EPL 2020/2021
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@kiwipie said in EPL 2020/2021:
Pep cocked up big time in team selection - and they looked lost for most the game. He finally found his top 11 for Europe, then decided that the attacking midfielder with most goals should play in a holding role rather than the 2 guys who can actually do the job well. Picked Sterling despite him always looking ineffectual against a decent defence and Chelsea just put 5 across the pitch and compressed the space. Very, very strange. Chelsea didn't even have to do that much, just grab a goal and sit back. And should still have sealed it with a second.
Have to say, Kante is an absolute machine. The number of times he gets a foot in to nick the ball away is uncanny yet he still finds time to drive his team forward. Well done Chelsea and Tuchel, a well deserved win.
Pep's downfall in this competition is and always has been his overthinking things and departing from what's been proven to work. I am no fan of City, but have today felt quite sorry for them as they've been the best team in the CL this year by some margin and that's why they managed finally to make it to the final (in other years, they've not been the best and that's why they've regularly been beaten over two legs in the earlier knockout stages). Again, however, Pep has guilded the lily and in doing so has probably cost his club a CL trophy.
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I found Chelsea's defensive formation very interesting and it seemed to throw City completely. They defended 5 across the back but relatively high leaving space behind. Then 3 midfielders in front with hardly any gap between the midfield and defence. It meant that James and Chilwell were right on top of Sterling and Mahrez whenever they got the ball.
Most teams who play a block against City use 2 blocks of 4 and defend narrow meaning there are always spaces on the flanks and City try to overload those areas to get in behind. With 5 across, the flanks were congested and with the midfield and defence of Chelsea so close together they was no space for de Bruyne and Foden to exploit between the lines.
When Chelsea broke up play, their full backs and Mount/Kante all sprinted to support Havertz and Werner meaning that often they were outnumbering City who ended up playing 3-2-5 with Zhinchenko often getting caught upfield.
That formation may well have foxed City even if they had picked their usual team and left out Sterling. As it was City had 3 defenders and 7 attacking midfielders on the pitch and used their top scorer for the season as a holding midfielder .
Werner is a conundrum for Chelsea, this game was a perfect summary of his season. Working like a dog, making great runs and dragging the City centre backs all over the pitch. And never looking like scoring a goal when he got a chance.
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Listening to a podcast on the football and someone put forward the idea that Rudiger should have been red carded for breaking de Bruyne's face. Strange that in rugby it would absolutely have been a straight red (shoulder to the face) and maybe if there were more head injuries in football, they would do the same.
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@junior said in EPL 2020/2021:
@kiwipie said in EPL 2020/2021:
Pep cocked up big time in team selection - and they looked lost for most the game. He finally found his top 11 for Europe, then decided that the attacking midfielder with most goals should play in a holding role rather than the 2 guys who can actually do the job well. Picked Sterling despite him always looking ineffectual against a decent defence and Chelsea just put 5 across the pitch and compressed the space. Very, very strange. Chelsea didn't even have to do that much, just grab a goal and sit back. And should still have sealed it with a second.
Have to say, Kante is an absolute machine. The number of times he gets a foot in to nick the ball away is uncanny yet he still finds time to drive his team forward. Well done Chelsea and Tuchel, a well deserved win.
Pep's downfall in this competition is and always has been his overthinking things and departing from what's been proven to work. I am no fan of City, but have today felt quite sorry for them as they've been the best team in the CL this year by some margin and that's why they managed finally to make it to the final (in other years, they've not been the best and that's why they've regularly been beaten over two legs in the earlier knockout stages). Again, however, Pep has guilded the lily and in doing so has probably cost his club a CL trophy.
They've been the best team in the CL apart from the other team which beat them and became champions.
But yes, lets make it all about Pep & City. It was so nice of them to let that other team, whoever they are, have their day.
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Heard stat that Brentford, on promotion, are now the 50th team to play in the Premier League.
Quite an amazing stat really, almost 30 seasons, 50 teams rotating through a 20 team league.
Of my generation. I can think of a few 1980s First Division teams from that decade that haven't played Premier League yet; Oxford, Luton, Wimbledon, Millwall, Swindon.
I think some of it is that some of the yo-yo teams have to go so far out on a limb to get promoted, that if they come straight back down they can plummet even right out of the 2nd tier as well for a few years. Opening up space for the next challengers.
But, 10 to 15 years ago. If you'd told me a team like Blackpool , a quaint team of yesteryear, Stanley Mathews, maximum wages etc etc, would make the Premier League ... I would have scoffed.
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The first EPL season (92-93) has QPR, Sheffield Wednesday, Wimbledon, Coventry, Ipswich and Oldham who all seem a long way from it these days. And Blackburn who were soon to win it. Barnsley and Bradford had top flight spells in those first few years and Coventry weren't relegated until 2001 having been in the top division for over 30 years.
There aren't many teams left in the Championship who haven't been in the EPL. Luton, Bristol City, Preston and Peterborough from next season I reckon now that Blackpool are back in.
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@bovidae said in EPL 2020/2021:
@canefan I wondered about them too, but Ipswich was in the Premiership as recently as 2000 before being relegated again.
And they a had a great start to the season, may have been leading (or maybe second to runaway Man Utd) pre-xmas. George Burley manager. Came about top 4 I would guess, at time I don't think all top 4 qualified for champions league.
All from memory. First year living in London, remember that season quite well. Can't remember a single Ipswich player though ....
Edit. Looked it up. Was 2000/2001. They came 5th. Wiki tells me "pipped by Liverpool on the last day of the season for a place in the Champions League."
Getting my 99/00 and 00/01 seasons a little blurred.
Both had a similar them of a promoted club going great guns before fading.
Sunderland in 99/00
Ipswich in 00/01Ispwich relegated the year after.
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@dogmeat said in EPL 2020/2021:
@rapido Wimbledon played in the first eight seasons of EPL with a best finish of 6th
damn right we did! and now we're coming back! (one day)
@rapido said in EPL 2020/2021:
@dogmeat said in EPL 2020/2021:
@rapido Wimbledon played in the first eight seasons of EPL with a best finish of 6th
Ah. I get them and Millwall mixed up in my head sometimes.
ouch
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@dogmeat said in EPL 2020/2021:
Very trainspotterish table of EPL finishes this century.
Red - First time relegated
Brown - Promoted that year
Green - Highest Ever Finish
Safety - 1 point above 18th
Seasons - Total no. in EPLIf this is your work, did you not have enough time to go back to Season 1? Meaning of course 1888-89!
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@kiwipie said in EPL 2020/2021:
Notts County were relegated the season before EPL started so we are not one of the 50
I was going to mention this but didn't want to bring up bad memories.
On a similar tangent, which club has been in the EPL and now fallen the farthest?
