Premier League (Official Thread)

[TooTall]

GREAT game. Surprised the score line held up.

 

[HINYG8]

GREAT game. Surprised the score line held up.

Yep...tremendous football..great match. Well played by both sides and just a blast to watch.

I too am a bit surprised at the final tally....but I am just glad it lived up to the hype.

 

[Merih]

How anyone can say the lack of goals makes soccer boring is beyond me. This went harder than any NBA playoff game I've seen this past weekend, better than the NCAA title game, etc etc.

 

[Smudger]

Truly remarkable sport. Just when you thought all was lost for City a few weeks back. Now it's there league to lose. Sunday will prove decisive for both City & Newcastle.

 

[Bucknut24]

I know jack about European leagues...seems there's like 100 different leagues the same team is in, so I get confused...

was this match for the league title? are there playoffs for the league or is it just off of standings this was for first place or something?

 

[Smudger]

I know jack about European leagues...seems there's like 100 different leagues the same team is in, so I get confused...

was this match for the league title? are there playoffs for the league or is it just off of standings this was for first place or something?

Essentially this match was for the league title because there are only two league games left for both teams. No playoffs for the league, it goes off standings at the end of the season after every team has played each other twice, home & away. Manchester City moved into first place over Manchester United because of a better goal differential (6-1 bashing of Man U earlier this season remains the difference) despite being level on points.

 

[HINYG8]

I know jack about European leagues...seems there's like 100 different leagues the same team is in, so I get confused...

was this match for the league title? are there playoffs for the league or is it just off of standings this was for first place or something?

The league title is awarded by playing the regular schedule and accumulating points (3 for a win, 1 for a tie). The season is almost over...and entering today's match Manchester United was 3 points ahead of Manchester City in the standings. If Man City were to win (doing my best to not spoil it for the DVR crowd) the two would be tied at the top of the standings..but Man City would have the tie breaker by virtue of having a larger goals scored vs. allowed differential.

The team that accumulates the most points at the end of the season's schedule is the league champion....The English Premier League Champion.

So today's match was BIG for determining who will win the English league.

To make it goofy for you..the top 3 teams in the English Premier league final standings get to play in the Champions League next year. The Champions League is made up of the top teams from various leagues across Europe and a bit beyond.

The same EPL teams also vie for the FA cup..which is a tournament that includes virtually all of the pro teams in England...but the Preimier league and the lower division teams.

So this means a team like Chelsea could be playing for the FA Cup, which is a knock out tournament, the Champions League title (which is a mixed format of pool and knock out play) and the EPL title..which is the points earned from winning/tying EPL games...so it gets a bit confusing.

As for Chelsea..on you blues..still in the hunt for two of the three!!!!

 

[Merih]

I know jack about European leagues...seems there's like 100 different leagues the same team is in, so I get confused...

was this match for the league title? are there playoffs for the league or is it just off of standings this was for first place or something?

Okay get ready.

Each country in Europe has it's own league, where divisions of 20 teams compete to finish at the top. Each team plays every other team twice (once home and away) in it's division. A win is 3 points, a draw gives both teams 1 point, and a loss is 0. At the end of 38 "matchdays" (19 teams x 2 matches each) the team with the highest point total is the champion. In the event of a draw, the team with the highest goal differential is the winner. Goal differential is the number of goals scored versus the number of goals conceded.

Each country has 3+ divisions. If you finish in the top three, you are promoted to the division above you next season. If you finish in the bottom three, you are relegated down to the next lower division. You want to make it to the highest division in your country.

If you are one of the teams in the highest division, and then you finish in the top 2/3/4 teams (depending on which country your league is in) you qualify for The Champions League. The Champions League pits the top teams from the top divisions in Europe against each other to decide which team is the Champion of Europe. This is the highest honor that any european team can achieve, and is the boyhood dream of many youth football players in Europe. It's akin to our Superbowl.

Aside from these competitions, there are League Cups in each country which are essentially knockout tournaments. The FA Cup in England is the most prestigious of these, and has been naming a champion for well over 100 years.

Today's match was the 3rd to last match of the season in the English Premier League (England's top division and arguably the best league in the world) and it pitted the top two teams in the standings against each other. On top of that, they were separated by 3 points (so second place only needed to win to jump to first place on goal differential). On top of THAT, it was Manchester United vs Manchester City, who are crosstown rivals that absolutely hate each other.

See why this was important?

 

[HINYG8]

This is the highest honor that any european team can achieve, and is the boyhood dream of many youth football players in Europe. It's akin to our Superbowl.

And it is there for Chelsea to take!!!!

Greenies for providing a far better explanation than the mess I typed out!

EDIT: Aww shit..I gotta spread some to give some...I'll get back to you. Let me go sprinkle some green elsewhere first. Who wants some?

 

[Bucknut24]

ok, got it...thanks guys...I guess I shoulda figured it out from playing FIFA, but I just played the game and not keep up with standings

 

[Smudger]

In the event of a draw, the team with the highest goal differential is the winner. Goal differential is the number of goals scored versus the number of goals conceded.

Generally, but not all leagues go by goal differential. Some of the leagues go by head-to-head results between the top two teams.

Aside from these competitions, there are League Cups in each country which are essentially knockout tournaments. The FA Cup in England is the most prestigious of these, and has been naming a champion for well over 100 years.

To put it plainly, a playoff competition. Most League Cups are home & away series with the team with the most goals going through. In case of a tie, the team with the most away goals goes through & if it's still tied, then a penalty shootout. Most countries use this format, but not all. Confusing, I know. It took me years to figure this sport out.

 

[TooTall]

Essentially this match was for the league title because there are only two league games left for both teams. No playoffs for the league, it goes off standings at the end of the season after every team has played each other twice, home & away. Manchester City moved into first place over Manchester United because of a better goal differential (6-1 bashing of Man U earlier this season remains the difference) despite being level on points.

The league title is awarded by playing the regular schedule and accumulating points (3 for a win, 1 for a tie). The season is almost over...and entering today's match Manchester United was 3 points ahead of Manchester City in the standings. If Man City were to win (doing my best to not spoil it for the DVR crowd) the two would be tied at the top of the standings..but Man City would have the tie breaker by virtue of having a larger goals scored vs. allowed differential.

The team that accumulates the most points at the end of the season's schedule is the league champion....The English Premier League Champion.

So today's match was BIG for determining who will win the English league.

To make it goofy for you..the top 3 teams in the English Premier league final standings get to play in the Champions League next year. The Champions League is made up of the top teams from various leagues across Europe and a bit beyond.

The same EPL teams also vie for the FA cup..which is a tournament that includes virtually all of the pro teams in England...but the Preimier league and the lower division teams.

So this means a team like Chelsea could be playing for the FA Cup, which is a knock out tournament, the Champions League title (which is a mixed format of pool and knock out play) and the EPL title..which is the points earned from winning/tying EPL games...so it gets a bit confusing.

As for Chelsea..on you blues..still in the hunt for two of the three!!!!

Okay get ready.

Each country in Europe has it's own league, where divisions of 20 teams compete to finish at the top. Each team plays every other team twice (once home and away) in it's division. A win is 3 points, a draw gives both teams 1 point, and a loss is 0. At the end of 38 "matchdays" (19 teams x 2 matches each) the team with the highest point total is the champion. In the event of a draw, the team with the highest goal differential is the winner. Goal differential is the number of goals scored versus the number of goals conceded.

Each country has 3+ divisions. If you finish in the top three, you are promoted to the division above you next season. If you finish in the bottom three, you are relegated down to the next lower division. You want to make it to the highest division in your country.

If you are one of the teams in the highest division, and then you finish in the top 2/3/4 teams (depending on which country your league is in) you qualify for The Champions League. The Champions League pits the top teams from the top divisions in Europe against each other to decide which team is the Champion of Europe. This is the highest honor that any european team can achieve, and is the boyhood dream of many youth football players in Europe. It's akin to our Superbowl.

Aside from these competitions, there are League Cups in each country which are essentially knockout tournaments. The FA Cup in England is the most prestigious of these, and has been naming a champion for well over 100 years.

Today's match was the 3rd to last match of the season in the English Premier League (England's top division and arguably the best league in the world) and it pitted the top two teams in the standings against each other. On top of that, they were separated by 3 points (so second place only needed to win to jump to first place on goal differential). On top of THAT, it was Manchester United vs Manchester City, who are crosstown rivals that absolutely hate each other.

See why this was important?

I think your answer lies somewhere within this wall of text.

 

[Jake]

Bad Kompany.

 

[Smudger]

Bad Kompany.

And I can't deny

 

[strohs]

The FA Cup in England is the most prestigious of these, and has been naming a champion for well over 100 years.

And on Saturday they'll be naming Liverpool as the champion again :)