2012-2013 EPL Discussion Thread

[Jezza]

This Weekend's EPL Predictions:
Fulham 2-0 Reading
Norwich 1-1 Aston Villa
Swansea 1-1 Man City
Tottenham 2-0 Southampton
West Brom 2-1 Wigan
West Ham 2-0 Newcastle
QPR 0-2 Arsenal

Liverpool 2-1 Everton
Man Utd 1-1 Chelsea

Sunderland 2-1 Stoke

[sixpoints]

Last day of the Championship.
Bolton can only draw at home to Blackpool. Dominating the game, we have 19 shots to 5 on target, but so what, we draw 2-2. It's a terrible result given the importance of the game. A win would have secured our play off place.
Leicester go and score a last minute goal to beat Forest, so Bolton miss out on the play offs by goal difference in the last minute of the last game.
We blew it.
Hull haven't won any of their last five games but a win will promote them. They miss a 90m penalty, concede one a minute later, so after a crazy finish, they draw. If the teams under them, especially Watford, can win they will go up instead. But they dont, so Hull are promoted anyway.
Peterbouough are relegated as they too concede a last minute goal to lose to Palace. That goal saved Barnsley who looked gone until then.
An insane last day in the Championship.
Final results;
Promoted - Cardiff, Hull
Play Offs - Watford, Brighton, C. Palace, Leicester
Down - Peterborough, Wolves, Bristol C.
Going nowhere after blowing it and finishing seventh - Bolton.

[Jezza]

You must be feeling gutted right now Sixpoints. I'm feeling for you guys. I was actually hoping the Trotters win actually just for your sake and so we could discuss them more in the EPL thread next season. Bad luck mate!

Last Night's Results:
Fulham 2-4 Reading
Norwich 1-2 Aston Villa
Swansea 0-0 Man City
Tottenham 1-0 Southampton
West Brom 2-3 Wigan
West Ham 0-0 Newcastle
QPR 0-1 Arsenal

[HAL]

What makes luck mate bad?

[sixpoints]

Thanks Jezza.
What a difference one lousy goal makes at the end of a long season. We now have stuffed up two years in a row on the last day! The trick is not to be in that position in the first place.
It's not good enough. Bungling another massive opportunity really does hurt.

[Jezza]

Last Night's Results:
Liverpool 0-0 Everton
Man Utd 0-1 Chelsea

[Jezza]

I forgot to put my predictions up for the mid-week games, but here are the results and the current ladder with only two matches remaining for all sides.

Mid-Week Results:
Sunderland 1-1 Stoke

Man City 1-0 West Brom
Wigan 2-3 Swansea

Chelsea 2-2 Tottenham

The Ladder:
1. Man Utd 85 - Played 36
2. Man City 75 - Played 36
3. Chelsea 69 - Played 36
4. Arsenal 67 - Played 36
-------------------------------
5. Tottenham 66 - Played 36
6. Everton 60 - Played 36
7. Liverpool 55 - Played 36
8. West Brom 48 - Played 36
9. Swansea 46 - Played 36
10. West Ham 43 - Played 36
11. Stoke 41 - Played 36
12. Fulham 40 - Played 36
13. Aston Villa 40 - Played 36
14. Southampton 39 - Played 36
15. Sunderland 38 - Played 36
16. Norwich 38 - Played 36
17. Newcastle 38 - Played 36
-------------------------------
18. Wigan 35 - Played 36
19. Reading 28- Played 36
20. QPR 25 - Played 36

[sixpoints]

In looking at the table, quite frankly the bottom 13 sides are all unremarkable outfits.
I think the lack of success beyond the top 5-6 sides in England is increasingly reducing the capacity of all the other EPL teams. The proof comes in Europe. Chelsea did OK, but besides them, EPL sides disappointed when facing Euro opposition.
The EPL is not the strongest league in Europe any more. It badly lacks quality in depth. For example, how competitive in Europe would Southampton, Wigan, Villa, West Brom, Reading, QPR, Sunderland or Norwich be? I know an answer is they not in Europe, so of course they would struggle. But my point is that most teams in the EPL would struggle. So I think the days of claiming the EPL being the best competition is over. Besides the top 5-6 teams, the quality is simply not there. And that is not the mark of a top competition.

[sixpoints]

D.P

[Jezza]

Interesting points Sixpoints. I think the Bundesliga has surpassed the EPL now. The La Liga still seems to have only two standout teams in Barcelona and Real Madrid, however the likes of Atletico Madrid and Sevilla are competitive sides.

This Weekend's EPL Predictions:
Aston Villa 1-2 Chelsea

Stoke 1-1 Tottenham
Everton 2-1 West Ham
Fulham 2-1 Liverpool
Norwich 2-0 West Brom
QPR 1-2 Newcastle
Sunderland 1-1 Southampton
Man Utd 2-0 Swansea

Arsenal 3-0 Wigan
Reading 0-2 Man City

[Jezza]

What a dramatic finish and what a brilliant game it was in the end.

Frank Lampard - Congratulations on breaking Bobby Tambling's record. It was well-deserved and it was fitting that he scored the goals when it meant that we secured the top 4 spot.

We've qualified for the Champions league spot. Well-played and this has boosted our chances to bring back Jose!! This result had so much riding on it. Unbelievable in the end.

We've lost Hazard now and he won't play for the rest of the season now. Terry and Cahill look shot as well. I really can't see us beating Benfica, but I don't care now it'll just be a bonus if we win it in the end. The main thing is we made the top 4. Tottenham and Arsenal can suffer now.

I don't think I've been this elated since Munich.

Aston Villa 1-2 Chelsea

[King Malta]

no offense my friend but that post made me vomit in my mouth a little

Hopefully we can smash Wigan and Newcastle in the final two games to seal the 4th spot and condemn the Spuds to another season of mediocrity.

How I hate Tottenham...

[Jezza]

[King Malta]

[Jezza]

^ Still 1-1 with about 10mins left.

Anyway, rumours are circulating that Roberto Mancini has been sacked or is on the verge of losing his job in the next 24 to 48 hours.