2014/15 Premier League and General Football Discussion

[MUSC4EVER]

So then, the final round of league games is this Sunday, all the games kick-off at the same time which is 3pm

Arsenal v West Brom
Aston Villa v Burnley
Chelsea v Sunderland (Sky Sports 1 via red button)
Crystal Palace v Swansea
Everton v Tottenham
Hull v Man United (Sky Sports 3)
Leicester v QPR
Man City v Southampton
Newcastle v West Ham (Sky Sports 1)
Stoke v Liverpool

The key games are at the bottom, Hull need to beat Man United (something that they've never done in the league) and then they still need Newcastle to drop points in order to stay up, doesn't look good for them...

 

[Sanji Himura]

Since this is indeed the General Football discussion thread, please allow me to show you why I respect the sport more than American Football or even baseball:

http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/co...-s-toughest-head-coaching-job-this-summer.ece

 

[Vegard]

Liverpool can cash in big time. Both City and Bayern need young players ASAP, so will pay big money. Win-win

That really depends on how that 'big money' is invested though.

If you look at what they did with the Suarez money: Lambert, Markovic, Balotelli and Lovren - 60 Million £ - not so much win.

 

[Dennisch]

Big day in the Bundesliga.

HSV and VFB Stuttgart are fighting for their last chance. As it stands now both go down directly.

 

[andrea]

 

[Liquid]

Hull win, Newcastle lose, Newcastle go down.

Man United need to do the right thing and take a dive here.

 

[Famine]

Hull win, Newcastle lose or draw, Newcastle go down.

Man United need to do the right thing and take a dive here.

But otherwise I concur.

🤬 Newcastle.

 

[Liquid]

If I remember, last time they were relegated it was a Damien Duff own goal which sent them down. Knowing this Newcastle team's luck, I can see something similar occuring today. Tim Krul gets sent off, Mike Williamson scores an own goal...

Edit: Last game of the season, Brad Friedel retiring. He doesn't start.

Football is dead. Rot In Peace.

 

[Furinkazen]

If I remember, last time they were relegated it was a Damien Duff own goal which sent them down. Knowing this Newcastle team's luck, I can see something similar occuring today. Tim Krul gets sent off, Mike Williamson scores an own goal...

Edit: Last game of the season, Brad Friedel retiring. He doesn't start.

Football is dead. Rot In Peace.

A legend for Rovers.

Oh and....

Spoiler: ...

Stoke 5-0 Liverpool

 

[Omnis]

McShane on Hull looks like solid snake now

 

[Ross]

So it's probably time to make some predictions about the season so that we can laugh at how bad they were in May. So here's how I think the table will look:

1st: Chelsea
2nd: Manchester United
3rd: Manchester City
4th: Arsenal
5th: Liverpool
6th: Everton
7th: Spurs
.
.
.
18th: Hull
19th: West Ham
20th: Leicester

Well I got the champions correct I suppose. And also Hull's final position.

It seems that your more optimistic about United's chances than I am..

1st: Chelsea
2nd: Man City
3rd: Man United
4th: Arsenal
5th: Liverpool
6th: Everton
7th: Spurs

18th: West Brom
19th: Burnley
20th: Leicester

As for Swansea, well I would be happy with survival and another season in the PL, anything else would be a bonus,,,

Better than mine. You got Burnley's Final position correct instead of Hull though

1st: Chelsea
2nd: Man City
3rd: Man UTD
4th: Arsenal
5th: Liverpool
6th: Spurs
7th: Everton
.
.
.
18th: Southampton
19th: Sunderland
20th: Burnley

Oh how wrong you were about Southampton . Most of us misjudged how Everton's season as well. Also, Liverpool being pipped to 6th on the last day is catching us out too...

Like C-Zeta I have pretty much no idea how it will finish but I'm going to predict it anyway...

1 - Chelsea
2 - Man City
3 - Man United
4 - Arsenal
5 - Everton
6 - Liverpool
7 - Tottenham
8 - Newcastle
9 - Stoke
10 - Hull
11 - Swansea
12 - Southampton
13 - Leicester
14 - Sunderland
15 - West Ham
16 - West Brom
17 - QPR
18 - Aston Villa
19 - Crystal Palace
20 - Burnley

I think Villa will go down, Liverpool will struggle with no Suarez and Champions League football and that Newcastle will be hot on the heels of a closely packed 5-8. With the European spot being settled in the last 1-3 games between all 4 of them. I also think the title will go down to the last 2 games between Chelsea and Man City with Man United 5 points off 2nd at the end of the season.

...Everyone but you . Still got Everton wrong though.

 

[m8h3r]

Not really sure what happened to Everton this year. Really didn't have a good showing of it did they.

 

[Liquid]

Not really sure what happened to Everton this year. Really didn't have a good showing of it did they.

Their defence scored as many, if not more, goals than Liverpool's attack.

 

[Brend]

Can't wait for the champos qualifiers. Hopefully we only get knocked out once this time!

 

[Liquid]

@Classic He had a very shaky start. What is the opinion on Ronnie Delia Smith now?

 

[Famine]

Also, Liverpool being pipped to 6th on the last day is catching us out too...

Anyway, the rule is that Liverpool finish 2nd and then they finish 5th-7th the following season

Posted on May 24th 2014...

 

[Liquid]

@Famine Must you always be correct?

 

[Ross]

Posted on May 24th 2014...

Just looked at past EPL tables to 2002 and there are no exceptions to that. It's quite fascinating to see the trend actually.

 

[Brend]

@Classic He had a very shaky start. What is the opinion on Ronnie Delia Smith now?

I was definitely in the 'hes not the right guy' camp right up until October then suddenly...it clicked. The crazy Norwegian coach who was obssessed with conditioning and keeping the squad fit and building them to play 90 minutes started paying dividends. When the fitness and squad depth started to even out, the football started to get great too. Players like Nir Bitton who seemed to be a bit out of place became squad staples, playing cool composed football with the occasional blinder:

Stefan Johansen, someone I thought might have been a blunder, was incredible:


All in all, I really enjoyed this season. The europa home tie with Inter was one of the most exciting football matches I have ever been to. Deila's team played attractive football that was as minimal as possible when it needed to be. When we were drawn against The Rangers everyone was hyping the match, created a false pressure for him the guy, saying this was his true test etc etc, how did he set the team out? Gain a cushion and see the game out without going past second gear, he didn't seem to care for making some sort of statement. Just wanted his team to continue playing the way they were playing and keep a nice undefeated streak plugging along.

The two most disappointing things this season were arguably just not in our control. The Inter EL tie could easily have seen us progress but an early red card and a belter of a shot sent us on our way. Similarly, missing out on the almighty, illusive, treble because of a terrible referee decision

...and the stars basically not aligning. It wasn't out year but who knows, if Deila can build and not break down this team maybe he can join the elite few to win it all. Some turnaround from the manager and players, enjoyed this season.

 

[C-ZETA]

There was that prediction I hinted at that everyone who thought Southampton would go down would look like morons at the end of the season. So that has proved.

I knew all along they'd be fine. This is because I'd seen the replacements for the supposedly 'superb' players of the previous season and I knew they were very good. And they were just as good with Southampton. Better than I even knew they were, as it turned out...

Also Falcao is not coming back to United for another year. I gave him a lot of slack personally and it's the right call on him. But I truly hope, for the sake of all football, he gets back to his best.

Another great season of football, not just in the Prem but other leagues too. Another reminder of why I love the sport so much. Just the CL final left now.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

So I've been away this weekend in South Wales visiting family, I managed to watch all the football yesterday in a pub which showed both relegation games on separate screens, here's my take....

No surprise about Hull, they looked doomed before yesterday and they missed loads of chances but that being said they were a bit unlucky in having two goals chalked off for offside, most of United's team looked like they were already at the beach and Fellaini's challenge was shocking and he probably deserves more than a three game ban (and that's coming from a United fan!)

Happy for Newcastle and for Jonas especially after all he has been through, I'm happy for their fans as well as they have been through a lot this season too...

Sam Allardyce leaving was always on the cards and I think West Ham need to be careful as things didn't go too well for Bolton or Blackburn once Big Sam left them...

Liverpool have had a shocking season compared to last year and yesterday summed their season up, big summer ahead for them...

Surprised Sheffield United have sacked Nigel Clough, he did a really good job for them, especially this season..

@C-ZETA, I actually don't think its been a great season this time, its had its moments yes but its not been vintage....

Norwich promoted to Premier League!!!!

 

[m8h3r]

Bournemouth, Watford and Norwich are our new boys to the league next year then. I think they should all not do too badly then. I think with the ride Bournemouth have been on the last few years they'll have a good season, maybe even knocking on the door of the top half. Lets see who will quote that at the end of next year when they finish 20th

The other two I'm not so sure though. I was cheering Middlesbrough as I wanted them like the good old days of Middlesbrough kicking butt and taking names, not a drunk middle age lady shouting on a microphone she found somewhere.

 

[C-ZETA]

@C-ZETA, I actually don't think its been a great season this time, its had its moments yes but its not been vintage....

Oh not relative to others no, but every season is always intriguing throughout.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Real Madrid call a press conference for tonight, no-one really knows why but strong rumours going round that Ancelotti will be getting the sack.

Breaking news!, Derby have sacked Steve McLaren....

 

[Liquid]

Steve McClaren sacked the same day Ancelotti is sacked.

Not saying anything.

 

[Dennisch]

Steve McClaren sacked the same day Ancelotti is sacked.

Not saying anything.

Hey.

 

[Liquid]

@Dennisch No, no, I'm all for Schtevie Makk. It's no coincidence that no sooner is McClaren sacked, Ancelotti is also sacked.

"Senor Perez! Senor Perez! El Generalissimo "Schteve Makklaaren" has been sacked by Derby!"
"What? Send Ancegrotti home now! We've found our man."

 

[andrea]

Jurgen Klopp is either heading to Real Madrid or Liverpool.

 

[andrea]

Russia meets Qatar's challenge; plans to use prison labor for World Cup

Russian authorities are developing plans to utilize prison labor for construction projections relating to the 2018 World Cup, reports the Associated Press.

The Russian prison service is supporting a bid by United Russia party lawmaker Alexander Khinshtein that would transport prisoners from their camps to work at factories producing materials for World Cup construction projects...

Russian prison labor proposals have previously faced allegations of prisoners being underpaid and/or forced to work long hours. Khinshtein told the AP the typical wage for a prisoner on labor construction projects might be about $300 (15,000 rubles) per month.

http://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2015/05/25/2018-world-cup-russia-prison-labor

 

[Peasantslayer]

Slavisa Jokanovic has left Watford after gaining promotion with them.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...0-months-after-sacking-Slavisa-Jokanovic.html