2012/13 Premier League discussion thread part 4

[Guest]

First topic message reminder :

We are now entering the business end of the season!

Now Utd more or less have the title sewn up it's all about the relegation scrap and the race for the Champions League spots.

Game on.

[The Special Juan]

Kean In! This might be a good move for Sunderland funnily enough. I think MON is a triffic manager but they were in a similar situation last season and replacing their manager worked really well.

[GSC]

Think MON was only taking Sunderland 1 way. Something needed changing to keep them up.

[Guest]

I agree. He's not really improved anything up there. I always felt he was destined for a top top job in this country. That ship has probably sailed now.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Kean In! This might be a good move for Sunderland funnily enough. I think MON is a triffic manager but they were in a similar situation last season and replacing their manager worked really well.

Much longer left last season, and O'Neill coming in always does well for a bit.

This is either gonna seal their fate or inspire them to safety. Who the heck are they gonna bring in though?

[GSC]

If I had to guess, Di Matteo

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Good luck whoever has to come into this mess.

Team looks more devoid of attacking ideas than we do

[Guest]

Good luck whoever has to come into this mess.

Team looks more devoid of attacking ideas than we do

They were complete guff against your lot Olly. Not looking good for them.

[The Special Juan]

Kean In! This might be a good move for Sunderland funnily enough. I think MON is a triffic manager but they were in a similar situation last season and replacing their manager worked really well.

Much longer left last season, and O'Neill coming in always does well for a bit.

This is either gonna seal their fate or inspire them to safety. Who the heck are they gonna bring in though?

He's a great man manager, just not the best with money

Next.... I don't know. Who's about at the moment? Is Curbishley the odds on favourite? I don't think any Championship club will give up their manager just now so maybe just a filler until the end of the season.

[Guest]

Never understood all the love for Curbishley. A so-so manager at best.

[GSC]

Poyet almost went to Reading. Would be the only manager from the top 7 available though

[GSC]

Yeah I wouldn't hand Curbishley my club.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Never understood all the love for Curbishley. A so-so manager at best.

He hasn't managed for like 4-5 years now? I never understand why he's in the frame. Bring back Lawrie Sanchez!

[Guest]

Never understood all the love for Curbishley. A so-so manager at best.

He hasn't managed for like 4-5 years now? I never understand why he's in the frame. Bring back Lawrie Sanchez!

What's Sven doing these days?

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Never understood all the love for Curbishley. A so-so manager at best.

He hasn't managed for like 4-5 years now? I never understand why he's in the frame. Bring back Lawrie Sanchez!

What's Sven doing these days?

Peter Reid must be knocking around somewhere!

Do people reckon we've seen the last of O'Neill? I think we have

[The Special Juan]

Never understood all the love for Curbishley. A so-so manager at best.

He hasn't managed for like 4-5 years now? I never understand why he's in the frame. Bring back Lawrie Sanchez!

What's Sven doing these days?

Peter Reid must be knocking around somewhere!

Do people reckon we've seen the last of O'Neill? I think we have

I don't think so. I think some clubs will be queuing up for him. If he gets the balance right he can create some great teams. His Villa squad were really good and, ok they finished 6th a couple of times without going higher, they were robbed of a League Cup.

[Guest]

Can't see where O'Neil goes from here.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Never understood all the love for Curbishley. A so-so manager at best.

He hasn't managed for like 4-5 years now? I never understand why he's in the frame. Bring back Lawrie Sanchez!

What's Sven doing these days?

Peter Reid must be knocking around somewhere!

Do people reckon we've seen the last of O'Neill? I think we have

I don't think so. I think some clubs will be queuing up for him. If he gets the balance right he can create some great teams. His Villa squad were really good and, ok they finished 6th, they were robbed of a League Cup.

Yeah but where Villa are now, is his legacy unfortunately.

I'm not a O'Neill fan. Good short term motivator, but long-term he is shaky

[Guest]

Sunderland's run in and my predictions for it:

Chelsea (a) L
Newcastle (a) L
Everton (h) D
A Villa (a) L
Stoke (h) W
Southampton (h) W
Spurs (a) L

Two wins and a draw might just be enough?

[The Special Juan]

Never understood all the love for Curbishley. A so-so manager at best.

He hasn't managed for like 4-5 years now? I never understand why he's in the frame. Bring back Lawrie Sanchez!

What's Sven doing these days?

Peter Reid must be knocking around somewhere!

Do people reckon we've seen the last of O'Neill? I think we have

I don't think so. I think some clubs will be queuing up for him. If he gets the balance right he can create some great teams. His Villa squad were really good and, ok they finished 6th, they were robbed of a League Cup.

Yeah but where Villa are now, is his legacy unfortunately.

I'm not a O'Neill fan. Good short term motivator, but long-term he is shaky

Not his fault. I think he bailed at the right time (just about, I think leaving a couple of days before the start of the season was cheeky).

[Guest]

I think his best work was Leicester though getting Celtic to a UEFA Cup final was some achievement. His Villa sides always seemed to fold at the final third of the season. He failed to utilise his squad at Villa Park well enough.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

O'Neill seems the type who would happily fight to prove himself, I can imagine him chomping at the bit to prove he still has it.

What a year at the bottom, its always more exciting than the title chase for my money, the final game of last season maybe an exception.

Wigan and Villa will pick up some wins, 38/39 points could be the line.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Big game for Villa/Liverpool this. As a Norwich fan I hope for a Pool win but I think Villa will take the 3 points

[The Special Juan]

Benteke hates/loves Liverpool. Is that his 3rd against them this season?

[NickisBHAFC]

Aston Villa 1-0 Liverpool at half time.

Great 1st half, Villa playing some decent football tbf to them. Going to be a very interesting 2nd half!

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Liverpool need Sturridge on so badly. Rodgers has gotta make that change

[TopoftheChops]

Lovely finish from Henderson, poor defending though

[NickisBHAFC]

What a miss, that will come to bite Liverpool i recon!

[Dave.]

Still, a draw makes things interesting.

Stoke, Norwich and Newcastle being dragged into the mire.

[Guest]

What a lunge that was.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Poor defending for both goals by Villa. Silly tackle by Baker, no need for it.

Don't rule them out yet

[NickisBHAFC]

What a pointless foul by Baker, just pure silliness. Really has mucked this up for his team. Good pen by Stevie G none the less, but im still expecting a strong Villa finish in the last 20 minutes or so.

[Hulking_up]

Phew

[NickisBHAFC]

Big win for Liverpool, with that defeat, QPR really do need to win tomorrow night at Fulham.

[westisbest]

Same old Poopie from Villa.
Stupid needless errors, costing us games.

Should have got something out of that game.
Gabby's shot couple of inches either side of Reina.
Gerrard's clearence off the line, fair play to him.

We passed it round well I thought, but no end product.
Even a point would have taken us out of the bottom 3 and given us confidence.

Stoke away next sat.
Winnable game, feel it may be a draw.

Need QPR to lose tomorrow.

Next saturdays fixtures are interesting at the bottom.

Stoke v Villa
Reading v Saints
QPR v Wigan.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Games against Liverpool aren't gonna define your season West, anything from that would have been a bonus. 1st half I thought you were sensational.

You beat Stoke next week that drags them right in. Please please do!

[GSC]

I still think a year in the Championship would help Villa more tbh. Blood the youngsters at a better level for them and build a stronger unit.

[Stella]

I still think a year in the Championship would help Villa more tbh. Blood the youngsters at a better level for them and build a stronger unit.

There's no guarantee of getting out of the championship though. Best to try and stay up and hope you improve.

[GSC]

True, but as it is I struggle to see Villa go anywhere. Their standout player this season in Benteke looks likely to be off. Can be argued it helped Newcastle and Andy Carroll establish momentum.

[Stella]

Look at the big clubs who have not bounced back. I like Villa, hope they up. Sunderland may do them a favour, by joining QPR and Reading.

[GSC]

Its true, but Villa don't seem as poorly managed as Wolves, nor quite as broke as others.

[NickisBHAFC]

No i agree with GSC on this one, his point is very valid and all being well them going down and coming back up at the first attempt could be extremely good for the football club. However if it goes wrong it could end up like many sides we have seen drop into the Championship and they realize how tough that league actually is and they don't come back up.

[Stella]

You agree with both of us then

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Not a road you want to take. Forest, Derby, Leeds, Bradford, Swindon etc etc would all say what goes down does not necessarily come back up and the risk of going even further can crush you. Its only helpful in hindsight. We (West Ham) got through it and bounced back up but the financial risk is obvious, especially with the huge increase in TV money next year. This is the season everyone really wants to survive cos that big hit of money next year will clear debts and competitors will take a step ahead. And I really think we were the best side in that league last year, but theres a whole different set of pressure as a bigger club reshaping yourself. Teams come at you differently, know the league better and you have to remotivate fallen troops.

It could do some of the younger players the world of good, but then why would all of them stay? I'd be looking at some of those players and seeing potential that is now available a little cheaper. And they then have to deal with a physical style of play that can affect younger players. Lambert seems desperate not to sign any older heads, but in the Championship you need those sorts. Abdoulaye Faye was a rock for us last season, but not Prem quality. Villa would need that kind of player in their ranks.

I think they'll stay up anyway, there was a lot to take heart from in that performance and Benteke is a monster

[GSC]

As you say, its a gamble, but the way Villa are going they'll end up there eventually. You need your proven Championship grinders I agree, but if your young players can establish momentum down there, they can carry it into the PL.

Just a different viewpoint.

[GSC]

Di Canio might be just what Sunderland needed. Sunderland were heading down with a whimper under O'Neill, they needed a boot up the backside.

They won't go down quietly under Di Canio, thats for sure

[westisbest]

I think if we went down we'd struggle to come back up.

Still 7 games to go.
Stoke A- d/w
Fulham H - d
Man Utd A - l
Sunderland H - w/d
Norwich A - l, despite our 4-1 cup win there.
Chelsea H - l
Wigan A - god knows, maybe that whoever wins stays up.

So thats at least 7/8 more points we could get.
That puts us on 38. Who knows if that will be enough.
Nerve wracking stuff. Had enough of this relegation rubbish.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Indeed, its a completely fair point, its just one of those that only come out when the positives run out!

Paolo would kick Sunderland into life. Whether he has it long term who knows, but they'd be given a rocket up the a*se thats for sure

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

I think if we went down we'd struggle to come back up.

Still 7 games to go.
Stoke A- d/w
Fulham H - d
Man Utd A - l
Sunderland H - w/d
Norwich A - l, despite our 4-1 cup win there.
Chelsea H - l
Wigan A - god knows, maybe that whoever wins stays up.

So thats at least 7/8 more points we could get.
That puts us on 38. Who knows if that will be enough.
Nerve wracking stuff. Had enough of this relegation rubbish.

You should be beating Sunderland and Fulham at home really!

I think 37/38 will keep you up

[GSC]

Di Canio to Sunderland official.

This should be good

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Very generous of Sunderland to basically volunteer to take the final relegation place.

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