Barclays Premier League 13/14 Thread

[GSC]

First topic message reminder :

It was always going to be hard for Hughton.

The Norwich family never really took to him as one of their own

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Hughton doesnt win against us and I wonder whether hes off. Hes done for if he doesnt beat Palace

Tides turned now. The majority of fans are not in his camp anymore, and I can't see him winning them back no matter the result of the West Ham game. Honestly can see it turning ugly for him next Saturday, if he isn't gone before.

Personally I would get rid now before it's too late

[mystiroakey]

That has to be the final straw olly.

Not a good time from a palace perspective as you may now knick our potential manager

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Norwich aren't a club to overreact but surely time is running out on Hughton

Not sure it'd be an overreaction tbh, he's done well to last this long with the record we have since last Christmas.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

I pray we look abroad for a manager Mysti ala Saints/Swans. I don't want to see a Malky/Pulis type here (as much as we all love Malky), I want to see us progress like those clubs have.

Bet we make a run at Neil Lennon tho

[hampo17]

We where poor today, not sure where Ent gets this 3 at the back rubbish from. The idea is the two wing backs slot in and form a 5 man defence, Flanagan hasn't playing in the first team for over 12 months so I have no idea when he played and Agger sat on the bench the whole game.

Arsenal however were good value for their win, I seem to remember numerous keepers using the technique Mignolet used today and getting plaudits for a great save, Ramsey's shot was fantastic and would beat most keepers today. The first goal had some luck but in games like this you need some luck. I just hope we bounce back and get a win next time out.

[mystiroakey]

I pray we look abroad for a manager Mysti ala Saints/Swans. I don't want to see a Malky/Pulis type here (as much as we all love Malky), I want to see us progress like those clubs have.

Bet we make a run at Neil Lennon tho

I can see Malky going to you and either Borat or Cardiff's owner taking their role on!

[Guest]

I am willing to bet that Giroud fails to score in any of the Liverpool (h), Dortmund (a) & Man Utd (a) games.

First game - tick

Giroud showed today why he is not the answer for Arsenal long-term, thought he was terrible today, no pace whatsoever & a horrifying finisher when it's not 'on a plate'. Arsenal are all about the midfield, you could see Ozil breaking from the central area looking to thread a ball through & stretch the backline & Giroud just is not there. It might not cost them yet but it will in the future.

As for the game, brilliant result for Arsenal, proved some critics wrong. Liverpool didn't really show up, frustrating night for Sturridge/Suarez & blew their chance of being taken seriously.

[mystiroakey]

John , the first game may be a tick, however that tick doesn't represent anything of value.. Arsenal won the game.

Liverpool may have shown up. Arsenal just didn't allow them to

[Fernando]

Giroud is not a goalscorer he is a link up forward. He doesn't need to score goals aslong as his bringing everyone else into play. id happily take 10-15 goals a season from him aslong as the midfield around him are scoring

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

That's a brilliant goal by Ramsey, not sure what Mignolet could've done, he's used the correct technique, just couldn't get high enough

[Dolphin Ziggler]

I'm not looking forward to this City Norwich bit.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

*cries*

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Riether should get a ban for that, disgraceful

[Champagne_Socialist]

Every supporter is jealous of Arsenal right now. 5 points clear in the EPL including wins over Tottenham and Liverpool.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Eh I'm alright CS

[Fernando]

Riether should get a ban for that, disgraceful

Ain't got Poopie on Dossena bro  

Arsenal could beat United next week and we still wouldn't get credit for it so i wouldn't bother CS 

[Hammersmith harrier]

I'd be jealous if I thought they would win anything, still think it will be City or Chelsea, too much strength in depth and have the resilience in the latter half of the season. I'm confident we'll finish above Arsenal.

[Champagne_Socialist]

Eh I'm alright CS

It is amazing how just one player, Ozil, can really change how a team performs. Before Ozil came arsenal were shocking and many people were predicting us to finish 5th or even 6th and now we have Ozil we are top of the league and have a 5 point gap over 2nd place.

[Fernando]

Feel quite sorry for Cattermole didn't look that bad tbh.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

It was late, think it was a yellow tbh

Dossena's is a red

[Champagne_Socialist]

Riether should get a ban for that, disgraceful

Ain't got Poopie on Dossena bro  

Arsenal could beat United next week and we still wouldn't get credit for it so i wouldn't bother CS 

Tell me about it, on MOTD alan shearer said that he doesn't yet give arsenal a chance to win the league because we haven't beaten any of the top 3 (chelsea, man u. man city) even though we have beaten Tottenham and Liverpool. Alan shearer gives Man U a chance to win the league even though they have not beaten any of the top clubs this season, drawing at home to Chelsea, losing 4-1 to man city and losing to Liverpool.

[Champagne_Socialist]

If Arsenal beat Manchester United next week are Arsenal favourites to win the EPL?

[Fernando]

Well that tackle was just as bad as Cattermole's tbh

[Hammersmith harrier]

You Arsenal fans need to remember that the rest of us haven't forgotten that you haven't won anything for what is it now 7/8 years. Taking that into account and the previous good starts you've had this one doesn't mean a lot, Chelsea, City and United have all been poor, they will improve and they will hunt you down.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

I'm not sure I'm ever jealous of other supporters. Very strange thing to say

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Haven't beaten a contender yet. So it's fair to be wary of Arsenal's good start. You're not victims, everyone else is just remembering context.

Ward-Prowse reminds me of Beckham

[Mat]

Saido, what a player!

[Duty281]

You Arsenal fans need to remember that the rest of us haven't forgotten that you haven't won anything for what is it now 7/8 years. Taking that into account and the previous good starts you've had this one doesn't mean a lot, Chelsea, City and United have all been poor, they will improve and they will hunt you down.

Agreed, no depth for Arsenal in some key positions, and weak at the back. Fancy United to turn 'em over next week.

Focus on the FA Cup Wenger - it's the only hope you have of a trophy this season.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Oh Mat how I long for mid table mediocrity like WBA!

Would love to know how you turned Gareth McAuley into the beast that he is

[Champagne_Socialist]

Agreed, no depth for Arsenal in some key positions, and weak at the back. Fancy United to turn 'em over next week.

Focus on the FA Cup Wenger - it's the only hope you have of a trophy this season.

We lack options up front as we only have 2 strikers in podolski and Giroud, however our system is to only play 1 striker so we are not that short.

Defence wise we have conceded less goals than manchester city, manchester united and liverpool. We have also kept a clean sheet in our victories against Tottenham and Liverpool.

We have a 5 point gap over 2nd place and in my opinion if we beat Manchester united in the next game that puts man U out of the race as they would be 11 points behind us.

[lorus59]

After the first day defeat at home by Aston Villa, what odds would you have gotten on Arsenal being 5 points clear today? If Everton beat Spurs on Sunday, they will go second.

[Steffan]

Im all getting ready to go out for the south Wales Derby

Im not normally a Swansea hater but today the Jacks become the of bitterest enemies

Hope City can defeat them at home

BLUEBIRDS!!!

[NickisBHAFC]

Lee Cattermole and Dossena are a disgrace. Those tackles were just stupid and dangerous. They rightfully cost their team-mates the game.

[hampo17]

Was the Cattermole one really that bad? Probably not, he doesn't leave the ground at any point and is late, any other player gets a yellow at worst in my opinion, however the ref sees who it is and makes his decision based on reputation, Brady on the other hand left the ground and lunged in two footed. His tackle was on a par with Dossenas and should have been sent off but the referee bottled it big time.

[J.Benson II]

Great win for Arsenal. Five points clear and could still get better. Its not just been this season either, they have been excellent throughout the calendar year.
While Carzola and Ramsey will get the plaudits, I thought Arsenal's defence looked impressive. Koscielny looked good yet again and Mertesacker is also very underrated.
Not a total disaster for Liverpool who can bounce back.
Chelsea's winning run comes to an end thanks to an excellent second half display from Newcastle. Jose taking off Mata was a rather peculiar substitution. Lampard again looked lost. Torres returning to being ineffective after an impressive performance last week.
I felt sorry for Norwich. You just knew after City lost to Chelsea that whoever would play them next in the league would be in for a thrashing. However, we all know what City can do when their on their game and in the Etihad. It's what happens away from home which is where the question marks start to appear.
Another win for United who perhaps have started to click into gear.

[LivinginItaly]

I thought arsenal played very well yesterday and fully deserves the win. I think this was a good indication of Liverpool's progress so far, in that we still have some areas for improvement particularly on the flanks and in the centre of defence. Can't help thinking that the formation we are currently employing is designed with our attacking players in mind, yet we don't have the right defensive players to allow the formation to work successfully. Still think 4th place would be a fantastic achievement for this Liverpool team.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Was the Cattermole one really that bad? Probably not, he doesn't leave the ground at any point and is late, any other player gets a yellow at worst in my opinion, however the ref sees who it is and makes his decision based on reputation, Brady on the other hand left the ground and lunged in two footed. His tackle was on a par with Dossenas and should have been sent off but the referee bottled it big time.

Brady had some control, even in the air, and barely clipped his man. Cattermole was far more wreckless as he threw himself in full speed square on. And if you see the other angle, his studs smash into the man just above the ankle, the part where it snaps. The man is an idiot

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

That Brady one is never a red card, if we're giving reds for that then we might as well give reds for everything. Nowhere near as bad as Dossena's

[kingraf]

Seems Arsenal aren't going to convince some people, no matter what. Questioning their depth is fair enough, but given the fact that they have already had eight injuries of varying lengths ten games into the season, it just seems what's really being said is, "Sure Arsenal are playing well, but is their Reserve/Youth team good enough?", given the fact that a third of their first team has already been out.

[mystiroakey]

I haven't faltered from arsernal winning the league, but I did think the front two of SAS would have given them a much better game

However after two average performances v Dortmund and palace they raised the play again. SAS just couldn't get the ball enough times to make it work.

That game was similar to the napoli one, Arsenal looked a class above against a team that clearly tried to play against them..
]

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Seems Arsenal aren't going to convince some people, no matter what. Questioning their depth is fair enough, but given the fact that they have already  had eight injuries of varying lengths ten games into the season, it just seems what's really being said is, "Sure Arsenal are playing well, but is their Reserve/Youth team good enough?", given the fact that a third of their first team has already been out.

Equally, people cannot just simply forget what Arsenal have been like before. Personally, the depth of the back can be rightly questioned and the depth up front too as Podolski and Walcott are not good strikers particularly, although I think the midfield will make up for that generally.

[hampo17]

You have no control over your body once you leave the ground, absolutely zero. The rules where changed last year to say if you left the ground it was a red card. People are only reacting that way about Cattermoles because of who it is, somebody like Giggs or Baines makes that tackle nobody cares.

[NickisBHAFC]

How bad has this half been?!

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

So when I jump I have no control over my body? #headsgone

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Do we send keepers off for leaving the ground now?

[hampo17]

You jumping is completely different to jumping two footed in to a tackle though isn't it Olly? Could Brady have stopped himself in midair? Could he control the force at which he is going to make contact at? Doubtful, you jumping up and down is completely different.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

I disagree with that sentiment. You have no control sliding on the deck at speed either. How are you stopping yourself? Dragging a boot as a brake? Id rather have someone jump ahead of me for the ball then square on at me sliding at pace.

Its a bad tackle from Cattermole, it really is. He knows it, hes right off. He knows the ball is there but it isnt his target, just making sure his body flies in that area. His leg follows through and could rip the guys leg off. Id have expected Giggs to be sent off too, I'd have just know he'd made a mistake whereas Cattermole is an unreliable idiot

[kingraf]

I am very interested to see what Wenger sees as his best side when everyone comes back. Flamini and Arteta have both proven skilled Holding midfielders, but Arteta has the better pass, while Flamini has the better legs. Then you have the resurgence of Rosicky, the emergence of Ramsey, the quality of Cazorla, the genius of Ozil... I just hope Wenger doesn't do the Barca thing and try fit them all in one team

[kingraf]

For what it's worth, I thought the red was justified.

[hampo17]

You have a lot more control on the deck than in the air Chris, the stuff that Olly has compared it to is ridiculous. Sh

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