Premiership - 13th August 2011

[Guest]

Today sees the return of the premiership! (about time, It's a nightmare during the summer with no footy)

Today's matches:

Blackburn v Wolves 15:00
Fulham v Aston Villa 15:00
Liverpool v Sunderland 15:00
Newcastle v Arsenal 17:30
QPR v Bolton 15:00
Wigan v Norwich 15:00

How do you see the games going today?
And don't forget to join the v2 prediction league, 96 in so far!
https://www.606v2.com/t10360-prediction-league-partnership

[Adam D]

Anyone else having problems logging in to the fantasy premier league?

[Guest]

There were problems last night:
https://www.606v2.com/t11488-can-anyone-get-into

I've just checked again, and it's still down.

[Guest]

Yup, thankful I changed my team so last night so no worrying about not being able to this morning Just looked at my Sun Dream Team and realised it's too late to make any transfers so still have Hernandez upfront

Media lockout has been sorted at 3am this morning, about bloody time!

Wolves
Fulham
Sunderland
Draw
Bolton
Draw

Hopefully get my Dad to go down to the bookies and we can both do an opening day coupon, I'd go for:
Wolves, Fulham, Bolton, Arsenal-NUFC draw, Ipswich and Leicester.

[Guest]

Sunderland? Interesting.
imo I think Liverpool will trounce them by 3 or 4.
Im out for the toon match tonight, and also expecting them to be trounced by 3 or 4

[Trebs]

My acca for this weekend is:

Man City, Fulham, Wigan all to win + Stoke/Chelsea to draw

which pays at 20/1

[Guest]

I'm not even sure why I went for Sunderland, it's just a case of being bitter about Enrique and hope the first game he's on the bench he has to watch his new team lose!

No Nasri, no Fabregas, no Diaby and possibly no RVP, Wilshere and Koscielny. We'll definitely take at least a point this evening.

EDIT: Still peed off that I can't make transfers on my Sun dream team; would have been Brunt, Dempsey and Hernandez OUT - Sinclair, Malouda and Holt/Ba in.

[Crimey]

Blackburn 2 v 1 Wolves
Fulham 1 v 1 Aston Villa
Liverpool 2 v 0 Sunderland
Newcastle 1 v 1 Arsenal
QPR 1 v 2 Bolton
Wigan 1 v 0 Norwich

Those were my predictions.

[Thomond]

Game 1: Blackburn v Wolverhampton: Wolverhampton 2 - 1

Game 2: Fulham v Aston Villa: Draw 1 - 1

Game 3: Liverpool v Sunderland: Liverpool 2 - 0

Game 4: QPR v Bolton: QPR 2 - 1

Game 6: Wigan v Norwich: Norwich 3 - 1

Game 7: Newcastle v Arsenal: Draw 1 - 1

Game 8: Stoke City v Chelsea: Chelsea 2 - 0

Game 9: West Bromwich v Man. United: Man. United 2 - 0

Game 10: Man. City v Swansea: Man. City 3 - 0


Mine. I've gone for the promoted teams to win except for Swansea,I think that occurs quite often in the 1st match.

[Crimey]

I think Wigan will be trying really hard not to have what happened to them last year where they lost first day to Blackpool 4-0.

[Thomond]

Norwich in my view are better equipped than Blackpool were last year.

[Guest]

I'm looking forward to seeing QPR in their first game. Can Taarabt continue his brilliant form from last season?

[Guest]

I think he'll have moments of brilliance, but expect him to get tackled and teams break against QPR a lot this season.

[AberdeenSteve]

Decided to open up a thread which can be used every weekend so posters can post the start XI's of the teams involved in matches that day. Once all the information has been given it can then be used to discuss or moan about your teams choice of formation or team selection.

Hoping this will pick up and people will join in. I'll get todays team news posted in a few minutes.

[Guest]

Norwich team: Ruddy, R. Martin, Morison, Whitbread, Crofts, Holt (c),Surman, Hoolahan, Fox, Tierney, De Laet
Wigan team: Al Habsi, McCarthy, Caldwell (C), Watson, Di Santo, Moses, Gomez, Boyce, Diame, Lopez, Figueroa

Bolton team: Jasskelainen, Steinsson, Robinson, Cahill, Muamba, Eagles, Petrov, Knight, K Davies, Klasnic, Reo-Coker
QPR Team: Kenny, Hill, Derry, Hall, Gabbidon, Taarabt, Dyer, Campbell, Bothroyd, Faurlin, Smith

Wolves team: Hennessey, Stearman, Johnson, Berra, Ward, Jarvis, Henry, O'Hara, Hunt, Doyle, Fletcher
Blackburn team: Robinson, Salgado, Hanley, Nzonzi, Olsson, Emerton, Dunn, Pedersen, Hoilett, Formica, Roberts.

Liverpool team: Reina, Flannagan, Carragher, Agger, Enrique, Henderson, Adam, Lucas, Downing, Suarez, Carroll
Sunderland team: Mignolet Bardsley Gyan Brown Cattermole Larsson Richardson Colback Elmohamady Sessegnon Ferdinand

Villa team: Given, Young, Dunne, Collins, Warnock, Petrov, Delph, N'Zogbia, Heskey, Agbonlahor, Bent
Fulham team: Schwarzer, Riise, Hughes, Senderos, Hangeland, Murphy, Duff, Etuhu, Johnson, Dempsey, Zamora

[Crimey]

Bit wary about Flanagan ahead of Kelly at right back, I thought Kelly would be a much better choice there but I suppose Flanagan was the one who Dalglish used the most last year because of injury, I just hope Kelly still gets his chances because I'm a big fan.

[AberdeenSteve]

LIVERPOOL V SUNDERLAND

Liverpool: Reina, Flanagan, Carragher, Agger, Jose Enrique, Lucas, Adam, Henderson, Suarez, Downing, Carroll.
Subs: Doni, Meireles, Kuyt, Spearing, Ngog, Kelly, Robinson.


Sunderland: Mignolet, Bardsley, Brown, Ferdinand, Richardson, Larsson, Cattermole, Colback, Elmohamady, Sessegnon, Gyan.
Subs: Westwood, Gardner, Wickham, Vaughan, Ji, Bramble, Laing.

[AberdeenSteve]

Dam you Churchill, where is your patience?

[Crimey]

That Sunderland team is definetly beatable though, I think a win is really the minimum expectation today.

[Guest]

They were all popping up on Twitter so I thought I'd just copy and paste them. The subs still need posting if you really want to Steve

Anyone know whether it will be Senderos or Hangeland at RB? I'd imagine it'd be Senderos.

[AberdeenSteve]

BLACKBURN V WOLVES

Blackburn: Robinson, Salgado, Hanley, Nzonzi, Olsson, Emerton, Dunn, Pedersen, Hoilett, Formica, Roberts.
Subs: Bunn, Rochina, Blackman, Goodwillie, Ribeiro, Anderson, Henley.

Wolverhampton: Hennessey, Stearman, Johnson, Berra, Ward, Jarvis, O'Hara, Henry, Hunt, Doyle, Fletcher.
Subs: De Vries, Elokobi, Ebanks-Blake, Hammill, Milijas, Foley, Maierhofer

[AberdeenSteve]

WIGAN v NORWICH

Wigan: Al Habsi, Boyce, Caldwell, Lopez, Figueroa, Gomez, McCarthy, Watson, Diame, Moses, Di Santo.
Subs: Pollitt, Thomas, McArthur, Sammon, Jones, Rodallega, Stam.

Norwich:Ruddy, Russell Martin, Whitbread, De Laet, Tierney, Fox, Surman, Hoolahan, Crofts, Holt, Morison.
Subs: Rudd, Bradley Johnson, Jackson, Pilkington, Bennett, Barnett, Naughton.

[Crimey]

So excited for the game now! Feeling really positive about it.

[AberdeenSteve]

FULHAM v ASTON VILLA

Fulham: Schwarzer, Hughes, Hangeland, Senderos, John Arne Riise, Duff, Etuhu, Murphy, Dempsey, Andrew Johnson, Zamora.
Subs: Etheridge, Kelly, Sidwell, Baird, Kasami, Briggs, Dembele.

Aston Villa: Given, Young, Collins, Dunne, Warnock, Delph, Petrov, N'Zogbia, Heskey, Bent, Agbonlahor.
Subs: Guzan, Ireland, Albrighton, Delfouneso, Makoun, Clark, Bannan.

[AberdeenSteve]

QPR v BOLTON

QPR: Kenny, Dyer, Hall, Gabbidon, Hill, Smith, Derry, Faurlin, Taarabt, Campbell, Bothroyd.
Subs: Murphy, Orr, Buzsaky, Connolly, Agyemang, Helguson, Ephraim.

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Cahill, Knight, Robinson, Eagles, Muamba, Reo-Coker, Petrov, Kevin Davies, Klasnic.
Subs: Bogdan, Alonso, Gardner, Mark Davies, Blake, Pratley, Wheater.

[Guest]

Is Samba injured?

[Crimey]

He was "battling a groin injury" before the game according to BBC Sport.

[AberdeenSteve]

Don't understand the three that Big Eck has played up front for Villa?

[Guest]

Don't understand the three that Big Eck has played up front for Villa?

I thought it was Heskey-Bent upfront and then Agbonlahor right wing and N'Zogbia elft wing.

[AberdeenSteve]

Everywhere seems to be saying that it is a 4-3-3. Agbonlahor is the last name on the team sheet too.


QPR just had a goal chalked off already!!

[AberdeenSteve]

Penalty for Liverpool!

[AberdeenSteve]

And Saurez misses .. Why wasn't Charlie Adam taking that?


Kieron Dyer already been substituted at Loftus Road.

[Guest]

Chat box Ste

[Guest]

Oh Premiership... I MISSED YOU.

[AberdeenSteve]

Couldn't agree more mate!

[Crimey]

Delighted with that first half, all the new signings have done fairly well, was confused why Adam didn't take the penatly, but I suppose Suarez felt he deserved the goal, made up for the miss with the goal. I've been very impressed with both the attacking and defensive side of our game, all our players swapping positions has made it very hard to defend against, I'm happy that Carroll and Suarez are both happy to come deep to get the ball.

Adam hasn't tried too many 'Hollywood' passes as people said he would, Henderson has looked a little nervy but has performed fairly well, Enrique has looked good and I've been very impressed with Downing, I never realised that he had the pace he had, very happy.

I would have liked to see us more comfortable in the second half with another goal, but Sunderland have only really threatened from set pieces so I think as long as we press on in the second half and avoid giving away silly free kicks and corners we should be alright for the win.

I think Adam has fit into the side most naturally, Downing has had some nice link up, Enrique is looking good, Henderson has been alright, I think he's definetly feeling nervy, it's his debut against his old club it's only natural. Carroll has looked good as well, he's like our secret defensive weapon.

[sharky066]

Watching the Liverpool game on Setanta second half starts
Liverpool 1 V 0 Sunderland
Suarez 12 min also missed a pen, I think he should be off the pitch, handling the ball , diving and missing the pen lol
Downing hits the post from long range, great run as well

[AberdeenSteve]

I think Sunderland fans can be very pleased with that result.

[Crimey]

I am furious about this result! Before the match I wouldn't have been too dissapointed with a draw, but after out first half performance and how well we played, this game should have been dead and buried after 45 minutes. We came out after half time a completley different side, it was pathetic how badly we played.

I think my worries about Flanagan at right back were completley justified in the second half, he looked very poor and showed his age, giving the ball away and doing very little when defending. Stewart Downing just seemed to disappear in the second half, so dissapointing. Charlie Adam looked poor as well, Lucas looked like the player who all Liverpool fans used to hate, doing very little when he was on the ball other than put us under danger. Even Luis Suarez looked pretty poor second half, his finesse absent, his touch heavy and he contributed very little.

I think we needed a win in our first game, we were at home to a team I think we could have easily beaten. I was so happy after the first half, we were playing well and looked to have destroyed Sunderland but it was almost like watching Arsenal at times, we played some lovely fluid passing football without any real final product from it and the second half we paid for it.

We need the confidence now and for me we need to get something from the Arsenal game, and I don't think it would even be completley unjustified to expect a win. This has been a real downer for me, obviously it's only early days but there is obviously more work to be done and we HAVE to, HAVE to finish off teams when we're playing that well.

I think Henderson, although he didn't play too badly shouldn't start at Arsenal, I'd prefer either Meireles in there who I think can offer us a bit more steel in the heart of midfield and is good at getting forward, or Kuyt who will work all day and is good at snatching us important goals, I'm just not confident enough in Henderson for him to start for us just yet.

[Crimey]

QPR must be really dissapointed right now, mine and other's tip to do well this year out of the promoted sides and they just got destroyed by Bolton at home, it will be incredibly important for them to get a win now otherwise their confidence will just go and with it their Premier League place.

[Guest]

hahaha do one liverpool fans, big urself up and look what happens. Flip off dalglish n as for enrique 'i can win everything here' - delusional money grabbing dog

[Guest]

We (Liverpool) have got to be wiping the floor with teams like Sunderland if we are to be taking seriously in regards to a serious title challenge.

Looking at the stats the Black Cats were well worthy of a draw which is worrying. Why Dirk Kuyt started from the bench I don't know? And I'd have fancied him to bury the penalty.

Dissapointing start without a shadow of a doubt but it's early days so hopefully it's just a blip.

[Crimey]

As much as I am dissapointed with the results, it's early days yet and the first half performance was extremley promising, if we can keep that up for 70-90 minutes we should be in for a good season, we tired too easily though, hoping it's early-season tiredness though.

On the plus side, Enrique looked excellent at left back, going forward and defensively he was sound, considering he has had I think only one training session with the team that was very good. Adam and Downing also impressed me, Henderson was far too nervy.

[Crimey]

I think Charlie Adam should have taken the penalty, I'm happy for Dirk to not start games like this, he can be our Park, used for big games and the like but it's clear he isn't a player we can rely on for the next 2-3 years, he has to be worked out of the side. But Henderson cannot start the next game at Arsenal, I'd have Meireles and Kuyt in for him definetly.

Fingers crossed that Arsenal lose to Newcastle today, that will cheer me up a little bit.

[Guest]

I'm happy for Dirk to not start games like this, he can be our Park, used for big games and the like but it's clear he isn't a player we can rely on for the next 2-3 years, he has to be worked out of the side.

I don't buy into that theory though Leak. If he is good enough to play now then he should and we shouldn't look too long term otherwise no player in their late twenties/early thirties will be given a platform to play and perform consistently.

[AberdeenSteve]

I honestly think that Arsenal may hammer Newcastle today. There are a lot of their players that will (hopefully for Arsenal fans) want to prove that there is life after Fabregas & Nasri.

[Crimey]

I just don't think there's a place in the first XI all the time anymore, I think once Gerrard comes back from injury it will be Henderson to lose his place. We'd be silly to leave Gerrard out once he's back from injury, at least until we see if he can recapture his world class form, and so it'd make more sense to play Henderson there who is a player more in the mould of Gerrard than Kuyt is.

We have to have a lot of faith in our new players, particuarly Downing, Carroll and Suarez, Henderson I think doesn't have to play as much because of his age, but I don't think Kuyt can offer us anything more.

[AberdeenSteve]

Dirk Kuyt was your top scorer last season though?

[Crimey]

Dimitar Berbatov was United's top scorer last year and most people don't expect him to start?

Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of Dirk Kuyt, but I think right now with our new signings he is clearly not in our first team plans, and I think if we are going to make these new signings we need to stick with them for a while, which if that means Kuyt starting on the bench so be it, it's always good to have a player like Kuyt on the bench as he will tire teams out and may snatch a goal, but against sides weaker than us in particular, I'd hope we don't need to see him tiring teams out. I don't think we really missed him today, certainly not in the first half, and the second half, he played most of it and didn't make a huge difference so it would seem he wasn't the missing link, so to speak, today.

[Guest]

After the Champions League final dropping, I didn't expect Berbatov to be at the club this season let alone starting games.

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