Premier League 8th-12th March Discussion Thread

S4P wrote:

Glenn Hysén wrote:I saw that S4P (nis). I saw that.

Saw what?

Make sure you watch MOTD tonight SP

Gerrard has yet again been incredible

and you may also see a little dive to keep you happy

It stands at -14 from seven league games including todays so far. It's -17 including the FA Cup game against Arsenal.

COTR wrote:

S4P wrote:

Glenn Hysén wrote:I saw that S4P (nis). I saw that.

Saw what?

Make sure you watch MOTD tonight SP

Gerrard has yet again been incredible

and you may also see a little dive to keep you happy

Must have been a horrendous dive if the beeb are saying that he "went down easily".

And being incredible against the likes of Smith shouldn't be rewarded with praise. It should be standard practics by now

Bullard scores.

$h!t did you that? He must have a foot like a traction engine!

Sheffield gunner wrote:Bullard scores.

Bastard. I was hoping Blackburn would hold out.

poor old Keegan. Newcastle really didn't turn up today

S4P wrote:

COTR wrote:

S4P wrote:

Glenn Hysén wrote:I saw that S4P (nis). I saw that.

Saw what?

Make sure you watch MOTD tonight SP

Gerrard has yet again been incredible

and you may also see a little dive to keep you happy

Must have been a horrendous dive if the beeb are saying that he "went down easily".

And being incredible against the likes of Smith shouldn't be rewarded with praise. It should be standard practics by now

he was at full speed and there was contact. It was your average ronaldo type fall to the grond when touched incident

It certianly wasn't lampard or drogba bad

S4P wrote:

COTR wrote:

S4P wrote:

Glenn Hysén wrote:I saw that S4P (nis). I saw that.

Saw what?

Make sure you watch MOTD tonight SP

Gerrard has yet again been incredible

and you may also see a little dive to keep you happy

Must have been a horrendous dive if the beeb are saying that he "went down easily".

And being incredible against the likes of Smith shouldn't be rewarded with praise. It should be standard practics by now

your original impulse to delete the dive comment was correct Swarpy - you haven't seen it yet you have an opinion?

Glenn Hysén wrote:

S4P wrote:

COTR wrote:

S4P wrote:

Glenn Hysén wrote:I saw that S4P (nis). I saw that.

Saw what?

Make sure you watch MOTD tonight SP

Gerrard has yet again been incredible

and you may also see a little dive to keep you happy

It must have been a horrendous dive if the beeb are saying that he "went down easily".

And being incredible against the likes of Smith shouldn't be rewarded with praise. It should be standard practics by now

your original impulse to delete the dive comment was correct Swarpy - you haven't seen it yet you have an opinion?

"It must have been".

If it was a dive, I'm sure it was an inspirational one

What a goal by Bullard! Amazing.

It was a dive, and he should have been booked for it, which would, without exaggeration, have significantly changed the statistical outcome of the game.

Bashmachkin wrote:It was a dive, and he should have been booked for it, which would, without exaggeration, have significantly changed the statistical outcome of the game.

Made me laugh bash

Things are bleak for newcastle. Your midfield is a total abomination which hardly needs pointing out. I was just thinking today why on earth you sold scott parker ?

Next season and a group of new players cannot come soon enough

Who really cares about this game? Even if Lippi was in charge we would have lost. The run of winnable games starts now, if we start Martins and repeat the Blackburn performance a few times against the likes of Brum, Fulham, Reading, and the Mackems we should pick up enough points.

Let me tell you though, these players all need to be sold or loaned out in the summer.

Owen
Viduka
Ameobi
Smith
Butt
Barton
Duff
Carr
Rozehnal

Every single one of them is a waste of space, money, and oxygen. If i was Keegan the only players i would be looking at as first team players for next season are Given, Beye, and Oba.

I agree that Given, Beye and Martins are the only players I'd happily see in next season's first eleven (provided, of course, that we stay up). N'Zogbia hasn't had a great season overall, but I'd maybe add him on the left if he stays with us and seems happy. Taylor should be kept, but I agree that ideally, we would have two better centre backs and he could rotate, come in when needed, and learn from some experienced defenders.

I like Milner, but we need some quality competition for him on the right - again, ideally, we would bring in someone better than him, someone a bit quicker and more versatile. I wouldn't be desperate to sell Duff either, because I think he works honestly, he runs a lot and tries to do something with the ball, and I think he would be good back-up for the left or for a role behind the front player. Enrique is decent back-up, Faye could be kept too, Harper can compete with Given, then there's Lua Lua and Carroll, and the rest should go.

I do think nobody is safe in the summer. I don't think Owen, as team captain, will necessarily stay - I think Keegan would probably get rid happily if a half-decent offer came in. Keegan, in Ferdinand and Shearer, has liked forwards who can hold up the ball and offer something in the air, and in that respect I can understand him playing Smith, though there's no way he should be anywhere near our team - I think that in the summer, we will look for a forward to properly fulfill that sort of role. The question would be who is going to bid for the likes of Smith and Barton?

Our team is weakest in the centre of midfield - the most important position there is. Regarding Parker, I wasn't happy at selling him last summer because we replaced him with Barton, who I didn't want due to his lack of character. Nevertheless, financially, I thought we hadn't done too badly - we paid a million less for Barton than we got for Parker, and I regarded them as players of similar quality, though it's true that Parker, a more defensive player, was more useful to us than Barton who is neither one thing nor the other. On this season's evidence, Parker is ten times the player Barton is, someone who takes some responsibility on the pitch, who is better in every respect. It is remarkable how poor and how gutless Barton is. And in him, Geremi and Smith we have three of the worst players in the Premier League, whilst Butt, however he tries, simply cannot pass a football effectively, plus he's too slow to excel in midfield.

Kimbo don't forget the bet we had, if Newcastle go down within the next 2 seasons you are gone from this board for ever

looking at the fixtures, although it would take a couple of unlikely results, Newcastle could be in the bottom 3 by the time of their next game. hopefully Keegan can get his first win at Brum.

COTR wrote:Gerrard has been a revelation since rafa switched to this formation

Torres is simply sublime

Harsh on newcastle as they had defended well up until the fluke but if only one team tries to win then there is always the chance something unlucky happening

So you agree with Puro

Proves he was right though - Gerrard is not a good CM because he doesn't have the discipline or ability to control the pace of a game like most other world class CMs. But put him in a "free" role further up the pitch (or on the right, though he's a bit less effective there since he's away from goal), and he excels with his high energy performances.

no kas. He is great in both positions. He has just been unstoppable when given this extra freedom. He was having a good season already from the middle, now he has stepped up another level. The reasons you have just typed for gerrard being a "poor" centre mid are cliched and disregard all the years and achievements he has had playing from centre mid. He is a versatile player so can play almost anywhere ( apart from too high up the pitch). The reason the current formation suits him is because he is still playing from deep but has two explosive players ahead of him to link with and xabi getting back to his best also increases the speed of our passing

But don't you think this is all a chicken and egg situation? Xabi Alonso "getting back to his best"...maybe because now he is playing a more natural role without having to partner Gerrard?

And I really don't think it's a cliche to say that Gerrard is no Xavi, Cesc, Ballack, etc. He's a different type of CM to those players.

alonso was great at the start of the season alongside gerrard kas

The truth is there are two truely world class players in our team. This formation extracts the best out of them. With gerrard playing as part of a two man centre mid it means he has to stay disciplined and he does this very well. Gerrard plays a very effective role at centre mid but the difference in this formation is it passes the duties that hold him back from getting forward more to players with less ability than him. Rafa creating this formation for him is more a complement of his abilities, than how you are trying to perceive it.

From MOTD -

Gerrard's dive was a dive, no question. Minimal contact and he went down heavily.

Man U's penalty appeal should have been given, and the defender sent off.

Rooney should definitely have been sent off for the running lunge coming up and over the ball and then down again. No question, it was a stupid, aggressive, dangerous tackle and this is exactly the sort of challenge that requires an automatic red if we're to decrease the likelihood of Eduardo-type injuries.


Lee Dixon is still a tedious cockmuncher without anything of interest to say about the game. Why they insult Gavin Peacock by putting him alongside this retarded, spasticated masturbator I do not know. Oh, yeah, he used to play for Arsenal...

COTR wrote:alonso was great at the start of the season alongside gerrard kas

The truth is there are two truely world class players in our team. This formation extracts the best out of them. With gerrard playing as part of a two man centre mid it means he has to stay disciplined and he does this very well. Gerrard plays a very effective role at centre mid but the difference in this formation is it passes the duties that hold him back from getting forward more to players with less ability than him. Rafa creating this formation for him is more a complement of his abilities, than how you are trying to perceive it.

No, don't get me wrong. I just used the Puro reference as a joke...I'm not saying what he is, that Benitez is putting Gerrard here just to avoid him "ruining" the central midfield. I don't see anything wrong with adapting a formation to play Gerrard further forward to capitalise further on his strengths.

Tottenham Hotspur XI: Robinson, Hutton, Dawson, Woodgate, Chimbonda, Lennon, Zokora, Huddlestone, Malbranque, Keane, Berbatov

West Ham United XI: Green, Neill, Ferdinand, Spector, McCartney, Ljungberg, Parker, Mullins, Boa Morte, Ashton, Zamora

No Upson, and a only-recently-fit Parker. Spurs have their chance.

Up the Huskey

god should of been 1-0

f@ck spurs one up

Good and great news for Arsenal: Van Persie & Toure on the bench !!




Berbatov makes it 2:0

Keane in my fantasy team, and it's Berbatov with 2 goals, Huddlestone with both assists