Luton got promoted mostly due to their stingy defense last season, which bodes much better for early season in the prem.

You are right, but it’s worth pointing out that Burnley conceded the fewest goals last season.

But, to your point, we managed that through domination of possession and control of games rather than hunkering down and weathering the storm (which Luton did much more frequently)

The remaining teams we have to play are ranked 12.5/19.

As you’ve suggested, it’s obviously starting to level out after 2/3 of the first half of the season, but that’s still going to be a kinder fixture list than most.

We need to be doing better, but I don’t see why sacking the manager who got us here after 13 games is the answer. We’re improving, as long as that continues I don’t see a better option.

Since you’re asking the question, why are you against clubs sticking by their manager rather than pulling the trigger?

85 minutes we looked like the better side, not dominating, but better.

And we still can’t get a point. We’re genuinely the softest team in the league. Play good football for most of the match, but absolutely tragic backbone.

What’s the point?

I think most Everton fans that are acting like they’ve barely broken any rules or don’t deserve this (harsh) level of punishment are doing so under the assumption that any punishment that City/Chelsea receive in the future won’t be anywhere near proportional.

Which is technical unfounded, but also completely understandable.

No. And that is a terrible analogy for this situation as has already been pointed out to you.

What I don’t understand is why Everton?

The points deduction for breaking the rules… fine, arguably excessive, but fine.

But then subsequent legal issues for what basically amounts to loss in earnings? Surely if Burnley and Leicester do have a case (which you can understand) it’s the PL that’s to blame?

Everton have now been punished. The PL’s decision to delay any punishment in the 2021/22 season because of an investigation into new breaches may have meant that Burnley went down wrongly. Their slow investigation last season may have meant that Leicester went down wrongly. Both clubs can feel aggrieved…but surely if there’s financial compensation to be had, its the PL that should foot the bill for their calamitous handling of the situation that affected one of those clubs.

Not at all.

A bit of a crude demonstration, but take a sold out match at a 50,000 seater stadium.

~25,000 season tickets at ~£20 a game ~25,000 match day tickets at ~£30 a game.

That’s £1.1m just from match going fans on a single match day. Add on top the massive sums that the top paying leagues get for their domestic and international TV rights (particularly the PL) and also the very lucrative advertising deals (shirt sponsors, club sponsors, stadium sponsors etc) and the incomes are huge for clubs in the big leagues where high salaries are paid.

A lot of this money goes on the actual talent, the workers that people come to see rather than even more going in to the owners pockets. I do think clubs should do more for their lower paid matchday/support staff (some salaries are dreadful even for roles as crucial as scouting) and investment in their local area (some clubs are better than others here). But the very top 0.001% of talent in the world’s most popular sport that is also a lucrative industry deserves to reap the rewards imo.

English football was a joke when it won 6 CLs in 10 years in the 70s and 80s?

What was the rest of Europe then? 😂

He had real struggles in Belgium, but seemed to be in a better place after coming to England, so this is a sad development.

From a Burnley point of view, he’s been one of the few players who has really looked like a PL talent, and has basically carried our attacking end product, so this is a huge miss as it won’t likely be a short term issue either.

Glad he’s feeling comfortable enough to be public about it though, hope he continues to get the help he needs.

We’re genuinely terrible at set pieces.

Can’t wait for Beyer and Ekdal to come back

When it rains, it pours.

Banger of a hit.

That’s the challenge of someone who’s already got plans that he couldn’t cancel next weekend.

We’ve conceded so many bangers this year, so many that it’s not bad luck, it’s a clear sign that opposition players are getting too much time and space on the edge of our box. The midfield isn’t supporting well enough.

Still a great hit ofc.

They accepted a £30m bid for him from Burnley in the summer, but he opted to stay and fight for his place.

A 1 year extension screams to me that Chelsea are planning to offload him next summer now. Very good and promising player imo, but Poch doesn’t seem to see him as a LB and unfortunately for him, Chelsea just have better wingers.

Nice to see Burnley surviving, but I’m not sure I share their optimism just yet.

Our next two games (Brentford and Bournemouth) will be very telling