EPL 2020/21 - Game Week 33

Will the proposed Super League eventually happen after talking for years? Rich clubs that were approached will fear missing out as permanent members. What if it really takes off and become a huge success? They will be left behind, be it more money or prestige. Even if your team finish at the bottom, it does not matter as they will not be relegated or miss qualification for the next season and the next ever after. As soccer fans or supporters of your club, would you like it?

With it, domestic leagues will suffer in quality as stars will only play in the Super League. As it is, already all the super clubs are  gobbling up all the best and most expensive players further devaluating the quality every where else. Will clubs build better stadiums in future? Was it not wonderful to watch Leicester win the title? Atlanta or RB Leipzig playing and beating bigger teams in the Champions League? Why aren't the current Champions League and the Europa sufficient? The clubs want more money? The ones who started the movement are just not happy with the way UEFA distributed the money. 

History repeating itself. Before the Champions League was the original European Cup where only champions of each country qualify and could compete in but they have to add more teams so that the top four can qualify. So will it really happen regardless or are they testing the waters? You could see what soccer is like without the fans during the pandemic. Do not disrespect and do not underestimate the power of the fans. Leeds versus Liverpool was kind of meaningless given the events that unfolded in the last 36 hours before the match. Klopp mad it clear when he said: "I like the competitive aspect of football,” Klopp said. “I like that West Ham might play in the Champions League. I don't want them to because we want to, but I like they have the chance.”

It is a game of brinkmanship, to arm-twist UEFA to give clubs greater control and power. It is not just in soccer that such things are happening. It is politics as in life. The officials and rich elites will always think they know it all and they know better. So what UEFA doing about it. Even before this, they have planned to add more teams to the Champions League. Isn't it meaningless and everyone has been crying about playing too much football. 

Whether there will eventually be a compromise, football is at war right here right now and as in many wars, the rest of us mere humans are just foot soldiers or pawn on a chessboard. Eventually it is the power of the people versus the people in power. The fact that all English clubs involved have pulled out and apologized 48 hours later meant status quo for now but for how long and ill it be rekindled? Or was it just a dare to get UEFA to sit down at the table to negotiate? 

If you look at the way Real Madrid and Barcelona are being managed, then they have to ask themselves why they are in the situation they are in. During the financial crisis they went on their usual rampage of signing the most expensive players in the world without second thoughts. Even when Spain as a country was in a bad place but nothing changed these clubs with huge wage bills. So because they spent big, they have won big and therefore deserved big money. It is a conundrum and a circus as wages have gone out of control. Ticket prices has gone through the roof, all else exhausted with only TV deals, so they have to make everything even more glamorous to get more money. Sports get complicated when it becomes a business. Ah, just give us soccer!

It seemed for a moment many teams have lost heart as the fight for top four did not produced any result to any team's advantage.  Everton 2 Spurs 2. Newcastle 3 West Ham 2. Leeds 1 Liverpool 1. Chelsea 0 Brighton 0. Only Leicester won 3-0 against WBA. Status quo with 6 games left to play. Game on. There will only be 8 matches this weekend.

Arsenal v Everton - The Gunners needed a 90+7th minute equalizer to hold Fulham 1-1 at the Emirates denying a great 3 points for the Cottagers. This is what makes football great. Everton fought well to hold Spurs 2-2 but that means they have not won in 6 attempts having lost 3 straight and then drew 3 straight. The Toffees do have this game in hand and Arsenal are just 3 points behind so a win will see them go over Everton on goal difference. Arsenal's twice high-scoring games ended in that 1-1 draw with Fulham and Everton's are on a winless streak. Hard to figure if either team could win so I pick a draw. 1-1.

Liverpool v Newcastle - Leeds United's 87th minute equalizer at Elland Road meant that with a 1-1 draw, Liverpool did not fully capitalized on West Ham's defeat and Spurs, Everton's and Chelsea's draw. Meanwhile, after being written off quite badly, the Magpies are on a roll. A draw and 2 wins having played very well makes this another tough one for the Reds as they are still battling for survival. Liverpool must hope to win this one to continue to have a chance to secure top 4. Anything other than a win just won't cut it. The Magpies 3-match unbeaten run must come to an end. 3-1.

West Ham v Chelsea - West Ham are having a great season but their otherwise solid defence has been conceding goals - 10 in the last 4 matches. Though they have won or drew, it has not been the most rosy period recently. Their visitors are coming on the back of a 1-0 win over City in the F.A. Cup but were muted by a 0-0 draw against Brighton. There is no guarantee yet for both to be among the top 4. So this London derby it will be battle royale. I find West Ham more exciting than Chelsea and hope they are rewarded as they are capable of but Chelsea do not concede a lot. I feel it could be a high scoring win for one of them or a high scoring draw. 2-2.

Sheffield United v Brighton - The Blades are highly likely to be a division lower next season. Brighton should be full of hope from their displays but must gain wins to stay up to be sure. Brighton can play but they just don not score a lot so a win is possible but don't think there will be plenty of goals. 0-1.

Wolves v Burnley - Wolves are having a disappointing season by their standard. Burnley are where Burnley have been for many seasons each time escaping relegation. Wolves have won both their last 2 matches 1-0 while the Clarets are 3 games all in defeat. Of Wolves or Burnley win it will be 1-0 but I shall go for a draw. 1-1.

Leeds v Manchester United - Leeds are on quite a roll with 2-1 wins including Man City and last week held Liverpool 1-1. They can be very good as you can see if they can beat City they could beat anyone but if their defence are caught by United's fast forwards they can be in trouble. Rashford, Cavani and Greenwood were fabulous last week as they baled the Red Devils out against Burnley. Leeds have been churning out good results, unbeaten in five and having won 5 of them. United are in even greater form - 5 straight wins on the trot. Bruno Fernandes has been quiet of late in the last 5 games but Cavani, Rashford and Greenwood are hot and they are scoring 2 to 3 goals per game in those 5. Maybe Leeds have finally found the balance in their game. COuld be high scoring affair here. 2-2.

Aston Villa v WBA - Villa's first half and second half of the season have been very contrasting especially after they lost their star and captain Jack Grealish. Before this match, you must have fancied WBA to get something after to superlative displays but they were trounced 0-3 by Leicester. Even Sam Johnstone in fine for could not stop Leicester. Draw. 1-1.

Leicester v Crystal Palace - Of all teams fighting for top 4, the Foxes outfoxed all of them by claiming 3 points with a big 3-0 win over WBA. Crystal Palace last played out a 1-4 debacle to Chelsea. It is hard to think of anything except a Leicester win here unless somehow pull off the unexpected. Moreover Jamie Vardy's rare lean spell of not scoring over 2 months ended when he netted their fist goal versus WBA. In his absence during his injury and when he was not scoring, the hottest goal scorer has been his team mate Kelechi Iheanacho who also scored. He also scored the only goal in their 1-0 F.A. Cup win over Southampton. Before that he got a brace in a 2-3 defeat to West Ham. He also had 2 goals against Manchester United also in the F.A. Cup and before that a goal against Brighton and before that another goal versus Brighton. He is cannot be dropped as he is unstoppable! Surely you must fancy him to score again here. 2-1.