We Go Again! The Premier League thread

[Dolphin Ziggler]

First topic message reminder :

I'm shocked!

[Rowley]

The owner has just made himself and the club look like idiots, more concerned about his party than the safety of people, shifting blame. Just embarrassing.

Not sure you should expect a lot better from a man who sells dildos for a living.

[Geordie]

Benitez on the verge of starting the season as Real Madrid manager and ending it being relegated from the PL

He hardly got us relegated...it was the muppet we had in before him. How is Benitez reputation spoilt. He made us better.

It was a statement of fact, not an opinion about blame, chill.

Very sorry...

[Guest]

Sunderland hiring Allardyce has shown Benitez's appointment to be as ludicrous as everyone thought, if you're battling relegation you hire a specialist in those positions not a guy who's continually sacked for incompetence at big teams.

Clueless & unsurprising. Was Pulis or Allardyce available? Who else is a PL survival specialist, available then, who's beaten the drop on more than one occasion & never been relegated?

[Geordie]

Sunderland hiring Allardyce has shown Benitez's appointment to be as ludicrous as everyone thought, if you're battling relegation you hire a specialist in those positions not a guy who's continually sacked for incompetence at big teams.

Clueless & unsurprising. Was Pulis or Allardyce available? Who else is a PL survival specialist, available then, who's beaten the drop on more than one occasion & never been relegated?

That comment from Hammersmith is a load of rubbish. Benitez has turned the team around in the very limited time he has had. It was the joke before him - Maclaren that was the issue.

If Benitez had had a few extra games I think we'd have been safe even though we didn't deserve it.

Lets hope he stays and totally rebuilds the team...so when we return to the prem we wont be back with the other perennial bottom dwellers Sunderland.

[Stella]

Benitez has gone from managing the biggest club in the world to Newcastle, who were all but down. It was a bit of a come down.
No big club with aspirations of a league title won't be hiring him, so he could do worse in staying put, building a team and getting Newcastle back to where they belong...............mid table!!!

[Guest]

No one belongs anywhere or is guaranteed anything in modern football now

[GSC]

Pearson probably would've made more sense to be honest. Get HHs point, it's the same reason Newcastle fans shouldn't be upset if Benitez leaves. The Championship is a different beast entirely for managers who've never managed in it

[Crimey]

Shows how poor Chelsea have been really, Liverpool were dire for 95% of that game but still came away with a draw. Half the players looked like they were just trying to avoid injury. Imagine the kids will play against West Brom, then that team will start against Sevilla.

I'd go with this against West Brom:

Bogdan

Flanagan Lucas Skrtel Smith

Stewart Allen Branagan

Ibe Benteke Ojo

Subs: Mignolet, Lovren, Randall, Texeira, Milner, Firmino, INGS

Hopefully Danny Ings can then get a run out before the end of the season. 

[Stella]

No one belongs anywhere or is guaranteed anything in modern football now

True. The Championship is home to quite a few 'big' clubs.

[Guest]

Shows how poor Chelsea have been really, Liverpool were dire for 95% of that game but still came away with a draw. Half the players looked like they were just trying to avoid injury. Imagine the kids will play against West Brom, then that team will start against Sevilla.

I'd go with this against West Brom:

Bogdan

Flanagan Lucas Skrtel Smith

Stewart Allen Branagan

Ibe Benteke Ojo

Subs: Mignolet, Lovren, Randall, Texeira, Milner, Firmino, INGS


Hopefully Danny Ings can then get a run out before the end of the season. 

Agreed...think Alan Smith said they may be subconsciously saving themselves for the final. Like f*ck they were doing it subconsciously. Coutinho had the chance to go in for a header in the box and jumped in with his back to the ball in case he got clattered, Sturridge saw a loose ball and...well, thought "F*ck it, it's at least five yards away!"

Disappointing attitude towards trying to secure a top five finish given there's a real possibility we end up with nothing at the end of the season but again, I'm not surprised no-one wants to miss out of the Final. Still, it would be great to see the players on Sunday put in a real shift and Klopp drop a couple of the lily-livered shower from last night as punishment for not making more of an effort.

All that negativity aside, I'm glad we dropped that particular turd of game last night and didn't save it for the final.

[GSC]

Martinez to be sacked before the weekend apparently

[Guest]

De Boer has left Ajax, so looks inevitable to come to the PL

[Guest]

Martinez to be sacked before I finish typing this sentence?

[S.o.F]

Shows how poor Chelsea have been really, Liverpool were dire for 95% of that game but still came away with a draw. Half the players looked like they were just trying to avoid injury. Imagine the kids will play against West Brom, then that team will start against Sevilla.

I'd go with this against West Brom:

Bogdan

Flanagan Lucas Skrtel Smith

Stewart Allen Branagan

Ibe Benteke Ojo

Subs: Mignolet, Lovren, Randall, Texeira, Milner, Firmino, INGS

Hopefully Danny Ings can then get a run out before the end of the season. 

I can envisage a similar line up.......not point risking any potential knocks with could sideline key players.

[Fernando]

Sunderland 3-0

Goodbye Newcastle - No one will miss you

That's the spirit...instead of coming to a great stadium and crowd of 53000 you can enjoy the riverside with ten of their fans if they both to turn up.

You say that like it's a bad thing. Id rather go to Burnley/Middlesborough then listen to another season of how Newcastle are a big club and shouldn't be where you are etc.

[Guest]

Shows how poor Chelsea have been really, Liverpool were dire for 95% of that game but still came away with a draw. Half the players looked like they were just trying to avoid injury. Imagine the kids will play against West Brom, then that team will start against Sevilla.

I'd go with this against West Brom:

Bogdan

Flanagan Lucas Skrtel Smith

Stewart Allen Branagan

Ibe Benteke Ojo

Subs: Mignolet, Lovren, Randall, Texeira, Milner, Firmino, INGS


Hopefully Danny Ings can then get a run out before the end of the season. 

I can envisage a similar line up.......not point risking any potential knocks with could sideline key players.

Think Allen has made a good case for starting the final. Not sure it's a great idea to start Henderson as I fear he could be something of a liability having been out as long as he has. I also think he'll try (if it makes sense) too hard to win the game.

Be nice for Ings to get a run out, I think he's one that could improve under Klopp

[Geordie]

Sunderland 3-0

Goodbye Newcastle - No one will miss you

That's the spirit...instead of coming to a great stadium and crowd of 53000 you can enjoy the riverside with ten of their fans if they both to turn up.

You say that like it's a bad thing. Id rather go to Burnley/Middlesborough then listen to another season of how Newcastle are a big club and shouldn't be where you are etc.

People keep saying it because its true.

Enjoy your trip to Boro anyway you'll outnumber the home fans.

[Fernando]

Sunderland 3-0

Goodbye Newcastle - No one will miss you

That's the spirit...instead of coming to a great stadium and crowd of 53000 you can enjoy the riverside with ten of their fans if they both to turn up.

You say that like it's a bad thing. Id rather go to Burnley/Middlesborough then listen to another season of how Newcastle are a big club and shouldn't be where you are etc.

People keep saying it because its true.

Enjoy your trip to Boro anyway you'll outnumber the home fans.

Just because you have a big stadium doesn't make you a big club Your a sh*te side with a big stadium fella. It's like to trying to claim Darlington were a big side because they had a 25,000 seater stadium in the conference

Cheers atleast they will support their team and not turn on them after 20 mins Enjoy your trip to Burton

[Guest]

To be fair, Farnando, everyone is bored of watching Arsenal fail every year too, that's just as bad as reading about the demise of Newcastle.

[Guest]

Enjoy your trip to Burton

[President Trump]

To be fair, Farnando, everyone is bored of watching Arsenal fail every year too, that's just as bad as reading about the demise of Newcastle.

I love watching them fail

[Fernando]

To be fair, Farnando, everyone is bored of watching Arsenal fail every year too, that's just as bad as reading about the demise of Newcastle.

I love watching them fail

Well that's your theory blown Liam in 1 easy step, In future if going to attempt to bait me at least spell my name correctly, Even my nan can copy & paste and she's pretty much blind

If it was an attempt at an insult it was terrible and no one gets it

[Hero]

Here's one for everyone then...

If you could cherrypick the teams to make up the Premier League from teams across the English divisions which 20 teams would you pick?

[Guest]

It was just a simple spelling mistake, lad. As for Newcastle's trip to Burton, I'm sure they'll have fun, unlike your recent visits to Hillsbrough or Valley Parade (Coral Windows)

[Crimey]

Here's one for everyone then...

If you could cherrypick the teams to make up the Premier League from teams across the English divisions which 20 teams would you pick?

Liverpool
A.F.C. Fylde
A.F.C. Telford United
Alfreton Town
Boston United
Brackley Town
Bradford Park
Avenue Chorley
Corby Town
Curzon Ashton
F.C. United of Manchester
Gainsborough Trinity
Gloucester City
Harrogate Town
Hednesford Town
Lowestoft Town
North Ferriby United
Nuneaton Town
Solihull Moors
Stalybridge Celtic

That way we might win it.

[Hero]

Mine would be:

Man Utd
Liverpool
Arsenal
Chelsea
Man City
Tottenham
Newcastle
Leeds
Aston Villa
Nottingham Forest
West Ham
Southampton
Everton
Blackburn Rovers
Leicester
Wolves
Bolton
Stoke
Sunderland
Sheff Utd

[Hero]

Here's one for everyone then...

If you could cherrypick the teams to make up the Premier League from teams across the English divisions which 20 teams would you pick?

Liverpool
A.F.C. Fylde
A.F.C. Telford United
Alfreton Town
Boston United
Brackley Town
Bradford Park
Avenue Chorley
Corby Town
Curzon Ashton
F.C. United of Manchester
Gainsborough Trinity
Gloucester City
Harrogate Town
Hednesford Town
Lowestoft Town
North Ferriby United
Nuneaton Town
Solihull Moors
Stalybridge Celtic

That way we might win it.

Next year...

[westisbest]

Here's one for everyone then...

If you could cherrypick the teams to make up the Premier League from teams across the English divisions which 20 teams would you pick?

Villa, Blues, Walsall,  Forest, Leicester, Bournemouth, Southend, Coventry, Everton, Blackpool.
Brighton, Saints, Bristol City, Newcastle, Fulham, Ipswich, Reading, Portsmouth, Northampton, QPR.

Based it on some good away days.
Mixture of teams.

[Alistair]

I don't know what's more embarrassing, the West Ham debate or that god awful celebration at the end.

Regardless of what went on before or after it was a cracking game of football, i thought West Ham were superb and it was a great way to bring the curtain down on their ground.

Criticism of Newcastle and the appointment of Rafa is a bit strange. The clamour for Pearson makes me laugh. Yes, he did turn Leicester round; something clearly clicked with them. Lightning doesn't always strike twice. Rafa is a top class manager, known for grinding out results and focusing on the football. That's what he did for them. Unbeaten in their last 5, 3 defeats in 9 games with a squad that was clearly demoralised and full of some poor players. He needed more time; that's for the board their to take the blame for.

Sunderland deserve to stay up, they've been steadily improving and whilst always being in this position isn't good for the club, they have a knack of staying up.

The last day will be interesting; Spurs could end up finishing 3rd, below Arsenal after coming close to winning the title, that would be funny.

[GSC]

Martinez sacked.

Nice guy, but style over substance is a dangerous approach

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Mine would be:

Man Utd
Liverpool
Arsenal
Chelsea
Man City
Tottenham
Newcastle
Leeds
Aston Villa
Nottingham Forest
West Ham
Southampton
Everton
Blackburn Rovers
Leicester
Wolves
Bolton
Stoke
Sunderland
Sheff Utd

Sheff Utd over Sheff Wednesday? Any particular reason?

[Crimey]

Imagine Frank DeBoer is going to come in now. He'll have a good first season, sort the defence out. Then he'll slowly be a bit too boring and slip down the table. Then Everton fans will want someone less rigid who can get the team attacking. 

That's my prediction anyway.

[Guest]

Always mystified over Martinez going to Everton but was delighted at the same time. This is the guy who managed to get Wigan playing well enough to avoid relegation twice but was somehow supposedly the man to take Liverpool to the title and European glory. Nothing about Martinez to suggest he was ever going to be the man to steer any team to anything major. I wanted him nowhere near the Liverpool job. I suppose a mile down the road is as close as he got

Nice guy but started to sound increasing like Rodgers at the end of his Liverpool tenure

[Guest]

De Boer, Mark Hughes & Pellegrini among the front-runners, with Tony Hibbert bringing up the rear, at 100/1

Not sure about De Boer, he's a name, but not proven anything outside the Eredivisie. If Stones & Lukaku also depart, I'm not sure giving De Boer a huge budget is best. He hasn't spent over £10m in one single season at Ajax, to then give him free reign, would be pretty stupid. Manuel won't have the hunger anymore, to go from challenging with City, to mediocrity with Everton, is hardly appealing.

[Hero]

Mine would be:

Man Utd
Liverpool
Arsenal
Chelsea
Man City
Tottenham
Newcastle
Leeds
Aston Villa
Nottingham Forest
West Ham
Southampton
Everton
Blackburn Rovers
Leicester
Wolves
Bolton
Stoke
Sunderland
Sheff Utd

Sheff Utd over Sheff Wednesday? Any particular reason?

Just always preferred them as a club.

[Geordie]

Sunderland 3-0

Goodbye Newcastle - No one will miss you

That's the spirit...instead of coming to a great stadium and crowd of 53000 you can enjoy the riverside with ten of their fans if they both to turn up.

You say that like it's a bad thing. Id rather go to Burnley/Middlesborough then listen to another season of how Newcastle are a big club and shouldn't be where you are etc.

People keep saying it because its true.

Enjoy your trip to Boro anyway you'll outnumber the home fans.

Just because you have a big stadium doesn't make you a big club Your a sh*te side with a big stadium fella. It's like to trying to claim Darlington were a big side because they had a 25,000 seater stadium in the conference

Cheers atleast they will support their team and not turn on them after 20 mins Enjoy your trip to Burton

Sh*ite side with a big stadium that we fill every week fella. And ive never questioned the state of the team. I know we're poor...but that will change.

We'll have fun on our trip to Burton because we'll fill that stadium aswell.

And as for turning on our team after 20 mins.... is that like the large Wenger out Banners strung all over the Emirates?

[Fernando]

Sunderland 3-0

Goodbye Newcastle - No one will miss you

That's the spirit...instead of coming to a great stadium and crowd of 53000 you can enjoy the riverside with ten of their fans if they both to turn up.

You say that like it's a bad thing. Id rather go to Burnley/Middlesborough then listen to another season of how Newcastle are a big club and shouldn't be where you are etc.

People keep saying it because its true.

Enjoy your trip to Boro anyway you'll outnumber the home fans.

Just because you have a big stadium doesn't make you a big club Your a sh*te side with a big stadium fella. It's like to trying to claim Darlington were a big side because they had a 25,000 seater stadium in the conference

Cheers atleast they will support their team and not turn on them after 20 mins Enjoy your trip to Burton

Sh*ite side with a big stadium that we fill every week fella. And ive never questioned the state of the team. I know we're poor...but that will change.

We'll have fun on our trip to Burton because we'll fill that stadium aswell.

And as for turning on our team after 20 mins.... is that like the large Wenger out Banners strung all over the Emirates?

It'll be interesting to see how many show up in the championship...It wasn't that full last time you were there...

It's not hard to fill Burton even other league 1 sides managed it

Difference between a few morons with a banner and most the crowd groaning every time a pass went stray. I wouldn't like to play at St James so much expectation when done nothing for years.

[Alistair]

Avg of 43k+ last time they were down there.

[Hammersmith harrier]

Sunderland hiring Allardyce has shown Benitez's appointment to be as ludicrous as everyone thought, if you're battling relegation you hire a specialist in those positions not a guy who's continually sacked for incompetence at big teams.

Clueless & unsurprising. Was Pulis or Allardyce available? Who else is a PL survival specialist, available then, who's beaten the drop on more than one occasion & never been relegated?

That comment from Hammersmith is a load of rubbish. Benitez has turned the team around in the very limited time he has had. It was the joke before him - Maclaren that was the issue.

If Benitez had had a few extra games I think we'd have been safe even though we didn't deserve it.

Lets hope he stays and totally rebuilds the team...so when we return to the prem we wont be back with the other perennial bottom dwellers Sunderland.

How is it?

Benitez was never going to be the man to keep Newcastle up and it's been years since he's had any sort of success at a club, in fact he still seems to be living off the fluke that was 2005. He's won the odd cup here and there but on the whole he's failed at every single team he's managed.

[Guest]

'Benitez was never going to be the man to save Newcastle'. Yes, HH, well done for stating that now it's all done & dusted. I see you couldn't name me a 'survival specialist', who Newcastle should have appointed at the time, who'd never been relegated on more than one attempt.

Everybody is in agreement, it wasn't the appointment of Rafa that sent the club down or his perceived lack of ability or experience at fighting relegation, the reason they went down, was the limited timeframe he had to work from & the incompetence of Ashley/Charnley not sacking McClaren months before they did. Do you understand that? Rafa turned Newcastle around, the stats prove it. He even had Newcastle matching Sunderland's point per game during his stint, such was the turnaround from them going from certain relegation, to actually having a credible chance of survival.

Now you've gone off on some anti-Liverpool rant about 2005, typical United fan & saying he's failed at every club, when in fact he's won the champions league, Europa league, UEFA Cup, La Liga........should I go on? Failed at Liverpool....no, failed at Valencia....no, failed at Chelsea....no.

[Ent]

Failed at inter, Napoli, real, Newcastle.

Hasn't done anything in club football for nearly a decade, may as eel stay at Newcastle as no one decent will want him now.

[hampo17]

Left a massively ageing squad by Mourinho at Inter, undermined by the big headed naughty naughty boy that is Ronaldo at Real, I mean how good must it be for the star man to instantly turn around and say he won't adapt to the new managers tactics? Harsh to say he's failed at Newcastle when he has improved them and gave them a fighting chance of staying up, but United fans aren't the best at being impartial.

[Guest]

Hasn't done anything in club football for nearly a decade.

He won the Europa League in 2013
He won the Coppa Italia in 2014

[Guest]

Sanchez Flores leaving Watford this summer

[Crimey]

Sanchez Flores leaving Watford this summer

Ridiculous decision. I know they didn't have a great second half to the season, but they were completely safe, focused on the FA Cup and you've got to give him a chance in the new season. Imagine Flores will get a better job now anyway. Not sure who Watford think they can bring in that will do better.

[Stella]

Was he sacked or has he got another job lined up?

[Alistair]

Sanchez Flores leaving Watford this summer

Ridiculous decision. I know they didn't have a great second half to the season, but they were completely safe, focused on the FA Cup and you've got to give him a chance in the new season. Imagine Flores will get a better job now anyway. Not sure who Watford think they can bring in that will do better.

Sky reported Walter Mazzarri was being lined up, which would fit with Watford's fetish for Italians.

If Benitez leaves Newcastle, I think they should seriously consider Flores.

[Guest]

Rumours that Flores is in line for a job at Valencia (TalkSport)

May as well blame Shearer for not saving Newcastle when he was at the helm for a few games as blame Rafa for this season's relegation. Not given enough time and had to work with a squad who seriously didn't give a flying one when he took over.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Sanchez Flores leaving Watford this summer

Ridiculous decision. I know they didn't have a great second half to the season, but they were completely safe, focused on the FA Cup and you've got to give him a chance in the new season. Imagine Flores will get a better job now anyway. Not sure who Watford think they can bring in that will do better.

They've been really awful in 2016 - fairly sure only Villa have picked up less points so not sure it's the disgrace you paint it to be - and as others have said he has been linked to other jobs, so best to get it sorted early imo

Also Watford have a pretty good record bringing in managers. I remember everyone was outraged they didn't renew Jokanovic's contract last summer...

[GSC]

As much as Benitez has become Mourinho in a 5 match unbeaten run, it really shouldn't be forgotten that he masterminded a loss to Norwich and barely sneaked a draw against Sunderland.

His Inter spell was a disaster. Real wasn't much better. Napoli was merely passable at best. His Liverpool side seriously challenged for the PL title as many times as Rodgers' did. At Chelsea he inherited a CL winning side at Chelsea and won the Europa League while maintaining 3rd place.

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