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

[BamBam]

I really like Spurs, but the way they play at times is just so frustrating, how can they look so good and so bad within the space of a few games

Man U at least are consistently barely above average, and that has got them in 2nd place

[Dolphin Ziggler]

I think United are currently better than Spurs.

The quality of the league can be judged by European ventures. It’s not an awful league, we’ve had far worse. United used to win 2 team leagues.

And Fernandinho is better than most players in any other midfield in the league...

[Ent]

You would like to think he is better than 50% of the midfielders in the league given he plays for city (if you are being literal).

He's unimpressive for a top tier side, would comfortably be bottom of the list in a comparison to the best pl sides ever - which was the context of the comment.

[GSC]

Don't think you give Fernandinho enough credit tbh.

Even then some of the all time PL squads have some bang average players as contributors

[Fernando]

Fernandinho is just Gilberto Silva but a bit faster. Leaves all the fancy stuff to the others and sweeps up the debris...

[No name Bertie]

Liverpool's Sadio Mané, good player, but seems to lack discipline. Has a lot of energy and enthusiasm but sometimes this comes with a loss of control. I think along with Lovren, Mané "lost" Liverpool two points against Everton.

Firstly he was guilty of wasting a golden chance of a second goal when he shot on his weaker foot that was nowhere near the target, when there were three other Liverpool players in better positions and who had busted a gut in getting to those positions, especially free scoring Salah.

Secondly he lost the ball that led to Everton's counter attack that resulted in the penalty.

I would also like to observe that he seems to lead with his foot in the air a lot when challenging for high balls. One of those challenges led to a red card when his foot landed in the face of Man City's Ederson. I think this is an indication of his over enthusiasm and indiscipline.

[No name Bertie]

With the Manchester derby I would like to add that Manchester City travelled 3600 miles (round trip) when playing Shakhtar Donetsk in the east of Ukraine in their mid week champions league game, while Man Utd played at home.

I wonder if that extra mid-week game had any impact on the teams playing in Europe - Champions League & Europa League (Man City, Man Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool, Spurs, Everton, Arsenal) in terms of team selection and performance levels for the weekend fixtures.  It didn't seem to affect Spurs, while Man City played their normal intense style of attacking play.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

I’d have Fernandinho over Matic and Herrera in a heartbeat. I’d pick him over every Arsenal and Liverpool central midfielder and probably only put Kante ahead of him of his ilk.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Ent is right about Utd's squad - far too much bang average players being paid way too much money and long contracts, and the other problem is quite a few of them are getting on a bit too. It's ok when you have guys like Pogba playing and they can mask that, but over the course of a season it'll bite you.

Paying Jesse Lingard 100k a week is almost as bad as Liverpool paying James Milner 120k a week!

[compelling and rich]

weve always had squad players earning decent money, the likes of o'shea and p neville were all earning the equivalent of what jesse is earning now. lingard isnt our problem, he's not the most talented of players but gives it is all every time he's on the pitch. which is more than the likes of mkhitatyan has been doing.

think people are getting little too carried away from weekend. city are clearly the best team in the league and not just us but last years champions and a good spurs side are also miles behind them. we have plenty of talent in the team, if you swapped rashford/martial into the city team for a sterling/sane they too would look hell of a lot better in a much more attack based team. would argue theyd be doing better.

our biggest worry is lukaku's form, he's truly dreadful at the minute. it doesnt help that in the big games he doesnt have anywhere within 40 yards of him and normally chases lost causes all game but thats mourinho for you. we'll pick up some more wins against the lesser teams and he'll probably grab a few against said teams and it will quiet down, but im not sure he's good enough all round player to be our main focal point if were going to be a team to challenge for the title

[Ent]

He struggles to control a football so I'd say he definitely isn't good enough.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Don't think you'll ever win the title under Mourinho, he's not gonna get the best out of the players that will win you these big games. And it won't be entertaining enough to justify second places

[GSC]

Wouldnt go with that but I think he's more likely to be PSG manager next year

[compelling and rich]

Wouldnt go with that but I think he's more likely to be PSG manager next year

keep hearing this, but why on earth would psg want him as manager? he'd fall out with neymar for not tracking back

[compelling and rich]

He struggles to control a football so I'd say he definitely isn't good enough.

he's never been able to do that, but if you provide him service he will get you goals

[Guest]

Don't think you'll ever win the title under Mourinho

[No name Bertie]

Man United was supposed to be Mourinho's dream job. I don't think he will readily walk away from it. He says he has already created history with Manchester Utd in bringing in the clubs first Europa Cup win. In terms of the premiership last season they finished sixth, this season he is likely to finish second or third - which shows improvement.

[GSC]

The Europa League and League Cup suddenly became major trophies when Mourinho had to justify spending 100m and going backwards in the league

[Ent]

He struggles to control a football so I'd say he definitely isn't good enough.

he's never been able to do that, but if you provide him service he will get you goals

Apart from the last couple of months.

He'll be your top scorer scoring the 2nd and 3rd goals in easy wins but he's not a real player, no substance to him - will never do it when it counts. Mid table player, has one of the best agents in the business though.

Mourinho has to take the blame for the players he has bought, all his signings this season were poor- but he is still a brilliant football manager and the bandwagon that is developing is pathetic.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

I think he is overly criticised, but I still don’t think he’ll win the title there. As much as John has given us his fantastic input as ever, I stand by it.

Think he’ll leave within 2-3 years anyway (not really a criticism, long term jobs aren’t a big trend) and City will probably retain next year. After that, he’s got more pressure because it’s the neighbours, which you then combine with his likely behaviour standards dropping and disgruntlement over style.

Given that I reckon Chelsea won’t accept their performances and will go big in the meantime and other teams certainly don’t fear them, they may not even be the biggest threat when City slip

[GSC]

A bit like Pulis its hard to put up with those tactics in big games when they dont work. United aren't exactly lacking for spending power, they have one of the world's top managers and yet they're resorting to playing like a lower league side visiting a top team, at home against their local rivals.

Added to that, he's a bit of a prick in general and it wouldnt surprise if theres some questioning higher up.

[Ent]

The higher ups seem happy. Behind the scenes united are a bit of a joke for an elite club in terms of scouting, coaching, youth set up etc etc. He seems to be addressing a lot of that.

United have the second most expensive squad, but city have the most expensive and have better players. Mourinho has bought badly and doesn't have the players to play properly against the better sides. Only 1 of his midfielders can pass the ball.

Let's not forget city have gone through 2 billionaire owners and several sets of players to end up here

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Good job Klopp rested Firminho, Coutinho and Salah on Sunday

[Duty281]

Race for fourth is interesting. One point spread between Tottenham, Liverpool, Burnley (!) and Arsenal.

Certainly more intriguing than the title race, where City have an 11 point advantage.

[westisbest]

Palace doing well at half time.
Great to see Tekkers score after his penalty miss.

If they can hold on it will be a big win for them.
Slowly turning it around.

[No name Bertie]

Ever since Troy Deeney announced after Watford beat Arsenal, that Watford tend to win by outmuscling teams, Watford's results have nose dived and he has been sent off twice: Watford 1 Huddersfield 4.

Meanwhile Crystal Palace are out of the bottom three (Leicester 0 Palace 3) as are West Ham (Stoke 0 West Ham 1), but West Ham have another 45 minutes to go.

[Guest]

1 point from 27 for the Toon. Ominous

[No name Bertie]

Mike Ashley seems to be dragging out the sale of Newcastle but as he does their value must be declining as they fall into the relegation zone.  Newcastle need a bit of clarity as the January transfer period opens.  Newcastle probably can't afford to lose Benitez - he doesn't seem to be particularly happy with the uncertainty.

[GSC]

Moyes for manager of the month

[No name Bertie]

Stoke 0 West Ham 3.   The problem with Stoke is that they are conceding too many goals (39) and have only scored 19.   That might be it for Mark Hughes.  But who replaces him - Tony Pulis?

[Ent]

Thats a horror challenge from Alli.

Ref has had a shocker today.

[Ent]

2-0 city De Bruyne after being on the receiving end of Alli's assault.

Goalkeeping error.

[Ent]

He's just given a penalty for a terrible dive, this referee is absolutely shocking!!

Jesus missed the penalty. Aguero went off in a rage when subbed after 55 minutes and that won't help.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

How did Pochettino watch how teams have played City close recently and decide to go and play an open expansive game plan???

[GSC]

City are different gravy

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

Dele Alli one season wonder, getting exposed good and proper now. When a clown like Souness said Alli was better than Pogba you knew it was a lie

[GSC]

Newcastle badly in need of January recruits I think. Whether Ashley will release funds is another story

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Dele Alli one season wonder, getting exposed good and proper now. When a clown like Souness said Alli was better than Pogba you knew it was a lie

Dele Alli, that rare one season wonder who has already proved his quality for two seasons...

[Ent]

Alli just going through that period young players go through, teams pretty much know how to prepare for him and keep him quiet now. Up to him to improve.

Could do with cutting out the violent acts when things aren't going his way.

United were poor again today and lucky to get away with the 3 points.

[Guest]

Paul Clement sacked from Swansea

Tony Pulis early favourite, followed by that bad smell, Ryan Giggs

[Ent]

This united side are an absolute disgrace.

[Guest]

This united side are an absolute disgrace.

Unlike you to overreact.

[Hero]

Currently the 2nd best side in the country behind what's potentially one of the greatest sides England has ever seen. I worry then what Ent makes of the rest.

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

Pre Christmas thriller at the emirates! Liverpool 2-0 up and Arsenal scores twice in 3 minutes to level it up. Mignolet with an absolute clanger for the equaliser

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

3-2 Mesut Ozil!!!

[Guest]

Nothing more Liverpool than this

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Jurgen Klopp is a fraud - part one million

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

Jose Mourinho + Juergen Klopp = a team unbeatable

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

3-3 Firminho. Cech really should’ve save it

[Nathaniel Jacobs]

3-3 confirming why neither side will be in the shake up for the big prizes

[Sponsored content]