Today:
Premier League
Chelsea v Southampton - 19:45 (Sky Sports)
Championship
Wolves v Huddersfield - 19:45
League One
Walsall v Port Vale - 19:45
Tomorrow:
Premier League
Arsenal v Leicester City - 19:45
Middlesbrough v Sunderland - 19:45
Crystal Palace v Tottenham - 20:00 (Sky Sports)
Thursday:
Premier League
Manchester City v Manchester Utd - 20:00 (Sky Sports)
http://www.live-footballontv.com/
Thursday's an odd one for domestic.
Wouldn't mind us bunging a 1-1 draw with the Saints just to watch the lulz as Tottenham crumble under the pressure.
Not better man than Sam to burst a bubble too.Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Here's hoping Chelsea drop points although I have them to win this one whilst dropping points to Everton. Either or will do on route to Spurs first title.
Hopefully City do the deed against United too, just because it'll piss me off something rotten if the inevitable happens.
Due to the FA Cup semi final and Sunday premier fixture and only available date left in the calender.
No idea for Thursday. If we can avoid defeat, I think we can get into the top 4. I think we will be missing too many players and get a reaction from city after Sundays result.
Arsenal
Leicester (h)
Tottenham (a)
Man United (h)
Southampton (a)
Stoke (a)
Sunderland (h)
Everton (h)
Liverpool
Watford (a)
Southampton (h)
West Ham (a)
Middlesbrough (h)
Man City
Man United (h)
Middlesbrough (a)
Crystal Palace (h)
Leicester (h)
West Brom (h)
Watford (a)
Man United
Man City (a)
Swansea (h)
Arsenal (a)
Tottenham (a)
Southampton (a)
Crystal Palace (h)
That's a tough ask, Kiko. Surely maximum points is the only way you'll do it as any dropped points in the away games suggests it's over to me. Then again, would probably be tougher if those were home games.
Maximum points? Every single team will drop points between now and the end of the season. We can lose Thursday and we'll still have a good chance of finishing 4th.
Not if Liverpool win there four as that's three of the four wrapped up then. You'd be relying on City to drop points only if you lose to them on Thursday and looking at there fixtures, I'd suggest that's unlikely. Less we forget you've now got major injury problems. I genuinely don't see it happening.
The Chelsea result in my mind has given you false optimism.
Yeah, but Liverpool won't win their four.
I beg to differ, obviously but the pressure isn't on us it's on yourselves and City. I reckon we could win 3 out of the 4 and still be fine.
I really don't see it happening but obviously if you do then given that tricky list then you'd quite rightly deserve it but I feel the damage has already been done this season. Too many dropped points against shit (much like us actually)
I don't think I'm overly optimistic on it happening but I think we can get 10 points from there which may be enough. With the three big aways, i wouldn't be surprised if we only get 1 point or 0.
Perhaps that's the part I'm struggling with. You've taken nine points in 7 games against your top four rivals whilst dropping points against rubbish at Old Trafford.
Now you've got three away games against them in which to get the same amount of points plus a buttfucked Southampton who I imagine will want to right a wrong from the cup final.
Only guaranteed three points there for me is when Palace arrive having secured there safety.
It's just too late I reckon.
We'll easily finish in the top four if results go our way and that's barring a Manchester Derby MELTDOWN!!
That didn't take long. Nice finish.
Have Liverpool won 4 games in a row this season @Smiffy?
Costa's first touch is horrific.
Yes.
We've made it harder than it needs to be but we've done enough to fall over the finish line, I reckon. Still, as excitable as the start of the season was, I think most of us would have taken this position if offered at the start of the season and hopefully we capitalise in the summer by signing some proper players instead of doing what we've got a nasty habit of doing and buying bulk instead.
If Man United do it then fair play but I would say they are the least favourites and I include Arsenal in that.
I can't decide if I want Chelsea to lose or not. It would be hilarious to see them fail, but even funnier to see Spurs bottle it on the final day after needing to win.
I firmly believe it will be Chelsea who bottle it. Arsenal to win the FA Cup too now.
Southampton have done well so far, I think. I fancy them getting a draw here.
Chelsea - similar to when they won their last title under Mourinho - haven't been that great (or as good as they were until January) over the second half of the season, but always find a way to stay just ahead. Costa especially has been totally useless tonight, and in any games I've watched recently.
Teams have sussed the formation out now. Their defensive record has been fairly awful recently. I'd imagine Conte will bring in a fair few folk in the Summer.
That 4th goal was ace.
Costa's maybe thinking of China. I agree Waff - I think they'll get a centre back, maybe two wing-backs, at least one centre mid and a striker to replace Costa. I don't know if they're still interested in him but I'd like to see how Nainggolan would fit in.
Saving my football appetite for Thursday. Would like to see Rashford and Martial up front together.
Anything else you fancy getting wrong?
*Opens himself up to this post being quoted in a month*
Why wait a month when you can wait less than an hour?
United do them a favour then Spurs are winning the title on goal difference.
Chelsea beat Southampton
Spurs beat Leicester
4 points.
Chelsea draw with Everton
Spurs beat Arsenal
2 points.
Spurs beat West Ham
Chelsea beat Middlesborough
2 points.
Chelsea draw with West Brom
Tottenham beat Man United
Tottenham top on GD.
Chelsea beat Sunderland.
Spurs beat Hull.
Champions.
Believe.Best be careful with posts like these though. John finds it insufferable.
It will be interesting to see how Chelsea approach transfers from now on. Ten years ago they could out-bid anybody, and five years ago they could still match anybody; but now United and City would blow them out of the water if they all wanted the same player, and everyone bigger than West Ham could put a decent package together for the not quite top, top players that might be available. You would still expect them to have a bigger draw than Everton and Arsenal, but, put another way, could they sign Eden Hazard under 2017 conditions?
According to Forbes, Abramovich is still worth almost Ł7B so blowing them out the water doesn't seem likely. I thought Man United can only do it because of the 10 year deal with Adidas and City because it's Qatar?
Either way, I think there transfers will be no different to normal. They are still big spenders after all with nearly Ł300M spent in last three seasons.
United can do it because of our Noodle and Windscreen Washer Fluid sponsorships.
Aye most of the cash comes from a ton of smaller deals with Indonesian Elastic companies and such.
Chelsea have managed to spend a lot over the past few years, but they have also sold a lot as well, because they are much more restricted by the Financial Fair Play rules than United. Jose Mourinho was moaning about it years ago, and the wealth disparity has only increased since. I'm sure they could still spend a hundred million quid over a summer, but, realistically, they could not rival United and City (and Madrid, and PSG) if somebody like Kylian Mbappe was up for eighty million.
Do any other clubs advertise their official tractor at matches on the hoardings?
There's always the talented youngsters they have....
They could definitely sign Eden Hazard from Lille. Signing people from Juventus/Bayern, maybe not.
Even this season it has all gone slightly moneyball with Marcos Alonso and Moses (not sure what was up with Kanté, that was a major market glitch), we'll probably see more of that and Conte will throw a tantrum when we fail to get Bonucci and whoever else in from Italy.
He could say Spurs have never won the league again, I guess.
Kante was a weird one - I'm not sure why Utd or whoever didn't just outbid them (if you believe Lewis's theory)
There was supposedly a release clause but goodness knows. Maybe the chance to make Nemanja Matic look good all season was just too good to turn down.
Presumably Conte was a factor in it too.
Jimmy bumping old threads has got me confused but...
Taxman is after Newcastle and one other club. To the point they're arresting people.
We're on our way, we're on our way,
To the Conference, we're on our way.
I always link these sort of things together and conjure up my own stories.
Example.
Leicester manager Ranieri unwittingly made mention to someone attached to former club Chelsea over some antipasto that his biggest target in the summer was retaining the services of Kante or offering a new deal whereby at least if he does leave they could get a bigger fee than that of his release clause. Said someone then runs off to Chelsea and tries to curry favor with Abramovich who in turn instructs JT to find out if it was true. JT set about infiltrating The Foxes but found his paths blocked as everyone was well aware of his games given the Wayne Bridge scandal but further more, there was other past misdemeanors that would play against him this time around. Undeterred the captain fantastic opted to call in some defense and set up a WWE styled promo for Cahill to collar a nervous Jamie Vardy whilst training with the England squad. Being such a new addition and a man unfamiliar with playing for England, Vardy fell for it hook line and sinker.
"You tell us this Vardy and we shall ensure your next move is to the big city."
Reading between the lines Vardy thought long and hard about where he had come from, the trials and tribulations he had faced on his journey through the leagues and although Leicester had given him his opportunity, he knew that accepting Chelsea's offer would see him increase his wage, his chances of playing for the national side and indeed, a better chance of winning some more honors in the game. Reluctantly he told Cahill all he knew but secretly he knew what he was doing. He knew that next season he and the ever impressive Kante would be featuring alongside Costa, Hazard and the like by time the following season started.
It was all supposed to be so simple but football politics took over. Instead of relaying the message back to John Terry, Gary Cahill saw this as his opportunity to oust the Chelsea legend once and for all. Tired of playing second fiddle to the one club man, a man he had no respect for, a man he felt he was better than, Cahill decided to go straight to Abramovich himself. He spoke eloquently enough about the situation and understood that it may not look good crossing JT but karma was a bitch and Terry had no right to moan about something going on behind his back give his past indiscretions. He knew he needed to get rid of JT once and for all and if he became Abramovich's go to guy then there would be no new deal for Terry this time around.
Over the coming weeks the news started to gain traction that Kante did indeed have a release clause but unbeknown to the majority, Chelsea had activated weeks earlier. Ranieri knew he was going to lose the man most responsible for there impending title success. James Vardy himself knew that he and Kante would be moving onto bigger and better things. Spurred on by this the pair continued there fine form and succeeded in achieving what appeared an impossible objective. Landing the Premier League title with Leicester.
But the the summer happened. James Vardy went to the Euro's and slowly but surely it was dawning on him that he had been duped. Cahill had never said he would get him a move to Chelsea. He had specifically mentioned the big City only. As England labored through a dismal European Championship showing, Vardy was reading about proposed moves to Arsenal. Feeling betrayed and utterly dejected that he had allowed this situation to arise, the previously confident striker had found himself spiraling into a pit of depression. His form dropped. His mood increasingly erratic and the poor form of Leicester compared to that of Chelsea this season was just too much to take. Annoyed that his actions had cost him a dream move and a hefty salary, Vardy decided to fight back. He couldn't blame himself. It wouldn't have fit the narrative about the kid who came from nowhere. Instead he looked for other targets and there was no bigger target than the man who gave it all away in the first place.
Claudio Ranieri.
A few months and many more losses later the Italian manager was dismissed. Stories hit the newspapers about how he was stabbed in the back. Players denied involvement after initially remaining quiet. Those already at Leicester knew the power James Vardy currently held and no one dared to speak out. After one last effort to leave the club in the January window which ultimately ended in failure, Vardy was left with some major soul search. Managerless, transferless. The bewildered striker turned to a man(ager) of literature.
To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.
The rest as they say, is history. Craig Shakespeare was appointed the new Leicester manager, Vardy gained experience of what football politics was all about, Kante and Conte became dovetailed in a whirlwind romance which was enough to get under Costa's skin, JT was informed his services would no longer be required and Gary Cahill was left standing. He had done it. He was now 'the' man.
(Now I do have too much time on my hands)
What I mean is that Eden Hazard would be shopped around at sixty, seventy-plus million today, which would more than likely rule Chelsea out, and didn't they also offer him better wages than United at the time?
I just posted a paragraph about Chelsea but it was so boring I feel I owe it to the forum to delete it.
Slightly more interesting - Moyes has been charged for the "slap" quote.
From Lille? They would need the money so I doubt he'd go at that from a club of that size, and then it's just a case of who wants him (I don't think the mega clubs were interested at the time).
We couldn't get Pogba from Juventus in the same way United could, especially not from outside the CL.
Midfielder Joey Barton has been suspended from all football activity for 18 months.
https://t.co/Q9oDLF6pQc https://t.co/GIDlaff9wg
I lol'd at the fact that the FA Twitter statement tries to tag him but comes out unhyperlinked which means he's blocked them
Jesus. What a day for football.
Moyes charged, Barton banned and clubs raided. It's all rather embarrassing init.
Best league in the world, mate.
Ain't that the truth. It's just one long running soap opera.
To top it all off I've just seen a video of John Terry's mum on Twitter that explains so much.
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