2012/13 Premier League discussion thread part 4

[Guest]

First topic message reminder :

We are now entering the business end of the season!

Now Utd more or less have the title sewn up it's all about the relegation scrap and the race for the Champions League spots.

Game on.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

How much did Fulham spend on Bryan Ruiz?

[Lumbering_Jack]

Terrible decision. Never a red.

[Guest]

How much did Fulham spend on Bryan Ruiz?

10.5 million apparently.

[Guest]

QPR are going to nick one here at the end.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Bye bye QPR. Good riddance

[The Special Juan]

Bye bye QPR. Good riddance

This. But they were down weeks ago anyway. Tonight doesn't change anything.

[GSC]

Tbf Julio Cesar said he came to QPR to win the Championship

[Guest]

Tbf Julio Cesar said he came to QPR to win the Championship

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Bye bye QPR. Good riddance

This. But they were down weeks ago anyway. Tonight doesn't change anything.

True but tonight merely confirms it. Really there season can be defined by the tale of two missed penalties. Taarabt against us at Loftus Road, and Remy tonight. They go in, they have 3 extra points (at least) and are still in with a shout

[Stella]

Why the hatred for QPR?

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Why the hatred for QPR?

A multitude of reasons. Mainly the way they treated the squad that got them promoted. Neil Warnock, Harry Redknapp, Mark Hughes, I do not like any of them, especially Warnock

[Stella]

Yep, Warnock is a wa..er

[Dolphin Ziggler]

It's why they call him Colin

[Liam]

So on twitter today and Michael Owen got discussing team of the year for the PL. So here's mine:

GK: S.Mingolet (Sunderland)
Without this guy I think Sunderland would be long gone. Outstanding keeper and I think he deserves all the plaudits he's got this season.

RB: Zabaleta (Man City)
Close one between him and Rafael as I think Rafael has been one of the most improved players this season, really has matured. But for me, Zabaleta has been consistently very good for City this season when other's have blown hot and cold.

CB: Vertonghen (Spurs)
Taken to the PL like a duck to water. With Kaboul injured and King retiring, he's stepped up to the plate and has been oustanding.

CB: Williams (Swansea)
Been a real leader for Swansea this season and has improved on a good first season in the prem. Close between him and Jageilka for me.

LB: Baines (Everton)
Only one real winner hear. Won't be long until he is firmly established as England's first choice left back.

CM: Carrick (Man Utd)
Somehow been over looked by England for far too long. Has stepped up this season and is one of the main reasons why Utd are so far in front. His passing is exceptional and his defensive work has also been excellent.

CM: Carzola (Arsenal)
Despite being slightly inconsistent in the second half of the season, he's been a shining light in the Arsenal side this year and has lived up to the reputation he came with from Spain. 13 goals and 10 assists, outstanding.

RM: Mata (Chelsea)
What can you say about this guy, what a season. Impressive in his first year, stunning in his second. Always liked him at Valencia, but I honeslty didn't think he could reach the levels he has done this season. 26 assists and 17 goals in all competitions, brilliant.

LM: Bale (Spurs)
Made the jump from a very good player into a world class player. Still nowhere near the top 2 in Messi and Ronaldo but is demonstrating the attributes they display which makes those two so special. Scoring important goals in important games and also firing at international level. Spurs would surely not be in the position that they are in without him. 26 goals and 14 assists.

CF: Michu (Swansea)
Despite RVP's efforts this season Michu just edges him out. What can you say about his season. Brought in to replace Sigurdsson at just 2.5m, he's been the shining light in a superb season for Swansea. Made his mark in the very first game against QPR and has gone from strength to strength since. Market value has sored well beyond the bargain 2.5m Swans paid for him by delivering 20 goals and 3 assists. Quite remarkable for someone who is not an out and out striker. Delivered Swansea the carling cup and led them to yet another top 10 finish this season if they can string together a few more wins.

ST: Suarez (Liverpool)
Despite all the controversy that has come with him this season and last, you just can't overlook the quality that this guy has. Lead from the front in a Liveprool side which has been blighted by inconsistency all season, yet he has continuously showed why he is one of the best strikers in the world and has answered his critics who claimed he didn't score enough by firing 29 goals in all competitions including 7 assists.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

I'd be going: 4-2-3-1 Mignolet; Zabaleta, Reid, Williams, Baines; Dembele, Carrick; Mata, Michu, Bale; Van Persie.

Suarez just behind RVP, both him and Cazorla I'd like to fit in if I could cheat and play two attacking midfielders where the holders are.

Been an odd year for central midfielders, no one has screamed out and demanded you pick them.

Maybe Jonny Evans should be in there over Reid but I can't say enough how bloody good Winston Reid is.

Swansea have a few. Routledge and De Guzman have been very good.

Begovic doesn't deserve to play with players as bad as the stoke lot.

[Nakatomi Plaza]

I'll go 4-4-2 with this side

Lloris

Zabaleta Verthongen Evans Baines

Cazorla Carrick Mata Bale

Suarez Van Persie


For player of the year, Suarez would get my vote, and Benteke for young player of the year.

[westisbest]

I'll go 4-4-2 with this side

Lloris

Zabaleta Verthongen Evans Baines

Cazorla Carrick Mata Bale

Suarez Van Persie


For player of the year, Suarez would get my vote, and Benteke for young player of the year.

Agree with that.

Has been great for us this season.
Hopefully he can score another 4/5 on our quest for survival.

[Guest]

Lloris ahead of begovic.....???? The same lloris who couldn't displace old brad while begovic and stoke were racking up that run of clean sheets

Begovic, zabaleta, Evans, ?, baines, mata, carrick, cazorla, bale, Suarez, rvp for me.

Couldn't decide on the other centre back - either vertonghan or Williams

Suarez Poty although I don't like him
Benteke ypoty

[Mat]

Begovic, Zabaleta, Evans, Vertonghen, Baines, Mata, Yacob, Cazorla, Bale, Michu, Suarez

Bale poty
Lukaku(Slight bias here) ypoty

[Gregers]

Cesar

Rafael - Vertonghan - Williams - Baines

Dembele

Hazard - Mata - Bale

Michu

Suarez

[compelling and rich]

agree with most of peoples picks for there teams, i know alot of people dont like him but rio has been top class all season bar that spurs game (even then bales gone past many a younger defender this season)

for player of the year id go with bale, both him and suarez have carried their teams this season. but 17 goals from midfield is some achievement. added to that the number of great goals and winning goals he's scored, he's my pick

for young player i dont really consider 22 that young, ive always thought young player as a up and coming kid 20 or below not someone who's around there peak like benetke. my pick for this reason would be lukaku

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Luke Shaw deserves a mention in the young player of the year discussion as does the young Swansea lad Ben Davies. Very impressive both of them

[GSC]

Benteke YPotY for me, he is Villa. Without him theyd already be gone.

[westisbest]

Sadly this is true.

[Liam]

I think I would also go for Benteke as young player

[JamesLincs]

no question about benteke, and for me bale is the only winner for player of the year. 5 goals behind his closest challenger suareez, from midfield!

[JamesLincs]

Lloris ahead of begovic.....???? The same lloris who couldn't displace old brad while begovic and stoke were racking up that run of clean sheets

Begovic, zabaleta, Evans, ?, baines, mata, carrick, cazorla, bale, Suarez, rvp for me.

Couldn't decide on the other centre back - either vertonghan or Williams

Suarez Poty although I don't like him
Benteke ypoty

lloris is part of a rotation policy at spurs, which is why he isnt playing in europe, his role was swapped after only a few weeks which tells you how much avb trusted him and hes gone on to prove this with the season hes had, hes n.o 1, no doubt!

[Duty281]

http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/crazy-contract-at-spurs-didnt-help-my-england-cause-says-harry-redknapp-8559999.html

Equally, the fact he was never on the FA's shortlist probably didn't help either!

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Well time for Spurs to disspell the one man team aura as Bale goes off badly injured...

[westisbest]

We havent given anybody a tonking this season.

Think we may have a good win tomorrow.

F it, I fancy a 4-1 Villa win.

Gabby firstgoalscorer.

Benteke (2)
N'Zogbia.

No I have not been drinking.
Just think we're due a good win.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

I'm certainly rooting for you West my man, would love to see Stoke really dragged into the battle!

As for us I really really hope we can beat Swansea tomorrow. We need a big performance, been a long time since we've played really well, hopefully get one tomorrow!

[Guest]

My predictions for the weekend:

Reading 1 Southampton 1
Norwich 2 Swansea 1
Stoke 0 A Villa 1
West Brom 2 Arsenal 2

Sunday:

Liverpool 3 West Ham 0
Spurs 2 Everton 1
Chelsea 4 Sunderland 0
Newcastle 2 Fulham 0
QPR 2 Wigan 1

Monday:

Man Utd 3 Man City 1

[JamesLincs]

reading 1-2 southampton
norwich 2-1 swansea
stoke 1-1 villa
west brom 1-2 arsenal

liverpool 2-0 west ham
spurs 1-1 eveton
chelsea 5-0 sunderland
newcastle 1-1 fulham
qpr 2-0 wigan

man utd 2-1 man city

[Liam]

reading 1-2 southampton
norwich 0-1 swansea
stoke 2-1 villa
west brom 1-3 arsenal

liverpool 1-0 west ham
spurs 2-0 eveton
chelsea 3-1 sunderland
newcastle 0-0 fulham
qpr 3-2 wigan

man utd 1-1 man city

[Duty281]

Predictions then:

Reading 0-2 Saints
Norwich 0-2 Swansea
Stoke 1-0 Villa
West Brom 2-2 Arsenal

Liverpool 1-1 West Ham
Spurs 1-1 Everton
Chelsea 3-0 Sunderland
Newcastle 2-1 Fulham
QPR 2-3 Wigan

United 2-0 City

[westisbest]

reading 1 saints 1
norwich 2 swansea 2
stoke 1 villa 4
wba 1 arsenal 2


liverpool 2 west ham 1
spurs 1 everton 0
chelsea 3 sunderland 1
newcastle 1 fulham 2
qpr 2 wigan 1

man utd 2 city 2

[Liam]

Soton' well in control of this game. reading need to up their game massively if they want anything out of this game. Soton' could be 3/4-0 up if they'd taken their chances.

[westisbest]

yeah, think saints may score 1 or 2 mlore.

Le Fonde should have done better with his effort.

[JamesLincs]

2-0, game over. saints staying up reading going down

[Guest]

Going down with a whimper.

[guildfordbat]

stoke 1 villa 4

Westy - I'll have a pint of what you're drinking!

Duty - excellent call on the Reading v Southampton score. Perfectly good opening goal.

[Guest]

Villa have flown out of the traps! 1-0.

[JamesLincs]

great start for villa!

[Duty281]

Massive goal for Villa!

[GSC]

Lee Camp on

[Duty281]

stoke 1 villa 4

That doesn't look so crazy now!

[Guest]

All of a sudden Sunderland are teetering on the edge. Great win for Villa.

[Duty281]

So bottom of the table (played/points):

Norwich 32/35
Stoke 32/34
Newcastle 31/33
Aston Villa 32/33
Sunderland 31/31
---------------------------------
Wigan 30/30
QPR 31/23
Reading 32/23

Reading probably gone, barring a West Brom-esque escape. QPR may still have a chance but only if they beat Wigan tomorrow. Wigan will probably be fine, they do quite well at this time of year. Sunderland need to stick the ball in the net more. Aston Villa need to build on today. Newcastle shouldn't be this far down. Stoke will be ok with 1 or 2 more wins, as will Norwich. At this point, I'd say cheerio to Reading, QPR and Sunderland.

[Guest]

Had Norwich had seen that lead out I'd have had them safe but they should eventually trip over the line. That purple patch in the autumn really has defined their season.

I agree with you Duty on the 3 that'll drop. Sunderland have a horrible run-in whereas Wigan's isn't as bad. Wouldn't wanna be a Black Cat at this point in time.

[Duty281]

http://www.sunderlandecho.com/sport/sunderland-afc/safc-news/di-canio-it-s-all-about-goals-for-sunderland-1-5556876

If Sunderland do go down, they'll go down in a blaze of glory. 4-2-4, that's the stuff Di Canio!

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