Football 2013-2014

[kaosmark2]

For Man U, it's not actually the points gap I view as a problem, it's that there's multiple teams they need to make it up against.

[The Nal]

For Man U, it's not actually the points gap I view as a problem, it's that there's multiple teams they need to make it up against.

[eFestivals]

For Man U, it's not actually the points gap I view as a problem, it's that there's multiple teams they need to make it up against.

none of those things are problems for them for all of the while of that other problem....

That they're playing shite.

Edited February 5, 2014 by eFestivals

[kaosmark2]

That they're playing shite.

[DomDom1984]

Incase anyone has forgotten, the Madrid derby in the Copa Del Rey is on tonight. Real have gone up 1-0 in a 7pm kick off.

[thetime]

That they're playing shite.

[pink_triangle]

I guess at the end of the day, for all the positives liverpool got this week, and even after doing us in 4-0, you only gained 1point on us, which when you look at it like that, it isn't so glossy, whilst I concede that Liverpool probably are favourites,

[kaosmark2]

I think Everton are to some extent encouraging this underdog tag. You have finished above Liverpool for the last 2 seasons and at this point there is no reason why you cant again. Outside the 2 Merseyside derbies you have accumulated 1 more point. I think you are playing as well (admittedly both teams aren't playing great) as Liverpool at present and it could go easily go either way.

[adam1234]

My first post in the football thread so I will talk about something that has frustrated me for years. Why do the top teams get such preferential treatment from the referees? It is extremely annoying when you support one if the lesser teams.

I am a stoke fan and everybody seems to hate us anyway. This is fine for football fans but the refs should be more professional and it should not affect the decisions they make. Some of the performances I have seen over the last few years have been nothing short of disgraceful the game at castle about a month ago was probably the worst.

This is not just stoke though but all of the lesser teams and it happens every week. It makes it worse when you are playing Chelsea and terry just follows the ref round for 90 mins. It should not be allowed to happen!

Do people agree and what do people think the reasons are for this? I honestly think the refs are star struck by the big name players. I have read Fergie's book and although throughout his career (later on) his team seemed to get every decision. He questions the standard of the English referees and says that are not good enough, I wholeheartedly agree.

[thetime]

Striker quality/depth?

I'd take the rest of Everton's team over Liverpool's, but I think Liverpool's strikers are a class above the others, so should make the difference. Emphasis on should.

[eFestivals]

I didn't see the WBA v Liverpool game but I heard Liverpool were lucky to get a point, this could be a good indication they can play poor and nick a point.

That's complete bollocks.

They were quite lucky to get a point from the Villa game, but were unlucky to only get a point against WBA. It was all about that massive cock-up by Toure.

That's not me trying to say WBA were well-beaten - they weren't - but the game was pretty safely Liverpool's without that cock-up.

[thetime]

That's complete bollocks.

They were quite lucky to get a point from the Villa game, but were unlucky to only get a point against WBA. It was all about that massive cock-up by Toure.

That's not me trying to say WBA were well-beaten - they weren't - but the game was pretty safely Liverpool's without that cock-up.

[eFestivals]

Like I said no idea as I didn't see the game, just what a few Liverpool fans told me at work Sunday night who are usually more blinkered than me.

Liverpool were a long way from their lethal best, so perhaps that's what is driving that "lucky to draw" idea. And perhaps the disappointment of the dropped points.

It would have been a much more wrong reflection of the match if Liverpool had lost than if Liverpool had won. If you take that Toure cock-up out of the game it would have been a fair win for Liverpool (tho not an 'easy win' given how they both played).

But there was that cock-up so a draw is more than reasonable.

[DomDom1984]

Did that guy above you guys say that referees aren't giving Stoke decisions because they don't like them? Am I reading that right?

[zahidf]

Joe Kinnear for Man Utd managers job? Experienced hand, has good contacts apparently. Might be able to give them a hand in the transfer market.

[zahidf]

Seriously though, back to Man yoo, here are the remainign 14 games

Fulham (H), Palace (A), Villa (H), Hull (H), Norwich (H), Sunderland (H), West Brom (A), Newcastle (A) Southampton (A) and Arsenal (A), Liverpool (H), West Ham (A), Man City (H), Everton (A)

And here is how i think it will go.

Win: Fulham (H), Palace (A), Villa (H), Hull (H), Norwich (H), Sunderland (H)

Draw: West Brom (A), Newcastle (A) Southampton (A), West Ham (A),

Lose: Arsenal (A), Liverpool (H), Man City (H), Everton (A)

So that's 62 points at the end of the season. I don't think that will be enough for Top 4.

[DomDom1984]

They'll love some of the ones that you have as wins and draws. NO way is it only good teams that are going to beat them. They just lost to Stoke City FFS.

[zahidf]

Seriously though, back to Man yoo, here are the remainign 14 games

Fulham (H), Palace (A), Villa (H), Hull (H), Norwich (H), Sunderland (H), West Brom (A), Newcastle (A) Southampton (A) and Arsenal (A), Liverpool (H), West Ham (A), Man City (H), Everton (A)

And here is how i think it will go.

Win: Fulham (H), Palace (A), Villa (H), Hull (H), Norwich (H), Sunderland (H)

Draw: West Brom (A), Newcastle (A) Southampton (A), West Ham (A),

Lose: Arsenal (A), Liverpool (H), Man City (H), Everton (A)

So that's 62 points at the end of the season. I don't think that will be enough for Top 4.

[eFestivals]

They'll love some of the ones that you have as wins and draws. NO way is it only good teams that are going to beat them. They just lost to Stoke City FFS.

thing is, you could pick any of the teams towards the top and try and predict whether they'll be W/D/L, and you'll get loads of them wrong. They'll all very likely lose to weak teams and beat stronger teams - that's always how it goes. If it was easy we'd all win the pools every week.

I've got a prediction list for L'pool's final 19 games, and so far I think I've got less than 50% right on individual matches. But what i have got (almost?) right is the number of wins, draws and losses, which puts the points they've accumulated at just about the same as my predictions.

[5co77ie]

Incase anyone has forgotten, the Madrid derby in the Copa Del Rey is on tonight. Real have gone up 1-0 in a 7pm kick off.

[adam1234]

Did that guy above you guys say that referees aren't giving Stoke decisions because they don't like them? Am I reading that right?

Edited February 6, 2014 by adam1234

[DomDom1984]

There isn't any real answer. Former referees have come out and said it's a mental thing. It's not a black and white issue with an easy answer. We're talking about humans after all here. They're not robots that can simply blank stuff out.

[zahidf]

Ok, with Everton:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/teams/everton/fixtures

I reckon 29 points actually. Getting them to 74 and very close to Liverpool.

this is based on them beating Man Utd and drawing against Spurs this weekend. I think around the 70 points mark is reasonable expectation wise for them.

And for Spurs, i reckon:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/teams/tottenham-hotspur/fixtures

26 points from that. Gets them to 70.

Really not looking good for Man Utd at the moment to be honest.

Edited February 6, 2014 by zahidf

[eFestivals]

Ok, with Everton:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/teams/everton/fixtures

I reckon 29 points actually. Getting them to 74 and very close to Liverpool.

this is based on them beating Man Utd and drawing against Spurs this weekend. I think around the 70 points mark is reasonable expectation wise for them.

And for Spurs, i reckon:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/teams/tottenham-hotspur/fixtures

26 points from that. Gets them to 70.

Really not looking good for Man Utd at the moment to be honest.

neither of those teams will get that many points.

[pink_triangle]

Seriously though, back to Man yoo, here are the remainign 14 games

Fulham (H), Palace (A), Villa (H), Hull (H), Norwich (H), Sunderland (H), West Brom (A), Newcastle (A) Southampton (A) and Arsenal (A), Liverpool (H), West Ham (A), Man City (H), Everton (A)

And here is how i think it will go.

Win: Fulham (H), Palace (A), Villa (H), Hull (H), Norwich (H), Sunderland (H)

Draw: West Brom (A), Newcastle (A) Southampton (A), West Ham (A),

Lose: Arsenal (A), Liverpool (H), Man City (H), Everton (A)

So that's 62 points at the end of the season. I don't think that will be enough for Top 4.