EPL 16/17
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@MajorRage the comp needs something. It started so promising, but has really degenerated. Chelsea are great, Spurs are pretty good, but not really top draw. City, liverpool and Man U have serious flaws holding them back, and Arsenal have fallen in a heap. Meaning the "race for the top 4" is a 4 way shit-fight of mediocrity (highlighted by their absolute failure in Europe).
And there are some very ordinary teams in the mid-table down section. The whole season is just a bit "meh"
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Plenty happening in tonight's round of matches.
As it stands with Chelsea leading Man City 2-1 and Spurs down to Swansea, the title is headed Chelsea's way.
West Ham now 10.0 for relegation.
Leicester safe, their odds of relegation before they sacked Ranieri were 3.3, now > 100/1.
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Plenty happening in tonight's round of matches.
As it stands with Chelsea leading Man City 2-1 and Spurs down to Swansea, the title is headed Chelsea's way.
West Ham now 10.0 for relegation.
Leicester safe, their odds of relegation before they sacked Ranieri were 3.3, now > 100/1.
Chelsea hold out for a 2-1 but Spurs come back from 1-0 down in the 88th minute to win 3-1! Keeps the title race alive at a 7 point margin - 10 points would have been too much in 8 games.
Bournemouth come back to draw with Liverpool, the Arse beat the Hammers, Hull are out of the bottom 3 after beating Boro and Swansea are in - could be a dogfight to avoid that last spot with a few teams needing a couple of wins.
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Wow .. this is getting very very interesting!!!
4 points is still 2 games though .. and with only 6 to play ...Chelsea have Southampton, Everton, Boro, West Brom, Watford and Sunderland ... .Spurs have leicester, palace, arsenal, west ham, united and hull ...
Chelsea run in definitely easier ... but have they got the bottle?
Was this time last year when Spurs started falling over - have they learned from that?
Brilliant season.
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@MajorRage said in EPL 16/17:
Wow .. this is getting very very interesting!!!
4 points is still 2 games though .. and with only 6 to play ...Chelsea have Southampton, Everton, Boro, West Brom, Watford and Sunderland ... .Spurs have leicester, palace, arsenal, west ham, united and hull ...
Chelsea run in definitely easier ... but have they got the bottle?
Was this time last year when Spurs started falling over - have they learned from that?
Brilliant season.
Chelsea won't stumble more from here. No chance
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No let up at the top with all the top 7 constantly winning, any slips are ruthlessly exploited.
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To lose 7 consecutive FA Cup semi-finals (the last one they won was when Gazza was still there) is an impressive show of consistency for Spurs.
EPL relegation looks like a straight Hull v Swansea fight with Hull's home form making them favourites to stay up. Burnley looking the sucker who may take a fall on the final day now they have started being beaten at home.
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Shows how far the EPL has slipped from people's view, that there hasn't been a post in nearly a month, despite the season having only a game to go.
Chelsea won obviously.
Spurs 2nd.
3rd to 5th will be decided on the last day, with City and Liverpool needing to win to stay in the top 4 (City are probably safe even if they lose unless Arsenal have an extraordinary result), and Arsenal trying to do their usual and finish 4th.Man U gave the league away a week ago when Spurs humped them, and have all their eggs in the Europa League final to get in to the Champs league. They'll come 6th.
Relegation already done as well, with Sunderland, Middlesbrough, and Hull heading down.
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I think city are safe with a draw too. Their goal difference to arsenal is 5 so if they lose by 2 then arsenal need to win by 3. They're both playing teams in the bottom quarter so I can see arsenal racking up the goals but I can't see city going down.
This is arsenal though, they have an uncanny ability to finish 4th no matter how good or bad their season has been. Liverpool more likely to miss out you'd think.
If Man U win europa does the epl qualify 5 teams or does the 4th placed team miss out? I recall spurs missing out to Chelsea the last time Chelsea won the champions league.
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Arsenal needed West Ham to at least draw with Liverpool to have a realistic chance of finishing in the top 4. I can't see Liverpool losing or drawing at home to Middlesbrough or ManC losing to Watford. So the Europa League it will be.
The situation is:
- Tottenham and Chelsea are already guaranteed two of the four Champions League places
- The top three in the league go into the group stage, fourth place must negotiate a play-off
- England could have five teams in the Champions League next season, if ManU win the Europa League
For the Europa League:
- England has three places in the Europa League: FA Cup winners, League Cup winners, fifth place
- With Arsenal and Chelsea contesting the FA Cup final, and ManU having won the League Cup final, the two cup places will be re-allocated to the league, meaning sixth and seventh also qualify
- Everton are guaranteed to finish seventh, so have a place in the Europa League third qualifying round
The only possible twist comes if ManU win the Europa League – then England will only have two slots in the competition: one for Everton, and one for whoever else misses out on the top four with ManU, who will instead go into the Champions League.
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So Huddersfield or Reading to get promoted - I remember when Huddersfield were last in Div 1 (early 70s) when I was a lad. Reading (like Hull) have bounced up and down a couple of times in recent years. Jaap Stam (ex Man U) at Reading has done well and David Wagner is a manager on the rise at Huddersfield - they made a great start but looked to be limping along by season's end (whereas Fulham and Sheff W were flying).
Well done to Chelsea on winning the title for the 2nd time in 3 seasons - interesting that the winner in the past 2 seasons has had no European football, that seems the only way to keep a settled side to gain the consistency necessary to win a title. Spurs worthy runners-up, clearly the 2nd best in the league but not quite good enough for top spot (yet). Imagine they may struggle next season playing at Wembley. City and Arsenal have underperformed against expectations, Liverpool probably as per expectations and just too many poor results against weaker sides. Man U managed a huge unbeaten run which took them all the way from 6th to ....... 6th.
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There's an awful lot of disdain for Reading in the Championship because of the negative way they approach the game.
Certainly it seems like they parked the bus against Fulham and the two goals they got across the two legs both had a sniff of controversy - plus their goalie had his best game of the season on Wed
Still they're in with a chance and we're back in the Championship with the vultures already circling to pick over the bones of our team.
9-1 we beat Huddersfield home and away in the league 9-1!