English Premier League 2024/25

Dee_4_3 said:

I think so? Very tough call for the clubs decision makers. If they were to make a change, this would be a great time with Champions League on the horizon and would hate for a slow start next year in CL and the Prem result in Ange being canned and a missed opportunity to find a long term manager during the period where we have something to sell to a top manager. I've always been a huge fan of Ange through the ups and downs of his couple years here, probably more so because I just think he's a heck of a person and appreciate how hard he's worked to get to where he currently is.

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Not a Spurs fan (nor really a fan of a specific PL team), but I agree with you on all counts. If Spurs want to fire Ange, they need to do it now. They can't do what Manchester United did with Ten Hag at this time last year. If you're going to let Ange go (and I hope they don't, even though I don't think Ange's style of play matches with Tottenham's relative frugality compared to the rest of the PL Big Six/Seven), you can't wait to do it 8-10 weeks into the season. If you keep him, I think you have to keep him for the full season.

I see a lot of Underwood in Ange. Very clear on his vision and willing to adhere to it despite any amount of outside pressure. I also think that hurts Ange because you sometimes have to adjust. But as a neutral, I'd sure rather watch his style of play then a team like Forest that packs it in and hopes to get a goal on a counter or set piece to win 1-0.

One thing I have seen discussed is that Ange may actually leave on his own. He apparently wasn't happy with the support from Levy and, more importantly, the team's training staff with all of the injuries. If another opportunity arises, he may just jump.

KBLEE said:

One thing I have seen discussed is that Ange may actually leave on his own. He apparently wasn't happy with the support from Levy and, more importantly, the team's training staff with all of the injuries. If another opportunity arises, he may just jump.

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Fair point as well. Levy definitely has his own ideas about how to run a club, and it seemed like Tottenham supplanted Chelsea as the league's most-injured team.

How is Ange's German? Might be kind of fun to see him at Leverkusen to replace Xabi Alonso, but I know it sounds like Ten Hag is going to get that job. Ange-ball would be fun in the Bundesliga compared to a more technical league like La Liga or Serie A.

Meanwhile the club I support in the PL, Everton, are going to have a real interesting offseason. Not only will they be moving into the new Hill Dickinson Stadium at the Bramley-Moore Dock but they have at least a few players who could be coming off the club's books. There's a pretty distinct possibility that guys like Doucoure and Calvert-Lewin may play their final match for the club this weekend.

If Moyes can keep up the points per match average the club has been on since he took over, they could potentially be a mid-table club next season.

IlliniFaninHoosierLand said:

Meanwhile the club I support in the PL, Everton, are going to have a real interesting offseason. Not only will they be moving into the new Hill Dickinson Stadium at the Bramley-Moore Dock but they have at least a few players who could be coming off the club's books. There's a pretty distinct possibility that guys like Doucoure and Calvert-Lewin may play their final match for the club this weekend.

If Moyes can keep up the points per match average the club has been on since he took over, they could potentially be a mid-table club next season.

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So the Toffees will be plying their trade at "The Dick" next season?

OrangeBlue98 said:

So the Toffees will be plying their trade at "The Dick" next season?

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Oh trust me, I'm on an Everton supporters message board and people over there knew people would make fun of the name as soon as it was announced.

EFL Championship play-off final tomorrow at Wembley between Sheffield United and Sunderland. Kickoff is set for 10:00 AM Eastern and will air on Paramount+ here in the U.S.

While Sheffield United was just in the Premier League last season, Sunderland hasn't been in the top flight since the 2016-17 season and had fallen as far as League One within the last few years.

Sheffield United leads Sunderland 1:0 at half.

Sunderland have scored twice in the 2nd half, including just now in stoppage time.

Sunderland win the play-off final 1:2.

Sheffield United have never won a play-off final, this being their 10th time playing in it.

Correction: Sheffield United have never been promoted to the Premier League via the play-off, this being their 10th time in such a situation.

Clinching scenarios for Championship Sunday:

Manchester City
Can clinch a Champions League berth with:
-Win at Fulham
-Draw at Fulham while maintaining goal differential advantage over Villa (currently 17)
-Draw between Nottingham Forest and Chelsea
-Either Newcastle or Aston Villa drop points
-Nottingham Forest beat Chelsea AND Man City keep GD advantage over Forest IF Newcastle and Villa win (currently 13)

Newcastle United
Can clinch a Champions League berth with:
-Win vs Everton while maintaining goal differential advantage over Villa (currently 13)
-Draw vs Everton AND Nottingham Forest vs Chelsea ends in a draw
-Draw vs Everton AND Villa drop points at Manchester United
-Lose vs Everton AND Villa and Chelsea lose AND Newcastle maintains goal differential advantage over Chelsea (currently 2)

Chelsea
Can clinch a Champions League berth with:
-Win at Nottingham Forest while maintaining goal differential advantage over Villa (currently 11)
-Draw at Nottingham Forest AND Villa draw or lose at Man Utd
-Draw at Nottingham Forest AND Newcastle lose vs Everton
-Lose at Nottingham Forest AND Villa and Newcastle lose AND Newcastle’s goal differential drops below Chelsea’s (Newcastle currently +22, Chelsea +20)

Aston Villa
Can clinch a Champions League berth with:
-Win at Manchester United AND Man City lose at Fulham
-Win at Manchester United AND Newcastle or Chelsea drop points
-Draw at Manchester United AND Newcastle lose vs Everton

Nottingham Forest
Can clinch a Champions League berth with:
-Win vs Chelsea AND Newcastle lose OR Aston Villa lose

Whoever ends up finishing 6th will join Palace in Europa League.

The 8th place team in the table could also be playing European football next season depending on what happens tomorrow as well as in the Conference League final on Wednesday involving Chelsea. This will happen if:

-Chelsea win the Conference League and finish in seventh place OR
-Chelsea win the Conference League, finish sixth, AND Newcastle United finish seventh.

8th Place finish scenarios:
-Brighton will finish eighth by winning or drawing at Tottenham Hotspur OR Brentford drawing or losing at Wolves.
-Brentford will finish eighth by winning at Wolves IF Brighton lose at Spurs (Brentford's GD is +9, Brighton is +4).

Dominic Solanke scores on a penalty in the 17th minute. Spurs lead Brighton 1:0.

Bryan Mbuemo scores in the 20th minute. Brentford lead Wolves 0:1.

Gundogan scores in the 21st minute. Manchester City leads Fulham 0:1.

Halftime scores of note:

Newcastle United 0:0 Everton
Fulham 0:1 Manchester City
Forest 0:0 Chelsea
Manchester United 0:0 Villa
Spurs 1:0 Brighton
Wolves 0:1 Brentford

If current scores hold, City, Newcastle, and Chelsea get the Champions League spots, Villa gets Europa League, and Forest, at the moment, would be in the Conference League spot. Brentford would finish 8th, ahead of Brighton.

Levi Colwill scores in the 50th minute for Chelsea. Lead Forest 0:1.

Jack Hinshelwood scores in the 51st minute for Brighton. Tied with Spurs 1:1.

Jack Hinshelwood scores in the 64th minute for Brighton. Lead Spurs 1:2.

Carlos Alcaraz scores in the 65th minute for Everton. Lead Newcastle 0:1.

Erling Haaland scores on a penalty in the 72nd minute. City leads Fulham 0:2.

Amad scores in the 76th minute for Manchester United. Lead Villa 1:0.

Marshall Munetsi scores in the 75th minute for Wolves. Tied with Brentford 1:1.

Matt O'Riley scores on a penalty in the 88th minute for Brighton. Lead Spurs 1:3.

Christian Eriksen scores on a penalty in the 87th minute. United lead Villa 2:0.

Diego Gomez scores in stoppage time for Brighton. Lead Spurs 1:4.

Today's scores:

Newcastle 0:1 Everton
Bournemouth 2:0 Leicester City
Fulham 0:2 Manchester City
Ipswich Town 1:3 West Ham
Liverpool 1:1 Palace
Manchester United 2:0 Villa
Forest 0:1 Chelsea
Southampton 1:2 Arsenal
Spurs 1:4 Brighton
Wolves 1:1 Brentford

City, Chelsea, and Newcastle get the Champions League spots. Villa gets the Europa League spot. Forest gets the Conference League spot.

While Brighton did well enough to finish 8th, they aren't able to qualify for European football due to Chelsea and Newcastle finishing so high in the table.