General Footy Discussions

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

It should have been the half way point of the English Premier League season today with all teams having played 19 games... as of today only 4 teams have managed that as a over the last 2-3 weeks numerous games have been called off due to Covid-19 amongst the squads. Burnley have only played 15 games. It makes assessing the league table awkward as you're constantly thinking a team is in a lowly position, but when you consider their games-in hand they could be in a far better position.

It will almost certainly cause fixture congestion later in the season as there are only 2 mid-week slots which aren't already allocated to some competition or other. The season can't overrun because next season is starting early due to the Nov-Dec scheduling of the Qatar World Cup!

[Zzzptm]

You think the Premier League will switch to a COVID format like the NFL is considering, where there is no testing for asymptomatic players? That can help to keep a roster from being ravaged and allow more games to be played, with or without audience in attendance.

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

I haven't heard anything like that. I know in Scotland they've brought their winter break forward by a few weeks, but I don;t think the Premiership have any break planned this year. All that seems to happen is one manager complains that they have to play too many games at this time of year, whilst the next manager wants a break for COVID reasons and then after a managers meeting last week with the FA everythings going ahead as normal!

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

Christian Eriksen has signed a 6-month deal to play for Brentford in the Premier League. After suffereing a cardiac arrest during the Euros and having his contract terminated in Italy where he's not allowed to play with an implanted cardioverter-defibrillator, he hopes to return to the Danish national squad in time for the World Cup.

I suspect it's only a 6 month contract as he hopes to prove his fitness and ability and move to a larger club, just my guess!

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

More on Christian Ericksen, as well as helping Brentford win their last two games after a barren run, he's now been recalled to the Danish squad for some upcoming friendlies.


With about a quarter of the season left (but some teams have a few games in hand) the Premiereship is shaping up for a close finish. It's basically down to Manchester City and Liverpool the latter are playing Arsenal tonight and should they win they will be a point behind Man City (it's 0-2 to Liverpool as I type, with still about 20 minutes to go). Therefore it makes the match between Man City and Liverpool on the 10th April a potential title decider, well it will go a long way to deciding it anyway! Liverpool have won their last 8 games, while Man City had a good run but have a defeat and a draw in recent matches.


Chelsea are in an awkward position at the moment. With owner Roman Abramovitch sanctioned for being a Russian oligarch, they are unable to sell tickets or stuff from the club shop. They are allowed to be sold and there is an American businessman looking to do just that. Chelsea are likely to run out of money by the end of March so a quick sale is important. It's not been decided what will happen to the money that is used to buy Chelsea. One suggestion is that it goes to charities which supprt Ukrainian refugees etc. but that might be legally dodgy and it will probably just go into a locked account until such time as Abramovich is no longer sanctioned... he probably won't get the £3 billion he was looking for.  On the brighter side they look like going through to the last 8 of the Champions league tonight (currently 4-1 ahead on aggregate).

EDIT:
Liverpool won 2-0 at Arsenal.

Chelsea won 2-1 at Lille and so join Man City and Liverpool in the last 8 of the Champions League... Manchester Utsd having gone out to Athletic Madrid last night.

Elsewhere Spurs beat Brighton 0-2 to maintain their chase for a European Football next year maybe even Champions League.

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

An important weekend in the Premiership this week, and while some things still remain unclear one or two issues have clarified a little.

At the top Manchester City hosted Liverpool in what was seen as a title decider, but the 2-2 draw leaves it pretty much as open as it was before. With 7 games to go and just 1 point between them I can now see this going all the way and could be just 1 point in it like it was 3 seasons ago.

Elsewhere, Spurs are looking in the best shape to get the last Champions League spot, they are on a fantastic run while the teams around them are inconsitent at best, and their goal difference is much better than their nearest rivals (Arsenal).

Looking like Norwich, Watford and Burnley are getting relegated. Teams like Leeds, Brentford and Newcastle have pulled away from the relegation zone in recent weeks, and only Everton are in touching distance of the bottom 3 and even they won at the weekend.

[Jack the Stripper]

Thanks for the update Kilo. Yeah Spurs have been in ripping form. Won their last 4 and are scoring plenty of goals. Arsenal have a game in hand though but have a trickier run home. May 13 is gonna be huge.

Going to be an exciting finish to the season

[Zzzptm]

I was hearing about Everton on the edge of relegation... from a Liverpool fan, so he was happy to enjoy the schadenfreude.

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

^^^
Everton have a proud history in the Top Flight, they have stayed the longest without relebation second only to Arsenal. The last time Everton were relegated was the 1950/51 season, Arsenal were last relegated in 1912/13. So as a Liverpool fan I think it would be finny as hell if they were relegated... but not as funny as if Arsenal got relegated!!

Last time relegated:

Arsenal     1912/13
Everton    1950/51
Liverpool   1953/54
Man Utd    1973/74
Spurs       1976/77
Chelsea    1987/88

[Zzzptm]

What did they have to do to get un-relegated?

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

Win promotion from the lower league. In most cases it was a mere year or two later, 8 in the case of Liverpool.

[Zzzptm]

So when a team is relegated and another team bubbles up, does the team that bubbled up have a history of getting relegated back rather quickly?

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

You know, it is pretty much the case that a team that gets promoted into the Premiership is favourite to go back down the following year. Having said that, quite often one of the 3 teams will do well.

This year Watford, Norwich and Brentford came up and it looks like Watford and Norwich will go straight back down. Yet Brentford will end up maybe mid-table and it's not as if they were the best team promoted. Some teams cope better, some teams don't cope at all. Some like Norwich, Watford, West Bromich Albion and Fulham tend to "yoyo" between the two leagues, lucky to stay up for two years once in a while.

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

The Premiere League is in it's last 10 days, and while some things have been resolved some others are still in the balance.

As expected Watford and Norwich have been relegated, the third spot is between Leeds, Burnley and Everton. I fear it may be Leeds that go down, currently in the 3rd spot with 2 games to go the other two have 3 games to go.

While it's still between Liverpool and Manchester City for the title, Man City have the advantage 3pts ahead with 2 games to go and now have the better goal difference (they've been scoring fo fun these last few games!), sadly Liverpool may be concentrating on the FA Cup and Champions League finals.

It looks like Chelsea will take 3rd spot despite a recent slump although Arsenal and Spurs could theoretically catch them.

Fourth spot (and the last Champions League spot) will be either  Arsenal or Spurs. They played tonight and Spurs won 3-0 although Arsenal had a player sent off in the first half. 1 Point between them and 2 games to go but Spurs have the better goal difference.

Remember when Arsenal lost their first 3 games and I was hoping they might get relegated... well maybe next year!

[Jack the Stripper]

Hoping Everton drop their next game and Leeds win. Really need Everton’s final game against Arsenal to mean something to them like a draw or win to avoid relegation and give Spurs a chance to grab that 4th spot. Even a Newcastle Arsenal draw will do nicely provided Spurs win their last 2.

COYS!