EPL 2023/2024
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@KiwiPie said in EPL 2023/2024:
Arsenal: Decent enough choke again, the loss vs Villa the difference between 1st and 2nd
No way that was a choke, Arsenal had a great season and just didn't quite get enough points for the title, no disgrace in that. In Arteta's 4 full seasons, their points totals have been
61 (8th)
69 (5th)
84 (2nd)
89 (2nd)For a young manager in his first role with a team that he has built himself, that is very impressive. The next step is to strengthen in key areas an improve the depth so that he can make sure his gun players get enough rest. In those 4 seasons, Saka has only missed 9 league games while also playing a World Cup and I think you can see at times that he loses his spark.
Especially when you consider that City also lost to Villa. Losing to Forest early in the season probably the biggest mark against them.
Arteta is really looking like something special at the moment. Even able to make Kai Havertz look like a success. Been a lot of spending though - do they have another big summer spend in them or are they tapped out and just going to tinker at the edges and make some small adjustments?
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i struggle to give even a solitary little fuck about Man City's alleged over-spending when you consider:
Manchester United have annual revenues of $824 million, have spent $445 million on transfers in the last 2 seasons, and have an annual wage bill of $180 million.
To come 8th, 31 points behind city.This sport, especially in England, is absolutely awash in money. Having a bit more than your competitors isn't the cheat code some seem to think.
Can Burnley hope to compete with City? No. Can every other team at the top of the tree in England? Yes. -
Define top of tree?
The likes of City have enjoyed the beneficence of billionaire owners but now are doing everything in their power to prevent others e.g. Newcastle from doing the same.
There are two power plays in progress.
United, Liverpool, City, Spurs, Arsenal Chelsea don't want anyone else gatecrashing their little party.
The rest of the EPL think similarly about the Championship and wider pyramid.
Half the EPL clubs are owned by yanks who think the whole notion of promotion / relegation is the devil's work.
I'm not particularly agitated by City's transgressions. I especially don't think it has anything much to do with Peps era. It is interesting though jhow quickly smaller clubs get penalised compared to the years City's drama has / will drag on.
I just don't like one side dominating a competition - be that United or City the Crusaders or the Blues, Tiger Woods or Verstappen.
The delight in sport is its unpredictability. Take that away and it gets boring. It's a big part of the joy of supporting Fulham. You never know WTF you're going to get.
How long would my moral superiority last if Shahid Khan was able to spend some of his billions to elevate us into the CL? It'd evaporate in a nano-second, but it's never going to happen because it's a closed shop.
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That's exactly how I feel Mr Meat. I've followed football my whole life and it has always been sleazy. Now the sleaze is of a different type but I just try to enjoy the actual game for what it is.
The reason City have dominated for the past few years is of course their money but also a planned approach to team/squad building. For example when Rodri first arrived to take over from Fernandinho, he was interchanged with him a lot and it was thought he would never be as good - by the time Fernandinho retired, Rodri was good enough that he wasn't missed. Similarly with David Silva, Yaya Toure etc.
On Chelsea, I actually think the best thing that happened for Poch was having so many injuries that he was forced to stick with
Caicedo Gallagher
Palmer Madueke Mudryk
Jackson
for a few games and they have all benefited from having a settled system and personnel. For the first half of the season, he had so many players he kept on shifting them around and trying to find a system for them.On Brighton, they actually had a good season up until half-way - 30 points from 19 games and into the final 16 of the Europa League. In 2024, it fell apart - 18 points from 19 games. I'm sure they will be fine with a good manager (after McKenna of Ipswich apparently), their injured players returning and a couple of obscure South Americans who turn out to be superstars.
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@dogmeat we are competing in the top 6 regularly now, but I wouldn't put Spurs in with the likes of Chelsea, City, and Utd especially. I don't think anyone could accuse us of trying to buy titles, in fact one of the longstanding gripes from Spurs fans is the our tightwad chief executive
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@KiwiPie said in EPL 2023/2024:
Arsenal: Decent enough choke again, the loss vs Villa the difference between 1st and 2nd
No way that was a choke, Arsenal had a great season and just didn't quite get enough points for the title, no disgrace in that. In Arteta's 4 full seasons, their points totals have been
61 (8th)
69 (5th)
84 (2nd)
89 (2nd)For a young manager in his first role with a team that he has built himself, that is very impressive. The next step is to strengthen in key areas an improve the depth so that he can make sure his gun players get enough rest. In those 4 seasons, Saka has only missed 9 league games while also playing a World Cup and I think you can see at times that he loses his spark.
I have nothing but praise for Arteta and what he's achieved with the club. Also for the Arsenal management for resisting the urge to drop him after a couple of mixed opening seasons.
Perhaps the choke tag more apt for Liverpool after this season, although given the terrible December of Arsenal, you could argue that they choked back then.
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@canefan said in EPL 2023/2024:
@dogmeat we are competing in the top 6 regularly now, but I wouldn't put Spurs in with the likes of Chelsea, City, and Utd especially. I don't think anyone could accuse us of trying to buy titles, in fact one of the longstanding gripes from Spurs fans is the our tightwad chief executive
The big 6 aren't about buying titles. It's more about making sure that their revenue streams aren't diluted by others joining them at the top of the pile.
Truth is that you can't really buy a title now. Winning the EPL is much more about your manager/team than money. City vs United is clear and obvious proof of that. Newcastle have as much money behind them as anybody else, as well as a superb up and coming manager, but they don't even look close to title contention.
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@dogmeat said in EPL 2023/2024:
@antipodean said in EPL 2023/2024:
ery few teams have lost while leading at Xmas. In fact if memory serves me correctly, that sad claim to fame is Liverpool's.
Mate it happened this year - and last year
It happens almost exactly half the time
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How often do Christmas leaders go on to win the title?
We look at the good news and bad news for Arsenal after they secured the Christmas No 1 spot
When it happens to other teams I neither acknowledge nor care
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Chelsea left out of pocket?
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Really?
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It's been confirmed by the club. Poch out.
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@dogmeat said in EPL 2023/2024:
@canefan said in EPL 2023/2024:
we are competing in the top 6 regularly now, but I wouldn't put Spurs in with the likes of Chelsea, City, and Utd especially
koff koff European Super League
I was more referring to our level of player investment. But yes we did try to get into the ESL, better to be in the tent looking out and on the outside looking in
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Fulham certainly gave us the epitome of an up and down season. Beat or go very close against the top teams and lose to those around and below us. Will be tough next year because doesn’t Khan spend a lot.
I remember when Khan first arrived he apparently had to be told about promotion / relegation rules cos his other team, the Jackson Jaguars frequently bottom of the NFL but no relegation means a crowd of 90,000 every fortnight.
Team of the year and coach of the year goes to Aston Villa for me.
I get my laughs from the clown on YouTube who supports Manure.
Chelsea FC can confirm that the Club and Mauricio Pochettino have mutually agreed to part ways.
