Premier League Discussion Thread Season 2014-15

[weasel]

A great start for Northern Ireland with a win away in Hungary. Most be backed with a home win against the Faroes tho

Great result. Only saw 30 seconds of the game, and managed to time it just so i saw the Hungarians take the lead.

Have a look at Norn Iron's record against the Faroes :roll:


Read an article the other day asking why Roy Hodgson was still in charge of England given how badly you did in the WC and you didn't exactly set the world alight at the last Euros either. Cant say i could find fault with any of the arguments. About the only thing i could think was the lack of viable alternatives to replace him, though, if that's all that is keeping him in a job that's a sad indictment of the management if the FA.

 

[PGowdy]

A great start for Northern Ireland with a win away in Hungary. Most be backed with a home win against the Faroes tho

Great result. Only saw 30 seconds of the game, and managed to time it just so i saw the Hungarians take the lead.

Have a look at Norn Iron's record against the Faroes :roll:


Read an article the other day asking why Roy Hodgson was still in charge of England given how badly you did in the WC and you didn't exactly set the world alight at the last Euros either. Cant say i could find fault with any of the arguments. About the only thing i could think was the lack of viable alternatives to replace him, though, if that's all that is keeping him in a job that's a sad indictment of the management if the FA.

He's mainly still the manager cos none cares anymore. Everyone recognises that it just doesn't matter. Did you hear the public calling for his head after finishing bottom in the group at the world cup? Nope, me neither. 10 years ago there would have been a massive outcry for "change!" and "get him out!"
When the whole nation expects ****, all the manager has to do is provide **** or slightly better.

 

[weasel]

You're probably very right. I just think it's a self perpetuating thing now. He is a dull turgid manager, his teams are politely described as "work-man like" ie dull, and that bores the **** out of the fans and they end losing interest, hence there's no pressure on him and he continues like before.

I don't know if another manager would be any more successful, this is the weakest England squad I can remember since '92. But surely they could at least provide a bit of excitement!?

I don't normally join in the auld 'sack the manager, we need an experienced/English manager' BS, but as a neutral all I see is Hodgson sucking the life out of that squad.

 

[Dark Sith Lord]

Thats Euro2016 qualifed for then :lol: :roll:

 

[Dark Sith Lord]

Spurs set to play away from WHL for a season - http://www.itv.com/sport/football/article/2014-09-10/spurs-set-to-spend-season-away-from-white-hart-lane/

 

[weasel]

Would Arsenal lend them the Emirates every other weekend, do you think? :lol:

 

[edd_jedi]

Would Arsenal lend them the Emirates every other weekend, do you think? :lol:

I imagine most Spurs fans would rather see them play in MK than at the Emirates :lol:

 

[weasel]

Lol, yeah, I suspect you might be right. Either that or they'd wreck it.

 

[edd_jedi]

Surprised by the lack of comments following the weekends results, quite a few shocks! (and sour grapes I assume, myself included :lol: )

Love the way the papers seem to think Utd are back on track because they beat QPR 4-0, surely that makes Spurs title contenders too!?

 

[PGowdy]

Surprised by the lack of comments following the weekends results, quite a few shocks! (and sour grapes I assume, myself included :lol: )

Love the way the papers seem to think Utd are back on track because they beat QPR 4-0, surely that makes Spurs title contenders too!?

Yeah, i'm feeling more of a spectator to the league right now. Just not feeling involved or enthused as a Spurs fan. Having said that i am going to watch them next weekend for the first time in ages. :roll: :lol:
Early season i going basically how one expects early season to go. A few surprising results, which is not surprising. Chelsea getting off to a strong start which is exactly what most people thought might happen.
Brendan Rogers put his name in the hat as an early contender for Muppet of the season. Seriously, What the **** was he thinking????!! Might rest my best player in this crucial league game against an in form Villa. With Sturridge out and Llalana coming back from a long injury. yeah, that definitely won't back-fire. :roll: :roll: Idiot.
Lots of big signings for Arsenal but they generally look about as good as they do every season. Which is to say; good. But with issues and looking like 3rd or 4th place finishers at best.
Man Utd are looking a lot stronger with their new signings and definitely have goals in the side, more so than Arsenal or Liverpool, i must say, but with utter duds like Evans and Blackett (seriously?!) in their defence (their best possible defence!) they may struggle at the back and against the bigger teams may get found out. Also, the inclusion of Falcao will mean playing Rooney deeper in midfield (a position i think much more suited to his game these days) will mean dropping either Mata or Herrera which is a bit of a worry.
I've not changed my mind about anything i thought pre-season really. The top 2 will be Chelsea and Man City and the next 3 will be Arsenal, Liverpool and Man Utd. Tho i'm not sure in which order. Spurs will continue their "also-ran" stays that they've become so very fond of.

 

[weasel]

The top 2 will be Chelsea and Man City and the next 3 will be Arsenal, Liverpool and Man Utd. Tho i'm not sure in which order. Spurs will continue their "also-ran" stays that they've become so very fond of.

Agreed on that. I think I predicted that in the pre season predictions thread (he says not having checked it and hoping he's not gonna look daft)

I thought Liverpool were really poor against Villa. I only saw the last hour, but they were devoid of ideas and the movement off the ball, something they are supposed to be very good at, was non-existent. I agree resting Sterling was strange. I see why he did it, but not sure it was the right time/game to do it. Still everything is easy with hindsight.

As for Utd, they did look good, but QPR were utterly woeful. If I was Tony Fernandez I'd be asking Harry WTF he is doing, cos that wasn't even Championship standard. Have a look at Utd's fourth goal, 4 QPR defenders and 2 midfielders in the picture when Di Maria has the ball. There is ONE Utd player for him to pass to, and not a single QPR defender within 10 yards of him. Mata just stands on the edge of the box and Rio Ferdinand feels no need to go anywhere near him. That's shameful especially for someone with so much experience. It could be excused if Di Maria was in a dangerous position but he's about 7 yards off the ****ing touch line! Pathetic.

Chelsea look good, sadly. Though a lot does depend on Costa staying fit.

As for the CL last night, Liverpool picked up where they left off. Ballotelli couldn't look less interested if he dragged on an arm chair light a pipe and started to read the paper. Coutinho did nothing but pass to players in green shirts and Lallana is rusty as ****, understandably so, but then why not introduce him gradually? As for Borini coming on ahead of Lambert..........

 

[PGowdy]

The top 2 will be Chelsea and Man City and the next 3 will be Arsenal, Liverpool and Man Utd. Tho i'm not sure in which order. Spurs will continue their "also-ran" stays that they've become so very fond of.

Agreed on that. I think I predicted that in the pre season predictions thread (he says not having checked it and hoping he's not gonna look daft)

I thought Liverpool were really poor against Villa. I only saw the last hour, but they were devoid of ideas and the movement off the ball, something they are supposed to be very good at, was non-existent. I agree resting Sterling was strange. I see why he did it, but not sure it was the right time/game to do it. Still everything is easy with hindsight.

Actually, i said to a mate before the game that that's arguably the stupidest thing any manager has ever done.
Sterling is a healthy, young, professional footballer and he hadn't played since the previous monday. Their best striker is out. There next best midfielder is not match fit and the only game they've got coming up is a next to meaningless half friendly against an unknown in the Champions league. Liverpool have (had) a slither of a chance of finishing in the top 2 in the premier league. They have next to no chance of winning the Champions League. Sterling is 19. He will need resting eventually but probably not for at least 15 years. :roll:
It really is one of the dumbest moves anyone in football has ever made. And it cost them. And i'm glad it cost them because now he looks exactly as stupid as he should do.
My belief is he did it to prove a point in the wake of Sturridge getting injured on England duty because they didn't rest him in one of the games. Which makes it even stupider. :roll:

 

[weasel]

Football manager is stupid...........shock, horror! Lol

On that note, Ludogrets were a lot better than I thought last night. I don't think it was a case f Liverpool under-estimating them. I think Liverpool were just ****. But, Ludogrets were no pusher overs at all. I can see them getting points off Basel of Liverpool in the return leg.

 

[weasel]

Well, that was ****!

 

[Dark Sith Lord]

What a finish from Dia Maria :shock:

 

[Dark Sith Lord]

Mark Clattenburg what are you doing :roll:

 

[Dark Sith Lord]

I can only laugh now :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Richard_H]

If SAF was still in charge that would not have been a pen. In about another 15 years all the dodgy OT decisions would have evened themselves out. :lol:
And they still got 6 mins injury time. :lol:

 

[Dark Sith Lord]

Right.

We can feel more than aggrieved at that first pen decision which is truly baffling however when your as wank as wea re at the back then you dont deserve to win.

The only postive is the loss of Blackett

Edit Vardy has just admitted it wasnt a pen. Hope your proud Mr Clattenburg

 

[Richard_H]

Possibly the worst refereeing decision I've seen for a long time.