So we’re 2/3 through the season and where does everything stand? There are basically 5 groups from top to bottom:
The contenders: Man City, Liverpool, Spurs. City and Liverpool are tied on points but City have a staggering 10 goal advantage, aided in no small part by yesterday’s demolition of Chelsea, 6-0. And it could have been worse...Aguero missed a sitter from 3 yards out and hit the woodwork too. After 2 straight draws, Liverpool righted the ship with a 3-0 win over Bournemouth on Saturday. They seem to be struggling with their confidence, something they have to fix as they head into the UCL round of 16 this week. Spurs are in this group but I don’t see them as true contenders. But they’re closer to 2nd than 4th, 5 points behind Liverpool, 9 points ahead of Man U. They scraped out a win against Leicester that wasn’t won until late and could have been a lot different if Vardy had converted a penalty on his first kick of the match.
The pretenders: Man U, Arsenal, Chelsea. The Red Devils have made up about 12 points since firing Mourinho and have gotten back to attacking soccer. Pogba looks like a changed man, playing with the same bravado he did in the World Cup. They lead Arsenal by 1 point. The Gunners have scuffled since their 22 match unbeaten streak across all comps ended in mid-December. Since then, they’re 6-6-1 and have seen the back line decimated with injuries. As noted, Chelsea were absolutely thrashed by City yesterday. The NBC team were openly speculating if Sarri would be sacked today. They’re in trouble, but at least 6th place should be safe.
The middle class: Wolves, Watford, Everton, West Ham, Bournemouth, Leicester. Places 7-12 in the table from 38 points down to 32. With the EFL Cup winner almost definitely qualifying for Europe by table place, one of these teams will get a Europa League spot. That’s a double edged sword, as Burnley, Everton and Southampton can testify. It shortens the offseason, with the 3rd qualifying round starting in early August and it can set the tone for the beginning of the season. Burn key are just starting to recover.
The danger zone: Crystal Palace, Brighton, Burnley, Cardiff, Newcastle, Southampton. Only 3 points separate Palace in 12th from Southampton in 18th. One of these clubs will be relegated. Cardiff have gotten on a little roll with 2 straight wins but how much of that is emotion after the devastating loss of club record signing Emiliano Sala? Palace have a 3 match league unbeaten streak and also took out Spurs in the FA Cup. Brighton are headed in the opposite direction, on a 6 match winless steak in the league. Burnley appears to have found its footing, also on a 3 match unbeaten streak.
The goners: Fulham, Huddersfield. Fulham are 7 points from safety with 17 points, Huddersfield have 11 points. I don’t think there is any hope for either.
In the Championship, Norwich and Leeds hold the automatic promotion spots. Sheffield United, West Brom, Middlesbrough and Bristol City have the playoff spots, Derby trail Bristol on goal differential. Reading, Bolton and Ipswich Town are in the drop zone.
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