Tag by premiership

How Long Will José Last At United

A short-term answer. That was the phrase used wide and large by pundits, writers and fans alike when ‘The manager formerly known as the Special One’ was announced as the successor to Louis Van Gaal at Manchester United. Sir Alex Ferguson had departed. David Moyes had been pushed out while Louis Van Gaal was simply nudged off the winner’s podium in Wembley following his 2016 FA Cup win. José Mourinho’s arrival was another one of football’s very poorly kept secrets, a lot of which seem to come from Old Trafford these days. Since the announcement of Ferguson’s retirement and Moyes’ imminent arrival right up to the present day, there seems […]

How Would An All Irish Team Do In The Premiership – Part 3

Following our calculation in Part 2 of this series that our Ireland selection would finish the Premier League season with a final total of 49 points, it’s safe to say that they would not be in danger of relegation. If you’re just joining the party, then you might want to take a look at Part 1 of the series which looked at our all Irish team, tactics and rules for the season. The Stats Taking the points totals from all of the 22 full 20-team Premier League seasons so far completed, the average finishing position is 10th spot with the final positions ranging from 8th up to 14th. When you […]

How Would An All Irish Team Do In The Premiership – Part 1

There are great arguments in life and sport that make for some great debate. From the simple yet effective ‘my da would beat your da in a fight’ all the way to ‘Celtic would challenge for the Premier League title’. There are just some things that we are never going to know the answer to so I’ve decided to apply my thought process on one question that I can’t help but wonder about… How would an all Irish selection get on in the Premier League? Now I know it would be easier to say the Republic of Ireland team but I’m not Martin O’Neill so I’ll be making my own […]

Who and What Liverpool Need This Summer

After a somewhat tumultuous season, Liverpool ultimately achieved their prime aim of qualifying for the Champions League. While it is true that they failed in seriously challenging for any of the domestic competitions (apart from a semi-final appearance in the EFL Cup), Champions League qualification should be enough to satisfy the fanbase for now. However, if Jürgen Klopp’s charges are interested in winning silverware next season, there is a lot of work still to be done. In terms of targets, Champions League football next season is a major attraction, which may swing a player’s decision in the Merseyside direction. Quality Looking at the current squad for the season just gone […]

The North London Derby – Who Will Fall Hardest?

The North London derby is a classic in English football that always delivers on thrills, spills, controversy, big decisions and cards, oh how we love a few cards between these cockney heavyweights. History Of The North London Derby The derby has been in existence for 120 years, with Arsenal first winning the contest one nil way back in 1896. Some say the rivalry really started when Arsenal moved to Highbury, a stadium which was only a stone’s throw from White Hart Lane (albeit a fine 4 mile throw!) Looking back at some of the classics there aren’t many pictures that capture the derby moreso than Thierry Henry sliding towards the […]

What Do The Big Teams Need To Do To Compete In The Champions League This Year?

It’s no secret that the big clubs in England have failed to perform in the Champions League in recent years. After much talk of England losing out on a top four spot, we ask ourselves what do the big clubs need to do to compete in the champions league this year? For all the million upon millions that’s been spent amongst English clubs they just can’t seem to perform when put up against Europe’s elite. Why is this? Well there’s numerous reasons, a lot come with finances. At the end of the day it doesn’t matter who you sign or how much you spend on a team, without investing in […]

Deadline Day Transfers 2016 – The Hits and Misses

What a summer of Premier League spending it has been, the records have been completely unhinged with the window totalling a staggering £1.16bn. Each of the 20 BPL teams averaged a spend of around £60m with both sides of Manchester throwing caution to the wind and laying down over £150m each. With all that money, many would expect one of the most interesting and highly competitive seasons that English football has ever seen. We have seen the top guns arrive like the most expensive footballer in the world Paul Pogba, Belgium striker Michy Batshuayi, new City winger Leroy Sané and the Swiss stronghold who has been dubbed as a “young […]

What To Expect This Season In The Premiership

It’s hard to remember a season which has promised to be as intriguing as the 2016/17 season. With both Manchester clubs bringing in high profile managers who happen to be bitter rivals along with Antonio Conte taking over at Chelsea and the fact that Jurgen Klopp will have had a pre season at Liverpool makes it interesting times for a number of clubs. And that is without mentioning reigning champions Leicester and an improving Spurs. Throw into the mix an Arsenal team desperate to win the league along with clubs like Everton, West Ham and Crystal Palace looking to spend big money and it makes it a season to look […]

Fantasy Football Picks For 2016

That time of year is creeping up on us again. The Premier League is nearly upon us which means that we are all going to become expert managers for a few weeks and then completely lose interest before October. Here are five players that you should keep an eye on when you decide to pick your team. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Manchester United) Zlatan is one that will most definitely attract a massive price tag and lots of supports but he’s the only player in my top 5 list that I am going to warn you to stay clear of. That massive chunk of money could be put to better use in […]

Can Liverpool Win The Title Under Klopp?

Apart from the capture of Luis Suarez, there are many observers who believe that Liverpool’s’ capture of Jurgen Klopp will turn out to be the best piece of business they have done in their recent history. Klopp has come to the Premier League with a reputation for being one of the best and most progressive coaches in world football. In fact, apart from Pep Guardiola, Klopp was the most sought after manager in Europe. What Klopp did at Dortmund and more importantly the style which he did it in has seen him gain many admirers in the footballing community. It was seen as a real coup when Liverpool managed to […]