S13M26: Scrap the League Cup

This weekend always feels a bit of a milestone. We know it's a pro-rated week, but it also marks the turn towards the run-in for me. There are different definitions - some feel the last 8 games, some the last 10, and maybe going for the last third is a bit early, but I sort of think this time of year focuses minds. There are fewer games to make up mistakes, no transfer chat and the games start flowing with Europe and the FA adding to the burden in a way that the League cup stopped doing pre-Xmas. 

So where are we? 2 points separate the top 3. 5 points the next 3.  3 points the next 5. 5 points the next 5. Then 2 strata of relegation teams. It's all shaping up nicely. Everyone more or less still has something to play for. 

S13M25: Strata

This was doing the round this week on Twitter. 

It's basically a team rating measuring both attack & defence - you can tap Scott up directly for his specific methodology but it fits the eye test. Note - this isn't the league table because results don't equal performances - form can skew things based on sample size etc. But broadly speaking - it's about right. 3 exceptional teams - up there with any in world football. A cluster of 6 who will make up the rest of the european places and compete for cups. Mid-table solidity (including Everton who's league position is artificially low). Lower mid-table precariousness with a bad run or bad injury and then 3 weak teams - with Luton the least bad of these lot. What I like about this graphic is the spacings. Villa are as close to Wolves as they are to City. It speaks to the remarkable consistency of the 3 great teams over a prolonged period - and juxtaposed with Chelsea, Newcastle, Man Utd & Spurs who've all got (different) reasons to believe that they should be able to compete, it lays it all very stark. Special words for Brighton & Brentford, who...as ever....are punching well above their weight.

So no great shock this weekend then.  Easy wins for Man City, Arsenal & Liverpool. Man Utd beat Villa in a closer game, Chelsea overcome a poor Palace side after going behind. Spurs won at home against Brighton also from behind and Brentford won away at Wolves who've lost the flow they'd found before. Slightly upsetting this point was Sheffield United winning away at Luton - a good win for them, but both pretty poor sides, and Fulham beating Bournemouth at home is a likely success for consistency & home advantage. A high scoring week....

S13M24: Compression

Best League in the World TM delivers the drama again. Everton kicked us off with a late equaliser at home to Spurs. Without their 10 point deduction, they'd be solidly mid-table, but as is are still in the relegation mix, although you have to assume they'll pull clear at some point.  Brighton recovered from their recent thumping to hand out a thumping of their own to not-real-derby rivals Palace who's manager looks increasingly forlorn each week. He's actually incredible at pushing the boundaries of forlornness. Also, when he gets sacked, he needs to take over at Sheff Wed. Obvs. Also also, I'm a huge fan of Joao Pedro and think he's going to be a great signing for whoever he leaves Brighton for. I'd happily take him next summer.

Another late equaliser for relegation-threatened Burnley, alongside jsut a standard 4-4 at St James Park. Luton with just the casual 8 in 2 games now. Villa handed out another thumping to absolutely dreadful Sheff Utd. Not a great Saturday for home teams.

Bournemouth vs Forest was boring, but the drama continued at the Bridge where Wolves did a number of Chelsea - a highly self-inflicted defeat and the #PochOut mutterings are becoming louder. Bring back Frank Lampard I say. An easy home win for Man Utd against West Ham was followed by the Super Sunday game between Arsenal and Liverpool for the 3rd time in 6 weeks. Some dreadful errors handed a goal to each team, but Liverpool were dominated in a way that doesn't often happen, with Arsenal winning 3-1 quite comfortably.

The same scoreline greeted Haaland's return as City saw off Brentford easily enough after going behind. A hat-trick from Foden was well received by me, as he's in my fantasy team - this was then tempered by me seeing that he's in bloody everyone's team, so no advantage there.

S13M23: KlopPOW

There's only one place to start and that's with my take on the Klopp news.

My initial reaction, tbqhwy, was elation. Like when Fergie went, or when Spurs hired Mourinho. The schadenfreude runneth deep.

I'm not going to lie. I was wrong. I thought he'd burnt out at Dortmund and didn't think he'd have the energy to make Liverpool work - a very unhappy club at the time if you recall - before the fans got all sack-happy.

But yeah, hands held up. He built well, front-to back with a strong backroom and back-office staff, helped out by Barcelona offering stupid money for Coutinho. They grew, he grew and it all culminated in the emotional maelstrom that really only Liverpool can achieve - for better or for worse. It's no surprise that he's emptied the tanks. Trying to rebuild that side will be a challenge and he has nothing left to prove. 

I never really loved Klopp - I didn't go into for the fawning. He's as psychopathic and hypocritical as the rest of them, and his toothy grin can be viewed as charismatic or a shark about to eat you depending on perspective. But I hella respected him and there's no doubt that Liverpool will be worse off without him, at least in the short term, regardless of who (Xabi Alonso) they bring in to replace him.

What will it mean for this season? Will they use this to fuel them to a quadruple? I doubt it - I still think City will be too strong for them in the League, but wouldn't be surprised at a cup treble providing bodies stay fit.