Leicester than zero? - Premier League 2018/19

[Cesar Rodriguez]

So, all in all Liverpool lost the league when their form dipped in February where they drew 4 games out of 6, dropping points at Old Trafford and Goodison Park.

Overall, I'm glad City have won because I love their fans but I'm equally glad that Liverpool didn't lose so that the narrative was "Liverpool bottled it". They are both excellent sides and whoever didn't win the league has every right to hold their heads high - they are the best ever team not to win a title and probably a damn sight better than 90% of the teams who did won one.

[ad hoc]

You're conflating two different groups of people with very different motivations here. The only thing that they have in common is that they are taking advantage of the laxity of the break even rules. Also, how often does that work? How many times has this successfully been pulled off?

Well money is a single motivation it just works in different ways. The way that the Glazers and Kroenke are making money out of their teams is different from the way that, say, Ashley, is, but ultimately it is all about money. the Glzer/Kroenke method is much less of a gamble, since they can simply siphon money from the company which will go on generating it, whereas clubs further down the scale are much more of a gamble. If you don't make the top flight/stay in it it can all go pear shaped. But ultimately it is all about money. And, sure a lot of people have tried to make money out of buying a football team and ended up losing instead, but that's what high finance is all about, no? Speculating and gambling. To suggest that the majority of these sugar daddies (the ones with no club affiliation/support) are doing this for any reason other than money seems a tad naive.

[Jah Womble]

Ah yes, that was only Spurs's second draw in the Premier League. But 13 defeats - phew!

Yep, our form over the final dozen games was rotten - just eleven points taken from an available 36. It was only thanks to the generosity of Arse and Man Utd that we got away with it: under usual circumstances we'd, well, 'have' to win the CL Final to qualify for next season's competition.

Imagine that.

[Duncan Gardner]

Aye, the Ruckrunde Tabelle (ie 'back straight', results since Boxing Day last year) doesn't look good for Jah's boys(thanks to kicker.de)

[Patrick Thistle]

I thought Solskjaer looked desperate in his post match interviews yesterday. The smile has gone and he had a hunted look.

[Nocturnal Submission]

He doesn't seem to be able to disguise concern particularly well, like many managers are able to do, and has a face which, when he is worried or upset, just makes him look ill. And that's not great for team confidence. Even when things are going badly you need to look at your manager and think that he's got a plan to fix things. OGS just looks terrified.

[Nocturnal Submission]

Yep, our form over the final dozen games was rotten - just eleven points taken from an available 36. It was only thanks to the generosity of Arse and Man Utd that we got away with it: under usual circumstances we'd, well, 'have' to win the CL Final to qualify for next season's competition.

Imagine that.

Never happens.

[EIM]

We're shite. I couldn't even be arsed going to my seat yesterday. Stayed on the concourse drinking with a mate, chatting to security. I'm so glad the season is over.

[johnr]

The demise, apparent rebirth, then subsequent demise of Man U has been one of the few things that made this season bearable. It's uplifting, and hilarious.

[Satchmo Distel]

Aye, the Ruckrunde Tabelle (ie 'back straight', results since Boxing Day last year) doesn't look good for Jah's boys(thanks to kicker.de)

Man City's 54 points in half a season is insane

[Hot Orange]

Manchester City's four defeats came in a nine-game spell in the winter, three of them in four games in December. They lost to Palace, Leicester and Newcastle. That run and those defeats look like a very uncharacteristic blip now, and perhaps they'll think they should have been pushing 110 points.

[Satchmo Distel]

Conversely, Liverpool just needed to win one of those 4 drawn games to hold them off.

At the other end, Brighton and Bournemouth being worse than Cardiff since Xmas must be a worry for them

[Snake Plissken]

It is for my lot - we were worse than them in the first half.

Basically, you need a good run of about 10 matches to stay up.

[Wouter D]

Wasn't there a Man. City fan called Smallcaps who then changed his nom de plume?

Nope. This used to be my nom de plume before moving to my real name.

I followed Manchester United until they ditched Van Gaal for Mourinho.

[Nocturnal Submission]

My mistake. I'm sure there was another Manchester City poster though.

[Jah Womble]

I thought Solskjaer looked desperate in his post match interviews yesterday. The smile has gone and he had a hunted look.

He should be pleased. He's finally got a good result for Cardiff.

[Ray de Galles]

My mistake. I'm sure there was another Manchester City poster though.

I always think diggedy derek is Man City but he's Reading, isn't he?

Another call for mandatory filling in of profile information here.

[Satchmo Distel]

It is for my lot - we were worse than them in the first half.

Basically, you need a good run of about 10 matches to stay up.

Yes, it's notable that the sides at the bottom end need momentum. They're not going to have long sequences of 50-50; much more likely to be 25 games of shit with a 10-13 match spell of redemption at some point. In the case of Brighton, the shit seems to have lasted through the whole second half of the season, after they'd reached 25 points quite quickly (they had 25 after 20; 11 in their last 18). Table after 20 games:

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/...-league-scores

There was more movement in the bottom half than the top, where only Everton (+2) and Watford (-2) moved by more than 1 place from week 20 to week 38.

[Guy Profumo]

The last time either team dropped points was the Merseyside Derby on March 3. I can't recall two sides ever keeping up such a standard in a title run-in, usually there are a few tense draws and shock defeats.

Liverpool would have won the title by a point under 2 points for a win

So.

All Jimmy Hill's fault then.

[Patrick Thistle]

He should be pleased. He's finally got a good result for Cardiff.

Very good

[Ray de Galles]

Jesus's face sums up the foreign players recation;

https://twitter.com/ElliotHackney/status/1127951316834226176

[3 Colours Red]

Otamendi's befuddlement is noteworthy too.

[Tony C]

Phil Foden looked delighted.

[Sporting]

I hate rock. Along with such early childlhood delights as nut brittle, sherbet lemons, love hearts and wine gums, accompanied by lashings of Corona, it paved the way to eventually provide dentists with thousands of pounds and euros of my money.

[Crystal Staples]

My mistake. I'm sure there was another Manchester City poster though.

gav. There's a number after it too.