2019-20 English Football Season Thread

[Loony BoB]

Guess this is happening, might as well start a thread about it. Poll closes before the first match so let's see how we get on with relatively blind predictions!

[Loony BoB]

Top news already churning through about Manchester United. Thanks to the BBC football front page for letting us know this vital and dramatic news!

76471

[Bubba]

Man Utd were teetering on greatness last season and certainly gave the top two a run for their money. I thought with the quality of our squad, we were a couple of world-class signings away from a period of domination. Now we've signed Obi-Wan Bissaka and a winger from the Championship... I think this is gonna be our year.

Utd to win the league.

[Heath]

I think if Utd are a named option, you might as well list Everton as well.

I have to say, I really enjoyed last year's title race and I think this year will be hard pushed to beat it. I think Liverpool might edge it this season, and I promise I'm not trying to jinx it. (maybe a little)

For Everton, I'd take top 7. Last season was a bit disappointing as we hit some really decent form in the end, but weren't consistent throughout the season. I'm hoping a lack of European football will put us in good stead. We're in dire need of reinforcements up top, where we never replaced Lukaku. I'll be happy with a decent striker, a solid centre back (signing Zouma is probably unlikely with Chelsea's transfer ban), and keeping Gueye. Really pleased we signed Gomes.

Oh, and some progress on the new stadium would be good too.

[Spuuky]

Wolves year

[Psychotic]

Can't see past Manchester City domination again. I think Liverpool will struggle to replicate last season and instead might find themselves in a closer battle with Spurs. As for the other three members of the big 6, who even knows? I'm sure one of them will do surprisingly well, one of them will do okay and the other will be pure comedy. Couldn't tell you which team will perform which role though.

[The Captain]

I think this is the year City go all in for the Champions League since I have heard that there is a good chance of a looming financial sanction and Champions League ban coming to City in possibly 2021 that might spell Pep leaving for safer pastures beyond. As such, will their focus drift just a tad from the EPL? Hard to say but it's my hope that any sort of drop off will be to Liverpool's benefit. It would be very impressible and improbable to have two teams end the season just short of 100 points again but nothing would surprise me at this rate.

Beyond that, Spurs look like they're finally spending again though if they end up losing some of their top players late in the window they might be scrambling and beyond that, the rest of the Top 6 look a shambles. Who will stay and go for United? Until that gets sorted and the roster is solidified, it's darn near impossible to predict where they end up. Same with Arsenal. Chelsea seem to be locked into the roster they have because of their own ban and losing Hazard is a big void, though Pulisic is an excellent player and I'm excited to see what he can do on a weekly basis.

Hard to believe next season is already around the corner. I'm looking forward to seeing Liverpool tonight in NYC and then before you know it, we'll be back again.

Take care all.

[Psychotic]

My hot take on Pulisic is that he's overrated because of his nationality and will struggle to live up to the hype in the Premier League. Time will tell but I think he's more, say, Everton quality than top 6 quality. Think Zaha, Walcott or Deulofeu.

[Spuuky]

Overrated where? I mean sure, yes, he's overrated on /r/soccer. He's very good, though, better than plenty of players on top 6 teams. If you mean can he be leader/driver of those teams, no, I doubt it, but he could certainly contribute to them positively.

He's also young so maybe he'll get better. Or maybe he won't.

He is, at the very least, better than any other American player by an inconceivably large amount. But that's because the US player pool is somehow worse than an average MLS team and MLS ain't good.

[Loony BoB]

So Bale is apparently heading into a million-per-week contract in China. He was already amongst the top five or so in the world (possibly top 2-3) in pay on 600k per week. Anyone calling him a mercenary for moving for that kind of money is probably a hypocrite because most people in their right mind would jump at that kind of wage. It's crazy money.

[Psychotic]

To be fair to Pulisic, I was looking up his stats and he's a lot younger than I thought he was. It's harsh to write off a player aged 20 so I take back my comments. We'll see what happens.

With Bale, well, he is a mercenary :p And don't get me wrong, many other footballers are too. But if I was in his position with his talent, no, I probably wouldn't do that. I'd stay in a top European league where I could still make obscene amounts of money - less money than China, yes - where I could continue to challenge and test myself against the best in the world. Helping a fallen giant like United or Milan reclaim their throne, or maybe a romantic return home to Spurs to help with the final push to greatness. I'm still going to retire a multi millionaire!

[Loony BoB]

I honestly doubt he'd make 400k at another club in Europe. Maybe if he came cheap, but it sounds like every club in Europe wasn't interested in Bale. Too many injuries, too late in his career, too high risk for wages even close to his.

[The Captain]

Table Predictions!

Liverpool
City
Spurs
Arsenal
Chelsea
United
Leicester
Everton
Wolves
Bournemouth
West Ham
Southampton
Watford
Aston Villa
Burnley
Crystal Palace
Sheffield Utd
Brighton
Newcastle
Norwich

EFL Cup: Man City
FA Cup: Spurs

Champions League: Juventus


Take care all. Let's get to work again.

[Heath]

Is there an EoFF fantasy league still going? I'm doing a work fantasy team for the first time in about three years, but I'm very happy to prop up an EoFF league as well.

[Loony BoB]

Usually Rocket Edge starts it up but I don't think there is one yet - feel free to start it up!

Very happy with today's game. Chelsea looked the better side in the first half, but once we were in the lead we seemed a lot more in control, with deeper play and a more penetrating counter attack. Glad to see James get a goal on his debut, you could see how much it meant to him!

[Rocket Edge]

Late to the thread folks (and poll :( )


Is there an EoFF fantasy league still going? I'm doing a work fantasy team for the first time in about three years, but I'm very happy to prop up an EoFF league as well.
The league is still going good sir. Anyone who wants the code just PM me and I'll share it with you!

Prediction is City for the title again, boring to say.

Who's everyone's predictions for (I'll include mine):

Player of the year: Kevin De Bruyne
Young player of the year: Mason Mount
Top 4: City, Liverpool, Spurs, United
Relegation: Crystal Palace, Newcastle, Aston Villa

[Bubba]

This is the least nervous I’ve ever been for Man Utd v Liverpool game. Hoping we don’t get utterly destroyed but can’t see anything other than an away win. Anything else is a bonus.

[Aulayna]

Sadly I think thrashing Man City is going to be the highlight of our 1 year stint in the top flight.

[Psychotic]

This team needs to step it up in big away games if it truly wants to be the best.

[Loony BoB]

Happily take a point from Liverpool, especially in their current form. We have far, far more improving to do, but I'm happy with the new signings so far this season. I feel we lack depth big time in midfield and attack, though. Lukaku going with no replacement other than youth was, in my opinion, a mistake. Sure, give youth a chance, but don't have just two strikers and then youth. Go for three.

[Cell]

West Ham looking suitably meh this season.

[Spuuky]

After careful consideration I have decided that the best conceivable outcome of this Premier League season is Sheffield United making the top 4

[The Captain]

I think this is the year City go all in for the Champions League since I have heard that there is a good chance of a looming financial sanction and Champions League ban coming to City in possibly 2021 that might spell Pep leaving for safer pastures beyond. As such, will their focus drift just a tad from the EPL? Hard to say but it's my hope that any sort of drop off will be to Liverpool's benefit. It would be very impressible and improbable to have two teams end the season just short of 100 points again but nothing would surprise me at this rate.

Took long enough for this prediction to be right. If only I were this good at predicting politics. Also, I'm all in for Sheffield United taking that last CL spot!


Take care all. YNWA.

[Cell]

The Chelsea/Man Utd game was a joke, VAR getting almost every decision wrong.

[Bubba]

The Chelsea/Man Utd game was a joke, VAR getting almost every decision wrong.

I saw absolutely nothing wrong :D

[Aulayna]

I feel that if Liverpool were playing FIFA right now the game difficulty would be set to Easy. :lol:

[Bubba]

I think it best that we just scrap this season in wake of the coronavirus outbreak. It’s going to get worse before it gets better.

Yeah, just scrap the league for this year. We can all start again in August on zero points once everything has died down.

[The Captain]

I think it best that we just scrap this season in wake of the coronavirus outbreak. It’s going to get worse before it gets better.

Yeah, just scrap the league for this year. We can all start again in August on zero points once everything has died down.

Eh, give it one more week or so, let City drop a few more points first. Then the trophy can be shown on a screen to every Liverpool fan though honestly, once we clinch I feel like Liverpool fans will risk Corona and literally any other type of disease to take part in that parade.

In other news, boy did we miss Alisson last night.


Take care all.

[Psychotic]

The league should be postponed, it’s the right thing to do. Football isn’t worth the cost of lives. I suspect it’ll be picked up again in the summer.

If it ends and there’s no champion though, that would break my heart. This is the greatest team in the Premier League’s history and it would be so cruel to have it snatched away. I think I would stop being a football fan, at least for a time. I can’t tell you what this title would mean to me nor can I tell you how much it would hurt. I just don’t think I could continue investing myself in it like this. I’d need a major break from it.

My hope - if it’s cancelled and not postponed - is for the rest of the league to unanimously vote that there’s only realistically one winner of the title in the spirit of fair play. We’ll see.

[The Captain]

The league should be postponed, it’s the right thing to do. Football isn’t worth the cost of lives. I suspect it’ll be picked up again in the summer.

If it ends and there’s no champion though, that would break my heart. This is the greatest team in the Premier League’s history and it would be so cruel to have it snatched away. I think I would stop being a football fan, at least for a time. I can’t tell you what this title would mean to me nor can I tell you how much it would hurt. I just don’t think I could continue investing myself in it like this. I’d need a major break from it.

My hope - if it’s cancelled and not postponed - is for the rest of the league to unanimously vote that there’s only realistically one winner of the title in the spirit of fair play. We’ll see.

I can't foresee an outcome where the league is cancelled altogether unless we just never have sports again in 2020. There is far too much that changes year to year between who gets relegated, promoted and elevated to European spots for them to just run it back with all the same teams next year. If I had to guess, they'll push Euro 2020 and have the season start up again maybe in May and finish in late June if things are under control.

That's the very reason why American sports can have cancelled or locked out years, all of the teams will remain the same coming into the next year barring a team folding altogether. Or they can just skip to the playoffs because no team is being screwed out of being promoted and all the windfall of cash that means. It stinks for sure but there are less overall consequences.

That said, I hope everyone is being safe and doing the smart and necessary things to remain so.

Take care all.

[Bubba]

Yeah, I was only joking about scrapping the league. Obviously other things are far more important than football at the minute. Worst case scenario is they cut the league short. Nobody could argue that Liverpool deserve the title. I agree it’s the best league campaign by a team ever, better even than the Arsenal’s invincible season. I know I’m probably biased but I still think Utd’s treble winning team was better :p... we only lost five games across all competitions. But I’ll admit that Liverpool, Arsenal, Man City and maybe even Chelsea have all had better league campaigns than us.

In summary, regardless of whether it’s postponed or cancelled altogether, give Liverpool the title. Even if the league finishes now and we miss out on a champions league place (depending on Man City’s appeal) then so be it. In the grand scheme of things, football isn’t really that important.

[Cell]

I never though no footbal (and scottish football especially) would drive me mental, but here we are.

[Psychotic]

CHAMPIONS OF ENGLAND! A thing I've always wanted to post!!

It's hurt, it's smurfing hurt with all the so closes and the so nears. I remember David James throwing away the title, literally, in the 90's. I remember PlayStation magazines simulating the league on some old FIFA and Liverpool winning it, and my childhood self taking this as gospel. Houllier came second. Rafa came second, with a team that was better than United and we thumped them and Madrid 4-0 in a week. Brendan came second and Luis Suarez was the greatest individual season in PL history and it wasn't enough. And last season the smurfing greatest second place team ever with Klopp and it still wasn't enough. It's felt like a curse, a dark cloud over us all that's just been gnawing away.

smurfing hell. I've lived and died with this team this year. I've watched every game and they're just so good. They're monsters. They do not smurfing stop. I've never seen a team like it. They deserve it so much. Can't believe it. I love football and I love my club.

[Old Manus]

I've genuinely logged back in to say congratulations Psychotic. It's been what feels like a lifetime but it's actually finally happened. What an end to the EoFF Football Thread story. We've gone through the Fergie years, the Russielloyd years, the Moyes year, and here we are, in current year. It's been well deserved. Liverpool Premier League Champions 2020*.

[Psychotic]

I’m actually fucking crying. Jesus Christ. Stupid fucking football. It’s finally over. What the fuck do I do with my life now?

[The Captain]

I was working at a food kitchen today, trying my best not to be distracted by the Man City-Chelsea scoreline when an older woman, probably in her 70's came over to me. She beckoned me over after we'd helped her with some food in her car and she noticed I had on Liverpool socks. Lowering her mask a bit, she gave me a slight smile and then said, "I always had faith". Then she took out a photo she had in her purse. It was of her late husband and her, at Anfield many years ago. He'd passed away this year from COVID. She then said this: "I miss him every day and I know he's jumping up and down up there celebrating. I never walk alone."

Despite the pandemic, we embraced one another and in that moment, it was the best celebration of life and of our shared love of a team I think I will ever have.

Sports are trivial and silly. They are toys for us in a world that can be full of so much pain. For today though, they bring utter joy.

YNWA.

Take care all.

[Bubba]

*

[Psychotic]

https://store.liverpoolfc.com/lfc-adults-pl-champions-1920-asterisk-tee

buying this now

[Bubba]

Nah, seriously congratulations. You can’t argue with how smurfing incredible a side that you’ve got at the minute. Domestic and European champions. Breaking records. I don’t think there’s a better team on the planet right now.

It’s hard for me to watch though xD

Lonny Boob, HURRY UP AND CLOSE DOWN EOFF BEFORE THIS HAPPENS

[Aerith's Knight]

https://store.liverpoolfc.com/lfc-adults-pl-champions-1920-asterisk-tee

buying this now

Congrats, you madlad. It finally happened.

Now for another decades long dry spell.

Actually, I prefer not. Too many Dutch players in Liverpool. I just hope they get their form back. I like the 4-3 high pace games.

[Bubba]

Just popping in to say that we're top of the league and LOL at Liverpool.

[Psychotic]

Just popping in to say that we're top of the league and LOL at Liverpool.No you're not, you're 5th. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2871983-epl-table-saturdays-week-23-results-scores-and-2020-premier-league-standings

And you can LOL all you want, but our 30 year wait is going to end soon. Even a plague couldn't prevent it.