We Go Again! The 2014/15 Premier League Thread

[Dolphin Ziggler]

First topic message reminder :

Yeah that definitely has a point and relevance. It shows how ludicrous a comment that is.

[The Special Juan]

I'm very surprised Rodgers never moved for Ashley Williams instead of Lovren.

[Hero]

The positive has to be that despite playing awful it was still 3 points on the board that lifts you now to 5th even though you've not played well at all yet this season.

[lfc91]

Fair point hero. Can't argue with our position in the league because as people rightly say, we've only played to our best (best compared to last year ) once this year and that was against spurs!

Genuinely believe that sorting out our poor defence will have a knock on effect and improve the whole team performance. Assuming that is that BR grows a set and drops ballotelli. Wouldn't even want him on the bench

[kingraf]

This Epl is shoddy

[Guest]

It must be so frustrating for Mark Hughes knowing he's playing a centre back that has no brain.

Ryan Shawcross is threatening Lee Cattermole for the most pointless player award.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

"@IainLiddle: Harry Redknapp saying he doesnn't read papers or care what their silly journalists say. Hope he expands on this topic in his next Sun column"

Harry Redknapp ladies and gentlemen

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Its what stops him playing for England. Hes a generally good defender, but his recklessness ruins it.

[Ent]

His comments on taarabt were even better.

[GSC]

I like how Harry threw Adel Taarabt under the bus.

Great man management isn't it.

QPR would be better off without the muppet

[The Special Juan]

I like how Harry threw Adel Taarabt under the bus.

Great man management isn't it.

QPR would be better off without the muppet

Taarabt or Redknapp?

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Both. Pulis will be there in no time

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Got to be enjoying the Liverpool backlash at Balotelli. Most the players were crap today anyway. I'd be throwing Gerrard, Mignolet and Lovren under the camou car with Balotelli

[GSC]

I like how Harry threw Adel Taarabt under the bus.

Great man management isn't it.

QPR would be better off without the muppet

Taarabt or Redknapp?

Could make a case for both, but in this case Redknapp.

[lfc91]

Got to be enjoying the Liverpool backlash at Balotelli. Most the players were crap today anyway. I'd be throwing Gerrard, Mignolet and Lovren under the camou car with Balotelli

True enough the majority of the players were poor today, although I think that further highlights just how bad ballotelli was, that in that sea of garbage that was the Liverpool team today, he gets singled out as worst of the bunch!(although looking back Enrique gave him a run for his money).

[Crimey]

I think a big problem with Gerrard compared to the other three is that at least they put in effort, at least they tried to rectify things and not just sit back and sulk. Balotelli put zero effort in today and completely let the team down. Rodgers should have seen this and hauled him off, he needs to be put in place.

[socal1976]

I can't believe Balottelli is doing as poorly for Liverpool as he is. No wonder Milan were so ready to get rid of him and his attitude. I still think he can be a great striker and that maybe people are judging him too quickly as he is trying to settle into the squad. Feel for QPR because really did deserve the point and to lose it on an own goal late in the match at home is tough. Sterling is LFC's best player this season talk about a big drop off between him and Suarez from last year.

[socal1976]

Is it me or is mignolet a crap goal keeper?

[compelling and rich]

been some cracking comments on here this season, plenty were saying

balotelli is well worth the risk

southampton will get relegated

[Mad for Chelsea]

Going back a little to socal's moan about time-wasting, and I honestly think he has a point. I do find it infuriating when teams unexpectedly go ahead and from then on (even if it's only after about 20 minutes or so) will inevitably take 30 secs over every restart, flop to the floor in apparent agony only to be running like a spring chicken after a few minutes treatment, slowly walk off the field when being subbed, stopping to high-five every team-mate on the way, etc.

It does seem to me that teams do it more now than they did even 2-3 years ago (when teams might start running down the clock in the last 10-15 minutes or so, and even then, not the extent currently seen), and pretty much all teams do it nowadays. Atletico in the CL final one of the worst IMO, which made me glad when Real equalised at the eleventh hour - shame, as Atletico's performance at the Bridge in the semis was as good as I've seen.

Maybe it's time to introduce a "time-off" system for injuries and substitutions (or indeed any prolonged break, like when a penalty's awarded or a player sent off, which usually leads to long "discussions" with the referee) like they do in rugby? and also be much stricter on time-wasting in general (if a player's been booked and is wasting time, send him off!).

Also, there still seems to be the expectation on teams to kick the ball out when a player's down so he can receive treatment, though I believe it's supposed to now be up to the ref. If teams played on, or didn't give the ball back after the team with the "injured" player kicks it out, maybe this faking of injuries would change? Again in rugby, the game is only stopped for an injury if it's a head injury, otherwise it's fair game. I remember in the Charity Cup a few years back Evra going down injured after colliding with Ballack. Chelsea, well within their rights, went up the other end and scored, and suddenly Evra was miraculously on his feet to run to the ref and berate him for not stopping play: sorry mate, but you clearly weren't injured then were you? (though to be fair and before man u fans shout me down for this one, it should have been a clear foul against Ballack, the ref got that one wrong - I will maintain that he was right not to stop play thereafter though).

[mystiroakey]

Drogba was the king of stopping and breaking up play.

[Mad for Chelsea]

True, and I didn't like it when he did it either (mostly because he was so much better when he stayed up and just bullied defences - like the game vs Liverpool after Benitez made the mistake of winding him up). For a strong guy he had a remarkably low "pain threshold" for sure

Sure there were players like that in the past, but I feel the general time-wasting (be it from faking injury or delaying throw-ins/goal-kicks or very long subs, etc.) has got much worse over the last few years, and it's basically a form of cheating I'd really like to see stamped out. I don't really want to turn this into a club debate, Chelsea are as guilty as anyone else (particularly on the rare occasions when they go in as the underdogs), I'd prefer a general discussion as to whether this bothers others as much as it bothers me, and if so, what can be done?

[Stella]

Don't refs card players as it is? Whether they add on the wasted time, I don't know?

[Mad for Chelsea]

Don't refs card players as it is? Whether they add on the wasted time, I don't know?

they do, but not enough IMO (and not quickly enough either). They're meant to add on 30 secs per substitution I think (and account for injuy time-outs) but when a player takes a minute to leave the field that doesn't help much, while you often see refs not add on extra added time for subs made during added time...

[GSC]

To be honest, would it be that hard for a timekeeper to stop the clock whenever play is stopped?

Doesn't seem a particularly tough assignment in 2014

[compelling and rich]

cant understand why we haven't already brought in a official time keeper like we do in rugby

stoppage in play, stop the clock. restart when play resumes. when its gets to 90 minutes thats game over, simple and would totally rid the game of time wasting and all the moaning about time added on

[Stella]

What about throw ins, and goal kicks? This isn't a stop in play, but time is wasted.

[mystiroakey]

The problems are that it could add half an hour to games if not more- then you have the policing issues/transport/tv scheduling etc.

but  yeah i think its time to deal with this issue(the problems are only minor and have been dealt with in rugby, to an extent where we haven't reduced the game to NFL standards!!)- but its not just on the FA is it- Its on world football to make the change.

The players would probably end up playing more as a result- as we must on average be losing 10-15 mins a game.. they may get over fatigued.. maybe just bring the games down to 40 mins a half.

[GSC]

Just stop it whenever the ball isn't in open play

[mystiroakey]

If we had a running clock- i would like it to be dealt with like Rugby and not Basketball.

In basketball it stops as the time runs out- In rugby the game only stops after the ball is out of play after the time has run out

[Stella]

I think it's fine as it is. If a player is wasting time, then book him, add it on (the ref that is). If the ball goes in row Z then get it back quick, it's part of the game.
Give it time, and we'll be carding players for running it in the corner.

[GSC]

I have no problem with running it into the corner.

Its more refs tend to be so inconsistent with breaks of play and applying extra time for it. Could also be argued you'll get your moneys worth this way.

[Mike Selig]

If you stopped the clock everytime the ball went out of play (the basketball model) you couldn't play 45 minute halves or you'd need more/rolling subs and it would take over 3 hours for a game to finish (the amount of time the ball is currently in play is something between 25 and 30 mins per half IIRC).

The rugby model should work. Stop the clock at each sub, injury, penalty or card.

[Stella]

I've often defended Redknapp, but I'm not a fan of criticising a player in public, even if he may have deserved it. Hope he doesn't do that when he gets the England job

[GSC]

I hope he doesn't get the England job

[Stella]

I hope he doesn't get the England job

Holding out for the Forest one, I heard

[GSC]

I heard Bayerns just a stop gap for Pep until the Forest job becomes available so he'll have strong competition.

[Stella]

I heard Bayerns just a stop gap for Pep until the Forest job becomes available so he'll have strong competition.

Sounds more reasonable than Harry, though pep would do well to do a Clough, and retain the European Cup. Seriously, be nice to see Forest back in the top league. My earliest memories were of their European exploits.

[Crimey]

I've often defended Redknapp, but I'm not a fan of criticising a player in public, even if he may have deserved it. Hope he doesn't do that when he gets the England job

In almost all cases I would agree, but Taraabt is a special case for me and I do think when he's got a player who is talented and you're struggling and people are questioning why he doesn't use Taraabt and its for that reason, I think that's fair enough.

[GSC]

Yeah, I'm sure slagging off Taarabt in public is a surefire way to make him perk up. AC managed to get him playing and fit easily enough.

[Guest]

Also, if Harry's being this "vocal" now, it will encourage certain people* to go buy his new book and see what other juicy tidbits they can find.

*morons

[Crimey]

Yeah, I'm sure slagging off Taarabt in public is a surefire way to make him perk up. AC managed to get him playing and fit easily enough.

To me it didn't sound like he was trying to perk him up, he was writing him off. And I don't blame him, he's a waste of time and space. I'm surprised they're not looking into ending his contract considering staying fit and available to play is a clause in every footballer's contract.

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