2016/2017 THE Premier League Thread

[Slava]

Originally Posted by devo22

then he should. I really don't want another di Maria situation, so if he doesn't really want the move then I hope they just back off and spend the money elsewhere. Rumour has it that Jose wants three new players and two of those should be attacking players, so it'd always be Griezmann plus a "real" striker anyway (which makes sense, given that Rooney is pretty much gone and Ibra has only a year left or so).

If Griezmann stays put, I hope they go for something like Kylian Mbappe (Monaco) + Moussa Dembele (Celtic). Would probably cost more than €100m combined, but those are stunning talents and they'd be set up front for years.

Is Dembele the real deal? I mean yeah, he's tearing up the SPL, but it's the SPL. I guess I just look at Vincent Janssen that Spurs signed this summer and it's a bit of the same situation. Different players and different leagues, but EPL is a whole new world compared to some of the others. To be fair though, I haven't watched much of Dembele, so it's hard to say.

(I also think Janssen is going to turn out for Spurs which is in the minority I would say)

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Slava

Is Dembele the real deal? I mean yeah, he's tearing up the SPL, but it's the SPL. I guess I just look at Vincent Janssen that Spurs signed this summer and it's a bit of the same situation. Different players and different leagues, but EPL is a whole new world compared to some of the others. To be fair though, I haven't watched much of Dembele, so it's hard to say.

(I also think Janssen is going to turn out for Spurs which is in the minority I would say)

it's always a gamble for sure. Really liked Dembele in the CL games though, and the one thing he has over Janssen is that he's already used to the English game. Also he's still only 20 ... Janssen was still in the 2nd division in the Netherlands at that age.

For that matter, I think people write off Janssen prematurely. He's gone from the 2nd division in the Netherlands to the Eredivisie to the Premier League in the span of two years, that could be a bit of an overwhelming change in opposition I'm sure ... think he'll be good for Spurs in a year or two.

[Senator Clay Davis]

But is Mourinho going to be in a position to gamble? If they miss the Champions League, he's gonna be under a ton of pressure next year to deliver. Might have him looking for more established players and not young talent.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

But is Mourinho going to be in a position to gamble? If they miss the Champions League, he's gonna be under a ton of pressure next year to deliver. Might have him looking for more established players and not young talent.

I thought that pressure would already started this year after spending however many hundred million. I guess not though. The fans seem alright to be sitting back in 6th at this point, and basically give Mourinho a pass to get things set.

[Senator Clay Davis]

It's not even the fans, it's the Glazers. Losing out on the Champions League cash is not acceptable to them, and I'm pretty sure there's a clause in their deal with Adidas that they lose some of the kit deal money if they aren't in Champions League for a length of time. So as always with the Glazers, it's all about the money. Only way I can see Mourinho surviving missing Champions League in his first two years is if they get decimated by injuries. Otherwise with too much money spent and not enough coming in, that'll probably be that.

[devo22]

Yeah there is an Adidas clause about the CL, so that's an issue for sure. Either way, Mourinho will be back next season for sure, even if they miss CL. They should be higher than 6th, but dropped a lot of points at home unnecessarily. Can't really blame Mourinho there, they simply missed A TON of chances.

But the football has been great to watch, especially in comparison to the LVG snoozefest. I read somewhere they have already had more shots and scoring chances this season than all of last year.

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by Slava

I thought that pressure would already started this year after spending however many hundred million. I guess not though. The fans seem alright to be sitting back in 6th at this point, and basically give Mourinho a pass to get things set.

6th with a lot of optimism going forward and a third of the season to play out.

Besides, he's already won one more trophy at United than Pochettino's whole career.

Let's talk about Spurs. I get the sense that Spurs fans are very content with the position that Arsenal fans aren't content with. i.e. The fans will accept another runners up spot. Is that the height of their ambition? And is that why Arsenal will always be the big North London club? Because their fans expect more? Demand more?

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Bagor

6th with a lot of optimism going forward and a third of the season to play out.

Besides, he's already won one more trophy at United than Pochettino's whole career.

Let's talk about Spurs. I get the sense that Spurs fans are very content with the position that Arsenal fans aren't content with. i.e. The fans will accept another runners up spot. Is that the height of their ambition? And is that why Arsenal will always be the big North London club? Because their fans expect more? Demand more?

I'd love to talk about Spurs! First, let's start with the fact they have a young, exciting team. Kane is poised to win his second boot in a row despite missing about 8 weeks earlier this season. Dele is the real deal and is one (if not the) best young players in the game. Pochettino has turned the club from an also ran to one maybe two legitimate challengers for the title for the second year in a row.

Even aside from Kane and his injury, they've had injuries to Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Rose, Lloris and basically the entire season without Lamela. And yet they sit 2nd. Chelsea has had almost no injuries this year, and clearly that along with no European games hasn't hurt them.

We all know that they're not able to spend like United/Liverpool. They're in the midst of building an enormous new stadium and doing it the right way. How many pieces would you say they are from being odds on favorites? Not many!

And while it's true that they need to win some trophies at this point, they're still in the FA Cup, and rolling along in the league. It's no inconceivable that they win the FA Cup this year, and they could finish where they are in the league and it's not exactly a disaster.

[cam_wmh]

Zlatan accepts 3 game ban.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/39182905

Is eligible for Russia on Thursday though.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

Zlatan accepts 3 game ban.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/39182905

Is eligible for Russia on Thursday though.

I'm surprised that you're not more concerned. Despite all the money Jose spent Zlatan on a free was their best bit of business. Regardless of his ego or arrogance take Zlatan off of United this season and they're a complete shambles.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Zlatan has been pretty important, but so has Mkhitaryan. They looked destined for 7th or worse before Mkhitaryan turned it on and became their best playmaker. So yeah without those two, they might be where West Ham is right now.

[devo22]

"a complete shambles", " destined for 7th", "where West Ham are" ... lol, holy hyperbole. Taking the piss much?!?

[Senator Clay Davis]

I mean United are currently only 5 points up on Everton. Is it really crazy to suggest they'd be 5 points worse off without Zlatan and Mkhitaryan? Remember that means Rooney and probably Fellaini instead. So if anything suggesting they'd be 5 points worse off is being generous.

[devo22]

yeah but the whole "take player x and y out and see where they are" concept is ridiculous. Where are Spurs without Kane and Alli? Liverpool without Mane and Coutinho? Everton without Lukaku? You can do this with every team.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by devo22

yeah but the whole "take player x and y out and see where they are" concept is ridiculous. Where are Spurs without Kane and Alli? Liverpool without Mane and Coutinho? Everton without Lukaku? You can do this with every team.

We did that. We call it 'January.'

But losing your top scorer sometimes tends to adversely effect teams.

Even when those teams spent hundreds of millions of pounds in the transfer window and installed a new manager.

[devo22]

oh please. Coutinho missed a single league game in January (vs Sunderland) and a cup game against Plymouth, but he played in every single other game. He might not have been back to his best at the time and couldn't go the whole 90, but he still played. Mane also only missed two league games (vs United and Swansea).

The "Liverpool had a horrible January because they missed Coutinho and Mane" is a complete fairytale. Liverpool had a horrible January because Klopp still hasn't figured out how to beat "minnows" on a regular basis and completely underestimated the lower league cup teams.

[Slava]

That could be, but Kane was out for 6-8 weeks and Spurs did struggle to replace his scoring. No reason to think that it will be easy for United without Zlatan, and really we know that Middlesbrough is going to sit back. That could easily wind up being 0-0.

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Slava

No reason to think that it will be easy for United without Zlatan

oh, I agree for sure. I just found the "they'd be behind Everton without Zlatan and Mikhi" thing ridiculous because you can make that argument for many teams.

Zlatan will miss:

FA Cup at Chelsea
Premier League at Middlesbrough
Premier League vs West Brom

I wasn't optimistic about the FA Cup game anyway because it's a brutal away fixture at Stamford right after an extremely long trip to Russia, so that sucks. But even without Zlatan, they have no excuse if the lose in those two PL games. Boro can't buy a goal right now and West Brom at home isn't the hardest of fixtures either.

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by Slava

How many pieces would you say they are from being odds on favorites? Not many!

Sigh. I have been hearing this from Spurs fans for ages. But the fact always remains the same. You never win anything and the story of how awesome you are going to be continues.........

Odds on favourites? lol! You have by your accounts been having a wonderful year yet when games are balanced out a whopping 4 points clear of a United team that stuttered through parts of the season.

Originally Posted by Slava

and they could finish where they are in the league and it's not exactly a disaster.

And this right there is why they are a tier 2 club. Give Arsenal a 2nd place finish and their fans will still claim the season a disaster because they expect success.
And you fail to mention the complete disaster that was Europe. But, carry on with your del boy optimism. It's endearing.

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by devo22

Liverpool had a horrible January because Klopp still hasn't figured out how to beat "minnows" on a regular basis and completely underestimated the lower league cup teams.

it was everyone else's fault. And Howard Webb is still conspiring against them.