Barclays Premier League 13/14 Thread

[Crimey]

First topic message reminder :

Well the season is nearly upon us, with matches starting next weekend, so I thought it was time for a thread for it.

I'll start with my predictions with the finishes, although a lot depends on signings so mine might change by the end of the window.

1. Chelsea
2. Manchester United
3. Manchester City
4. Tottenham Hotspur
5. Liverpool
6. Arsenal
7. Everton
8. Norwich City
9. Swansea
10. West Bromwich Albion
11. West Ham United
12. Sunderland
13. Newcastle United
14. Fulham
15. Aston Villa
16. Southampton
17. Stoke
18. Cardiff
19. Hull
20. Crystal Palace

[GSC]

Mark Hughes wins his first game for 15 months.

Palace have spirit but not nearly enough quality.

[The Special Juan]

I'm leaving now, you lot are depressing me!!

[Duty281]

Everton 0-0 WBA FT.

Everton will be frustrated with that. They absolutely dominated the game, but a mixture of fantastic keeping and the woodwork stopped them getting all 3 points.

[GSC]

Newcastle badly need to resolve the Cabaye situation so they can either play or replace him

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

The passing was extraordinarily bad, one or two individuals were notably bad, decision making from others was too selfish.

[GSC]

One of those days for Everton. Every side has them.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

I've seen some dire games, but Frak me that was bad. Ben Arfa didnt deserve to have to be on the pitch with most of those players

[Duty281]

Hull will be absolutely over the moon with that win, particularly after the panning they got after the Chelsea game.

[GSC]

Hull hold out for a win against Norwich despite being down to 10.

Signing a million strikers hasn't improved the service. Who'd have thought it.

[Crimey]

Norwich will be fine.

[Liam]

Noriwch don't just have strikers, they have Hoolahan and Snodgrass, plus Howsen is decent. Like Crimey said, they'll be 12/13th for me.

Anyone else find this SNF with the live audience and dave jones in general a bit cringe? Obviously early days with the concept but early signs for me is its not my cup of tea.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

That's probably the worst performance I've seen from us since Fulham away last year.

Fer in the middle with Howson, Hoolahan, Snodgrass, all on with Elmander and RVW up top we should be scoring. The passing from those guys was horrific and the stupid flicks and decision making was just eugh.

Not one single player on that pitch in a Norwich shirt played even bad. They were all sh1t (bar Ruddy who didn't have to do anything all game)

[Duty281]

Be interesting to see how Villa get on today. They've had a fantastic start to the season, beating Arsenal away, and pushing Chelsea very, very close in midweek.

I think they can take Liverpool today. 3-2 to the mighty Villa.

[mystiroakey]

Respect to hull. Amazing performance to shut them out

[Crimey]

Don't underestimate Liverpool though, attacking wise the Coutinho, Aspas, Sturridge trio looked really promising against Stoke, Villa don't have a defence like Stoke so I imagine we'll break through a lot more. 

Also Villa will be tired after the Chelsea game.

[Liam]

I rate Villa's defense higher than Stoke's tbh. Lowton looks a superb prospect at RB

[Guest]

I think Crimey meant Stoke as regards to a sturdier/collective unit.

I'd happily take a draw from Villa Park.

[GSC]

I rate Villa's defense higher than Stoke's tbh. Lowton looks a superb prospect at RB

 

Villa conceded 24 more goals last season

[GSC]

Opposites I always thought, Villa can score but not defend, Stoke can't score but defend

[Duty281]

Nice finish by Sturridge there after a well-worked move.

Villa 0-1 Liverpool

[The Special Juan]

I think I said it last year but if you take Stoke's back 5, Fulham's midfield and Villa's forward line you get a very handy team.

[Crimey]

Been disappointed with Aston Villa considering the hype before the game and a lot of people predicting they would beat Liverpool. Apart from the spell at the end of the half, which Liverpool seem to give every team just before half time for some reason.

Excellent goal by Sturridge, he always seems scared to take the shot, but in the end it was very well worked and not many forwards could have done that. 

I really wish Liverpool wouldn't be so comfortable with 1-0 leads, it can so easily become 2-1 but yet there is a pattern of Liverpool going 1-0 ahead and then just sitting back as if they're 3-0 up. I wouldn't be comfortable until at least 2-0, but for some reason the players lose the hunger for goals as soon as one goes in.

Been impressed with Henderson and Enrique, Henderson does a job I'm not sure anybody else in the squad could do, it's not glamorous but he does it so effectively. He seems to be a winger, right midfielder, attacking midfielder, defensive midfielder, quasi-right back all at once. Enrique hasn't allowed Villa any room down that right side, showing off his strength to hold onto his first team spot.

Coutinho has been poor, he's trying to hard to do the spectacular with passes that are unlikely to come off, little flicks which aren't needed. Would rather he got his head down and just tried to get the simple stuff right. Hope the hype hasn't gone to his head.

Also can anybody tell me what the hell Kolo Toure is doing? At least twice now I've seen him dive over the top of a Villa player in the box, both could easily have ended in penalties and neither one was he ever going to get the ball. Sort it out.

[Crimey]

Statisticians Opta on Twitter: "339 - Liverpool have completed more passes in the first half of this game than 17 teams have in a full 90 mins in the PL in 2013/14. Groove."


Still 1-0 though. Hoping Rodgers sends them back out to search for a goal, Villa have been a little flat so may as well take advantage of it.

[owen10ozzy]

Safe to say Liverpool beginning to find their stride under Rodgers. As you said Crimey, guilty of sitting back on a lead...however I think that is more down to a lack of guile/cutting edge than anything. They need another playmaker for my money (regardless of the Suarez saga). Gerrard isn't the force he once was going forward and while Coutinho can be very good...he can also be very frustrating.

Henderson is not a creator, he is more Leon Britton than Iniesta. I feel he will play the role that Britton did under Rodgers at Swansea. Breaking up the play, keeping hold of the ball whilst awaiting the more attack minded players to make there runs.

[NickisBHAFC]

Stoke 2-1 Palace   

Aspas is playing class for Liverpool atm! Villa pressing for an equalizer, going to be an interesting last 20 minutes or so!

[Duty281]

Good win that for Liverpool. A solid display, with some good saves made by Mignolet. Villa were just a bit flat, and couldn't do enough in this game.

For me, Liverpool are a lot like England at the minute. Solid, with some class players littered around, and a bloody good manager at the helm. 2/2 for Liverpool. 100%. Next league game is home to Man Utd. What on earth will Liverpool supporters be thinking if they pull off a victory in that game?

[Guest]

I'll be thinking when is the blip going to come, when!

Can't ask for any more than 6 points at this point and 2 clean sheets is just as satisfying. But the night is young.

[GSC]

Rodgers a bloody good manager. I've heard it all

[Guest]

Rodgers a bloody good manager. I've heard it all

Who said that?

[Duty281]

After United, Liverpool have six winnable games in a row. A chance to build up a head of steam, perhaps? Never say never where the top 4 is concerned. Especially if Liverpool are there or thereabouts at the end of November.

And Rodgers is a bloody good manager. He's shaping Liverpool the way he wants to shape them, and it's working. Liverpool would have never won this type of game last year, or two years ago, or three years ago. Liverpool are starting to go in the right direction.

[Guest]

The thing is Duty they are the kind of games that we slump in and drop stupid amounts of points.

Liverpool have gone in the right direction plenty of times during the last 2 decades. We just never got there...

[GSC]

Rodgers a bloody good manager. I've heard it all

Who said that?

^

Itll take a bit more than 2 1-0 wins against Stoke and a Villa team that looked a bit fatigued from midweek to convince me

[Duty281]

This game, and the Stoke game for that matter, would have been exactly the type of game where Liverpool slump and drop silly points. But they didn't drop any points. They won both games. And that is a positive development as far as Liverpool are concerned.

[Dave.]

****.  Never mind, I could win money on the tennis.

ANA'S ON TWITTER!

She would have won the Lovely Girls contest, heck even the Rose of Tralee........

[Guest]

Rodgers a bloody good manager. I've heard it all

Who said that?

^

Itll take a bit more than 2 1-0 wins against Stoke and a Villa team that looked a bit fatigued from midweek to convince me

Edit. Forest will win tomorrow.  

[GSC]

You blocked Duty Freek?

[Guest]

No, sorry G. Misunderstanding.  

I thought the arrow was meant for me. Apologies.

[GSC]

no worries


Liverpool have been back more than Arnie

[Crimey]

Glad to have secured the three points, but it wasn't a convincing win by any stretch of the imagination. I think we need at least two more signings to even compete for the top 5 places this year, a central defender is a must, if Rodgers isn't going to use Skrtel then he needs to find a first team defender as Toure is not good enough, he looked so erratic today. Also need another midfielder, even if it's just a midfielder who can come off of the bench. Was a bit worried today as there is still a lack of options on the bench, that should improve if Suarez stays and he comes back from suspension but I worry if we do go behind who Rodgers actually has that can change the game.

Think a mentality change is needed, 1-0 is not comfortable and should not be treated as such. Score one goal and then go back to the drawing board and go for another, showed Villa far too much respect despite the fact that they were very poor in the first half. Need to put teams like this and Stoke last week down while we can, the longer the score stays at 1-0, the more confidence the opposing team gets and we end up with our backs to the wall desperately defending.

Looking forward to the Manchester United game, think it will be the real first test and I want to see how Coutinho does against a stronger side. 

The big positive for me is Sturridge, I really wasn't convinced when Liverpool signed him but he's scoring goals and playing well and proving me, and a lot of other critics, wrong.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Not even watching MOTD tonight.

Same old crap away from home

[NickisBHAFC]

I did call 1-0 tbh.

[Dave.]

Norwich have been to Hull and back.......they didn't cut the mustard today, and now they're hungry for the Wolf to score. It worked for the Goat so they better start feeding him.

[Guest]

Norwich have been to Hull and back.......they didn't cut the mustard today, and now they're hungry for the Wolf to score.  It worked for the Goat so they better start feeding him.

Alan Partridge in a pear tree..

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Well I guess the only consolation I can take is that we always start seasons off amazingly crap

[Liam]

Must be encouraging signs for liverpool fans. Last year they were battering teams like stoke and villa but ending up drawing or even losing. So far, two DECENT performances, professional if anything, and with a bit of luck have come out with 2 wins. Be very happy as a Liverpool fan

[Dave.]

Norwich have been to Hull and back.......they didn't cut the mustard today, and now they're hungry for the Wolf to score.  It worked for the Goat so they better start feeding him.

Alan Partridge in a pear tree..

A-ha! If they don't, I fear they will be Suffolk-cated by the rampant Tractor Boys!

[Guest]

Well I guess the only consolation I can take is that we always start seasons off amazingly crap

You wait til them non 3pm Saturday afternoon games come along Olly. You'll soon be flying.

[GSC]

I miss 3pm sat kickoffs

[Guest]

Oh I loved it when we had all but one top flight game at 3pm on a saturday afternoon. It looks even worse in Spain.

[JamesLincs]

youre 16 coaches passing through lincoln earlier was huge news today in our parts

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