Barclays Premier League 13/14 Thread Part 'x'

[monty junior]

First topic message reminder :

It is kind of weird CS that Duty considers us an elite club and the quality of players (that Wenger has signed) and our CL football as the main reasons, but then he considers Wenger a failure. It looks like a logical inconsistency to me. And I can't name 10 clubs in Europe bigger or better than we are.

Bigger - Manchester United, Liverpool, AC Milan
Better - Chelsea, Manchester City, Barcelona, Real Madrid, PSG, Bayern Munich, Dortmund/Napoli.

There we go. The first three have better history and are a "bigger" club in that respect. The other seven are just...better.

Is that why Napoli got knocked of our CL group. Dortmund is nowhere near the team they were earlier in the year when we played in CL in terms of injuries and we split with them. If you really want to measure we have to look at criteria. If it is "better" I disagree certainly with regards to Dortmund and Napoli as of right now or throughout the season. Dortmund is behind Schalke and Leverkusen and neither one of those teams are all that mighty this year. Here are the teams if I am ranking the "better" aspect

1. Bayern
2. real
3. Barca
4. Chelsea
5. PSG
6. Juventus
7. Man City
8. Atleti
9. Arsenal

So Arsenal are in the top 10, even if you would rate Dortmund who is on the skids right now as being better, which I don't. Liverpool would have a fair shout right now at coming in ahead of us. That would still put us in the top 10 in terms of quality.

Dortmund are a fairly comfortable second now and are almost certainly in to the CL quarters. Depends what you regard as elite, for me the word elite is the very very best like Bayern, Real, Barca even Man U, teams who have a history of domestic and European domination. Arsenal are the level below, certainly no disgrace.

[socal1976]

I can't disagree with you Nick, you guys were better in every department and frankly this is the worst I have ever seen Arsenal play. Worse than 8-2, and worse than even anfield. Arteta, I think had a good couple of seasons but isn't a true holding midfielder. Ox is a winger and that is where he should play. He lost the ball in dangerous positions and we were punished cruelly. Out wide you can afford to take on a defender and if he takes it that is ok, but playing in the box to box role if you lose the ball 30 yards out in the middle of the field you are one pass away from being completely opened up. Mertesacker was awful today, Kos was awful, Gibbs was awful, Arteta, and Ox; and Giroud did nothing. We need upgrades in holding midfield and at striker. Chelsea should win the league and do damage in Europe, the only team I think frankly that can stop Bayern. We have to be honest and say that we are still far away from being in that class.

[hampo17]

Arteta isn't the problem, far from it. He is a luxury player, someone who can play the key pass to open up a defence, he plays the role that Gerrard has taken up this season, deep playmaker however he needs Flamini along side him to put the foot in when needs be. That's a key thing you lacked today and Wenger was stupid to have left him on the bench.

[Guest]

Given Hazard's and Oscar's propensity for rolling around at the slightest touch, Wenger couldn't risk Flamini getting booked and losing him for two games, but dear god Arsenal were poor weren't they? At least we have attackers who can seemingly score at will however Rodgers et al really need to sort that out before we face Chelsea or City

[hampo17]

What's the lesser of two evils? Lose Flamini for the Swansea game in midweek, or take him out of the team and completely unbalance the side?

[Guest]

For my money Flamini is the first name on the team sheet today.

Not that he alone would have been the difference anyway.

Put a decent team in front of Arsenal and they flake more often than not.

[CFCNick]

Another thing. Arsenal might want to check on the players in the hotel on away games. The City, Liverpool and today's defeat were all away on a Saturday lunchtime.

[Guest]

man even as a United fan this title race is glorious to watch. three teams banging in goals for fun today

against my better judgement hoping we do the scousers and the rent boys a favour tuesday night

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Turns out Russell Brand is a better pundit than everyone else on MOTD

[Guest]

Turns out Russell Brand is a better pundit than everyone else on MOTD

Which is saying something because he knows f*ck all also.

Nodge masterclass now.

[Guest]

Now that Tettey goal is a thing of beauty   

[Guest]

Alan Shearer calling my mate Olly on his nonsense (for wanting Hughton sacked) there.

Kill Olly, kill.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Yes Shearer in defending mate from Newcastle days shocker

[TopoftheChops]

Hootun in

[Guest]

Yeah, might have a point there.

I completely forgot about Hughtons Geordie tenure.

Olly, can you see change in the summer?

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Yeah, might have a point there.

I completely forgot about Hughtons Geordie tenure.

Olly, can you see change in the summer?

I can, but I'm not sure there will be. To be honest if Neil Lennon is the alternative, I might might just rather Hootun's winning the must win ones regime.

Its just frustrating because like today we know against teams around us we can dominate with a positive attitude, but for some reason we only seem to do it when we "have to win". Why we don't do it against Stoke at home, Cardiff away etc on a regular basis I dunno, because it works when we do it!!

Either way I hope next year we can sort out our away form, cos its absolute pants

[Guest]

It's impossible to gauge how good Lennon is really bearing in mind he's been a constant heavyweight fighting lightweights up in Scotland.

I'd have thought the Championship would be his starting point at best.

[GSC]

Could be worse

[Guest]

Could be worse

Chin up kidda. Play offs still a realistic target.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

I think Lennon is an meh manager, absolute c*nt of a bloke. Wouldn't want him here.

[mystiroakey]

just seen motd- way over the allotted 3 mins injury time, there was a clear hand ball before.. that is sick..

#fuming

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

OK

1. It was never ever a handball
2. It is a MINIMUM of 3 minutes injury time
3. You probably should've picked up Cisse

[mystiroakey]

whatever.

Next time you have a rant i will remember to pick holes through it  

[The Special Juan]

It's impossible to gauge how good Lennon is really bearing in mind he's been a constant heavyweight fighting lightweights up in Scotland.

I'd have thought the Championship would be his starting point at best.

He's really not that great. There's one thing we can judge him on in Scotland and that's cup wins. He should be winning everything up here but isn't.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

whatever.

Next time you have a rant i will remember to pick holes through it  

I'm always up for a good debate on my rants Myst  

[J.Benson II]

Bit of a goal fest this weekend.
Arsenal were shambolic. I can't believe there are any Arsenal fans that still wanting Wenger at the club. Those who do are deluded. So many errors and naivety, season after season with no rectification.  
To see a defence that has been pretty solid all season, concede 17 goals in 3 away games against rivals is just unacceptable. Not to mention being the only team in the Top 9 to have failed to beat/lost to United. Every season, Wenger is further tarnishing what has been a great career at the club and its sad to see a guy who was once so respected, become a figure of ridicule for opposition fans.
Hope he can guide Arsenal to FA Cup success and secure 4th this year before calling it a day. By doing this, at least he can leave with his head held up.
Credit to Chelsea though, very good performance and simply lethal on the counter in the first 10 minutes. After making it 3-0, they even dropped down a few gears but were still able to find the net three more times.

City and Liverpool continue to score goals for fun. Not much to say about Toure and Suarez that already hasn't been said a million times.

Great goal from Rooney and a good performance from United. I might even give them some credit if they actually could repeat this against a team that wasn't fighting for relegation. 

[NickisBHAFC]

Rooney's goal yesterday wow. Just pure amazing. Big Sam was bitter after the game though. Never ever ever ever a foul by Rooney on Tomkins. Christ if were giving that a foul these days, we might as well make football a no contact sport. Need to man up.

Arsenal   Proving again why there never going to win the league. Though another game where the ref is center of attention, like i say im getting fed up with an idiot controlling the game.

Liverpool class. Full credit to Cardiff though for giving it ago.

Ciise you legend. 

Big win for Norwich. Feel sorry for Tetty amazing goal, but will be overshaddowed by Rooney's goal. Think there safe now.

Sunderland, West Brom or Palace for that final spot.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Tettey's goal > Rooney's

And that's not the bias speaking. Rooney's would've been more impressive if Adrian hadn't been wandering round like a drunk at 2am allowing the ball to bounce in the middle of his six yard box

Tettey's was unstoppable. No GK in the world would've got near it.

[mystiroakey]

Tettey's goal > Rooney's

And that's not the bias speaking. Rooney's would've been more impressive if Adrian hadn't been wandering round like a drunk at 2am allowing the ball to bounce in the middle of his six yard box

Tettey's was unstoppable. No GK in the world would've got near it.

if the keeper wasnt wondering rooney wouldn't have had a shot.

tetteys was a good goal- great strike but plenty of them have been scored before.

[Hammersmith harrier]

They're completely different goals, one is something you see attempted all the time to varying degrees of competency, the other requires the vision to see it's on.

Tettey had the better technique but Rooney had the better vision.

[CFCNick]

Anyone listen to 606? I thought CS phoned in. Arsenal bleating on about net spend!

[Hammersmith harrier]

Anyone listen to 606? I thought CS phoned in. Arsenal bleating on about net spend!

This net spend thing is a load of garbage, Arsenal have low net spend because they're weak team with valuable assets who are constantly sold to bigger teams. The teams lower in the division don't have that luxury so tend to end up with higher net spends.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

This has been brilliant from Southampton so far

[The Special Juan]

How did Sherwood get the Spurs job? Raffle?

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Its gonna be depressing when Roy takes Defoe and Carroll ahead of Rodriguez and Lambert

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Chadli how does he get a game ahead of Sigurdsson every week, baffling

[The Special Juan]

Bentaleb is pretty poor too. Chadli was a waste of money, at least Bentaleb was free.

[mystiroakey]

Its gonna be depressing when Roy takes Defoe and Carroll ahead of Rodriguez and Lambert

he wont

[sodhat]

Danny Rose is genuinely the worst Premier League footballer I've seen.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Had a fiver on the draw

[mystiroakey]

shame.

great come back by Tottenham though.

annoying we didnt see more of lallana and shaws linking up-

[Crimey]

I can see Bentaleb being a player that follows Sherwood to different clubs, he's not good enough for Tottenham, crazy that he gets in ahead of the likes of Dembele, Sandro, Paulinho, Holtby etc. Not sure what Sherwood thinks he offers.

[mystiroakey]

wasnt sandro injured?

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Delph's real good

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Wassgornon this weekend

[Hulking_up]

Crouch over Carroll for England all day every day.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Crouch over Carroll for England all day every day.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Oh my word that is atrocious defending

[GSC]

For all the criticism of Mark Hughes' appointment, Stoke are on course for 37 points after 31 games and comfortable safety

[mystiroakey]

decent stoke side at the moment.

[Crimey]

They're at a very similar level to where they were under Pulis apart from the last season or so. Hughes still has a job on his hands because the sacking of Pulis showed that the board and fans were after more than just the results. Hughes has started to change their football, but not significantly, they resort to type more often than not and they've still flirted with relegation. Think this summer will be big for Hughes, last summer was pretty bare, so what players and what type of players he brings in will be important.

[Sponsored content]