EPL 2020/2021
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Some random facts:
It's not how you start, but how you finish
Despite finishing third and second respectively, Liverpool (139 days) and Manchester United (155) both spent more time in the top four than eventual champions Manchester City (130).Leaving in style
He left it late, but Sergio Aguero managed to bow out by breaking Wayne Rooney's Premier League record for the most goals scored with one club. Aguero netted twice against Everton on the final day of the season to take his tally to 184 league goals for City in his final appearance for the club, thus overtaking Rooney.Caught slipping... again
Leicester City suffered a disappointing end to the 2020-21 campaign, missing out on Champions League qualification by a single point on the final day.
Just to compound matters, Brendan Rodgers' side comfortably ended more days inside the top four (242) that any other club this season, only to see it slip away at the very end. The Foxes have spent 93% of the past two seasons (567 days in total) inside the top four, only to finish fifth on both occasions.On the daily
Perhaps Leicester can take some solace in the fact that striker Kelechi Iheanacho became the first Premier League player ever to score on every day of the week in the same season.Wood you believe it?
He may not be the most fashionable player, but Burnley target man Chris Wood must now be ranked among most consistent strikers in the Premier League.
Wood is one of only seven players to have reached the 10-goal mark in each of the past four top-flight seasons, joining Kane, Salah, Jamie Vardy, Alexandre Lacazette, Son Heung-Min and Sadio Mane in the club.And why this season was so different with no crowds...
No place like home?
The 2020-21 Premier League season is the first in the history of England's top-four divisions to see more away wins (153) than home wins (144). The lack of fans in stadiums certainly seems to have had an effect on the notion of "home advantage." -
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@bovidae said in EPL 2020/2021:
@cyclops Looking forward to Emery's press conference. Good ebening. He owns the Europa League.
Yet even he couldn't take Arsenal to that title.
I haven't seen the game yet but from updates it seemed Man U ran out of steam late the 2nd half/start of extra time and yet Ole didn't make any subs?
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@kiwipie said in EPL 2020/2021:
@bovidae said in EPL 2020/2021:
@cyclops Looking forward to Emery's press conference. Good ebening. He owns the Europa League.
Yet even he couldn't take Arsenal to that title.
Only works with Spanish teams.
Another interesting fact. The entire population of Villarreal could fit inside Old Trafford.
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@bovidae said in EPL 2020/2021:
Another interesting fact. The entire population of Villarreal could fit inside Old Trafford.
Yeah I read that as well. Sort of ignores the fact that there's a couple of 100K just across the river in Castellon....
Bit like the population of the City of London could comfortably fit inside Spark Arena
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@kiwipie said in EPL 2020/2021:
@bovidae said in EPL 2020/2021:
@cyclops Looking forward to Emery's press conference. Good ebening. He owns the Europa League.
Yet even he couldn't take Arsenal to that title.
I haven't seen the game yet but from updates it seemed Man U ran out of steam late the 2nd half/start of extra time and yet Ole didn't make any subs?
It was a funny old game. I think both teams only had one shot on target each. First half was pretty drab apart from the goal. Second half, United came to life and pressed for most of it. Shaw, McTominey were very dangerous and Cavani never stopped pressing. On the flip side Rashford was horrific and should have been pulled off early. Absolute 0/10 performance, didn't look interested at all.
United basically quit playing in XT and just sort of mucked around. Villareal had a few opportunities, but their striker never even looked like hitting the target. I think there was literally one save in the match, which was De Gea's penalty.
VR had clearly been working on a shootout strategy. Their defence was rock solid & when it came to the shootout they more or less hit 11 perfect penalties. Even the keepers was unstoppable. Although to be fair, De Gea must be the worst penalty saver in the game, he never even looked close.
An interesting game to watch.
As for Villareal being a small town ... well, that doesn't really make any sort of a point. It's not like all 11 players came from there. I think 1 did.
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@sparky said in EPL 2020/2021:
Is it unfair to say that guy is overrated? Every team he’s coached at the top level has been absolutely stacked.
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@rancid-schnitzel Like every coach he has his strengths and weaknesses. His teams pass the ball and maintain possession superbly and Man City are brilliant at hammering weaker teams 7-0 and have monopolised the League Cup in recent years.
Problem for them has been repeatedly when they come up against the best defences in Europe, they can't unlock them.
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Pep cocked up big time in team selection - and they looked lost for most the game. He finally found his top 11 for Europe, then decided that the attacking midfielder with most goals should play in a holding role rather than the 2 guys who can actually do the job well. Picked Sterling despite him always looking ineffectual against a decent defence and Chelsea just put 5 across the pitch and compressed the space. Very, very strange. Chelsea didn't even have to do that much, just grab a goal and sit back. And should still have sealed it with a second.
Have to say, Kante is an absolute machine. The number of times he gets a foot in to nick the ball away is uncanny yet he still finds time to drive his team forward. Well done Chelsea and Tuchel, a well deserved win.
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Kiss of death for Tuchel. Last Chelsea manager to win the champions league didn't make it to the end of the calendar year...
More seriously, Tuchel's had a funny old career. Was Klopp's successor at Dortmund and massively hyped only be pretty disappointing. Didn't really set the world alight with PSG given the talent available but seems to have landed on his feet at Chelsea. Mid season hires can sometimes produce a dead cat bounce so will be interesting to see how they start the season. They pumped money into than squad, so no real excuses if they don't have a fast start next season.
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Right, can post a proper update now.
I'm a proper proper half assed / plastic Chelsea fan. Although in the opposite vain to many, I think I was a bigger fan before Roman (Raneiri, Hasselbaink, Zola days)and as time goes on, I become less and less interested. The sacking of Frank in January, was pretty much so the nail in the coffin for me.
Anyway, I still followed them and as they made their way through, was quite happy ... and then they made the Champions League final against City. An all-EPL affair. Or so it was supposed to be.
Honest to god, you wouldn't have even known Chelsea are a UK / London club given the build up. It was pretty much so all about City, Pep, Aguero. Yesterday, listening to Virgin radio (a London station), they had interviews with Pep, and comments from a Gallagher. Once the game started, it was pretty much so the same. McManaman and co commentated about one team. What they were doing, what they needed to be doing, the mistake they made which led to the opposition goal.
So it was so god damned satisfying to take the victory and the trophy. Woke up this morning with a genuine smile on my face (and a thumping headache). Cracking result. Up the famous CFC! Might even pop up if there's a parade ....
@rancid-schnitzel said in EPL 2020/2021:
Is it unfair to say that guy is overrated? Every team he’s coached at the top level has been absolutely stacked.
Yeah it is. Pep's an incredible manager.
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Congratulations Chelsea good win. They are a fucking good team with a good manager that will give next year a real shake
Pep fucked that up at the selection table, God knows why.
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If Chelsea want to win the EPL title next year, they either need Tino Werner to score more goals or get a better lead striker. Looks like Ronaldo, Harland, Mbappe and Harry Kane are all on the move this summer. I'm sure Roman Abramovich will be shaking a few of his roubles at some of those gentlemen.
Harry Kane would be perfect for Chelsea.
