2014/15 English Premier League

PotatoPeeler · 09-01-2014, 09:18 PM

I've really been getting into the EPL this season. There have been some great matches so far. The Chelsea/Everton tilt this weekend was particularly wild.

At any rate, I've got a question about the season schedule. I was looking forward to watching the Chelsea/Swansea City match on Saturday only to find out it's not until next Saturday. Upon looking through the schedule for the rest of the season, I noticed they have a number of off weeks ever handful of weeks.

My question to those who know more is this. Why are there these dead weekends in the schedule? I'm assuming it so teams can play in qualifiers for international tournaments, but that is merely a guess.

rudel.dietrich · 09-01-2014, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PotatoPeeler

My question to those who know more is this. Why are there these dead weekends in the schedule? I'm assuming it so teams can play in qualifiers for international tournaments, but that is merely a guess.

You have it exactly right. Most top level European divisions use off weeks to give time to international fixtures. There are a number of friendlies through the end of the year and on Sept 7th, Euro 2016 qualifying gets underway.

kenyan_cheena · 09-01-2014, 10:43 PM

I do not follow it as closely as I used to, but still have a pretty good idea of how it goes each year. Hull City and Villa are my teams.

PotatoPeeler · 09-02-2014, 12:28 AM

Thanks for confirming that for me, rudel.

PotatoPeeler · 09-02-2014, 12:32 AM

I haven't chosen a team to get behind yet. Still watching a lot of different matchups to help figure out who I like. I know it's not gonna be either of the Manchester squads. Kind of leaning toward Newcastle, Liverpool, and Swansea.

rudel.dietrich · 09-02-2014, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PotatoPeeler

I haven't chosen a team to get behind yet. Still watching a lot of different matchups to help figure out who I like. I know it's not gonna be either of the Manchester squads. Kind of leaning toward Newcastle, Liverpool, and Swansea.

Newcastle is a good side to follow if you like frustration and heartbreak. One of those clubs that should compete for a European position every year by instead stay in the bottom middle of the table an occasionally get relegated.

They are my preferred EPL team.

PotatoPeeler · 09-02-2014, 10:26 PM

I don't know exactly why but I like watching Remy Cabella play. Maybe it's the way the English commentators pronounce his name.

Bluemoon · 09-03-2014, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PotatoPeeler

I don't know exactly why but I like watching Remy Cabella play. Maybe it's the way the English commentators pronounce his name.

I reckon that's as good a reason as any! I think you just know when a team is right for you.

Personally, I wouldn't choose a team just based on how successful it is, which is a bit ironic because I'm a Manchester City fan! While I can't deny that I've loved the fact that we're actually winning things for the first time in forty years, I somehow miss the old days when we weren't the richest team in football and we played in a stadium with some atmosphere.

I watch baseball much more than football nowadays. Perhaps the A's remind me a bit of what City used to be like.

TribeFanInNC · 09-03-2014, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PotatoPeeler

The Chelsea/Everton tilt this weekend was particularly wild.

I happened to flip this on just after Chelsea went up 3-1. It definitely got wild after that. I thought the craziest thing was the one shot by Everton that just got tipped off side of the goal. I can't believe that didn't go in the way that match was going.

PotatoPeeler · 09-03-2014, 11:36 AM

I lived in Newcastle, Wyoming when I was a kid. Maybe that's what has me leaning that direction.

John Madden · 09-03-2014, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluemoon

I reckon that's as good a reason as any! I think you just know when a team is right for you.

Exactly. The right club will find you, and it'll be a completely different way than the rest of us arrived at our alliegences.

I support QPR because I was writing a dynasty as them in Football Manager when Ray Jones died. Made me a supporter for life. My other (only when the Hoops get yo-yo'ed down) EPL team is Everton purely because they're Liverpool's main rival and screw Liverpool!

As far as Barcelona...I think I just came for Messi.

Jeremy Weimer · 09-03-2014, 03:54 PM

I ended up becoming a Man U fan because I started an FM 14 game as them randomly and they've grown on me.

knightdreamer2k · 09-03-2014, 04:01 PM

I follow MLS mostly. I have watched some EPL, still haven't found a team. It is hard for me because i don't want to be a front runner and it seems the same teams are always on top. Not as much parity as MLB.

PotatoPeeler · 09-03-2014, 04:12 PM

I was watching a Newcastle match a couple weeks ago. My wife walked in just as the team was mounting a counter. When she saw the guy in black and white stripes streaking toward the goal she stopped and said, "What the hell is the ref doing?"

kenyan_cheena · 09-03-2014, 05:59 PM

I started following Villa back in the late '80s for a nerdy reason, being that they have the same colours as my high school, sky blue and maroon.

I follow Hull City 'cause they are the Tigers.

I also have a soft spot for Wolverhampton, 'cause when I was young, me and some friends played as them in an early version of Football Manager.

My dad is from Ipswich, in Suffolk, so I keep track of how they go, also.

PotatoPeeler · 09-07-2014, 07:50 PM

These dead weeks suck. Sports-wise, here was absolutely nothing interesting to watch this weekend. Thankfully the NHL will be back soon.

PotatoPeeler · 09-14-2014, 02:19 PM

Well, Newcastle pretty much sucked against Southampton yesterday. That was a bummer.

After going down a goal early against Swansea, Chelsea (or should I say Diego Costa) pretty much took over. Costa's hat trick was impressive. A fun game to watch.

I also watched the Arsenal/Manchester City match and that was very entertaining. I thought for sure Arsenal was going to pull off the upset.

PotatoPeeler · 09-21-2014, 09:03 PM

Wow. What a meltdown by Manchester United today. Leicester City really took it to the Red Devils in the second half. What a match.

KurtBevacqua · 09-22-2014, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Madden

Exactly. The right club will find you, and it'll be a completely different way than the rest of us arrived at our alliegences.

I support QPR because I was writing a dynasty as them in Football Manager when Ray Jones died. Made me a supporter for life. My other (only when the Hoops get yo-yo'ed down) EPL team is Everton purely because they're Liverpool's main rival and screw Liverpool!

As far as Barcelona...I think I just came for Messi.

I started rooting for Arsenal because Thierry Henry was on the team when I lived in England. In his prime he was amazing to watch. One of the most graceful athletes I have ever seen.

MUFC1878 · 09-22-2014, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PotatoPeeler

Wow. What a meltdown by Manchester United today. Leicester City really took it to the Red Devils in the second half. What a match.

Yeah. Must have been a fun watch for the neutrals and rival fans. Now even Allardyce is looking forward to facing this United defense.

09-01-2014, 09:18 PM	#1
PotatoPeeler Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Rapid City, SD Posts: 3,639	2014/15 English Premier League I've really been getting into the EPL this season. There have been some great matches so far. The Chelsea/Everton tilt this weekend was particularly wild. At any rate, I've got a question about the season schedule. I was looking forward to watching the Chelsea/Swansea City match on Saturday only to find out it's not until next Saturday. Upon looking through the schedule for the rest of the season, I noticed they have a number of off weeks ever handful of weeks. My question to those who know more is this. Why are there these dead weekends in the schedule? I'm assuming it so teams can play in qualifiers for international tournaments, but that is merely a guess. __________________ 培傑西 I have never taken a lesson on how to talk on TV in my life. - Tim McCarver Guns have only two enemies; rust and liberals. The world is a comedy to those that think; a tragedy to those that feel.

09-02-2014, 12:28 AM	#4
PotatoPeeler Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Rapid City, SD Posts: 3,639	Thanks for confirming that for me, rudel. __________________ 培傑西 I have never taken a lesson on how to talk on TV in my life. - Tim McCarver Guns have only two enemies; rust and liberals. The world is a comedy to those that think; a tragedy to those that feel.

09-02-2014, 12:32 AM	#5
PotatoPeeler Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Rapid City, SD Posts: 3,639	I haven't chosen a team to get behind yet. Still watching a lot of different matchups to help figure out who I like. I know it's not gonna be either of the Manchester squads. Kind of leaning toward Newcastle, Liverpool, and Swansea. __________________ 培傑西 I have never taken a lesson on how to talk on TV in my life. - Tim McCarver Guns have only two enemies; rust and liberals. The world is a comedy to those that think; a tragedy to those that feel.

09-02-2014, 10:26 PM	#7
PotatoPeeler Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Rapid City, SD Posts: 3,639	I don't know exactly why but I like watching Remy Cabella play. Maybe it's the way the English commentators pronounce his name. __________________ 培傑西 I have never taken a lesson on how to talk on TV in my life. - Tim McCarver Guns have only two enemies; rust and liberals. The world is a comedy to those that think; a tragedy to those that feel.

09-03-2014, 11:36 AM	#10
PotatoPeeler Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Rapid City, SD Posts: 3,639	I lived in Newcastle, Wyoming when I was a kid. Maybe that's what has me leaning that direction. __________________ 培傑西 I have never taken a lesson on how to talk on TV in my life. - Tim McCarver Guns have only two enemies; rust and liberals. The world is a comedy to those that think; a tragedy to those that feel.

09-01-2014, 10:43 PM	#3
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 9,037	I do not follow it as closely as I used to, but still have a pretty good idea of how it goes each year. Hull City and Villa are my teams.

09-03-2014, 03:54 PM	#12
Jeremy Weimer Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 3,411	I ended up becoming a Man U fan because I started an FM 14 game as them randomly and they've grown on me.

09-03-2014, 04:01 PM	#13
knightdreamer2k Major Leagues Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 453	I follow MLS mostly. I have watched some EPL, still haven't found a team. It is hard for me because i don't want to be a front runner and it seems the same teams are always on top. Not as much parity as MLB.

09-03-2014, 04:12 PM	#14
PotatoPeeler Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Rapid City, SD Posts: 3,639	I was watching a Newcastle match a couple weeks ago. My wife walked in just as the team was mounting a counter. When she saw the guy in black and white stripes streaking toward the goal she stopped and said, "What the hell is the ref doing?" __________________ 培傑西 I have never taken a lesson on how to talk on TV in my life. - Tim McCarver Guns have only two enemies; rust and liberals. The world is a comedy to those that think; a tragedy to those that feel.

09-03-2014, 05:59 PM	#15
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 9,037	I started following Villa back in the late '80s for a nerdy reason, being that they have the same colours as my high school, sky blue and maroon. I follow Hull City 'cause they are the Tigers. I also have a soft spot for Wolverhampton, 'cause when I was young, me and some friends played as them in an early version of Football Manager. My dad is from Ipswich, in Suffolk, so I keep track of how they go, also.

09-07-2014, 07:50 PM	#16
PotatoPeeler Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Rapid City, SD Posts: 3,639	These dead weeks suck. Sports-wise, here was absolutely nothing interesting to watch this weekend. Thankfully the NHL will be back soon. __________________ 培傑西 I have never taken a lesson on how to talk on TV in my life. - Tim McCarver Guns have only two enemies; rust and liberals. The world is a comedy to those that think; a tragedy to those that feel.

09-14-2014, 02:19 PM	#17
PotatoPeeler Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Rapid City, SD Posts: 3,639	Well, Newcastle pretty much sucked against Southampton yesterday. That was a bummer. After going down a goal early against Swansea, Chelsea (or should I say Diego Costa) pretty much took over. Costa's hat trick was impressive. A fun game to watch. I also watched the Arsenal/Manchester City match and that was very entertaining. I thought for sure Arsenal was going to pull off the upset. __________________ 培傑西 I have never taken a lesson on how to talk on TV in my life. - Tim McCarver Guns have only two enemies; rust and liberals. The world is a comedy to those that think; a tragedy to those that feel.

09-21-2014, 09:03 PM	#18
PotatoPeeler Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Rapid City, SD Posts: 3,639	Wow. What a meltdown by Manchester United today. Leicester City really took it to the Red Devils in the second half. What a match. __________________ 培傑西 I have never taken a lesson on how to talk on TV in my life. - Tim McCarver Guns have only two enemies; rust and liberals. The world is a comedy to those that think; a tragedy to those that feel.