I would still worry if we don't win it this year - the other teams will all improve dramatically especially United and I can see City falling again next year dropping more points. Need to do it this year, such a good opportunity!

Sarri can he last until the end of the season or not? Bit surprised that he is at the club to be honest with you.

 

 

Hazard will likely end the season with his best ever returns, hardly his fault the team around him has dropped off in quality so much. Playing him at false 9 is such a waste. Easily in the top 5 players in the league for me, and I'd argue the most important single player to any team in the league run close by Zaha.

Edited March 18, 20196 yr by RabbitFurCoat

I would still worry if we don't win it this year - the other teams will all improve dramatically especially United and I can see City falling again next year dropping more points. Need to do it this year, such a good opportunity!

 

To win the title at the moment you are going to need to get 90+ points. I think Man Utd will improve next year but so will most teams. They are doing exactly what Arsenal did on their 17 game unbeaten run. They are already 18 points behind the league title (15 if they win their game in hand) - that gap will probably rise. That's a huge gap to make up - they have a few of flaws in their team and if they don't sign De Gea to a new long term deal, then Zidane is going to come sniffing around for him.

 

Right now to win the title you need to be nearly flawless throughout and consistently get points from the other Top 6 - this is where City's big advantage is right now imo.

I still think the dynamics can change a lot quicker than you think especially as city's team develops more next season and especially the following year. We made up a huge gap from last year and if city fall at the same time next year will be up for grabs imo!

It is a huge gap yes but you yourselves have bridged that gap from last season to this one and you only needed to sign a few players to assist with that so who knows.

It doesn't matter if we're 15 or 18 points behind the leaders, that has no connection to next season. Everything resets to zero when the new season starts in August and whatever the league table looked the previous season is irrelevant. It's all about how many points you can get between August of one calender year to May of the following calendar year, not between August 2018 - May 2020.

 

I'm not saying that we're going to win the league next season but you can't connect a points tally of one season to the following season. Otherwise every team would stay where they were in the previous season.

It is a huge gap yes but you yourselves have bridged that gap from last season to this one and you only needed to sign a few players to assist with that so who knows.

 

I know we did, but also spent an absolutely bucket ton of money on the right players - not players agents were waving in our faces. If you can avoid signing players like Bale then you have a chance, but there's masses of improvement to be made in your first XI. I also don't even think Klopp expected us to be as close to the league this year, I know I didn't.

 

 

It doesn't matter if we're 15 or 18 points behind the leaders, that has no connection to next season. Everything resets to zero when the new season starts in August and whatever the league table looked the previous season is irrelevant. It's all about how many points you can get between August of one calender year to May of the following calendar year, not between August 2018 - May 2020.

 

I'm not saying that we're going to win the league next season but you can't connect a points tally of one season to the following season. Otherwise every team would stay where they were in the previous season.

 

I think you're missing the point I made, it's very very rare one team drastically doubles their points tally from season to season (of course there are exceptions). My point is being that City and Liverpool are likely to keep the majority of their squad (and better players) in place and are on course to hit 90+ points this season. The likelihood is they will also achieve that next season. That means that any team wanting to challenge for the title needs to be aiming for 90+ points - logically there's a reason why most teams have a similar sort of trajectory season to season if they keep their core group of players together.

I know we did, but also spent an absolutely bucket ton of money on the right players - not players agents were waving in our faces. If you can avoid signing players like Bale then you have a chance, but there's masses of improvement to be made in your first XI. I also don't even think Klopp expected us to be as close to the league this year, I know I didn't.

 

 

I think you're missing the point I made, it's very very rare one team drastically doubles their points tally from season to season (of course there are exceptions). My point is being that City and Liverpool are likely to keep the majority of their squad (and better players) in place and are on course to hit 90+ points this season. The likelihood is they will also achieve that next season. That means that any team wanting to challenge for the title needs to be aiming for 90+ points - logically there's a reason why most teams have a similar sort of trajectory season to season if they keep their core group of players together.

It might be likely that Liverpool and Manchester City will achieve those things again next season but it also might not happen as well, we'll have to wait until next season to have a better idea. Chelsea are the perfect example of a yo-yo team, they won the league in 2014/15 with 87 points, finished 10th in 2015/16 with 50 points, then in 2016/17 won the league again with 93 points and 30 wins which was a record number of wins at the time, then finished 5th with 70 points last season. In that time they kept largely the same squad and even kept Conte as manager for consecutive seasons.

It might be likely that Liverpool and Manchester City will achieve those things again next season but it also might not happen as well, we'll have to wait until next season to have a better idea. Chelsea are the perfect example of a yo-yo team, they won the league in 2014/15 with 87 points, finished 10th in 2015/16 with 50 points, then in 2016/17 won the league again with 93 points and 30 wins which was a record number of wins at the time, then finished 5th with 70 points last season. In that time they kept largely the same squad and even kept Conte as manager for consecutive seasons.

 

But look at the underlying stats with Chelsea's first season with Conte - I can't find the stats, but they conceded something like 14 goals less than expected and scored 16 more than expected. They also have players who have successively downed tools against their manager (three times) when things don't go their way - that's a culture problem.

I do wonder if West Ham would be tempted to sell Felipe Anderson if Real Madrid did make a bid for him if they didn't get Hazard.

 

 

West Ham midfielder Robert Snodgrass is to fight a charge of abusing anti-doping officials and has requested a personal hearing.

 

The 31-year-old Scotland international, who faces a one-match ban and £8,000 fine if found guilty, denies any wrongdoing.

 

The alleged incident took place at the Hammers' training ground on 6 February.

Late I know but you have to feel for Huddersfield, going from 3-1 up to 4-3 down on what could have been a rare win for them :( I hope the Championship is kind to them next season.

I do wonder if West Ham would be tempted to sell Felipe Anderson if Real Madrid did make a bid for him if they didn't get Hazard.

 

Can't see Real Madrid fans being happy about that - reckon they'll go all out for 2 of Neymar, Hazard, Mpappe and de Gea. Zidane is probably going to have at least some say in who they go for, I can't see Felipe Anderson being anywhere near their radar.

Former Newcastle striker and coach Peter Beardsley has been charged by the FA with three counts of using racist language towards under-23 players.

 

Regarding Huddersfield, you have to wonder if they'll manage to go back up from the Championship next season, I have got a feeling that they'll struggle.

 

Wagner basically took a lower championship into a premier league side - without him they could struggle and even return to league one!

Just watching the Premier League Years from exactly 10 years ago and at Xmas Tottenham were 2 Pts off the bottom 3, so if anyone wants to see how far they've come under the Potch (and others like Redknapp) you can see!

Just watching the Premier League Years from exactly 10 years ago and at Xmas Tottenham were 2 Pts off the bottom 3, so if anyone wants to see how far they've come under the Potch (and others like Redknapp) you can see!

 

Wasn't that just a fluke season? They'd always been there or thereabouts for a while, admittedly they got lucky that they peaked around the same time Liverpool fell in to very bad times and Manchester City were still a State's dream. I'm pretty sure under Hodgson Liverpooll were only a few points off the bottom at one stage too!

That was the season the players downed tools & played like headless chickens under Juande Ramos (still the last Spurs manager to win a trophy I like to remind fans). First game under new boss Redknapp was that epic 4-4 North London derby!

That Derby was unreal!! Bentleys goal the highlight.

 

But yeh they were never quite relegation fodder but never really one of the 'big four' as it was at the time, Everton were more of a threat in the noughties under Moyes and various other 1/2 season wonders like villa under O'Neill and others time and again. Spurs didn't qualify for the champions league until Redknapp got them there in 2010 with the help of a resurgent and more forward thinking Gareth Bale.

 

Going further back in the mid 90s post Gazza et al they very nearly got relegated a few seasons.

 

My point being it's really only since the excellent coaching of Potchettino that they are now considered true potential winners and one of the top clubs.