Barclays Premier League 13/14 Thread

[Bull]

First topic message reminder :

Cleverly ?? Are you freaking kidding me!

[Steffan]

It's the English premier league. I'm not sure what part of that is hard to understand. It's bad enough we have 2 welsh clubs in the league without letting these 2 hatred spewing clubs join too

So what exactly is your problem with 2 Welsh clubs being there?

[Lumbering_Jack]

It's the English premier league. I'm not sure what part of that is hard to understand. It's bad enough we have 2 welsh clubs in the league without letting these 2 hatred spewing clubs join too

So what exactly is your problem with 2 Welsh clubs being there?

It's the ENGLISH premier league. Wales has a league system. They should be in that.

[Steffan]

It's the English premier league. I'm not sure what part of that is hard to understand. It's bad enough we have 2 welsh clubs in the league without letting these 2 hatred spewing clubs join too

So what exactly is your problem with 2 Welsh clubs being there?

It's the ENGLISH premier league. Wales has a league system. They should be in that.

Why? It was agreed nearly 100 years ago that certain Welsh clubs were to join the Football Association. Cardiff, Swansea, Wrexham etc have never asked to play in the Welsh league. Why should they have to move leagues now?

[Lumbering_Jack]

When it was agreed isn't really relevant, times change. If we still obided by agreements made 100 years ago then being gay would be a crime, women couldn't vote and racism would prevent anyone other than the white man having a successful career. They are Welsh clubs and should be in the Welsh league. Of course this is my opinion and counts for very little with the big wigs at the FA.

[Steffan]

So I take it you hated the FA Cup Final, League Cup Final, Playoffs and Charity Shield being held at Cardiff then when Wembley was being re-built? Cardiff is in Wales...not England after all...

[Duty281]

Technically speaking of course, England conquered Wales all those centuries ago, and really Wales is just as much a part of England as Cornwall is.

I jest, I jest.

[Steffan]

Technically speaking of course, England conquered Wales all those centuries ago, and really Wales is just as much a part of England as Cornwall is.

I jest, I jest.

You really need to start coming up with something new. This ones wearing a bit thin now

[Lumbering_Jack]

So I take it you hated the FA Cup Final, League Cup Final, Playoffs and Charity Shield being held at Cardiff then when Wembley was being re-built? Cardiff is in Wales...not England after all...

Yes I did. Plenty of sufficient grounds in England. Why should an Englishman be forced to go abroad to watch his team play in a domestic final.

[Steffan]

So I take it you hated the FA Cup Final, League Cup Final, Playoffs and Charity Shield being held at Cardiff then when Wembley was being re-built? Cardiff is in Wales...not England after all...

Yes I did. Plenty of sufficient grounds in England. Why should an Englishman be forced to go abroad to watch his team play in a domestic final.

Wow...so much resentment. Bet you hated it when Gary Speed and Craig Bellamy played for you lot. Welsh people being involved with an English club in an English league and that...

[Hammersmith harrier]

The hatred you spew for anyone that's both english and successful makes all your comments laughably redundant.

[Steffan]

The hatred you spew for anyone that's both english and successful makes all your comments laughably redundant.

Even though im a big Andy Murray fan?

[Champagne_Socialist]

The hatred you spew for anyone that's both english and successful makes all your comments laughably redundant.

Even though im a big Andy Murray fan?

Is this a joke? because andy murray is such a famous ENGLISH tennis player.

[Steffan]

Is this a joke?

No thats Tim Henman

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Away from the pointless drivel...

Pilkington needs to grow his beard back. Love him as a player, hopefully he can stay fit for a long period now. Deffo should be starting ahead of Redmond

[Steffan]

Away from the pointless drivel...

Pilkington needs to grow his beard back. Love him as a player, hopefully he can stay fit for a long period now. Deffo should be starting ahead of Redmond

Agreed

[westisbest]

That beard was shocking olly.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

That beard was shocking olly.

That is beautiful facial hair

[westisbest]

that kind of look is more suited for some kind of hollywood film.

POTC springs to mind.

[Duty281]

Technically speaking of course, England conquered Wales all those centuries ago, and really Wales is just as much a part of England as Cornwall is.

I jest, I jest.

You really need to start coming up with something new. This ones wearing a bit thin now

God save YOUR gracious Queen...

[Lumbering_Jack]

So I take it you hated the FA Cup Final, League Cup Final, Playoffs and Charity Shield being held at Cardiff then when Wembley was being re-built? Cardiff is in Wales...not England after all...

Yes I did. Plenty of sufficient grounds in England. Why should an Englishman be forced to go abroad to watch his team play in a domestic final.

Wow...so much resentment. Bet you hated it when Gary Speed and Craig Bellamy played for you lot. Welsh people being involved with an English club in an English league and that...

Why don't we let French teams play in the Engish league then. Many teams in the PL have French players after all.

[Stella]

What's going on at Utd? A manager who is a walking cliché and a team with no creativity and a slow and old defense. They need RVP back asap. Fair play to Brom though. They play some good stuff, and should be looking top six.

[Lumbering_Jack]

WBA top six?

Man city, Utd, Liverpool, arsenal, Everton, Chelsea, Tottenham and of course Newcastle are all better than them. Top 6 would be hugely impressive if they managed it.

[Stella]

WBA top six?

Man city, Utd, Liverpool, arsenal, Everton, Chelsea, Tottenham and of course Newcastle are all better than them. Top 6 would be hugely impressive if they managed it.

Newcastle? Even Everton look shaky. tbh, any decent team should be looking at top six. That's not to say they will get there, but you need ambition.

[wadey101]

I still think WBA will be near the bottom come the end of the season, it's just Man u make teams look good. Their midfield has no control over games at all that whoever plays them is made to look good.

To be fair it was the same last season, they rarely dominated teams but had RVP to win games for them. I never thought they were particulary good throughout all of last season and have started the same way this season but just haven't been scoring the goals to rescue games they haven't really deserved to win unlike last season.

[Lumbering_Jack]

WBA top six?

Man city, Utd, Liverpool, arsenal, Everton, Chelsea, Tottenham and of course Newcastle are all better than them. Top 6 would be hugely impressive if they managed it.

Newcastle? Even Everton look shaky. tbh, any decent team should be looking at top six. That's not to say they will get there, but you need ambition.

I'm a deluded Geordie.

[mystiroakey]

1. Arsernal
2. Chelsea
3. City
4. Totenham
5. liverpool
6. United
7. Everton
8. Villa
9. Swansea
10. WBA
11. Newcastle

[Stella]

Will Moyes survive with 6th? maybe a cup will help. I personally think he'll be given a couple of years.

[Guest]

Will Moyes survive with 6th? maybe a cup will help. I personally think he'll be given a couple of years.

Fergie dragged Utd over the finish line in some games last season. No doubt his halftime team talk/rant put the fear of God into the players and they bucked their ideas up. I just don't see Moyes commnading that same level of respect now or even in a few years. Fergie has cast a long shadow over that dressing room and it will take an almighty effort from all parties to come out from under it.

A lot of people forget Fergie's early days in charge but some still remember and naively think Moyes should be given the same time and consideration but football has changed so dramatically and become more about money than legacies so we've reached the stage where managers are losing their jobs six games into the season becasue a bunch of well paid big heads don't like being told what to do by the person in charge.

If Utd fail to win anything (the Community Shield won't be enough) I think Moyes will get until the following January and if things aren't looking up, he may well be struggling. Place you bets as to whether it's him or Mourinho that goes first.

[sirfredperry]

Not surprised Man Untd are having a hard time of it this season. A poor start - it's not a poor season, yet - was bound to happen as IMHO they have been playing comparatively poorly for some time but have been able to churn out the results.
  I felt in the last few seasons that the side had lost its zip. The football was somewhat joyless and defensive, albeit successful. RVP papered over the cracks last year, but a lack of signings and too many average players has caught up with the team.
  Is this just a temporary blip ? After all, they've had some tough fixtures so far and there was bound to be some post-SAF grief. What do the fans who see them live every week think ?

[Stella]

Ronaldo leaving left a massive void didn't it. They played some cracking Football in 06/07 and the following season. Pre Fergir Utd were always entertaining at least with Whiteside and co but they do look a little mechanical of late.

[mystiroakey]

Ronaldo paved cracks,,

Then Rooney did,

Now RVP has.

[Stella]

Ronaldo is the most exciting player in world Football for me. They're not going to replace that.

[mystiroakey]

Not when the only other 'ronaldo' available is also at the same club!!

[Stella]

Anybody see Torres' scratch. He looks like a girl and acted like young. Should have been sent off for that, even if he was unlucky with the second yellow.

[Guest]

Ronaldo paved cracks,,

Then Rooney did,

Now RVP has.

Now they've signed Fellani which is like taking a sledgehammer and smashing a bloody great hole in the wall and calling it a serving hatch!

[JamesLincs]

tbh im 50/50 on whether that was deliberate from sturridge yesterday

[mystiroakey]

I am 90% that it wasn't

The fact he admitted what happened proves his honesty.

He stated "my head wasn't good enough,I went to head the ball it then hit my arm and went in. I would never mean to do something like that"

The footage backed it up as well.

I have to give him the benefit of doubt. Yes he knew it happened , yes it shouldn't have been a goal. But he didn't mean it. And if that happened to any other footballer not one would have gone to the ref and stated it wasn't a goal.

[Stella]

It looked like a mistake to me. As for being honest. I'll compare it to a batsman nicking one. The ref/lino should have seen it, so it's up to them.

[Guest]

Don't like Sturridge's habit of going to ground a bit too easily at times and whilst I don't think it was deliberate I wouldn't have grumbled too much if it had been disallowed.

Thought we played well yesterday without being spectacular. Sakho seems to have found his feet after the shocker at Swansea and whilst we're conceding soft goals from set pieces, there's much to be optimist about.

[mystiroakey]

It looked like a mistake to me. As for being honest. I'll compare it to a batsman nicking one. The ref/lino should have seen it, so it's up to them.

Yep I was going to make the same comparison

[mystiroakey]

It wasn't a blatant cheat(Henry, Maradona) or cricket example like claiming a catch when they know it was grounded

[Guest]

I like how the papers have slated goal-line technology for failing to spot it.

[mystiroakey]

I like how the papers have slated goal-line technology for failing to spot it.

What sort of Muppet would think that GLT does that!!

[Steffan]

So I take it you hated the FA Cup Final, League Cup Final, Playoffs and Charity Shield being held at Cardiff then when Wembley was being re-built? Cardiff is in Wales...not England after all...

Yes I did. Plenty of sufficient grounds in England. Why should an Englishman be forced to go abroad to watch his team play in a domestic final.

Ok. One more question. How did you feel about Team GB Football playing at the Millennium stadium? What with Cardiff being 'abroad' and all that?

[Breadvan]

Domestic final? Dunno what Newcastle fans know of those?   Only messin. Seriously tho, no one bothered about Swans, Cardiff, Wrexham and now Newport playing in the league system until these clubs made headlines. Hundreds of years worth of league membership, what's the big deal?

[Duty281]

So I take it you hated the FA Cup Final, League Cup Final, Playoffs and Charity Shield being held at Cardiff then when Wembley was being re-built? Cardiff is in Wales...not England after all...

Yes I did. Plenty of sufficient grounds in England. Why should an Englishman be forced to go abroad to watch his team play in a domestic final.

Ok. One more question. How did you feel about Team GB Football playing at the Millennium stadium? What with Cardiff being 'abroad' and all that?

Great Britain and England are two separate things, no?

[compelling and rich]

Domestic final? Dunno what Newcastle fans know of those?   Only messin. Seriously tho, no one bothered about Swans, Cardiff, Wrexham and now Newport playing in the league system until these clubs made headlines. Hundreds of years worth of league membership, what's the big deal?

think you have mentioned the key there, the welsh clubs have been in the system for all that time. the two glasgow clubs simply want to jump in now to get the cash from the prem. i have no problem with the welsh clubs being in, i mean what really is the difference between chester and wrexham being in the league?

[Guest]

To those suggesting top 6 for Albion - or relegation for that matter - our last three PL seasons have seen the following finishes:

2012-'13 = 8th
2011-'12 = 10th
2010-'11 = 11th

We have steadily progressed each and every season, playing stylish football and taking several big scalps along the way. We've not spent the money to be challenging the top 7, but nor are we a team with such little calibre as to finish 17th or lower. We're a decent mid-table club capable of beating anyone on our day, and so any finish between 8th-14th would be the expectation.

Plus, we now have Morgan Amalfitano. What a goaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaallllllllllllllllllllllllllll

[Guest]

Azzy, I heard Anichebe was giving Ferdinand the run-around for the majority of the game, thoughts on him?  Still can't get over how we ended up with the spas*ic, special needs & embarrassingly poor (he wasn't good enough for the reserves) brother Romain instead of Morgan.

Bony (12m) - 1 goal, 1 assist, 5 league appearances
Carroll (15m)- 0 goals, 0 assists, 0 league appearances
Van Wolfswinkel (9m)- 1 goal, 0 assists, 6 league appearances
Bent - (2m loan fee) 1 goal, 0 assists, 4 league appearances
Osvaldo (13m)- 1 goal, 0 assists, 5 league appearances
Altidore (9m)- 0 goals, 0 assists, 5 league appearances

Remy (2m loan fee) - 2 goals, 1 assist, 3 league appearances

Looks like we ended up with the best option after all.

As for tonight, expect Debuchy to be embarrassed on multiple occassions by Baines & co. Be interesting to see how we handle Lukaku too. Just hoping that we actually turn up because we should of beaten Hull & been on 10 points going into this game & now we sit embarrassingly just above the relegation zone instead. Need a performance tonight but you can never judge what side will turn up.

[Guest]

Anichebe is dross, Rio just had a mare

On those strikers:

Bony = will probably come good at some point
Carroll = waste of £15m, good when fit but will he ever be?
RVW = never convinced by him, looking ominous for Norwich
Bent = good value, Fulham have just been rubbish
Osvaldo = not quite a striker, may not score loads but his side are doing ace. I think that's a good signing
Altidore = worse signing than Anichebe tbh. Absolute joke of a player.
Remy = easily the best of the lot, proven PL player, pace, directness, eager to impress. Great signing.

Debuchy I mistakenly hailed as one of the world's top 3 RBs when you signed him. Based on his performances for France. I think if you paid Albion £5m to take him off you, I'd turn it down. Baines will hopefully set up 5 Seamus Coleman goals for my fantasy side tonight

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