Sportsbet.io's English Premier League Football Pool Discussion Thread

[cryptofrka]

I don't think it's about foreign referees. Refs get briefed about how to implement rules by their own governing bodies so it's something that needs to change at the top.

Yup, I agree with that as well and it can be diagnosed as a core problem. The English FA is not helping the situation at all and PL has the dumbest VAR rules I have ever heard of. I challenge anybody to make it any more stupid - it is simply impossible and the referees find that hard to deal with as well. I'm sure that Mane's goal would not have been disallowed if the decision was made by the referee on the pitch.

Be as it may, the fact still is that English referees are not good enough. If they don't want to import them, just give them more money and make it their only jobs. Players are paid 200k per week and referees are paid 70k per season. Really smart.

[1714651615]

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[hilariousetc]

Nothing's changed but ref's need to start clamping down on it like they did with players trying to take free kicks ten meters from where they were given hence the introduction of the magic spray. If players take the piss with the run ups they should start giving them the opposite way like what happens with a foul throw. They usually walk as far as they can then take the run up from there which takes them even further down the field.

Yeah, it never was a big deal for me before but I thought I saw it being way overdone a couple of times and it's definitely an advantage to get in 6/7 strides away from actual out. Probably needs to happen a bit more for it to get noticed by refereeing bodies, although then it'd be super strict after...

It's just one of those things players take liberties with and will keep doing it if they can get away with it. They probably should start clamping down on it a bit more like they did with free kicks. I'm not saying get the magic spray out but if they take the piss with it they should be given the other way. Some refs do blow the whistle and tell the players to move back if they spot it but it should be pulled up more.

I had a good week as well, moved up more than 10 spots to go back where I was before. Winning sportsbet's other contest was very special,,, and the results really went my way (especially the Leicester one I guess which not many people took). So I will not forget this week in a long time:)

All is not important to me however if Spurs do not get Champions League football!

Spurs are looking good this season, I don’t think they have enough to be champions but they are certainly good enough to get into the CL, I have no doubts about that.

I think the league is quite open this season, especially with Liverpool losing Djyk. I thought teams like Everton and Villa could have done something this season but they both went and lost their last games. Villa still have a game in hand though. Would be nice to see a different team win it.

[kryptqnick]

I think the league is quite open this season, especially with Liverpool losing Djyk. I thought teams like Everton and Villa could have done something this season but they both went and lost their last games. Villa still have a game in hand though. Would be nice to see a different team win it.

Would you say the season is more unpredictable that the previous ones (if that's the case) because of the pandemic? Is it because of the lack of audience plus general uncertainty, or perhaps the pandemic has nothing to do about it, and it's just a coincidence. I remember a few round ago you've said that the first few rounds were the worst in your experience of predicting, so I was wondering if you believe that this season is truly very different and why so if yes.

[big_daddy]

sorry for the late recap   it was a busy week for me

Congrats @Sojourner, you are sharing the first spot on this leaderboard

YELLOW CAPS 2020/2021

|	USER	|	N° OF CAPS	|	MAX POINTS IN ONE ROUND	|
|	fortebet	|	1	|	15	|
|	Sojourner	|	1	|	15	|
|	arallmuus	|	1	|	13	|
|	webtricks	|	1	|	13	|
|	Joca97	|	1	|	12.5	|
|	rdbase	|	1	|	11.5	|
|	...	|	...	|	...	|

[hilariousetc]

I think the league is quite open this season, especially with Liverpool losing Djyk. I thought teams like Everton and Villa could have done something this season but they both went and lost their last games. Villa still have a game in hand though. Would be nice to see a different team win it.

Would you say the season is more unpredictable that the previous ones (if that's the case) because of the pandemic? Is it because of the lack of audience plus general uncertainty, or perhaps the pandemic has nothing to do about it, and it's just a coincidence. I remember a few round ago you've said that the first few rounds were the worst in your experience of predicting, so I was wondering if you believe that this season is truly very different and why so if yes.

Hard to say. Could be a coincidence but could also be down to other factors like you said. To me teams can be shaky at the start as they find their footing and form, but there will also be anomaly years as well and maybe the lack of audiences has played a part, but I'm a bit sceptical of how much they make a difference if any at all. There have been some very high scoring games this season but again, could just be an anomaly.  Really didn't expect Leeds to be doing as well as they have but can they keep it up for the rest of the season? Maybe, maybe not. They've already played City and Liverpool and were unlucky not to get more than one point from them total and if you can play well against them then there's no reason why you can't beat anyone else. Will Villa and Everton keep playing well or will they gradually fall down the table? I guess we'll just have to wait and see how the season plays out and what the table looks like at the end of the season. Maybe crowds will be back by the second half and if they do maybe see how it at all that effects teams form. I noticed there was crowds at some of the European games but it doesn't look like it will be anytime soon in the UK as they're on about more stricter lockdowns.

[leea-1334]

Spurs are looking good this season, I don’t think they have enough to be champions but they are certainly good enough to get into the CL, I have no doubts about that.

Yes, they are looking much much better than last one I can actually see Kane smiling more even Son too. Our problem has never been attack anyway it is what we do without them, now I feel better we have Bale to stop the gap,,, but we need more long term solutions since he is never able to stay fit the entire season anyway.

I thought top 4 was impossible but I can dream again seeing the usual top 4 not in there!

I think the league is quite open this season, especially with Liverpool losing Djyk. I thought teams like Everton and Villa could have done something this season but they both went and lost their last games. Villa still have a game in hand though. Would be nice to see a different team win it.

Exactly. Every team will now be raising their hopes up to compete for Europa at least, and we also thought the new boys could challenge but they showed us all they can also drop. Fixtures are very important here. Arsenal lost to City, Liverpool and Leicester so they got the tough fixtures done,,, some teams have not yet met tough opponents?

[DeathAngel]

Just about to do some predictions now, I’ll hope to do much better in this round of fixtures because I really have sucked so far this season.

[tokeweed]

^ ^  Son arguably in the best form of his career.  He could prolly get the golden boot this season if his form keeps up.

Anyway, ugh...  I haven't checked the leaderboard for the last week now.  Last I checked, I was near bottom.  Lawl.

Edit:  DeathAngel...  It's the covid era.  This season West Ham could finish top 4 and Moyes hailed as a genius.

[mole0815]

Just about to do some predictions now, I’ll hope to do much better in this round of fixtures because I really have sucked so far this season.

I have the same program. I'm also predicting for the next matchday and hope to get some better results. Although it is not going that bad for me if I am honest. Follow the PL only very little and rely on my gut feeling or luck. We all know that this often does not work out well... but being there is everything

Currently I try to leave hilariousetc behind me. We will see in a few days how well it worked

[BitcoinGirl.Club]

I have had few shit round and it seems I am losing confidence on the pool.

Round 6  : 7 points , top 15
Round 5 : 2 points , top 12.50

When rounds has so many draw, I suck big time LOL

Hopefully in this round we won't have many draw matches. I hate it!

[arallmuus]

I have had few shit round and it seems I am losing confidence on the pool.

Round 6  : 7 points , top 15
Round 5 : 2 points , top 12.50

When rounds has so many draw, I suck big time LOL

Hopefully in this round we won't have many draw matches. I hate it!

Its not just you, I am so close to get the wooden spatula / spoon two rounds in a row now but I hit one random exact score guess on each round which pump my points. I used to get atleast 9 points every 4 rounds starting from the first one but all these draw and unexpected result keep hitting me pretty hard

round 5 = 5.5 points ( 1 exact )
round 6= 6 points ( 1 exact )

Im amazed that alot are still getting more than 10 points for these two rounds

[Trofo]

Im amazed that alot are still getting more than 10 points for these two rounds

This year we have a much bigger pool and that makes for much bigger variance between picks. There will always be somebody with a good round claiming those free bets. In the long run it will be about who will be able to constantly get solid results. Good metrics in completions like this is if you have done better than average points per round. If you manage to do that constantly you will be placed very high come end of the season.

[hilariousetc]

Don't forget there's a game on tonight. Five people missed the Friday night game last week and all missed out on the default points because I'm guessing Leeds were the underdogs there.

I have had few shit round and it seems I am losing confidence on the pool.

Round 6  : 7 points , top 15
Round 5 : 2 points , top 12.50

When rounds has so many draw, I suck big time LOL

Hopefully in this round we won't have many draw matches. I hate it!

Well I was dead last place last round and now I'm 25th so it's too early to lose faith, especially when you can still win a free $50 bet every week. I wouldn't really concentrate on where you are in the league right now as there's nothing you can do about that so just do your best and with a good round or two or three you can climb up the board quite quickly.

[casperBGD]

Well I was dead last place last round and now I'm 25th so it's too early to lose faith, especially when you can still win a free $50 bet every week. I wouldn't really concentrate on where you are in the league right now as there's nothing you can do about that so just do your best and with a good round or two or three you can climb up the board quite quickly.

agree on this one, i joined for pools this season, and all four started as a bottom holder (what a luck)
but, after that i catch up Primera pool to reach second place, and gone up in Premier league as well (not that much), still holding bottom in Calcio and Champions league

on the other hand, there is fun in being in there, and you can win weekly prize, so i would not call it for disappointment till the end

[BitcoinGirl.Club]

Well I was dead last place last round and now I'm 25th so it's too early to lose faith, especially when you can still win a free $50 bet every week. I wouldn't really concentrate on where you are in the league right now as there's nothing you can do about that so just do your best and with a good round or two or three you can climb up the board quite quickly.

Yeah I get it and there are still 30 rounds to go. Thing is constituting bad performance makes me frustrated but this does not go the same. I need one of two good rounds and hopefully this will be a good round for me.

I never aim for wining the round prize. My goal always is to score average so that in the long run at least have a place in the top three. We have three place or five in this season?

[cygan]

guys, please dont forget to give your predictions!
tomorrow the next matchday in the crazy epl starts and i see that many of us have not yet given any predictions...

[rdbase]

^^
I think many of the ones who hadn't put in their picks yet for week 7 are preoccupied with others things.
Since things in the world aren't getting any better and some football matches are the furthest things on their minds right now.
I just about forgot until I got the notification sent out to me by email inregards about it yesterday.

I have had few shit round and it seems I am losing confidence on the pool.

Round 6  : 7 points , top 15
Round 5 : 2 points , top 12.50

When rounds has so many draw, I suck big time LOL

Hopefully in this round we won't have many draw matches. I hate it!

Its not just you, I am so close to get the wooden spatula / spoon two rounds in a row now but I hit one random exact score guess on each round which pump my points. I used to get atleast 9 points every 4 rounds starting from the first one but all these draw and unexpected result keep hitting me pretty hard

round 5 = 5.5 points ( 1 exact )
round 6= 6 points ( 1 exact )

Im amazed that alot are still getting more than 10 points for these two rounds

So that is what getting a wooden spoon by your name means in the pool table. Because I got one the previous week.
I picked some outrageous score predictions going with 5-0 and 4-4 scores for some matches thinking if they went high scoring I would of picked up a atleast a point from those but that was a total flop of a strategy on my part.
So this time around I went with a more conservative approach and think will be in the top ten again once the weekend is through.

[cygan]

the matchday started very well and the first game was won 2-0 by the wolves against crystal palace.
so i was right with my prediction and can be happy for the first 3 points

[tokeweed]

^ I think it's my first exact score for this whole season.  

And too bad Antonio is injured.  This fixture vs Liverpool could've been one of the chances Moyes could be started to be hailed as a genius.  Lolol. 

Liverpool could struggle without VVD, Matip and to an extent, Fabinho.

[tokeweed]

^  Pep could be viewed as something like a fraud after his stint at City imo.  He was hired to win the club's first CL trophy.  Don't think he's winning it with them.  City should just move on and hire Bielsa.  IMHO.