Premier League week 5 - 18/19 September 2010

Deluded F*ck wrote:Like Cotter says, wait until Lampard is back to "run the midfield"

They won't realise Abramovich's CL dream, with Lampard as the top dog and not Essien.

You think Essien should play in Lampard's position?

Super Padrino wrote:

Deluded F*ck wrote:Like Cotter says, wait until Lampard is back to "run the midfield"

They won't realise Abramovich's CL dream, with Lampard as the top dog and not Essien.

You think Essien should play in Lampard's position?

No, but I think that Chelsea need a better playmaker because when the going gets tough, Lampard disappears. He rarely steps up when Drogba gets shut down, like Inter did.

Does he disappear, or just find it too difficult? He's not really a genuine playmaker, is he.

Deluded F*ck wrote:

Super Padrino wrote:

Deluded F*ck wrote:Like Cotter says, wait until Lampard is back to "run the midfield"

They won't realise Abramovich's CL dream, with Lampard as the top dog and not Essien.

You think Essien should play in Lampard's position?

No, but I think that Chelsea need a better playmaker because when the going gets tough, Lampard disappears. He rarely steps up when Drogba gets shut down, like Inter did.

Ok I agree. Chelsea maybe should have gone for Diego who could have been gotten on the cheap. Allthough Diego would limit Ancelotti's tactical flexibility. Cesc would be absolutely perfect if Abramovic could be bothered because he can still play deeper and allow Essien more freedom which Diego/Ozil/etc. wouldn't.

Kroos wrote:

COTR wrote:

Kroos wrote:look at the chelea players, not a single one has reached the last 8 at the WC, most humiliated in the groupstage

where barca and bayern had 9-10 players in semifinal or final


me thinks chelsea cant really hold this form, would be better they have this form at the later stage of the season

No need to worry

They'll lose it when Lampard returns to the fold

astonishing that they score so much without deflectinons from fattty

essien is really a huge force for chelsea

It's also helps that Chelsea aren't having to field a 130K a week German pensioner in midfield anymore either.

This Chelsea midfield minus Lampard and Ballack is the future

Luis's winners and losers of the weekend

Winners

The Jews

Avram Grant could well have ignored his religious background to oversee things at Stoke on Saturday afternoon but his praying must have payed off. It's not a win, no, but it's a much needed first point on the board after a truly woeful start to his career.

Tottenham were almost embarassed at home again and despite dominating the game it might have been one of those programme tearing, bottle kicking days for the Spurs fans but for a blatant foul on Alan Hutton by Stephen Ward which gave Spurs the impetus to go on and win the game. It's been a good, if not brilliant start for Spurs but a natural goal-scorer is much needed at the Lane.

Newcastle

As I was predicting the final Premier League table at the end of the season with a few mates yersterday I was filling out the relegation places and was desperately trying to remember the 3rd promoted team. I got Blackpool and West Brom alright but couldn't place the other team for some reason; I had a frustrating mental block. Until I finally realised the reason why - it's as if Newcastle have never been away. They're still the often unpredicatable but resilient and physically tough opponents that have now added something a bit special in Ben Arfa. When the club went down 2 seasons ago the Geordie army probably would never have dreamed they'd be back with a 6-0 drubbing of Villa and a win at Goodison Park so soon.

Chelsea

Though we didn't expect anything else did we? As much as Chelsea were good, Blackpool looked like a team of fans that had won a prize to play at any chosen ground in the Premier League this season. But credit must be given to Ancelotti and his boys; 5 games played, 5 wins, 21 goals scored, 1 conceded. It's the stuff of champions. Granted, they haven't had a real test yet and that will come next week at Manchester City, but as the saying goes, you can only play who is put in front of you and Chelsea have played each and every one of them off the park. Drogba seems to be getting better with age, Malouda is one of the best midfielders in Europe at the moment and having Michael Essien back is like having a new signing, a 30 million pound one that doesn't need any time to adjust or fit in to the system. Oh and Remires looks a class act too.

Manchester

Badly needed wins for both Manchester clubs this weekend.

You can't help but feel Ferguson wont be completely happy with the win though. Yes, it came against his most hated rivals and yes his persistant faith in Berbatov has finally payed off, but the complacency and nerves were there for all to see again. 2-0 up, cruising, seemingly beyond reach and within 7 or 8 minutes United have thrown away another 2 goal lead. If Liverpool had shown a bit more hunger to win the game at that point it could have been another Fergie boot in the face for one of the United players (Rooney probably deserves it the most at the moment) at the final whistle. Liverpool had United on the ropes and just needed one more killer knockout blow to gain what would have been a quite frankly undeserved victory. But it was a warning to United none the less. Sir Alex has still got a lot of work to do if this is going to be the year where United finally do knock Liverpool off their fucking perch.

City quietly got the job done yesterday. It was a place they could have slipped up after travelling back from Austria a few days earlier but luckily they caught schizophrenic Wigan on one of their off days. Next week will be a big test for City, if they're serious about challenging for the title then they need to start proving they have the quality to do it.

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Losers

Liverpool

Another away game, another lacklustre performance from Liverpool. Hodgson hasn't enjoyed a good start to his tenure with just 2 goals scored in 5 games and 7 conceded. It's a difficult start no doubt but the mentality isn't right. In the first half, Liverpool looked like a team that was trying to fit good players into a system that glaringly didn't accomedate them. Joe Cole was shifted out onto the left for the first time this season in order for Gerrard to take his much debated role behind Torres and for Merieles to often interchange with him which didn't work and left too much space in the midfield for United to exploit. Christian Poulsen served as a sort of anchor-man but every time he had time to pass there was a lack of options and movement. Liverpool finally seemed to wake up late on in the half but unfortunately conceded a late goal which could have and should have been easily avoided.

For all the debate about zonal marking during Rafa's reign, Hodgson's man-marking system made Liverpool look like fools. Torres's pitiful attempt at positional marking on Berbatov was only slightly better than Paul Konchesky's clueless positional play on the near post. He seemed to be in two minds and was lucky not to get a red card for a hand ball if the header hadn't have gone in.

But for an 8 minute spell in which Torres finally became involved in the game and Gerrard and Merieles seemed to contemplate each other rather than become an obstacle to one another, Liverpool never wanted the win as much as United did. Even at 2-2 they sat back and watched United find a winner from poor defending by Jamie Carragher but an impressive leap by Berbatov.

Hodgson now has a run of Sunderland, Blackpool and Blackburn at home with a short trip to Everton sandwhiched in between to put things right.

But before anything else, he needs to form a seach party to find Maxi Rodriguez.

Arsenal

And yet they were so nearly winners. The Stadium of Light is becoming a cursed stadium for the big boys, if it's not a beach ball that saves the day for Sunderland it's a bit of extra time added to extra time. But hey, Sir Alex gets away with it time and time again so why can't Bruce?

Despite this, Arsenal didn't have enough to kill the game off and this will be the most worrying aspect for Wenger. That and the fact that Cesc Fabregas couldn't last a half. Injuries are piling up for Arsene, added to the suspension of Song. I can't help but feel it wont exactly be a full strength side that will face Spurs in the carling cup on Tuesday.

Aston Villa

Lucky to beat Everton, unlucky to lose late on to Stoke, now an unispiring send off for Kevin MacDonald with a 1-1 draw with Bolton. Houllier has a big task on his hands, that's for sure. Villa just don't seem to have any cutting edge this season. Albrighton will become a very good player but he must be getting a bit tired out. Carew isn't the physical threat he used to be and Agbonlahor doesn't even look as hungry at the moment. Villa's biggest problem is their lack of options from the bench. At the weekend their bench contained:

* 22 Guzan,
* 21 Clark,
* 24 Cuellar,
* 20 Reo-Coker,
* 25 Bannan,
* 10 Carew,
* 18 Heskey

Hardly anything to scare opposition defenders.

Luis's footballing and literary masterclass of the week

"It's not a win, no, but it's a much needed first point on the board"

"one of those programme tearing, bottle kicking days for the Spurs fans"

"a natural goal-scorer is much needed at the Lane"

"It's as if Newcastle have never been away"

"have now added something a bit special in Ben Arfa"

"It's the stuff of champions"

"as the saying goes, you can only play who is put in front of you"

"Chelsea have played each and every one of them off the park"

"having Michael Essien back is like having a new signing"

"Remires [sic] looks a class act too"

"his persistant [sic] faith in Berbatov has finally payed [sic] off"

"had United on the ropes and just needed one more killer knockout blow"

"City quietly got the job done"

"caught ... on one of their off days"

"Injuries are piling up for Arsene"

"an unispiring send off for Kevin MacDonald"

It's better than last week surely?

It's ruddy brilliant, it is. A very choice selection revealed 16-odd of the fuckers!

Allez les rouges wrote:Luis's footballing and literary masterclass of the week

"It's not a win, no, but it's a much needed first point on the board"

"one of those programme tearing, bottle kicking days for the Spurs fans"

"a natural goal-scorer is much needed at the Lane"

"It's as if Newcastle have never been away"

"have now added something a bit special in Ben Arfa"

"It's the stuff of champions"

"as the saying goes, you can only play who is put in front of you"

"Chelsea have played each and every one of them off the park"

"having Michael Essien back is like having a new signing"

"Remires [sic] looks a class act too"

"his persistant [sic] faith in Berbatov has finally payed [sic] off"

"had United on the ropes and just needed one more killer knockout blow"

"City quietly got the job done"

"caught ... on one of their off days"

"Injuries are piling up for Arsene"

"an unispiring send off for Kevin MacDonald"

You missed the best one Allez - "The Geordie Army"

If the Toon Army / Newcastle United have ever been called that before, I'll offer David Haye my testicles as a punch bag

Luis

Luis wrote:
Manchester

Badly needed wins for both Manchester clubs this weekend.

You can't help but feel Ferguson wont be completely happy with the win though. Yes, it came against his most hated rivals and yes his persistant faith in Berbatov has finally payed off, but the complacency and nerves were there for all to see again.

As saints mentioned - the complacency is ferguson's in teh transfer market.

The players on the pitch ?!

Much as a hate him - you honestly think these players would be complacent 3 times already this season with a manager like that?

When this "complacency" carries on throughout the season (esp away from home) you may finally accept that its no such thing.

Glynn's winner and loser of the weekend

Winner - Dimitar Berbatov

The languid Bulgarian has proved his doubters wrong. During a game of two halves Liverpool were at sixes and sevens, and at the end of the day Liverpool supremo Hodgeson will be as sick as a parrot.

You can’t win the title in August but you can certainly lose it and it was end to end stuff from the start as United set out their stall against a Liverpool side looking to gatecrash the Top 4.

There are no easy games at this level and despite being 2 goals up Ferguson was left red-faced when a Gerrard brace made it all to play for, Evans was lucky not to be send off, and Scholes was booked for a typical forwards tackle, but Berbatov proved that he hasn't just got good feet for a big man by netting the crucial late winner.

Loser - Everton

On paper Everton are too good to go down but football is a funny old game and although Moyes' men tend to finish the season strongly they can't afford to drop many more points at home. They're fighting for their lives and need to take each day as it comes. The Toffees have an honest team who will run their socks off but goals change games and without a regular 20-goal-a-season striker they may struggle. A must-win game, six of one, half a dozen of the other.

Berbatov >>> Torres

Ä wrote:Berbatov >>> Torres

Torres >>> Anything German, German Brazilian, German Spanish, Polish German

Did I miss any out Otto ?

word on the streets in Munich is that Liverpool are still chasing GOMEZ

children, you may sound sceptical NOW, but once he has led Pool to EPL glory , you WILL think of ME

and be GRATEFUL

for the

wahre Genius

@ Glenn

Pierre Littbarski wrote:

Luis wrote:
Manchester

Badly needed wins for both Manchester clubs this weekend.

You can't help but feel Ferguson wont be completely happy with the win though. Yes, it came against his most hated rivals and yes his persistant faith in Berbatov has finally payed off, but the complacency and nerves were there for all to see again.

As saints mentioned - the complacency is ferguson's in teh transfer market.

The players on the pitch ?!

Much as a hate him - you honestly think these players would be complacent 3 times already this season with a manager like that?

When this "complacency" carries on throughout the season (esp away from home) you may finally accept that its no such thing.

Complaceny occurs when a team is looking comfortable but due to sloppyness (i.e. Evans) surrenders a good lead. This is what happened at the weekend.

Evans is just a bit slow, not very agile, and prone to stupidity. He isn't a bad player, but he'll never be a great player. He wasn't complacent, just not that good.

Subtly Beautiful wrote:Evans is just a bit slow, not very agile, and prone to stupidity. He isn't a bad player, but he'll never be a great player. He wasn't complacent, just not that good.

It was sloppy to take Torres out like he did though. He had done ok until that point.

Luis wrote:

Pierre Littbarski wrote:

Luis wrote:
Manchester

Badly needed wins for both Manchester clubs this weekend.

You can't help but feel Ferguson wont be completely happy with the win though. Yes, it came against his most hated rivals and yes his persistant faith in Berbatov has finally payed off, but the complacency and nerves were there for all to see again.

As saints mentioned - the complacency is ferguson's in teh transfer market.

The players on the pitch ?!

Much as a hate him - you honestly think these players would be complacent 3 times already this season with a manager like that?

When this "complacency" carries on throughout the season (esp away from home) you may finally accept that its no such thing.

Complaceny occurs when a team is looking comfortable but due to sloppyness (i.e. Evans) surrenders a good lead. This is what happened at the weekend.

No complacency occurs when a team thinks the job is done and switches off.

This will never happen 3 times already under Ferguson.

Evans was put under pressure for the 1st time in the game - he is shit.

3 times United have given away a lead now, what would you call that if you wouldn't call it complaceny?

Carragher has been 'complacent' for about 3 seasons now the sod

Luis wrote:3 times United have given away a lead now, what would you call that if you wouldn't call it complaceny?

Being placed under pressure and cracking because you aren't very good ?

COTR wrote:

Luis wrote:3 times United have given away a lead now, what would you call that if you wouldn't call it complaceny?

Being placed under pressure and cracking because you aren't very good ?

United clearly have a weakness this season of getting nervous and making errors once they're seemingly comfortable and have got the 3 points. What is the word for this?

Luis wrote:

COTR wrote:

Luis wrote:3 times United have given away a lead now, what would you call that if you wouldn't call it complaceny?

Being placed under pressure and cracking because you aren't very good ?

United clearly have a weakness this season of getting nervous and making errors once they're seemingly comfortable and have got the 3 points. What is the word for this?

If they were getting nervous that would be pretty much the opposite of complacency

They were 100% complacent against Everton. They could have made it 4 or 5-1 but weren't clinical enough. Maybe complacency isn't the right word against Liverpool then, does it really matter, did it make the post any less coherent?

Luis Pierre is saying they aren't good enough to be complacent.

They weren't complacent against Everton. They just couldn't handle a bit of pressure at the end of a game. If something keeps repeating itself it is more likely to be the norm rather than the exception.

Vidic in particular loves buckling under pressure. He loves it. With Evans you just don't expect any different.