Premier League 18/19

[TylerB]

That was some hit by Kompany. Wonder if Lovren fancies doing that for us tomorrow?

 

I've said for many weeks that City would have that little bit too much, so I'm not surprised. They an bring on much better quality than the likes of Origi, Shaqiri and Lallana, although nobody will not convince me that had Liverpool had Oxlade Chamberlain fit all season, or just a chunk of it, then it would have made a difference. Fair play to Leicester, for a team that had nothing to play for other than pride I thought they did extremely well throughout. A couple of good additions in the summer and I fancy them to challenge the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and possibly Manchester United for a 4th place spot.

[RailwayRowdy]

Apart from the top two, it has been another poor Premier League season. 3rd placed Chelsea have lost over a fifth of their games whilst Spurs, in the final Champions League slot, have been defeated on a staggering 13 occasions !

 

There is a total lack of quality throughout the division outside of the top two. Poor fayre from, overall, a poor league.

[Howjy04]

City were very nervous tonight. They were missing the heart of their midfield in De Bruyne and Fernandinho. Will they be fit for Sunday I wonder?

 

The League would have done and dusted in March if De Bruyne had have been fit all season,Jean.Those two players you mention won’t be required on Sunday.Job done in half an hour.

[Twitters]

It doesn't even surprise me anymore that United could only muster a draw away to relegated Huddersfield. I'm not even going to laugh at it. It's kind of sad to see how much they have fallen, and are still falling. I genuinely think there's more chance of them becoming a mid-table club than challenging again anytime in the near future.

 

The ironic thing is had you beaten them in February, you'd have been top of the league and had the title in your own destiny on Sunday.

[Jacko51]

The ironic thing is had you beaten them in February, you'd have been top of the league and had the title in your own destiny on Sunday.

 

And if Mahrez hadn't missed that penalty, it would be all over by now!

 

I agree with Tyler about Leicester. Indeed, the way in which Leicester and Newcastle have worked their nuts off in these last two games reflects well on the integrity of the players in our League.

[TheSage]

City do knock the ball around better than anyone else but Liverpool have been superb for much of the season and entertained me royally as well.

 

If you are a football fan then you'll marvel at how City play. But they've been bankrolled by billionaires and it increasingly annoys me to see the growing divide between the haves and have nots, even in the Premiership. Without hundreds of millions it's impossibly difficult to compete and we end up with the farcical situation that when teams kick off in August the only aim for ten of them is fourth bottom.

 

I don't enjoy games of attack v defence. It takes two good teams playing well at the same time to make a cracking spectacle.

[Fosse69]

City do knock the ball around better than anyone else but Liverpool have been superb for much of the season and entertained me royally as well.

 

If you are a football fan then you'll marvel at how City play. But they've been bankrolled by billionaires and it increasingly annoys me to see the growing divide between the haves and have nots, even in the Premiership. Without hundreds of millions it's impossibly difficult to compete and we end up with the farcical situation that when teams kick off in August the only aim for ten of them is fourth bottom.

 

I don't enjoy games of attack v defence. It takes two good teams playing well at the same time to make a cracking spectacle.

Trouble is City owners are a business running 4 or 5 football clubs around the world, economy of scale and expertise. Could well be that Wolves will go on the same track.

[TylerB]

The ironic thing is had you beaten them in February, you'd have been top of the league and had the title in your own destiny on Sunday.

 

Indeed. Liverpool only have themselves to blame really. I know United were in much better form when we played them at Old Trafford but I never felt we really went for it and were happy enough with a point from the off, which surprised me for a Jurgen Klopp team. That said, it's hard to say that Liverpool lost it more than Man City have won it considering the run they've been on and also the fact that they haven't had a Champions League semi to focus on. As soon as they were knocked out against Spurs I as good as said the title was done and dusted.

[Yukon]

The Liverpool fan on Talksport last night saying they should get a trophy for finishing second is just tremendous

[TylerB]

The Liverpool fan on Talksport last night saying they should get a trophy for finishing second is just tremendous

 

Wasn't me pal, promise.

[TylerB]

On one hand finishing 2nd isn't something that's going to be remembered long term. Liverpool came almost as close a few years ago under Rodgers when we had a front line of Sterling, Suarez and Sturridge. On the other hand it again shows the progress made by Liverpol under Klopp. But 2nd place and Champions League semi's and finals won't wash forever. He really needs to make that final step soon, even if it's just an FA Cup win it would be a start. City will no doubt strengthen next season and you would think De Bruyne, who's obviously a massive player for them, won't be missing for as long as he has been overall in this campaign. So Liverpool must strengthen and sign the right players in the summer. As I've said before another forward is an absolute must. Off the top of my head someone like Timo Wener would be ideal. A goal-poacher, which is something we don't have, and young enough to improve further under Klopp. At times we lack a bit of creativity in midfield so that's another area Klopp should look at.

[TheSage]

It won't get any easier though because everyone will strengthen and the Chelsea and Arsenal managers will have had a season to bed in and begin to push on. Spurs too, with their big new ground, will surely spend more in the summer. It's set fair for another battle at the top but the way City knock the ball around might mean that everyone else is still fighting for second place.

 

I'm crossing my fingers that Liverpool can put on a show tonight and even if they lose they go down fighting. I'm worried they might get tanked as Barca are the last team you want to face with a weakened XI and chasing the game.

 

Could do with a team talk from Shankly!

[philpvfc]

Chelsea won’t strengthen and not sure their manager will be there next season.

[TylerB]

I expect Liverpool to game Barcelona a proper game tonight, but don't see any way to get back in the tie without Salah and Firmino. Not unless Sturridge can be the player he was for a season or two a few years back and we have an awful ot of luck.

 

As for Chelsea mentioned above, with the players they have they should be doing a lot better. Sarri continues to pick the wrong team every week and doesn't actually seem to know what his best 11 is. For me I'd have Kante as the holding midfielder with Loftus-Cheek and Barkley playing ahead of him. Kovacic doesn't do enough and Jorginho isn't really suited to our football, it's often too fast for him. Up front you would go with Hazard, Hudson-Odoi and Giroud. Higuain will score goals when he's 50 if you give him the chances but he's not half the player he was for Napoli a few years back. Giroud isn't world-class but he's better than some give him credit for.

[TylerB]

Considering there's no Salah, Firmino, Oxlade, Keita and Gomez, that's a tremendous first half effort by Liverpool. If they can grab a second it will get very interesting, although I still feel Barcelona will score at least once in the second half as Liverpool tire.

 

Shakiri has been really poor though. If he could find his first few months of the season form it would make a big, big difference.