Premier League 11th-13th December Discussion Thread

Luis wrote:Hard to give a fuck about this season anymore when we win at home and lose away, mid-table form.

Mid table manager and mid table players

Thanks for your insight you big chinned c**t

Luis wrote:Thanks for your insight you big chinned c**t

HAHAHAHA!! YOU LOST!! POOR ICKLE LEWIS!!! HO HO HO!!

etc etc

Luis wrote:Thanks for your insight you big chinned c**t

Bring back the sigs!!!!!!!!!!!!

COTR wrote:Hodgson is a losing machine

He just keeps on banging them out

I'm guessing the injuries/suspensions excuses which are being used for Rafa won't be used for Roy? This is a team without Gerrard, Carragher, Agger and (for a large period of this season) Joe Cole.

S4P wrote:

COTR wrote:Hodgson is a losing machine

He just keeps on banging them out

I'm guessing the injuries/suspensions excuses which are being used for Rafa won't be used for Roy? This is a team without Gerrard, Carragher, Agger and (for a large period of this season) Joe Cole.

The team we put out should be beating an average Newcastle side in a state of dissaray. United would have gone there and won 4-0 today.

We've now lost more than we've won this season, are on course for our worst ever points total and wont get more than 2 away wins all season.

Are they in disarray? The owner has been a c**t and the fans appear very angered at the recent events, but their results and performances of late have been fairly impressive and, West Brom aside, they haven't been conceding many goals. Man Utd don't look as though they can score 4 past anyone away from home.

I will reiterate: You were missing your captain, a player Liverpool fans continuously tell us is one of the best midfielders in the world, your most experienced CB, your best (in my opinion, though I don't watch Liverpool anywhere near as much as you do) CB in Agger, Joe Cole is only just returning from injury. So to say it's a dreadful result is overstating it a bit. Plenty of teams will drop points at Newcastle this season.

Man City look good. Silva and Toure especially. But Silva is so obviously a central player, its annoying he doesnt play there. And how does Jo deserve to start over Johnson on the wing?

Becoming efficient though

Yeah, the culture shock is the reason for Balotelli's petulance.

I was at the West Ham/Man City game today, my first chance to have a look at Balotelli in the flesh. I find him extraordinary. I think he has all the qualities to become one of, if not The most hated footballer in the world. He's got some weird attention span issues and has the demeanour of someone who's being forced to play football because his family are being held at gunpoint.

West Ham are the worst team I have seen for a long time, they may as well be Scott Parker + 10 cones. He's been linked with a move to Spurs in January and I think that might be a better deal for West Ham than for Spurs - Tottenham wont make best use of him while West Ham will have to build a team rather than rely on him covering for every position on the field.

He reminds me a lot of Steven Gerrard under Houllier, wherever the ball is Parker was usually the closest or 2nd closest West Ham player. Whenever a West Ham player was beaten it was Parker tracking back to cover for him, and whenever West Ham got forward it was Parker who was making the play and then getting forward as an option. Absolutely stunning player and you can see why he is so highly rated by Hammers.

Man City really surprised me, they were excellent, even without Tevez and playing the first hour with 10 men half the time as Balotelli spent at least 30 minutes standing on the halfway line with his hands on his hips watching. I don't think City would miss Tevez as much as is touted, his goalscoring record is amazing but they can certainly replace him and their status as genuine title challengers will open up a new tier of players they can attract.

Just seen MOTD - Hodgson's frantic face rubbing


Good to see Sulzeer still has the old magic


Torres still not match-fit I see



Tchoyi nearly curled one in for the 3rd week on the trot!

Pierre Littbarski wrote:Just seen MOTD - Hodgson's frantic face rubbing

S4P wrote:

COTR wrote:Hodgson is a losing machine

He just keeps on banging them out

I'm guessing the injuries/suspensions excuses which are being used for Rafa won't be used for Roy? This is a team without Gerrard, Carragher, Agger and (for a large period of this season) Joe Cole.

Is this some sort of joke ?

He has had Torres, Gerrard and Carragher available to him for the vast majority of the season. Them playing didn't stop him from becoming a losing machine.

He didn't even play Agger when he was fit. He has only ever played at left back under Roy

Cole was available yesterday but deservedly on the bench.

We actually played ok yesterday but Roy just seems clueless about how to approach away games while he sits on the bench rubbing his chin. His record away from home at each club he has been at and now Liverpool is truly appalling.

It cant help that the team is shit though.

COTR wrote:

S4P wrote:

COTR wrote:Hodgson is a losing machine

He just keeps on banging them out

I'm guessing the injuries/suspensions excuses which are being used for Rafa won't be used for Roy? This is a team without Gerrard, Carragher, Agger and (for a large period of this season) Joe Cole.

Is this some sort of joke ?

He has had Torres, Gerrard and Carragher available to him for the vast majority of the season. Them playing didn't stop him from becoming a losing machine.

He didn't even play Agger when he was fit. He has only ever played at left back under Roy

Cole was available yesterday but deservedly on the bench.

We actually played ok yesterday but Roy just seems clueless about how to approach away games while he sits on the bench rubbing his chin. His record away from home at each club he has been at and now Liverpool is truly appalling.

What's the point in playing Agger on the brief occasions when he's fit? Spurs just about get away with doing that with King, but the only category where Agger matches King is injury-proneness.

I see Downing scored again. He's having one of those seasons where he's the man for his club. Two brilliant crosses from Albrighton too. Get them in the England side

Downing owes Albrighton a lot. I swear nearly all his goals have been the same - Albrighton cross to the back post with Downing on hand to put it in however he can (one was even a header!). There was one blast from outside box.

But yes overall he has stepped up big time this season - as would have hoped. Last year was a tough one with moving to a new club and missing first half of season injured. The system Houllier plays probably allows him to get forward more too, he wouldn't get into the box much last year.

He'll have to step up even more when Young goes

and yep, both should be in England squad on form this season. Lennon's been mostly crap, Walcott started well but quickly regressed back to his normal 15 min cameos of inept decision-making and Milner/Jinky are now perma-subs at $ity.

COTR wrote:

S4P wrote:

COTR wrote:Hodgson is a losing machine

He just keeps on banging them out

I'm guessing the injuries/suspensions excuses which are being used for Rafa won't be used for Roy? This is a team without Gerrard, Carragher, Agger and (for a large period of this season) Joe Cole.

Is this some sort of joke ?

He has had Torres, Gerrard and Carragher available to him for the vast majority of the season. Them playing didn't stop him from becoming a losing machine.

Cole was available yesterday but deservedly on the bench.

We actually played ok yesterday but Roy just seems clueless about how to approach away games while he sits on the bench rubbing his chin. His record away from home at each club he has been at and now Liverpool is truly appalling.

My point is that Gerrard has played either as many (or fewer league games) for you as Milito, Sneijder and Eto'o have played for Inter yet you keep popping up in the Benitez threads informing us of how Benitez has been affected badly by injuries.

COTR wrote:He didn't even play Agger when he was fit. He has only ever played at left back under Roy

Overlooking this contradiction, he's played 9 times this season. Given how injury prone he is, that's better than most would have predicted (certainly after reading your comment).

Joe Cole was being lauded by Liverpool fans on here at the start of the season. We were all informed about what a key player he would be this season. Sadly for him, he's spent a lot of it on the treatment, leaving Hodgson without one of his key players for large periods.

S4P wrote:
Joe Cole was being lauded by Liverpool fans on here at the start of the season. We were all informed about what a key player he would be this season. Sadly for him, he's spent a lot of it on the treatment, leaving Hodgson without one of his key players for large periods.

Then they were mad, it was obvious what was going to happe with Cole.

http://www.betexplorer.com/soccer/england/english-premier-league-2010-2011/

3rd in the home table, 17th in the away table.

Fulham were 8th in the home table and 15th in the away table last year, but as it's Fulham nothing gets said when they finish mid table.

Bolton down to 10 men and under plenty of Blackburn pressure, but Muamba has just given them the lead with a low left-footed shot at the near post.

Muamba might be turning into a better footballer than most people currently givee him credit for...

My point is that Gerrard has played either as many (or fewer league games) for you as Milito, Sneijder and Eto'o have played for Inter yet you keep popping up in the Benitez threads informing us of how Benitez has been affected badly by injuries.

Inter have had a major injury crisis throughout their entire team. Surely to god you aren't comparing that with us losing Gerrard for a game or two. I'm sure you can guess my views on Carragher's injury. Roy has been able to pick his strongest side, or something approaching it more often than not this season.

Overlooking this contradiction, he's played 9 times this season. Given how injury prone he is, that's better than most would have predicted (certainly after reading your comment).

Your first point was that he hasn't really had Agger available to him, now you are saying this ?

As I said Roy has been playing Agger as a left back, picking Carragher and Skrtel over him so his injury hasn't really impacted on Roy, especially considering Soto has been our best defender this season when he has played. I've no idea if Roy will keep Agger on the bench when he returns.

Joe Cole was being lauded by Liverpool fans on here at the start of the season. We were all informed about what a key player he would be this season. Sadly for him, he's spent a lot of it on the treatment, leaving Hodgson without one of his key players for large periods.

I also thought Cole would be a key player for us but in his 12 games so far he is yet to have any meaningful positive impact on a game. Maxi has taken his place on merit.

Awesome. Diouf scores for Blackburn, but Holden replies within 15 seconds of the restart to give Bolton the lead again. Fat Sam looks speechless for once.

Bolton 2 - 1

Dwarf wrote:
Then they were mad, it was obvious what was going to happe with Cole.

http://www.betexplorer.com/soccer/england/english-premier-league-2010-2011/

3rd in the home table, 17th in the away table.

Fulham were 8th in the home table and 15th in the away table last year, but as it's Fulham nothing gets said when they finish mid table.

1 win in his last 27 away league games

13 wins in 107 away league games overall in England

There can't be too many other managers in the league with a record as poor as that. Pretty damning stuff especially if you consider the true test of a manager's ability comes in tougher away games where his tactics will have the greatest impact on the team. NESV need to hire an experienced winner. Hanging on to Roy and hoping he is suddenly going to improve on 35 years of averageness is just not going to work.

Pav

What a player

Pav gives Spurs the lead. It was a very nicely worked goal and a good low finish. Defoe might have been offside in the build up, and Chelsea's defending was very lax. They gave Pav far too much time to control and shoot, and not one defender got close to him.

ramires-mikel


half of the bundesliga teams could dominate this midfield

How the hell was Essien not sent off for that tackle on Bale? That's a bloody leg breaker

omg chelsea are long ball hoofers

Kroos wrote:ramires-mikel


half of the bundesliga teams could dominate this midfield

More than half of the Premier League teams already do.


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One thing I never understand when watching Spurs: why do teams give them so much space to play? Even in this match, Modric always has plenty of time in the centre to control the ball and choose a pass. Spurs' lines are always spread out, with the likes of Defoe dropping in to fill the gaps...but if your own team can make use of the ball efficiently and your strikers get in good positions, you should be able to kill them.