Barclays Premier League- 2015/16 Season Thread

[Raskle]

At the end of the season, we needed to handle our business, and we didn't. Hats off to Leicester, they pulled through (with a horseshoe stuck up an uncomfortable orifice, but I digress...) and took the title.

 

I have to say it's been a fun ride, and congrats to their fans and supporters. I wish we could have made it at least down to the wire, but we didn't, and that's that. I'll still be happy with second place this year, and I like our chances of taking it all next year even more now.

[Fenrir]

14 minutes ago, DirtyMagic97 said:

Wow. When was the last time 77 points won you the league? Great story and all, but low point total, being awarded the most penalties, dealing with basically no injuries, and no other comps just makes it feel meh IMO. But they've won and that's that.

Nothing meh about a small club like that winning the title, IMO. They went against the pocketbooks and might of the largest clubs in the world and came out on top. One of the best stories in EPL history.

[Raskle]

13 minutes ago, DirtyMagic97 said:

Wow. When was the last time 77 points won you the league? Great story and all, but low point total, being awarded the most penalties, dealing with basically no injuries, and no other comps just makes it feel meh IMO. But they've won and that's that.

To be fair though, when was the last time we've had this much parity too? If things keep going the way they have been, I can see this being an average for the title winners, and not the aberration. I'd like to think that the days of 3-4 teams taking the top spots every year, Fergie-time, and all the other things that make it a boring league are gone now. There's really not that much that separates the top from the bottom now, and I'm enjoying the hell out of that, regardless of where my team finishes.

[DirtyMagic97]

8 minutes ago, Raskle said:

To be fair though, when was the last time we've had this much parity too? If things keep going the way they have been, I can see this being an average for the title winners, and not the aberration. I'd like to think that the days of 3-4 teams taking the top spots every year, Fergie-time, and all the other things that make it a boring league are gone now. There's really not that much that separates the top from the bottom now, and I'm enjoying the hell out of that, regardless of where my team finishes.

Unfortunately Chelsea, City, and Arsenal if they ever move on from Wenger won't let that happen. Leicester will finish 6th at best next season, lose Mahrez and Kante and others and that'll be that. Maybe Tottenham can permanently work their way back into challenging consistently. Who knows. But Leicester were beneficiaries of circumstance this season. That won't happen again.

[DirtyMagic97]

Spurs players push down 69 year-old Guus Hiddink on the way into the tunnel. Wow.

[Raskle]

31 minutes ago, DirtyMagic97 said:

Spurs players push down 69 year-old Guus Hiddink on the way into the tunnel. Wow.

Really? I missed that, as I turned it off about 3/4s of the way through the game, and Clattenberg was pissing me off. I knew the score already, so I didn't see the point of getting angry.

 

Between that, and Dembele's ridiculous eye-gouge attempt, not sure what the hell was going with my guys. This is not like them at all, and it's something that needs addressing quickly. I'm embarrassed, especially since that stupid punch by Alli should have them on guard against immature actions. Not proud by any means.

[djp14]

2 hours ago, Fenrir said:

Nothing meh about a small club like that winning the title, IMO. They went against the pocketbooks and might of the largest clubs in the world and came out on top. One of the best stories in EPL history.

Yeah, I'm trying to come up an American pro sports equivalent, and I can't come up with anything. Alan Kulwicki, maybe? Salary caps and revenue sharing pretty much eliminate the David vs Goliath aspect here.

Anyway, congrats to Leicester. I haven't had a PL club to root for since Fulham went down,  so it was fun pulling for the Foxes in the 2nd half of this season. If it had been anyone but Leicester, I would've wanted to see Spurs pull it off. But they really spit the bit the last couple of weeks.

 

[pantherphan96]

Spurs were lucky not get at least 2-3 red cards. Near the end Dier got away with what should have been a straight red while for some reason the ref played advantage and then Dembele got a yellow a mere 10 seconds later. Walker was also lucky to avoid getting a second booking.

[Raskle]

1 hour ago, pantherphan96 said:

Spurs were lucky not get at least 2-3 red cards. Near the end Dier got away with what should have been a straight red while for some reason the ref played advantage and then Dembele got a yellow a mere 10 seconds later. Walker was also lucky to avoid getting a second booking.

And Chelsea were lucky not to get their fair share of cards too for the numerous sliding tackles with both feet raised, the forearms to the throat here and there inciting the retaliation you saw, and the six hundred dives they did. It's all in what the ref sees. Trust me, I know Clattenberg is poo, but it did go both ways.

[DirtyMagic97]

8 hours ago, djp14 said:

Yeah, I'm trying to come up an American pro sports equivalent, and I can't come up with anything. Alan Kulwicki, maybe? Salary caps and revenue sharing pretty much eliminate the David vs Goliath aspect here.

Anyway, congrats to Leicester. I haven't had a PL club to root for since Fulham went down,  so it was fun pulling for the Foxes in the 2nd half of this season. If it had been anyone but Leicester, I would've wanted to see Spurs pull it off. But they really spit the bit the last couple of weeks.

 

The Premier League has revenue sharing and Leicester have plenty of money to spend. They just got players without having to spend much at all. Like I said, no injuries is huge for a Premier League campaign and they barely had any at all.

Also- the miracle on ice trumps this every time. That's America's "equivalent".

[djp14]

2 hours ago, DirtyMagic97 said:

 

Also- the miracle on ice trumps this every time. That's America's "equivalent".

I specifically said "American pro sports", which the Olympics are not. Even then, the 1980 Olympics were a 12 team tournament that lasted 12 days. Not exactly the same thing as a 10 month, 38 match season.  

[DirtyMagic97]

2 minutes ago, djp14 said:

I specifically said "American pro sports", which the Olympics are not. Even then, the 1980 Olympics were a 12 team tournament that lasted 12 days. Not exactly the same thing as a 10 month, 38 match season.  

It was our amateurs against their professionals. I consider that pro sports. And no, it's not the same as a 10 month, 38 match season in which all their competition is playing in several other competitions mid week that they bowed out of early.

[pantherphan96]

8 hours ago, Raskle said:

And Chelsea were lucky not to get their fair share of cards too for the numerous sliding tackles with both feet raised, the forearms to the throat here and there inciting the retaliation you saw, and the six hundred dives they did. It's all in what the ref sees. Trust me, I know Clattenberg is poo, but it did go both ways.

I was shocked at how bad the ref was at controlling the game. Expect at least one retroactive ban.

[djp14]

42 minutes ago, DirtyMagic97 said:

all their competition is playing in several other competitions mid week that they bowed out of early.

Using that logic, a team outside of CL and Europa should challenge for the title every year.