Barclays Premier League 13/14 Thread Part 'x'

[monty junior]

First topic message reminder :

It is kind of weird CS that Duty considers us an elite club and the quality of players (that Wenger has signed) and our CL football as the main reasons, but then he considers Wenger a failure. It looks like a logical inconsistency to me. And I can't name 10 clubs in Europe bigger or better than we are.

Bigger - Manchester United, Liverpool, AC Milan
Better - Chelsea, Manchester City, Barcelona, Real Madrid, PSG, Bayern Munich, Dortmund/Napoli.

There we go. The first three have better history and are a "bigger" club in that respect. The other seven are just...better.

Is that why Napoli got knocked of our CL group. Dortmund is nowhere near the team they were earlier in the year when we played in CL in terms of injuries and we split with them. If you really want to measure we have to look at criteria. If it is "better" I disagree certainly with regards to Dortmund and Napoli as of right now or throughout the season. Dortmund is behind Schalke and Leverkusen and neither one of those teams are all that mighty this year. Here are the teams if I am ranking the "better" aspect

1. Bayern
2. real
3. Barca
4. Chelsea
5. PSG
6. Juventus
7. Man City
8. Atleti
9. Arsenal

So Arsenal are in the top 10, even if you would rate Dortmund who is on the skids right now as being better, which I don't. Liverpool would have a fair shout right now at coming in ahead of us. That would still put us in the top 10 in terms of quality.

Dortmund are a fairly comfortable second now and are almost certainly in to the CL quarters. Depends what you regard as elite, for me the word elite is the very very best like Bayern, Real, Barca even Man U, teams who have a history of domestic and European domination. Arsenal are the level below, certainly no disgrace.

[compelling and rich]

their form has been no different than that of last year when we romped the league

[Ent]

ent,

ferdinand
vidic
evra

old players who are past it and looked past it last season. the writing was on the wall with these 3, and they've been badly exposed this season, especially evra.

I'd say Carrick has been dissapointing this season also. We lack a robson/keane in the middle along with a scholes, positions that should have been sorted a long time ago and now we're paying for it. We have no chance of getting Kroos/Gundongen in the summer imo. I think we missed a trick this summer by not getting Strootman. Until his injury he has been outstanding for roma this season and is exactly the player utd needed, plus he's only young.

Ferdinand was very good last season and his fitness was managed superbly, Moyes picks him for 7 games in a row at the start of the season - drops him for months then brings him back out of the cold for some big games. What does he expect? He's 35, how on earth is he going to stay fit with no game time.

Giggs has barely kicked a ball, Carrick has been woeful, Hernandez got 18 goals and 6 assists last season - he has 8 goals and 3 assists so far this season (4 in the CC). Kagawa - 0 and 0, 6 and 5 last year.

He may not have a championship winning squad but he has one full of very good players and has spent nearly 65 million pounds on it. We shouldn't be anywhere near the position we are in.

[mystiroakey]

West Ham pick the same team that watched Man United beat them on Saturday. Awful

1-1 draw today.

[Fernando]

Scousers 1-0 Sunderland - Gerrard FK. Vergini lucky not to be Sent off.

West Ham are 1-0 vs Hull through a Mark Noble pen. Hull down to 10 men.

[mystiroakey]

It was kind of a deserved outcome- still 11 men on but a goal down..

[lfc91]

Thoughts so far, joe allen is still a brutal player. Defies belief that his passing can be so poor when that was supposedly his best attribute when we bought him! Sunderland defended well mostly, lucky to still have 11 men though.

[mystiroakey]

You can certainly tell the difference without sterling whizzing about on that side. Still a decent first half- but Poyet has been sitting back making it very hard for liverpool. Set pieces are so important in these games

[lfc91]

Sunderland will know that if it gets to 75/80 mins at this score they could pinch a goal, are defence hasnt been rock solid after all. Would love to see sterling on, 3 guesses who id like to see him replace...

[Fernando]

West Ham 1-1 Hull -Jelavic
West Ham 2-1 Hull - Chester OG

[Fernando]

Scousers 2-0 Blunderland - Sturridge

[The Special Juan]

Allen or Cleverley?

[Hulking_up]

The Coutinho that has been missing for a while looks to have finally shown up.

[lfc91]

Allen or Cleverley?

Hard to say, neither very good in my opinion. Probably more a case of who is less bad than who is better!

[The Special Juan]

Who is Vergini? Where did he come from? How does he steal a living as a footballer?

[Fernando]

Who is Vergini?  Where did he come from?  How does he steal a living as a footballer?

He is on loan from Estudiantes. I suspect he will be going back   

Cattermole & Sturridge have hit the bar.

[Fernando]

Scousers 2-1 Blunderland - Ki

Unsurprisingly the one player that can pass a ball coming on has made all the difference for Sunderland.

Sturridge off for Sterling

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Do not screw this up Liverpool

[The Special Juan]

Who is Vergini?  Where did he come from?  How does he steal a living as a footballer?

He is on loan from Estudiantes. I suspect he will be going back   

Cattermole & Sturridge have hit the bar.

They took a random CB on loan from a South American club? Did they not know Roger Johnson was available?

[Fernando]

Who is Vergini?  Where did he come from?  How does he steal a living as a footballer?

He is on loan from Estudiantes. I suspect he will be going back   

Cattermole & Sturridge have hit the bar.

They took a random CB on loan from a South American club?  Did they not know Roger Johnson was available?

Im not sure that's a better option plus Vergini doesn't get relegated on a seasonly basis   

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Arguably the worst ive seen us play. Booed at full time even though we won. Closer to #allardyceout than at any point in the losing run

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

There isn't a worse striker in the prem than altidore

God he's pants

[Fernando]

There isn't a worse striker in the prem than altidore

God he's pants

Bendtner? Elmander? Sagbo? Maiga?

FT Scousers 2-1 Blunderland

[Hulking_up]

Phew.
Harder then it should have been.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

There isn't a worse striker in the prem than altidore

God he's pants

Bendtner? Elmander? Sagbo? Maiga?

FT Scousers 2-1 Blunderland

They're all better by miles. Altidore is just atrocious man, I'd happily have Elmander over him #daretojohan

[Corporalhumblebucket]

Phil Brown at Upton Park: "West Ham could barely pass water if truth be told."     

[lfc91]

Almost had to change my underwear at the end there! Free header in the 6 yard box...bad for the nerves!

[mystiroakey]

Olly said Sunderland looked rubbish- on that performance I have to think twice... Worrying signs as a palace fan

Liverpool grind it out without being in top gear- good win..

[mystiroakey]

There isn't a worse striker in the prem than altidore

God he's pants

Bendtner? Elmander? Sagbo? Maiga?

FT Scousers 2-1 Blunderland

They're all better by miles. Altidore is just atrocious man, I'd happily have Elmander over him #daretojohan

miles , miles better.

Altitdore truly is shocking- makes palaces strike force look decent. Cant believe people where saying he was better than murray start of the season when I said murray would easily replace him at sunderland

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Sunderland always play better against the top sides Mysti, they've had dreadful results against us rubbish sides all year, you saw that a few weeks ago when you got a point there

[mystiroakey]

Sunderland always play better against the top sides Mysti, they've had dreadful results against us rubbish sides all year, you saw that a few weeks ago when you got a point there

we didnt try to play against them though- fair enough though i suppose thats poyets style- giving them a bit of freedom will make them look better- they just have that lump that couldn't hit a barn door, so maybe we should have pushed a bit harder. I mean Holloway actually beat them so ......

[NickisBHAFC]

Couthino was my MOTM tonight, i think he is been like a better version of Ozil this season, who i feel has been massively disappointing, then again i think people were hyping him to be like Bale last season. 

The win for West Ham tonight confirms there safety. Think its really Swansea and below now. 

Not really sure how someone can say Altidore is worse than Sagbo or Elmander  

[mystiroakey]

who would you rather have at Brighton nick?

If you had to take one of them?

[mystiroakey]

The relegation battle is 5 sides , last spot between palace, sunderland and WBA. swansea = safe

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Arguably the worst ive seen us play. Booed at full time even though we won. Closer to #allardyceout than at any point in the losing run

Are you Allardyce out Dolph...

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Couthino was my MOTM tonight, i think he is been like a better version of Ozil this season, who i feel has been massively disappointing, then again i think people were hyping him to be like Bale last season. 

OK are like high or something?

[NickisBHAFC]

who would you rather have at Brighton nick?

If you had to take one of them?

[mystiroakey]

cant wait for england v uruguay.. SvS.

48 league goals with no pens taken.plus 20 assists..

unbelievable from sturridge- almost unreal by sureaz.


italy you have your work cut out.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Arguably the worst ive seen us play. Booed at full time even though we won. Closer to #allardyceout than at any point in the losing run

Are you Allardyce out Dolph...

Not quite yet, but he needs to improve things. He's a character but there is something missing and he needs to find it.

[mystiroakey]

I dont get the problem..

when a team goes down to ten men- they can become very very hard to score against- yes you shouldn't concede but you scored another goal.. You won. Why are people expecting more from this. It was a relegation dog fight. West ham have 3 pts.. My mind is boggling over this. Take the win. Be happy- move on..

[Dolphin Ziggler]

It's a few issues. It's not like it's an isolated event, it's been an extremely poor season. He's not largely popular, and there isn't much ambition or entertainment on offer. When people are paying £50 for tickets they want to see a team who can play passes and show some intent.

At the end of that match, we were outplayed by 10 men at home against Hull. The result isn't the be all and end all. I'm happy we won but I'd be very disappointed if the players were happy with how they played.

[Guest]

Thing is, when Jose does it, people call him a tactical genius. Don't get me wrong, I've no love for Allardyce but West Ham are at the stage where a couple more points will all but secure their survival. If I was a Hammers fan I'd be looking for them to make that their priority and AFTER that's done they can play as much/little tippy tappy attractive football as they want.

Any football fan who says "I'd rather watch us entertain and lose, than stifle and win" is, to be brutally honest, a ******* idiot

[Stella]

cant wait for england v uruguay.. SvS.

48 league goals with no pens taken.plus 20 assists..

unbelievable from sturridge- almost unreal by sureaz.


italy you have your work cut out.

Plus Suarez was banned for a few games.

Glad Liverpool won last night. Not because I want then to win the title, but it continues to make the league more interesting. C'mon Arsenal at the weekend

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Thing is, when Jose does it, people call him a tactical genius. Don't get me wrong, I've no love for Allardyce but West Ham are at the stage where a couple more points will all but secure their survival. If I was a Hammers fan I'd be looking for them to make that their priority and AFTER that's done they can play as much/little tippy tappy attractive football as they want.

Any football fan who says "I'd rather watch us entertain and lose, than stifle and win" is, to be brutally honest, a ******* idiot

Oh I agree, that's why I'm not Sam out, but there's a limit and after awhile you think "what's the point of just staying up if that's all we'll ever aspire to". We're in a rut, but at the moment we are playin the most limited football in the league. At the end of the day, that was people saying they won't tolerate sh*t for sh*ts sake

[westisbest]

There isn't a worse striker in the prem than altidore

God he's pants

 
aka Dozy Miss some more
 
Very bad.

[Fernando]

For those who like a cheeky bet

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Actually consider how bad a deal that is!

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

As if some Utd fans have done that plane banner thing

How embarrassing

[westisbest]

It is shocking.

They may need a few planes after we bounce back from last sunday and take the 3 points.

[Guest]

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Away at Swansea tomorrow for us. We usually do well against the Swans, and we've just come off one of our best performances of the season with an opportunity to put real space between us and the bottom three. Swansea are on a terrible run of form as well.

I guess what I'm trying to say is there has never been a more nailed on Swansea win ever. It's just what we do

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