stages of the Champions League and need to rest players. Even then they have such ridiculous depth in most positions. They have barely been using Bernando Silva who was a star of the Champions League last year.

Yeah I agree - it is cliche, but these past few wins for City where they haven't played well but still managed to pull out victories is "what champions do". Injuries in defence could be what derails them - I wouldn't want Mangala having to play anything more than the odd game...

[Hero]

They know how to win and they do what is required to get it. Some games they may not be 100% and putting 5 or 6 past the opposition but that's just like the Fergie teams of old, for all the moments of magic from a Cantona/Beckham/Giggs/Ronaldo etc there was a Steve Bruce header in the 95th minute.

[No name Bertie]

If West Ham survive relegation it might be due to the appointment of Stuart Pearce as assistant Manager to David Moyes.  Stuart Pearce seems to be very active on the touchline in firing up West Ham. Plus the dropping of Joe Hart may send out a warning that no-one is guaranteed of a starting place.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

If West Ham survive relegation it might be due to the appointment of Stuart Pearce as assistant Manager to David Moyes.  Stuart Pearce seems to be very active on the touchline in firing up West Ham.  Plus the dropping of Joe Hart may send out a warning that no-one is guaranteed of a starting place.

I’d think putting their best goalkeeper in goal would be a bigger factor

[Dolphin Ziggler]

If all we'd needed was Pearce shouting at us then i'd be amazed.

[westisbest]

Feel bad for Benteke.

Oh Christian Benteke.

Come back to where you belong when (if) we come back up.
Whispers

[Ent]

Did not think that was a penalty.

Bad mistake from lovren getting caught under the high ball.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Dejan Lovren in being the worst CB in the league shocker

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Who’d have thought a midfield of Jordan Henderson and James Milner would struggle to create chances?

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Klopp is an utter fraud

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Klopp on one today

[LivinginItaly]

Liverpool only have themselves to blame today. Strange team selection followed by an inability to finish the game off.

[Ent]

I thought city were meant to have a problem defending set pieces.

This united side is utter dung, not a real footballer in the team.

[Guest]

Lukaku

[GSC]

Fortunately for United, the scoreline is the only department they're close to City so far

[Ent]

Lukaku sets up citys winner then misses an absolute sitter to equalise. What an abysmal footballer he is.

[GSC]

It is at least refreshing to see the team that actually tried to play come out on top. City were head and shoulders above United

Will see if Mourinho wants to stick it out and try and cling to peps coattails again or flee to PSG

[Ent]

It is at least refreshing to see the team that actually tried to play come out on top. City were head and shoulders above United

Will see if Mourinho wants to stick it out and try and cling to peps coattails again or flee to PSG

United don't have the players to play properly against the top teams. Now mourinho bought them so it is still his fault. We've a dreadful squad that needs cleared out.

This is the best united can do with home advantage, an extra day's rest, city away in Ukraine and missing their first choice defence for half the game.

As much as city tried to play it was 2 set pieces and defensive errors they scored from and trying to use sterling as a false 9 was stupid. Poor quality game.

[BamBam]

Thought City would be a lot better than they were

Man U need to clear out so much dead wood in that squad - surely the likes of Young, Lingard, Rojo, Smalling aren't good enough to be starting in games like that

[Ent]

I agree about the clear out but the club just isn't run competently e.g. Lindgard is early into a 5 year 100k a week deal.

He won't get that elsewhere so won't leave. Repeat ad nauseum for all these squad players paid to do bugger all.

[lfc91]

Think it would take a serious collapse from City to lose the league now. Good news for United is none of the chasers really made up any ground on United so still comfortable in second place.

[BamBam]

City fans will call it sour grapes, but it really is an awful league this year

United are pretty crap but are still comfortably the second best team in the league

[GSC]

Don't think the standard has been great for a while (but does seem to be improving), this City team would be a match for most of the best prem sides though.

[lfc91]

Yeah with City don't think is a case of being 'the best of a bad bunch'. They would be quality in any premier league era. Just so happens that the 'challengers' aren't very good.

[Ent]

Think people are buying into the hype, they haven't won anything yet.

The pls best sides had quality in every position.

City's forward line is impressive but defense isn't up to much, don't think much of Fernandinho in midfield either.

[BamBam]

City are definitely very good, can't argue with that

I did think they would have been much more of a threat than they were yesterday though. 70% or whatever possession, and the only outright chances were due to Lukaku

[lfc91]

Suppose we will know come the end of the season. Winning the league enough wouldn't be enough to automatically make them one of the great premier league sides. A run to the champs league final or winning the whole thing would certainly help their cause.

[Guest]

What will differentiate this side from Mancini's, Pellegrini's, or any of the other past champions, is being able to defend the PL title. This season looks a given, so I'm pretty much already just looking to see if they can achieve back-to-back PL titles, next season. Doubt this side wins the CL this season, think in the latter stages, their inexperience & defensive vulnerabilities will be exploited.

[Marky]

City fans will call it sour grapes, but it really is an awful league this year

United are pretty crap but are still comfortably the second best team in the league

Mate. Imagine thinking this Utd side were better than Spurs. Dropped points playing at Wembley but getting used to it.

[Sponsored content]