Well, Swansea didn't win, but I think they will still stay far enough away from Hull. The title was done in about November. The current top 4 will be the top 4. Apart from shuffling 9th-15th a bit, it's the least dramatic season ever.
The Premier League Thread
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Well, Swansea didn't win, but I think they will still stay far enough away from Hull. The title was done in about November. The current top 4 will be the top 4. Apart from shuffling 9th-15th a bit, it's the least dramatic season ever.
After losing to Liverpool (round 17), they were 9th in the table and 20 points behind Chelsea (we were actually one point ahead of them). 16 points behind 2nd, and 11 points behind 4th.
Even after picking up four points from their next two games and moving up to 7th, they finished the half way stage 22 points behind Chelsea. 16 points behind 2nd, and 10 points behind 4th
They are now 19 points behind Chelsea, having played one extra game. So even if Chelsea were to win that game in hand, they'd still have only picked up the same number of points as Everton since January 1st. The gap to 2nd is down to 6 points, albeit having played two extra games; and the gap to 4th is down to 5 points, albeit having played one game more.
Back-to-back away games next for them against Liverpool and Utd. They'll be a test of how far Everton have come, and whether they are in with a shout of a top four finish. Slip up in both, and they won't be moving from 7th.
Yeah, home to Boro next for Swansea is a great opportunity for them to put these back-to-back defeats behind them - and finish Boro and Sunderland off at the same time.
Only thing to get me the slightest bit excited is seeing Hull have back-to-back homes games now against West Ham and Boro. If they could win both of them, then things would look a little different.
(Of course you can also extract from the above that Boro therefore have back-to-back away games, after tomorrow, against Swansea and Hull. And moreover, they are then followed by home to Burnley. But Boro can't score, and have a hellish run-in thereafter. Them getting anything from those three games would just be them trying to plaster over a gaping wound, in my view)
Partly depends on how much Man Utd want it. Look at Liverpool last season, they ended up binning the league completely to focus on the EL (OK they were fighting for top 6, whereas Utd are fighting for top 4, so maybe Liverpool weren't making as great a sacrifice - but then again, it did leave them with no consolation prize; Utd know they are in the EL next season at an absolute minimum. So maybe it was a greater sacrifice made by Liverpool?)
And even if Utd do try their best to finish top 4, whilst juggling the EL, they are still going to have to deal with a fixture backlog. I have seen one online report suggesting that they tried to our game against them rearranged for after the end of the season, to avoid having so many to play in such a short timeframe. Immediately, advantage Arsenal and Liverpool.
I can't see Everton spoiling the party, but if they do well in those next two games of theirs that they have just mentioned, then they would become a real shout. And it might even see them keep Lukaku.
And if Liverpool win at City tomorrow, it could jeopardise City's top 4 chances. Would be funny to see Arsenal finish 7th and having to go into the EL qualifying rounds if United either finish outside Top4 and fail to win EL. If United were to win EL and finish 4th, the 5th placed won't be best pleased at all.
Another convincing display today.....
'I see back to back clean sheets for Tomkins at Palace. But I have to keep reminding myself Fonte is by far the superior defender. Still, we are better off without him and Bilic knows best.'
Not sure KUMB have taken to him as yet.
I mean... 
'I see back to back clean sheets for Tomkins at Palace. But I have to keep reminding myself Fonte is by far the superior defender. Still, we are better off without him and Bilic knows best.'
Not sure KUMB have taken to him as yet.
I mean... 
Another convincing display today.....
'I see back to back clean sheets for Tomkins at Palace. But I have to keep reminding myself Fonte is by far the superior defender. Still, we are better off without him and Bilic knows best.'
Not sure KUMB have taken to him as yet.
Looks like they know sarcasm at KUMB.
Arsenal have always been lucky. The time they were relegated from the top division they were invited back in, I believe. No doubt if they do fail, circumstances will come to their aid.
Well, they might have different rules. It wasn't in Claret either. Oh dear.But it wasn't in blue
https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...s-the-same-as-ronald-koemans?CMP=share_btn_tw
Guardian article on the subject, comparing the two of them.
Typical good Guardian article. Hit all the right points with the right weight. If anything, I thought the author a bit kind to Koeman though.
Ok so we were wrong. He's not a lying Dutchman, he's a hypocritical, lying Dutchman.
He'll always be a snake to us, but the wider football community can have him as a contract breaking money taking hypocrite. Done.