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.

[hampo17]

Cardiff have appointed Solskjaer as manager, how long do we think he'll last?

[Fernando]

Well he's been hand picked unlike Malky by Mr Tan so id expect a fair while.

If he waited a little longer he could of walked into the United job   

Berbatov to Arsenal for 2m seems to be doing the rounds today. He'd do for a stop gap

[J.Benson II]

This is why I'm hoping Jose doesn't give LFC a hope in hell's chance and they agree to selling Mata to us. However I thonk he's more likely to go abroad and in Summer at that. Appreciate they've a surfeit of midfield talent at Chelsea and Hazard is starting to look like real quality but surely there must be a spot for a player like Mata.

I can't see Mata having a future at Chelsea. Jose just isnt using him enough to justify keeping a player of his talents. He'll probably go abroad by the end of the season but if Jose does sell him to PL team, then it would only be as part of an exchange deal.
Liverpool I think are seen by most rival clubs as a genuine threat this season. They have the best player in the league and looking at the fixture list for the remainder of the season, Liverpool have it most favourable. Arsenal, City, Chelsea, Everton, Tottenham and Newcastle are all home games for Liverpool from now on.

[hampo17]

To be fair, I think if Rodgers went to the board and said if we sign Mata then it'd seriously help our chances the board would do their best to deliver, sadly I can only see Chelsea demanding silly money from us.

[Guest]

This is why I'm hoping Jose doesn't give LFC a hope in hell's chance and they agree to selling Mata to us. However I thonk he's more likely to go abroad and in Summer at that. Appreciate they've a surfeit of midfield talent at Chelsea and Hazard is starting to look like real quality but surely there must be a spot for a player like Mata.

I can't see Mata having a future at Chelsea. Jose just isnt using him enough to justify keeping a player of his talents. He'll probably go abroad by the end of the season but if Jose does sell him to PL team, then it would only be as part of an exchange deal.
Liverpool I think are seen by most rival clubs as a genuine threat this season. They have the best player in the league and looking at the fixture list for the remainder of the season, Liverpool have it most favourable. Arsenal, City, Chelsea, Everton, Tottenham and Newcastle are all home games for Liverpool from now on.

I know, I'm just hoping others aren't looking at it as closely as we are   

[Liam]

Mata would be an amazing signing for anyone but I don't think anyone in the Prem has a chance as even though Jose doesn't particularly like him, he knows what a special talent he is, so selling him to Liverpool/City/Arsenal or even Utd would be a stupid move. So for me, the sides with best chance of getting him are probably:

PSG
Athletico
Barca
Dortmund (Maybe, might allow Reus to go to utd if the rumors are to be believed)

[JamesLincs]

i fear for ole. its inevitable that he will be sacked at some point, he just needs to achieve as much as possible before hes pushed.

[NickisBHAFC]

Few things from MOTD last night.

Kevin Nolan is a disgrace not only to West Ham United, but to this division. What on earth was he thinking, dirty little bugger. If i was a hammers fan i would be ashamed, esspically at a time where they all need everyone to stick together, and there club captain does that. He should be stripped of his captaincy IMO. His tackle against Liverpool was bad enough, but yesterday was beyond belief. 

Chamkah, very lucky to avoid a red. No need for that what so ever. 

Bendtner what a legend, fu*k da haters!! Great finish.

Suarez free kick was unreal!

Oscar what a little cu*t! Why on earth did he dive, could of just tapped in a goal, instead tried to get a fellow professional footballer sent of. Disgrace. 

Leon Osman what a gent, stayed on his feet when most players would of gone down, and then in the end deservedly won a penalty. Well taken by Baines!

[JamesLincs]

do also have to say, what is moyes on?? i saw no penalties from OT. just plenty of dives from young, welbeck and that belgian lad

and watching the incidents again, if young and jan whatever had carried on moving forward, naturally, then they would have both been clattered and would have been given their decisions. but they both threw themselves down, it looked ridiculous. moyes is so desperate

[Guest]

Nick i'm a hammers fan as you know, and ive certainly run out of patience with Nolan! Not the first time and certainly wont be the last!

[socal1976]

I have heard that Howard Webb (who hasn't given a pen all season) doesn't want to give any pens simply because it may harm his chances of officiating at the World Cup this summer.

Madness.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2531046/Howard-Webb-shirked-big-calls-Chelsea-v-Liverpool-says-Graham-Poll.html

there was no pens to give this game.

Apart from when Danny Welbeck was tripped, oh and Young could have been given one as well (reputation may of cost him though).

If you think that the slightest of contact on him led him to slip then you are deluded, he flung himself on the floor like he had been shot. I would also add that football is a contact sport and contact does not always equal foul.

CS completely agree neither of those two incidents were penalties, United are becoming even more infamous as a team of notorious divers. There was no contact whatsover in the young incident the defender pulled away from he challenge as quickly as he could did not make contact and young anticipating the hit sent himself down, should have been a yellow for young as well.

[Hammersmith harrier]

The strange thing is that even the Tottenham manager has said he thought we should have had a penalty for the foul on Young. Not that it matters either way we should have put the game to bed long before and you mean Welbeck not Young.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

How should Young be booked for making sure Lloris doesnt stud him at speed with a reckless lunge? It has always been that you are still fouled if you have to avoid quite obviously dangerous challenges. If you jump over and down to avoid a double footed tackle you are still impeded.

[socal1976]

I was talking about the Wellbeck challenge. I am sorry I see so many fouls with actual contact in them not called that I find it difficult to give fouls where there is no contact.

[socal1976]

And what is up with this Januzaj kid he goes to ground faster than a fat kid who dropped a slice of birthday cake. United in a desperate fight for 4th place. I don't see them pipping Liverpool for that spot to be honest. Not with how Suarez has played this year.

[Hammersmith harrier]

Unlike most teams we can get away with having one bad season, after all we have won the league 13 times in the past 21 seasons so you could we were due a dip.

[socal1976]

Unlike most teams we can get away with having one bad season, after all we have won the league 13 times in the past 21 seasons so you could we were due a dip.

I agree the evil empire is much harder to kill than one bad season, you must blow up the death star again and again, well at least twice. United where due for a little dip and I actually think Moyes is a good manager. Although I think missing out on Champion's league will be big blow if that was to come to pass. The money involved in participation and making it out of group is immense nowadays and it will be a big blow to them financially at a time when they want to resign Rooney and add new talent to the squad.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Just seen MOTD and the penalty incidents for Utd.

Welbeck's one never a penalty. Dive.

The Young one is a clear penalty. Lloris got very very lucky, was reckless.

Januzaj needs to sort out his diving.

[J.Benson II]

The Young-Lloris incident was a clear penalty. However, its like the Suarez incident against Chelsea.
A player with a repuation for diving is sometimes going to have legitimate fouls against him ignored due to their past exploits.

Januzaj seems to throw himself to the ground at every opportunity.   

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Thought Januzaj was fouled, went down a bit swanlike, but hes fouled.

[Liam]

I think people forget Januzaj is only 18 and has a very small frame and build. Add to that his speed then its not surprise it seems he goes down easily. I'm not defending him completely, its quite obvious he dived the other week no question, but against Spurs he was running sideways and a fair amount of knots and the defender lent into him causing him to lose his balance. Its a foul for me and fair play to him for getting straight back up. Young was also fouled and its a pen for me.

[compelling and rich]

young was a pen, anybody who thinks it wasn't needs to take there ABU glasses off

januzaj was also a foul, think both players reputation going against them, can guarantee that if that foul was on rooney it would have been given.

poor referring though, reputation shouldn't even come into it, just judge every foul on its merit. we can whinge about the ref but if we keep defending like that were not going to be winning many games, we were on top most of that game.

[JamesLincs]

oh look, its "the people who say it wasnt" argument decider comment

[socal1976]

We can all agree at the substandard levels of premier league officiating also a clear offside goal by Bony in the city match. For the richest most accomplished league in the world the officiating is entirely amateur league

[compelling and rich]

i prefer to see it as the common sense arguement decider comment

[Ent]

Dunno what webbs on, just ignoring fouls of late.

Can't stand when he refs united, would take anyone else over him.

[socal1976]

Dunno what webbs on, just ignoring fouls of late.

Can't stand when he refs united, would take anyone else over him.

I feel the same way about mike dean and arsenal according to him an arsenal player never fairly wins a penalty kick. Really I watch a little of other leagues and cl I can't say I have a high opinion of EPl officials

[NickisBHAFC]

Tbh, i don't think a ref goes against a club. I do feel a referee is calling it right down the middle however i just feel the standard of officiating in this country is really worrying. It really does make you wonder what the FA are coaching. I have seen some Ryman league games this season, and the officiating in that league is beyond belief at times. But even in the Premiership there has been some real head scratching moments. Most recently, Ashley Young's penalty decline on New Years Day.

[Duty281]

Who would actually want to be a referee?

Probably be a shortage of them in a few years time - get abused all day, p!ss poor pay (I think) and no praise when you do get it right. Make a decision with one look in a split-second, no help from the technology that so easily allows people back home to watch it five times in a minute from various angles and decide whether you're right or not. Referee's right? Nothing mentioned. Referee's wrong? Massive conspiracy.

Job satisfaction? Very little. You get subject to more conspiracies than 9/11 after a big game. Anyone hear the one about how Howard Webb shouldn't of officiated Chelsea-Liverpool cause he's from South Yorkshire, and he might be involved in some shadowy Hillsborough conspiracy? It was doing the rounds on twitter, would you believe?!

Yeah...who'd be a referee today ? They need far greater backing from the powers-that-be.

[Guest]

Can't remember if I read it on here or the net - read so much in the past fortnight (can't wait to get back to work monday!) - but apparently Howard Webb is trying his hardest not give away cheap penalties.

The theory is that he got that much criticism from FIFA for his handling of the 2010 World Cup final (which was a Dutch thugfest) that he's that paranoid that one bad over zealous refereeing performance will scupper his chances of going to Brazil.

Most probably bullsh!t but there may just be something in it?

[Duty281]

Can't remember if I read it on here or the net - read so much in the past fortnight (can't wait to get back to work monday!) - but apparently Howard Webb is trying his hardest not give away cheap penalties.

The theory is that he got that much criticism from FIFA for his handling of the 2012 World Cup final (which was a Dutch thugfest) that he's that paranoid that one bad over zealous refereeing performance will scupper his chances of going to Brazil.

Most probably bullsh!t but there may just be something in it?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2531046/Howard-Webb-shirked-big-calls-Chelsea-v-Liverpool-says-Graham-Poll.html

I'm starting to think there might be something in it - he could have given a couple over his last two games.

[NickisBHAFC]

Makes sense about Howard Webb. Since the World Cup final he had one Brighton game. Elliot Bennett completely wiped out by a Stoke lad, nothing given. No booking for diving. Poor officiating.

[Guest]

Duty, I'd imagine another World Cup appearance by Mr Webb would make a massive difference both professionally and financially.

Couple that with the fact that he's nearing the end of his career. Who could blame him? Charity begins at home after all..

[Duty281]

Howard Webb won't be reffing the World Cup final anyway.

He can't ref a game with England in it!

[Guest]

Howard Webb won't be reffing the World Cup final anyway.

He can't ref a game with England in it!

Strong words Duty, strong words..

[Duty281]

Howard Webb won't be reffing the World Cup final anyway.

He can't ref a game with England in it!

Strong words Duty, strong words..

England can do it lad, England can do it.

[Guest]

I'd love to be wrong Duty, I really would kidda.

Just to rub it right into my Scottish mother. She loves to see us fail, the bitch. Still remember her laughing at me coming home with tears in my eyes as an 18 year old after Germany beat us in THAT semi in 1996. The bitch!

Them scars never go away.

[socal1976]

Who would actually want to be a referee?

Probably be a shortage of them in a few years time - get abused all day, p!ss poor pay (I think) and no praise when you do get it right. Make a decision with one look in a split-second, no help from the technology that so easily allows people back home to watch it five times in a minute from various angles and decide whether you're right or not. Referee's right? Nothing mentioned. Referee's wrong? Massive conspiracy.

Job satisfaction? Very little. You get subject to more conspiracies than 9/11 after a big game. Anyone hear the one about how Howard Webb shouldn't of officiated Chelsea-Liverpool cause he's from South Yorkshire, and he might be involved in some shadowy Hillsborough conspiracy? It was doing the rounds on twitter, would you believe?!

Yeah...who'd be a referee today ? They need far greater backing from the powers-that-be.

That is part of the problem, then officials in a big money sport need to be paid extremely well. If it is the case that they don't have good salaries that is part of the problem. They should pay them a crap load but then hold them to a high standard of performance grade them up their backside and relegate them fast an hard. But why doesn't the premier league pay its 20 or so officials really well, it is also insurance against possible nefarious activities as well. It is a crappy job, it is absolutely essential though, and they should be paid 10,000 a week and if they don't perform kicked down.

[Ent]

Why would you pay a referee half a million a year?

They are already on 1.5 x the national average salary as a basic with a grand or so match fee, expenses covered. Get to work a handful of days a week, travel the world, be at elite level football etc. Then go back to their old job when they retire in their 40s.

Or write columns, appear on tv shows, the after dinner speaking circuit.

They should have their pay docked as they are crap not be made millionaires.

[J.Benson II]

I think Webb is one of those referee's who likes to let the game flow and not disrupt the tempo by having to stop the game by constantly giving fouls.
In the 2010 WC final, it seemed that he didn't want to have to much influence on the outcome of the game which he would have done, had he sent off players in the first half.
I think this is an understandable. After all, the referee should just referee the action rather than be the focus point of the post match discussion.
However, I think Webb sometimes is just too tolerant towards fouls and poor tackling. There is a middle ground which can be taken but its easier said than done. Refereeing a game is a very difficult job no doubt.
My bigger concern is with linesmen. I personally believe the attacking team should be given the benefit of the doubt. In close offside calls which the linseman himself may be unsure about, I think they should let the action continue rather than raise their flag.

[mystiroakey]

I'd love to be wrong Duty, I really would kidda.

Just to rub it right into my Scottish mother. She loves to see us fail, the bitch. Still remember her laughing at me coming home with tears in my eyes as an 18 year old after Germany beat us in THAT semi in 1996. The bitch!

Them scars never go away.

That is so wrong

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[Duty281]

Why would you pay a referee half a million a year?

They are already on 1.5 x the national average salary as a basic with a grand or so match fee, expenses covered. Get to work a handful of days a week, travel the world, be at elite level football etc. Then go back to their old job when they retire in their 40s.

Or write columns, appear on tv shows, the after dinner speaking circuit.

They should have their pay docked as they are crap not be made millionaires.

You could easily be talking about some Premier League footballers there.

[Guest]

 @ Mysti

[Guest]

I hear Clattenburk in in the mire again after Southampton have complained to the FA about the way he spoke to Adam Lallana in the Everton game

Can't stand MC to be honest (I think it's the stupid haircut on a man of his age - mine's like Howard Webb's) and he's taken over the mantle of "most hated ref in my house" from that rat faced little f***er, Mike Riley.

Hope he's sacked..and has his head shaved.

[Soldier_Of_Fortune]

I think people forget Januzaj is only 18 and has a very small frame and build. Add to that his speed then its not surprise it seems he goes down easily. I'm not defending him completely, its quite obvious he dived the other week no question, but against Spurs he was running sideways and a fair amount of knots and the defender lent into him causing him to lose his balance. Its a foul for me and fair play to him for getting straight back up. Young was also fouled and its a pen for me.

What got to me about Januzaj the other week is when he dived because he 'anticipated' the the player was going to stick a leg out and he didn't, so he looked like a right cheating b@stard. And Moyes was quite happy with this excuse.

Same with Oscar, not happy with just scoring but wants to try get the keeper sent off at the same time and fails!

[Guest]

I think people forget Januzaj is only 18 and has a very small frame and build. Add to that his speed then its not surprise it seems he goes down easily. I'm not defending him completely, its quite obvious he dived the other week no question, but against Spurs he was running sideways and a fair amount of knots and the defender lent into him causing him to lose his balance. Its a foul for me and fair play to him for getting straight back up. Young was also fouled and its a pen for me.

What got to me about Januzaj the other week is when he dived because he 'anticipated' the the player was going to stick a leg out and he didn't, so he looked like a right cheating b@stard. And Moyes was quite happy with this excuse.
Same with Oscar, not happy with just scoring but wants to try get the keeper sent off at the same time and fails!

Oscar stated that he believed he was going to be clattered so went over in anticipation of this and Mourinho accepted this as his excuse also.

Find it depressing that alongside this, we have Michael Owen on BT Sport forever extoling the virtues of getting a slight kick and looking to seek and advantage from it or going over in the box to win a penalty. Really sad indictment of the game and players like Osman should be credited with their willingness to try and stay on their feet (anyone checked Richardson's back account recently for obscenely large sums of money paid by a Chinese betting consortium cause there's no way in hell he should have been hacking Osman down like that)

[Guest]

I think people forget Januzaj is only 18 and has a very small frame and build. Add to that his speed then its not surprise it seems he goes down easily. I'm not defending him completely, its quite obvious he dived the other week no question, but against Spurs he was running sideways and a fair amount of knots and the defender lent into him causing him to lose his balance. Its a foul for me and fair play to him for getting straight back up. Young was also fouled and its a pen for me.

What got to me about Januzaj the other week is when he dived because he 'anticipated' the the player was going to stick a leg out and he didn't, so he looked like a right cheating b@stard. And Moyes was quite happy with this excuse.
Same with Oscar, not happy with just scoring but wants to try get the keeper sent off at the same time and fails!

Oscar stated that he believed he was going to be clattered so went over in anticipation of this and Mourinho accepted this as his excuse also.

Find it depressing that alongside this, we have Michael Owen on BT Sport forever extoling the virtues of getting a slight kick and looking to seek and advantage from it or going over in the box to win a penalty. Really sad indictment of the game and players like Osman should be credited with their willingness to try and stay on their feet (anyone checked Richardson's back account recently for obscenely large sums of money paid by a Chinese betting consortium cause there's no way in hell he should have been hacking Osman down like that)

You talking about Jermaine Pennant? Thought that looked the most dodgy of actions from him, especially given the score & time remaining. I'd guess the F.A will be checking behind the scenes. If there was a player to succumb to betting issues, it would be him you'd imagine.

[Guest]

Sorry Pennant of course

[mystiroakey]

I just dont like the hypocrisy about it all.

Moyes was happy to have a pop at young after winning penalties or diving but after games where they won. Now that Young has cried wolf to many times and gets the wrong decision Moyes goes mad over the decision.

Calm down Moyes and remember why young didn't get the penalty.

Yunazi is only 18 yet 3 of his yellow cards have been from simulation- That is shocking as well..

Mourinhio said that Oscar was in the wrong and the yellow was justified but as allways-Put the manager in the position when the team loses and what do they say!!!

[Ent]

What hypocrisy? Moyes acknowledged and had a word with young and januzaj.

Now he's complaining about not getting a stone waller.

Seems consistent to me.

Don't care about young, he's crap. I'm sure januzaj will sort it out.

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