We Go Again! The Premier League thread

[Fernando]

First topic message reminder :

Leicester City XI: Schmeichel; Simpson, Huth, Morgan (c), Fuchs; Mahrez, Kanté, Drinkwater, Albrighton; Okazaki, Vardy

Leicester City Subs: De Laet, King, Schlupp, Ulloa, Dyer, Schwarzer, Inler

Manchester United XI: to face Leicester: De Gea, Darmian, McNair, Smalling, Blind, Carrick, Schweinsteiger, Mata, Young, Rooney, Martial

Manchester United Subs: Romero, Borthwick-Jackson, Fellaini, Memphis, Pereira, Schneiderlin, Rashford

[kingraf]

What was you expecting to happen Raf when he kept throwing them under the bus.

I don't know. I guess I thought for some reason that if you're earning £200k a week you'd still give a f.uck.

[Crimey]

Surprised he's gone now, but it would have taken a huge turn around for him to last beyond the season you'd have thought.

Not a lot of top managers right now, expect it'll be a caretaker. Rodgers, Ramos and Hiddink the favourites. None of them are likely to fill Chelsea fans with joy, but even just a small improvement is needed. Getting relegated isn't entirely a crazy possibility.

Where Mourinho goes from here is really interesting. Real Madrid have been linked with getting him back, but I wonder with how it ended and his melt down at Chelsea whether they'll bother. Bayern Munich would have been interested if not for this season, but Ancelotti is a better choice at this stage. He could go to Manchester United, but the start of next season may be too early. PSG are probably the most likely, but Laurent Blanc isn't doing a particularly bad job so may not want to disrupt things.

How badly has his reputation been tarnished? Will he have to go somewhere to rebuild it slightly before taking over a European powerhouse again? Could always go back to Portugal, possibly go to Russia or Turkey. He seemed to really hate his Italy experience so that seems unlikely. May take the money and go China or Dubai, but surely too early in his career to make that kind of move. Personally I think he might have an eye on a possible international job. With Euro 2016 in the summer the likelihood is that some European international jobs will be available and Mourinho could take that plunge now. Would England be interested perhaps?

[LondonTiger]

Chelsea have sacked manager Jose Mourinho seven months after he led them to the Premier League title.
The 52-year-old Portuguese had been in his second spell at the club, taking charge in June 2013.

Couldn't have happened to a nicer fella.

[Guest]

I know some people wanted him out, but I think he'll be back at United. No way, United miss out on Klopp, Guardiola & Mourinho. Delusional to think Giggs is a top manager in the making, United could end this season without a trophy in three seasons. Remarkable. Jose, in the first two seasons of being appointed turns things around & wins trophies. It's a risk, maybe a short term one, to get United finally back where they belong. If they don't, then United will be in the doldrums for the next decade.

[Alistair]

Hiddink not filling Chelsea fans with Joy? Didn't he lead them to the F.A. Cup where they were chanting his name at the last game of the season?

[Crimey]

Hiddink not filling Chelsea fans with Joy? Didn't he lead them to the F.A. Cup where they were chanting his name at the last game of the season?

Six years ago and he's had three disastrous managerial reigns since then. Gerard Houillier led Liverpool to a treble and remains a Liverpool cult hero, but I wouldn't and I imagine most other fans wouldn't be too happy if he had replaced Brendan Rodgers.

[GSC]

Id be fuming if I were a Chelsea fan.

Player power strikes again at that club, more than a few should look at their own garbage performances.

[Alistair]

Disastrous is probably quite harsh. Fair enough he didn't coat himself in glory with the Dutch Team, but Turkey wasn't an easy job, and nor is Anzhi.

He has a rapport with the fans and doesn't have the ego of Mourinho; he'd probably do quite well.

As for Rodgers, doesn't Klopp have the same amount of points as Brendan after the same amount of games? Maybe he's not a bad manager? Or Klopp just isn't a genius.

[Crimey]

Disastrous is probably quite harsh. Fair enough he didn't coat himself in glory with the Dutch Team, but Turkey wasn't an easy job, and nor is Anzhi.

He has a rapport with the fans and doesn't have the ego of Mourinho; he'd probably do quite well.

As for Rodgers, doesn't Klopp have the same amount of points as Brendan after the same amount of games? Maybe he's not a bad manager? Or Klopp just isn't a genius.

The Netherlands role was just as disastrous, if not more so, than Mourinho this season at Chelsea. He put no effort in at Turkey, he barely even entered the country, didn't qualify for a tournament they had reached the semi-finals of the previous time and was generally considered an abject failure. He did okay at Anzhi, but he had a lot of money and actually a decent squad and did nothing with it. He then nearly retired, before quitting two games into the next season. Hiddink is a legend of the game, particularly in his efforts to spread European ideology of football to other continents, but he's well past it. He's not got anything to prove he'd do any better than Mourinho. He also is seen as alienating players with Netherlands and at Turkey.

I didn't say Brendan Rodgers was a bad manager, nor will making comparisons between him and Klopp at this stage proves anything. I just seriously doubt that there are any Chelsea fans who are particularly thrilled with the idea of Rodgers replacing Mourinho. Not only has he just been sacked by one of their rivals, he has also been quite disparaging towards Chelsea when working for Liverpool and was only recently strongly linked with the Swansea job. He'd likely only be hired short-term, but even then I think it would be a move that Chelsea fans would be very disappointed in.

[Guest]

What was you expecting to happen Raf when he kept throwing them under the bus.

I don't know. I guess I thought for some reason that if you're earning £200k a week you'd still give a f.uck.

These guys will only start to give a f*ck when they're docked wages for poor performances on the pitch...so, basically NEVER.

[Ent]

Elite players do care, they want to win.

Something has happened that has completely burnt hoses bridges with the players, must have been huge given how tight a group and the siege mentality that surrounded them.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Sure he gave honest answers, But putting it out in the press is not going to make the situation any better. If you have issues deal with it in house.

Have to disagree. Not only did he do this "under the bus" stuff way into their bad form, he also never did anything out of order. It was a reasonable tactic to motivate players

[Guest]

Hiddink being labelled a safe pair of hands lol, talk about living off the past, at a complete different time & set of players. Since leaving Chelsea, Hiddink failed to get Turkey to Euro 2012, got rich at Anzhi Makhachkala & oversaw the first half of Holland's Euro 2016 qualifying campaign shambles. He's more recently been getting sides into a shambles, not getting sides out of a shambolic state. Embarrassing replacement for Jose, just another appointment to fill a gap. No real planning whatsoever.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Oh Chelsea, you bunch of muppets

[Dolphin Ziggler]

All this, of course, doesn't have the knowledge of inside the club and it may well be that it was something seen as irreparable. Personally, I can't see a more ballsy manager out there who would oversee the changes that are likely necessary, but the hope will be that a new manager reinvigorates the side. Simeone at the end of the season would be my guess right now; which will see them not buy another big money striker because Diego would want to work with Diego.

Personally, I think they could do with gutting that squad. Oscar, Mikel, Ivanovic, Terry, Falcao, Ramires out the door to start

[GSC]

Why would any top manager want to manage Chelsea.

Roman proves time and time again when push comes to shove he'll back a core group of players that has no issues with dogging it when they want rid of a manager.

Fabregas has been garbage in 2015
Matic, Costa, Hazard, Ivanovic have been awful this season. Only Willian looks interested.

Some of these highly paid, supposedly world class players should take a long look in the mirror.

[Guest]

Simeone doesn't come with no champions league football or under the conditions that come, from working under Roman.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

I bet you a lot of managers will come if Roman's chequebook is out. He'll probably think he has a chance to win the league with no CL distraction. Keep Costa, sign Griezemann and Koke, be happy. Simeone probably wont get a bigger job, and plays more Mourinho like football than most other managers. Money talks.

Foreign managers also are unlikely to think Roman harsh. The continent has had trigger happy chairmen for much longer than us

[sirfredperry]

Can only think that Jose M had completely lost the dressing room. Have only seen Chelsea live once this season - in the 0-0 draw at White Hart Lane. Hazard was asked to play as a lone striker in that match, worked his socks off, was a handful throughout and would have won the game but for a fine save by Loris.
Two matches on and Hazard a) appears not to want to carry on at Leicester or b) is harshly spoken about by his manager. Either way SOMETHING WAS SERIOUSLY WRONG. Now we'll never know whether Mourinho could have turned it round. As things were going, I doubt it.

[Holymiky]

I feel i should put my thoughts into this as i am a Chelsea fan.

I know that this season hasn't been great result wise and that we need to pick it up, we may not even make the top 4 but i was dealing with that. Whilst i think that a new manager can do an OK job i do wonder who we will get in. Obviously there are names already being mentioned but i imagine if someone comes in now they are more than likely to be interim until the end of the season. Personally i was set in my mind about still wanting to keep Jose Mourinho even with the results we have had, i think that the players have to perform as well and some started to pick it up in recent weeks. As for what caused it all, i'm not sure, i just do believe that the board will have a plan in place in terms of what they want to do going forward. I like the sound of Pep Guardiola or even Diego Simeone coming in at the end of the season, i realise that Guardiola may be more difficult to get than Simeone but i have heard that Roman Abramovich has wanted his style of football at the club for a long time so if he wants him then now is his chance i guess.

Another note about Jose Mourinho, i always felt confident going into matches as i know he is a manager who gets results especially against the big teams and he is capable of winning (before anyone says anything i am not saying that the recent results have been great). I feel it with other managers too but not in the same way as i did when Jose Mourinho was in charge, he just has that winning mentality and his record proves it. There is no denying what he can do as a manager. I wish him luck as always, i think Germany or France could be his next destination too.

Dolph i think that you saying Terry to go is unfair as he is Chelsea through and through and regardless of what people say about him i would say that if there is anyone he is one of the reasons why things started to get slightly better in the last few weeks in terms of helping to lift the players behind the scenes because thats how he seems as a captain.

I think it's unfair to put Ramires in that group too as he hasn't played as many games as other players.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Terry needs to go eventually and I think he holds too much power for someone who is obviously very egotistical. I would question the leader he is considering the team now.

Ramires works hard but he isn't great on the ball and you could do better.

[Hammersmith harrier]

It was evident that there was something wrong after the first game of the season, the physio meltdown was just bizarre and things have got increasingly worse ever since. Could it be that that was the moment where everything changed, seems ridiculous to think he'd lose the dressing room because of that but seems far too coincidental. Terry should have been out the door a long time ago, the guy is a complete twonk and for some unknown reason thinks he is Chelsea football club.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Stress wise, I know Mourinho has had a very hard time with a badly ill family member back home, and as such I could almost excuse the early season stress.

I would also say Terry is possibly holding other defenders back. No one wants to take his place really, hes a bit of an institution and has form in getting Roman's ear.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Thanks to the Australian FA we now know Hiddink is definitely Chelsea boss again

[socal1976]

I said that there had to be a lockeroom revolt many weeks ago, the guy is annoying. He can't stay on more than a few years anywhere because he gets on the nerves of the ownership and the players. Jose is someone you tolerate if you are winning, nobody loves the guy. Maybe hardcore Chelsea fans but his style of play, his personality, his antics with the media. All of these things are funny and or cute if you are winning trophies. I am glad to see him gone, Chelsea have a lot of good players and good attacking players that were dying under Jose. Hazard, Oscar, Costa, and Fabregas are shells of themselves. They can't all be rats or malcontents his style isn't working on any of the star players. Can't help but think his treatment of Mata sowed the seeds for a lot of this. He was their two time player of the year and they won the champions league with him and Jose treated him like last week's garbage. He is just an odious guy, can't really feel sorry for him in anyway had this coming.

[Guest]

I can't accept Costa, Fabregas, Oscar & Hazard are shells of the themselves, because of Jose & his style. Last season, they were on fire in this system. Oscar is just massively overrated, hopefully Juve bound, because I can't stand watching him be fantastic in one game, then allowed to go missing for two months. Costa has been woeful, more interested in fighting, than scoring & couldn't even get himself fit for the start of the season, showcasing his lack of professionalism. Fabregas has been dire & is just too slow for the high tempo PL & got targeted this season by the opposition, after last year assists. He finally won his premier league medal, has the motivation gone now? None of that is Jose's fault or players being held back by the formation or by the style demanded by Jose. As for Hazard, he's been embarrassing. Success went to his head, thought he was big time & just took his foot off the gas. He clearly bailed as soon as the times got tough too.

I bet they smash Sunderland too & will look guilty, that's how stupid these players will make themselves look

[GSC]

It took Jose 2 years to equal the amount of titles all his successors won at Chelsea. Maybe the players are to blame. But Terry in particular knows the players will win with Roman over the manager everytime.

[Lowlandbrit]

Hiddink being labelled a safe pair of hands lol, talk about living off the past

On the plus side, he's done some interviews recently that had everyone commenting on how good and relaxed he looked. On the other hand, it probably says more about just how old and tired he looked coaching the Dutch team.

[Hammersmith harrier]

For a change I have to agree with Liam, the team performed last year to a very high level and that was under his leadership and in his system. It happens time and time again that certain players at the club decide they run things and stop performing, the manager gets sacked and the process starts again. This isn't like LVG coming in and deciding it's his philosophy or out the door, Chelsea have never been a free flowing exciting team to watch so the blame has to be placed on the players who seem disinterested.

[socal1976]

I can't accept Costa, Fabregas, Oscar & Hazard are shells of the themselves, because of Jose & his style. Last season, they were on fire in this system. Oscar is just massively overrated, hopefully Juve bound, because I can't stand watching him be fantastic in one game, then allowed to go missing for two months. Costa has been woeful, more interested in fighting, than scoring & couldn't even get himself fit for the start of the season, showcasing his lack of professionalism. Fabregas has been dire & is just too slow for the high tempo PL & got targeted this season by the opposition, after last year assists. He finally won his premier league medal, has the motivation gone now? None of that is Jose's fault or players being held back by the formation or by the style demanded by Jose. As for Hazard, he's been embarrassing. Success went to his head, thought he was big time & just took his foot off the gas. He clearly bailed as soon as the times got tough too.

I bet they smash Sunderland too & will look guilty, that's how stupid these players will make themselves look

Yes but Oscar played well his first couple of seasons under different management and was after Neymar the biggest Brazilian prospect of that period. Cesc is not too slow for the premier league he was on of the handful of best players in the league with Arsenal and despite not making it Barca he played pretty well and posted good numbers. And the fact that Jose couldn't get through and properly man manage Hazard and costa who succeeded in every other squad they played in prior to this is on the manager. Phil Jackson was famous in getting his stars whether Jordan, Kobe, or Shaq, to buy into his system. These guys are stars and probably spoiled but Jose has the job of getting results out of them and clearly he couldn't anymore. I find it hard to believe all these guys would be playing this badly at the same time if not for Jose and the dissension and chaos he caused. One mistake he made was constantly claiming Hazard was the third best player after Ronaldo and Messi. He should have known this would build pressure while simultaneously sapping Hazard's motivation to improve. He wasn't mature enough to handle it.

[GSC]

One mistake he made was constantly claiming Hazard was the third best player after Ronaldo and Messi. He should have known this would build pressure while simultaneously sapping Hazard's motivation to improve. He wasn't mature enough to handle it.

Sorry fella, that is some of the biggest horsesh!t I've read on this section.

Its not FootballLight claiming Reading have a world class midfield bad, but its up there.

[socal1976]

Don't get me wrong of course the players are to blame but let's not absolve Jose either. At the end of the day he is responsible for winning with the team he has and players he brought in, in regards to Cesc and Costa. You can't transfer the whole team. The manager has to get the best out of the team and he managed to turn his players into his enemies. Modern football you got to know how to get a spoiled athlete to get results that is a given with a big club.

[socal1976]

One mistake he made was constantly claiming Hazard was the third best player after Ronaldo and Messi. He should have known this would build pressure while simultaneously sapping Hazard's motivation to improve. He wasn't mature enough to handle it.

Sorry fella, that is some of the biggest horsesh!t I've read on this section.

Its not FootballLight claiming Reading have a world class midfield bad, but its up there.

Well proof is in the pudding since he started bragging to the press about Hazard being in messi's level the guy has gone to crap. I didn't say that this was the big mistake he made but I think it was a mistake nonetheless.
He showed poor quality man management in his second stint. And in football today managing egos is a huge part of it, probably as much or more than tactics. He obviously failed. Its not just one or two guys failing to respond to Jose's charms.

[Guest]

For a change I have to agree with Liam

[GSC]

Manager says PL player of the season is the third best player in the world.

If you don't see an issue with that either, you're sane.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Jose could have fixed it, and probably knew what to do. They won't make long term progress as they'll keep bowing down to the same s*** until Terry leaves.

However, its easier for Roman to replace the manager and hope someone else gets the best out of the big money players.

Personally think Oscar has shown he cannot do it consistently and I don't think hes good enough here for a starting place in a title winning team.

[socal1976]

Manager says PL player of the season is the third best player in the world.

If you don't see an issue with that either, you're sane.

Yeah, even when Hazard won league player of the year he was not anywhere near the third best player in the world. PS is there a reason that people on this section can't disagree with someone's opinion without being hostile, condescending, and insulting? Seriously, I feel like I always catch you guys on your heavy menstrual flow days. So my last post was horseshit and now I am crazy by extension. Obviously, how he managed Hazard didn't work to get this guy to perform at a higher level. Maybe accusing your star of faking injuries would be another thing Jose shouldn't do in terms of man management either. Don't build the guy up to Messi, he isn't; then when he gets hurt in your last game don't question his veracity. You aren't going to get away for long treating multi-millionaire celebrities like garbage in today's football. Maybe this isn't a good development, certainly the players deserve their blame; but Jose should have known that he was crossing multiple lines with his stars. He showed he is a good front runner but he isn't a long term solution at a club. His ego, mouth, paranoia, and hypocrisy probably prevent that from happening. His ego got in the way of winning which is what his job was.

[Hammersmith harrier]

I'd say last season Hazard was the third best player in the world, no doubt about that at all, it isn't Mourinho's fault he couldn't or rather didn't want to cope with the pressure.

[socal1976]

Yes but the formula didn't just fail with Hazard. It failed with Cesc and Costa as well. I mean I am sure all three of these guys are hard to manage and have a host of faults, don't doubt it for a second. All of his stars were failing to play for him, the only one who even looked like he gave a crap was Willian. I mean last year Cesc was among the league leaders in assists, Costa was at the top in goals scored, and Hazard was according to some the third best player in the world. Is it all Jose's bad luck that all three have their worst seasons in their careers simultaneously? Or maybe Jose is an bumhole and people can't stand working for him in the long run? I agree the players are to blame, but I certainly think Jose shared a large part of the fault.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

To be fair, Cesc went to pot last year and Mourinho managed the team with him in it to make sure they crossed the line after his dip.

The man makes teams better.

[socal1976]

I don't disagree that he is a great manager, but that doesn't mean he didn't make mistakes and push the wrong buttons on his players and failed with this particular team. Sometime the same prescription doesn't work for every patient and a great performer even as a manager can make mistakes or not have a good season. I blame both the players and Jose, a different manager or personality wouldn't put himself in a lot of the situations he put himself into and maybe wouldn't alienate his whole squad, and like lets say Ferguson would have still found a way to control the team.

[Hero]

SAF himself certainly had his fallings out with key players at times but he immediately ensured that the players knew who was boss and apart from the latter years with Rooney then no-one was bigger than the club, unfortunately for Chelsea JT has had far too much power afforded to him when he should have his wings clipped the first time he tried to show a bit of player power.

[westisbest]

So saturday has arrived.
Match day.
Another anxious day to see if we will actually get something, or how much we will lose by.

Never do well away to Newcastle.
on tv so will be out at 4 on the session, today is my xmas eve.

John your  a good man, but am hoping we can take the win, probably unlikely, but at this stage we need wins, draws wont do.

Can the miracle of staying up began today.

Lets hope so.

ps Gabby is up for sale in january.
Dont all jump at once
Ho ho ho.
UTV.

[Guest]

Westi, I'm still not convinced we are over our inconsistent performances, today should be a real indicator of our progression. we prefer to play top sides too, given our counter attacking capabilities in Sissoko & Gini. I imagine Villa will sit deep, frustrate us & the nervousness inside St James' might come back. An early goa for the Toon though & you have to come on to us & that should end in curtains for you. Prediction 3-1 home win, but it's the PL, so anything can happen.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Terry comes out to say Mourinho's sacking had nothing to do with player power. 

I believe you, John. Sure. My weight gain has nothing to do with poor diet and a lack of exercise either.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Jimmy Hill has passed away aged 87. Player, manager, pundit, union leader and pretty much everything else in the game, and hugely influential as he did those things. RIP Jimmy

[westisbest]

Westi, I'm still not convinced we are over our inconsistent performances, today should be a real indicator of our progression. we prefer to play top sides too, given our counter attacking capabilities in Sissoko & Gini. I imagine Villa will sit deep, frustrate us & the nervousness inside St James' might come back. An early goa for the Toon though & you have to come on to us & that should end in curtains for you. Prediction 3-1 home win, but it's the PL, so anything can happen.

Yeah , deep down think we will lose, say 3-1.

Hopefully he darts with Gil and Grealish, some attacking options, probably not though.

Sinclair had a decent game against Arsenal, hopefully he will do well.
Trarore to come off the bench to.

Would like to see Ayew play up front and not out wide.
Think Garde will play same team as Sunday, so Gestede will start up front.

He needs to play better than he has.

If we weren't on such a bad state, would take a point, but as I said we need the win.

[Guest]

and so it begins at stamford bridge. typical

[guildfordbat]

Jimmy Hill has passed away aged 87. Player, manager, pundit, union leader and pretty much everything else in the game, and hugely influential as he did those things. RIP Jimmy

Probably just a name from the past for many here but Jimmy Hill was a highly innovative football figure of the twentieth century.

As chairman of the PFA, he played a leading role in the abolition of the maximum wage - capped at £20 a week when abolished in, I think, 1961.

Incredibly successful as manager during the 1960s of Coventry City (my team then as a boy). Seemed to be heading for relegation from the old Division 3 when he took over, he guided them from that lowly position to the top tier of Division 1 with title wins in Divisions 3 and 2 along the way. The Sky Blue Revolution under his management also saw for the first time in this country pre-match and half-time entertainment together with a Sky Blue train being put on to take supporters to away games.

There then followed a successful broadcasting career. During one televised game - at Arsenal's Highbury - he was attending, the linesman pulled a muscle and was unable to carry on. No reserve officials in those days - so with a tracksuit being quickly found for him, Jimmy took on the role. You'll never see anything like that at the Emirates!

If we ever get round to having a Football Hall of Fame on this site, Jimmy Hill should have a nailed on place.

[Guest]

and so it begins at stamford bridge. typical

and it's ivanovic, possibly the worst player performing under jose

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