***Official*** English Football Season 2017/18

[marc71178]

Fixtures are out although I cbf to link to them.

Obviously the big news is that Coventry have surely found their level now and I'm actually more optimistic about this season then any recent ones. Maybe even defend the most important trophy in English football as well?

Looking at the Premier League, I personally think it's Liverpool's year...

 

[vic_orthdox]

Chelsea, Everton, City, Arsenal to finish.

We'd better get our points early...

BBC Fixtures

 

[Furball]

Our season literally starts in 2 weeks as we seek to take United's Europa League crown.

Even although it will mean getting knocked out by some two bit mob from the middle of nowhere, it'll be great playing European football again.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Our season literally starts in 2 weeks as we seek to take United's Europa League crown.

Even although it will mean getting knocked out by some two bit mob from the middle of nowhere, it'll be great playing European football again.

Crikey that is early, wonder what sort of side you will put out. Presume mainly kids and hope to get through against a Macedonian part time team.

 

[GIMH]

Our fixtures don't come out for another three weeks. Such is life in the slums.

 

[King Pietersen]

Stoke H
Man City A
Chelsea A
Spurs H
Man Utd A

What a lovely start to the season we've got.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Southampton sack their manager after finishing 8th and reaching the League Cup Final. It would be interesting to know where they expected to finish taking into account the big 6 plus Everton.

 

[cpr]

Well I think their idea is not to finish below Everton - they would feel they've a better set up off the pitch that should take them above them. Southampton have one of the strongest scouting networks going, be it youth or senior players, and have used this over the last few years to get themselves into the top 8 (considering they were league one a few years back...). They would probably feel that they've a better financial situation too (Everton have never been ones for spending big really, certainly not under Kenwright - its only now they've started to talk of actually having cash). For a club like Southampton they've done well to steadily build, and would be hoping to step up from there. Certainly there are a few clubs they can't compete with, but they'd probably look at the likes of Spurs and think if they can be at the top then why not them?


Alas the performances under Puel weren't promising, despite having all the clubs off the pitch skills at his disposal - getting him Gabbiadini mid season was a great move, he looked immense - so I can understand them making a change now as they aren't a club for staying still and slowly slipping back.

No doubt they'll already know who they want - if they were just sacking Puel because he wasn't good enough they'd have done it weeks ago, so sacking him now suggests its because they can see an improvement out there who's interested.

 

[Pothas]

46 points as well, that is about as bad an 8th as it is possible to get.

 

[Jarquis]

Yeah, league position is really not the be all and end all when youre closer to getting relegated than you are making Europe

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Well I think their idea is not to finish below Everton - they would feel they've a better set up off the pitch that should take them above them. Southampton have one of the strongest scouting networks going, be it youth or senior players, and have used this over the last few years to get themselves into the top 8 (considering they were league one a few years back...). They would probably feel that they've a better financial situation too (Everton have never been ones for spending big really, certainly not under Kenwright - its only now they've started to talk of actually having cash). For a club like Southampton they've done well to steadily build, and would be hoping to step up from there. Certainly there are a few clubs they can't compete with, but they'd probably look at the likes of Spurs and think if they can be at the top then why not them?


Alas the performances under Puel weren't promising, despite having all the clubs off the pitch skills at his disposal - getting him Gabbiadini mid season was a great move, he looked immense - so I can understand them making a change now as they aren't a club for staying still and slowly slipping back.

No doubt they'll already know who they want - if they were just sacking Puel because he wasn't good enough they'd have done it weeks ago, so sacking him now suggests its because they can see an improvement out there who's interested.

The fact that Spurs and Everton were able to nick their managers should have given them a hint as to their standing in the community.

 

[Uppercut]

The football under Puel was turgid. Feels pretty unlikely that he would have improved them next season.

I thought they'd already got rid tbh.

 

[Jarquis]

Will have a soft spot though as he made one of my closest childhood friends a regular prem starter

 

[Furball]

Yeah they've finished 8th because of how shite the rest of the league is. Definitely going backwards results and performance wise.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

A club like Southampton will always be up and down. They won't improve year on year indefinitely. Especially when all their best players are poached by the top clubs.

 

[Uppercut]

A club like Southampton will always be up and down. They won't improve year on year indefinitely. Especially when all their best players are poached by the top clubs.

I don't think it's impossible to break out of mediocrity, just very difficult. Leicester did it suddenly, Spurs did it gradually.

And anyway, it's not acceptable for the owners to act as if this were true. Gotta keep trying to improve.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Leicester broke out suddenly but won't be up there again. Their achievement has made all the other foreign owners believe they have a chance of winning the League.

 

[Furball]

I don't think it's impossible to break out of mediocrity, just very difficult. Leicester did it suddenly, Spurs did it gradually.

And anyway, it's not acceptable for the owners to act as if this were true. Gotta keep trying to improve.

Southampton arguably did it as well, they've been a solid top 7 team for a while now. Their issue has been keeping players long enough to break through their glass ceiling (Liverpool provide a wee bit of a clue as to what could have been possible)

 

[Uppercut]

Southampton arguably did it as well, they've been a solid top 7 team for a while now. Their issue has been keeping players long enough to break through their glass ceiling (Liverpool provide a wee bit of a clue as to what could have been possible)

It's sort of necessary to sell their best players at this stage, like Spurs did with Bale and Modric. It gets them to the point where financially they don't need to anymore.

It's also hard to attract good young players if you develop a reputation for holding them back.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Bristol City away in the League Cup for the mighty Greens. Ronaldo suspected of tax evasion.