# 2015-16 Barclays Premier League Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 3, 2015, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-16-barclays-premier-league-thread/726837 "2015-08-03T01:08:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 18
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a8b319/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_wuzzy)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2016, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-16-barclays-premier-league-thread/726837/342 "2016-03-05T18:47:33Z")
> [@RetroVertigo](#): > > Sorry if already asked… > > Is a Leicester championship bigger than the Blackburn top finish in the early 90s? If yes, has there been a bigger upset to the league hierarchy going back through the Football League? > [@ISiddiqui](#): > > Of course people would find an American to scapegoat and try to blame for the attitude (if I was really cynical, I’d say the clubs planned it that way). This is something the big 5 English clubs are pushing, not some random American billionaires. The American guy just said it out loud what the heads of Chelsea, ManU, ManCity, Arsenal, and Liverpool were (and continue to try) hashing out. > [@straight\_man](#): > > Interestingly, though, the clubs don’t seem to be in favour of it, [at least not publicly](http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/35731123). As best I can tell, the big clubs are more afraid in the long-term of losing Premier League revenue to Continental clubs than they are of occasionally losing Championship League revenue to Leicester City. > > ETA: here’s one analysis that thinks the big clubs [are indeed hiding their intentions](http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/35707372). I am in little doubt the clubs major EPL and this American businessman are using one another. ---
**Author:** ![Subterraneanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Subterraneanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Subterraneanus)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2016, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-16-barclays-premier-league-thread/726837/343 "2016-03-06T02:28:14Z")
> [@JeffB](#): > > Leicester opened the door yesterday, and Arsenal slammed it shut today. Only consolation is that Spurs also lost. It’s definitely time for Wenger to go. No, keep him! The last decade-plus has been most amusing. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2016, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-16-barclays-premier-league-thread/726837/344 "2016-03-06T15:30:08Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fancy-stats/wp/2016/03/04/this-north-london-derby-is-the-biggest-match-arsenal-and-spurs-have-ever-played/](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fancy-stats/wp/2016/03/04/this-north-london-derby-is-the-biggest-match-arsenal-and-spurs-have-ever-played/) > > It would seem that a draw all but gives Leciester the title. A win for the gooners all but gives Arsenal the title, and a win for Spurs puts Tottenham in the driver seat. > > The most important league match of the year? Damn, that was stressful! Definitely an important match, but I can’t agree with the linked article that it was the biggest NLD ever. There are still ten games left and both teams still have real chances, so I can’t see how this was bigger than an FA Cup semifinal, which happened in '81 and '91. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2016, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-16-barclays-premier-league-thread/726837/345 "2016-03-07T17:44:26Z")
I said about a week ago that, as someone who is cheering for Leicester to win the league, i would probably support Arsenal against Spurs, just for the sake of leaving Leicester with a bigger lead. But when the game started, i just couldn’t do it. My brain said Arsenal, but i found myself willing Spurs on. Anyway, from a neutral’s point of view, a draw was a pretty good result. Still ten games to go, though, so i’m not counting out any of the top four just yet. Liverpool played much of the second half of yesterday’s game with 10 men, and down 1-0, but still managed to eke out a last-minute, 2-1 victory, thanks to a terrible slip/mistake by McCarthy, the Crystal Palace keeper, who gifted Firmino a goal. That tied the game, and then Liverpool got a penalty in the last minute of added time, as Benteke was brought down in the area. Liverpool had moments of great play, but were also pretty mediocre in places. They seemed to play better after they lost Milner - more urgency, and better organization. It was nice to see Man U lose again. They weren’t helped by an early red card for Juan Mata. Louis van Gaal whined about it after the game, but both yellows were completely deserved. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2016, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-16-barclays-premier-league-thread/726837/346 "2016-03-07T17:50:06Z")
Too late to edit. Much as i’m loathe to defend Arsenal or to support Arsene Wenger in his perennial griping about referees, he was right this week: Dier should have received a second yellow card for Spurs in the derby. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2016, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-16-barclays-premier-league-thread/726837/347 "2016-03-07T18:12:24Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > It was nice to see Man U lose again. They weren’t helped by an early red card for Juan Mata. Louis van Gaal whined about it after the game, but both yellows were completely deserved. So I gather - stupid from Mata, cost his team a chance to really get back in with a chance of fourth spot. Epitomises our frustrating season. But despite what I said last month, I think LVG has done enough to be given a chance of one more season (unless Mourinho is only available now or never). Ideal scenario - LVG stays next season and picks up a trophy, then Mourinho comes in and picks up several. How likely is that? About as likely as United winning the CL next year I suspect (possible, but low odds, and reliant on a contingency). ---
**Author:** ![Cumbrian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@Cumbrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cumbrian)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2016, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-16-barclays-premier-league-thread/726837/348 "2016-03-07T19:58:37Z")
I am by no means a Manchester United fan (as far as I am concerned, when ever I hear a team referred to as United I am thinking of Carlisle) but I think LVG has done a vital job this year for them. They may not qualify for the Champions League but he has brought through a number of academy prospects. Mourinho’s track record is one of taking academy prospects and sending them to the Netherlands on loan, then to a Championship club on loan, then getting rid of them. I don’t think this is the way forward for Manchester United - a solid backbone of young players all coming through together, with some judicious signings, will likely be better for the long term stability of the club. LVG has grasped this particular nettle and a side with a number of young players in it is still in with a chance of 4th and could go deep in the Europa League. This is all invaluable experience and will likely develop both the players and a new squad ethos. In short, I’d keep LVG in place and hope Mourinho, with his insistence on spending his way out of a bad situation, goes somewhere else. ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2016, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-16-barclays-premier-league-thread/726837/349 "2016-03-07T20:23:35Z")
> [@Cumbrian](#): > > …he has brought through a number of academy prospects… The Man Utd fans I know take the view that it was forced on him due to injuries and he’s just got lucky. There doesn’t seem to be any enthusiasm about Mourinho either. ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2016, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-16-barclays-premier-league-thread/726837/350 "2016-03-07T20:35:47Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > Arsenal might have won if Coq hadn’t gotten sent off. > > But it’s a fair result in the end. And yes, more good news for the Foxes. A rather strange game… Spurs bossed it for the first half hour or so without really penetrating the Arsenal defence. Arsenal scored against the run of play and for the next five minutes looked like they could score with every attack. After Cocqulain was sent off for that daft tackle, two goals in three minutes and we looked rampant, capable of giving you a proper thrashing, but, credit where it’s due, you got your act together and deserved the equaliser. Bloody North London derbies… ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2016, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-16-barclays-premier-league-thread/726837/351 "2016-03-07T20:50:08Z")
> [@Thing\_Fish](#): > > Damn, that was stressful! Definitely an important match, but I can’t agree with the linked article that it was the biggest NLD ever. There are still ten games left and both teams still have real chances, so I can’t see how this was bigger than an FA Cup semifinal, which happened in '81 and '91. '81 was against Wolves. I was there for that one. '93 was the one we lost when Adams should have been sent off early on and then scored the winner. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-16-barclays-premier-league-thread/726837/352 "2016-03-09T01:30:05Z")
A decent result today. We needed some good news! ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-16-barclays-premier-league-thread/726837/353 "2016-03-10T20:08:39Z")
Dortmund 3 Tottenham 0 Woooohooooo ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-16-barclays-premier-league-thread/726837/354 "2016-03-10T20:11:33Z")
Dortmund are a very tough side. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-16-barclays-premier-league-thread/726837/355 "2016-03-10T20:19:15Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > Dortmund are a very tough side. My cable package doesn’t have FS2 which carried the game so I wasn’t able to record it. Anyone see it? How did the young guys look? I know Tottenham put out a heavily rotated side. ---
**Author:** ![polar\_bear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@polar\_bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/polar_bear)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-16-barclays-premier-league-thread/726837/356 "2016-03-10T21:03:41Z")
It was men against boys. Dortmund were all over Tottenham, it was closer to 5 or 6, than Tottenham getting one back. Off course, Tottenham played their reserves… but I still doubt it would have made much of a difference. Also if I compare to Liverpool - Man U. at the moment, the quality in this game is so much poorer than what Dortmund showed. Also don’t forget that last saturday Dortmund barely hung on to a 0-0 against a far better Bayern. It doesn’t seem the top of the EPL is closing the gap to the top Champions league teams. The pundits here are also quite unforgiving towards all three English teams today. Far more critical than what I read on the BBC page. ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-16-barclays-premier-league-thread/726837/357 "2016-03-10T23:19:14Z")
> [@polar\_bear](#): > > It was men against boys. Dortmund were all over Tottenham, it was closer to 5 or 6, than Tottenham getting one back. Off course, Tottenham played their reserves… but I still doubt it would have made much of a difference. We had a couple of key players out, but it was hardly a reserve team. It was a bit of a lesson in how far we’ve got to go to compete with the top teams. ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-16-barclays-premier-league-thread/726837/358 "2016-03-11T14:19:43Z")
> [@mascaroni](#): > > We had a couple of key players out, but it was hardly a reserve team. It was a bit of a lesson in how far we’ve got to go to compete with the top teams. “A couple”? Only three of the Spurs team that played could be considered to be part of their first XI (Lloris, Alderweireld, Eriksen). They played a mostly reserve team, understandably prioritising the Premier League considering their position in it, and predictably got spanked by a very good team who are only five points behind Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-16-barclays-premier-league-thread/726837/359 "2016-03-11T15:13:11Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > “A couple”? Only three of the Spurs team that played could be considered to be part of their first XI (Lloris, Alderweireld, Eriksen). They played a mostly reserve team, understandably prioritising the Premier League considering their position in it, and predictably got spanked by a very good team who are only five points behind Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga. And BvB apparently played their first choice squad against Spurs. Reading match reports and looking at heat maps and stuff it looks like it was really the Midfield where things fell apart and that was where Spurs made the most serious changes. The midfield were, generously, third choice players. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-16-barclays-premier-league-thread/726837/360 "2016-03-11T15:54:48Z")
This is one way where English clubs have fallen behind their continental rivals. The attitude that some tournaments are somehow “beneath” them. Continental teams try to win every trophy they play in. English teams dont and that attitude in very negative. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-16-barclays-premier-league-thread/726837/361 "2016-03-11T16:54:27Z")
I disagree. It makes total sense for Spurs, for example, to concentrate on the Premier League. A bigger prize, one they haven’t won for half a century, and one that they are in a great position to win. Spurs have in fact won the equivalent of the Europa League a couple of times since then, and who remembers that except their fans? While everyone knows that they won the double in 1961. Personally I’m more interested in the top domestic leagues anyway. I think they’re harder to win than any mere cup competition. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-16-barclays-premier-league-thread/726837.md?page=17) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-16-barclays-premier-league-thread/726837.md?page=19)