Football! Premier League 7th-8th February Discussion Thread

Have you read this interview he gave: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/nov/15/liverpool-premierleague

He says that the striker role is his favoured position.

My only concern is that he’s not played in the role enough, however if he’s confident enough and Rafa gives him the chance I can see him excelling. He’s got the pace, strength and good hold up play, the key will be confidence. What will also be important will be the service of Kuyt & Riera and also the intelligent plays of Alonso (if he plays) and Benayoun. I know some Liverpool fans will be wary without your two world class players but I think the way Benayoun has been performing and Babel hopefully showing what he is capable of things do look promising.

Did he ever get a chance at Ajax to play there?

I remember seeing him the odd time in CL games in a CF position but that was in spells it seemed.

Babel tends to play the odd good game here or there and get dropped, it must be killing his confidence surely. Like you pointed out in a way, Babel is really a confidence player. His decision making is his overall negative though, which needs to pick up sooner rather than later.

Benayoun has looked very good lately indeed

It's the rest that worry me, 'cept for the defence including keeper.

Xabi too but lately is passing has been average to above average, he did pick up a knock in midweek and a couple of weeks ago so that's probably playing some part.

Riera's form like last season at Espanyol seems to have been run cold. That's a massive worry for me and most Reds having spoken to. Hard to build your stamina up for the short term but for a long term/half a season, it's nigh on impossible.

Kuyt is the one for his sake step it up though. Reds while they love the guy for his all round class personality, footballing wise he is driving the biggest of Liverpool Kuyt fans bonkers now. He is just not doing anything to any note whatsoever. Even his closing down of players isn't impressing anyone espically when you very very rarely win the ball or force a mistake.

He had the ability to play there even in certain games did even when starting on the left for example, but that’s why I do rate Babel he has a good spatial awareness. However as the seasons went on he found himself more as a left-forward in a 433. But like I’ve said he has the attributes to perform the task well, but its confidence to do that he requires. By any stretch of the imagination he’s no Torres so it’s not going to be a like for like replacement, but he can do a job. This again depends on Rafa’s judgement, will he play N’Gog or Babel if Torres is rested from the start.

I think Riera maybe going through a sticky patch despite that he still looks dangerous. Alonso who I thought didn’t have the best of games against Everton midweek is still quality, this could be Benayoun’s chance now his cameo against Chelsea possibly changed the game and made up for the aggro he got in the league game against Everton at Anfield & with Kuyt you get what you get.

Has RQ18 been cleared to play tomorrow by the FA/EPL?

I'm told the debut of Quaresma and Arseshaving is likely this weekend.

robert wrote:

Di Caniooooo! wrote:oh we're going to be slaughtered

By the 1-0 artists...psh I'm seeing a draw here.

I'm hoping, just for the hell of it in FM09 I gave myself 900m and now have West Ham as a god like time, destroyed Man U 6-0 and haven't lost in a year.

Early kick offs suck balls, i cant believe i have to be up so early on a saturday...only for City. Anyway im off to the pub and then on to COMS. COME ON CITY !!!

Sgoater1 wrote:Early kick offs suck balls, i cant believe i have to be up so early on a saturday...only for City. Anyway im off to the pub and then on to COMS. COME ON CITY !!!

WOW this early?,anyways I hope Robinho plays well and your team beat Boro(something in the line of the Portsmouth demiltion job)! .

Joe Kinnear has been taken to hospital apparently. Heart troubles might be coming back.

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2009/02/07/unwell-kinnear-to-miss-toon-clash-72703-22877096/

This is going to sound bad, but perhaps it will be serious enough for us to get a new manager. I don't want him to die, just resign.

I was going to say that in my post. Thought i'd leave it to you though.

Kimbo wrote:http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2009/02/07/unwell-kinnear-to-miss-toon-clash-72703-22877096/

This is going to sound bad, but perhaps it will be serious enough for us to get a new manager. I don't want him to die, just resign.

If he does resign, who do you want to come in, and realistically expect to get, taking current circumstances into account.

I hear Kevin Keegan is looking for work.

EMP wrote:

Kimbo wrote:http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2009/02/07/unwell-kinnear-to-miss-toon-clash-72703-22877096/

This is going to sound bad, but perhaps it will be serious enough for us to get a new manager. I don't want him to die, just resign.

If he does resign, who do you want to come in, and realistically expect to get, taking current circumstances into account.

Martinez, Ketsbaia

And there's always Steve "i'm a geordie me" Bruce who says he regrets turning us down in the past, perhaps they could put his Geordieness to the test.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1085903/Wigan-manager-Steve-Bruce-regrets-Newcastle-snub.html

We would probably end up with Roy Evans or Jack Charlton though.

Nobody will be a success there until their is new owners, so it's all pointless until Ashley gives it up.

L-r d wrote:Nobody will be a success there until their is new owners, so it's all pointless until Ashley gives it up.

All they need to do is stay up.

We're doing alright so far..Alves has had some good efforts. Should've done better with the 1on1 though.

If it wasnt Given in goal we might be winning

If you had a better striker you might be winning

He might be a judas, but there are times when God himself wouldn't be able beat Shay Given.

Kimbo wrote:He might be a judas, but there are times when God himself wouldn't be able beat Shay Given.

To be honest Kimmy I've always found Newcastle the easiest side to score against in the league but you will just shift that blame all on the defence so this will go round in circles

Kimbo wrote:http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2009/02/07/unwell-kinnear-to-miss-toon-clash-72703-22877096/

This is going to sound bad, but perhaps it will be serious enough for us to get a new manager. I don't want him to die, just resign.

Oh no, what will Newcastle do if the only man that wants to manage them dies?

If it wasnt Given in goal we might be winning

If you were playing in goal you'd have saved all those chances. Decision making near goal has been dire so far from both sides.

Certainly, I wish Kinnear a speedy recovery and so on and so forth; and besides any health issues, and the question as to whether such issues were always the likely result of bringing him into our club, I feel for him because he's working in a useless environment. He doesn't make the best of our circumstances: he seems generally out of his depth, he isn't really motivating the players anymore, our attack has gone backwards since Keegan was in charge, and he is unwilling to make changes during the course of matches; and with all his lying and muddling and nonsense-talk, he disrespects the fans, shames the club, and must at least aggravate the players.

Still, we have an owner who is doing his best towards ruining the club and ripping all the life and spirit out of it; a structure that is devised to keep the manager of the club in ignorance and relative powerlessness; and a squad that is one of the weakest in the league and that wasn't strengthened in the January transfer window, despite our poor league position and despite a host of significant injuries. All these things make Kinnear's job as manager a very difficult one, and obviously he is being put under a great deal of stress - so that I wonder if he can at least sue Mike Ashley for being the cause of it.

COTR wrote:

Kimbo wrote:He might be a judas, but there are times when God himself wouldn't be able beat Shay Given.

To be honest Kimmy I've always found Newcastle the easiest side to score against in the league but you will just shift that blame all on the defence so this will go round in circles

1414: Episode four of the Afonso Alves v Shay Given show ends in another victory for the City keeper, who again produces a superb save to beat away the striker's low shot from 20 yards.

Chelsea vs Hull

Ricardo Quaresma makes his debut on the right of an attack with Nicolas Anelka in the centre and Salomon Kalou on the left.

Hilario deputises for injured Petr Cech with 18-year-old keeper Rhys Taylor on the bench.

Michael Ballack makes his 100th Chelsea appearance.

Hull make just one change, Geovanni in for suspended Bernard Mendy.

Chelsea will line-up in a 4-3-3 formation as follows:

40 Hilario
17 José Bosingwa
33 Alex
26 John Terry (c)
3 Ashley Cole
13 Michael Ballack
12 John Mikel Obi
8 Frank Lampard
18 Ricardo Quaresma
39 Nicolas Anelka
21 Salomon Kalou

Substitutes: 30 Rhys Taylor, 2 Branislav Ivanovic, 35 Juliano Belletti, 20 Deco, 43 Miroslav Stoch, 9 Franco Di Santo, 11 Didier Drogba.

Hull are expected to line-up in the following 4-4-2 formation:

Duke; Ricketts, Turner, Zayatte, Dawson; Geovanni, Ashbee (c), Marney, Kilbane; Garcia, Fagan.

Subs: Myhill, Doyle, Hughes, France, Barmby, Manucho, Folan.

The referee is Lee Mason.

Kimbo wrote:

COTR wrote:

Kimbo wrote:He might be a judas, but there are times when God himself wouldn't be able beat Shay Given.

To be honest Kimmy I've always found Newcastle the easiest side to score against in the league but you will just shift that blame all on the defence so this will go round in circles

1414: Episode four of the Afonso Alves v Shay Given show ends in another victory for the City keeper, who again produces a superb save to beat away the striker's low shot from 20 yards.

Alfonso Alves is God?

Boro going down

I'm so conflicted who to support for the Fulham Wigan match, one's trailing behind us in points, so I don't want them to catch us, but ones level on points with us so I don't want them to gain points, the choices!

Bellamy having an arguement at the final whistle

Told you Bellamy is class, he can score from almost anywhere, wish we had kept him a bit longer.

Well..it was better than Blackburn at least..

Alves just doesnt seem to be able to get a goal in this league. Still a better player than any of our other strikers.