We Go Again! The 2014/15 Premier League Thread

[Dolphin Ziggler]

First topic message reminder :

Well, as I started one for the Championship, it seems now is the time for the Premier League 2014/15 thread to begin!

We have all our teams, with Leicester, Burnley and QPR replacing Cardiff, Fulham and Norwich. Can City retain, can United break into the top four, how will Liverpool cope with Champions League football. All this and more can be discussed as we see how the transfers, the rumours, the World Cup and everything else make an impact on the Premier League before it all kicks off?

I'll open it up...the Telegraph, Sky Sports and others report Pochettino is top of Spurs' shortlist and could be unveiled in the next week. Thoughts? Sounds the perfect fit to me. Some suggesting he'll bring Rodriguez with him, although that sounds like immediate clutching to me.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

I've seen people facing a firing squad with more composure than Riviere

[NickisBHAFC]

Dzeko is so underrated. Riveree is struggling a little bit to get involved will take time though.

[NickisBHAFC]

Newcastle started of this 2nd half very brightly.

[Guest]

Oh Christ, it's obertan

[Nakatomi Plaza]

If Obertan's the answer, then you're asking the wrong question.

[CFCNick]

Newcastle fan sees Obertan

[Nakatomi Plaza]

2-0 Citeh, Aguero. Plenty of positives for the barcodes, although their front players are likely to be massively infuriating.

[Guest]

Positives to take from that, although the no.9 role looks a worry

Think we're bottom of the EPL lol

[GSC]

Think Darlow and Lascelles were a big miss today

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Newcastle in the bottom three. Just as I predicted

[mystiroakey]

Yep Newcastle to be bottom in November and then will pay 100m for pulis.... 

[Nakatomi Plaza]

Just read that Steve Parish has being holding talks with potential Palace managers today. Tim Sherwood and Malky Malkay were interviewed today. Steve Clarke, Chris Hughton and Roberto Di Matteo are also in the frame.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/aug/17/tim-sherwood-crystal-palace-tony-pulis-manager

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Pretty impressed with Fernando for City today.

Imagine if they out Yaya ahead of Fernando/Fernandinho. The sheer power

[compelling and rich]

had silva first goal and city to win 2-0 so was happy even as a united fan when aguero scored, couldnt see newcastle scoring if there going to win might as well get me some money

[Mat]

Whisper it quietly, but I was fairly by Albion yesterday. Few players missing but it was certainly the best we've attacked for a while. Disappointed not to win in the end, but a lot better than I expected.

Now Gamboa has arrived, he should displace Wisdom at right back quickly. Lescott/McAuley to come in for Dawson alongside Olsson at the back. Sessengeon in for Dorrans, Ideye for Anichebe and a couple of wingers to come in hopefully.

Hoping this can be a big season for Berahino. He looked very sharp yesterday.

[Fernando]

On the basis it's been a whole day and no one has said it so far.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DOOTIE  

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Appears Palace have chosen Sherwood over Mackay

Menta

[NickisBHAFC]

I really like Sherwood, don't wanna see him at Palace

[mystiroakey]

Nooooo..

I knew sherwood would be sniffing about. Local lad. Wouldn't have to move. No other London pl clubs would take him.. 

Big task for him. Not sure he is proven at any level at all.

[mystiroakey]

So the sticking point is bringing his own staff. Millen could be off. Which would be a huge shame.. But it's much better to back the manager from the off.. Not sure that will possible with the signings he will want but I am sure we will bring his assistants.. But anyway sherwood will only be looking at this like a stepping stone. But if he can keep us up , then he will get noticed. Because unlike pulis he does have potential to go to larger clubs.

whoever we get I will back them from day one. I would rather sherwood than anyone else in the running bar malky. But then who knows . Experience at these yoyo clubs isn't everything. No one truly stands out..

[NickisBHAFC]

On paper that Burnley team looks average championship. But I still have a funny feeling they may pull of a little upset tonight.

[Fernando]

Burnley: Heaton, Trippier, Duff, Shackell, Mee, Taylor, Marney, Jones, Arfield, Ings, Jutkiewicz.
Subs: Wallace, Kightly, Sordell, Gilks, Long, Barnes, Dummigan.


Chelsea: Courtois, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta, Fabregas, Matic, Schurrle, Oscar, Hazard, Costa.
Subs: Cech, Luis, Zouma, Torres, Drogba, Mikel, Willian.


Referee: Michael Oliver (Northumberland)

For those who like a bet, Fabregas at any time   

[Fernando]

Burnley 1-0 Chelsea

[NickisBHAFC]

What a lovely well worked goal and the finish was spot on. Think everyone cheered then apart from Chelsea and Blackburn fans!

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

GOAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLK GWAN BURNLEY

[Fernando]

Burnley 1-1 Chelsea - Diego Costa

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Well it was good while it lasted

[NickisBHAFC]

Soft goal that. 1-1. What an opening 20 minutes though!

[Fernando]

Burnley 1-2 Chelsea - Schurrle - Burnley just got merked by Cesc

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Corr that's a good goal

[NickisBHAFC]

Arsenal that is what you turned down. Amazing from Cesc. Come on Burnley!

[Guest]

Cesc vision. Unbelievable

[Fernando]

Diego Costa booked for diving - Looks harsh

[The Special Juan]

Costa - plays less than 30 mins of PL football and gets booked for cheating Ugly git.

[Fernando]

3-1 Ivanovic

Gunna be a pounding this

[Nakatomi Plaza]

Ivanovic 3-1. This could get messy.

[The Special Juan]

What are you watching this on?? TARDIS TV? Ivanovic only scored about 10 seconds ago on my screen!!

[Fernando]

It's a magical thing called a TV & No you can't deep fry it Juan.

[FootballLight]

An interesting opening weekend to the Premier League season. Swansea provided the first "shock", although, I saw that coming from the moment Lvg came in. They won't make the Champions League again this season and certainly not title challengers for me, sorry. I can't believe people have been so blind to the fact that they are still the same old poor team that Moyes had, with a couple of half decent investments, that didn't set the world alight. Yes, I know it is only 1 game, but this is United's "Liverpool" phase for me now. I also can't believe that so many people have failed to realise just how shocking Phil Jones, Jonny Evans and Chris Smalling are at the back. If I was a Conference striker, I'd be licking my lips at that defence! They need at least 1 more top class defender, maybe two. Hull's works, because it is a style that suits all of their first 11. All the players are comfortable playing in them roles they have to play, United's aren't. United are playing 3-5-2 to accommodate for Mata, RVP and Rooney. To play 3-5-2, you need to have at least 1 midfielder that can run in beyond the forwards, preferably the attacking midfielder. Carrick/Fletcher play as the holding anchor man, Herrera is your box to box midfielder that is hard to deal with his late runs into the box and Mata is the creative one. Mata isn't a direct runner, and prefers to create the chances for RVP and Rooney, but you need someone to run in beyond them, Mata isn't that type of player. Maybe it is about having options? The wing backs certainly can't do that. RVP is well past his prime now at his age, so he won't be scoring goals and Rooney is the wrong captain for the team in honesty. Carrick/Fletcher will be much more suited. Looks Lvg "the genius" isn't so good after all. United need to invest heavily into another top class CB and an improvement on another of their CB's, for definite, a RWB that is natural in that position and a more direct AM runner that can go beyond RVP and Rooney. Or do United already have that in Januzaj?

Luis Suarez. I'm not coming onto this guy for the wrong reasons, but why did Liverpool sell him? I watched that game yesterday and on the team sheet you could see Liverpool were weaker. Why would Rodgers want to get rid of SAS, that worked so well for Liverpool last season. They were fortunate to get a win against Southampton yesterday. Barcelona haven't taken a risk in buying him because of his problems, they bought him because of his problems. If they reluctant because of his problems, they wouldn't have bought him. Suarez wanted to move to Spain, but look at how good he really was for Liverpool. People wonder why people think that La Liga and the Bundesliga is better. Because the Premier League fans are driving one of the best 3 players in the World away from the country. You don't see that happen so often in any of those 2 divisions. Rodgers made such a wrong decision. He thought he could try and improve the overall team with that money, it doesn't work that way I'm afraid. The only way he can replace Suarez, is to buy either of Ronaldo/Messi, that is the only way. They are the only people that can realistically get near Suarez's goals. Falcao and Cavani don't suit Liverpool's style. Neither does Lambert, but he is a different option. You'd expect Falcao/Cavani to start and bang in 25/30 goals a season, it wouldn't work. If Liverpool were to get anyone, I mean anyone, that wasn't Messi/Ronaldo, Jackson Martinez is their man. He consistently scores so many goals, has pace, has power and is a very clinical striker that deserves to play for a club like Liverpool. Him and Sturridge might just reform a part of the link that Suarez left off, but nothing will ever be as good as that at Liverpool anymore, not a chance. You could see how much of an impact he makes, not just his goals, but he is a very direct player as well. He would actually pick up the ball and run at and be able to take on defenders with pace and skill. Martinez could do that, he does. Coutinho could have done, but was marked out of the game so I couldn't pull a valid assessment because of organised Southampton play. Sturridge isn't that type of player. He likes to score goals and likes to shoot a lot. "You never reliase how good something is until it is gone." That is a quote that suits Suarez's departure from Liverpool.

[Guest]

Christ

[Duty281]

Good old Chelsea, the spirit of champions.

And whilst I always applaud any effort to eradicate diving from the game, the referee got it quite wrong.

[Nakatomi Plaza]

Great save by Courtois. This Arfield's a great striker of the ball

[kingraf]

some might even call this tika taka.

[NickisBHAFC]

Seen some laughable refereeing decisions this weekend. Good to see that's changed ...

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Really honestly think Burnley will be fine this season, 15th I reckon

[kingraf]

The Burnley manager looks like Triple H...

[Crimey]

FL, I don't think Liverpool wanted to sell Suarez at all, to suggest that they offloaded him like you are doing is absolutely ridiculous. When Barcelona or Real Madrid come calling there isn't a team in the world who can hold them off. Manchester United at their peak of success couldn't stop Ronaldo moving eventually.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Drogba returns one the nodge are relegated #afraidoftheruddy

[NickisBHAFC]

The Burnley manager looks like Triple H...

Sean Dyche looks like Stone Cold. I also think he is a future England manager.

[kingraf]

Don't see it. Maybe the beard, suit, and permanent scowl/eyebrow burrow are misleading me.

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