Premier League Discussion 17/18 September 2011

McLeish subs Bannan despite him being leagues above Zog and Delph who stay on

Shite performance. Somehow got away with a draw. McLeish yet to do anything to impress me as manager, bar perhaps signing Given who's been important in a few games. No doubt he'll be delighted to come away with a point. Yay for draws

Nowich, Swansea, QPR

debaser wrote:Shite performance. Somehow got away with a draw. McLeish yet to do anything to impress me as manager, bar perhaps signing Given who's been important in a few games. No doubt he'll be delighted to come away with a point. Yay for draws

How come you were willing to give Houllier so much time when he was clearly inept but have already written off McLeish?

Tough one that Luis.

christmasborocooper wrote:Tough one that Luis.

Because he used to manage Birmingham? So what? Houllier lost the plot as a manager towards the end of his Liverpool career, he signed Diouf and Diao for £14 million pounds yet Debbie was willing to give him time? McLeish can't work miracles, he can try and add stability to the backline and build from there. Given was a great bit of business, not his fault he lost Young and Downing, whom Houllier had to work with.

Luis wrote:

debaser wrote:Shite performance. Somehow got away with a draw. McLeish yet to do anything to impress me as manager, bar perhaps signing Given who's been important in a few games. No doubt he'll be delighted to come away with a point. Yay for draws

How come you were willing to give Houllier so much time when he was clearly inept but have already written off McLeish?

Houllier at least seemed to have a plan, was trying to change the way the team played, improve possession, etc. McLeish, I have zero idea what he's trying to do, plan seems to be get a settled defence and then just hope the front 6 come up with something at some point. Besides I haven't totally written him off (I said far worse about him when we were hiring him - I've been positively magnanimous about him since the season began!). I'm not calling for his head, 'cause that'd be folly. I just said he's done nothing to impress me yet - only once this season have we been the better side & that was home to Blackburn who are as woeful a side as we're going to face. Everyone else we've looked inferior and struggled away with a point. He's been dealt a bad hand losing Young & Downing but that doesn't really excuse such a lack of coherent plan

ps, I'm hardly going to remember some bad signings nearly 10 years more than being relegated from this league last year ffs!

what does 'Houllier lost the plot as a manager' mean Lewis?

September Glelevenn wrote:what does 'Houllier lost the plot as a manager' mean Lewis?

It means he spent lots of money on some of the worst signings we ever made. Even Carragher said in his book he went into Houllier's office towards the end of his regime and Houllier asked him which ex-reds are in the media and was making a list of all them. Carragher said it looked like he had gone mental and that's coming from a man who clearly loved Houllier more than he loved working with Rafa, despite the latter making us a top force in Europe once again.

We did well under Houllier overall, the treble season was brilliant and we managed to qualify for Europe but in his final few years it was clear he had lost the respect of his players and lost his ability to judge. Maybe it was due to his health problems, I don't know but it was no surprise for me that he's no longer at Villa.

Guess who's back?! Back again!
Ricky's back! Tell your friends!!!!
Tatatum! Tatatatarum!!!

he since won 4 trophies in France Lewis. I'm not sure the Villa team was in great shape when he arrived, Martin O'Neill didn't quit because the team were too good and he had bad luck with injuries to senior players IIRC. Plus ongoing health concerns. He wasn't a success, but saying he 'lost the plot' is a bit much.

Spent £14m on some bad signings though..

Sure..it's not £35m on a striker who looks poor..and a lot on a dodgy midfielder. But hey ho.

El Hadji Diouf played Premier League football for 10 or so years, it's not like he signed Seth Johnson or Franny Jeffers. Villa fans have endured the likes of David O'Leary so you can forgive them for giving Houllier the benefit of the doubt. O'Neill wasted a lot of money on mediocrity. I don't think it's in McLeish's favour that he is a Birmingham City hero.

Newcastle United, this years invincibles?

We differ on this matter. Houllier is a crackpot. Mcleish is a decent manager who made Birmingham hard to beat, won them a cup and then yeah it did go wrong for some reason like Blackpool - both could easily have survived with 1 or two more wins.

Kimbo wrote:Newcastle United, this years invincibles?

Along with Man Utd, Man City, Chelsea, Stoke and Villa as it stands..

Cabaye-Tiote is looking a good partnership but you need more final product from both wingers & strikers. Must've been a beautiful moment for you to see two Ameobis on the pitch at once

debaser wrote:

Kimbo wrote:Newcastle United, this years invincibles?

Along with Man Utd, Man City, Chelsea, Stoke and Villa as it stands..

Cabaye-Tiote is looking a good partnership but you need more final product from both wingers & strikers. Must've been a beautiful moment for you to see two Ameobis on the pitch at once

Well it has happened before more than once, but yes. Things should get better when Ben Arfa is fit and Ba gets going.

Luis wrote:We differ on this matter. Houllier is a crackpot. Mcleish is a decent manager who made Birmingham hard to beat, won them a cup and then yeah it did go wrong for some reason like Blackpool - both could easily have survived with 1 or two more wins.

Cowardly manager playing for draws in games they needed to win

Kimbo wrote:

debaser wrote:

Kimbo wrote:Newcastle United, this years invincibles?

Along with Man Utd, Man City, Chelsea, Stoke and Villa as it stands..

Cabaye-Tiote is looking a good partnership but you need more final product from both wingers & strikers. Must've been a beautiful moment for you to see two Ameobis on the pitch at once

Well it has happened before more than once, but yes. Things should get better when Ben Arfa is fit and Ba gets going.

Commentator said it was the first time they'd been on pitch at same time. He lied to me

debaser wrote:

Kimbo wrote:

debaser wrote:

Kimbo wrote:Newcastle United, this years invincibles?

Along with Man Utd, Man City, Chelsea, Stoke and Villa as it stands..

Cabaye-Tiote is looking a good partnership but you need more final product from both wingers & strikers. Must've been a beautiful moment for you to see two Ameobis on the pitch at once

Well it has happened before more than once, but yes. Things should get better when Ben Arfa is fit and Ba gets going.

Commentator said it was the first time they'd been on pitch at same time. He lied to me

Well, Gary Neville thinks Leon Best is a local boy that "came through the ranks" with Shola.

Really?

He was saying it before our game with QPR, he referred to the two big local lads upfront, I thought it was just a mistake, then he started talking about how they came through the ranks together so will know eachother. I will let him off though, he's alright most of the time.

Mertesacker looks more and more like an Arsenal defender every week.

Djourou looks more and more like David Baddiel every week.

What's the deal with Gervinho's hair?

Is Marouane Chamakh a queer?

FFS!! Drenthe is back!!! I knew he would score!

BTW, is it me or does Mertesucker looks like Waft?

Fey wrote:FFS!! Drenthe is back!!! I knew he would score!

He was too busy rapping when he was in Madrid but hopefully he can become the Black Wiz again in Everton!

Spurs line up with a 2-2-1-3-2:


While Liver go with a 4-1-1-2-1-1:



Little'n'large strike partnerships

What a strike from Modric

Spurs raping Liverpool so far.

Kenny will be fuming. Another example of anti-Liver conspiracy as an offside goal is correctly ruled offside