Barclays Premier League 13/14 Thread

[NickisBHAFC]

Lamela is the biggest waste of money ever

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Little premature young padawan

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Has Soldado scored from open play in the league this year?

Surely Lamela must start over Townsend now as well

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Still think that's a penalty on Pilks

[Champagne_Socialist]

Has Soldado scored from open play in the league this year?

Surely Lamela must start over Townsend now as well

What is worrying for tottenham is that they spent £55 million on Lamela and Soldado and yet both players are being benched for players that were at tottenham already.

[Hammersmith harrier]

It's a squad game, Chelsea, City and United all do the same so not sure why you're singling out Tottenham.

[Champagne_Socialist]

It's a squad game, Chelsea, City and United all do the same so not sure why you're singling out Tottenham.

I don't think they are being benched due to squad rotation, it looks like it is based on their performances.

[Hammersmith harrier]

Same as all the other teams, it happens all the time with me signings.

[NickisBHAFC]

Still think that's a penalty on Pilks

[Hero]

It's a squad game, Chelsea, City and United all do the same so not sure why you're singling out Tottenham.

I don't think they are being benched due to squad rotation, it looks like it is based on their performances.

Willian at Chelsea, Jovetic at City?

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Still think that's a penalty on Pilks

I'd love to know what you see differently that makes it not...

[mystiroakey]

Lamela is the biggest waste of money ever

and he looks a decent buy compared to soldado!

[Hammersmith harrier]

Bit of an over reaction, Lamela has hardly played and Soldado is still trying to intergrate into the team. It was clear it would take time for the new players to bed in but they lose one game and suddenly they're not worth anything.

[mystiroakey]

Defoe is looking sharp, so I wouldnt just waste time trying to integrate a player that isn't performing yet- cup games are fine for that.. The other two may come good, but there prices seem highly inflated at the present time

[compelling and rich]

Defoe is looking sharp, so I wouldnt just waste time trying to integrate a player that isn't performing yet- cup games are fine for that.. The other two may come good, but there prices seem highly inflated at the present time

defoe flatters to deceives, banging goals in the europa against rubbish teams is great yet starts against a decent defence and doesn't get a sniff. he also has no link up play to speak of what so ever, if he's not scoring he's not contributing at all

[mystiroakey]

Thats one game, he has played very well in the PL on as sub.. Great [player and highly under rated. I have pretty much seen every tottenham game bar yesterdays and he has looked the biggest threat by a long way

[compelling and rich]

Thats one game, he has played very well in the PL on as sub.. Great [player and highly under rated. I have pretty much seen every tottenham game bar yesterdays and he has looked the biggest threat by a long way

watched defoe for years and never rated him as a top player. when he's hot he's a threat no doubt but also can be very inconsistent and doesnt maintain that form. doesn't offer nothing unless service is provided for him, other managers must agree with me as he's not been given a run for a while. he's a player who adds nothing unless being given chances by his team mates

he's only ever had a couple of seasons where he has scored 20+ which is poor return for a striker of defoe's ilk

[mystiroakey]

I dont know about him offering nothing without service. What i have noticed (as a sub) is that he has offered quite a bit extra. That has been the thing that has made me look at him in a better light this season. Yes its easier to do against fatigued legs, qand although i didnt see the game he clearly did nothing v west ham starting.

Tottenham have attacking issues without bale that is clear as day. What we didn't expect was for them to concede 3 goals. They have conceded something like .3 goals per game in all comps this season so far

[GSC]

Clearly not content with just 1 standoffish former big name from the lower leagues, Sunderland will hire Gus Poyet

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Defoe isn't better than Soldado, Compelling is right if he's not scoring he's not offering too much. We saw that at the end of last season when Bale was carrying the team

[Guest]

Scoring in europa league & then hoping that form continues in the EPL was a massive mistake from AVB. Just look at Torres last year, banging them in for fun in the poor europa league & then played in the EPL, couldnt score for ****. Same story with Defoe. Why rest Soldado, he needs time to adjust & get used to the team. Anyway, you know my views on people getting carried away with teams early starts. Spurs/Liverpool wont challenge. Arsenal are still a ? City/Chelsea have the squads, that ultimately pay off after Xmas schedule.

[compelling and rich]

i agree with you john re all the excitable/fickle fans. would consider us (united) also a ? purely because of moyes

[mystiroakey]

Well I think you lot are just guessing tbh. Defoe has offered lots more than just a goal scoring threat. As stated The form as a sub was good enough to start over the nothing form of sold ado. The game v Anzil would have had literally no Bearing on the decision. That Is a team that hasn't won in 11 legue games.. It's nonsense that any of you should question Avb tbh. Starting Defoe was a very natural play based on his form and soldados lack of.

[mystiroakey]

John tbh I think it's you getting excitable. Who has said Tottenham or Liverpool would challenge?

[mystiroakey]

I am going tbh I have not heard one fan state that they would. Are you assuming happy fans = thinking they will win the pl.

The hyperbole is getting ridicules tbh. But not from there side. It's seems like people can't be happy these days.

[compelling and rich]

Well I think you lot are just guessing tbh. Defoe has offered lots more than just a goal scoring threat. As stated The form as a sub was good enough to start over the nothing form of sold ado. The game v Anzil would have had literally no Bearing on the decision. That Is a team that hasn't won in 11 legue games.. It's nonsense that any of you should question Avb tbh. Starting Defoe was a very natural play based on his form and soldados lack of.

remind us again how such a tactical master stroke from AVB worked?

[Nakatomi Plaza]

I am going tbh I have not heard one fan state that they would.  Are you assuming happy fans = thinking they will win the pl.

The hyperbole is getting ridicules tbh. But not from there side. It's seems like people can't be happy these days.

Well said sir

[mystiroakey]

Well I think you lot are just guessing tbh. Defoe has offered lots more than just a goal scoring threat. As stated The form as a sub was good enough to start over the nothing form of sold ado. The game v Anzil would have had literally no Bearing on the decision. That Is a team that hasn't won in 11 legue games.. It's nonsense that any of you should question Avb tbh. Starting Defoe was a very natural play based on his form and soldados lack of.

remind us again how such a tactical master stroke from AVB worked?

it didn't this time- but it was a justifiable selection IMO.

We don't all have the benefit of hindsight!

[Mike Selig]

Well I think you lot are just guessing tbh. Defoe has offered lots more than just a goal scoring threat. As stated The form as a sub was good enough to start over the nothing form of sold ado. The game v Anzil would have had literally no Bearing on the decision. That Is a team that hasn't won in 11 legue games.. It's nonsense that any of you should question Avb tbh. Starting Defoe was a very natural play based on his form and soldados lack of.

remind us again how such a tactical master stroke from AVB worked?

it didn't this time- but it was a justifiable selection IMO.

We don't all have the benefit of hindsight!

Precisely. I rather enjoyed Mourinho's response as to whether he was particularly satisfied with his subs scoring goals: (possible paraphrasing) "my subs are always brilliant, it is then up to the players whether they make them rubbish or not".

The point, in his inimitable way, is a good one: you make decisions based on sound reasoning available to you at the time. It is easy to say in hindsight whether they were right or wrong, but usually most decisions made were made for good reasons.

IMO you could justify starting either Defoe based on form, or Soldado based on giving him more game time and trying to play him into form. No doubt had AVB gone for the latter and lost in a similar way he would have been criticised for not taking the fixture seriously enough or something, that Defoe had scored midweek etc. Totenham didn't conceded 3 goals because Defoe was on the pitch, so the point is rather moot anyway.

[J.Benson II]

Tottenham were just being Tottenham. Every time you think they've turned the corner and could mount even the faintest of title challenges, they go and get beat in a game everyone expects them to win.

Different season, same s**t!

[Guest]

Arsenal were so poor defensively yesterday, we could and should have had at least 3, if not more. Going forwards they're hard to contain, but any side with half decent wingers and attack-minded midfielders should be capable of exploiting their deficiencies at the back. Gibbs and Jenkinson are great going forwards, but are not PL champion material. Monreal is though, I can't understand why he's not playing.

[mystiroakey]

Exactly MIke sometimes managers can never win. Sometimes teams also just get beat!

Azzy . Yep arsenal have been shown up without the ball. That game was allways going to come. However they only conceded one goal..last season they had the second best defensive record...............


As bad as it is, its never that bad..

And fingers crossed for Gibbs and jenkinson(by gawd england need these fringe players playing regularly!)

[Guest]

Arsenal were lucky yesterday. Anelka missed the sitter of sitters, and almost every time Sessegnon got on the ball, Flamini shatt himself. Wilshere should have had four bookings, two for diving. He's a little runt.

[NickisBHAFC]

Good luck to Poyet at Sunderland. I now look forward to him annyoing every other Premiership fan, player and manager with his arrogance! 

He does deserve a prem job, but i really have no idea why Sunderland would go after him, too similar to Di Canio. They should of gone full out for Di Mattieo. Or just kept hold of Kevin Ball.

[Guest]

Yeah, Arsenal were vulnerable. Sessegnon caused Flamini problems. Wilshere playing out-wide was horrible & he was dreadful. Awful challenge before HT as a result of frustration. I don't rate Wilshere that much, he's never world class. Ozil had a quiet game & Giroud proved again, why he's not the answer. Slow, ponderous & if service is not 'put on a plate' he struggles. Arsenal are building this season, that's it. Nothing more in my opinion. Title challengers....no! Next season, after a summer of spending, thanks to the Ozil effect....YES!

[Guest]

Flamini looked vulnerable, that challenge by Wilshere was shocking, Ozil was beautiful to watch but didn't do much, and Giroud did have a chance on a plate but didn't even get a shot on goal.

Would have been a different game with Podolski, Cazorla and Walcott though. Wilshere deeper, no Arteta, Ramsey central, they'd have killed us.

[mystiroakey]

When arsenal's injuries come back they have a real squad that can challenge- there is no doubts in my mind at all..

There bench will have players better than who are playing at united!

[mystiroakey]

If they can get a striker in the jan window!! I would stick a few hundred on them winning the league tbh.. And the fact is they will be able to draw that striker to this club, any striker not considering a move to arsenal with ozil, ramsey, wilshere needs a brain transplant!
Worse case scenario they could snap up benteke, but i have a feeling they could get someone even better than that

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Benteke as a worst case scenario...I still think he was the striker Spurs needed...

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Oh and just seen Saints's second against Swansea, wtf is that defending sunday league stuff

[Stella]

Oh and just seen Saints's second against Swansea, wtf is that defending sunday league stuff

That was really bad. Even the palace coaches were laughing at that 'laurel and hardy sketch'.

[mystiroakey]

Worse than the goals we conceded v stoke??

[Stella]

Worse than the goals we conceded v stoke??

Worse  

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Somehow yes Mysti

[mystiroakey]

Ok i just saw it- one individual mistake. and it was shocking but.

http://livefootballvideo.com/highlights/england/premier-league/stoke-city-vs-crystal-palace#.UlLYiVBJN8E


oh my days- its like every palace player in defense is running after a headless chicken and forget about the football!

[NickisBHAFC]

Palace are a waste of a premiership side. Watford and Brighton would of added a lot more to the prem instead of just signing old cloggers who aren't good enough for this level anymore. (This isn't a fishing post)

[mystiroakey]

Rubbish ^

[Steffan]

I have no beef with Palace

[Guest]

Well Sunderland are a waste too then, seeing as their bottom & Palace spanked them 3-1. Look, not every side can sign world class players, Palace are looking after the future of the club & not panic buying foreigners in an attempt to compete. I get the feeling they feel, if they go down, they go down. However, long term they are in a far superior position to build, not only the squad but the facilities & stadium, other factors which are important in attracting new players.

Watford aren't great either, full of loans, horrible club in my opinion & I remember Palace spanking Brighton along the way last year in the Play-offs too. Face the facts.

[GSC]

Palace have pretty much settled for the cash and building for 2014.

Be sad if Udinese C got promoted

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