EPL 14-15

[1-Adam-12]

The rumors of United's demise were greatly exaggerated.

Liverpool, on the other hand...

What's happening with them makes this Evertonian happy. One of the commentators on the United-Liverpool match even said that the Reds, playing the way they are now, might even have trouble with Bournemouth (a Championship side) in an upcoming League Cup match. 

Full disclosure:  Bournemouth are top of the Championship.

Now let's see if the Toffees can get things sorted out, starting tomorrow with a win over QPR.

[AirWarren]

Current EPL Standings.

http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb.html


1  Chelsea 19 46
2  Man City 19 43
3  Man Utd 19 36
4  Southampton 19 33
5  Arsenal 19 33
6  West Ham 19 31
7  Spurs 19 31
8  Liverpool 19 28
9  Swansea 19 28
10  Newcastle 19 26
11  Stoke 19 25
12  Everton 19 21
13  Aston Villa 19 21
14  Sunderland 19 20
15  QPR 19 18
16  West Brom 19 17
17  Hull 19 16
18  Crystal Palace 19 16
19  Burnley 19 16
20  Leicester 19 

[1-Adam-12]

Now here are the top 2 after today:

1. Chelsea  20   14   4   2    44     19    +25
2. Man City 20   14   4   2    44     19    +25

As the commentator said, "Chelsea are 1st by alphabetical order".

Southampton continues to be the surprise.  Looks like they will contend for the Top 5 all season.

Watching this piece on how Saints do it. Very interesting.

Getting worried about Everton.  They were dominated at Hull today.  Could be time for a change at the top.

It's an FA Cup weekend.  Some of the matches I'll be interested in include Everton-West Ham, AFC Wimbledon-Liverpool, Blyth Spartans-Birmingham City and Southampton-Ipswich.  The two Manchester teams have been handed very winnable matches.  (City home to Championship mid-table team Sheffield Wednesday and United away to League 1 bottom-feeder Yeovil.)

AW, your Chelsea side have Watford at the Bridge.

[AirWarren]

That spurs loss today was disappointing. My father in law(spurs fan) was texting the crap out of me. Rubbing it in.

[WPWells]

I'm close to giving up on my Reds. We went up 2-0 in the first half and then conceded 2 in the second half to draw Leicester City

[1-Adam-12]

And Gerrard, looks like, will announce tomorrow that he will not be at Liverpool next season.  May be off to MLS.

Lampard will remain at City till the end of the season, ICYMI.

[1-Adam-12]

No real FA Cup giant killings today though non leaguers Blyth and Southport did make things tight for a couple of Championship teams (Birmingham and Derby County respectively).

Most exciting match was probably Millwall-Bradford who are headed for a replay after a 3-3 draw.

[Lionheart88]

Woo, go Millwall!  No one likes us, we don't care!

[1-Adam-12]

No nonleague teams left now.  Wrexham had a lead on Stoke at 82 minutes but gave up three goals after that.

Gotta say, both Manchesters got taken to the wall by lower league teams.

If we want a real giant killing now, well, AFC Wimbledon, it's all on your shoulders. They have Liverpool at home today.

[1-Adam-12]

What a win for Southampton today.  1-0 over United at Old Trafford.  They are in 3rd place now.

Looks like Saints have to be in the mix for a CL spot the rest of the season.

[VHSCoach2]

Manchester City 0-2 Arsenal

[AirWarren]

Chelsea takes care of Swansea 5 nil yesterday.

[1-Adam-12]

Absolute madness in the FA Cup yesterday and today!

Here are how the top 6 teams in the PL fared:

Chelsea 2-4 Bradford City (L1). Blew a 2-nil lead at home to League One opposition.  That is why Petr Cech is on his way out.

City 0-2 Middlesbrough (Ch).  I had a hard time telling which was the second-place team in the PL and which was the second-place team in the Championship. Middlesbrough bossed nearly the whole game.  Should have really been 5-nil.

Southampton 2-3 Crystal Palace.  All goals in the first half. Saints missed several golden chances.

Cambridge (L2) 0-0 Man Utd. The Cambridge keeper was better than brilliant. He kept out shots by Van Persie and Di Maria in stoppage time. The U's are going to at least make a lot of money going to Old Trafford for the replay.

Arsenal play Brighton tomorrow away.

Spurs 1-2 Leicester.  A late Foxes goal derails Tottenham.

That's right. The top 6 clubs in the PL go 0-1-4 with one to play. All four of the losses AT HOME.

Magic all over the place. The first time the top 3 teams in the league have lost in the same FA Cup round since 1900, and NEVER all of them at home, until now.

[AirWarren]

Premier league leader Chelsea is currently leading Paris-St.Germain 1-nil in a UEFA Champions League matchup. With them sitting atop the EPL and looking to make a great run in the UEFA, it looks like the typical Jose Mourinho brilliance in letting the FA cup chances go in order to win these two important cups.

[AirWarren]

A far as the EPL:

Top 5

Chelsea 59 points
Manchester City 52 points
Manchester United 47 points
SouthHampton 46 points
Arsenal 45 points

[AirWarren]

PSG with the equalizer from Cavanni. 1-1 in the 63rd minute.

[AirWarren]

Chelsea ends with a 1-1 tie. Heading to Stamford Bridge for the knockout round.

[AirWarren]

Burnley and the refs equalize with Chelsea this morning 1-1.

Now granted, Matic should have never retaliated like he did but come on. Bunch of BS calls in that match. I'm hoping city loses today. Getting too close for comfort.

[AirWarren]

Chelsea beats Tottenham today for the capital one cup. 2-0.

[WPWells]

Liverpool keeps climbing up the table. We got 3 points against City on Sunday

[1-Adam-12]

Beginning to get a little nervous about Everton.  They are doing well in Europa League but are they doing it at the expense of the domestic campaign?  If they keep slipping up like they have in the last few weeks, they may find themselves in a relegation scrap.

Baines being hurt does not help matters at all.

[LighthouseSoccer]

Any La Liga fans around or just EPL?  Pretty interesting race at the top after this weekend in Spain.

[Lionheart88]

I follow it a little, but not too much.  I like Athletic Bilbao just because of how quirky they are.  Imagine if FC Dallas essentially declared itself the Texas National Team, refused to take players unless they had Texan ancestry, and were still the 4th most successful team in the league (a league with an 85 year history, no less!).

[WPWells]

I'm a huge supporter of Athletic Bilbao as well

[VHSCoach2]

Burnley 1-0 Manchester City. Fulltime.

WOW! 

[AirWarren]

Burnley 1-0 Manchester City. Fulltime.

WOW! 

Hahahaha. Love it!!!!!!!

[AirWarren]

Chelsea ties with Southhampton and man city loses to Burnley. What a wild weekend of EPL matches.

[1-Adam-12]

Everton back off the schneid with a win over Newcastle.

Also Sunderland just sacked their manager.  Well they should, they are now only one point ahead of Burnley for the first relegation spot.

[LighthouseSoccer]

I follow it a little, but not too much.  I like Athletic Bilbao just because of how quirky they are.  Imagine if FC Dallas essentially declared itself the Texas National Team, refused to take players unless they had Texan ancestry, and were still the 4th most successful team in the league (a league with an 85 year history, no less!).

As a Texan raised to have way too much pride in his state, I kinda like that idea.  And I would even go as far to say that it would be more like Arkansas doing that.  Basque Country is a pretty small area.  But yes, it's hard not to feel sympathetic towards a team like Bilbao, even if their philosophy comes out of a staunch nationalism that has also produced terrorism and violence in that part of Spain.  Tiny little Eibar is another cool story coming out of La Liga this year. 

I have been a huge follower of Atletico Madrid for many years.  This is a fun time to follow them.  They have put it to the La Liga giants of late.  I hope they can make another strong run in the Champions Leage.  I have yet to meet an Atletico fan in Arkansas... Are there any out there? 

[Lionheart88]

I have a friend who's half Spanish and grew up for a while in Madrid before his folks split up and he came back to America with his mom.  He's a big Real fan.  Don't know if I know any fans of Atleti though.  Fun fact: Atletico was originally founded as Athletic Club de Madrid by some Basque students living in Madrid who intended it to function as a wing of their childhood team, Athletic Bilbao.  That's why there's a marked similarity in the crests and colors of the two sides even today.

[LighthouseSoccer]

There are way too many Real fans around here. Haha.  I am very thankful to the Basques for creating Atletico de Madrid.

[AirWarren]

Did any of you see the Charlie Adam goal this weekend during the Chelsea/stoke match?

[1-Adam-12]

Saw it on the highlights.  Sorry I missed it live.

Time to look at promotion/relegation scenarios with the season nearing the run-in.

Currently the three promoted teams from last season (Leicester, Burnley, QPR) are headed right back from whence they came.  But a bad run-in for some of the teams above them might spell trouble.

Hull in particular has a tough schedule coming (Southampton away, Liverpool home, Palace away, Arsenal home, Burnley home, Spurs away).  The Burnley match may be a key for the Tigers to stay up.

Villa and QPR (25) just played out a 3-3 draw.  With this run, QPR has problems.  Chelsea home, West Ham home, Liverpool away, Man City away, Newcastle home, Leicester away.  That last match may or may not decide what team stays up.

Other teams near the bottom, with their run-ins:

Villa (28) also has a tough go.  Spurs away, Man City away, Everton home, West Ham home, Southampton away, Burnley home.

Burnley (26): Not as hard a run.  Arsenal home, Everton away, Leicester home, West Ham away, Hull home, Villa away.

Sunderland (29):  Palace home, Stoke away, Southampton home, Everton away, Leicester home, Arsenal away.  If they are in the bottom 3 going into the last week, they likely will exit the Prem.

Leicester (22): West Brom away, Swansea home, Burnley away, then the last three at home:  Chelsea, Newcastle, Southampton.  Let's wait and see.

How about promotion?  AFC Bournemouth (77) and Norwich (76) currently occupy the two automatic spots but Watford (76) and Middlesbrough (75) are right on their heels.  Derby County and Wolves (71), Brentford (70) and Ipswich Town (68) will contest the other playoff spots.

Bournemouth is the story of the Championship season.  Only promoted from League One last season, the Cherries are trying to do what Norwich did a few seasons back, two straight promotions.  They have never been in the top flight since their founding in 1890.  If Brentford were to make it they would be in the top-flight for the first time since 1946.

[1-Adam-12]

Big win for Leicester yesterday.  They have now given themselves a chance to stay up but a couple more wins, at least, are still needed.

Everton have got on a bit of a roll so it looks like I can rest easy.

I think Sunderland will go down along with two of the three promoted teams from last season.  They have looked terrible lately.  Gave up a hat trick in 11' to a Crystal Palace midfielder who had only one other goal this season.   

Just which two of those teams it will be, I can't tell right now.  Hull had also better watch out, but I think they will just about stay up.

[AirWarren]

I look for Chelsea to seal the deal on the relegation fate of QPR this morning.

[AirWarren]

Fabregas scores chelsea's 100th goal of the EPL season. 1-0 so far.

[AirWarren]

Chelsea beats QPR 1-0. QPR likely dropping after this loss. It's weird though, they seemed to be loaded with athletes across the pitch.

[1-Adam-12]

Just don't get it AW.  The Hoops have the athletes to compete at a pretty high level, but they seem to lack leadership, whether on or off the field.

I would love it if Burnley stayed up on the budget they have.  Heard something that their entire team cost $12 million less than it cost Spurs to acquire Erik Lamela ($20 million).

[Lionheart88]

I would love it if Burnley stayed up on the budget they have.  Heard something that their entire team cost $12 million less than it cost Spurs to acquire Erik Lamela ($20 million).

Ah, the majestic absurdity or promotion/relegation.  I wish we had it in the US.


Imagine a world where Junction City just kept winning, and eventually found themselves playing conference games against El Dorado, or Pine Bluff, or North Little Rock.  Imagine a world where faltering programs like North Pulaski or DeQueen (in American Football) could drop to a level where they were competitive, even if it meant being in conference with the likes of Woodlawn, Poyen, or Benton Harmony Grove.

[1-Adam-12]

They actually discussed this in relation to MLS on their morning program on satellite radio a few days ago.  Their verdict was it would not be workable.

Let's say that FC Dallas has a bad year and finishes last in their division in MLS, and also let's say that a promotion/relegation is now in place.  Would the same sponsorship and fan backing accompany that team when they are in the NASL? The folks on that show tend to doubt that.  The big corporate brass just do not want to pony up to a second-level club.

What could then happen is what's about to happen to Wigan Athletic.  They were the toast of the footballing world less than two years ago when they beat Manchester City for the FA Cup. They were relegated to the Championship the next week.  Now, they are in very dire straits, about to take a second drop to League One. They are seven points adrift of safety with four games to play and are on their third manager this season.

[AirWarren]

I would love it if Burnley stayed up on the budget they have.  Heard something that their entire team cost $12 million less than it cost Spurs to acquire Erik Lamela ($20 million).

Ah, the majestic absurdity or promotion/relegation.  I wish we had it in the US.


Imagine a world where Junction City just kept winning, and eventually found themselves playing conference games against El Dorado, or Pine Bluff, or North Little Rock.  Imagine a world where faltering programs like North Pulaski or DeQueen (in American Football) could drop to a level where they were competitive, even if it meant being in conference with the likes of Woodlawn, Poyen, or Benton Harmony Grove.

I love soccers put up or shut up mentality. You want a shot at the big boys then come on. If you fail, you relegate back down. Your junction city example is prime example. Of course a team with the advantages they have love where they are. Easy wins in a weak conference.

Great analysis. Why I love soccer!

[AirWarren]

Chelsea downs Manchester united 1-0.

[AirWarren]

My man Eden hazard scores in the 38th minute for the win.


Hazard has had an awesome year!

[VHSCoach2]

It should be noted that it is interesting how Leicester City is making a late-season run to avoid relegation similar to Sunderland last season.  Leicester is currently tied with Hull City with 28 points, thanks to three consecutive victories, while Sunderland is just ahead of these two squads with 29 points.

Sunderland: 29 points, 32 matches played, 5 wins, 14 draws, 13 losses, -23 goal differential
Hull City: 28 points, 32 matches played, 6 wins, 10 draws, 16 losses, -16 goal differential

RELEGATION ZONE:
Leicester City: 28 points, 32 matches played, 7 wins, 7 draws, 18 losses, -17 goal differential
Queens Park Rangers: 26 points, 33 matches played, 7 wins, 5 draws, 21 losses, -21 goal differential
Burnley: 26 points, 33 matches played, 5 wins, 11 draws, 17 losses, -25 goal differential

It's going to be a fun race down the stretch at the bottom of the table since the top spot is all but locked up by Chelsea.

[AirWarren]

Love some EPL.

[beach bum]

Liverpool and Tottenham!!!!!!!!!!!

[WPWells]

Hoping Liverpool can find a way to salvage a top 4 finishes. That's all that can salvage this season at this point

[AirWarren]

Liverpool and Tottenham!!!!!!!!!!!

GAG. SPIT. BARF.

[VHSCoach2]

Liverpool and Tottenham!!!!!!!!!!!

GAG. SPIT. BARF.

+1

We know it's all about Arsenal 

[Lionheart88]

Liverpool and Tottenham!!!!!!!!!!!

Down with the Reds, up with the People's Club!