The 2022-2023 Football Thread

[Sydde]

The EFL has facilities standards that apparently conform to EPL minimums, because the EPL accepts promotions. Two NL teams are promoted to League 2, in exchange for two relegations, but the NL will bypass promotion for a team that has sub-standard facilities. Therefore, we would have to assume that any team playing in League 2 or above is afforded the opportunity to ascend to the Premier League by dint of the fact that the EFL has accepted their promotion.

And, anyway, major cup finals are played in Wembley, so showcase events will be in a high-quality stadium, not one of minimum standard.

 

[Apple fanboy]

If Arsenal had been able to call on their first choice 11, they might well have been champions this year.

The demands of the season mean that to maintain - sustain - standards over the course of the entire season require a team to have strength in depth, players of quality who are not regular starters in the first team, or sufficient players of quality so that positions can be rotated regularly.

At present, the only team to enjoy such luxury is Manchester City.

It’s a sliding scale to be honest. The greedy six all have a better bench than the rest of us.

 

[Apple fanboy]

I think as long as there are no safety concerns, clubs should be promoted with smaller stadiums. After all Luton Town are their on merit.

We don’t want a closed league that is just for the elite. Well not unless you are one of the greedy six of course!

 

[pachyderm]

I think as long as there are no safety concerns, clubs should be promoted with smaller stadiums. After all Luton Town are their on merit.

We don’t want a closed league that is just for the elite. Well not unless you are one of the greedy six of course!

This is one of things ruining football!

Brentford had beautiful old Griffin Park... now they don't.

Griffin Park - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The Hatters have "The Kenny" ... what will become of this charming old lady?

We live inside famous entrance to Luton Town stadium… there are surprising perks

STROLLING along Oak Road in Luton, the row of Victorian red brick terraced houses feel just like any other street. But halfway down the road, homes have effectively been cut in half to make way for…

www.the-sun.com

Kenilworth Road - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[laptech]

I was reading a sports article in the Metro online and it was talking about Luton's ground not meeting PL requirements on safety and media requirements in that the seats in the stands are wooden which would need to be replaced and that they need to build media stands due to the PL having numerous contracts with television companies around the world which require the PL to show live games and Luton's ground does not have the capability of having broadcasting equipment and camera's in their ground. The owner of the club said it would cost the club approx. £10 million just to make those changes and that is without increasing the capacity of the ground.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

It’s a sliding scale to be honest. The greedy six all have a better bench than the rest of us.

Better, perhaps, (though not always) yet stll not good enough.

I think as long as there are no safety concerns, clubs should be promoted with smaller stadiums. After all Luton Town are their on merit.

Agree absolutely.

We don’t want a closed league that is just for the elite.

I doubt that any of us want that; certainly, not fans of the game.

Well not unless you are one of the greedy six of course!

No.

When it was proposed, some of us were completely against it.

However, many of the owners, for whom profit and sportswashing matter, think differently.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Leeds have been relegated, losing 4-1 to Spurs.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Leeds have been relegated, losing 4-1 to Spurs.

And Leicester join them, despite defeating West Ham.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Mind you, I - suppressed an unseemly smile - and must say that I enjoyed seeing Brentford defeat Manchester City.

Yes, it doesn't matter, (not to the outcome of the Premier League title competition), and yes, Manchester City are probably coasting, and complacent, but it is still not a good idea to let go of that winning habit.

 

[laptech]

One of my brothers and my brother in law who are both Leeds fan will be devastated with the club being relegated.

With 2 important cup finals to come I knew there is no way City would give their all against Brentford. The question is now, which cup final is more important to the club because United WILL give City a hard game. They will go in with the tackles, it will be rough because United will be wanting to win the FA Cup. Now will City have the same desire knowing that the European Cup final is the following week. How much of a risk does he make with his player selection, not wanting to risk injury to key players.

 

[daneoni]

A fairly accurate bottom 3 in the end

Leeds with only 11 wins since sacking Bielsa

Leicester with only their 2nd win in 16 games

Southampton have been...Southampton

Congrats to Brighton, Villa, & Newcastle for stepping into Europe.

And thus concludes another EPL season.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

One of my brothers and my brother in law who are both Leeds fan will be devastated with the club being relegated.

With their dismal form, - even today, unlike Leicester who at least fought against their fate, and would have survived had Everton not won, Everton had to win to survive - they played poorly - and Bamford injured, they had little hope of survival.

With 2 important cup finals to come I knew there is no way City would give their all against Brentford.

I still think that they would have preferred to not have been defeated.

Both victory and defeat can become habitual.

The question is now, which cup final is more important to the club

Undoubtedly, the Champion's League is far more important; Manchester City have never won it, and - to my mind - they will happily sacrifice the FA Cup if they think they can win the Champion's League.

because United WILL give City a hard game. They will go in with the tackles, it will be rough because United will be wanting to win the FA Cup. Now will City have the same desire knowing that the European Cup final is the following week. How much of a risk does he make with his player selection, not wanting to risk injury to key players.

Manchester United will be very motivated and very driven for this final.

And, remember, Liverpool were close to winning three trophies not so long ago, yet didn't.

 

[Sydde]

would have survived had Everton not won

Everton is one of the elite 6, believe it or not: unlike Manchester City, they have not been out of the Premier League since its inception. In fact, Newcastle and Aston Villa have been out of the EPL for fewer seasons than Manchester City.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Sorry to see Leicester go. We rested a few players because of our European cup final. But ultimately it was Everton’s result that condemns them.

 

[Sal09]

Proud of my club.

And we go again in August.

See you all in 23/24 thread.

 

[laptech]

Sorry to see Leicester go. We rested a few players because of our European cup final. But ultimately it was Everton’s result that condemns them.

Everton knew they had to win because they knew West Ham was not going to do them any favours due to having a Euro final coming up and thus the club would have rested a number of players (other clubs have done this before over the years). Man City rested a number of players due to the cup finals coming up and guess what, they lost their game as well.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Everton is one of the elite 6, believe it or not: unlike Manchester City, they have not been out of the Premier League since its inception. In fact, Newcastle and Aston Villa have been out of the EPL for fewer seasons than Manchester City.

Actually, Everton have been in the top flight, or top division, for the past 70 years.

However, today was a close enough call; they were dicing with relegation and barely escaped.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Proud of my club.

And we go again in August.

See you all in 23/24 thread.

Seasons not over for all of us! 😜

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Sorry to see Leicester go. We rested a few players because of our European cup final. But ultimately it was Everton’s result that condemns them.

Agreed. I'm also sorry to see Leicester relegated.

Ultimately, Everton - at the very last day - did, barely, just about, what was required of them to retain their Premier League status.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Proud of my club.

And we go again in August.

See you all in 23/24 thread.

And it was nice to see the redemption arc of Granit Xhaka play out today; he has been superb all season for Arsenal.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Agreed. I'm also sorry to see Leicester relegated.

I would have felt sorry for them. I got behind their Premier League title a few years ago, and they’ve always been quite a decent club. Everyone loves the underdog. However, after hearing the Hillsborough chants when they played us the other week, and the fact the club didn’t condemn it, I’m happy to see them relegated. Even Man Utd condemn their fans behaviour in situations like this and I thought it was poor. I can appreciate these chants aren’t from genuine football fans and mostly from those not old enough to remember back then, plus it’s a minority, but still.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I would have felt sorry for them. I got behind their Premier League title a few years ago, and they’ve always been quite a decent club. Everyone loves the underdog. However, after hearing the Hillsborough chants when they played us the other week, and the fact the club didn’t condemn it, I’m happy to see them relegated. Even Man Utd condemn their fans behaviour in situations like this and I thought it was poor. I can appreciate these chants aren’t from genuine football fans and mostly from those not old enough to remember back then, plus it’s a minority, but still.

Hillsborough chants - along with any kind of racism - are completely out of order.

Just as fans hope to hold clubs to account, so, also, must clubs hold fans to account; there is no excuse for such behaviour.

 

[pachyderm]

Mind you, I - suppressed an unseemly smile - and must say that I enjoyed seeing Brentford defeat Manchester City.

Yes, it doesn't matter, (not to the outcome of the Premier League title competition), and yes, Manchester City are probably coasting, and complacent, but it is still not a good idea to let go of that winning habit.

The Bees though, another little team that could... for the time being. I love them. The Hatters are going to be another one root for!

 

[mrsmith1]

Also, congradulations to all the teams promoted last season for staying up, first time for no one-and-dones for about seven years. Forest is kind of an interesting case: they seem to play better on their heels, not winning games with ball control but letting the other team kick it around and apparently scoring on short breaks. In beating Arsenal, Forest controlled the ball less than a fifth of the game.

Forest fan here. At the beginning of the season we tried, rather naively, to play an expansIve and open game and consequently shipped goals. We changed tactics and we’re happy to frustrate the opposition and give up possession and catch teams on the break. Our season was nearly wrecked by injuries but once we had most of our players back, we got enough points to stay up. The performance against Arsenal was perfect. They wouldn’t have scored if the game had gone on for another two hour.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Welcome to the big time Sheffield Wednesday!
I know one fan who’ll be very happy!