May 15-18 Weekend Game Thread

[DLew On Roids]

A little early, but I'm starting it now before I forget to mention a match with major European qualification ramifications this Saturday: West Ham and Everton top the Fair Play table. Because the EPL has one of the best disciplinary records in Europe, it gets an extra Europa League place for its Fair Play winner. The catch: it has to start with the first qualifying round on July 2.

Undoubtedly, neither club wants to mess up its preseason training and any overseas money-grabbing tours by having to play the Maltese or Andorran runners-up. So you'd half-expect the teams to kick the shit out of each other. At the same time, Big Sam won't be around on July 2, and qualifying West Ham for the EL out of spite might be the Big Sammiest thing ever.

 

[DJnVa]

Not even at the half, Southampton is up 5-0 on AVL. Sadio Mane recorded a hat trick in 2 minutes and 56 seconds, a new record. Shane Long has added 2 more.

 

[DJnVa]

Benteke grabs one back in injury time to make it 5-1 and the remaining AVL fans are singing "We're going to win 6-5".
 

 

[coremiller]

Watching these three relegation battles after Barca-Bayern and Real-Juve this week is rough.  It's like the shock you get when you switch to watching the college version of something after watching a lot of the pro version.

 

[coremiller]

Oh Newcastle.
 
I love the commentator saying, "That's a strike this game doesn't really merit."  Relegation battle football at its best.

 

[Arroyo Con Frijoles]

Bad news for Guzan: sat in favor of Given again.  Good news for Guzan: Villa gave up six goals.  

 

[soxfan121]

Watching these three relegation battles after Barca-Bayern and Real-Juve this week is rough.  It's like the shock you get when you switch to watching the college version of something after watching a lot of the pro version.

 
See how long you can take the Sunday night MLS game after these games. It'll be even more jarring. 

 

[Arroyo Con Frijoles]

And yet many of us somehow find it within ourselves to watch both Euro games and our domestic league.  
 
In any event, I submit the difference between watching Barcelona and Burnley is greater than the difference between watching Sunderland and Seattle.  

 

[coremiller]

With all the (justified) media hoopla over the NFL and domestic violence in the past year, it's pretty amazing that Adam Johnson has been allowed to play while his statutory rape charges are pending.

 

[soxfan121]

And yet many of us somehow find it within ourselves to watch both Euro games and our domestic league.  
 
In any event, I submit the difference between watching Barcelona and Burnley is greater than the difference between watching Sunderland and Seattle.  

 
I live across the street from a baseball diamond. From time to time, I enjoy both the high school and semi-pro games that go on there nightly. But I've never seen anyone on those fields who could play for Lowell, let alone the Boston Red Sox.
 
I can appreciate MLS for what it is, without being confused about the level of quality. Burnley might go undefeated in MLS. That doesn't make MLS unenjoyable. But pretending the quality of play is better than it is does MLS no favors, especially to those who watch RM-Juve and then QPR-Newcastle in the same week. It gets better every year, but it's still far, far away from the clubs battling relegation from the EPL and I don't see how any rational person could make the case it's even close.

 

[soxfan121]

Is this gonna be 90 minutes of Arlo White kissing Gerrard's hindquarters? 

 

[SoxFanInCali]

Is this gonna be 90 minutes of Arlo White kissing Gerrard's hindquarters? 

Well, what else is there to really talk about?
 
I fully admit I am in ultimate fan boy mode for this game and am basically demanding they do everything possible to get him a second half goal in front of the Kop.

 

[SoxFanInCali]

Lallana takes advantage of some creative defending by Palace. 1-0.

 

[SoxFanInCali]

Lost in all the conversation about missing out on 4th is that 3 points here would clinch 5th place. Europa League isn't the most fun tournament, but 5th at least puts the team directly into the group stages and avoids any early-season qualifiers.
 
Palace have had a few good chances to equalize, but have put most of their shots into the Kop.

 

[DLew On Roids]

Liverpool must have won the toss because Alan Pardew is exactly the sort of prick who would have made them play toward the Kop in the first half.

 

[DLew On Roids]

When Gareth Barry was booked today, the West Ham fans chanted, "We're going on a European tour."

 

[SoxFanInCali]

Great free kick from Puncheon.
 
Of course it's not going to be easy...

 

[DLew On Roids]

Puncheon is going to earn himself a big money move soon. He's really, really good.

 

[SoxFanInCali]

Not one, but 2 players offside.  Yet somehow the goal counts.

 

[MiracleOfO2704]

How does Southampton Lovren become the Liverpool Lovren?

 

[eddiew112]

I really, really love watching Bolasie play when he isn't dominating Spurs

 

[soxfan121]

How does Southampton Lovren become the Liverpool Lovren?

 
Two words: Martin Skrtel. 

When your partner is a spaz, its hard to look your best. 

 

[fletcherpost]

This is fuckin awful.

 

[SoxFanInCali]

If Sterling is still asking for a couple hundred grand a week, someone needs to show his agent the tape of this game.

 

[SoxFanInCali]

And now they get the penalty when the challenge is outside the box.

 

[SoxFanInPdx]

Fuck this fucking squad. Just shameful.

 

[SoxFanInCali]

Lousy performance today, but it is frustrating that Palace's 2 second half goals were a blown offside call and a blown penalty call.

 

[SoxFanInCali]

Oh, and this is the ref that is in charge of the FA Cup Final.

 

[MiracleOfO2704]

I caught a good bit of the postgame celebration through Live Extra. I wish I could be as stoic as Gerrard was during the interview, the lap of honor, and all the singing.

 

[SoxFanInCali]

It was cool at the end to see all the players lining up with their families to get a picture taken with him.

 

[fletcherpost]

He'll be back in two years tops. I reckon he'll do his coaching badges then follow a similar path to Giggs.

 

[DLew On Roids]

[QUOTE="fletcher]
He'll be back in two years tops. I reckon he'll do his coaching badges then follow a similar path to Giggs.
[/QUOTE]
Yeah, I imagine he'll take to L.A. the way Ian Rush took to Turin. "It was like a different country."

 

[soxfan121]

He'll be back in two years tops. I reckon he'll do his coaching badges then follow a similar path to Giggs.

 
Really? He'll be back to one of the best players in his league, will actually see sunshine and has a wife and three daughters who presumably don't believe the world must revolve around Liverpool and will also presumably enjoy Los Angeles.

 

[fletcherpost]

 
Really? He'll be back to one of the best players in his league, will actually see sunshine and has a wife and three daughters who presumably don't believe the world must revolve around Liverpool and will also presumably enjoy Los Angeles.

 
Funnily enough after i posted this i watched, a few hours later, Gerrard's interview with Linneker on MOTD, and he was asked about a possible return to Liverpool. He said he'd only come back to play (on loan) in an emergency and hoped that Liverpool would not need him, but he also said he'll be taking his coachig badges, which i think takes a couple of years. If Liverpool can get him back as a non playing member of staff who is not a Club Ambassador, they'll do it and so will Gerrard.
 
D'you think people like Gerrard, make their choices based on weather, an easy game or two, and the whims of the missus?  I think Giggs is the best comp. A one club player who has the club in his bones. Two years is plenty time for Gerrard to have a decent kickabout, score a few goals, inspire some players, give some interviews, bask in the lengedary status for a bit, then it's back to the real business, which is helping Liverpool in any way he can.  Many people in the game already think its silly for Liverpool to let him go. How much choice they had in the matter and what they had to offer him for next season we don't know, but Gerrard going to MLS is a nice clean break, it makes it easy on everyone...Giggs took a squad role in his last couple of seasons as he learned/earned his coaching badges, but the impression was Gerrard wasn't that guy, to be a player and not playing every game. 
 
Also i recall before Henry had played a game for the Red Bulls people were saying his legs had gone. Gerrard's legs might not have 'gone' but they are going. Two years is my educated guesstimate.
 
What's your educated guess?

 

[MentalDisabldLst]

Anyone watching Arsenal-United? 1-0 MU on some shaky defending.

 

[PedroSpecialK]

Easily the best GIF of the season
 

Spoiler

 

[Morgan's Magic Snowplow]

Easily the best GIF of the season
 

Spoiler

 
That's fantastic.  Phil Jones is the best.
 
He did get just enough on that "header" to make Giroud take a bad touch though!

 

[DLew On Roids]

If he'd managed to rake Giroud with his studs while falling it would be the most Philjonesiest thing possible.

 

[sachmoney]

https://vine.co/v/eAZLZiaKKEB

 

[soxfan121]

D'you think people like Gerrard, make their choices based on weather, an easy game or two, and the whims of the missus?

 
You obviously know the individual better, but I try to never underestimate how much nice weather and the whims of the (four) women in your life can affect the decision making process. 

 

[Vinho Tinto]

 
First back to back titles since 83/84. 

 

[Conigliaro's Potential]

So...West Brom v Chelsea has been surprisingly enjoyable, hasn't it?

 

[SocrManiac]

This is why I find them so despicable. They've won. They're supposed to be the class of the league. Instead they're a bunch of thugs.

In Cesc's defense, he shouldn't have been playing at all. His tackle on Sterling last week was a straight red, too.