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

[Harkorede]

I guess it's safe to assume that Everton are intentional about getting relegated, aren't they ?

Draw against Watford should have been bad enough, but then losing against Brentford and now 2 goals down against Crystal Palace, without any real sense of urgency. I'm pretty sure they'd likely lose the last game to Arsenal as well, but Leeds would need a win against Brentford if that happens to stay up.

So much for playing safe in the pool, I had Everton to win because of their relegation battle, but I didn't do same for Burnley who are in the lead against Villa.

Well Everton have equalised now to make it 2-2 and Burnley are drawing with Villa at 1-1. If these stay as draws it will certainly spice things up for the relegation battle. Gonna be very dicey for Leeds if both Burnley and Everton manage to grab the full three points now. I'm kinda hoping they both end a draw so there's everything for all three to play for.

Chelsea are also drawing 1-1 against Leicester right now.

Edit: Oh shit, Everton have come from 2-0 down to be winning 3-2 with only a few minutes to go!

What a complete turnaround from Everton, It's as though they read my initial message, but for the sake of my pick in the pool, I'd love to see Chelsea and Aston Villa both get a 2-1 win.

Oh well! It's official, Everton are safe and would be playing in the EPL next season.

[casperBGD]

~snip

Edit: Oh shit, Everton have come from 2-0 down to be winning 3-2 with only a few minutes to go!

yeah, we are safe
f**k, against Brentford we had a lead and lost the match, and now we were two goals down to win the match in the end
nevertheless, it was up to Calwert and Richarlison to score to make us safe this season

now Burnley and Leeds have all the way in last round to fight for survival

[arallmuus]

Edit: Oh shit, Everton have come from 2-0 down to be winning 3-2 with only a few minutes to go!

Im not sure what happened but its either Crystal Palace was throwing the game or Lampard is a freaking genius. Imagine watching 2 goal comeback by scoring 3 goals from a 16th place team and Everton is now officially safe from the relegation.

The relegation battle continues though, it will be between Burnley and Leeds. I personally think that Leeds has the better chance to win against Brentford next round rather than Burnley to win against Newcastle but I guess anything could have happened in the last round especially when relegation is in stakes

[Joca97]

Edit: Oh shit, Everton have come from 2-0 down to be winning 3-2 with only a few minutes to go!

Im not sure what happened but its either Crystal Palace was throwing the game or Lampard is a freaking genius. Imagine watching 2 goal comeback by scoring 3 goals from a 16th place team and Everton is now officially safe from the relegation.

The relegation battle continues though, it will be between Burnley and Leeds. I personally think that Leeds has the better chance to win against Brentford next round rather than Burnley to win against Newcastle but I guess anything could have happened in the last round especially when relegation is in stakes

What a win by Everton. This is just insane from them after losing 0-2 at halftime they were losing really unlucky but were able to do a miracle and turn it around. Lampard just saved Everton and kept them in the Premier league huge thing for them this season

[Welsh]

I can't say I'm not disappointed about the news this evening . Nah, in all seriousness, Everton deserved it. They really stepped up these last few games, and you can almost see the passion in their players again. I do think they'll need a complete clear out in the summer. Will be interesting to see if Frank can turn them around completely. I mean, the players they got aren't exactly awful, and I'm not quite sure what made them perform so bad over the course of the season.

It's kind of like United, where they have world class players, but don't perform or get the results. I do believe there's a lot going on at the board level, as well as struggling with Ferguson hangover still, but something is amiss. Everton obviously to a lesser extent, but they definitely have a problem or two. It'll be interesting to see if they keep their best players beyond this summer.

[swogerino]

Edit: Oh shit, Everton have come from 2-0 down to be winning 3-2 with only a few minutes to go!

Im not sure what happened but its either Crystal Palace was throwing the game or Lampard is a freaking genius. Imagine watching 2 goal comeback by scoring 3 goals from a 16th place team and Everton is now officially safe from the relegation.

The relegation battle continues though, it will be between Burnley and Leeds. I personally think that Leeds has the better chance to win against Brentford next round rather than Burnley to win against Newcastle but I guess anything could have happened in the last round especially when relegation is in stakes

What a win by Everton. This is just insane from them after losing 0-2 at halftime they were losing really unlucky but were able to do a miracle and turn it around. Lampard just saved Everton and kept them in the Premier league huge thing for them this season

I needed a draw from Everton to be just 5 points behind the 10th place but I am happy for them that they won and they are safe now.It will be played between Burnley and Leeds but I think Burnley is somewhat more favored to stay in the Premier League.I had chosen 3 draws yesterday and I got 2 of them correct scores,if Everton ended 2-2 that would have been a perfect 9 points from three games for me.

[Welsh]

I was watching the Aston Villa game for obvious reasons. My confidence might have taken a hit going into the weekend for the final game of the season. However, I'm still somewhat confident. Ings when he was on looked sharp, and I think he could knick a goal running in behind that City defense, which hasn't looked all that great in recent weeks, plus they do have a few injuries at the moment.

The only problem for me is Aston Villa likely is going to concede, it's just whether they have the firepower to hit back. Midfield for me is going to be dominated, so I'd like to see Villa approach the game with a counter attacking style. Sit back, and soak up pressure, and then look to break quickly. I think that's City's weakness, you see it every time they play against Spurs.

[leea-1334]

That is also true, Premier League clubs always fight to the last minute no matter the stakes but I don't think it will matter that much since there is a big qoulity gap between these two clubs and Saints aren't a team that can defend whole game and get to the points that way.

Calcio still gets odds @2 for draws in last game week when draw is good enough for both sides. There are never odds like that for draws in PL.

That is so true. It makes it so hard to bet on draws in EPL especially when you actually watch them, the minute the teams are drawing you see both sides want to take all the points,,, for some reason they do this even if they are the poor side, with exception of one or two teams like Everton for a while (trying to draw and not win). But see when they play like last night they can even score 3 goals to win a game,,, I do not understand why they did not do this sooner!


This is even worse in injury time everyone thinks they can snatch the winner

[buwaytress]

Definitely disappointed that the draw I was hoping not to appear... appeared. Ings and Coutinho came in too late to save the game but hopefully that means they're fresh and prepped for Sunday. Not sure what Gerrard was thinking to put Watkins alone up front, but anyway, Sunday is THE day of reckoning. No team leading on final day has ever lost in in the Prem. Time for history right?

It's that Stoke game for me, I don't think I need to clarify any more than that. Despite Aston Villa giving us a thumping recently, that Stoke game was definitely worse in my memory. Although, every team has a bad game, and it's nothing out of the ordinary. City sometimes have those games, although not very often in recent seasons. I mean, you could argue that we've smashed them to pieces at times even when we wasn't as strong as a team as we're now.

There were a blur of games during Hodgson's time where I probably felt I was in another universe, and objectively, my memories of that season when Salah/Mane/Firmino just burned everything in their path are markedly better than this season. Or even the season where we won the league. Especially those games where we just terrorised City and the best team in the realm had no answer.

We've gotten smarter with game management, calmer, wiser, so understandably, some of the thrill has gone.

My brain does seem to seek solace in those days when I'm quietly contemplating the prospect of losing one of those front 3.

[casperBGD]

~snip
 Sunday is THE day of reckoning. No team leading on final day has ever lost in in the Prem. Time for history right?

did not know that
with Everton avoiding relegation, and me without internet for most Sunday, I would hardly even follow what is happening in last round, but would like it more for neighbors to win Premier, than City

on a side, it is unbelievable how people in my country are thinking that Villa would take the money, and even help City if anything goes wrong, and we are questioning ourselves why our League is not interesting at all

[arallmuus]

No team leading on final day has ever lost in in the Prem. Time for history right?

Villa doesnt need to win though, they just need to prevent City from getting 3 points and Liverpool needs to win the last game. Imagine that if Gerrard decided to hold up by putting all 10 players on the back just to prevent City from scoring goal further lol. Its definitely interesting, going to watch both of those games simultaneously on my screen

on a side, it is unbelievable how people in my country are thinking that Villa would take the money, and even help City if anything goes wrong, and we are questioning ourselves why our League is not interesting at all

Thats not happening on EPL especially on the last game when the trophy is at stake though ( I hope not )

[Joca97]

Edit: Oh shit, Everton have come from 2-0 down to be winning 3-2 with only a few minutes to go!

Im not sure what happened but its either Crystal Palace was throwing the game or Lampard is a freaking genius. Imagine watching 2 goal comeback by scoring 3 goals from a 16th place team and Everton is now officially safe from the relegation.

The relegation battle continues though, it will be between Burnley and Leeds. I personally think that Leeds has the better chance to win against Brentford next round rather than Burnley to win against Newcastle but I guess anything could have happened in the last round especially when relegation is in stakes

What a win by Everton. This is just insane from them after losing 0-2 at halftime they were losing really unlucky but were able to do a miracle and turn it around. Lampard just saved Everton and kept them in the Premier league huge thing for them this season

I needed a draw from Everton to be just 5 points behind the 10th place but I am happy for them that they won and they are safe now.It will be played between Burnley and Leeds but I think Burnley is somewhat more favored to stay in the Premier League.I had chosen 3 draws yesterday and I got 2 of them correct scores,if Everton ended 2-2 that would have been a perfect 9 points from three games for me.

Really nice predictions Everton was really close to draw honestly. I had both Chelsea and Aston Villa 2-1 to win and it ended 1-1 and there was really a lot of time for them to score and lots of chances but sadly no goal by them to win the game. Hopefully on sunday i can get those correct results

[Welsh]

There were a blur of games during Hodgson's time where I probably felt I was in another universe, and objectively, my memories of that season when Salah/Mane/Firmino just burned everything in their path are markedly better than this season. Or even the season where we won the league. Especially those games where we just terrorised City and the best team in the realm had no answer.

We've gotten smarter with game management, calmer, wiser, so understandably, some of the thrill has gone.

My brain does seem to seek solace in those days when I'm quietly contemplating the prospect of losing one of those front 3.

I wish it was that easy for me to forget . Nah, I enjoyed our successes, and failures. It's a bit like Rocky right. Making the comebacks is always fun to watch, and now we're at the top I'll enjoy it while it lasts, which I imagine will be until Klopp leaves us. Then, I anticipate a hangover from that very much like United have experienced after Ferguson.

I remember being so nervous in the last ten minutes of every game, and thankfully with the players we've got now I never feel nervous. Even when we're losing with only a small amount of time left, I still feel calm, and actually confident.

[hilariousetc]

I can't say I'm not disappointed about the news this evening . Nah, in all seriousness, Everton deserved it. They really stepped up these last few games, and you can almost see the passion in their players again. I do think they'll need a complete clear out in the summer. Will be interesting to see if Frank can turn them around completely. I mean, the players they got aren't exactly awful, and I'm not quite sure what made them perform so bad over the course of the season.

I wouldn't have wanted Everton to go down. I don't think they would have deserved it. They haven't been relegated from the PL before, right? Would have been a shame for them to go. No more derbies. They don't have a bad team really. I guess sometimes teams just don't gel or the results don't go their way. Leeds don't have a bad team either but they certainly missed Phillips and Bamford for most of the season. They should have stuck it out with Bielsa as well. He wouldn't have done any worse than Ted Lasso. Would be a shame to see Leeds go back down. Odds are certainly stacked against them with their goal difference so they need to win and hope Burnley don't get the full three points from Newcastle. Both Newcastle and Brentford are about the same right now and are even on the same points but Burnley are at home whereas Leeds are away. Neither really has anything to play for though so there's that.

[leea-1334]

Yes,,, Everton never relegated and same as my team Spurs, and in fact, only now Everton is the one who almost got it, all other clubs have been very far away it never became realistic.

This explains the way I understand is why to some people the real Big Six: Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs, Everton. And why Everton see themselves as a big club right?

[hahay]

Yes,,, Everton never relegated and same as my team Spurs, and in fact, only now Everton is the one who almost got it, all other clubs have been very far away it never became realistic.

This explains the way I understand is why to some people the real Big Six: Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs, Everton. And why Everton see themselves as a big club right?

By the way, until now I never saw Everton as a big team. But although not a big team, in my view Everton is a team that is at least in the middle of the standings and not the top six. Because the top six in the Premier League are the teams that are currently in that position in the standings, at least when they are not in the top six for example like Tottenham and Arsenal who were not part of the top six the previous season. I personally see it as something strange or not quite right because their position would be more appropriate in the top six, but not about Everton.

[buwaytress]

There were a blur of games during Hodgson's time where I probably felt I was in another universe,

I wish it was that easy for me to forget . Nah, I enjoyed our successes, and failures. It's a bit like Rocky right. Making the comebacks is always fun to watch, and now we're at the top I'll enjoy it while it lasts, which I imagine will be until Klopp leaves us. Then, I anticipate a hangover from that very much like United have experienced after Ferguson.

I remember being so nervous in the last ten minutes of every game, and thankfully with the players we've got now I never feel nervous. Even when we're losing with only a small amount of time left, I still feel calm, and actually confident.

I've to say the same and I know it's "easier" to look back and say those painful years have made the current ones all the more sweeter, but it's true I think. I always did feel my mood in the week somehow relied on the weekend results, and I've been more content and positive in recent years (not that it affects my work or real life in any way).

Klopp extending also the best news I could have expected (and did not) all season. I do hope we experience a slight ebb rather than a full-blown hangover though. But like you said, these things come in cycles. Football's not so different from crypto in that sense. Gotta enjoy the highs and appreciate there will be lows.

Yes,,, Everton never relegated and same as my team Spurs, and in fact, only now Everton is the one who almost got it, all other clubs have been very far away it never became realistic.

This explains the way I understand is why to some people the real Big Six: Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs, Everton. And why Everton see themselves as a big club right?

By the way, until now I never saw Everton as a big team. But although not a big team, in my view Everton is a team that is at least in the middle of the standings and not the top six. Because the top six in the Premier League are the teams that are currently in that position in the standings, at least when they are not in the top six for example like Tottenham and Arsenal who were not part of the top six the previous season. I personally see it as something strange or not quite right because their position would be more appropriate in the top six, but not about Everton.

Neither did Benitez until he joined them heh!

Look, I don't know how to call clubs big or small... Barca women's UCL final last night was huge, and their attendance actually broke regular Barca's records. I've heard rowdier crowds from my local league in the 1990s where we couldn't have had more than 5000 people watching -- and heard quiet 20k 30k crowds stadiums in EPL. Liverpool for the longest time had barely 41k capacity.

Nottingham Forest and Derby are big clubs, Forest if you count them as Champions League royalty, but if they promote from the playoff next season, doubt many people will call them big.

Everton have history, have mentality, and deservedly so.

hilarious is right too, Liverpool need Everton, for the rivalry. No fun to jeer at them in their new posh stadium if they're playing in Championship...

[Welsh]

I'm going to do my final predictions, might be a few more changes than a few weeks ago. I think City with their weakened defense, could well drop points. I initially predicted a draw, and I think I'm going to stick with that. I'm going with a 1-1. Hopefully, Villa do us a favour. I'm confident against Wolves, so I'm going for a 2-0, but we could just as easily slip up here. Although, the boys should be going into the game relatively stress free as not many are expecting City to drop points here.

I think Leeds are going down, I don't see them rescuing themselves this season. Don't really have a score prediction for their game today. Probably one of the best final days in recent memories, since it's so tight up the top, and also down at the bottom of the table. I'm expecting drama today, as the final day usually does give you that due to the nerves.

[tomahawk9]

*listening to 'The Final Countdown' *  This is it. Final day of the season. What are you guys watching? I think City - Aston Villa will be a very dramatic game. I'm wondering who's gonna choke today, Tottenham or Man City? 🧐 *now 'Eye Of The Tiger' starts playing as he begins to make his superbru predictions*

By the way, until now I never saw Everton as a big team.

in terms of domestic success and revenue, they're a big team. They've won more league titles than Chelsea and Spurs combined. They are among the most valuable football clubs in the world. Sure, they haven't won anything in ages and they lack history in UEFA competitions, but still, traditionally they're a top 10 club in england.

[buwaytress]

Man, Liverpool just want to do this the hard way... not even 2 minutes on the clock and they gave a goal away. We've been battering and hammering and only got Mane's goal (beauty assist from Thiago of course, but then his wayward pass led to a possible injury damn) but at least we're not behind at half time. Wolves didn't get so much chances but they've come so close... definitely a risk to leave Salah and VVD out of the starting lineup.

Of course, didn't need to watch the City game to know when Villa scored... entire stadium went up in a roar haha.

I'm so nervous Welsh, don't know how to be confident here =D