Stan

all kick-offs 14.30 (BST) Saturday 18th May, 2024 Bremen vs Bochum Borussia Dortmund vs Darmstadt Frankfurt vs RB Leipzig Heidenheim vs Koln Hoffenheim vs Bayern Munich Bayer Leverkusen vs Augsburg Stuttgart vs Borussia Monchengladbach Union Berlin vs Freiburg Wolfsburg vs Mainz - Frankfurt need at least a draw to secure 5th place, which could mean a CL place next season if Dortmund win the CL. - Hoffenheim can win to secure 7th place, or draw and hope Freiburg lose. - Freiburg just need at least a draw to secure 8th place, which could mean a Europa Conference League place if Leverkusen win the DFB-Pokal - Heidenheim need to win and hope Freiburg lose and one of Augsburg or Bremen don't also win by 1 more goal than Heidenheim do to get 8th place. - Augsburg need to win by 1 more goal than Heidenheim/Bremen (if they also win their games) and hope Freiburg lose to get 8th place. - Bremen need to win by 1 more goal than Heidenheim/Augsburg (if they also win their games) and hope Freiburg lose to get 8th place. - Bochum just need a point to secure safety and avoid a relegation play-off - Union Berlin need to win and hope Mainz lose to get into 15th and avoid the relegation play-off Koln need to win and hope Union Berlin lose, and overturn a 3-goal deficit, to avoid automatic relegation

The way VAR is used is a negative. Look at how many decisions are being overly scrutinised. It's gone beyond what it was brought in for. As for it being negative, I'm speaking on behalf of match-going fans. It's become a joke now for a) how long VAR sometimes takes to make decisions and b) the fact that fans in the stadium have never known what's actually going on. They don't hear anything about the decisions, they don't see what other officials are seeing at Stockley Park etc. As for celebrating goals, that's changed, too. Fans or players can't celebrate fully any more because VAR these days is going back so far sometimes. I think the main difference now is officials are actively looking and seeking out infringements or fouls as opposed to 'clear and obvious' things in build-up to goals. So yeah, it is something negative. Fair enough, money has improved the ability of mid- or lower-table teams to improve their squads. But money has also corrupted the sport and the PL beyond belief. And I don't think there's a way back from that. It's not competitive any more financially off the field, let alone on it. Again, fair enough. But when you say it's exciting as it's ever been, that to me means you're saying it's on a par as the most exciting seasons. But we disagree on this point as I don't think it has been as exciting... My point being, it hasn't gone to the final day of 3 teams, has it? You've added an 'if' there regarding Liverpool. Ultimately, they did drop their form, and it didn't go to the final day. When was the last season that 3 teams did contest it out on the final day? Arsenal have impressed me too. It's good they've been able to take Man City all the way like Liverpool did a seasons ago. Man City also exquisitely good at times with how they can just brush away teams and up the gears when they want to. But it's not competitive or 'exciting' when they can do that all the time.

All of them bar Rashford and Sterling and one of Eze/Grealish.

The extra mid-week catch-up games were always going to boost scores, and some players took full advantage. One of those is @Storts who scored highly with 24 points to regain 5th place, and go to two points within @Dan. The top 2 cancelled each other out, and there needs to be a massive swing in points for @6666 to usurp @Rajabhat Rovers. @Rucksackfranzose also scored very well - 23 points and he was the only one to pick Man Utd to beat Newcastle, although not quite getting it perfect. @CaaC (John) gets Prediction of the Week for being the only one to correctly guess the 1-1 outcome between Newcastle and Brighton.

all kick-offs 16.00 (BST) Sunday 19th May, 2024 Arsenal vs Everton (live on TNT) Brentford vs Newcastle Brighton vs Man Utd Burnley vs Nottm Forest Chelsea vs Bournemouth (live on Sky) Crystal Palace vs Aston Villa Liverpool vs Wolves (live on Sky) Luton vs Fulham Man City vs West Ham (live on Sky) Sheff Utd vs Tottenham

Game 135 - 27th Game 136 - 15th

GAME 135 - CRAWLEY vs CREWE - SUNDAY 19th MAY, 13.00 (BST) GAME 136 - MAN CITY vs WEST HAM - SUNDAY 19th MAY , 16.00 (BST) ***any predictions made after kick-off will not count*** @Mel81x @Lucas @6666 @Dr. Gonzo @Michael @Redcanuck @CaaC (John) @Devil-Dick Willie @JoshBRFC @Viva la FCB @Pyfish @Bluewolf @Tommy @Rucksackfranzose

Game 133 brought us no goals, surprisingly. Game 134 did bring us a solitary goal, in the 20th minute. @Toinho bags another 2 points (21st) and @Faithcore 1 more (22nd), in addition to: 3 points! 1 point 2 points Table after Game 134: @Devil-Dick Willie closes the gap on @6666 to just two points, while I'm up to 4th after an Exact Score. @Toinho also climbs up to 5th, and @Faithcore improves his position to 11th and breaks away from the 15-point group.

Didn't reply to the rest of your post... VAR was brought in to stop refereeing mistakes and make sure there aren't any 'howlers' or embarrassing errors. If anything, it's scrutinised it so much that there are more mistakes and referee accountability has dropped. So just because referees screwed teams over in previous years doesn't mean that what we have now is any better, or makes what we used to have any better either. How are you quantifying this, out of interest? And the seasons before? Gone are the days where 3 teams take it to the final day, or relegation spots are fought between 3, 4 or 5 teams to avoid 18/19th etc on the final day too. Just because it's gone to the final day this season doesn't automatically mean the whole season has become the most exciting ever. Just to reiterate, I'm not saying I found this season boring or 'shite'. Just that I don't think it's as exciting as some other previous seasons for instance.

No, you've twisted my words. I believe it's been exciting. Just not the most ever. I've not called it shite by the way.

But you said it and I don't agree with it, that's all. There's been the most amount of goals in a PL season (I think), but I wouldn't call this the most exciting. It's probably been the most controversial and frustrating - VAR screwing teams over, PGMOL issuing apologies, calls to replay games, points deductions, points given back, more points deductions...

Ever? Not sure about that.

In what sense?

Pole Position - Which driver will post the fastest lap in Q3 AFTER MAX VERSTAPPEN IS REMOVED FROM THE RESULTS? LECLERC Podium - Which drivers will finish the Grand Prix in the top three positions AFTER MAX VERSTAPPEN IS REMOVED FROM THE RESULTS? 1. LECLERC 2. PEREZ 3. NORRIS Random Driver - Predict the finishing position of this week's random driver, Nico Hulkenberg. 13th Bonus Question - I've selected 8 drivers - Perez, Sainz, Piastri, Stroll, Ricciardo, Magnussen, Gasly and Sargeant - that are trailing their team-mates in the world championship so far. Tip one of these drivers to finish ahead of their team-mate on Sunday and if they do it, you will receive 5 points. GASLY

It's pretty clear-cut after the last set of results that it's Luton to follow Burnley & Sheff Utd in returning back to the EFL. Luton losing to West Ham pretty much resigns them back to life in the Championship, despite Forest also losing. - it's nigh on impossible but Luton have to beat Fulham and hope there's a 12-goal swing with a Forest loss to survive. Stranger things have happened

And here we are at the final games! Man City clawed back control to have 1st place and have their destiny in their own hands going into the final game by beating Fulham & Spurs. Liverpool already had 3rd place sewn up. Villa salvaged a draw over the Reds, but had to wait for Spurs to falter against Man City to confirm a top 4 place. Now it's between Spurs/Chelsea/Newcastle/Man Utd to see who will be playing in the Europa League or Europa Conference League... It's worth noting that if Man City win the FA Cup, a Europa League spot is given to 6th place. And as Liverpool won the EFL Cup, 7th place will have a Europa Conference League placing. - Tottenham just need to match Chelsea's result to confirm 5th place and a guaranteed Europa League place - Chelsea need to win and overturn a 10-goal deficit to finish 5th. To secure 6th, they need to make sure they match Newcastle's & Man Utd's results. - Newcastle can jump up to 6th place if they win and Chelsea lose, and potentially play in the Europa League if Man City win the FA Cup. They will stay in 7th if they match Man Utd's result - Man Utd can go up to 7th if they win and Newcastle draw/lose, or they draw and Newcastle lose. Man Utd would get a Europa Conference League spot if they finish in 7th should they fail to win the FA Cup. They will qualify for the Europa League regardless of their league finish if they win the FA Cup.

I think so. For all the praise they get, they don't really seem to move forward in the league. Credit to them for getting into Europe, and their transfer/recruitment model is decent, but De Zerbi will be questioned even more you'd think if they don't start next season well.

Mainoo gives Man Utd the lead! Where were the Newcastle defenders?!

Newcastle seem to be winning the midfield battle and exposing the Man Utd defence but then wasting the final ball. You can tell some of the Man Utd players lack confidence, they look a bit panicky.

The biggest thing is not being able to celebrate a goal fully or properly because you know there'll be a pause. And one way to appease the fans would be to have replays or videos shown at stadiums so fans know what exactly the decision-making process is. Everything currently is geared towards fans out of the stadium as opposed to inside it.

As long as they keep semi-automated offsides and goalline technology then I'll be happy. Most people know I've been a big proponent of VAR but how it's been in the last 12-18 months there's just not been enough improvement, consistency or common sense when it's used. Too many mistakes occurring now and too many hollow apologies.

It takes a WUM to know one

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cqvnvwzle1eo

Which has been the case for a while, to be fair. Before Arteta got a hold of this Arsenal side, their aim was to finish 4th just for CL football and target it like a trophy too.