2012/13 Premier League discussion thread Part 5

[Guest]

First topic message reminder :

The discussion rages on! The end is nigh folks..

[marty2086]

http://therepublikofmancunia.com/why-carrick-deserves-to-win-pfa-award/

[westisbest]

I fancy us to get a point on monday night.

Whether results go for or against us at the weekend.

Just have a strang feeling.

[Guest]

It's a tricky one Westy. Do you open up and go for it leaving yourselves exposed or do you play it conservatively? I think goal difference may play a part in the end and you dont want that to take a hammering at Old Trafford.

A 2 goal loss wouldn't be the end of the world.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Lambert will go for it. Trust me

[Guest]

Lambert will go for it. Trust me

Brave move. I remember Neil Warnock's Sheffield Utd going for it against (ironically) Villa in the penultimate game in 2007 and losing 3-0 which ultimately cost his side their PL place.

Norwich's goal diference isn't too disimilar to Villa's who are (ironically) managed by an ex Norwich manager..

Now wouldn't it be ironic that Norwich are relegated in favour of Villa?!!

Irony: It's a mofo!

It's official. Nodge are done for.

[westisbest]

Freek my man, i think we have to go for it.

Like you say, i dont want a 4-0 drubbing, our goal difference is bad enough.

But I dont want us to sit back and hope for a point that way.
Attack and surprise them.

Its some of these guys first trip to OT, in a villa shirt.

Guys like Benteke, Lowton etc i hope will be relishing playing there.
If we concede early, then it will be a long night.

Feel it will be a good game.
Like I said on another thread, we need this win much more than them.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Lambert will go for it. Trust me

Brave move. I remember Neil Warnock's Sheffield Utd going for it against (ironically) Villa in the penultimate game in 2007 and losing 3-0 which ultimately cost his side their PL place.

Norwich's goal diference isn't too disimilar to Villa's who are (ironically) managed by an ex Norwich manager..

Now wouldn't it be ironic that Norwich are relegated in favour of Villa?!!

Irony: It's a mofo!

It's official. Nodge are done for.

How, just how?

Anyways Lambert will go for it, and generally the three times he's managed against Utd (2 with the Nodge, 1 with Villa) his team and gameplan have caused a lot of problems.

I expect a really good game on Monday Night

[Guest]

In all seriousness Westy I do hope you stay up.

One of my best mates is a Villain and that's a good enough reason as any!

[Guest]

Am I alone in hating Monday night matches? Sunday should be the end of the weekend fixtures.

[Stella]

I remember there being no Sunday matches. My I'm old.

[Guest]

I remember there being no Sunday matches. My I'm old.

Same here Stella. It was all but one game on a Saturday back in our day! 11 3pm kick offs and a jam packed MOTD with Des and his dishy moustache!

The mid life crisis starts here

[westisbest]

Dont mind monday night games, especially when we're playing.

Have been on holiday this week,,so going back to work monday morning, knowing that the Villa are playing that night, wont make it as bad.

We're on sky the following monday.
Normally i,would be annoyed as i would have gone, but have to work that sat, so monday night is fine with me.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

I judge a players worth by using my eyes not by using statistics.

I'm sorry but if you're going to make outlandish claims that Carrick reads the game better than Arteta then you better have some evidence to back it up!

Arteta has more tackles per game than Carrick. 3.2 - 2.8
Arteta has more goals than Carrick. 6 - 1 (although I admit that Arteta will be boosted by penalties)
Arteta has less key passes. 0.8 - 1.1 (but he's not as important for Arsenal in that respect as Carrick should be for United.)
Arteta has more passes per game. 84 - 76.3
A better pass successfulness rate 92.4% - 88.1%
Near equal accurate long balls. Arteta (5.7) - Carrick (5.8)
Better accurate through balls per game. 0.2 - 0.1

I think the statistics are heavily in favour of Arteta who I'm sure could easily fulfill the role of Carrick in that side as he's playing better in a worse side. Offering more defensively than Carrick, and is a better reader of the game and passer than Carrick.

http://www.whoscored.com/Players/1443/
http://www.whoscored.com/Players/2115

My friend, context has no place in statistics but has much more of a place in determining the value of a performance, this is why Joe Allen has been so underwhelming. I would certainly expect Arteta to top both passes made and tackles made. His side play a tighter system with far more short, tempo passes. His defenders are less adept at stepping into play, the team put under more pressure. Arteta also is actually more likely to contribute further up the field, it has long been his role and is why he is much better when Wilshere plays alongside him, Wilshere does more of the bite. I'm surprised Carrick's key pass ratio is more, he is definitely less integral in that area. He also guards a lot more of that area alone in midfield than Arteta, especially on the counter. Arsenal without doubt counter their weakness by trying to have more compact play in central positions. So, no, I dont agree Arteta has played better in a poorer side. Essentially, the periods of the season where Arsenal fans have bemoaned Arteta have not happened at United for Carrick. They have played much better football and Carrick is most definitely a part of that. Stats are not proof they are support.

[JamesLincs]

preds today then peeps. if we do this super 6 style compo next season, im gunna walk it. got 3 out of 7 last week

fulham 1-2 arsenal
norwich 2-1 reading
qpr 1-0 stoke
sunderland 2-2 everton
swansea 2-1 southampton
west brom 1-1 newcastle
west ham 2-2 wigan
sun:
spurs 2-3 man city
liverpool 2-1 chelsea
mon:
Man utd 2-0 aston villa

[Duty281]

Fulham 1-2 Arsenal
Norwich 1-0 Reading
QPR 2-1 Stoke
Sunderland 1-2 Everton
Swansea 2-2 Southampton
West Brom 2-1 Newcastle
West Ham 1-1 Wigan

Spurs 2-1 Man City
Liverpool 1-3 Chelsea

Man Utd 2-0 Aston Villa

[Guest]

Fulham 1-1 Arsenal
Norwich 3-1 Reading
QPR 3-1 Stoke
Sunderland 1-0 Everton
Swansea 2-1 Southampton
West Brom 0-0 Newcastle
West Ham 2-0 Wigan

Spurs 2-2 Man City
Liverpool 1-2 Chelsea

Man Utd 4-1 Aston Villa

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Now off to the Carra, hope your predictions come true!

Big game!!

[GSC]

Steve Sidwell lasts 15 minutes on his return from his suspension, before being sent off

[Guest]

What a berk. Lee Cattermole would have trouble matching that effort.

[GSC]

Paolo...

[Guest]

Can't wait to see his celebrations.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Wigan are playing awful, deserve to be a couple down

[Guest]

Might as well walk now Harry.

[Guest]

Annoyed that QPR have basically gifted Stoke 3 pts and given Pulis a lifeline.

Harry 'Houdini'.....my foot. Can't stand Stoke and wanted them gone. Newcastle barely doing enough to think they are safe yet, another shocking second half performance. We need to hold on to this point.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Wigan took control second half but they're so blunt. Maloney is too good for them. This feels a nice revenge for them sending us down two years ago

[The Special Juan]

Someone remind me why Martinez is highly rated? (And I won't take "he develops players" as an answer)

[GSC]

Hes kept Wigan in the PL?

[The Special Juan]

Just surviving every year is a minor achievement. I see no improvement at all each year, which most clubs normally do after a season or 2. Look at Swansea.

[Guest]

I can't see Wigan getting out of it this year.

[GSC]

Its hard to improve without funds. Swansea have 1 season so far, and they arent even going to finish in the top half.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

He spends nothing, they sell their best players, they are a tiny team and they play lovely football. I dont really think theres anything any other manager would have done with them any better.

[Bull]

with that i guess wigan are relegated

[GSC]

Paolo Di Canio, 2 wins from 3, and a loss at Stamford Bridge.

[The Special Juan]

I don't think they play good football all the time. They're very good when they're good but more often than not they're bad, and when they're bad they're awful. If that makes sense.

[Bull]

he has done very well will keep sunderland up oh and he's celebrations are great ahaha

[westisbest]

Fulham 1-1 Arsenal
Norwich 3-1 Reading
QPR 3-1 Stoke
Sunderland 1-0 Everton
Swansea 2-1 Southampton
West Brom 0-0 Newcastle
West Ham 2-0 Wigan

Spurs 2-2 Man City
Liverpool 1-2 Chelsea

Man Utd 4-1 Aston Villa

Easy ther Freek.

[Duty281]

QPR and Reading are gone, we might as well just say that now. Everton's hopes of the top 4 are also gone, as Sunderland, Stoke, and Norwich power away from the drop. I'm starting to fancy a final day Wigan-Villa shoot out for survival more and more.

[Guest]

Spurs really need to win tomorrow. Massive game for them.

[westisbest]

Fking typical, those teams winning.

Least Wigan lost.
I'd bite your arm off for a point on monday.

[Ent]

Martinez has to sell his best players every year.

From 2009 I think they've lost, Valencia, Kirkland, palacios, nzogbia, heskey, rodallega, Moses - perhaps some more?

Does well with what he has IMO.

[Bull]

UNITED 3-0 villa

Come on United!

[Bull]

Martinez has to sell his best players every year.

From 2009 I think they've lost, Valencia, Kirkland, palacios, nzogbia, heskey, rodallega, Moses - perhaps some more?

Does well with what he has IMO.

i would not call Heskey one of there best players lol

[Guest]

Now, now Bull. Heskey was very good for them.

[Guest]

Fking typical, those teams winning.

Least Wigan lost.
I'd bite your arm off for a point on monday.

Westy resorting to cannibalism there. Desperate measures!

[westisbest]

UNITED 3-0 villa

Come on United!

Great............................ another glory boy

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Heskey was really good for them, did something in that team that no player has done since at Wigan. They had to get rid of Diame too, a player who has been great for us and will leave for a bigger side in the summer.

If Villa could pick up a point at United it could be huge. I too see a last day battle Villa v Wigan, and goal difference could be massive too.

[Guest]

I'm a bit of a Heskey fanboy. He gets far too much flack.

[westisbest]

Fking typical, those teams winning.

Least Wigan lost.
I'd bite your arm off for a point on monday.

Westy resorting to cannibalism there. Desperate measures!

Well they do say desperate times call for desperate measures.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

I'm a bit of a Heskey fanboy. He gets far too much flack.

I'd never say I'd go that far, but that Wigan team needed someone like him. Good at what he did but his lack of goals really made it hard for managers. Leicester Heskey was great though

[Guest]

Fking typical, those teams winning.

Least Wigan lost.
I'd bite your arm off for a point on monday.

Westy resorting to cannibalism there. Desperate measures!

Well they do say desperate times call for desperate measures.

yum yum...

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