Premier League 17th-19th January Discussion Thread

If we dont score a couple of goals in this i'll be annoyed. Alves really needs to show that the goals he's got of late have given him a good boost.

I think it's going to be a really tough game. Everton aren't at full strength, Yakubu and Fellaini are big misses but it's a derby and lets face it, I think Everton fans put this above any other game in their season so they'll be up for it.

The game for me will be won if Torres and Gerrard both start and are both on the top of their game. I think defensively we wont have much of a problem, they lack any real height in that team without the Afro and Carragher/Agger/Hyypia/Skrtel can all deal with that pretty comfortably IMO. Having Alonso back is a massive boost, you can see how much of a difference it makes when he doesn't play (Stoke). We need him there to keep things tidy, hold the ball for a bit and pick out a perfect pass to get Torres in on goal. The only problem is, will Rafa be cautious and save him for the Cup game as he's only just come back? I don't know, I think he will start in the league one and maybe sit out in the cup, we will see.

The question is whether or not Rafa will put any more faith in Keane. It would be a massive game to start and a goal in that would do him the world of good as anyone who scores in a derby is instantly liked by the fans. I would like to see Rafa start both Torres and Keane, 2 up top sends out a message to our rivals - that we are going to give this league challenge a real go, I don't see why we should play with one striker up front at home in a game that really we should be winning.

Spurs could be bottom of the EPL tonight. Come on Blackburn & WBA!

Bolton Wanderers XI: Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Cahill, O'Brien, Samuel, Basham, Muamba, Taylor, Davies, Gardner, Makukula

Man Utd XI: van der Sar, Neville, Evans, Vidic, O'Shea, Fletcher, Carrick, Anderson, Ronaldo, Tevez, Berbatov

This month just gets better, Kinnear has benched Jonas in favour of Duff who is shite and N'Zogbia who wants to leave. Genius.

BRFC: Robinson; Ooijer, Nelsen, Samba, Warnock; Emerton, Tugay, Andrews, Pedersen; McCarthy, Roberts.
Subs: Bunn, Treacy, Grella, Mokoena, Santa Cruz, Dunn, Derbyshire.

NUFC: Given; Edgar, Coloccini, Bassong, Enrique; Duff, Butt, Guthrie, N'Zogbia; Owen, Carroll.
Subs: Harper, Taylor, Barton, Kadar, LuaLua, Jonas, Xisco.

No Laursen for Villa. But Cuellar's fit so steps in his place.

Still, I'm afraid for this game.

Sunderland XI: Fulop, Chimbonda, Nosworthy, Ferdinand, Collins, Edwards, Tainio, Whitehead, Diouf, Cisse, Jones

Aston Villa XI: Friedel, Reo-Coker, Davies, Cuellar, L. Young, Sidwell, Milner, Petrov, Barry, A. Young, Agbonlahor

Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Carvalho, Terry, Ashley Cole, Lampard, Mikel, Ballack, Malouda, Anelka, Kalou. Subs: Cudicini, Di Santo, Ivanovic, Alex, Belletti, Mancienne, Stoch.

Goodbye Drogba.

Has he been linked with Man City yet? The ideal front man for them if fit and he's hardly going to turn his nose up at an inflated salary.

Drogba would be ideal for Man City. Given that he's unhappy and Scolari doesn't seem to particularly rate him (odd man, Scolari) he's definitely going somewhere. Milan, assuming Kaka goes to City, will be loaded.

Terry out

1-0 to West Brom already..Chris Brunt, one of our ex youth players. Offside apparently..I cant believe how many goals that shouldnt be allowed we've had go against us this season.

I don't like the fact that we aren't starting Gutierrez today - we haven't won in five games if you include the two cup games against Hull; we have taken one point from three games in the league; I think it is important we get something today; and it would be especially nice to win against the supremely egotistical Allardyce. Gutierrez did look a little tired to me over the Christmas period (and it isn't surprising if he is a little tired at the moment), though on the other hand, he has put in a couple of good performances since then, on the left wing, where he generally looks more threatening.

I will presume that he's been left out because Kinnear thinks he could do with a rest - though I wouldn't be resting him today. I'm also confused with Edgar at right back instead of Taylor - is the idea simply that Edgar will keep out of the way a bit more, or that we are preserving Taylor by not playing him out of position? I think Taylor can, when he's on his game, play reasonably well at right back, and he can get forward more effectively than Edgar.

Alves hits the bar for about the 27th time this season.

Cuntfaced Shitbags

Go on Sunderland!

President Darkie wrote:Drogba would be ideal for Man City. Given that he's unhappy and Scolari doesn't seem to particularly rate him (odd man, Scolari) he's definitely going somewhere. Milan, assuming Kaka goes to City, will be loaded.

Drogba's off field antics are the reason why he's benched, along with getting into a row with Scolari. You can't really blame Big Phil for benching an out of form Drogba for the highest scoring player in the leauge.

Not many goals. Only in the worst possible places

Mes amis, the EPL is officially the best league in the world now. The EPL has Kaka, Robinho, and Cristiano. La Liga has Messi, Aguero, Eto'o, Xavi, and Robben. Serie A is left with Ronaldinho (past his best), Ibrahimovic, Vargas, Maicon, and Beckham (to sell T-shirts as usual).

EPL is #1 now with Kaka.

Puro wrote:Mes amis, the EPL is officially the best league in the world now. The EPL has Kaka, Robinho, and Cristiano. La Liga has Messi, Aguero, Eto'o, Xavi, and Robben. Serie A is left with Ronaldinho (past his best), Ibrahimovic, Vargas, Maicon, and Beckham (to sell T-shirts as usual).

EPL is #1 now with Kaka.

Get with the times Puro, "EPL" has been top for atleast a year now.

2 goals in 6 games - wow. I'm more interested in the dead seagull outside my house.

Man City 1-0 Wigan

Third goal. Dunne went and got himself sent off again just after...

Brom 2 up.

And Blackburn with a pen.

Who will be bottom at 5pm

Arrgghhh!

Villa level.

Milner

might be handball. but it could've been a pen anyway

Somebody better buy Young.

Come on Blackburn!

debaser wrote:
And Blackburn with a pen.

No contact by all accounts. We've got the shitty end of the stick again. Fuck the respect campaign.

Delap scores!

De Guzman wrote:Somebody better buy Young.

Come on Blackburn!

I doubt Blackburn can afford him

Stoke 1-0 up against Chelsea. (Delap, 60')