2019-2020 EPL Discussion Thread

[K]

The seven behind-the-scenes problems plaguing Tottenham’s players including Pochettino’s ‘mood swings’ and Levy’s £6m salary

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/10083416/spurs-crisis-seven-behind-scenes-problems-tottenham-pochettino-levy/

"One dressing room source told The Athletic: "The place is a regime and they’re sick of him. It’s his way or nothing, there is no balance. The players don’t get the impression they are trusted at all." ...

Daniel Levy has prioritised the financial stability of the club - he is a businessman, after all - and has repeatedly refused to offer significant pay rises despite improving on-pitch results. ...

According to the article, news of Levy's £6m ($11m) annual salary "went down badly" with players who feel they should be on more than they currently are, especially when they look at their counterparts at the likes of Manchester United and even across North London at Arsenal. ...

The report reckons five years of relentless training and drilling from Poch is beginning to take its toll.

Players have complained they do not get enough days off and the intense pressing, high-energy game looks to be causing problems with a number of individual errors and collective team collapses. ...

There is a distinct lack of fight and hunger on display and Poch is desperately trying to "recover this aggressivity". ...

Poch's determination to stick with his favoured 4-4-2 diamond midfield is also causing problems. ...

The idea that Pochettino is volatile and unpredictable has only increased this year..."

[Jezza]

Interesting insight into the situation at Spurs.

Their form since the New Year has been worrying despite somehow making the Champions League Final last season.

[K]

FiveThirtyEight's predictions (Oct 13, 11:37pm.) -- win EPL:

Liverpool 56%
Man. City 40%
Chelsea 2%
Arsenal <1%
Tottenham <1%
Man United <1%

The rest <1%

[Jezza]

Weekend Matches:

Saturday October 19 2019:
Everton v West Ham United - 12:30
Aston Villa v Brighton & Hove Albion - 15:00
AFC Bournemouth v Norwich City - 15:00
Chelsea v Newcastle United - 15:00
Leicester City v Burnley - 15:00
Tottenham Hotspur v Watford - 15:00
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Southampton - 15:00
Crystal Palace v Manchester City - 17:30

Sunday October 20 2019:
Manchester United v Liverpool - 16:30

Monday October 21 2019:
Sheffield United v Arsenal - 20:00

All local times.

[K]

Are Manchester United the old Liverpool of the 1990s?

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11661/11836255/are-manchester-united-the-old-liverpool-of-the-1990s

"Up until Klopp's appointment in 2015, Liverpool, like United, tried it all. Houllier brought new European methods - who knew steak and chips weren't a suitable pre-match meal? - and a few trophies. Rafa Benitez brought the same, plus that night in Istanbul and a strong title challenge, but Roy Hodgson lasted six months, the return of King Kenny brought as many defeats as wins, and Brendan Rodgers struggled to recover after falling inches short in 2014. Identity was only ever formed in spurts.
...

Souness later acknowledged he tried to change too much about training and coaching, got rid of the Bootroom and brought tactics from abroad.

He said on MNF: "The one thing I learnt going to Italy was there's no real change in how the game should be played, but how players look after themselves. I was one of the chaps when it came to enjoying myself, and I tried to change that, and it was very easy when I went to Rangers to change that because that was a team that hadn't won the league in nine years.

"I was saying 'this is what we are going to do and this is what we will do after the game'. At Rangers they bought into it because they were young boys, so then when I go to Liverpool and say 'I don't want to see fish and chips after the game' and 'I don't want to see lager under the seats on the bus for the way back', the response you would get would be 'we have always done that'. It was very hard for me to argue that because I had been part of that culture."
...

The truth is that identity, culture, structure, whatever you want to call it, are hard to get on board with because they are so hard to see. ... There must be an element of trust.

Many forget Klopp's early struggles at Liverpool; he picked up just 23 points from his first 17 games, losing against Palace, Newcastle, Watford, West Ham, Leicester and United. Through the challenges - the fan expectation in particular - Klopp routinely said he was building something."

[K]

First blemish for Liverpool: a 1-1 draw with Man United.

"Manchester United ended Liverpool's 100 per cent start to the Premier League season – and their 17-match winning streak...

But there was disappointment for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side who were five minutes away from a win before Liverpool substitute Adam Lallana grabbed an equaliser...

Rashford scored after turning home a superb low cross from Dan James after the speedy Welshman had broken down the right flank.

The goal was subject to a video review and allowed to stand despite Liverpool claims that Victor Lindelof had fouled Divock Origi at the start of the move.

Liverpool thought they had got level, two minutes before the interval, when Sadio Mane outfought Lindelof and poked home but the VAR review showed the Senegalese forward had handled the ball."

(Reuters)

[K]

FiveThirtyEight's predictions (Oct 21, 4:54pm.) -- win EPL:

Liverpool 50%
Man. City 48%
Chelsea 2%
Arsenal <1%
Tottenham <1%
Man United <1%

The rest <1%.

....................

It already looks like it's down to three. How long before it's down to two?

[Jezza]

^ At least we're a 2% chance of winning it

Latest Results:

Saturday October 19 2019:
Everton 2-0 West Ham United
Aston Villa 2-1 Brighton & Hove Albion
AFC Bournemouth 0-0 Norwich City
Chelsea 1-0 Newcastle United
Leicester City 2-1 Burnley
Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 Watford
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-1 Southampton
Crystal Palace 0-2 Manchester City

Sunday October 20 2019:
Manchester United 1-1 Liverpool

Monday October 21 2019:
Sheffield United 1-0 Arsenal

The Ladder:
1. Liverpool 25 - Played 9
2. Man City 19 - Played 9
3. Leicester 17 - Played 9
4. Chelsea 17 - Played 9
----------------------
5. Arsenal 15 - Played 9
6. Crystal Palace 14 - Played 9
7. Tottenham 12 - Played 9
8. Burnley 12 - Played 9
9. Sheffield Utd 12 - Played 9
10. Bournemouth 12 - Played 9
11. West Ham 12 - Played 9
12. Aston Villa 11 - Played 9
13. Wolves 11 - Played 9
14. Man Utd 10 - Played 9
15. Everton 10 - Played 9
16. Brighton 9 - Played 9
17. Southampton 8 - Played 9
-----------------------
18. Newcastle 8 - Played 9
19. Norwich 7 - Played 9
20. Watford 4 - Played 9

[K]

Bookies' odds:

Liverpool ~53%
Man. City ~45.5%
Chelsea ~1.5%

[Jezza]

Weekend Matches:

Friday October 25 2019:
Southampton v Leicester City - 20:00

Saturday October 26 2019:
Manchester City v Aston Villa - 12:30
Brighton & Hove Albion v Everton - 15:00
Watford v AFC Bournemouth - 15:00
West Ham United v Sheffield United - 15:00
Burnley v Chelsea - 17:30

Sunday October 27 2019:
Newcastle United v Wolverhampton Wanderers - 14:00
Arsenal v Crystal Palace - 16:30
Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur - 16:30
Norwich City v Manchester United - 16:30

All local times.

[Jezza]

Leicester City defeats Southampton 9-0 away from home

[K]

And it was only a month ago that we were talking about the Man. City-Watford result.

Are the bottom teams getting worse? Southampton has two wins so far this season (unlike Watford). Every team except Liverpool has at least two losses.

[K]

FiveThirtyEight's predictions (Oct 27, 2:29pm.) -- win EPL:

Liverpool 53%
Man. City 44%
Chelsea 2%

The rest <1%.


-- qualify for UCL:

Liverpool > 99%
Man. City > 99%
Chelsea 68%
Leicester 46%
Arsenal 24%
Tottenham 23%
Man. United 17%

The rest 5% or less each.

[Jezza]

Latest Results:

Friday October 25 2019:
Southampton 0-9 Leicester City

Saturday October 26 2019:
Manchester City 3-0 Aston Villa
Brighton & Hove Albion 3-2 Everton
Watford 0-0 AFC Bournemouth
West Ham United 1-1 Sheffield United
Burnley 2-4 Chelsea

Sunday October 27 2019:
Newcastle United 1-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arsenal 2-2 Crystal Palace
Liverpool 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Norwich City 1-3 Manchester United

The Ladder:
1. Liverpool 28 - Played 10
2. Man City 22 - Played 10
3. Leicester 20 - Played 10
4. Chelsea 20 - Played 10
----------------------
5. Arsenal 16 - Played 10
6. Crystal Palace 15 - Played 10
7. Man Utd 13 - Played 10
8. Sheffield Utd 13 - Played 10
9. Bournemouth 13 - Played 10
10. West Ham 13 - Played 10
11. Tottenham 12 - Played 10
12. Wolves 12 - Played 10
13. Burnley 12 - Played 10
14. Brighton 12 - Played 10
15. Aston Villa 11 - Played 10
16. Everton 10 - Played 10
17. Newcastle 9 - Played 10
-----------------------
18. Southampton 8 - Played 10
19. Norwich 7 - Played 10
20. Watford 5 - Played 10

[Jezza]

Weekend Matches:

Saturday November 2 2019:
AFC Bournemouth v Manchester United - 12:30
Arsenal v Wolverhampton Wanderers - 15:00
Aston Villa v Liverpool - 15:00
Brighton & Hove Albion v Norwich City - 15:00
Manchester City v Southampton - 15:00
Sheffield United v Burnley - 15:00
West Ham United v Newcastle United - 15:00
Watford v Chelsea - 17:30

Sunday November 3 2019:
Crystal Palace v Leicester City - 14:00
Everton v Tottenham Hotspur - 16:30

All local times.