Barclays Premier League 13/14 Thread Part 'something'

[Liam]

First topic message reminder :

Boring game but good result for all the top teams around these two really. Difference between Arsenal winning the league and not is a world class striker, because in tight games like these in the big games a world class striker will finish the chance Giroud had. He's been excellent this season but misses far too many to deliver a title. That's what makes Suarez/Agueor and RVP last season the difference in the end.

[CFCNick]

I personally think any british institutions and that includes football or any sporting teams should be owned and run by british businessmen. Whether it be the royal mail, the media (shamefully owned by Murdoch) or anything we should self govern it and try to ensure they are run safely and efficiently.

You're a fool then. British isn't always best.

[Hibbz]

I personally don't care for politics.

I do disagree with not having a sense of ownership to my football team though. Nothing immature about expecting your club to have certain values when it is a company funded by money supporters spend. And that's true even in sponsorship deals. Nothing immature in that, I would wonder how much of a fan you were if didn't put stock in such things

Hell I'd barely even class myself as a follower anymore Dolphin, but I don't get how the team you support are more your club because you pay money to watch them, any more than McDonald's would be your restaurant or Tesco would be your supermarket yet you surely you wouldn't feel entitled to a say on who managed/owned them would you.

As a disclaimer I accept that a football supporter is not a rational being and as such don't expect a rational response, the comment about puberty was dare I say it immature.

I likewise don't really care for politics and put Hammersmith's opinion in the category "opinions are like @rseholes.................."

[LastDamnation]

And to think some of our fans moan that our owner is too "silent"

[The Fourth Lion]

Owning a football club, and knowing the square root of naff all about it, has nothing to do with colour, nationality, or race.

So why it's being brought up I have no idea.

It's pretty clear that the "fit and proper person" test has to be torn up and replaced though.

The belief that club chairmen know nothing about football is nothing new.

In 1956, former Sunderland player Len Shackleton wrote his autobiography and in it he included a chapter headed "The Average Director's Knowledge of Football".

The rest of the page was completely blank.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

I personally don't care for politics.

I do disagree with not having a sense of ownership to my football team though. Nothing immature about expecting your club to have certain values when it is a company funded by money supporters spend. And that's true even in sponsorship deals. Nothing immature in that, I would wonder how much of a fan you were if didn't put stock in such things

Hell I'd barely even class myself as a follower anymore Dolphin, but I don't get how the team you support are more your club because you pay money to watch them, any more than McDonald's would be your restaurant or Tesco would be your supermarket yet you surely you wouldn't feel entitled to a say on who managed/owned them would you.

As a disclaimer I accept that a football supporter is not a rational being and as such don't expect a rational response, the comment about puberty was dare I say it immature.

I likewise don't really care for politics and put Hammersmith's opinion in the category "opinions are like @rseholes.................."

I think it would come down to brand loyalty. I offer nothing to Arsenal more than Sky money. I offer merchandise and ticketing sales for West Ham, as well as of course stadium atmosphere.

As well West Ham might find out - if you alienate your core then you have nothing in lean times. If the football isn't great at the Olympic Stadium then day trippers won't appear. And those core fans may well have stopped caring about the matchday experience.

Tis why I would always say the best protest is a quiet one, one where you are neither seen nor heard. A stadium with empty seats will soon sort your grievances

[The Fourth Lion]

I personally don't care for politics.

I do disagree with not having a sense of ownership to my football team though. Nothing immature about expecting your club to have certain values when it is a company funded by money supporters spend. And that's true even in sponsorship deals. Nothing immature in that, I would wonder how much of a fan you were if didn't put stock in such things

Hell I'd barely even class myself as a follower anymore Dolphin, but I don't get how the team you support are more your club because you pay money to watch them, any more than McDonald's would be your restaurant or Tesco would be your supermarket yet you surely you wouldn't feel entitled to a say on who managed/owned them would you.

As a disclaimer I accept that a football supporter is not a rational being and as such don't expect a rational response, the comment about puberty was dare I say it immature.

I likewise don't really care for politics and put Hammersmith's opinion in the category "opinions are like @rseholes.................."

I think it would come down to brand loyalty. I offer nothing to Arsenal more than Sky money. I offer merchandise and ticketing sales for West Ham, as well as of course stadium atmosphere.

As well West Ham might find out - if you alienate your core then you have nothing in lean times. If the football isn't great at the Olympic Stadium then day trippers won't appear. And those core fans may well have stopped caring about the matchday experience.

Tis why I would always say the best protest is a quiet one, one where you are neither seen nor heard. A stadium with empty seats will soon sort your grievances

Oh dear.... I feel a rant coming on.

I sometimes wonder at such terminology.  What, exactly, is this so-called "Matchday experience"...?   And why would we need one, anyway..?   Isn't going to the game for the game's sake good enough anymore..?   Is the match made any better for having a silly man dressed up in a ridiculous costume picking a fight with the opposition's silly man dressed in a ridiculous costume  (think:  Cyril the Swan)

Worst of all is the eardrum shattering bellowing of the stadium announcer exhorting the crowd to sing the club 'anthem' while a bubble machine wafts.... er... bubbles across the pitch.  It's as if the paying fan has gatecrashed an over excited children's birthday party.  

Players walk out of the tunnel holding the hands of underwhelmed children who have been dragooned into being a "mascot", usually by wish fulfilment fathers who haven't gotten over having not had the chance to do it when they were kids.  There then follows a handshaking ritual which has become a publicity minefield where there is always the risk that one miffed prima donna who isn't on talking terms any more with another miffed prima donna in the opposition refuses to shake hands.  Oh, you bitch...!!  And of course, the Sky cameras are always ready to zoom in on the "controversial incident".   I always thought that shaking hands with your opponents was something you did after the game as a manly acknowledgement of "fair-combat-well-met", not before it as a perfunctory and transparently insincere PR exercise.

Matches are not allowed to start now until "bubbles" or "You'll never walk alone" has been completed and the referee and players stand in the middle of the pitch, looking annoyed that they're getting cold and their mind fix on the game is being distracted while Demented Dennis the stadium announcer screams himself into a frenzy with a 5-4-3-2-1 countdown before the ref is allowed to start the game.

So really...... honestly......What the hell is this nonsense all about..?

The relentless trend towards American style packaging of matches is taking the focus away from the sport itself and in the eyes of those who are more interested in corporatism than the game, becomes more important.  

I sometimes feel as if atmosphere is being artificially created for the television audience..... that by having You'll Never Walk Alone (and other club anthems) directed for the benefit of the cameras, Sky are exploiting the fans as a marketing tool.  And let's not be under any illusions here.... it's a fair bet that with the collusion of the clubs, they are behind it all.

DZ's comment about fans voting with their feet is a good one.  Perhaps in these times of bums on seats being seen as  just another "revenue stream", leaving stadiums empty and soulless might be the best form of protest.

Fans are the lifeblood of the game.  What the vast majority of them want, is just to watch the match.  Give them that, and win or lose, deep down inside, they'll be happy.

Rant over.

[mystiroakey]

what a win by palace.    (poor westy   )

out of relegation.

BUt the impossible task today. I will be happy with a 3 goal loss.

[Guest]

Good turnaround by the Palace Myst. The survival dream is well and truly on. I expected your boys to be well adrift by now but fair play. Pulis is doing a fine job so far.

[mystiroakey]

No one is more suprised than me freek.

I actually backed the 0-0. But the win was well deserved by the sound of it. I can be slightly more positive but we are still favs to go down. The good thing is we are not embarrassing ourselves.

[Duty281]

British isn't always best?

Some people really have no appreciation of superiority.

[Guest]

Owning a football club, and knowing the square root of naff all about it, has nothing to do with colour, nationality, or race.

So why it's being brought up I have no idea.

It's pretty clear that the "fit and proper person" test has to be torn up and replaced though.

The belief that club chairmen know nothing about football is nothing new.

In 1956, former Sunderland player Len Shackleton wrote his autobiography and in it he included a chapter headed  "The Average Director's Knowledge of Football".

The rest of the page was completely blank.

Did you fill it in for him? Must have been hard for you not to Lion.

I do jest   

[westisbest]

Ha, fair play mysti.
Not sen the goal, but sounded like a cracker.

Now to bounce back against Swansea.

[Guest]

It was a pearler Westy. Beautiful on the eye. Two keepers and a Santander ISA wouldn't have saved that bad boy.

[mystiroakey]

Good to see all our forward players are getting some form. Gayle is our best talent and that goal will bring him some much needed confidence.

You will bounce back westy.

And thanks for bannan. I like him.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Fourth fourth fourth, you've taken that into a whole context of your own. It's not a term I particularly adore, but it is one on common usage. And the point is relevant - if they aren't interested in their experience on matchday, and a lot won't be due to the stadium change, then there is a big loss.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Ahead of today, I see a west Brom win and relegation near a certainty

[Guest]

Anyone think we can beat Arsenal tomorrow? Ramsey injured & Ozil looking likely to be dropped. Giroud apparently is likely to be dropped too, however, that's bad news for us because he's awful. Should be a cracker of a game hopefully.

Today's games don't really excite me too much but be interesting to see what happens. Hope Norwich can stop United's recent charge & expect City to bang at least four or five today against Palace.

[Hammersmith harrier]

We win today and if anybody above us drops points they'll soon start looking over their shoulders. We need a comfortable 2/3-0 victory to show a signal of intent, we should have been cast adrift weeks ago. For all the plaudits Arsenal, Liverpool and City have got they've dropped a lot of silly points they shouldn't have.

[Guest]

At home I can't see why not. It's not like they are invincible and your home form is pretty good John.

Wouldn't shock me a whole lot if you did. A million and one more twists and turns to come this season I imagine.

[mystiroakey]

Yes but. Walcott is showing how good he is without losing any form during his break and polodski scored as well. Arsenal are still a strong team and still have so much depth to draw from even without the 3 you mention.

But newcastle are also playing well.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

We're gonna get fookin spanked by Utd today. Spanked.

If it isn't 3 or 4 nil I'll be surprised

[JamesLincs]

west ham 1-1 west brom
villa 1-2 swansea
hull 2-1 fulham
man city 4-0 palace
norwich 1-2 man utd
cardiff 1-2 sunderland
everton 2-2 southampton
newcastle 2-2 arsenal
chelsea 1-1 liverpool
spurs 2-1 stoke

[mystiroakey]

Olly is still drunk from crimbo.

Predos

West ham 1 west brom 1
Citeh 4 palace 1
Norwich 1 man u 2
Hull 1 Fulham 1
Villa 1 Swansea 1

[Guest]

I'd completely forgot that Anelka was a West Brom player until now!

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Joy

[Guest]

games getting bad to worse for us   However that shouldn't have been a corner!

[Guest]

Wey Hey! The smiles are back. Great turnaround.

[mystiroakey]

Got to love football. Left the room for a minute. Come back and its 3-3

[Guest]

Today's games don't really excite me too much

I said this two hours ago   

3-3 cracking game

Glad Rooney is not playing today, hopefully Norwich can grab a draw

[J.Benson II]

I think United should win even without Rooney. They are having a good run of form and are making the most of what has been, a favourable fixture list over the past few weeks.
Norwich just look to pedestrian and lack any penetration.

Palace have been very solid under Pulis but today they face the toughest game of the PL calendar. All men behind the ball, absorbing wave after wave of City attack is the only realistic tactic.

Newcastle - Arsenal should be great. Walcott and Podolski give Arsenal more directness and intent. Cabaye can perhaps show Wenger what he missed out on.

[westisbest]

Get in there Gabby.

[Ent]

God united are shocking, just look so ordinary.

Just nobody in this side you think can win you a game.

[JamesLincs]

dangerous from jerome on hart. players need punishing for these type of challenges

[Ent]

Norwich well on top and should be ahead, they'll likely regret the missed chances.

United are terrible, give Rooney what he wants and get him signed up- he is our only player currently performing.

[Guest]

3-3 il take a point, but do we desperately need to start winning games!

[mystiroakey]

SUPER EAGLES 0-0!!!

come on. get the first draw at citeh!

[Guest]

I think United should win even without Rooney.

delusional thought in my opinion by recent easy fixtures. Without Rooney coming deep & creating & scoring United are average. All this recent run has done is papered over the cracks until the bigger games come around & expose United again. United might still win because it's only Norwich & as we've already seen they've missed key chances but it doesn't hide the fact United without Rooney are poor.

[Duty281]

Palace frustrating City. 0-0 HT.

Perfectly set for Palace to win it on the counter...

[LastDamnation]

So I captained yaya toure in fantasy and rooney vice, sounds like they are both needed

[mystiroakey]

for all the shots and possession citeh have had they have only had 2 shots on target!

[Duty281]

I think United should win even without Rooney.

delusional thought in my opinion by recent easy fixtures. Without Rooney coming deep & creating & scoring United are average. All this recent run has done is papered over the cracks until the bigger games come around & expose United again. United might still win because it's only Norwich & as we've already seen they've missed key chances but it doesn't hide the fact United without Rooney are poor.

11 shots to 3 and 7 corners to nil in favour of Norwich thus far.

[Ent]

I think United should win even without Rooney.

delusional thought in my opinion by recent easy fixtures. Without Rooney coming deep & creating & scoring United are average. All this recent run has done is papered over the cracks until the bigger games come around & expose United again. United might still win because it's only Norwich & as we've already seen they've missed key chances but it doesn't hide the fact United without Rooney are poor.

Were poor with Rooney on top form and dragging this team through games.

In 10 minutes time we are going to be turning to an 18 year old to get us out of a hole again.

Hopefully for Ashley young, what a terrible player he is. Nani is twice the player he will ever be and that is saying something.

[mystiroakey]

palace just had the best chance of the game!!

negrado coming on. citeh are crapping themselves!!

[Guest]

typical united

[mystiroakey]

welbeck doing pretty well recently- scoring important goals.

[Duty281]

 

Thought that might be coming!

[Ent]

But of a fluke but welbeck had made a difference.

Always happens this, smaller teams always regret missing their chances.

[Duty281]

Fulham 3 down to Hull.

Man City still 0-0 - about 59 PL home games since they haven't scored.

[mystiroakey]

puncheon all over them!!

hull are 4-0 up!!

palace are 0-0!!

UP THE Championship sides!!

[Ent]

Haircut time!!

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