Football 2015/16

[jackarmy]

3 hours ago, kaosmark2 said:

16th-19th in the table covering most of the big spending teams, very little business at the top end of the league.

Clearly Chelsea are also worried about the drop as well

Finding it harder to judge who'll go down now. A lot depends on how many of these new signings hit the ground running. Villa are completely gone but 2 from 5 with no team looking a cert either way. Personally I'm going to guess Swansea and Bournemouth but really not got much clue.

The two smallest clubs in the league...

If Swansea win tonight (not an easy feat away to a Pulis side) then we'd go 14th on 28 points, I'd fancy us to get 12 points from our remaining games from there.

Looking at Sunderland's fixtures coming up, it really is do or die time for them.

[TheGayTent]

Sunderland need 5 wins minimum? Still think they're struggling - if they're going to survive it'll be as much to do with how poor Norwich/Bournemouth/Swansea are rather than how well they do.

[eFestivals]

17 minutes ago, TheGayTent said:

Sunderland need 5 wins minimum? Still think they're struggling - if they're going to survive it'll be as much to do with how poor Norwich/Bournemouth/Swansea are rather than how well they do.

Sam's picked them up a bit, hasn't he?

 

[zahidf]

13 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

Sam's picked them up a bit, hasn't he?

 

nah. still 19th and 4 points from safety. not playing that much better either!

[TheGayTent]

41 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

Sam's picked them up a bit, hasn't he?

 

16 points from his 15 games. 

He has another 15 games left - same again, gets them to 35 points.

Were that to happen, realistically Swansea and Bournemouth would need only 3 wins to finish above Sunderland. 

Assuming Swansea and Bournemoutb are capable of 3 wins from 15 games that would leave a 3 way fight between Sunderland, Newcastle, and Norwich for one place. 

Lots of assumptions there of course...

Edited February 2, 2016 by TheGayTent

[WS_Jack_III]

7 hours ago, kaosmark2 said:

We have one of the lowest shots attempted and chances created in the league. He's not had good scoring chances consistently.

I think Mitrovic pushing the boundaries of hold-up play into fouling in the first 5-8 games is counting against him to a degree. I feel he's definitely worth persisting with as a player, if he can add goals to his game and become a 1 in 3 striker he could be great for us for years.

Doumbia is a really exciting signing, at least for anyone who's played lots of FIFA/Football Manager!

I'd stick by him for sure. If we stay up it'll be interesting to see how he gets on in his second season in the prem. 

[ThomThomDrum]

Holy shitballs! That Vardy strike is something very very special

[thegremlin_1999]

50 minutes ago, ThomThomDrum said:

Holy shitballs! That Vardy strike is something very very special

Indeed it was.  

Still top of the league.  I'm in fucking dreamland.  I keep thinking there's something wrong, folk are gonna notice soon...

[TheGayTent]

1 more point required

[thetime]

Leicester could actually win the league you know.

[eFestivals]

10 minutes ago, thetime said:

Leicester could actually win the league you know.

not if they play like last night, despite the win and despite the Vardy super-strike.

Cos let's be fair, they were very average, and any half decent team should have had them.

[jackarmy]

I'll be watching Leicester's next two fixtures with interest, away to City and Arsenal. If they can get 2 points or more from those games they'll have done very, very well indeed. 

[eFestivals]

Just now, jackarmy said:

I'll be watching Leicester's next two fixtures with interest, away to City and Arsenal. If they can get 2 points or more from those games they'll have done very, very well indeed. 

they will - particularly as Leicester just aren't a very good team despite where they sit.

That's not me saying they don't deserve to be there tho. They clearly do.

Arsenal are in a bit of a mini slump at the mo, but I'm confident they'll pick up soon and steam on.

And it'll be interesting to see how City go now. Will the players want to send Pelli out on a high, or will their thinking have moved on to next season?

[pink_triangle]

I cant look beyond city who seem to be picking up those narrow away wins now.  I think they are the most likely to go on a streak.  

[eFestivals]

1 minute ago, pink_triangle said:

I cant look beyond city who seem to be picking up those narrow away wins now.  I think they are the most likely to go on a streak.  

Agero scores, Agero limps off. Again.

Not sure about that.

 

[TheGayTent]

If Arsenal don't win the league this season, then I cannot see them winning the league ever again under Wenger. Everything is in their favour and yet they still don't look like Champions. 

I'm starting to worry it's Tottenham that will win it - they're easily the best team I've seen this season and are within striking distance. 

[eFestivals]

2 minutes ago, TheGayTent said:

If Arsenal don't win the league this season, then I cannot see them winning the league ever again under Wenger. Everything is in their favour and yet they still don't look like Champions. 

I'm starting to worry it's Tottenham that will win it - they're easily the best team I've seen this season and are within striking distance. 

I'm not sure tottingham's current hot streak is going to keep going at the same rate - tho defo can't see them dropping out of the top 4. Teams tend to come and go a bit over the season, and I reckon they're about ready for cooler streak.

And similarly, I reckon Arsenal are about due to pick it up again.

[TheGayTent]

10 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

I'm not sure tottingham's current hot streak is going to keep going at the same rate - tho defo can't see them dropping out of the top 4. Teams tend to come and go a bit over the season, and I reckon they're about ready for cooler streak.

And similarly, I reckon Arsenal are about due to pick it up again.

Arsenal have the same failings they've had for years. 

Tottenham have lost less games than Arsenal, scored more goals than Arsenal, and conceded less goals than Arsenal. 

The only thing that stops Tottenham for me is an injury to Kane as they haven't really got a replacement. 

Edited February 3, 2016 by TheGayTent

[pink_triangle]

15 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

I'm not sure tottingham's current hot streak is going to keep going at the same rate - tho defo can't see them dropping out of the top 4. Teams tend to come and go a bit over the season, and I reckon they're about ready for cooler streak.

And similarly, I reckon Arsenal are about due to pick it up again.

Are spurs in a hot streak? For me they have been the most consistent team this season.  Which is amazing as I keep expecting spurs to do a spurs!

[pink_triangle]

24 minutes ago, TheGayTent said:

If Arsenal don't win the league this season, then I cannot see them winning the league ever again under Wenger. Everything is in their favour and yet they still don't look like Champions. 

I'm starting to worry it's Tottenham that will win it - they're easily the best team I've seen this season and are within striking distance. 

They are getting through the easy home games ok, but most games seem to be a battle.  Southampton at home isnt an easy game, but its kind of game you probably have to find a way to win if your going to win the league.  If they had an Aguero level striker I think they would be running away with it.

[TheGayTent]

3 minutes ago, pink_triangle said:

Are spurs in a hot streak? For me they have been the most consistent team this season.  Which is amazing as I keep expecting spurs to do a spurs!

You could argue they're on a bad streak. They went almost 4 months this season without losing. Since then, they've lost twice in 2 months. 

[TheGayTent]

1 minute ago, pink_triangle said:

They are getting through the easy home games ok, but most games seem to be a battle.  Southampton at home isnt an easy game, but its kind of game you probably have to find a way to win if your going to win the league.  If they had an Aguero level striker I think they would be running away with it.

I think under normal circumstances they need a centre half, a central midfielder, and a striker (with at least one being a real leader). 

However, i agree it might be possible for them to win it just with a top quality striker. 

[GlastoSimon]

Still think City will win it, but wouldn't it be great if Leicester did?

[eFestivals]

16 minutes ago, TheGayTent said:

Arsenal have the same failings they've had for years. 

Not quite the same.

For a start, this year they didnb't start shit and have to spend the rest of the season playing catch up, where by the fact of playing catch-up they could never make the top spot.

This time they're poised to strike for it - tho that doesn't mean they'll nessaarily succeed.

But the last part of the season haws been their strongest part i recent years, so if that's what happens this time they should be a shoe-in.

 

16 minutes ago, TheGayTent said:

Tottenham have lost less games than Arsenal, scored more goals than Arsenal, and conceded less goals than Arsenal. 

The only thing that stops Tottenham for me is an injury to Kane as they haven't really got a replacement. 

Kane has already dropped out of form once this season, so it might happen again.

And also, nothing of that references what Arsenal might do ... and as I've said above, there's good reason to think they'll be strong over the remaining weeks..

[TheGayTent]

Just now, GlastoSimon said:

Still think City will win it, but wouldn't it be great if Leicester did?

Not unless it means the small businesses they fucked over finally get their money...