The Barclays Premier League thread 2015/2016

[Chris2K]

I don't know why I keep reading about it when it makes me feel sick every time, but here's a quote from the girl involved in the Adam Johnson case:

"He asked me when I was 16."

[stokeriño]

7 minutes ago, Chris2K said:

I don't know why I keep reading about it when it makes me feel sick every time, but here's a quote from the girl involved in the Adam Johnson case:

"He asked me when I was 16."

I see he's learned some lessons from those who said things like "lol I'll pretend u said 18"...just probably not quite the lessons he should have done.  

[Whisper]

1 hour ago, Noah said:

As unrealistic as I feel top 4 is now, Mad Jack still technically had a point before. City lost and even though Arsenal and Spurs are further out of reach, we are still really no further back from that top 4, than we were going into the weekend.

The people that make the decisions would currently be thinking "Why sack him now? We're still only 2 games back and City have a hard run home, with a few extra games in various competitions to tire themselves out in. So clearly Van Gaal can still do it and if he does we don't have to admit we were wrong."

The same was said at Christmas and here we are two months later...

We have just as difficult a run in as City do since we have to play all of the top 4 still. The difference being that we won't win the games we *should* be winning. We're far too inconsistent.

See: Southampton at home, Norwich at home and Sunderland away, to name but a recent few.

Edit - On a more positive note. Pleased about the decision to name a stand after Sir Bob. All round lovely fella and much deserved for everything he's done for us. Possibly our greatest ever player. Certainly the most influential.

[Noah]

I definitely agree. I just feel that as long as it's still technically possible to finish top 4, they'll continue to drag their feet and hope that they wont have to do anything.

[The Lusophone]

The only thing getting rid of LVG now does is bring in Jose earlier if he's coming and sidelines Mata, one of our best players this season.

[DavidMarrio]

I've just seen a form table and Spurs in their last 10 games have gotten just under half their total points so far this season (25 points in 10, 51 points after 26 games) 

Hitting form at the perfect time. 

[Noah]

15 minutes ago, David Marrio said:

I've just seen a form table and Spurs in their last 10 games have gotten just under half their total points so far this season (25 points in 10, 51 points after 26 games) 

Hitting form at the perfect time. 

It's their year?

[DavidMarrio]

49 minutes ago, Noah said:

It's their year?

I hope not...

[Lineker]

Amazing.

[Baddar]

Is he the only PL manager on twitter? 

[Lineker]

Garry Monk is; not that he's a PL manager atm.

[Adam]

Ronald Koeman is on Twitter too.

[Just Joe]

Massive Lads Fan

[Lineker]

The Premier League has discussed offering clubs a financial bonus for progressing to the later rounds of the Europa League as part of an attempt to prevent England losing one of its four Champions League spots.

Amid wide-ranging discussion about fixture congestion and scheduling, ways to incentivise clubs to take the Europa League more seriously were also debated at the latest Premier League meeting.

The league is at risk of losing its fourth Champions League spot to Serie A from 2017-18, though Uefa said that at the halfway mark of this season’s competitions English clubs narrowly retained third place from Italy in the coefficient table that measures results for the past five years.

At last week’s Premier League shareholders meeting there is believed to have been broad discussion around ideas that could help ease fixture congestion, including the possibility of scrapping FA Cup replays or two-leg League Cup semi-finals.

In recognition that reaching the later stages of the Europa League can impact on the coefficient ranking, there is understood to have been discussion of whether a portion of the Premier League’s £8.3bn TV deal could offer a financial bonus to successful clubs.

Although Fulham and Chelsea have progressed to the final since it replaced the Uefa Cup, clubs have generally considered it more of a burden than an opportunity.

The ideas were discussed in the context of helping English clubs improve their performances in Europe but also overlap with a belief at the Football Association that the time has come to debate fixture congestion in a rounded way, with the aim of helping the national team.

The FA chief executive, Martin Glenn, is believed to have said in an exchange of letters with Manchester City, prompted by the club’s fury over the scheduling of their FA Cup fifth-round tie with Chelsea, that it was time to discuss the calendar and related issues in a more strategic fashion. There is understood to be broad agreement between the FA and the Premier League that it is time to take another look at the crowded fixture calendar.

The Premier League has long argued a winter break would be practical only if FA Cup replays were scrapped. Other suggestions could include moving FA Cup ties to midweek.

The last time a range of radical ideas to reform the FA Cup was considered, under the previous FA chairman David Bernstein, a decision was made to maintain the status quo and improve the promotion of the tournament. Under the broadcasting deal with the BBC and BT Sport, it is generally felt the FA Cup is a much improved proposition. Any tinkering with the format would be a long-term consideration, with changes impossible to implement until the TV deal ends in 2018.

[Baddar]

I think a guaranteed CL spot should be enough of a motivation to win the Europa League from now on.

[Lineker]

Quote

The Professional Game Match Officials Limited is investigating after Mark Clattenburg joined a management agency that also represents players.

Last Friday Catalyst4Soccer announced via Twitter that the 40-year-old Premier League referee was a new client.

It is understood Clattenburg had been granted permission in principle by the PGMOL, the group responsible for officials in English football, to gain help in managing his off-field activities such as after-dinner speaking and charity appearances. But the PGMOL is believed to have been unaware it would involve an agency also representing players until Friday’s announcement. It is now understood to be looking into the matter because of concerns about the potential for a conflict of interest and how the arrangement may be perceived.

Also among Catalyst4Soccer’s clients is the Manchester City goalkeeper Willy Caballero, who was on the bench for his side’s defeat to Tottenham at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

Clattenburg refereed that game and was at the centre of controversy after he awarded a penalty to Spurs having judged Raheem Sterling to have been guilty of a handball, something replays cast considerable doubt over.

[Moses Julep]

http://www.football365.com/news/parker-sherwood-better-for-united-than-mourinho

I know Mourinho's reputation took a hit, but come on

[Lineker]

That would be hilarious.

[The Lusophone]

I think I would prefer that if it meant keeping Mata. >_>

[Baddar]

Steady now. Fucking hell.