This Weekend's Fixtures & Midweek Fixtures (13/14/15/18 May)

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Saturday, 13th May 2023
Leeds United v Newcastle United, 12:30 https://i.imgur.com/hISMgBT.jpg]
Aston Villa v Tottenham Hotspur, 15:00
Chelsea v Nottingham Forest, 15:00
Crystal Palace v Bournemouth, 15:00
Manchester United v Wolverhampton Wanderers, 15:00
Southampton v Fulham, 15:00

Sunday, 14th May 2023
Brentford v West Ham United, 14:00
Everton v Manchester City, 14:00 https://i.imgur.com/htwHZ0c.jpg
Arsenal v Brighton & Hove Albion, 16:30 https://i.imgur.com/htwHZ0c.jpg

Monday, 15th May, 2023
Leicester City v Liverpool, 20:00 https://i.imgur.com/htwHZ0c.jpg

Thursday, 18th May 2023
Newcastle United v Brighton & Hove Albion, 19:30 https://i.imgur.com/htwHZ0c.jpg

[HCZ_Reborn]

Interesting fixtures, a lot of clubs drinking at the last chance saloon

Leeds who I have a soft spot for need to beat Newcastle today. Allardyce couldn’t save West Brom two years ago and I don’t think he can save Leeds either. Not Big Sam used to be my favourite Twitter account, I advise anyone to scroll back ten years through it and enjoy the unmitigated filth.

Forest have kept their heads above water through their form at the city ground, but away from home they are atrocious. That probably needs to change, as they only have us to play at home and have to go to Palace on the last day.

Southampton are gone, Leicester will need to hope they can repeat their wins of the last two seasons against Liverpool

Everton? Was last weeks pasting of Brighton just a reflex from a corpse or do they have what it takes to seriously dent City’s title procession. If City win this game, I will go from saying it’s 99% over to 100%

[Marc Overmars]

Relying on Neverton to get a result.

Us. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Leeds: Robles; Kristensen, Koch, Wober; Ayling, McKennie, Greenwood, Firpo; Rodrigo, Harrison, Bamford
Subs: Meslier, Forshaw, Aaronson, Roca, Summerville, Struijk, Rutter, Gnonto, Gray

Newcastle: Pope; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn; Guimaraes, Willock, Joelinton; Almiron, Wilson, Isak
Subs: Dubravka, Dummett, Gordon, Saint-Maximin, lewis, Targett, Manquillo, Murphy, Anderson

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Leeds 1-0 Newcastle, Ayling!

We may have broken them.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Pelanty to Leeds!

So clumsy.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Pope saves it! Oh Bamford.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Pelanty to Newcastle!

:haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Leeds 1-1 Newcastle, Wilson!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Another pelanty to Newcastle!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Leeds 1-2 Newcastle, Wilson again!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Leeds 2-2 Newcastle, Kristensen!

[HCZ_Reborn]

I think like Leeds have had too many games like this where they take the lead and end up pulling the iron out of the fire to get a point.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Firpo sent off. He has been hopeless.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Desmond at Full Time

Doesn’t really help either side

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Leeds 2-2 Newcastle, FT.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Villa 1-0 Tottenham, Ramsey!

[HCZ_Reborn]

Chelsea 0-1 Forest. The leagues worst away team ahead :haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Chelsea 0-1 Forest, Awoniyi!

[HCZ_Reborn]

Martial puts United ahead against Wolves

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Man Utd 1-0 Wolves, Martial.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Palace 1-0 Bournemouth, Eze.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Southampton 0-1 Fulham, Vinicius.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Chelsea 1-1 Forest, Sterling!

Goal machines.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Palace 2-0 Bournemouth, Eze again!

Chelsea 2-1 Forest, Sterling again!

[HCZ_Reborn]

Forest equalise 2-2

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Chelsea 2-2 Forest, Awoniyi!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Southampton 0-2 Fulham, Mitrovic! Southampton are relegated.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Villa 2-0 Tottenham, Douglas Luiz!

:haha:

[HCZ_Reborn]

Southampton 0-2 Fulham, Mitrovic! Southampton are relegated.

Just confirming what has clearly been the case for some considerable time

Don’t think they are coming back up any time soon. The joke is you put some of the best players they’ve had at the club together in one team and you could have arguably had one that challenged for the title. Mane, Van Dijk, Wanyama etc

[Mac76]

I'd think about a bid for Ward-Prowse - we're going to have enough games for him to be useful next season - but given he's a current first-team regular he may not want to risk being one of Arteta's cast-offs and i wouldn't blame him

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Kane "wins" a pelanty. I think that'll be the outcome anyway.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Ward Prowse will go somewhere but it won’t be to us

I do think clubs are going to be looking to pick the bones clean from clubs that do go down. Leicester can see a fire sale there…

[HCZ_Reborn]

Kane "wins" a pelanty. I think that'll be the outcome anyway.

Yep penalty given

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Villa 2-1 Spuds, Kane.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Man Utd 2-0 Wolves, Garnacho.

[Mac76]

Spuds :haha:

just how shit are they now...?

if K*** goes they've got to be favourites for the drop next year

[HCZ_Reborn]

Spuds :haha:

just how shit are they now...?

if K*** goes they've got to be favourites for the drop next year

Really they are no worse off than we were five years ago

They will need to rebuild rather than relying on one or two signings to get them back into the top 4 etc

[Marc Overmars]

Pochettino to Chelsea confirmed.

[Mac76]

Really they are no worse off than we were five years ago

They will need to rebuild rather than relying on one or two signings to get them back into the top 4 etc

You're just no fun are you.... :sulk:

[Letters]

Pochettino to Chelsea confirmed.

That’s a pretty good move for them.

[Letters]

You're just no fun are you.... :sulk:

:lol: As nice as it would be to think they’d be struggling without Kane, I don’t think that’s true.
They’ve got a decent enough squad, Son is quality. They’ve clearly got issues but a decent manager would sort them out. They’re not going to be sweeping all before them but they’re no worse than Top 6

[Letters]

Everywhere they go… :haha:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8gkIVwKiLI

[Mac76]

:lol: As nice as it would be to think they’d be struggling without Kane, I don’t think that’s true.
They’ve got a decent enough squad, Son is quality. They’ve clearly got issues but a decent manager would sort them out. They’re not going to be sweeping all before them but they’re no worse than Top 6

Ok, maybe not relegation but with teams like Brighton and Newcastle on the scene and Chelsea likely to improve, I think they'll do well to be top 8

Son isn't getting any younger

They may have no European football next year, which will be a disincentive for prospective new signings

All they've got to attract players is the Toilet Bowl, but the 'shiny-new-stadium' factor only really lasts a year or two

So I do think they could really struggle - AFAIK they aren't like we were 2-3 seasons ago, when we had a crop of young talented Academy players and smart buys to step into the breach

[HCZ_Reborn]

It’s hard to tell where Spurs will be long term, it’s hard to think they will be doing anything much in the near future. I genuinely don’t know how much the club is suffering financially from the upgrade to WHL….though do find it strange that they’ve not actually sorted naming rights for the ground yet.

For me the best thing they can do for themselves is to sell Kane and possibly Son this summer, take the hit over the next couple of seasons and begin to use the money to bring in better and younger players rather than the sticking plaster solution we tried (just one or two players to get us in the champions league)

I still think they’ve got too much quality to get themselves into an Everton situation but ultimately they need to change their approach to a long term rebuild otherwise they are in that mess.

Brighton I’m not sure long term how long they will be where they are, whilst I absolutely love how they are run as a club its predicated on being able to get untapped potential which is always high risk because you simply don’t know if players you bring in from abroad will produce the goods. It’s not a club that will attract a rich investor because it doesn’t have the history, fan base or infrastructure. And in many ways there’s not a lot of difference between what they are doing now and what Southampton was doing 5-10 years ago and look where they are now.

It’s no surprise that the only teams never to have got relegated from the premier league are all clubs from major cities - London, Liverpool and Manchester

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Brentford: Raya, Hickey, Pinnock, Mee, Henry, Jensen, Damsgaard, Janelt, Schade, Wissa, Mbeumo.
Subs: Cox, Dasilva, Jorgensen, Ghoddos, Onyeka, Ajer, Baptiste, Roerslev, Stevens.

West Ham: Fabianski, Johnson, Ogbonna, Aguerd, Emerson, Soucek, Downes, Fornals, Lanzini, Cornet, Ings.
Subs: Areola, Cresswell, Zouma, Paqueta, Bowen, Benrahma, Kehrer, Rice, Mubama.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Everton: Pickford, Patterson, Holgate, Mina, Tarkowski, Gueye, Garner, Doucoure, McNeil, Iwobi, Calvert-Lewin
Subs: Begovic, Lonergan, Keane, Onana, Gray, Maupay, Coady, Simms, Welch.

Man City: Ederson, Walker, Laporte, Dias, Akanji, Gundogan, Rodri, Mahrez, Foden, Alvarez, Haaland
Subs: Ortega Moreno, Phillips, Gomez, Palmer, Lewis, Stones, Grealish, De Bruyne, Silva

[Letters]

Come on Everton, you twats

[HCZ_Reborn]

Everton: Pickford, Patterson, Holgate, Mina, Tarkowski, Gueye, Garner, Doucoure, McNeil, Iwobi, Calvert-Lewin
Subs: Begovic, Lonergan, Keane, Onana, Gray, Maupay, Coady, Simms, Welch.

Man City: Ederson, Walker, Laporte, Dias, Akanji, Gundogan, Rodri, Mahrez, Foden, Alvarez, Haaland
Subs: Ortega Moreno, Phillips, Gomez, Palmer, Lewis, Stones, Grealish, De Bruyne, Silva

Hmmm Stones, De Bruyne and Grealish all being rested. Is that a sign of over confidence, or is it a sign that they have enough quality to win without them

[Letters]

Hmmm Stones, De Bruyne and Grealish all being rested. Is that a sign of over confidence, or is it a sign that they have enough quality to win without them

Probably the latter. It was always my hope that the CL would distract them, it hasn’t so far because they have so much quality in depth. I’m still holding out some hope they could yet slip but that has to start today.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

I won't call them Neverton again for a season if they get at least a draw here.

[Mac76]

I won't call them Neverton again for a season if they get at least a draw here.

me neither - let's create as much good karma as possible :lol:

[HCZ_Reborn]

The irony is Everton were at one time City’s bogey team. Even when City had been bought and were looking for major titles….Everton would get wins over them both at GP and at the Etihad (or City of Manchester stadium as it was then)

[Marc Overmars]

Come on Neverton.

Just want it to go to the final day. :pray:

[Mac76]

Come on Everton.

Just want it to go to the final day. :pray:

Corrected :)

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Brentford 1-0 West Ham, Mbuemo.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Brentford 1-0 West Ham, Mbuemo.

Brentford have petered out somewhat after what promised to be an incredible season, still I think overall have over achieved. Spurs supporting mate of mine wants Thomas Frank as their next boss

[HCZ_Reborn]

City 1-0 up, Gundogan

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Shit

[HCZ_Reborn]

Flicks it in with his back to goal

[Marc Overmars]

That’s the end of that then. :rose:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Neverton. :doh:

[HCZ_Reborn]

Game over now 2-0 Haaland

[HCZ_Reborn]

In fairness to Everton they’ve played ok, been tight and compact…had a few half chances on the break…restricted City largely to half chances but ultimately you’ve got players who can just turn it on at will

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Brentford 2-0 West Ham, Wissa.

[Marc Overmars]

This was our last glimmer of hope.

Not a chance in hell do Chelsea take anything from the Etihad and they will certainly then beat Brighton to clinch it.

[Mac76]

Neverton. :doh:

:gp:

and we'd just decided to be nice to them as well...

[HCZ_Reborn]

This was our last glimmer of hope.

Not a chance in hell do Chelsea take anything from the Etihad and they will certainly then beat Brighton to clinch it.


What can you do?

On one hand you can bemoan how we took our title destiny out of our own hands

On the other you have to say that City are just a beast of a team….the only games they haven’t won since mid Feb were draws away at Bayern and Real.

I’ll be disappointed not to take it to the wire but it’s not been in our gift to make sure that’s the case

[Mac76]

I genuinely believe we'd have won the league if Arteta knew (a) how to adapt tactics, formations and lineup depending on the opposition (b) how to rotate the squad and (c) how to manage in-game situations

still he's only being paid £8.5m pa, so what do we expect

[HCZ_Reborn]

I won't call them Neverton again for a season if they get at least a draw here.

https://i.makeagif.com/media/8-20-2015/UuKG0B.gif

[Letters]

Neverton :doh:

[HCZ_Reborn]

I genuinely believe we'd have won the league if Arteta knew (a) how to adapt tactics, formations and lineup depending on the opposition (b) how to rotate the squad and (c) how to manage in-game situations

still he's only being paid £8.5m pa, so what do we expect

I dunno to be honest. I thought we played well at Newcastle last week but we were also massively lucky…in that they hit the post and had glaring chances to score which they didn’t take

West Ham and Southampton I think we definitely screwed up. Liverpool I agree with you that we definitely gave them the momentum to come back into the game but you’re also dealing with human beings and the players shit a brick.


It’s not to say you’re wrong but as much as tactical change ups have helped, it doesn’t strike me as merely incidental that we’ve had back to back wins after losing to city and all but handing them the title


It’s not a coincidence that the only team to deny City the title in the last five seasons did so by building up an unassailable lead. The biggest winning run we’ve been on this season is 7 wins in a row.

[Marc Overmars]

What can you do?

On one hand you can bemoan how we took our title destiny out of our own hands

On the other you have to say that City are just a beast of a team….the only games they haven’t won since mid Feb were draws away at Bayern and Real.

I’ll be disappointed not to take it to the wire but it’s not been in our gift to make sure that’s the case

Careless mistakes cost us the chance to take it to the wire and also losing both head to heads ensured we would never get away from City.

Philosophical about the season overall, not sure you can level too much at them if they finished with 90 points. Most enjoyable season in years but of course when you get so close you can’t help but think what if.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

0-3. :rose:

[HCZ_Reborn]

Careless mistakes cost us the chance to take it to the wire and also losing both head to heads ensured we would never get away from them.

Philosophical about the season overall, not sure you can level too much at them if they finished with 90 points. Most enjoyable season in years but of course when you get so close you can’t help but think what if.

Oh of course…and it’s totally reasonable to say we shot ourselves in the foot

It was incredibly frustrating. I think the only thing I’d say to mitigate is even title winning teams do fuck up. We’ve just never been afforded that luxury. Every game we’ve not won has been crucial points dropped and as much as I like many of the players and I find Arteta frustrating…90 points is (if we get it) far and away above anything I would have realistically expected this team to get.

Losing to city twice is for me more galling in the fact that we’ve lost twelve times in a row to them.

[Letters]

The head to head’s ultimately cost us. We slipped up here and there in other games of course, but all teams do. Well, all except City. It’s just relentless. I lost count but it’s something like 15 wins in 17 now. That isn’t normal. They’re just a level above us, as they showed against us in both games. But yeah, we could still get 90 points so I don’t really feel I can fault us too much. For every silly slip there are plenty of very good wins, some from losing positions. We’ve just been up against an absolute machine in City

[Mac76]

The head to head’s ultimately cost us. We slipped up here and there in other games of course, but all teams do. Well, all except City. It’s just relentless. I lost count but it’s something like 15 wins in 17 now. That isn’t normal. They’re just a level above us, as they showed against us in both games. But yeah, we could still get 90 points so I don’t really feel I can fault us too much. For every silly slip there are plenty of very good wins, some from losing positions. We’ve just been up against an absolute machine in City

The head-to-head point is valid and something i've said before is that in one way, we can't argue if, counting the FAC, we lost three times to Citeh in a season.

But away from that I'd argue we could have done enough with better management

It's too easy just to talk about Citeh being a machine, they slipped up a fair few times earlier this season, it's why we were top in the first place

[HCZ_Reborn]

The head-to-head point is valid and something i've said before is that in one way, we can't argue if, counting the FAC, we lost three times to Citeh in a season.

But away from that I'd argue we could have done enough with better management

It's too easy just to talk about Citeh being a machine, they slipped up a fair few times earlier this season, it's why we were top in the first place


Not in any big way. Throughout this season you will see that they’ve never gone more than one game without winning


Drew with Newcastle - then beat Palace and Forest

Drew with Villa - then beat Wolves, United, Southampton

Lost to Liverpool - then beat Brighton, Leicester and Fulham

Lost to Brentford - then beat Leeds

Drew with Everton - then beat Chelsea

Lost to United - then beat Tottenham and Wolves

Lost to Tottenham - then beat Aston Villa and Arsenal

Drew with Forest - then beat Bournemouth, Newcastle, Palace, Liverpool, Southampton, Leicester, Arsenal, Fulham, West Ham, Leeds and Everton

The last bit is most pertinent because it’s why I denied we were title favourites because of that ability of City to relentlessly win game after game when it matters

[Letters]

The head-to-head point is valid and something i've said before is that in one way, we can't argue if, counting the FAC, we lost three times to Citeh in a season.

But away from that I'd argue we could have done enough with better management

It's too easy just to talk about Citeh being a machine, they slipped up a fair few times earlier this season, it's why we were top in the first place

City don’t slip up when it matters though. They never let us get an unassailable lead and then when it mattered they just won every game (or close enough), including both head to heads. When’s the last time someone won the title having lost both 6 pointers against the team who finished 2nd?
Even with the other slips, we draw the head to heads and all other things being equal we’d be 4 points ahead with 3 games left instead of them being in that position

[HCZ_Reborn]

When’s the last time someone won the title having lost both 6 pointers against the team who finished 2nd?

The last time was 2016 - Leicester lost home and away to us

Also happened in 2009 when United finished above Liverpool in 2nd despite Liverpool doing the double

And also in 1995 where Blackburn finished above United despite United beating them home and away

That’s it for the premier league years unless someone is able to correct me?

[Letters]

Interesting. Actually surprised it’s happened that often.
But I think it makes the point that it’s pretty rare.
And we never enough clear of them that we could afford to do that.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Supporting Leicester this evening

Because I’m a bitter spiteful cunt, and I want gloating Liverpool fans to get upset at missing out on top four

[HCZ_Reborn]

Leicester 2-0 down at home to Liverpool

https://y.yarn.co/8529bb20-e19d-4ccc-a838-ddf27445adfd_text.gif

[Marc Overmars]

Mad that Liverpool could still finish third.

I think United are safe because they’re too strong at home. If Liverpool sneak in the Barcodes will be the ones to drop out surely given the fixtures to play.

[Letters]

I think Liverpool have left it too late. But they’ve had a good go.
Leicester :rose:

[Marc Overmars]

Trent makes it 3. What a goal.

Average defender but he is technically brilliant. Should definitely be playing in midfield.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Trent makes it 3. What a goal.

Average defender but he is technically brilliant. Should definitely be playing in midfield.

Average midfielder as well

Let’s be fair, ridiculously overrated player

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Newcastle 2-1 Brighton, Undav OG, Burn and then Undav.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Newcastle 3-1 Brighton, Wilson.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

4-1 in the end, Guimaraes with the other.

[Marc Overmars]

So Brighton are hammered twice but in-between they tanked us. :rolleyes:

Massive win for Newcastle though. I think that probably ends Liverpool’s hopes of a top 4 finish.

[Letters]

So Brighton are hammered twice but in-between they tanked us. :rolleyes:.
Or...Newcastle continue their impressive run the only blip in which was us beating them at their place :shrug:

I continue to believe that the Everton result got in our heads and affected our performance on Sunday. Whether it should have is a separate issue.