We Go Again! The Premier League thread

[Fernando]

First topic message reminder :

Leicester City XI: Schmeichel; Simpson, Huth, Morgan (c), Fuchs; Mahrez, Kanté, Drinkwater, Albrighton; Okazaki, Vardy

Leicester City Subs: De Laet, King, Schlupp, Ulloa, Dyer, Schwarzer, Inler

Manchester United XI: to face Leicester: De Gea, Darmian, McNair, Smalling, Blind, Carrick, Schweinsteiger, Mata, Young, Rooney, Martial

Manchester United Subs: Romero, Borthwick-Jackson, Fellaini, Memphis, Pereira, Schneiderlin, Rashford

[Ent]

Have to say pathetic stuff from manager and players today.

Lvg splitting smalling and blind partnership, huge holes in defense as a result and soft goals conceded.

The arrangement of the front four was baffling.

As for the players, insipid in attack as usual. Fellaini abandoned any sense of midfield duty and left us so exposed, defenders diving in etc etc

Just an absolute shambles.

[Guest]

A blind baby could of scored that De Jong header. That miss changed the game. We didn't play well, but should of seen this out. McClaren will now play Mitrovic & Perez from the start, but it's all too late.

[Guest]

What odds on Mourinho as United manager before the United v Chelsea game on 28th?

[Guest]

Mourinho is Mourinho & yes, might turn things around for United, but he's criticised for negative football, parking the bus, so is he much change to LVG footballing style? Think he'd improve player personnel, but I wouldn't expect a major transformation into some kind of United of old.

[GSC]

Mourinho is substance over style. LVG is the opposite.

[Guest]

LVG sounds like a defeated man. Post match comment, ''In the 25 years of management I evaluate myself every day. I am not the same coach of 25 years ago and I always evaluate. This is why I am, or maybe I now have to say was, a very successful manager.'' Pretty much an admission that he isn't the right man anymore, he should just leave with some dignity & offer to go.

What would Man U fans want, a stop-gap of Giggs OR would they want Jose?

[Hammersmith harrier]

I think Mourinho would have been perfect after Fergie but the squad lacks any sort of identity now so not sure he's the right man, the overhaul is being shown to have been a terrible idea.

[GSC]

If the job is too big for Moyes and possibly even LVG, I don't see how you can justify giving it to Giggs

[Dolphin Ziggler]

But then the only names capable are Jose and Carlo. Pep doesn't have the experience of this

The overhaul was needed long term

[NickisBHAFC]

LVG has to go.

Would love to see Jose get the job!

[Guest]

Jose vs Pep on Manchester would be something special for the PL. We might not have the best players, but potentially having Pep, Jose, Klopp & possibly Simeone managing in England, should lead to an exciting period & with the money in the PL increasing, the players might start to follow too.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Jose could do a job at United, definitely. Fergie wasn't some mad attacking b*stard, he built from the back. In the more modern era of his management he ground out more results than any. 

Jose, some January cash, his attitude of us and them...it could work very well. Pep is definitely worth sounding out first, and I wouldn't put say City wouldn't then go for Mourinho. If they get rid of Pellegrini and don't get Pep (and I'm pretty sure they'll get Pep considering the connections up top) then they'd have no major options but Jose in all likelihood. 

But really, with the strength of character he has but also the friendship with Fergie it really would fit. And he likes having big, senior figures around him; I don't think Giggs would be jettisoned and I think he'd like Rooney and reinvigorate him, improve Smalling and Jones, ignite the crowd.

[Ent]

Not sure what jose would do with these players.

De gea is our only top player.

Smalling and Schneiderlein are good solid premier league players.

The rest are either very young, injury prone or rubbish.

[westisbest]

Excuse the drink. but think we should have won yesterday.

Before we would need at least 6 points from Newcastle west ham norwich and sunderland.

We have one, not sure about west ham, but norwich and sunderland are there for the taking.

[Guest]

Excuse the drink. but think we should have won yesterday.

Think the conditions helped villa, the ground was so boggy, newcastle's ball carriers were unable to do just that & it hurt them. Still, they were the better team, De Jong missed a howler, Mitrovic missed & even Ayoze blazed over from six yards. Apart from Villa's wonder strike, you barely did much. A point a piece did neither side any good, given wins for Bournemouth & Norwich.

[guildfordbat]

Excuse the drink. but think we should have won yesterday.

Before we would need at least 6 points from Newcastle west ham norwich and sunderland.

We have one, not sure about west ham, but norwich and sunderland are there for the taking.

Westy - as usual, I wish you all the best but I suspect Norwich and Sunderland will be saying the same about Villa.

Btw, cracking goal yesterday from Ayew. That deserved at least a point!

[Hero]

Pep confirmed to be leaving Bayern in the summer with Ancelotti taking over.
City or Utd?

[Hammersmith harrier]

So Guardiola confirms he's leaving Bayern at the end of the season, City bound i'd have thought, I don't particularly like Mourinho but would far rather we went for him. In fairness the pair are merely stop gap managers, they'll never build a team over years.

[Guest]

Media will run stories for both, but he's City bound. United aren't even a certain for a top 4

[Hero]

Balague has been insistent that Pep wants Utd out of the two, though I'd be surprised if he ended up at OT given a choice of the two clubs nowadays.

[Hammersmith harrier]

He'll go for the quick fix which is City, nothing suggests he's up to turning a club around.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Excuse the drink. but think we should have won yesterday.

Before we would need at least 6 points from Newcastle west ham norwich and sunderland.

We have one, not sure about west ham, but norwich and sunderland are there for the taking.

Depends who we have fit. If Lanzini is back and Jelavic doesn't start then I'd fancy us.

[kingraf]

think Pep would have an aneurysm trying to get Utd to play his way unless he got a huge piggy bank.
Think it's City or Spain realistically

[1GrumpyGolfer]

Ospina in disguise? Bit of an oops there from Bogdan to drop it in the first place but a replay shown well after the fact looks like it was kicked out of his hands as he snatched at it

[NickisBHAFC]

Watford are killing Liverpool in every part of the pitch. Very enjoyable to watch.

[Guest]

Klopp honeymoon been over for a while, won't see any drastic improvement until he brings his own players in next season.

[lfc91]

Truely horrible first half from Liverpool. Watford just bossed the game really. Simple and effective football, a bit of physicality and Liverpool can't cope (sounds familiar). Oh and a few howlers from our keeper/CB aswell.

[Guest]

Sakho is the worst defender ever.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Jelavic is starting. We hate points! we hate points!

[Hammersmith harrier]

Think it's fair to say that Watford are going to be fairly secure this season, made some really good shrewd signings.

[lfc91]

Can with an absolute nightmare. So much time to pass there and gets dispossessed which leads to a goal. Not 1 player has played well today for Liverpool

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Think it's fair to say that Watford are going to be fairly secure this season, made some really good shrewd signings.

I think Leicester might stay up too

[Hammersmith harrier]

Ighalo is also pretty good, the most impressive striker in the league for me at the moment.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Proof that two up top isn't dead

[Atila]

If the job is too big for Moyes and possibly even LVG, I don't see how you can justify giving it to Giggs

Agree with this.

The only way I see Giggs being a success as United manager in the next few years is with Fergie in the background giving him advice.

[kingraf]

Watford are a point outside of a Chakpions League spot... Leicester are five points clear at the top

DaFuq?

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Jelavic is as threatening as Ian Beale up top.

[Guest]

WHU will be in trouble by the end of January.

As for the league, it's not surprising anymore these results. The money has come into the league, but the top sides can't attract world class players, as they go to Bayern or Spain, therefore they've stagnated or got worse. The lower to midtable sides have been able to constantly improve, attracting lower tier quality, but still effective personel for this league & its reduced the gap massively, to the point whereby nearly every PL game is now a complete 50/50, in terms of result. The way it's going, this league will become even more competitive & I will go out on a limb & state that the top 4 for the next few years, will be different each year, maybe bar Arsenal & City. The so called big boys like Man U & Liverpool are no more, they've been swallowed up

[Atila]

WHU will be in trouble by the end of January.

As for the league, it's not surprising anymore these results. The money has come into the league, but the top sides can't attract world class players, as they go to Bayern or Spain, therefore they've stagnated or got worse. The lower to midtable sides have been able to constantly improve, attracting lower tier quality, but still effective personel for this league & its reduced the gap massively, to the point whereby nearly every PL game is now a complete 50/50, in terms of result. The way it's going, this league will become even more competitive & I will go out on a limb & state that the top 4 for the next few years, will be different each year, maybe bar Arsenal & City. The so called big boys like Man U & Liverpool are no more, they've been swallowed up

I doubt it. Man U are listed as the second richest club in Europe, it will be a long time before they are "swallowed up".

[Hammersmith harrier]

Liverpool haven't been among the big boys for 20 years now while we will eventually get back to the top, we have far too much money and prestige to remain in the doldrums for too many years.

[GSC]

Michail Antonio is alive

[Guest]

Swallowed up 'on the field', for sure. You will 'eventually' get back, no guarantee whatsoever & it's already been three years & counting. Also, as proved over the last two seasons, you can also have all the money in the world, but United aren't attractive to the top, elite players anymore & struggle to even guarantee regular European football.

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Well, that's three goalless draws in a row for Hammers. Just as well we had a good start to the season.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

WHU will be in trouble by the end of January.

Wouldnt worry, we've got decent enough results with our best three players gone and a lot of depth removed due to injury too. And kept clean sheets doing so. And there's a lot of clubs in this league worse than us

[Hero]

Swallowed up 'on the field', for sure. You will 'eventually' get back, no guarantee whatsoever & it's already been three years & counting. Also, as proved over the last two seasons, you can also have all the money in the world, but United aren't attractive to the top, elite players anymore & struggle to even guarantee regular European football.

That's actually the complete opposite of reality.
Man Utd rarely over their extended dominance went for top elite players, pretty much Veron was the only one. Now they're in a period in which they're struggling on the field they're resorting to the marque signings aka Di Maria and Schweinsteiger.

[NickisBHAFC]

That West Ham vs Swansea may of been the worst game to ever be shown on TV.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Very very bad. Jelavic was like an anchor, dragging us down. But I watched it with a Tuborg in a pub in Copenhagen so not all bad.

[Fernando]

Juan Manuel Iturbe is in Watford to complete his loan move to them from Roma (with an 11m buy clause)

[Hero]

If he rediscovers his earlier potential (when he was dubbed the next Messi) then that's possibly a huge coup for Watford.

[Alistair]

Pavel Srnicek in critical condition in Czech Republic after massive heart attack.

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