2017-2018 EPL Season Thread

[bksballer89]

So who gets the parting ham sandwich and road map out of town first, Slaven Bilić or Koeman? West Ham truly awful today and just above relegation. I guess the owners have a 3 year plan at West Ham, but in year 2 if they threaten to be relegated the plan goes out the window and so should Bilić.

Sad thing about West Ham is in 2016 they just missed out on UCL. Not sure what happened last season and this season

 

[MrFlyingV]

I see over at ESPN Ozil's day at Arsenal are numbered. Seems that might be true on the German National Team too. After the Confed Cup this summer where the German Youth team won, I saw an article where either Muller or Ozil will be on the WC 2018 team but not both...or at least starting. Ozil hasn't done too much for Germany lately either. Goretzka is going to supplant one of them for sure I believe.

 

[MrFlyingV]

Sheeeeeeit... So likely back to back ass-kickings...

Man, gonna be tough for Koeman to see Leicester... But I'll say they'll give him to then and if we can't pull a good result v. Leicester, he's done.

I heard on Counter Attack show that Koeman needs a result (3 point result) against Chelsea or Arsenal or he won't see Leicester.

 

[Payton]

I heard on Counter Attack show that Koeman needs a result (3 point result) against Chelsea or Arsenal or he won't see Leicester.

It'd honestly be extraordinary to beat either one the way the team is playing right now...

 

[MrFlyingV]

It'd honestly be extraordinary to beat either one the way the team is playing right now...

You might have a chance as neither are world beaters this year. Chelsea losing to Watford right now. That would be losses to Watford, Burnley, Crystal Palace already for them.

 

[Gopherfan84]

Huddersfield Town beats Manchester United for the first time in 65 years today. There have been some weird results this season.

 

[MrFlyingV]

Huddersfield Town beats Manchester United for the first time in 65 years today. There have been some weird results this season.

Shocking win, but well deserved. Wagner is doing an amazing job at Huddlersfield. Great story.

 

[Payton]

You might have a chance as neither are world beaters this year. Chelsea losing to Watford right now. That would be losses to Watford, Burnley, Crystal Palace already for them.

Depends... IMO he needs to put Calvert-Lewin up front with some combo of Mirallas, Lookman or Vlasic and put Sigurdsson at his center mid position. I am truly no tactical wizard, but this is plain as day to me...

On D, we need to sit Ashley Williams until he pulls his head out of his ass, and Martina needs to never be seen again...

I don't know, man... There is some insistence on playing some odd lineups here. I don't see our disorganized rabble winning either match.

 

[potzer25]

2-0 in 11 minutes?

 

[Payton]

Well.... Ownership was watching the shit show today. Koeman might not last the day.

 

[MrFlyingV]

Well.... Ownership was watching the shit show today. Koeman might not last the day.

It was a shit show. Not sure the red card was worthy though so that didn't help. Could have been different early on if Everton had gotten a little luck. The rebound goal showed how lazy Everton was...just standing around watching...can't put that goal on Koeman...but maybe the players have just have had enough and putting him in his "grave" now. I heard he is not a very likeable guy.

 

[MrFlyingV]

2-0 in 11 minutes?

Klopp's defense is failing him again. His Achilles Heel.

 

[Payton]

It was a shit show. Not sure the red card was worthy though so that didn't help. Could have been different early on if Everton had gotten a little luck. The rebound goal showed how lazy Everton was...just standing around watching...can't put that goal on Koeman...but maybe the players have just have had enough and putting him in his "grave" now. I heard he is not a very likeable guy.

Yeah, honestly my initial impressions were positive that Koeman was at least trying some different things with the formation and our energy was good until we conceded the 2nd goal... The officiating was pretty bad. Alexis Sanchez is a puss...

But then there is still the insistence on playing folks in odd positiins. Pay 50 million for a center attacking mid? PLAY HIM THERE!

The failure to get a decent striker and the inability to make it work without one is the undoing... That and leaving every ounce of pace that we DO have out of the lineup match after match...

In a vacuum, I wouldn't crucify Koeman for this particular match, but when you take this result within the context of the past month, its hard to look past it.

 

[MrFlyingV]

Yeah, honestly my initial impressions were positive that Koeman was at least trying some different things with the formation and our energy was good until we conceded the 2nd goal... The officiating was pretty bad. Alexis Sanchez is a puss...

But then there is still the insistence on playing folks in odd positiins. Pay 50 million for a center attacking mid? PLAY HIM THERE!

The failure to get a decent striker and the inability to make it work without one is the undoing... That and leaving every ounce of pace that we DO have out of the lineup match after match...

In a vacuum, I wouldn't crucify Koeman for this particular match, but when you take this result within the context of the past month, its hard to look past it.

Agree. They are still realing from the Lukaku loss. And don't have a replacement for that. That is on management in some ways. Did they really believe Rooney signing was going to fill Lukaku shoes? I hope not.

 

[Payton]

Agree. They are still realing from the Lukaku loss. And don't have a replacement for that. That is on management in some ways. Did they really believe Rooney signing was going to fill Lukaku shoes? I hope not.

I still feel like the acquisition of a striker hinged somehow on selling Barkley, and when that fell through everything else did. There was too much acknowledgement from management that we needed a striker to just turn around and ignore the need. Bottom line there is that its clear we waited too long and were caught without a backup plan it would seem.

 

[Payton]

Ronald Koeman: Everton sack manager after Arsenal defeat

Whew... There's a lot of "Be careful what you wish for." in my thoughts, but... Koeman HAD to go.

The search for the replacement begins...

"There is no reaction to what is going on. The fans have just given up reacting. Apathy is too strong a word but they look like they've had the guts knocked out of them."

Sums it up pretty well...

 

[rsw626]

So who gets the parting ham sandwich and road map out of town first, Slaven Bilić or Koeman? West Ham truly awful today and just above relegation. I guess the owners have a 3 year plan at West Ham, but in year 2 if they threaten to be relegated the plan goes out the window and so should Bilić.

I'm thinking Bilic is definitely gone, but I think they need to make sure to have someone good lined up first, instead of the same old Pardew, Allardyce, Rednapp, Curbishley carousel that happens in England.

 

[Tharvot]

2-0 in 11 minutes?

Klopp's defense is failing him again. His Achilles Heel.

Tottenham have interestingly changed up schemes in their latest big games. They've essentially gone with a back 5 and played the counter attack game vs Dortmund, Real Madrid, and now Liverpool with pretty exceptional results.

Spurs used to play the possession game and tried to push pace that way, so it's really odd to look up at the stats and see only 30-40% possession for them. But, I'll certainly take the results.

Liverpool will never be able to truly take the next step and become league championship contenders or Champions League contenders until they fix their defense. Just inexplicable mistakes. On the flip side, Spurs' depth is very impressive and they appear to be the real deal. The "Wembley Curse" seems to be finally wearing off too.

 

[Tharvot]

Major blow for Spurs this weekend. Kane is out for saturday's match vs Man U with a slight hamstring strain...unknown if he is going to be ok for the mid-week match vs Real Madrid or not.

It was always going to be a difficult game, but w/o Kane it seems the best Spurs can hope for is a draw. Major bummer.

 

[rsw626]

Major blow for Spurs this weekend. Kane is out for saturday's match vs Man U with a slight hamstring strain...unknown if he is going to be ok for the mid-week match vs Real Madrid or not.

It was always going to be a difficult game, but w/o Kane it seems the best Spurs can hope for is a draw. Major bummer.

To be fair, without Kane, the best Spurs could hope for would be mid-table.