Premier League Thread 2015-16

I think AL has helped a bit, by not being such a twat recently. Bet he had to do a lot of night classes to reach that stage.

 

Do you think the new top four clubs like Leicester (and potentially West Ham) have any chance of poaching any of our players in close season? For example, if Leicester wanted, say, Vic, and were willing to pay the going price, do we need to worry? Essentially, are we adding Leicester and West Ham to the traditional six teams who can get any of our players if they want (thus making it eight teams who can do so - which is approaching half the PL now)?

 

No, I don't think so. Even the pedigree clubs get a hard time from us nowadays. They should use their new found power to get some good players in the summer though, & Champs league will undoubtedly help.

 

Don't see that our players would want to leave us for West Ham and Leicester....that's like a sideways step. One swallow doesn't make a summer...even allowing for this season, these are teams about our level. Next season we could be higher than both of them.

 

Indeed. That new and practically free prestigious stadium is going to be the stepping stone they need to get on a par with Spurs and possibly Arsenal. It'll attract new money and confidence. It's all about perception in the end, and WHU will be perceived as a bigger club. And they'll have to do something remarkably stupid not to take advantage of their very good fortune.

 

http://talksport.com/football/premi...pare-last-season-worst-first-160323189406?p=7

Points position this season compared to last season after 31 games. As expected, results are all over the place....we are -6 on our points tally v last season.

 

Indeed. Last season we faded away. The trick is not to do so this time.

 

People we saying that about Liverpool last season, as they were just ahead of us. But if clubs have the cash or the 'legacy' players may demand a move.

 

It'll be fascinating to see how Leicester build on this season. Realistically you'd have to think they'll struggle to sustain this level of unprecedented success. Throwing new found riches at the squad will potentially create as many problems as it solves; what will become of the much vaunted team spirit if they have to integrate a couple of big name signings? And if they invest in potential rather than rstablished quality, will the potential work out? I think there's as much chance of Leicester finishing 8th next season as there is of top 4. But we'll see.

As for West Ham, I really don't see how they are going to fill that stadium. Being in the Champions League, & being competitive in the PL will obviously help, but they really don't have anything like the support of Arsenal or even spurs. So where are these fans going to come from? Are thousands of East Londoners going to suddenly remember they support West Ham? They'd better start reaching out to some of those East London communities who they've overlooked til now then.

 

I will be surprised if Leicester is as successful next season....only takes a few losses to drop them down the table. I think being top 6 will be a good result for them. This is why I really hope they get the title this season....it's on their record for ever and no one can take it away from them. We came second once and no one but us remembers it. Good luck to them.

 

Step 1 - give away prices
Step 2 - "look Mr Buyer this ground is full of fans - great following and investment opportunity"
Step 3 - sell club and walk away loaded, not giving a ****

 

Think they'll manage that fine for the first 2 years or so, it's after that if they're still not progressing on the pitch that it will be difficult. They've already sold the maximum ST's for a 54,000 capacity which is why they're trying to get it increased to the 60k mark.

As for Leicester I think they'll lose Mahrez n struggle with juggling CL (Surely they will def finish top 3) and the league, agree with you somewhere around 7th/8th which would be decent, I think they will be trying to get back into Europe.

 

Just in case people missed it, Radio 5 did a 90minute programme called Leicester City - The Impossible Team. Must say it was quite enjoyable. There was a feature on Ranieri, then on the players themselves, with interviews from players involved in their journey all the way from League One. One little story tells of Matt Oakley, when he captained them. Then they talk about the the quality of the football they play and how they've confounded every pundit and expert. Then they compared Leicester's possible Premier League achievement, if they do it, to the massive achievements of Nottm Forest [I agree with the Midlands commentator, Pat Murphy, that it still won't be quite up there with Forest if they win the PL, as Forest did so much more besides, but it will be the biggest achievement of the PL so far] and got the opinion of former Forest player and NI manager Martin O'Neill who explained how he sees great similarities in the two sides. Then inevitably Gary Lineker was spoken to, and he explained how every time he's seen Leicester, as a fan in recent years, they've lost. He was planning to go to Old Trafford but he doesn't want to jinx them. Can't take the fan out of the home town boy and player. Then they read out emails, texts and tweets. Enjoyable programme.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b075f3w0

 

Lukaku stating on SSN that he wants to be playing Champions League football next season (where have I heard that before?...)
Good incentive for us to push for 4th position!...

 

Lovely loyal Lukaku, if only there were more of his kind.

 

It is about time that Everton started having their players poached. A summer where the vultures leave us alone, and attack Everton instead, would be some nice respite for us (not that I have anything against Everton. If anything, I admire them for generally being able to keep hold of their players. I don't just mean the likes of Lukaku and Barkley - how were Coleman and Baines not poached in the past? And they can even keep hold of Mirallas, despite hardly ever starting him now).

 

I really like the look of Deolefeu as well.

 

Potentially a cracking player, but iffy attitude if I remember right.

 

Probably angling for a move south...

 

If Palace don't start winning soon, there is a chance they could go down, only 7 points clear of the bottom 3
Some tough games on their run in....

West Ham (a)
Norwich (h)
Everton (h)
Arsenal (a)
Man Utd (a)
Watford (h)
Newcastle (a)
Stoke (h)
Saints (a)