The Soccer Thread (Version 8)

Nice work by Captain Michael Bradley on his anti-Trump statement.

 

Amazing the Leicester has gone from EPL champs to one point above the relegation places. They have looked truly awful of what I've seen and yet they are still alive in the Champions League.

 

I'm happy to report that Chelsea has mathematically avoided relegation.

The race for Europe is tight — just 2 points separating second place and sixth place. The relegation battle at the bottom is interesting as well at the 2/3 pole.

 

It's pretty great with 13 games left. I'm in the tank for United, but they have been looking great. Then again, Spurs can seem unplayable at times and so have Liverpool.

 

Barca got their butts whipped today. 4-0 at PSG.

 

I hope Sutton United wins the whole damn thing.

 

If the season ended now Newcastle and Brighton & Hove Albion would be promoted.

Lots of familiar names in the Championship: Norwich (7), Fulham (8), Barnsley (9), Aston Villa (16), Wolverhampton (18), QPR (19), Wigan (22), Blackburn (23). Bolton is in League One, Portsmouth and Blackpool in League Two.

It's hard to get back up once you've been relegated. Wolves have been down three years since the Mick McCarthy era, Blackburn at least as long since the Steve Keane disaster. Roberto Martinez must have been a magician to keep Wigan up for so long, same with Owen Coyle at Bolton.

 

And that's without even mentioning Leeds! Talk about difficulty getting back to where you were.

 

Or two-time European Cup champions Nottingham Forest (17th), who have had six managers (not counting caretakers) in the last 4 1/2 years. It's been tough getting into the Premier League when both of my favorite clubs (Forest and Villa) are still going nowhere in the Championship.

For the record, the only ones of the 24 Championship clubs who have never played in the Prem are: 2. Brighton, 3. Huddersfield, 10. Preston, 15. Brentford, 20. Bristol City, 21. Burton Albion, 24. Rotherham.

There are also Premiership alumni? in League 1 (1. Sheffield Utd., 3. Bolton, 5. Bradford City, 13. Charlton Athletic, 15. MK Dons*, 19. Oldham, 22. Swindon Town, 24. Coventry) and League 2 (5. Portsmouth and 21. Notts County).

 

The fact that they are gouging their supporters for tickets to this game and partnering with The Sun makes them less than cuddly.

 

Backup GK ate all the pies. They need money for more.

 

Turned on the NBA Celebrity Game. I think that Oscar Schmidt might be the 3rd string keeper for Sutton United.