EPL 2021 / 2022
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Well, what a 2 hours. Who ever came up with the idea that all teams play at the same time on the last day is an absolute genius.
Relegation. Bit of a see saw battle with both Burnley / Leeds on 35 points with Burnley far superior goal difference. Burnley went behind early and that was that. Leeds were up then flat then up again in the last minutes. Disappointing end to the season for Burnley, but not surprising as the've been a bit chaotic from the word go. As for Everton ... well they had their party and thus didn't really care & got completely thumped by Arsenal. But their fans went nuts when City did their thing. Hilarious viewing.
Champs League spots. Spurs didn't do a Spurs and completely dominated Norwich to cement the last CL spot. Well on top all game and scored goals at ease, with Son scoring a double to give himself joint top scorer in the league with Salah, who also scored on Sunday. Bit of a fizzer this one really, as both sides were just well on top & hence previous results had already dictated. Arsenal fans are spitting tacks. Fuck'em.
Premership. Well, holy moly what a ride. I'm fortunate enough to be able to see two TV's from certain spots so we had Liverpool Wolves on one and City /Villa on another. Liverpool Wolves was a crazy game, being played like it was the last 5 minutes from the word go. Villa ahead early but it was all attack attack from Liverpool. The inevitably led to gaps at the back and it could have been 3-0 Wolves at one point. However, they squandered their (excellent) chances as they came up. Liverpool were incredible at creating chances and it was awesome to watch. Mane got the goal back and they were level at HT. Meanwhile City were largely very off and finally went behind deservedly after poor marking. Down 1-0 at HT they still had the PL, but it was obvious Liverpool were going to beat Wolves. My Liverpool mad brother in law was like a cat on a hot tin roof, hilarious. 15 into the second half City has let in another (via Coutinho!) and it was Liverpool with a hand on the cup! Then Boom. City 1. City 2. City 3. Unbelievable. Within 5 minutes. After that they just held the ball and gave Villa nothing. Liverpool got a couple of goals to win (as was obviously going to happen) but it was too little, too late. Drama had been done and the cup was theirs.
Phenomenal couple of hours of sport watching.
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@MajorRage crazy to think they have a game day blackout in the UK for the EPL. Surely people would still go to the games, and the broadcast money would be worth a lot more?
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So, EPL season wrap up.
City / Liverpool - both throughly deserved winners, no doubt about it. Two best teams easily. Felt Liverpool took all the plaudits / media so it must feel great to be a City fan. 4 of the last 5 prems & the trophy. I've said 4 seasons in a row I'm unsure if they can repeat next year and with the exception of one, they have. So no reason to think they can't. Liverpool, proper shit to score so many points again but not win the trophy. Proper shit. Some good signings again by Klopp though means they should maintain. Diaz is a genius. City - 9/10, Liverpool 9/10
Chelsea - lots going on in the background for the club, so I'm content as a Chelsea fan. Got CL football, will be a changed squad for next year but as long as Tuchel is there, then I think we'll be fine and have another decent season. Won't win it, or look like winning it until all is settled and we know if we have a financial backer, but we'll play good Football. 8/10
Spurs / Arsenal. Arsenal need to sign a striker, it's that simple. They've got a really young team and played well, but they haven't had the results this year and I'm not sure the fans back Arteta. Not sure he deserves to be backed either honestly. But he's got a new contract. Spurs, well Conte is Conte and he is a winner. If he works out how to work with Levy and keeps the players, then Spurs will do well again. But what a mixed season after Santo. Spurs 7/10, Arsenal 4/10.
United. Horrible team, horrible year. I don't know Football well enough to know what the problem is, but it could be everything. Perhaps should have stuck with Ole for the rest of the year as Rangnick didn't have control at all. 1/10
West Ham. Disappointing end for the high flying Hammers. Moyes has done wonders with that club, and looks to be doing another Everton style stint there. Fans back him, getting good results. Last day loss will really hurt though. 8/10
Leicester. Shows how far they have climbed for 8th to being a bit of a disappointment. I think Rogers has done well and should continue to do well. But an average season for them . 7/10
Brighton / Wolves. Rounding out the top half of the table with these 2 is a great result for both. Wolves in a new era this year managed to maintain their standards and Brighton perhaps outperformed. Reverse fortunes last few games though as Wolves couldn't buy a win & Brighton had a great run. Both probably worthy of 7/10 seasons, but with the form on the home run in I'lll split it 6/10 for Wolves & 8/10 for Brighton
Newcastle. I could wax lyrical for hours about what Howe has done. I really could. 3rd most points since January & taken them from relegation to 11th. Yes, they had a huge cash injection, but Howe didn't exactly buy superstars. Trippier probably his most high profile. He got the squad really working & deserves huge credit. It's 1/10 season followed by a 10/10. However, 11th is a great result so I'll give them an 8/10.
Palace - Decent start for Vieira and a season I think he'd call a success. Nothing wrong with 12th for a club the size of Palace. 8/10
Brentford. For such a small club, they have serious outperformed. From the season opening defeat of Arsenal they've done really well and Eriksen has been huge for them. Arguably the best relative season in the prem. 9/10
Villa. Pretty average if you ask me. Gerrard has done well and has got the fans, but I think Villa would struggle to view this season as a success. 6/10
Southampton. Similar to Villa. Premiership survival a plus, but a bit of an underwhelming to end at the bottom of the mid table. 5/10
Everton. Just awful. Lucky to survive and I'm completely unconvinced that Lampard is the right man for them. However, I think he's more the right man than Benitez! Didn't really recover after Ancelottis' sudden departure last season. Too big a club to be in the Championship though. 2/10
Leeds. Second season syndrome with a lucky escape on the last day. Hard to see how they re going to improve honestly, I think the PL seems to have gone a bit above them after their extended absence. 4/10
Burnley. They sold Wood & they sacked Dyche. Thus, I feel they got what they deserved. Sacking Dyche is like United sacking Ferguson. It's retarded. 2/10
Norwich / Watford - out of their depth this season with both relegated a long way before the end. Your're either good enough or you're not for this league. Neither were. 1/10 for both.
So here's the MajorRage awards for EPL 21/22.
Manager: Guardiola. It just has to be.
Player: Son. Yes it's easy to give this to the golden boot winner, but he was more than that in a mixed up season for the club
Club: Brentford. Absolutely amazing season
Houdini: Everton.
Player Whose Not A Striker: Van Dijk
Overall Award: Eddie HoweRoll on August!
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@canefan said in EPL 2021 / 2022:
@MajorRage crazy to think they have a game day blackout in the UK for the EPL. Surely people would still go to the games, and the broadcast money would be worth a lot more?
Nah, it's a heavily supported move & I understand it. It's only 3pm Saturday that no games are shown.
In the middle of a shitty January, why would you go and watch Aldershot vs Grimsby when Liverpool vs City is on the TV?
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@MajorRage said in EPL 2021 / 2022:
@canefan said in EPL 2021 / 2022:
@MajorRage crazy to think they have a game day blackout in the UK for the EPL. Surely people would still go to the games, and the broadcast money would be worth a lot more?
Nah, it's a heavily supported move & I understand it. It's only 3pm Saturday that no games are shown.
In the middle of a shitty January, why would you go and watch Aldershot vs Grimsby when Liverpool vs City is on the TV?
Okay thats fair.
I'm so happy to see Spurs cement the 4th spot and UCL qualification after where we sat when Antonio Conte arrived. Son Heung Min wins the Golden Boot without scoring a single penalty. He has revitalised the club after the malaise of the Mourinho and Nuno tenures. Get a few signings in, a proper preseason, and it will be a season of promise in N17
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@MajorRage Good summary My only point of disagreement would be a 4 for Arsenal which I think is harsh. Personally I'd rate them a 6.
wearing my Fulham cap it does worry me that there aren't more crap sides. Already looking like the promoted sides and Leeds battling relegation next season. Really hope Huddersfield can overcome Forest at the weekend.
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@dogmeat said in EPL 2021 / 2022:
My only point of disagreement would be a 4 for Arsenal which I think is harsh. Personally I'd rate them a 6
agreed, but i guess it depends on when you want to start looking at them? Preseason expectations were very low, and worse after their start. So to where they finished a 6 is right
But then at one point they had 4th all but locked up, and promptly fell in a heap. That's a 4.
They desperately need a striker and just an all over bolstering of numbers.
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@Rapido said in EPL 2021 / 2022:
How long has the yellow card for removing your shirt been a rule? 25 years now? Even longer?
Footballers really are as thick as shit. Lol at that Brentford muppet, and every other shirt-remover over the years who ends up getting redded later on.
That was dumb thing number 1 from the weekend, they were already down to 10 men at that point and then he gets the 2nd yellow almost immediately. If Burnley had drawn, they could feel righteously angry about that.
The other dumb thing was Collins for Burnley punching the ball in the box, honestly what was he thinking.
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@MajorRage Great summary that one, hard to disagree with nearly all of it. Harsh to give a 4 for Arsenal when everyone was picking 6th for them at best. If they had finished in the same spot but had a great run at the end to get there, it would have been a 7! Maybe too simple to say a striker is what they need, sometimes it can be more complex than that. They definitely need depth though, a couple of injuries and they had Cedric and Tavares as full backs with predictable results.
West Ham: A 7 I reckon and paying for having a paper-thin squad with no replacement for Antonio and struggling with central defenders. Should have taken 6th and Europa League.
Leicester: 5 for me Brian. Conceding so many goals from set pieces did for them.
Villa/Southampton: Both teams can look good when the other team lets them play but both have days when they look hopeless.
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@dogmeat @kiwipie @mariner4life
You guys are right & I'm basing my numbers on the fans of both clubs that I know. Spurs fans seem happy with where they are & with Conte, the problem in the club lies 100% with Levy. Where as Arsenal seem a bit more disillusioned, especially after the way they capitulated in the last North London derby of the year. Perhaps 4 & 7 is unfair on two clubs who hold the same goals and ended up 2 points and one position away from each other. 6 & 7 is probably fair.
Reality is that both clubs are 60k+ stadiums now with long histories and both should be winning trophies. Perhaps the EPL is above them right now, but they should at least be challenging and making finals etc.
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Was just looking at I wrote again. Man I'm mixed up with Managers. I should clarify:
Guardiola, Klopp, Howe, Frank could all be written as the top! So here's a slightly deeper dive on this. Yes, I am avoiding doing work
Guardiola - I think he's hugely influential on pitch as well as on the management style. Thus, he gets the results, and the moments, that ultimately won the league. Yes, this is the same style which saw them bundled out, again, in the Champs League, but it just seems to work in the EPL.
Klopp - I'd probably more call him the overall manager of the year across all the EPL clubs. Just not necessarily in the league. And not through any fault of his own. You cannot deny his record this year, gunning for 4 trophies right up until the last day, and still possible to take 3. Love or hate Liverpool, you have to have absolute maximum respect for what he's done to that club.
Frank - Brentford were fantastic this season and worthy of the plaudits. And Thomas Frank has been core to that. I do fear for them a bit though with second season syndrome. IT's not uncommon to bounce up to the PL, have a decent mid table season then go back down. I can't put him up with Guardiola & Klopp just yet though. Different level.
Howe - Newcastle were completely fucked. Completely. Kind of like United right now. Couldn't buy a point, looked disinterested and were a complete shambles. He literally turned the club on its head. It was phenomenal. Which is why he gets my overall award, ahead of the others. Does this mean he should rightfully be the Manager of the year? Well, no. Mainly because he's been more than that. The jury is certainly out on the future, especially with cash and the upcoming transfer season, he could really fuck this up buying the wrong players. Only time will tell.
But for his last 6 months, he cannot be faulted. Thus, he's the overall EPL person of the year for me.
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Conte took over with Spurs in disarray, and in 9th place. He transformed the team and got us into the top 4. Levy seems to be allowing Paratici and Conte some freedom. Signing Kulusevski and Bentancur from Juventus in the January window ended up being a huge boost for the team. If Levy keeps his word and backs Conte, he and Paratici can continue to reshape the squad. I don't see us challenging Liverpool or City, but I'd be happy to consolidate our top 4 position and close in on Chelsea next season
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@canefan said in EPL 2021 / 2022:
Conte took over with Spurs in disarray, and in 9th place. He transformed the team and got us into the top 4. Levy seems to be allowing Paratici and Conte some freedom. Signing Kulusevski and Bentancur from Juventus in the January window ended up being a huge boost for the team. If Levy keeps his word and backs Conte, he and Paratici can continue to reshape the squad. I don't see us challenging Liverpool or City, but I'd be happy to consolidate our top 4 position and close in on Chelsea next season
Spurs were still in disarray a while after he took over. It's not that long ago he said to the media that the problem may be me. However, he had a great end of season and has seta good launchpad. I guess time will tell if Levy allows that launchpad to work.
I expect Spurs to be above Chelsea next season, probably in 3rd.
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@MajorRage said in EPL 2021 / 2022:
@canefan said in EPL 2021 / 2022:
Conte took over with Spurs in disarray, and in 9th place. He transformed the team and got us into the top 4. Levy seems to be allowing Paratici and Conte some freedom. Signing Kulusevski and Bentancur from Juventus in the January window ended up being a huge boost for the team. If Levy keeps his word and backs Conte, he and Paratici can continue to reshape the squad. I don't see us challenging Liverpool or City, but I'd be happy to consolidate our top 4 position and close in on Chelsea next season
Spurs were still in disarray a while after he took over. It's not that long ago he said to the media that the problem may be me. However, he had a great end of season and has seta good launchpad. I guess time will tell if Levy allows that launchpad to work.
I expect Spurs to be above Chelsea next season, probably in 3rd.
I hope you are right. I read a very good article about Conte and Spurs. He transformed every aspect of the club and the players. It took him some time for his ideas to bed in, but the team seemed to have turned to corner just in time to finish the season strong
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@MajorRage Again can't really disagree.
Hard to believe there are rumblings that Newcastle might dump Howe and go after a Manager more befitting of their status piston wristed gibbons
Looking forward now to your pre-season write up.
Next year promises to be a cracker although it's hard to see anyone challenging the dual hegemony, there are any number of potential redemption / rejuvenation stories. Plus a host of can they keep it up type sub-plots. Be interesting to see the book on first Managerial casualty of the year.
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Managers - Howe undoubtedly turned Newcastle around but they still look a mid-table team and the signings will be key to progressing from there. It did look like a potential disaster picking Howe so well done to him for steadying the ship.
On Conte - he's got a history of walking out if he doesn't get his way, and Levy has a history of keeping his wallet in his pocket so I would suggest Spurs fans don't get too settled for the future. He walked away from the champions of Italy without another job.
Signings watch - Coutinho confirmed as moving to Villa and Boubacar Kamara has signed for Villa and that is apparently a huge coup for them as many bigger clubs were sniffing around for him. He's a defensive midfielder so Stevie G is looking for establish his base around which the likes of Coutinho can revolve.
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@dogmeat said in EPL 2021 / 2022:
@MajorRage Again can't really disagree.
Hard to believe there are rumblings that Newcastle might dump Howe and go after a Manager more befitting of their status piston wristed gibbons
Looking forward now to your pre-season write up.
Next year promises to be a cracker although it's hard to see anyone challenging the dual hegemony, there are any number of potential redemption / rejuvenation stories. Plus a host of can they keep it up type sub-plots. Be interesting to see the book on first Managerial casualty of the year.
What???!! He is one of the brightest young managers in the UK, seems to be instilling spirit in the side. That will be ridiculous if they do that
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@MajorRage said in EPL 2021 / 2022:
Guardiola - I think he's hugely influential on pitch as well as on the management style. Thus, he gets the results, and the moments, that ultimately won the league. Yes, this is the same style which saw them bundled out, again, in the Champs League, but it just seems to work in the EPL
people are desperate to give this guy shit because his crime is to manage the top clubs
he has built city in to a relentless machine. Every player in the squad fits the system, and they just win, a lot. They are also incredibly good at unlocking "park the bus" defences.
City aren't unbeatable, but over 38 games they are a relentless point-scoring machine.
The Champs league is a little weirder, and maybe that system of relentless control that dominates leagues makes the pointy end of the Champs league harder for them? Great players and moments of inspiration tend to win finals. City aren't built like that.
Pure armchair speculation of course.
