2016/2017 THE Premier League Thread

[Senator Clay Davis]

Where would Liverpool's season be if they could simply beat the south coast teams?

[d_phaneuf]

That west ham game next week is now a must win for liverpool

Especially if arsenal win today

United could cause problems too if they win but they are more focused on EL and have tougher schedule

[d_phaneuf]

Newcastle won the championship today, Rafa staying looks very smart, with him in charge and their means there's no reason they can come right back up and get to mid table next year

Brighton up too, they bottled the league badly, up by 7 points with 3 games left and go LLD

Reading/Fulham and Sheffield Wednesday/Huddersfield are the playoff matchups

Fulham go up is my prediction

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by The Big Chill

Brutal. Of all the teams that have defended deep against Liverpool this season, Southampton came out and defended the deepest. They didn't even pretend to be interested in going forward.

Frustrating.

Scoreless in 4 games against Southampton this season.

Entertaining 0-0 at the Emirates. I get that EL is United's best bet but both teams have to go for it in this half. Draw is pretty much useless for both. Expecting 15 minutes of Rashford and Pogba.

[Senator Clay Davis]

"He bought a ticket, he won the lottery"

- Peter Drury's excellent description of that Xhaka goal.

[Senator Clay Davis]

No luck on that goal though. What a cross from Oxlade-Chamberlin.

[Bagor]

That's the league done and dusted. Can only imagine what Keane will have to say about Herrera turning his back on that shot.

Anyways .....run the crap out of Rooney in the PL

[Senator Clay Davis]

Job's done, time for some Maltesers lol

[devo22]

well, that sucked.

[d_phaneuf]

Would China and/or Everton even want Rooney anymore

[Bagor]

Everton. No.
China. For branding and marketing purposes, yes. They could show him at his peak and conveniently forget to mention that he's well past it.

[Senator Clay Davis]

But why would Rooney want to leave for China? £300,000 a week as a bench warmer sounds better than playing in China. Seems like he's cool with the current set up at United, and who wouldn't be for that money?

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

But why would Rooney want to leave for China? £300,000 a week as a bench warmer sounds better than playing in China. Seems like he's cool with the current set up at United, and who wouldn't be for that money?

You aware of the wages being paid in China at the moment? He could very well possibly be one of, if not the highest paid player in the world.

And you base your statement that he's cool with the current set up based on what exactly?
Because a simply google of Rooney China appears to suggest otherwise. Where are you getting the impression that he's cool with the current set up?

And why on earth would Costa walk from a team that is very much on the up and move from a city like London to China. One would think that he would be very happy with the set up there .... no?

Tldr: $$$$

[Senator Clay Davis]

Factoring in endorsements Rooney has made over £100 million in his career, and will be collecting another £15+ million next year. The amount of money China has to offer to make uprooting your family for an absolutely wildly different world will need to be beyond idiotic. He's not complaining publicly, he's been fit and ready to play most weeks, basically he's been a professional, which for that money we all would be.

And Costa got the offer because he is younger and he's been one of the best players in the PL this year. Also he has not earned anywhere close to the money Rooney has, so the appeal of the money is much higher for him. And yeah the argument of uprooting his life is the same for Rooney, who has lived in England his entire life. Maybe hope Newcastle are interested?

[Bagor]

Not complaining publicly equates to being cool with the current set up? And who is arguing that he hasn't been a professional? Simple fact is what's his alternative? Whine or accept. The former does nothing. Whine for what? To try and force a transfer?

Tevez. Oscar. Earning more than the Spanish two I believe. And now Terry is looking a gonner there as well? Hasn't he earned enough? Hasn't he lived in England all his life?

[St. Pats]

Originally Posted by devo22

well, that sucked.

Did it? I've almost been hoping they would lose so they could fully commit to one or the other. Top four was always the most unrealistic with their schedule. If the injuries hadn't piled up then maybe but even healthy Jose should have and has been favoring the Europa all along.

Winning a trophy and the entry to the Champions League is so much better of a goal than limping in with a fourth place finish.

The year for Jose is already a success. He has turned the club around completely. Very close to being a top club again. Just another summer transfer window should get it done. Winning the Europa would be some really unexpected gravy and accelerate the schedule by a year.

Worth going for that all out. Then all out in the transfer window again for some scoring power.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by Bagor

Not complaining publicly equates to being cool with the current set up? And who is arguing that he hasn't been a professional? Simple fact is what's his alternative? Whine or accept. The former does nothing. Whine for what? To try and force a transfer?

Tevez. Oscar. Earning more than the Spanish two I believe. And now Terry is looking a gonner there as well? Hasn't he earned enough? Hasn't he lived in England all his life?

Look I get that you (and most United fans) desperately want him off the team, but you also desperately wanted Fellaini gone after last season and that didn't happen (and won't happen again this summer, Jose clearly values him). I think Rooney plays out his contract next year and then heads to the MLS, much more preferable to get the retirement money playing in LA or NY than Shanghai.

[devo22]

I don't even have a problem with Rooney in the current setup. Mourinho has played this wonderfully, and to Rooneys credit, he hasn't pouted. I have no problem with him being a squad player in a limited role, it was the automatic starting berth under van Gaal that really irked me.

Originally Posted by St. Pats

Did it? I've almost been hoping they would lose so they could fully commit to one or the other.

I agree with everything in your post except for this part. Losing always sucks, especially against a team like Arsenal. So i did hope for a win, but yeah, it's not the end of the world. Better make the EL count though ...

[devo22]

On a positive note, I thought Tuanzebe looked quite good yesterday. Has all the traits that Mourinho rates in a defender and I wouldn't be surprised if he and Fosu-Mensah made Smalling and/or Jones expendable this summer.

[Coys1882]

I've been a Spurs supporter for over 30 years now and I've never been more proud of my club.

I've grown used to being Spursy - it sucks to always assume you'll blow it and i've always been honest with myself when tottenham have done just that.

I don't believe this season was a bottle job.

• In a season when Sky said it was Arsenal, Chelsea, Pep and Jose's title to win - here we are pushing Chelsea into May, but we're the bottlers?
• We never led the league once this year - this isn't the same as when Liverpool let it slip.
• We had European football to deal with - Chelsea haven't
• This is the second year in a row of incredible standing in the EPL
• All things considered our bench is weak and we've dealt amazingly well to injuries to key players. Toby, Kane and losing Lamela basically all season.
• We've done it on a net spend of $15m and reasonable wages (by football standards.