2012/13 Premier League discussion thread part 3

[Guest]

First topic message reminder :

Let the talk, arguments, disagreements and bickering continue...

I really fancy a Spurs win today.

[JamesLincs]

BALE IS UNSTOPPABLE! bullet into top corner from 20 yards

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Holtby has again changed the game since he has been on. Looking like a classy little player

[The Special Juan]

Nani for Bale?

[JamesLincs]

na, you're alright

[JamesLincs]

gallas coming on, west brom to win 2-1

[JamesLincs]

good performance! wonderful goal. 3 valuable points. the only negative was losing defoe.

holtby is very very impressive, reminds me of gerrard or scholes. all over the pitch. i honestly think we could cope without a striker. parker to do the defending, holtby to dictate play, dembele to carry the ball. dempsey to possibly play that forward role and bale and lennon to destroy the wings. holtby could be a key signing.

[The Special Juan]

Good first half that. I won't say Liverpool were unlucky to be behind because it was a superb cross but they were definitely the better team. That was a very good finish from Sturridge.

[JamesLincs]

it was a fantastic cross. i expect liverpool will play well again before eventually losing late on or conceding to draw

[mystiroakey]

Vintage GERRARD..


what a goal

1-2 liverpool

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS ME WHAT A STRIKE

[JamesLincs]

city wont be coming back i dont think. uniteds title for sure now

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Mancini responds by bringing on Maicon for David Silva #headsgone #titlesgone

[JamesLincs]

bloody hell, whats reina doing

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

WASS REINA DURN BUH??!?! #headsgone #leadsgone

[Guest]

De Gea>Reina

He should be ashamed of himself. Two quality strikes to lead the game an he throws all his team mates hard work away

Cracking finish though

[The Special Juan]

Gerrard He normally does one of those a season so I won't be expecting anymore until 2014. Reina.... He'll fit in well at Barcelona as Valdes' replacement, that's for sure. A fantastic finish from Aguero though; I'm still not sure how he managed to get it in!! It's been a really engrossing game though and I think Liverpool will be bemoaning that one silly mistake which cost them 2 points. City just haven't been at the races.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Big opportunity missed by Liverpool today and against Arsenal. Both games were well in there grasp, and they've blown leads in both of them when really they should have won both.

[GSC]

Have to wonder whether Mancini would still be manager of Man City tomorrow with a loss

[Duty281]

Not looking good for City now, 9 points adrift. Gerrard - what a peach!

[GSC]

City probably need to go unbeaten to retain the title now.

Liverpools designs on 4th spot, if any remain, hanging by a thread. Now 9 points of 4th and 3 clubs ahead in the queue

[The Special Juan]

I've just found out that Liverpool haven't beaten a side in the top half of the table this season. That's why they aren't too near 4th.

[Guest]

Liverpool are improving though, slowly but surely Rodgers is turning them around....if sturridge and Suarez can score reguarly, and they buy a CB...then next season could be promising for them.

[Lumbering_Jack]

Sturridge learning at the school of Suarez. Disgraceful dive...

And Suarez need to be sanctioned for his constant abuse of refs. Not just Suarez who does it I admit, refs need to just start booking anyone who answers back to them.

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Welcome three points for the Hammers yesterday.

Difficult to predict who will go down. QPR despite a revival under Harry still look odds on to go down. You would think all the teams who have scored 27 or more points (Newcastle upwards) after 25 games really ought to be safe.

Both Reading and Southampton look capable of getting points fairly regularly. Which may leave Villa and Wigan to remain stuck in the drop zone. But at times Wigan have played stylish football and have looked more than capable of surviving so they may yet put together a run.

With no great confidence I predict QPR, Wigan and Southampton to go down. (Mainly I admit in case of Saints as I would like to see the move to get rid of Adkins backfire.)

[Guest]

Super Mario has only gone and scored on his Milan debut!

[JamesLincs]

anyone else see real madrid lost away at granada thanks to a cristiano ronaldo own goal?

[Guest]

anyone else see real madrid lost away at granada thanks to a cristiano ronaldo own goal?

Yeah I backed Madrid to win that match at halftime. They are having a shocking season and I fancy Utd to do them in the CL.

[Crimey]

I don't think the Reina mistake is as bad as people are making out, most players after being pushed into that position wouldn't have taken the shot and Reina has successfully done that before where they are forced into the corner before the defence steps in.

A bit disappointing though that it's 2 points from the last two games when 6 points were so close.

[Guest]

Gotta be happy with the performance today Crimey? I thought we were excellent and are starting to look like a team.

[Crimey]

Gotta be happy with the performance today Crimey? I thought we were excellent and are starting to look like a team.

Didn't see the game unfortunately only the highlights. There is obvious positives, but playing well has never been the problem, it's turning that good performances into results which is still the main problem and hasn't been fixed since Dalglish took over.

[TopHat24/7]

Have to wonder whether Mancini would still be manager of Man City tomorrow with a loss

Reckon Mancini is looking poorer and poorer as a manager by the day. Should be a cake-walk with the resources at his disposal. Look at how unbeatable the Chelsea sides of Mourinho's era were when he was able to spend that big, Mancini pales in comparison.

[mystiroakey]

He wont manager another season at city., I would put my laptop on it!

[Stella]

Are City out of the title race?

They don't look as good as last season and are missing Toure but you never know. Even Fergie feels pressure.

[TopHat24/7]

It was wider, arguably, last season (i.e. 6 points adrift with 8 games to play, or something like that) but at least then they still looked dangerous and that they could do it - which they duly did.

This season their teeth just don't look as sharp therefore 9 points clear with 13 to play looks a tougher prospect for Citeh. Not that anyone else will be catching them or United.

[Fernando]

QPR fear that £8million striker Loic Remy could be out for two months with the injury he suffered in training

Money well spent

[Liam]

Absolute disaster for QPR if that's the case. Mackie the lone striker will not be keeping them up anytime soon. Who've they got now?

Bothroyd
Zamora
Johnson (?)

[Hibbz]

Sturridge learning at the school of Suarez. Disgraceful dive...

And Suarez need to be sanctioned for his constant abuse of refs. Not just Suarez who does it I admit, refs need to just start booking anyone who answers back to them.

I thought of you Jack when watching a few minutes of the QPR v Norwich match. Grant Holt the 6" 25 stone lump collapsed with no contact and gained a free kick. Holt and the QPR centre back Clint Hill exchanged knowing smiles. Seems to be becoming excepted amongst the players.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Sturridge learning at the school of Suarez. Disgraceful dive...

And Suarez need to be sanctioned for his constant abuse of refs. Not just Suarez who does it I admit, refs need to just start booking anyone who answers back to them.

I thought of you Jack when watching a few minutes of the QPR v Norwich match. Grant Holt the 6" 25 stone lump collapsed with no contact and gained a free kick. Holt and the QPR centre back Clint Hill exchanged knowing smiles. Seems to be becoming excepted amongst the players.

Yeah that was pretty bad

[Hibbz]

He's obviously improved his diving technique since his Forest days as his attempts back then were just comical.

Actually his whole game was pretty comical not quite sure how he's been such a success at Norwich.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

He's obviously improved his diving technique since his Forest days as his attempts back then were just comical.

Actually his whole game was pretty comical not quite sure how he's been such a success at Norwich.

Because his game isn't comical anymore...(bar that dive of course)

[Crimey]

I think Mancini isn't as good as Mourinho, hardly anybody is, but I do think the blame shouldn't be laid solely at his door this season. I honestly think that this year the only big money signing for City to be performing at the level expected is James Milner! A player I don't rate at all, but he's one of the few players who seem to be playing with any drive and passion. Big players like Kompany, Toure, Silva and Aguero have all actually been pretty poor this year and when the core of your side are out of form it's hard for Mancini to anything, do people think he'd be better off dropping those players?

The fact is that none of the players in the side have experience of defending titles in England apart from Tevez and Kolo Toure, it's a new experience for them and it's clearly very different to chasing the title. This year there has been a lot more pressure on them than there has been on United and it has shown, United have been free to attack games where as City have been very tentative, terrified to lose games and it has led to them not doing as well as last year where they were very confident.

[Lumbering_Jack]

Sturridge learning at the school of Suarez. Disgraceful dive...

And Suarez need to be sanctioned for his constant abuse of refs. Not just Suarez who does it I admit, refs need to just start booking anyone who answers back to them.

I thought of you Jack when watching a few minutes of the QPR v Norwich match. Grant Holt the 6" 25 stone lump collapsed with no contact and gained a free kick. Holt and the QPR centre back Clint Hill exchanged knowing smiles. Seems to be becoming excepted amongst the players.

I've not seen it, I'll check it out. It is getting too far now, I mean people are actually praising players when they stay on their feet. It should be expected.

Fantastic atmosphere at St James on sat, last 10 minutes were deafening.

Chelsea fans are a funny lot too. At one nil down the "Rafa out" banner came out. They equalised and it went away. When they went 2 - 1 up still not sign. Then at 2-2 itv was back out again. Fickle.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Glad Norwich have been awarded category 1 status for there academy. Means we can recruit nationally now and aren't restricted by the silly 90 minute rule! Most of our catchment area under that rule was the frickin sea!!!

[Ent]

Glad Norwich have been awarded category 1 status for there academy. Means we can recruit nationally now and aren't restricted by the silly 90 minute rule! Most of our catchment area under that rule was the frickin sea!!!

When did this change Olly, last I heard every club had 90 minute restrictions or had to pay compensation to the boys local club.

It ruined the academy system in this country IMO.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

You have to apply for category 1 status Ent which means you can recruit from around the country.

Basically the big clubs have category 1 status meaning they can just nick lower league clubs prospects from there catchment areas.

The 90 minute rule is just ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous

[Fernando]

does this means your going to stop turning yourself into Leeds then Olly.....

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

That's the idea Nando! Gonna become someone more exotic now

[Ent]

You have to apply for category 1 status Ent which means you can recruit from around the country.

Basically the big clubs have category 1 status meaning they can just nick lower league clubs prospects from there catchment areas.

The 90 minute rule is just ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous

Yes Olly but that was not always the case, when the rules first came in it applied to anyone and led to situations like paying £500k for Kieran Richardson aged 13/14.

It essentially f**ked the academy system and diverted the big clubs towards poaching european youngsters - instead of the original aim in putting money into lower league sides.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Well I agree Ent. The damage has been done, but at least we're category 1 now so we don't have to adhere to this stupid 90 minute rule.

[The Special Juan]

Bale > Ronaldo. True or false?

http://www.skysports.com/opinion/story/0,25212,12088_8477969,00.html

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