Premier League 20/21 October 2012

Saturday

Spurs v Chelsea - 12:45

WBA v Man City - 3
West Ham v Soton - 3
Swans v Wigan - 3
Fulham v A.Villa - 3
Liverpool v Reading - 3
Man Utd v Stoke - 3
Norwich v Arsenal - 5:30

Sunday

Sunderland v Newcastle - 1:30
QPR v Everton - 4pm

No game, and I mean NO game, including the North London Derby, is more important to Spurs supporters these days than the games against Chelsea.

Whilst losing this game would not really impact the likely outcome of our season, on a personal level there is nothing worse than being beaten by the Chavs.

Thankfully, it's not happened very much in recent years at home - we're unbeaten in 6 seasons.

Hoping the distraction of Terry's internal disciplinary will impact their performance. Best case scenario is the blacks in the squad revolt, like in Rise of the Planet of the Apes (with Serbian Subtitles)

I'm predicting a draw at this stage. We still suffer at home from playing Defoe upfront on his own - he's very much an "away" player, not one for the intricacies needed to break down teams who come to play on the counter. Not sure AVB knows quite how to set up a team at home yet.

In other news, the tyne and wear derby is going to be a snorefest because Sunderland are the most defensive team in the league, and Newcastle have reverted to long ball football (OPTA stat proven somewhere - more long balls per game than any other team in the league so far this season). Let's hope I'm wrong, and Olivier Bernhard is right

Jason Roberts

Probable Arsenal team:

Don Vito
Jenkinson BFG Verm Santos
Ramsey Arteta
Gervinho Cazorla Poldi
Giroud

Disco Benny wrote:
In other news, the tyne and wear derby is going to be a snorefest because Sunderland are the most defensive team in the league, and Newcastle have reverted to long ball football (OPTA stat proven somewhere - more long balls per game than any other team in the league so far this season). Let's hope I'm wrong, and Olivier Bernhard is right

The derby is the same every time, it doesn't matter how the teams are playing. If you want to see two teams kicking eachother there isn't a better game on the calender.

Probable LFC team:

-----------Jones----------

Wisdom---Skrtel----Agger-------Johnson

------------Sahin--------Allen---------------

--------------------Shelvey------------------

Gerrard----------Suarez-----------Sterling

"He looks now to evolve more as a midfielder, recently. I personally like him as a striker." - Wenger's quotes on Rooney in his press conference today.

I agree personally. I remember that season where Rooney played as lone forward for United and scored more than 30 goals. I don't buy all this BS about him being a playmaker. Just not good enough for me.

That's what happens when you sign RVP. Personally, I think Rooney and Welbeck looked to be a great striking combination which almost won United the league. I'm surprised SAF opted to sign RVP and try and develop Rooney as a midfielder rather than sign a top class midfielder when Rooney was already a top class striker. Maybe he believed City having 4 strikers was how they won the title.

City have awesome strikers no doubt, but they also had decent creative midfielders. United don't, hence why they've tried to move Rooney backwards. I think United are the only real top team that still play with orthodox wingers. They need to change that if they want to win in Europe. The likes of Nani, Young and Valencia aren't good enough.

Rooney as a point man > Rooney as a playmaker

they did sign Kagawa to add creativity in midfield. Compared to City I think they mainly lack a Yaya Toure type driving force in the centre.

Yeah they did, but then Fergie plays him on the right of a 4-3-1-2 Not exactly going to get the best out of him. But yes you're right, a Yaya type would definitely aid them.

Agree on Rooney. He isn't a midfielder. I just don't see it, he overcomplicates things too often. The guy has excellent vision, but his application has clearly eroded, even at 26. He sees things early, but then doesn't have the assured technique to deliver. I'm convinced his conditioning is such that he has lost some degree of coordination as he's got older.

Rumours are Fergie is also grooming Nick Powell into a midfielder too. Seems a bizarre fetish of his, playing Giggs in a similar role as well, all without just going out and buying one, until he purchased Kagawa.

Wasn't Nick Powell always a midfielder?

I agree with the general view on here. Rooney hasn't been particularly creative with his passing in a long time, and he never dribbles with the ball anymore. He's adept at dropping deep turning, and playing a smart ball to the wings, but this is hardly creative, more just a decent use of possession.

Nick Powell is an AM/SS, basically a taller, younger version of Kagawa.

United should ditch that outdated 4-4-2 in-order to get the best out of Rooney, RVP and Kagawa.

They should play Rooney and RVP as strikers with Kagawa operating behind them, and then play a narrow midfield(midfield diamond) behind the front 3 - they are compelled to play 2 adventurous fullbacks in this system to help provide width, but they have them in Rafael and Evra(both are actually tailor made for this system)

Something like this:

-----Rooney--RVP
--------Kagawa
--Cleverly-----Valencia----
--------Carrick
Evra----Vidic--Rio------Rafael

I think Powell instead of Valencia, but otherwise, very good

Powell can operate as CM?

Seen Valencia in the centre for Equador , like him far better there than outwide where I think he's one dimensional

Yes, Powell plays both positions, and outwide as well. He just operates best as a 10. Reminds me of Ramsey but with more skill and pace. I was a tad upset we didn't get him, but then again we're well covered there.

Hmmm, haven't seen much of Valencia in the middle but he just isn't my cup of tea.

I guess it depends who United are playing. Away from home and in big games, they can go for someone more combative like Fletcher. At home, they need their best ball players, and unless Scholes and Giggs plan to play for another five years, Powell looks a good bet to me. But you never know, they may splash on a CM in the summer as I'm not sure what's going on with Anderson.

Oh ok, haven't seen him(Powell) play.

That spot is up for grabs, they could use Powell, Giggs, Anderson, Fletcher etc there.

Valencia was one of United's best players last season. He's been having to play right back a fair bit though.

Nani, Young and Giggs all need to go now. I don't rate Cleverly and don't know much about Powell.

What's wrong with Cleverly? He's the type of footballer United need more. He's busy, has a good engine, recycles possession well, and links up well with team mates. He needs to improve his goal return though.

Valencia is ok but too one-dimensional for my liking. I actually prefer him at RB to RM/RW

United might be a bit stupid to get rid of 2 of their most productive players, Luis.

You don't rate cleverley but you rate Allen?? Pretty similar players

Allen plays a better ball from the games I have watched Cleverley has more movement over 90 minutes plays everything safe and look predicable.

Rooney should be given a chance in midfield if he tries to be like other midfielder then he will fail, if his quick tempo of play as a striker is compensated with wide wingers he will do well and be able to attack space more from behind. 4-2-3-1 would be perfect for him to work out on so far I have not seen him with traditional wingers as you need players that like beating opposition 1 on 1 where Rooney can then get the angles right for penetration.

Allen is the safest passer there is! Cleverly at least is always trying to be progressive in his movement off the ball and passes further forward.

Rooney honestly is a terrible midfielder, he dwells way too long on it to make an impact at the highest level. That 10 position is tailored-made for Kagawa

Allen anchors one position and is less energetic than cleverley, but from what I've seen their style is pretty similar- get the ball, look up and move it accurately and quickly. Both technically very good and decent at it under pressure (something a player like Carrick or Barry for example are poor at).

I like cleverley, clearly bases his game on Paul scholes. Lacks scholes' scoring ability, however he's exactly what united need more of if they want fluency in midfield.

RP is correct, Rooney is a luxury midfielder at best, occasional brilliance on the ball marred with too much basic error making. Physically he looks slow, his conditioning is awful

awesome footy saturday, it starts with tottenham-chelsea

No Bale or Dembele for Spurs. Makes their starting line up look a bit poor.

Fuck's sake. Bale out because his girlfriend is expecting a baby today. OF ALL DAYS!!

Dembele out with injury.

That is 2 massive, massive losses to us.

Very irritating this has happened for the Chelsea game.

Looking at the subsequent teams on paper, I simply cannot see how we're going to get anything out of this game. Huddlestone is still about 10kg overweight and neither Siggurdson or Dempsey can provide width, pace and directness that Bale can. Chelsea look superior in every position as a result

Disco Benny wrote:Fuck's sake. Bale out because his girlfriend is expecting a baby today. OF ALL DAYS!!

Dembele out with injury.

That is 2 massive, massive losses to us.

Very irritating this has happened for the Chelsea game.

Looking at the subsequent teams on paper, I simply cannot see how we're going to get anything out of this game. Huddlestone is still about 10kg overweight and neither Siggurdson or Dempsey can provide width, pace and directness that Bale can. Chelsea look superior in every position as a result

And Friedel starts ahead of Lloris which I simply cannot understand.