The Boxing Day slate wasn't exactly one for the ages this year, giving us no real surprises and seeing the top 7 teams all win. But with the next six days offering a double-dose of EPL games, there's still plenty of time for the famed year-end craziness to take place. The last game of 2016 will see Liverpool and City confront their defensive weaknesses for what could be an entertaining scrap. City have Aguero back while Liverpool could suffer from Coutinho's absence due to injury. Both teams absolutely need the win to keep up pace with Chelsea, who host stagnating Stoke. Arsenal have Palace at home, a game for which Wenger might want to take Giroud off the bench a bit earlier than lately. The second gameday has resurgent West Ham hosting equally invigorated United, who'll be looking to close in on the top 5 by making it 6 wins in 7. Arsenal go to Bournemouth, a team who they beat 3-1 in November but the Gunners have lost their last 2 away games. The undisputed highlight of this coming week though, will be the Spurs-Chelsea derby on Wednesday. Interestingly the last time Spurs beat their downtown rival was on a similar New Year's-ish game, when they romped 5-3 two seasons ago and Kane announced himself to the league as the real deal. Despite his missed penalty against Southampton this week, Kane is back in full form, and with the Spurs midfield as dangerous as ever, this should be a great test for Antonio Conte's men.
EPL Fri 30 Dec 2016 3:00p Hull City - Everton FC Sat 31 Dec 2016 10:00a Burnley FC - Sunderland AFC 10:00a Chelsea FC - Stoke City 10:00a Leicester City - West Ham 10:00a Manchester United - Middlesbrough 10:00a Southampton - West Bromwich 10:00a Swansea - Bournemouth 12:30p Liverpool FC - Manchester City Sun 01 Jan 2017 08:30a Watford FC - Tottenham 11:00a Arsenal FC - Crystal Palace
Mon 02 Jan 2017 07:30a Middlesbrough - Leicester City 10:00a Everton FC - Southampton 10:00a Manchester City - Burnley FC 10:00a Sunderland AFC - Liverpool FC 10:00a West Bromwich - Hull City 12:15p West Ham - Manchester United Tue 03 Jan 2017 2:45p Bournemouth - Arsenal FC 3:00p Crystal Palace - Swansea 3:00p Stoke City - Watford FC Wed 04 Jan 2017 3:00p Tottenham - Chelsea FC
------------------------------ For the record, my teams: MLB: Mets / Soccer: PSG NCAA BB: Arizona / NCAA FB: Michigan NBA: Spurs / NFL: Jets
it is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts. - sherlock holmes
13. "It's the system. They don't work on defensive position outside" In response to Reply # 11
of getting out of the back. Man on man at this level is really minor compared to the system of closing and dropping lines that shutdown outs and channels for offensive players. If you don't have the drilling of a system in the EPL to quickly close ranks around a player with the ball, you are fucked. Couple that with the Pep dogma of "When you get the ball, you must be flawless", and their defense is mentally double fucked. He doesn't get that, in this league, defenders have to defend 1st, 2nd and 3rd.
19. "Outside of Stone, they are all great defenders" In response to Reply # 16
Otamindi, Sagna, Kolarov and Zabaleta are all great defenders that had success under the parade of previous coaches. Suddenly they "can't defend"? What? It's 100% the system and Pep's inability to adapt to the league. You can't have your back for ducking around with the ball or playing two wing backs in a drop four; you will get ripped to shreds, ala the Leicester game, if you try that against the wrong/right team.
26. "Lol, this is so lazy " In response to Reply # 16 Sat Dec-31-16 12:04 PM by LA2Philly
Outside of Stones, each of the City defenders has shown the ability to be a consistent defender. The variable that had changed this season is the system. It already increases the risk for the backline bc of how high the backline is pushing and then you pair that with turnovers and not immediately pressing/closing down space effectively, that's the recipe for defensive disaster regardless of who your defenders are.
There's so much pressure on a Pep team to be excellent in keeping possession and Pep underestimated the relentlessness of the BPL in being able to do that game in and game out...without an extremely effective team press, the team will continue to be opened up.
--------------------------------- <--The drought is over
"have fun reveling in your pettiness tho" (C) Dula summing up 98% of OKS
"I didnt finish a damn thing...matter of fact I jerked off after she left." -Kobe speaking to investigators
46. "i can't think of a better group of defenders that don't fit Pep's system" In response to Reply # 26
those dudes don't fit the system at all. Stones *could* conceivably.
it's not about the EPL being a different league, it's about Pep trying to make square pegs fit round holes and refusing to just switch systems. for such a brilliant manager, he refuses to change his principles like an idiot.
that group of defenders cannot play the way pep wants a defense to play. it's ruining/wasting them. otamendi was a beast for valencia.
----------- you think we playing chess, but i'm playing mad-making. Basaglia
BrooklynWHAT Member since Jun 15th 2007 85077 posts
Fri Dec-30-16 10:00 PM
14. "i dont know what the fuck stones is doing half the time" In response to Reply # 11 Fri Dec-30-16 10:01 PM by BrooklynWHAT
that kid is a disaster every time the ball goes his way. and it was the same way at everton. paul merson rants on him are hilarious.
the english media blowing smoke up his ass about being an elegant ball playing CB isnt helping him either. if i was a City fan i'd scream myself hoarse at him to just boot the ball and live to fight another attack.
12. "Zlatan may not be the best of this generation, but he's the coolest" In response to Reply # 0
Giving a spate of interviews this week that have been A+ reading. Doesn't give a shit about sound bites, saying it as it is, and funny/fun as hell. He's the man. Even claiming that he intentionally put that ball behind Mickey to make him do that scorpion kick (jokingly). He's the shit.
R9 in the 90s while his knees were intact played outside the box & used to make runs similar to pre-2014 CR7 instead of lounging around like Zaltan who's a Cantona disciple.
BrooklynWHAT Member since Jun 15th 2007 85077 posts
Sat Dec-31-16 12:40 AM
18. "he's an amazing personality. you can just see the effect he has" In response to Reply # 12
on the team. everybody talks about him he's a god compared to them and they learn so much from him. he's such a perfect fit at united. i wish he could've joined us earlier. perhaps if we had just hired jose the first time around *side-eye*. the team just has a different vibe. so much more positive.
i wish he would let pogba take more freekicks in games though. but since him and pogba are tight they probably have some kind of arrangement going on with that. i think pogba's technique is more appropriate for that.
73. "they've beaten arsenal, chelsea, city, and spurs*" In response to Reply # 40
including wins at the emirates and stamford bridge, so i'm not sure what you're point is. this was an outcome that was pretty much the result of two reckless actions, the second one being pretty egregious.
*efl cup
------ "I can't promise I'll try. But I'll try to try."
36. "Arsenal only scoring 2 goals in this game shld worry them." In response to Reply # 34
They shld've scored 5 based on this kind of performance. Not clinical enough, wouldn't get it done vs a top side. Btw Wenger's expression on the touchline indicates to me that he knows this.
49. "It is absolutely 100% absurd, but I don't see it changing" In response to Reply # 45
there's too much money involved, and no one in England is really that bothered. The vast majority of fans like Christmas football, and since the media mostly report on the league as though it's a tv drama they have a bigger impetus to talk about results and single events rather than the overall quality of play.
To be fair there's been a recent concern that the unrelenting nature of the league has a negative impact on its teams' Champions League aspirations, not to mention the national team's international performance, but it's mostly relegated to a few wishful-thinking pieces in The Guardian and the like.
------------------------------ For the record, my teams: MLB: Mets / Soccer: PSG NCAA BB: Arizona / NCAA FB: Michigan NBA: Spurs / NFL: Jets
BrooklynWHAT Member since Jun 15th 2007 85077 posts
Mon Jan-02-17 10:57 PM
47. "thoughts about your teams at the halfway mark?" In response to Reply # 0
i think i'm ready to say we're back. it might not show in the standings yet. but the level of performances and heart in the team are so high. they became new again by going old. this looks like a man united team again.
pogba is flying. already proving himself head and shoulders above the league even as he's still adjusting. it's only going to get better. ibra's just so productive. martial and mkhitaryan are off and running. rashford. three lung herrera. the future is so bright. i cant wait for the 2nd half.
do not doubt the special one. he has a difficult but definitely achievable task ahead with restoring man united to being at the top. the most important thing is that he is one with the spirit of man united. he can be his best self with us.
we'll make top 4 this year. i think we're about to go on a long winning streak. i actually think we'll finish second. but on the off chance we dont make top 4 mourinho should still continue as the manager because this is a project and not a short term fix.
i already have an idea of what our summer dealings will be but i hope there are a few surprises in january.
54. "That game sums up Arsenal: completely mental " In response to Reply # 0
Unable to stem the tide, turning a wave into a tsunami....and then after the slightest hope, completely on the front-foot. Such a mental team which inherently makes us susceptible to huge betas in play...and susceptible to losing league titles to more consistent teams.
--------------------------------- <--The drought is over
"have fun reveling in your pettiness tho" (C) Dula summing up 98% of OKS
"I didnt finish a damn thing...matter of fact I jerked off after she left." -Kobe speaking to investigators
58. "that really was such a stupid foul by xhaka." In response to Reply # 57
>Streak has to end sometime, and I can't honestly sit here and >say there aren't four teams better than us right now. > >Xaka is an idiot, he's just as dumb as he looks. And he looks >really dumb
BrooklynWHAT Member since Jun 15th 2007 85077 posts
Wed Jan-04-17 03:45 PM
65. "the numbers are not in our favor" In response to Reply # 64
considering we have to win every single game just to get to 83 points. and that's only been good enough to win the title like twice in the last 10 years.
stranger things have happened, but i wouldnt put my money on it.
not time for heartbreak yet. that comes later, after this gets our hearts up. chelsea's better but can't match a fired up spurs and an in-form (finally!) dele alli. Walker and Erickson with the goals.
---- bshelly
"You (Fisher) could get fired, Les Snead could get fired, Kevin Demoff could get fired, but I will always be Eric Dickerson.” (c) The God
67. "Great game from Tottenham, sublime organization and composure " In response to Reply # 0
Even when Chelsea dictated for the final 25 mins or so of the 1st half, Tottenham never allowed that to phase them into frustration and losing discipline. Instead, they took that wave and then found their chance to take all of the momentum (aided by Moses who wasn't in tune with Cahill and Luiz, and not stepping up to play Kane and Alli offside) into the half...and then again to their credit, came out with intent in the 2nd half and again took their chance from another incisive service from Eriksen (easily the motm imo). The final 20 characterized by more calmness of play and trusting your organization, such a credit to Pochettino and the players. Never rattled, playing within themselves, taking their chances. Great football.
--------------------------------- <--The drought is over
"have fun reveling in your pettiness tho" (C) Dula summing up 98% of OKS
"I didnt finish a damn thing...matter of fact I jerked off after she left." -Kobe speaking to investigators
84. "it would be a massive blow to Roma to lose him" In response to Reply # 83
he's the best they've had in a long time, coming up with big saves game after game (at least these last 3 months). He adds much-needed stability to a defense that is capable (Fazio was really good yesterday, 22 clearances is impressive) but hurt by injuries, and which could lose their top-rated player yet again next summer
------------------------------ For the record, my teams: MLB: Mets / Soccer: PSG NCAA BB: Arizona / NCAA FB: Michigan NBA: Spurs / NFL: Jets
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