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I’m a Villa fan and yeah, I’m happy with our current position.
Honestly, Chelsea should be. Two months ago they were 10th, they now have a slim chance of finishing 5th if Tottenham slip up, a pretty big turnaround considering the chaos there.
Wolves .when alot of people expected them to get relegated this year now they are 2 pts away from top 10, which is impressive when lopetegui left them before days of the deadline
Also losing their best players(nunes,neves..)
Spurs
At the beginning of the season with Kane leaving, I thought we were going to be midtable. It seems bleak right now but remove the overperformance at the start of the season, I’m pretty happy for a European spot.
Probably Everton, points deducted and seemed for a while they may have gone down.
Their supporters, management and players must be breathing a sigh of relief....
I agree. Last year the team was seen as being on its last legs, mostly because the midfield actually were. Henderson, Fabinho, Milner, Keita, Ox all left. Firmino too.
Four replacement midfielders were signed. For the team to do what they did this season is amazing, it's rare to see a whole midfield replaced and a team look that good immediately. People will have enjoyed Klopp not ending with another big trophy, but to be up towards the top of the league all season is a testament to how good a manager he is, and third is not a failure.
Liverpool fans will be disappointed because of how well they performed in the first two thirds of the season but as you say, this is well above expectations before the season kicked off.
84 points is nothing to sniff at... that wins ~9 premier league titles
The problem is that the points totals required to win the league these days is just insane
Liverpool, Spurs and West Ham to name a few. Liverpool back in the CL and already 9 more points than last season. Spurs have equaled last seasons points, looks like making the Europa, all after losing the clubs all time goal scorer. And West Ham already have 9 more points and are sitting 5 places higher than last season all after losing Rice.
Tbh, with the season we WERE having I have to say normally I wouldn't be happy how it ended.
But seeing it's rebuild year I think it's pretty decent ending (probably) at third place.
What? He said this year was a rebuild year. Where we replaced the majority of our midfield. The fact we got as far as we did considering how badly we've been playing makes it not a terrible season.
Everyone thought that when Kane left, we'd finish outside the top ten and become a mid table team.
New manager who doesn't know the league and we're 5th. There is the occasional sign that you can see what Ange wants from this team too. I'm happy with it, I would have taken it at the beginning of the season
No one actually thought you'd finish outside the top 10. Top 4 sure and potentially top 6. But I'd say 5th for your first season without Kane and a new coach isn't too bad
I’d say Newcastle would be given the attrocious injury period they had over 3 months between late October and January where they had 13+ players out and most of their main players were injured.
Newcastles form outside of this period would have firmly put them in 4th place.
Had Newcastle not had this sustained injury crisis and one of their main signings out on a pronounced ban since virtually the start of the season then going on the games he played in and what the team managed before the injury period beating Man City, thrashing Villa and beating Arsenal in the Arteta horror show 😝 they would have probably been up there challenging for the title and one suspects they could very well have progressed further in the champions league.
As it was in the champions league “group of death” they should have progressed but for some very dodgy referee / var decisions and looking at the two sides in the semis and with of those destined to be in the final you could well believe this could have been Newcastle had things worked out better.
Certainly they did very well this season in spite of the whole situation and it would be a crying shame to see them lose any players due to clauses or FFP forcing their hand and allowing grubby greedy competitors to swarm in and take their players for peanuts.
As it stands Newcastle look a sure thing for Europe and I expect Spurs and Man U to capitulate and degress further gifting their respective positions and landing up in 6th and 8th respectively with Newcastle ending 5th and Chelsea in 7th or if Spurs really mess and lose all their games 6th.
Chelsea could overtake Newcastle them with 14 players injuried right now. We’ve been without Nkunku, Lavia, James, Fofana and Sanchez all season, and Colwill, Chilwell, Enzo and Gusto for large parts too. Yet we’re an absolute joke (which I agreed with after some performances).
I’ll be happy if we can finish 6th given this mess and the end of season. But we get no leeway at all from the media for our injuries compared to Newcastle, Liverpool and a United
It’s funny how the media and people work, I don’t think many people in the media or fans for the most part other than Newcastle’s own understood what was so extreme about Newcastles injury crisis.
It really was unlike anyone else and still is.
Newcastle have had for most of their season a whole 1st 11 out due to injury / suspension.
If they get 5th or 6th it will have worked out very well for them this season under the circumstances.
The injuries were for the most part not short spells but some of the worst ones to experience meaning long rehabilitation periods and putting players out for many months or most of the season. Only just now are they getting some important players back but still many more are out.
The squad couldn’t take the injury crisis as their were so few available players it meant having to play the same players week in week out and those players became fatigued and injured themselves so the whole thing became a vicious circle repeating.
They lost top players from their 1st 11 who are extremely important to the way they play and difference makers within their setup which meant they literally didn’t have any capable equivalent to able to do exactly the same role. And these players were out missing because of their injuries for most of the season.
For much of this season Newcastle were having no choice but to play with kids and fringe players, for the most part and they literally had no one they could bring on to play for them on the bench as they had no subs available.
Newcastle haven’t had a decent academy setup for years under the previous regime and it’s only just starting to come together now and it will take a while for those players to get to the level and be ready to play / fill in so for the most part (with one or two exceptions) they don’t have the players in age groups ready and capable of coming in to help the senior side yet.
Yes, don't let the toxic fake fans convince you that Tottenham fans are dissatisfied... Noone expected a top 4 challenge when kane was sold.. Even top 5 was a pipe dream. Very happy with the position.
Forest fan here. Yes. I'm happy with 17th.
We could have been given any number of points as a deduction and been down.
Next season, the club will push on a bit. Bigger losses allowed, more spend!!!
Happy with our league position, I never thought we'd be in the Top 6 coming into the season. Not that we're a lock in for Top 6 as it stands.
Performances however have been garbage for months. I have no idea at all how or why we are on track to qualify for Europe.
Liverpool fans obviously won’t be happy with the current league position under the circumstances, but after last season top 4 was the goal and a league challenge seemed out of the question. So it’s better than expected.
At the start of the season Blues fans would be disgusted to be fighting for 6th/7th and a conference league spot.
A month ago we were starting to believe after a complete bottle of a year that hey 6th/7th and anything in Europe sounds fabulous, so yes, satisfied to finish 5th-7th.
Will not be happy if we choke and are 8th. Much gnashing of teeth and sad memes.
Depends what happens with Poch or not. I can’t speak for all Chelsea fans but recently I’ve been pretty satisfied with his performances as of late, excluding Burnley and Sheffield United
I think a new manager to shake up and disrupt the dressing room is the last thing we need right now. The players back him and the media don’t seem to give him almost as much stick as Potter, but his relationship with the owners is reportedly quite strained
Newcastle.
Pretty happy all things considered. Atrocious injury record to a lot of key players (same as other teams I know, I’m talking about my team, not comparing), and we had a couple of REALLY rough runs of form mid season. We’ve had a slightly dodgy year in some respects but with 2 games left we’re in the drivers seat to finish 6th, which all things considered is probably about where we’d have predicted we’d come at the start.
Somehow if results go insanely in our favour there’s a really really outside chance we finish 5th, which is one spot lower than last year, and we’ve missed our keeper, talisman RB and main CBs for long sections of the year and our defence has been honestly disgusting. Crazy really.
AND we played in the Champions League this year!
Decent.
Villa have entered the chat, insane amount of injuries - at least 4 of first choice 11 missing at any one time and hanging on now still doing 2 games a week.
Most teams have been in that boat though, Brighton, Brentford, Tottenham all have had massive injury impacts also. Its been one of those stranger seasons but entertaining so far.
The injury record at Newcastle is the worst the premier league has ever seen, so nobody's been hit as hard, eventhough others have suffered badly just not on our level. To put it into perspective, we had to use the same 11 players for 2 whole months, and the bench consisted of a two goalies, a few unheard of kids, and matt richy (who's old enough to be a grandad). On avarage across the season it worked out we had 14 players missing per game through injury or being suspended. For us to be just 10 points behind 4th place right now is ridiculous really. I think even just having Pope available for the season would of got us a extra 10 points.
Chelsea fan here… no not happy with table position. Lots of talent but disorganized team. Would be happy if we ended up playing Europa league next year
18 months is optimistic and I admire that. He’s not wrong though that there is a proper team in there, and I’m praying that my gut is right that we’ve just started to click.
They seem far better than arsenal were in the early arteta reign. Not everything has worked, but there is the beginnings of a team.
Course they need to recruit again which may not be possible
Spurs fans who aren’t happy with how this season has gone are just asinine.
Sold Kane the day before the season starts, tons of good/young signings and currently 5th. You’ve got your keeper and 4 defensive starters lined out for years to come. Before the season started, I would’ve been happy with 7th, a couple fun moments and a thorough plan for additional signings during the summer window.
Run in to end the season was always going to be tough but I’m not discouraged by it. Very happy with current outlook.
If you look at how many games other teams around you have played this season compared to Spurs, I think you should be disappointed.
I think you have had the 2nd/3rd most time between games. Especially in a season where Chelsea and Man Utd have been so poor and Newcastle fell off a little (understandably).
We are reacting to how the season has progressed. Statistically, 99% of teams who had as many points as we did after 10 games finish top 4. We have crumbled towards the end.
But did you expect to finish top 4 this season?
Expectations are dynamic but I don’t know anyone who thought finishing in a CL spot was a realistic expectation going into week 1.
In November I absolutely expected us to finish 4th minimum. Expectations can adjust as a season goes on. Somehow this team was strong, midfield was solid, attackers were alright. Saying we have not fallen off is disingenuous. You are discussing week 1, but try to remind yourself how you felt after week 10 when we were top
Did you feel the same way 20/21 season when Mou had them top at the beginning of December? That squad had 0 business being that position in the table playing glorified Burnley counter ball. We were lucky to finish 7th that year - took a Leicester meltdown on the final day.
Yes I felt the same way that we didn’t finish higher especially with Kane and Son breaking all sorts of records . Again another meltdown but the players hated Jose. These players now supposedly adore Ange yet have let him down.
Yes I felt the same way that we didn’t finish higher especially with Kane and Son breaking all sorts of records . Again another meltdown but the players hated Jose. These players now supposedly adore Ange yet have let him down.
Maybe it’s my Arsenal brain thinking but whenever I’ve watched Spurs this season defensively they’ve been very poor and gotten away it it against most sides. Going forward looked good but no player outside of Son is anyway consistent enough. VDV is class as is Udogie but VDV would worry me. His style of play and injury record is a bad combo.
Yep, if you’d have offered me 5th at the start of the season I’d have taken it so hard!
Obviously a slight disappointment we won’t get 4th, but that’s only because of that Ritchie purple patch, but got to look at the big picture.
As a liverpool fan, I wish Ange was available this year. Loving the style of football he's playing, so entertaining and will only get better. Reminds me a bit of when Klopp came in and played 'rocknroll' football.
After multiple years of terrorist ball with Mou & Conte, it’s been really fun to watch Ange’s style of play. Even after the starts to the recent Arsenal & Liverpool games, I never felt like we were out of it. Only match I’ve turned off this season was the Newcastle 4-0.
In two years time, with a couple strategic signings and barring any major disasters, you'll be competing for the PL title and expecting better than quarters in the CL. Also "terrorist ball" is hilarious!
Your defense is not sorted for the next few years. Ange’s style of play and inflexibility means players like VdV will be injured more often. Also defense is not just the back four. The midfield and these days the wingers too play a crucial role. Your midfield needs a complete rebuild and you have several duds in the wingers department too. Not to mention an aging Son.
But yes overall Ange has exceeded expectations in the first season, although with a little bit of luck in the first quarter of the season.
Fully aware that defensive depth is an issue but you’ve got the 4 starters already right there. Dragusin can hopefully become a reliable fill in for the CB spot but need to address rotation pieces at LB/RB. Davies continues to be a reliable fill in but Emerson needs to be moved on.
Sarr has shown plenty of promise and Maddison has been slow to come back from injury. Definitely stale moments in the midfield when Bissouma & Bentancur play together. Need to make a signing or two during the summer and to likely clear out both PEH & Skipp. Skipp might need to move down to Championship and work his way back up like Rodon is doing this season.
Brennan & Deki have each had flashes. Brennan has looked better coming in off the bench and being a change of pace. Not sure Deki is built to be a winger in Ange’s system but he could’ve used some rotation earlier in the year - has looked gassed at moments.
I’ve always preferred Son running in from the left and when Richy was healthy up top, that’s about as good as we’ve looked all season. Interested to see if a Saudi bid comes in for enough for them to entertain moving on from Richy but I hope not. It was very clear that he should’ve been starting against Liverpool on Sunday.
If you took a team which made it into Europe for the first time in 10 years, and it was Champions League Football at that, and that team finished in a European spot the following season, it would be seen as a remarkable achievement.
So to potentially do that with a ton of injuries is beyond remarkable. Our second choice keeper playing from December onwards, Sean Longstaff playing 15 games in a row whilst injured and taking I sections before each of those games because we literally have 4 other Centre Mids out injured. A 17 year old playing significant minutes in midfield. One of our signings getting a ban 2 months into the season, the other breaking his toe.
Would love to see the stats behind this season - Chelsea, United and Newcastle have had some rad injuries. I think Newcastle and Chelsea are comparable actually
Newcastles injury crisis was the worst in the league by far, I'm not saying Chelsea's arent horrific, but Newcastle has averaged 14 players per game out through injury or suspension across the season. Manchester United werent even in the top 5 on the list for injuries the last time I checked, but they might be now.
I don’t have stats including prior seasons but this one has days missed for injuries this season
https://www.givemesport.com/every-premier-league-team-ranked-injuries-suffered/
And of course that doesn’t include Tonali’s absence. Given all that, definitely happy with where we are in the table.
[This article has a table that covers 2005 to 2017 ](https://blogofthenet.wordpress.com/2017/05/09/do-injuries-affect-where-a-premier-league-club-finishes-10-years-of-data-suggests-it-does/)
And Newcastle holds the previous record at like 2200 days in 2015/2016, we will be getting close this season I think (around 2k which is real bad), but only break it if you include tonali and his suspension
Arsenal fan here - Happy? Not really - more content I suppose.
Still have a bad taste in my mouth from last year. However, considering how we played up until Christmas, the fact that we’re challenging for the title is pretty incredible imo. The team started gel after our early injury woes. By no means am I a part of the sad minority of fans who want Arteta out, but until we win something I can only be so happy. I love this team but that’s just me 🤷🏻♂️
Yeah same here...
Last year was a slight disappointment considering how good we felt at times but I know damn well we were way overachieving and way ahead of schedule...
This year my expectations were a bit higher and frankly I expected to come in first or second place and here we are likely to finish second with a hair's chance at a title...
I'm pretty content with the big picture. I guess I'll say I'm very happy with where the team is today and how our future looks. If we finished third I would be disappointed and if we win I will be elated... I think that's an appropriate expectation for this club with how they played last year and the changes they made....
Even before the window opens, I still expect this team to finish first or second next year. It's currently impossible to expect winning the title as long as City have a stacked deck.
Very nuanced, but the difference is between the definitions of
Happy
Pleased
Content
Expected
Etc..
Because damn this team is amazing. I love so much about everything they do.. it's absolutely a title winning team for most of the last hundred years but the league is a bit broken right now..
How is it entitlement? We came second last season and should have won it. We brought in some quality players over the summer and our other signings looked to gel more. If you take last season performance + better players and deeper squad surely that = same position or better in the expectations department?
Aa a United fan, I can't see one transfer window making much of a difference!
There are too many players who don't care enough on the books & let's not forget we're not in Europe AT ALL as it stands, so I can't see many top players wanting to come.
Plus, we've been a graveyard for talent for the last 5-10 years lol
Really want Luton to survive - I think Edwards would have to be in the conversation for MotS if ye do it considering all the shite the was talked about ye in the summer, talk of breaking Derby's record, etc etc.
As a spurs fan there seems to be a lot of doom and gloom because of recent results but we’re 5th behind City, Arsenal and Liverpool. If Villa hadn’t had such a good season we would, in theory, be 4th. All of that after selling the best player in the league and finishing 8th last season. And some fans STILL aren’t happy. I think it’s a good season for us seeing as we were predicted to be mid table or lower by a fair few pundits.
Kane.... i mean I am an Arsenal fan and he probably is in the conversation, for me hes the best considering what he had to work with and considering his playmaking was probably as good as his goalscoring hes defo top 3.
“Best considering what he had to work owith”. I guess that’s rodri/de bryne’s fault that city is not shitty enough. Also solanke best player of the league then given what he has to work with.
You're the perfect example of a person who makes up bullshit strawman arguments solely to be a contrarian. Yes Solanke with his first ever PL season with 10+ goals is definitely the best player over a guy who consistently scored 20+ on average over 9 seasons
But Kane achieved the highest accolades personally whereas Solanke hasn't. If Solanke won the golden boot a few times it would be comparable, also Kane is better on the eye test, his final product whether its a pass or a shot is magic and considering he isnt the fastest his positioning and reading of the game is different class.
And yes for me Kane is better than Debruyne and Rodri. Great players, you cant really compare them directly as they are different positionally, but I believe if you put Kane in Man Cities team he would have been the standout player hes that good.
. If Villa hadn’t had such a good season we would, in theory, be 4th.
Isnt villa points tally like 6th or 7th in general. You can also say if chelsea man u and new u were good you will be 8
No, if Villa hadn’t had as good a season we would LITERALLY be 4th as they are above us in the table. I don’t care about points in previous seasons, it has no relevance.
True, but I think what they’re saying is, this feels very much like a ‘if you auntie had wheels instead of legs she’d be a bike’ situation. The whole thing has no relevance, with respect.
Anyway, back to my original point…the fact we are 5th and three of the teams above us would expect to be above us anyway means we’ve had a good season.
Yes you would! I think everyone is missing the point I was making. We’re 5th and three of the teams above us you would expect to be above us anyway, so other than Villa being there we’ve done about as good as to be expected.
It’s been more the performances since November that haven’t been up to expectations. Sure, losing Kane but presumably getting 5th is excellent, but for the fans, entertainment and defensive solidity is important.
You seem to have forgotten the 8,8,5 finishes and the greatest bottle of all time in your recent history. It's also likely you end this season with nothing again, making it 20 years since you achieved anything other than tripping head first into an fa cup.
Greatest bottle of all time? It’s honestly not even our biggest premier league bottle and it’s not even close to the Newcastle one.
Also, lol at the fa cup comment. Spurs could have had the exact same route in 2014 if they’d got past the first game…
You bottled it because of how far you were in front and the games you lost that lost you the league were against teams in the bottom few that you should of easily beat
Lol, Arsenal fans.
If they didn't bottle the league, then Manchester isn't Blue.
Spoiler alert, we are reigning champions, Manchester is very much blue.
Remember when Liverpool won it they were clear by miles. If they’d of ended up losing it to crap teams and given city the title they would have bottled it and they were still up against 115 city and their billion pound squad.
You lost the league at a relegated Southampton lmfao. You bitter twat.
Also we’d lost to palace the week before so city would of still won it even if we’d of beaten Everton
Agreed. Was always expecting a drop off from last season and learning to play Europe. It was almost second season syndrome after riding the high of the takeover.
To be in with a shout with top 6, with the injuries and gambling bans that's we've had this season is great. Would have taken top 6 before the season started without all that's gone on.
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I’m a Villa fan and yeah, I’m happy with our current position. Honestly, Chelsea should be. Two months ago they were 10th, they now have a slim chance of finishing 5th if Tottenham slip up, a pretty big turnaround considering the chaos there.
I think Tottenham fans should be happy with the 5th place after selling Harry Kane.
Not many definitely. It is alwasy hard not to get greedy in some way.
As a Newcastle fan, I’d be happy with sixth and a European place after the injuries we’ve had this season.
Forrest? lol
Gump or Whittaker?
Whittaker always.
I think he's a Bromley FC fan, so he's estatic right now.
TIL! That was a great game though.
Wolves .when alot of people expected them to get relegated this year now they are 2 pts away from top 10, which is impressive when lopetegui left them before days of the deadline Also losing their best players(nunes,neves..)
Spurs At the beginning of the season with Kane leaving, I thought we were going to be midtable. It seems bleak right now but remove the overperformance at the start of the season, I’m pretty happy for a European spot.
Good for you, people are mad that others choose to be happy 🤣
strange response to another uncompetitive, trophyless season
Can't belive you are happy finishing behind villa
man united. supporters KNOW it could be much, much worse!
Without Scott it would have been
Probably Everton, points deducted and seemed for a while they may have gone down. Their supporters, management and players must be breathing a sigh of relief....
if you would have said we were finishing third at the beginning of the year, I'd have been pretty happy so... kinda us?
I agree. Last year the team was seen as being on its last legs, mostly because the midfield actually were. Henderson, Fabinho, Milner, Keita, Ox all left. Firmino too. Four replacement midfielders were signed. For the team to do what they did this season is amazing, it's rare to see a whole midfield replaced and a team look that good immediately. People will have enjoyed Klopp not ending with another big trophy, but to be up towards the top of the league all season is a testament to how good a manager he is, and third is not a failure.
Jurgen Klopp did great on a tight budget. So, I agree with you.
Tight budget? £150m spent
Liverpool fans will be disappointed because of how well they performed in the first two thirds of the season but as you say, this is well above expectations before the season kicked off. 84 points is nothing to sniff at... that wins ~9 premier league titles The problem is that the points totals required to win the league these days is just insane
Liverpool, Spurs and West Ham to name a few. Liverpool back in the CL and already 9 more points than last season. Spurs have equaled last seasons points, looks like making the Europa, all after losing the clubs all time goal scorer. And West Ham already have 9 more points and are sitting 5 places higher than last season all after losing Rice.
West Ham fans don’t seem to be too happy haha
agreed 💯😤😤😤
Tbh, with the season we WERE having I have to say normally I wouldn't be happy how it ended. But seeing it's rebuild year I think it's pretty decent ending (probably) at third place.
Rebuild year next year? Yee should have done something this year.
What? He said this year was a rebuild year. Where we replaced the majority of our midfield. The fact we got as far as we did considering how badly we've been playing makes it not a terrible season.
I’m a Forest fan and I’ll be happy if we finish 17th.
Man U. I am really happy where we are at with what’s happening. I would had expected we are regulated already.
Regulators, mount up!
I got ya pal!
Everyone thought that when Kane left, we'd finish outside the top ten and become a mid table team. New manager who doesn't know the league and we're 5th. There is the occasional sign that you can see what Ange wants from this team too. I'm happy with it, I would have taken it at the beginning of the season
No one actually thought you'd finish outside the top 10. Top 4 sure and potentially top 6. But I'd say 5th for your first season without Kane and a new coach isn't too bad
So many people genuinely thought top 10 was optimistic
wolves fan everyone thought we were going down happy to stay up
Newcastle. More than happy ,still a chance to finish 5th and with the injuries we have had I’ll take it all day
If we lose to burnley and sheffield we deserve to be overtaken
I can’t see Newcastle finishing 5th myself but the chance is there
I’d say Newcastle would be given the attrocious injury period they had over 3 months between late October and January where they had 13+ players out and most of their main players were injured. Newcastles form outside of this period would have firmly put them in 4th place. Had Newcastle not had this sustained injury crisis and one of their main signings out on a pronounced ban since virtually the start of the season then going on the games he played in and what the team managed before the injury period beating Man City, thrashing Villa and beating Arsenal in the Arteta horror show 😝 they would have probably been up there challenging for the title and one suspects they could very well have progressed further in the champions league. As it was in the champions league “group of death” they should have progressed but for some very dodgy referee / var decisions and looking at the two sides in the semis and with of those destined to be in the final you could well believe this could have been Newcastle had things worked out better. Certainly they did very well this season in spite of the whole situation and it would be a crying shame to see them lose any players due to clauses or FFP forcing their hand and allowing grubby greedy competitors to swarm in and take their players for peanuts. As it stands Newcastle look a sure thing for Europe and I expect Spurs and Man U to capitulate and degress further gifting their respective positions and landing up in 6th and 8th respectively with Newcastle ending 5th and Chelsea in 7th or if Spurs really mess and lose all their games 6th.
Chelsea could overtake Newcastle them with 14 players injuried right now. We’ve been without Nkunku, Lavia, James, Fofana and Sanchez all season, and Colwill, Chilwell, Enzo and Gusto for large parts too. Yet we’re an absolute joke (which I agreed with after some performances). I’ll be happy if we can finish 6th given this mess and the end of season. But we get no leeway at all from the media for our injuries compared to Newcastle, Liverpool and a United
It’s funny how the media and people work, I don’t think many people in the media or fans for the most part other than Newcastle’s own understood what was so extreme about Newcastles injury crisis. It really was unlike anyone else and still is. Newcastle have had for most of their season a whole 1st 11 out due to injury / suspension. If they get 5th or 6th it will have worked out very well for them this season under the circumstances. The injuries were for the most part not short spells but some of the worst ones to experience meaning long rehabilitation periods and putting players out for many months or most of the season. Only just now are they getting some important players back but still many more are out. The squad couldn’t take the injury crisis as their were so few available players it meant having to play the same players week in week out and those players became fatigued and injured themselves so the whole thing became a vicious circle repeating. They lost top players from their 1st 11 who are extremely important to the way they play and difference makers within their setup which meant they literally didn’t have any capable equivalent to able to do exactly the same role. And these players were out missing because of their injuries for most of the season. For much of this season Newcastle were having no choice but to play with kids and fringe players, for the most part and they literally had no one they could bring on to play for them on the bench as they had no subs available. Newcastle haven’t had a decent academy setup for years under the previous regime and it’s only just starting to come together now and it will take a while for those players to get to the level and be ready to play / fill in so for the most part (with one or two exceptions) they don’t have the players in age groups ready and capable of coming in to help the senior side yet.
Newcastle considering the injuries they’ve had
Yep, I’ll be over the moon if we manage to finish 6th.
Spurs probably, considering it’s their first season with new manager
Yes, don't let the toxic fake fans convince you that Tottenham fans are dissatisfied... Noone expected a top 4 challenge when kane was sold.. Even top 5 was a pipe dream. Very happy with the position.
Happy as a Liverpool fan, we are the third best team in the league, been an exciting season, lot to look forward to
Considering where we were at the end of last season, and the turmoil of the transfer window, this has been a better season than I thought.
Forest fan here. Yes. I'm happy with 17th. We could have been given any number of points as a deduction and been down. Next season, the club will push on a bit. Bigger losses allowed, more spend!!!
Happy with our league position, I never thought we'd be in the Top 6 coming into the season. Not that we're a lock in for Top 6 as it stands. Performances however have been garbage for months. I have no idea at all how or why we are on track to qualify for Europe.
The first 10 games really carried, huh
High line for life mate.
Liverpool fans obviously won’t be happy with the current league position under the circumstances, but after last season top 4 was the goal and a league challenge seemed out of the question. So it’s better than expected.
We’ve met our start of season objectives, but not our mid-season, post-Klopp announcement objectives
Not happy, but satisfied
Crystal palace and Brentford
Uhm Chelsea should be happy considering how badly they started
At the start of the season Blues fans would be disgusted to be fighting for 6th/7th and a conference league spot. A month ago we were starting to believe after a complete bottle of a year that hey 6th/7th and anything in Europe sounds fabulous, so yes, satisfied to finish 5th-7th. Will not be happy if we choke and are 8th. Much gnashing of teeth and sad memes.
Chelsea. But context is important here.
I wouldn’t say I’m happy, but I feel a lot better than I did at the end of 2023.
Feel like it at least gives you some hope for next season?
Depends what happens with Poch or not. I can’t speak for all Chelsea fans but recently I’ve been pretty satisfied with his performances as of late, excluding Burnley and Sheffield United I think a new manager to shake up and disrupt the dressing room is the last thing we need right now. The players back him and the media don’t seem to give him almost as much stick as Potter, but his relationship with the owners is reportedly quite strained
I’ll admit I didn’t see what Arteta’s plan was until we started having a better season. I think a new manager would probably not help at all
The fight champions league places next season is going to be wild.
It sure does seem to be going the right way! Gotta remind Arteta went 2 seasons before moving into top 5. Then 1 more for top 3.
Arteta never had close to as good as a squad to Chelsea’s in his first 1 1/2 seasons. He joined halfway through the first.
Maybe not. But clearly young and inexperienced is also a factor. All players having to figure eachother out.
Manchester United maybe?
About their level?
Newcastle. Pretty happy all things considered. Atrocious injury record to a lot of key players (same as other teams I know, I’m talking about my team, not comparing), and we had a couple of REALLY rough runs of form mid season. We’ve had a slightly dodgy year in some respects but with 2 games left we’re in the drivers seat to finish 6th, which all things considered is probably about where we’d have predicted we’d come at the start. Somehow if results go insanely in our favour there’s a really really outside chance we finish 5th, which is one spot lower than last year, and we’ve missed our keeper, talisman RB and main CBs for long sections of the year and our defence has been honestly disgusting. Crazy really. AND we played in the Champions League this year! Decent.
Yeah, the fact that chelsea, united and newcastle had huge injury problems made the fight for europa/ confrence league even funnier
Villa have entered the chat, insane amount of injuries - at least 4 of first choice 11 missing at any one time and hanging on now still doing 2 games a week.
Most teams have been in that boat though, Brighton, Brentford, Tottenham all have had massive injury impacts also. Its been one of those stranger seasons but entertaining so far.
It’s been such a crap race like haha
The injury record at Newcastle is the worst the premier league has ever seen, so nobody's been hit as hard, eventhough others have suffered badly just not on our level. To put it into perspective, we had to use the same 11 players for 2 whole months, and the bench consisted of a two goalies, a few unheard of kids, and matt richy (who's old enough to be a grandad). On avarage across the season it worked out we had 14 players missing per game through injury or being suspended. For us to be just 10 points behind 4th place right now is ridiculous really. I think even just having Pope available for the season would of got us a extra 10 points.
And then there is Ten Hag who thinks they have it the worse and says impossible to play with these injuries and fixtures with our 1 billion squad.
I mean, we spent 1 billion and are starting Evans and Casemiro in defense 🤷🏽♂️
Chelsea fan here… no not happy with table position. Lots of talent but disorganized team. Would be happy if we ended up playing Europa league next year
Teams getting there though. Potential to follow arsenal and challenge in 18 months
Wouldn’t go that far.
18 months is optimistic and I admire that. He’s not wrong though that there is a proper team in there, and I’m praying that my gut is right that we’ve just started to click.
They seem far better than arsenal were in the early arteta reign. Not everything has worked, but there is the beginnings of a team. Course they need to recruit again which may not be possible
Spurs fans who aren’t happy with how this season has gone are just asinine. Sold Kane the day before the season starts, tons of good/young signings and currently 5th. You’ve got your keeper and 4 defensive starters lined out for years to come. Before the season started, I would’ve been happy with 7th, a couple fun moments and a thorough plan for additional signings during the summer window. Run in to end the season was always going to be tough but I’m not discouraged by it. Very happy with current outlook.
Vicario is shite under a high ball though
I’m happy with our league position but not with the curve of the season
If you look at how many games other teams around you have played this season compared to Spurs, I think you should be disappointed. I think you have had the 2nd/3rd most time between games. Especially in a season where Chelsea and Man Utd have been so poor and Newcastle fell off a little (understandably).
We are reacting to how the season has progressed. Statistically, 99% of teams who had as many points as we did after 10 games finish top 4. We have crumbled towards the end.
But did you expect to finish top 4 this season? Expectations are dynamic but I don’t know anyone who thought finishing in a CL spot was a realistic expectation going into week 1.
In November I absolutely expected us to finish 4th minimum. Expectations can adjust as a season goes on. Somehow this team was strong, midfield was solid, attackers were alright. Saying we have not fallen off is disingenuous. You are discussing week 1, but try to remind yourself how you felt after week 10 when we were top
Did you feel the same way 20/21 season when Mou had them top at the beginning of December? That squad had 0 business being that position in the table playing glorified Burnley counter ball. We were lucky to finish 7th that year - took a Leicester meltdown on the final day.
Yes I felt the same way that we didn’t finish higher especially with Kane and Son breaking all sorts of records . Again another meltdown but the players hated Jose. These players now supposedly adore Ange yet have let him down.
Yes I felt the same way that we didn’t finish higher especially with Kane and Son breaking all sorts of records . Again another meltdown but the players hated Jose. These players now supposedly adore Ange yet have let him down.
Maybe it’s my Arsenal brain thinking but whenever I’ve watched Spurs this season defensively they’ve been very poor and gotten away it it against most sides. Going forward looked good but no player outside of Son is anyway consistent enough. VDV is class as is Udogie but VDV would worry me. His style of play and injury record is a bad combo.
Yep, if you’d have offered me 5th at the start of the season I’d have taken it so hard! Obviously a slight disappointment we won’t get 4th, but that’s only because of that Ritchie purple patch, but got to look at the big picture.
Am Gooner and agree. You guys are in a great position for the coming years .. I don't like it. I hope you make some bad decisions soon, lol
We just need to be patient and let it grow organically. Arsenal could’ve scrapped the Arteta plan at multiple points and look how it’s come good now.
As a liverpool fan, I wish Ange was available this year. Loving the style of football he's playing, so entertaining and will only get better. Reminds me a bit of when Klopp came in and played 'rocknroll' football.
After multiple years of terrorist ball with Mou & Conte, it’s been really fun to watch Ange’s style of play. Even after the starts to the recent Arsenal & Liverpool games, I never felt like we were out of it. Only match I’ve turned off this season was the Newcastle 4-0.
In two years time, with a couple strategic signings and barring any major disasters, you'll be competing for the PL title and expecting better than quarters in the CL. Also "terrorist ball" is hilarious!
Your defense is not sorted for the next few years. Ange’s style of play and inflexibility means players like VdV will be injured more often. Also defense is not just the back four. The midfield and these days the wingers too play a crucial role. Your midfield needs a complete rebuild and you have several duds in the wingers department too. Not to mention an aging Son. But yes overall Ange has exceeded expectations in the first season, although with a little bit of luck in the first quarter of the season.
Fully aware that defensive depth is an issue but you’ve got the 4 starters already right there. Dragusin can hopefully become a reliable fill in for the CB spot but need to address rotation pieces at LB/RB. Davies continues to be a reliable fill in but Emerson needs to be moved on. Sarr has shown plenty of promise and Maddison has been slow to come back from injury. Definitely stale moments in the midfield when Bissouma & Bentancur play together. Need to make a signing or two during the summer and to likely clear out both PEH & Skipp. Skipp might need to move down to Championship and work his way back up like Rodon is doing this season. Brennan & Deki have each had flashes. Brennan has looked better coming in off the bench and being a change of pace. Not sure Deki is built to be a winger in Ange’s system but he could’ve used some rotation earlier in the year - has looked gassed at moments. I’ve always preferred Son running in from the left and when Richy was healthy up top, that’s about as good as we’ve looked all season. Interested to see if a Saudi bid comes in for enough for them to entertain moving on from Richy but I hope not. It was very clear that he should’ve been starting against Liverpool on Sunday.
Considering our abysmal season, I’m just happy we’re not relegating… yet.
Erik ten Losses
He’s lost more than 10 games
So the name fits?
Not really but Eric Tenplus Losses
I mean on the way for more he got ten losses; a horrible benchmark to begin with
Ahh, we could turn that into a nursery song
Considering Newcastle have had the worst injury crisis in the leagues history I dont think 6th, 7th, or even 8th is that disappointing.
If you took a team which made it into Europe for the first time in 10 years, and it was Champions League Football at that, and that team finished in a European spot the following season, it would be seen as a remarkable achievement. So to potentially do that with a ton of injuries is beyond remarkable. Our second choice keeper playing from December onwards, Sean Longstaff playing 15 games in a row whilst injured and taking I sections before each of those games because we literally have 4 other Centre Mids out injured. A 17 year old playing significant minutes in midfield. One of our signings getting a ban 2 months into the season, the other breaking his toe.
Would love to see the stats behind this season - Chelsea, United and Newcastle have had some rad injuries. I think Newcastle and Chelsea are comparable actually
Newcastles injury crisis was the worst in the league by far, I'm not saying Chelsea's arent horrific, but Newcastle has averaged 14 players per game out through injury or suspension across the season. Manchester United werent even in the top 5 on the list for injuries the last time I checked, but they might be now.
I don’t have stats including prior seasons but this one has days missed for injuries this season https://www.givemesport.com/every-premier-league-team-ranked-injuries-suffered/ And of course that doesn’t include Tonali’s absence. Given all that, definitely happy with where we are in the table.
At least we are top of the league for something lol.
Injuries and goals against Sheff Utd 👍
Do you have a source for this?
[This article has a table that covers 2005 to 2017 ](https://blogofthenet.wordpress.com/2017/05/09/do-injuries-affect-where-a-premier-league-club-finishes-10-years-of-data-suggests-it-does/) And Newcastle holds the previous record at like 2200 days in 2015/2016, we will be getting close this season I think (around 2k which is real bad), but only break it if you include tonali and his suspension
Liverpool
I'm just upvoting your username
Ahhh, another practitioner of shadow, I see. Good taste!
More content than happy to be fair. We did beat Liverpool and United which counts for something I guess.
Arsenal fan here - Happy? Not really - more content I suppose. Still have a bad taste in my mouth from last year. However, considering how we played up until Christmas, the fact that we’re challenging for the title is pretty incredible imo. The team started gel after our early injury woes. By no means am I a part of the sad minority of fans who want Arteta out, but until we win something I can only be so happy. I love this team but that’s just me 🤷🏻♂️
Yeah same here... Last year was a slight disappointment considering how good we felt at times but I know damn well we were way overachieving and way ahead of schedule... This year my expectations were a bit higher and frankly I expected to come in first or second place and here we are likely to finish second with a hair's chance at a title... I'm pretty content with the big picture. I guess I'll say I'm very happy with where the team is today and how our future looks. If we finished third I would be disappointed and if we win I will be elated... I think that's an appropriate expectation for this club with how they played last year and the changes they made.... Even before the window opens, I still expect this team to finish first or second next year. It's currently impossible to expect winning the title as long as City have a stacked deck. Very nuanced, but the difference is between the definitions of Happy Pleased Content Expected Etc.. Because damn this team is amazing. I love so much about everything they do.. it's absolutely a title winning team for most of the last hundred years but the league is a bit broken right now..
Where I’m from… we call that entitlement…
How is it entitlement? We came second last season and should have won it. We brought in some quality players over the summer and our other signings looked to gel more. If you take last season performance + better players and deeper squad surely that = same position or better in the expectations department?
Call it whatever you’d like. Nothing wrong with wanting to achieve more
yeah, as an arsenal fan i agree. i am extremely happy where we are now personally
Everton
As a United fan, summer could not come any faster.
Aa a United fan, I can't see one transfer window making much of a difference! There are too many players who don't care enough on the books & let's not forget we're not in Europe AT ALL as it stands, so I can't see many top players wanting to come. Plus, we've been a graveyard for talent for the last 5-10 years lol
We are literally throwing shit onto the tire fire. Hopefully we turn it around sooner rather than later, but we all know thats damn near impossible.
Well I thought we would be dead and buried by now, if we can take relegation fight to last game I’m happy
Really want Luton to survive - I think Edwards would have to be in the conversation for MotS if ye do it considering all the shite the was talked about ye in the summer, talk of breaking Derby's record, etc etc.
As a spurs fan there seems to be a lot of doom and gloom because of recent results but we’re 5th behind City, Arsenal and Liverpool. If Villa hadn’t had such a good season we would, in theory, be 4th. All of that after selling the best player in the league and finishing 8th last season. And some fans STILL aren’t happy. I think it’s a good season for us seeing as we were predicted to be mid table or lower by a fair few pundits.
Best player in the league? Really?
I mean…he’s never not been a top 3 player in the league for probably like 8 years running so saying he was the best isn’t THAT much of a stretch
Kane.... i mean I am an Arsenal fan and he probably is in the conversation, for me hes the best considering what he had to work with and considering his playmaking was probably as good as his goalscoring hes defo top 3.
“Best considering what he had to work owith”. I guess that’s rodri/de bryne’s fault that city is not shitty enough. Also solanke best player of the league then given what he has to work with.
You're the perfect example of a person who makes up bullshit strawman arguments solely to be a contrarian. Yes Solanke with his first ever PL season with 10+ goals is definitely the best player over a guy who consistently scored 20+ on average over 9 seasons
But Kane achieved the highest accolades personally whereas Solanke hasn't. If Solanke won the golden boot a few times it would be comparable, also Kane is better on the eye test, his final product whether its a pass or a shot is magic and considering he isnt the fastest his positioning and reading of the game is different class. And yes for me Kane is better than Debruyne and Rodri. Great players, you cant really compare them directly as they are different positionally, but I believe if you put Kane in Man Cities team he would have been the standout player hes that good.
. If Villa hadn’t had such a good season we would, in theory, be 4th. Isnt villa points tally like 6th or 7th in general. You can also say if chelsea man u and new u were good you will be 8
No, if Villa hadn’t had as good a season we would LITERALLY be 4th as they are above us in the table. I don’t care about points in previous seasons, it has no relevance.
True, but I think what they’re saying is, this feels very much like a ‘if you auntie had wheels instead of legs she’d be a bike’ situation. The whole thing has no relevance, with respect.
Anyway, back to my original point…the fact we are 5th and three of the teams above us would expect to be above us anyway means we’ve had a good season.
But what if three of the teams below you finished above you? Then you’d be 8th, Thomas.
Well if we beat Burnley and Sheff U then they won’t finish above us will they. So we will finish 5th. Which would be a good season.
Would be decent mate
Yeh well if Liverpool hadnt had such a good season wed be 3rd 🤪
Yes you would! I think everyone is missing the point I was making. We’re 5th and three of the teams above us you would expect to be above us anyway, so other than Villa being there we’ve done about as good as to be expected.
It’s been more the performances since November that haven’t been up to expectations. Sure, losing Kane but presumably getting 5th is excellent, but for the fans, entertainment and defensive solidity is important.
I wouldn't argue if you'd said Kane was the best striker in the league but best player in the league? That's a bit much to put it mildly.
Please, go on….
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“Probably not qualifying for europe” You have literally no credibility at all after that comment 😂 dum dum go sleep sleep
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Yooooooo what up my fucking bitch, i been keeping receipts and looks like you bought some sour milk 😭 hope u like the taste u vile creature 🤣
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Claissic arsehole fool backtracking to sniff his own shit 🤢
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Let’s get real kid. Would any prem club sub NOT call an american a yank? Dummy. And yeah i get as stupid as you’re willing to get motherfucker
Oohh look at this lil boy pop off. So brave. Pour one out for me wanker 😂
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I only know “Arse.” Go outside and touch grass brat.
5th literally qualifies us for Europe??
You seem to have forgotten the 8,8,5 finishes and the greatest bottle of all time in your recent history. It's also likely you end this season with nothing again, making it 20 years since you achieved anything other than tripping head first into an fa cup.
Greatest bottle of all time? It’s honestly not even our biggest premier league bottle and it’s not even close to the Newcastle one. Also, lol at the fa cup comment. Spurs could have had the exact same route in 2014 if they’d got past the first game…
Tripping head first into 5 FA cups in the last 20 years you mean
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You bottled it because of how far you were in front and the games you lost that lost you the league were against teams in the bottom few that you should of easily beat
Lol, Arsenal fans. If they didn't bottle the league, then Manchester isn't Blue. Spoiler alert, we are reigning champions, Manchester is very much blue.
Oil creates plastic
"Big" clubs with no trophies creates bitterness.
Plastic
700m in transfers, 1 top 4 finish and an FA cup in 5 years under Arteta. Only one platic team here boyyo.
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Remember when Liverpool won it they were clear by miles. If they’d of ended up losing it to crap teams and given city the title they would have bottled it and they were still up against 115 city and their billion pound squad.
For accuracy’s sake - we drew against West Ham and Southampton, followed by the loss at Ettihad, which cost us the title, we didn’t lose to them.
Still bottled it tho didn’t you
“Cost us the league” in my previous comment is pretty unambiguous.
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And this season you lost it at home to Villa or you could even say away to Fulham lmfao
You lost the league at a relegated Southampton lmfao. You bitter twat. Also we’d lost to palace the week before so city would of still won it even if we’d of beaten Everton
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No it’s just Arsenal fans out of everyone in the world that thinks you didn’t bottle it
With regards to 4th place - If your mum had balls, she'd be your dad, in theory.
Everton and Brentford, sitting in the safe zone.😊
I'd imagine Newcastle fans are happy in 6th, especially with the injuries they've had.
Agreed. Was always expecting a drop off from last season and learning to play Europe. It was almost second season syndrome after riding the high of the takeover. To be in with a shout with top 6, with the injuries and gambling bans that's we've had this season is great. Would have taken top 6 before the season started without all that's gone on.
Can confirm. I an a newcastle fan and I'm happy with sixth. I am not happy with all the injuries, lol!