Barclays Premier League 13/14 Thread Part 'x'

[Ent]

First topic message reminder :

Mancini was terrible, how I wish he was still there.

Should have walked the league the last 2 years with the squad he had and gotten out of his cl groups.

[Ent]

Cleverly and Ashley young away to stoke.

Bringing on welbeck instead of fletcher when jones injured.

Not having the side drilled properly to actually pick up free men from long balls and corners.

You make your own luck.

[Guest]

I wrote the other week about nothing going right for Moyes, and today he's lost 2-1, the goals conceded being one hugeeeee deflection and one fabulous strike. Nothing going right.

But then if you will play Ashley Young...

Thing is there's only so many times you can play the unlucky card. Eight losses in 24 games says it all.

I was a big believer in Moyes being the right man for the Utd job. Not so sure now.

At this rate he'll do well to lead the team into next season.

[mystiroakey]

Blah blah blah, nothings going right. How many people are gonna keep making these excuses for him..

[mystiroakey]

The last thing west ham need is this ban for Carrol..

3 games is a long time at this point in time.. It could be the difference for West ham..

[Ent]

I never really wanted him.

Wanted him to do well obviously as it's my club, but seriously if you asked me before he was appointed what the worst possible outcome for this season was I'd have said falling away mid to late season and coming fourth.

How wrong was I.

[Guest]

I never really wanted him.

Wanted him to do well obviously as it's my club, but seriously if you asked me before he was appointed what the worst possible outcome for this season was I'd have said falling away mid to late season and coming fourth.

How wrong was I.

Yeah, fourth spot is absolutely out of the question now.

The fall from grace is quite staggering.

[Champagne_Socialist]

united need to catch liverpool, it will be tough but they could do it. if liverpool beat wba today then the gap will be 9 points.....

[Ent]

It's actually shambolic.

People are blaming the players and luck etc

Why is evra still getting caught out of position 23 games into the season.

Why cAnt we mark men from corners 23 games into a season.

Etc, etc. Sort it out.

[Ent]

We won't catch Liverpool.

If we can't beat stoke away we don't deserve cl anyway.

[Guest]

You need 3 teams to slip up. Won't happen and the last thing you want is Europa League football. 6th is better than 5th.

Crazy as it seems I have this recurring nightmare that you fluke a CL triumph ala Liverpool (05) and Chelsea (12) therefor costing my team our place in the CL next season.

Weirder things have happened...

[mystiroakey]

"CHANGES to Champions League rules agreed today could see Europe's top nations having up to five teams in UEFA's top club competition.

From 2015, the Europa League winners as well as the European champions will qualify automatically for the following season's Champions League, UEFA sources have confirmed to Press Association Sport.

But if the Europa League is won by an English club, they will no longer take the qualification place of a team finishing fourth in the Barclays Premier League - as happened controversially with Tottenham last season when Chelsea won the Champions League but finished sixth.

The principle was agreed by UEFA's executive committee today and will be formally announced at the European governing body's Congress in London tomorrow.

The move is designed to make the Europa League more attractive and to persuade clubs to take the competition more seriously.

The change to allow a maximum of five clubs also answers concerns from the European Clubs' Association who felt that the chances of the Europa League winners taking a place away from clubs qualifying via the domestic league was unacceptably high.

In the unlikely event of two clubs from the same country winning the Champions League and Europa League and both finishing outside of the domestic qualifying places, then those teams would still qualify for the Champions League but the side finishing fourth would miss out."

[mystiroakey]

so anyway!!

if united did win the cup 5 teams would go through.

The only concern would be if an english team won the CL(and out of the top 4) and the Uefa cup(out of the top 4)

then the 4th place would lose out.

[Ent]

We have no chance of winning the cl.

As amazing as we have been for last 20 years we've never really punched above our weight and surprised people.

We will probably get through the next round and then go out.

[The Fourth Lion]

Hey, I've just had this really great idea.  I'll just toss it in and see what you all think:

We could have a competition, exclusively made up of the European clubs that finished the previous season as champions in their domestic leagues.  They would play a knockout competition, on a two leg home-and-away basic, culminating in a single match final that would decide who is the champion club of Europe.

We could call it.... oh, I dunno.... say.... how about this:  "The European Champion Club's Cup".

Yeah, that's got a nice ring to it.

[Hammersmith harrier]

To be honest Fourth, I think the champions league needs rebranding, they should revert back to the old European cup which semantically makes more sense. The current format works but the naming makes it confusing and is pretty much defunct.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Chico you're Kumquat, Chico, Chico you're a Kumquat!

Long Frak day but my god how bad were Swansea? Too easy for us with ten men, and we could have gone on to win that by a big score if Andy had not been sent off. Don't think it was a red, think hes turning. Chico has posted a vine "proving" he was elbowed, doesnt show the bit where he rolls around holding his face when hes hit on the top of the head. Carroll was livid. Won't be rescinded, FA havent got the John Stones to do it.

Need to hope Borriello is fit enough cos now we've lost a man who transformed our side and the next 3 games are huge.

[mystiroakey]

To be honest Fourth, I think the champions league needs rebranding, they should revert back to the old European cup which semantically makes more sense. The current format works but the naming makes it confusing and is pretty much defunct.

It's a name named by Europeans.. It's not really a big deal..

[mystiroakey]

You could also complain about the naming of the championship and league 1 though... And we invented the English language...

[Bull]

Hey, I've just had this really great idea.  I'll just toss it in and see what you all think:

We could have a competition, exclusively made up of the European clubs that finished the previous season as champions in their domestic leagues.  They would play a knockout competition, on a two leg home-and-away basic, culminating in a single match final that would decide who is the champion club of Europe.

We could call it.... oh, I dunno.... say.... how about this:  "The European Champion Club's Cup".

Yeah, that's got a nice ring to it.

I don't know what that is...

[Crimey]

If Liverpool win today, Chelsea lose tomorrow, only one point between them. Really hope Liverpool win today, it would really be the season getting back on track. Don't think the title is a realistic aim but want to finish as high as possible.

[mystiroakey]

|You are playing great football,

This is the point were teams start fulfilling there potential from the start of the season. The good teams have  moved on and are playing football like they are one..Like a perfectly fitted glove.

Liverpool have hit that position.. From a betting perspective I love this time of the year. You can start to call games..

I have won 2k this week.. Loving it..

Anyway enough of my personal victories..

Liverpool will win today.. I wouldn't be surprised if they finish 2nd the way they have developed so far..

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Kenwyne Jones doing his fraudulent act. Cardiff fans are gonna think he'll score again

[mystiroakey]

I am conflicted today as well though.

Palace v arsenal.

As much as I would love arsernal to win the PL. I off course want palace to claim a result.

Today's game has draw written all over it..

Arsenal would have won the league the way they have been playing the last few seasons. But we didn't realise how good Citeh and even Liverpool were going to play..

Wenger has started showing weaknesses and Pulis has become a man of steel.

This is the point in Arsenals title were they need to step up.. If they didn't have such strong opposition they wouldn't have needed to. But the timing has not been kind to them . And this could be the day when Arsenals title hopes take a severe slide.


If you lot want to get on my gravy train...

Back Liverpool and the draw today in a double..

[Duty281]

Brave of you mysti, very brave.

[mystiroakey]

I can be after hitting a quad and a triple this week.

[NickisBHAFC]

Can hear a pin drop at the hawthorns.

[NickisBHAFC]

West Brom 0-1 Liverpool

Sturridge. Easily onside.

[hampo17]

Good ball that from Suarez for the goal, many wouldn't have tried that there.

[GSC]

I had WBA as dark horses for relegation at the start of the season and I haven't seen much to change that. Do wonder who's going to score enough

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Apologies to Mat but I'm happy Pool are winning

[GSC]

A lot of pressure on young strikers to keep West Brom up

[Crimey]

WBA shouldn't worry, they have Anichebe...

Definitely onside, game feels a little flat. Liverpool not really grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck yet. Yacob and Mulumbu are good but a lack of quality around them to capitalise on their good work.

Fantastic from Suarez, not only would most players not try that, certainly almost all strikers would have gone for a hopeless shot there.

[NickisBHAFC]

Had west brom kept Clarke they would of been 100% fine. Should never ever of sacked him. New guy looks rubbish.

[Crimey]

What a boring first half. Liverpool getting pressured by ghosts it seems, inexplicably passing back towards goal at times.

[mystiroakey]

Brandon will sort them out.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Incredible lolz

[Crimey]

Of course he scores. The sooner Agger/Sakho back the better.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Kolo Toure looking around gif please

[Crimey]

Odd changes from Rodgers, want the three points so don't put Allen and Kelly on please....

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Liverpool still searching for any sort of bottle

[Crimey]

Points just thrown away, Sterling has been the bright spark, only other positive has been Gerrard putting in another good performance in the deeper role.

[GSC]

WBA shouldn't worry, they have Anichebe...

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Sturridge's decision making is frustrating as hell

[Crimey]

Extremely so, but it has been improving. He just seems to devolve as a player at points, such as when chasing the game or on a hat-trick.

[mystiroakey]

Doh.. My prediction fell flat.

Well done Bromwich.. Great display, frustrated the hell out of liverpools forwards

[Crimey]

The changes from Rodgers were really poor and disappointing. They can't be described as anything other than defensive.

[mystiroakey]

Which is crazy Crimey- Because you ahve got this far just attacking and not bothering about conceding the odd goal..

So why the change!

Pressure?

[hampo17]

The more I've seen of Kolo Toure this season, the more I've found myself asking how a player like that has been playing at this level for so long. His decision making is terrible, he has no pace, no positional strength.

[Crimey]

Rodgers needs to give those players a massive talk down, that was dreadful. Didn't really deserve the draw in a game that should have been three points in the bag. Sturridge gets a goal again but he put in a really poor performance and Suarez looks really frustrated stuck on the left.

[Crimey]

Toure was always physically impressive, that was his main attribute. He was fast and strong so could afford to make mistakes and recover using his athleticism.

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