Barclays Premier League 13/14 Thread Part 'x'

[Ent]

First topic message reminder :

Mancini was terrible, how I wish he was still there.

Should have walked the league the last 2 years with the squad he had and gotten out of his cl groups.

[Champagne_Socialist]

I would say to any aspiring television producer that you should never, ever let Michael Owen commentate on a Merseyside derby - what were they thinking?

And I wouldn't let Atkinson referee one either. Yes leniency is a good idea in such a hotly-contested derby, but not to the extent where Gareth Barry can commit five fouls before being booked.

Liverpool were fantastic. An absolute joy to see Coutinho-Sturridge-Suarez-Sterling in full flow. Everton couldn't compete with the intensity, tempo and sheer skill that those four managed. Two fantastic finishes by Sturridge, Suarez making superb runs all night long and adding a classy finish of his own, Coutinho so tricky to play against, and Sterling full of raw talent with pace, extreme pace at that, to burn. Add Henderson coming into his own now with some able support, and Gerrard stitching the whole thing together, and you have yourself a very dangerous team venturing forward.

Still some question marks over the Liverpool defence, particularly Cissohko and Toure, but it appears Mignolet, on hand tonight with several tidy saves, can pour oil on any troubled waters. Should be good enough to finish in 3rd, not the title, but 3rd. They should pip Arsenal in the final running: the Gunners dropping two points tonight, and facing a significantly harder run-in, I believe.



And Palace beat Hull. Always said Palace would stay up. Pulis is the man.

Pretty sure liverpool have kept 5 clean sheets in the last 7 games....

[Mad for Chelsea]

Arsenal possibly a bit fortunate to get a point in the end. Looked vulnerable to the ball over the defense for the striker to chase, which teams will have noted.

Also, Flamini?! What was he thinking? He's been a key player for them this year so far, and they'll miss him for the next three games.

[The Special Juan]

I think Martin Atkinson's one of the better referees in the PL but I agree with Duty, he was too lenient tonight. Barry and McCarthy got away with lots tonight, especially McCarthy's rugby challenge.

[Champagne_Socialist]

Pulis is a man that could be viewed as better than a 20m signing for a bottom half PL club.

He is that good.

I dont think we have got out of trouble yet as we still lack quality. We have the lowest paid team, the lowest value team and possibly the lowest quality team..

It isn't just about pulis, because the lads at palace are real fighters. Not one player feels above the club.. They are good lads..

But anyway. If pulis does this and saves palace- he will be the no.1 reason why we are saved. And I have a feeling that pulis could be viewed like a top rated player.. If he can guarantee PL footy that must be worth millions to a struggling club..

And in all fairness stoke haven't moved on without him, only regressed.. and there is a case to be made that palace are playing more expansive than they did under Holloway.

We need to some how tie Pulis down.. give him a 5 year minimum and pay him a nice wage- Because he deserves it. And if he does go we need to be compensated

That is what west ham did with allerdyce and now they can't sack him because the payout in compensation to him would be too much.

[compelling and rich]

Pulis is a man that could be viewed as better than a 20m signing for a bottom half PL club.

He is that good.

I dont think we have got out of trouble yet as we still lack quality. We have the lowest paid team, the lowest value team and possibly the lowest quality team..

It isn't just about pulis, because the lads at palace are real fighters. Not one player feels above the club.. They are good lads..

But anyway. If pulis does this and saves palace- he will be the no.1 reason why we are saved. And I have a feeling that pulis could be viewed like a top rated player.. If he can guarantee PL footy that must be worth millions to a struggling club..

And in all fairness stoke haven't moved on without him, only regressed.. and there is a case to be made that palace are playing more expansive than they did under Holloway.

We need to some how tie Pulis down.. give him a 5 year minimum and pay him a nice wage- Because he deserves it. And if he does go we need to be compensated

i know we went over this when he was first appointed but always thought he would do well for you, first and foremost he'll make you tough to beat. and like i said at the time it was hardly like palace were playing like barcelona while holloway were in charge

[Duty281]

CS - That as maybe, but Cissohko looks a tad out of his depth, and Toure doesn't strike me a top-quality defender either.

I think Martin Atkinson's one of the better referees in the PL but I agree with Duty, he was too lenient tonight.  Barry and McCarthy got away with lots tonight, especially McCarthy's rugby challenge.

Not only did McCarthy get away with it, Atkinson somehow gave a free-kick in his favour. Bizarre.

And Howard was quite fortunate to not get at least a card for the penalty incident as well.

[mystiroakey]

Pulis is a man that could be viewed as better than a 20m signing for a bottom half PL club.

He is that good.

I dont think we have got out of trouble yet as we still lack quality. We have the lowest paid team, the lowest value team and possibly the lowest quality team..

It isn't just about pulis, because the lads at palace are real fighters. Not one player feels above the club.. They are good lads..

But anyway. If pulis does this and saves palace- he will be the no.1 reason why we are saved. And I have a feeling that pulis could be viewed like a top rated player.. If he can guarantee PL footy that must be worth millions to a struggling club..

And in all fairness stoke haven't moved on without him, only regressed.. and there is a case to be made that palace are playing more expansive than they did under Holloway.

We need to some how tie Pulis down.. give him a 5 year minimum and pay him a nice wage- Because he deserves it. And if he does go we need to be compensated

That is what west ham did with allerdyce and now they can't sack him because the payout in compensation to him would be too much.

you would think that a money bags team would pay the compensation for pulls though, if a situation arose where they need to stay up. Pulis and maybe unfairly(because i think he could dop more than this type cast role) has become the top rated manager to keep teams up. Even if he doesn't with palace this year he has shown the skills he has in this role.

[Mad for Chelsea]

Palace is an odd one. I confidently predicted quite early on that they would be relegated, as I thought they simply didn't have the quality in the squad to stay up. I thought their squad was a good/very good championship one, but that at the highest level they would be found out.

Thing is, I still stand by that: for me Palace still have the worst squad in the PL. However, Pulis has got them playing well above their level (IMO), and they look like they'll stay up now. Of course, they've been helped to an extent by the Cardiff disaster, the Di Canio failure at Sunderland, and the fact Fulham and West Ham have been playing quite so badly, how the latter two must be wishing they had a manager such as Pullis in charge right now!!

[Crimey]

I think criticism of Liverpool's defence has been justified over the last few weeks but it is slightly unfair because 3 of the first choice have been missing and Johnson it has been revealed has been carrying an injury. Don't think it's a coincidence that the injuries have also been at the same time as Mignolet's poor form. Most keepers struggle without a consistent back four.

Liverpool were fantastic, Everton seriously missed Coleman. Stones does not make a good right back, he can't or at least won't cross the ball. Think Liverpool showed how strong they are at Anfield and none of the big sides will be looking forward to facing them there.

[Duty281]

I think criticism of Liverpool's defence has been justified over the last few weeks but it is slightly unfair because 3 of the first choice have been missing and Johnson it has been revealed has been carrying an injury. Don't think it's a coincidence that the injuries have also been at the same time as Mignolet's poor form. Most keepers struggle without a consistent back four.

Liverpool were fantastic, Everton seriously missed Coleman. Stones does not make a good right back, he can't or at least won't cross the ball. Think Liverpool showed how strong they are at Anfield and none of the big sides will be looking forward to facing them there.

Agree with you on Stones; he was so far out of position for Liverpool's second goal.

And Liverpool-Arsenal in a couple of weeks, like you say Liverpool have showed how strong they are at Anfield so I don't think it's a game that Arsenal will be approaching with much joy.

[Mad for Chelsea]

really, really, hope England don't go to penalties this summer

Didn't Sturridge miss one at the Olympics too? wondered at the time why he was taking it, don't recall him ever taking one at Chelsea (even in shoot-outs)...

[Guest]

Yeah, vs Korea, if my memory is correct.

[Lumbering_Jack]

Gone are the days when football was for real men. Now these little mincers flop around like snipers are picking them off in the crowd.

It's embarrassing.

because you are such a real man hahah

Go away you jobless leech.

[mystiroakey]

Well the most promising thing about sturridge is that he has scored 13 goals this season in the pl and not one is a penalty. His finishing has been up there with the best this year. We havent had a full on striker(not including rooney as he is a no 10) that has been that good at finishing since owen, fowler or shearer

[Champagne_Socialist]

Gone are the days when football was for real men. Now these little mincers flop around like snipers are picking them off in the crowd.

It's embarrassing.

because you are such a real man hahah

Go away you jobless leech.

  

[Duty281]

really, really, hope England don't go to penalties this summer

Didn't Sturridge miss one at the Olympics too? wondered at the time why he was taking it, don't recall him ever taking one at Chelsea (even in shoot-outs)...

They're just getting their penalty misses out of the way in time for the inevitable quarter-final-halfway-line-walk-to-hell!

[Champagne_Socialist]

really, really, hope England don't go to penalties this summer

Didn't Sturridge miss one at the Olympics too? wondered at the time why he was taking it, don't recall him ever taking one at Chelsea (even in shoot-outs)...

They're just getting their penalty misses out of the way in time for the inevitable quarter-final-halfway-line-walk-to-hell!

lampard, gerrard and cole will score

[Hammersmith harrier]

All three have missed penalties in shoot outs in the past, the English dependable was Hargreaves but playing in Germany for so long what else would you expect.

[mystiroakey]

rooney wouldnt miss one

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

My god how in the holy high hell didn't Newcastle win that game, we were absolutely effin atrocious, I've never seen such an inept performance as I saw in the first half from us. Why would you back off Remy and Ben Arfa??!

The only positive is Bradley Johnson is suspended for three games so we might actually be able to pass the ball now. I cringed when he went down, just shocking he deserved a red for that alone.

Wes not even in the squad

[Hammersmith harrier]

rooney wouldnt miss one

Even he has missed his fair share Mysti, I would expect him to miss one in a world cup shoot out but better players and better penalty takers have missed them under the ultimate pressure.

[mystiroakey]

I think baines, cole, gerrard and rooney are the ones we feel safe about. I cant include lamps because he wont be in 2014.

Anyone can miss. but if we felt the same about all our players as we would with those above 4/5 then we wouldnt really worry so much

[Hammersmith harrier]

Gerrard and Cole i'm not that confident in plus Cole and Baines wont both be taking one. Cole missing against Italy will have a lasting effect on him.

[NickisBHAFC]

Didn't Cole screw up a penalty kick against Itally at Euro. Could be wrong. 

No one can be trusted apart from Gerrard and Rooney. Forfeit the shoot out i say.

[Mad for Chelsea]

I think baines, cole, gerrard and rooney are the ones we feel safe about. I cant include lamps because he wont be in 2014.

Anyone can miss. but if we felt the same about all our players as we would with those above 4/5 then we wouldnt really worry so much

unlikely Baines and Cole would be on the pitch at the same time surely? I've never been particularly convinced by Rooney as a penalty taker, he's OK, but not great. Funnily enough, for all of England's awful penalty record, one of the two best penalty takers I've ever seen was English: Alan Shearer (Michael Ballack is the other)

[mystiroakey]

Two of the best ever are english- Matt le tis and Lambert.

[Duty281]

Gerrard and Rooney fine. Baines/Cole likely. Hart possible. Then fil in the gaps. Johnson/Cahill/Jagielka probably not. Wilshere possible. Can Milner/Townsend/Sterling? Not only are the England team possibly a bit down when it comes to a penalty shoot-out, but I imagine it gives the oppsition a bit of a lift as well to know they're in a shoot-out against the Three Lions nervous kittens.

On second thoughts, let's just beat those foreign chaps in normal time.

I'm sure Gazza could have slid and scored in 96, but he just fancied a penalty shoot-out.

[Mad for Chelsea]

Didn't Cole screw up a penalty kick against Itally at Euro. Could be wrong. 

You'd be hard-pressed to find an Englishman who hasn't missed one in a shoot-out if he's been playing for a while TBH. Cole always looks ice-cool when taking one for Chelsea, so I was a bit surprised when he missed that one. I think we should get Jones, Wellbeck and Sturridge to take one: at least we'll all have a good laugh. Terry could be coaxed out of retirement to take one too

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Why am I considering going to Villa away. John did you watch that? Just how bad are we!!

I can accept defensive football if we could actually defend, but we can't. We just back off and give players so much time and space they probably can't believe their luck.

Newcastle should've been four up at half time and that's not even an exaggeration!!!

[mystiroakey]

Wilshire is a good shout.. I think he will be fine.. Sturridge will have to take one. His finishing is up there with the best we have . So he needs to sort his head out, penalties need to be a priority for goal scorers

[Guest]

John did you watch that? Just how bad are we!!

I can accept defensive football if we could actually defend, but we can't. We just back off and give players so much time and space they probably can't believe their luck.

Newcastle should've been four up at half time and that's not even an exaggeration!!!

Couldn't believe how much we dominated first half, you just allowed us to play. Our finishing was diabolical though, I've always said Remy is not a natural finisher, he's missed key chances throughout this season, especially at home to Southampton. Norwich just can't score, which is a serious worry for you. How many 0-0's have you had this season? Sending's off were a joke but put heads together & your asking for trouble. It was 0-0 last season between us wasn't it. Shocking.

[Duty281]

Wilshire is a good shout.. I think he will be fine.. Sturridge will have to take one. His finishing is up there with the best we have . So he needs  to sort his head out, penalties need to be a priority for goal scorers

Can Andy Carroll take one? Don't think I've ever seen him take a pen, but I have a vision of him doing a marathon run-up before smashing it with his left foot....about five yards over the bar.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

John did you watch that? Just how bad are we!!

I can accept defensive football if we could actually defend, but we can't. We just back off and give players so much time and space they probably can't believe their luck.

Newcastle should've been four up at half time and that's not even an exaggeration!!!

Couldn't believe how much we dominated first half, you just allowed us to play. Our finishing was diabolical though, I've always said Remy is not a natural finisher, he's missed key chances throughout this season, especially at home to Southampton. Norwich just can't score, which is a serious worry for you. How many 0-0's have you had this season? Sending's off were a joke but put heads together & your asking for trouble. It was 0-0 last season between us wasn't it. Shocking.

We've scored 18 goals in 23 games, which quite frankly is embarrassing and unacceptable.

It was indeed John, we've had far too many 0-0's but that's life under Hughton, happy for a draw. Saw it today after the sending offs, takes off Hooper for Tettey, disgraceful substitution.

We look scared when we defend. Just back off and hope we can block, never engage. We allow players to turn on the edge of the box as well which is criminal at this level. How you didn't score I dunno, you were proper unlucky tbf

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Its depressing to think we've spent £30 million plus to be worse than last season

[Ent]

Do did united! More or less.

[socal1976]

Really aggravating that the Arsenal gave up a counter goal after going up 2-1 from 1-0 deficit. Flamini with a rush of blood really let Southampton of the hook. I can't really dispute his redcard although he got the ball and didn't do any damage with his two footed challenge. He went in with both legs really hard, it was a 50-50 redcard and it was given. Late in the match I think we had worn down Southampton and were set to go in for the win till that redcard. But that is what you get from a flamini type player. I didn't like Wenger's lineup. No Ramsey, Ox should have started in order to punish SH for playing such a high line. Gnabry played well, Ozil had a great second half after a poor first half and Ollie Giroud was really good along with Kos. I don't like this line up with both Arteta and Flamini. I hate to say it but they both played prettily poorly and offered nothing in the attack. Giroud scored a pure striker's goal and cleared what seemed like half dozen crosses on set pieces. People need to lay off him I think that is 14 goals in all comps if I am not mistaken and after Per he is our best defender on set pieces. He isn't just a pretty Frenchie, he has a lot of steel in his game.

[socal1976]

Lets hope Spurs can take some points off of team Abu Dhabi. God I hate saying that.

[nasisillmatic]

Wilshire is a good shout.. I think he will be fine.. Sturridge will have to take one. His finishing is up there with the best we have . So he needs  to sort his head out, penalties need to be a priority for goal scorers

Can Andy Carroll take one? Don't think I've ever seen him take a pen, but I have a vision of him doing a marathon run-up before smashing it with his left foot....about five yards over the bar.

He took one for us against Chelsea in the Carling Cup a couple of years ago, and the keeper saved it. It was a tame penalty.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Bradley Johnson only completed 58% of his passes last night.

And we play him as part of a two man midfield

[Dolphin Ziggler]

the fact Fulham and West Ham have been playing quite so badly, how the latter two must be wishing they had a manager such as Pullis in charge right now!!

No offence to Pulis, but no we wouldnt

[mystiroakey]

That's what I said.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Carroll doesnt take penalties like a natural, hes taken em for us and they havent been great pens. If we just take Nobes and Lambert for the bench and save 2 subs for tight games then we'll be fine   

[Dolphin Ziggler]

We've had Allardyce, a more proven Pulis type. I have nothing against him, he isnt as bad as made out or as bad as Pulis' Stoke (remember I said Stoke) but I wouldnt go there again.

[mystiroakey]

Ach, not gonna argue , even I as a lowly palace fan didn't want the legend that is pulis before he came.. He would have converted you if you had signed him as he has converted every palace fan

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Not now Mysti, I'm open minded and even I wouldnt go attritional again. I understand why he converted you, Holloway teams are ridiculous, but we have an attritional manager now so I wouldn't go that way again. Considering Sam got us straight back up, into 10th and still couldn't win over the fans in general, then Pulis would have no chance now. Its not an insult on him, its our fans and our situation in context.

As much as Stoke get laughed at for wanting rid of Pulis, he was holding them in the same place. The risk has only been staying in relegation fights they were in before, whereas they hoped the reward might be some progression and ambition beyond that. Eventually, you have to try and grow beyond survival as an ambition. Not to say Pulis did anything wrong, it was just a fitting time to end it for both.

[mystiroakey]

People look at managers as if they dont learn and progress.

They are constantly learning and evolving.

Pulis has used the palace players well. For instance most would have thought he wouldn't want a player like bolaise starting. Yet bolasie has hit some form again.

We havent scored many goals, but on almost every occasion v the bottom half teams we have scored more than the opposition..

last 6 games v bottom half- 5 wins and 1 draw.

That sort of form is what legends are made of

[Roller_Coaster]

Didn't Holloway walk away in part because he said he couldn't get any more out of the squad. Even if they do go down, Pulis has proved that one wrong, and how.

"If he can guarantee PL footy that must be worth millions to a struggling club" If the parachute payments for the relegated clubs are now the £60m plus I've seen reported that could be the understatement of the season. If he could stave relegation off for even 3 years (still a massive if for this year alone!) using the Stoke attrition model he will have nearly pulled in a fifth of a billion pounds. That's more money than Rooney gets in a week!*

*Probably

[Guest]

not gonna lie, not looking forward to the game tonight against chelsea...could be embarassing!

[Dolphin Ziggler]

People look at managers as if they dont learn and progress.

They are constantly learning and evolving.

Pulis has used the palace players well. For instance most would have thought he wouldn't want a player like bolaise starting. Yet bolasie has hit some form again.

We havent scored many goals, but on almost every occasion v the bottom half teams we have scored more than the opposition..

last 6 games v bottom half- 5 wins and 1 draw.

That sort of form is what legends are made of

Its still the grind of Pulis though. The context of the two clubs is so different Mysti, thats the real sticking point. Palace were a Premier League club who drifted away and the business of football alongside general performance meant that status became a memory not a demand. So, to get back here, you desperately need to stay at least long enough to make a difference to the club that means it will at worst be a yo-yo club and won't go back to a club that should be challenging top end of the Championship but sometimes wasnt. The Dowie year evidencing how things can fade if you just do it one season.

We have been more regular premier league and also have spending power (although future could be tested) that means if we get relegated it isnt as desperate as having been stuck down there. If we went down and stayed down for 5 years and were not even a guaranteed threat to promotion, then sudden promotion would mean desperate need for survival. Then we'd want Pulis. But the way the fans are here and the ambition of pushing higher rather than the way we do Premier League football at the moment, that means we would want a different type of manager.

[mystiroakey]

20/1 for West ham to beat Chelsea tonight.

That made me look twice!

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