Premier League Midweek Fixtures 2/3 December 2014

Tue 2 Dec 2014 - Premier League
Burnley v Newcastle 19:45
Leicester v Liverpool 19:45
Man Utd v Stoke 19:45
Swansea v QPR 19:45
Crystal Palace v Aston Villa 20:00
West Brom v West Ham 20:00

Wed 3 Dec 2014 - Premier League
Arsenal v Southampton 19:45
Chelsea v Tottenham 19:45
Everton v Hull 19:45
Sunderland v Man City 19:45

Tue 2 Dec 2014 - Premier League
Burnley v Newcastle 19:45 1-0
Leicester v Liverpool 19:45 1-1
Man Utd v Stoke 19:45 3-0
Swansea v QPR 19:45 2-0
Crystal Palace v Aston Villa 20:00 2-1
West Brom v West Ham 20:00 2-0

Wed 3 Dec 2014 - Premier League
Arsenal v Southampton 19:45 3-0
Chelsea v Tottenham 19:45 2-1
Everton v Hull 19:45 2-1
Sunderland v Man City 19:45 1-3

Cheers Lewis, I wonder how my FF team did.

Liverpool starting XI: Mignolet, Manquillo, Toure, Skrtel, Johnson; Lucas, Gerrard, Henderson; Lallana, Lambert, Sterling,

Stoke are so fuckin negativ.

I don't understand why world manager of the last 7 games(minus West Ham) is suddenly struggling so badly, maybe it's because we never stopped being shite.

Benteke's back

we've been shite today so far, Palace well on top, but that was a beautiful individual effort against run of play.

Not too bad from us. Mignolet fuck up is what I've come to expect.

Just wish Raheem would get his shit together - nothing is working for him.

Gerrard has scored. I can see tomorrows headlines now "Stevie G still world class, England hero!"

Red card

We've won back to back league games

1-2 FT

jesus christ, we actually held on. I went out at half time, fully expecting another late throwaway. Turning point? Leicester & WBA next up, real chance for 4-6pts.

Luis wrote:Tue 2 Dec 2014 - Premier League
Burnley v Newcastle 19:45 1-0
Leicester v Liverpool 19:45 1-1
Man Utd v Stoke 19:45 3-0
Swansea v QPR 19:45 2-0
Crystal Palace v Aston Villa 20:00 2-1
West Brom v West Ham 20:00 2-0

Wed 3 Dec 2014 - Premier League
Arsenal v Southampton 19:45 3-0
Chelsea v Tottenham 19:45 2-1
Everton v Hull 19:45 2-1
Sunderland v Man City 19:45 1-3

My predictions were:
Burnley 1-1 Newcastle                W
Leicester 1-1 Liverpool                L
Man. Utd 2-0 Stoke                    W
Swansea 2-1 QPR                       W
CP 0-0 Aston Villa                       L
WB 1-1 WH                                L  
Arsenal 2-1 Southampton
Chelsea 1-0 Tottenham
Everton 2-1 Hull
Sunderland 0-1 Man. City

Come on Hughesy show me the money!

Irvine takes the lead though at 2.75, Pearson second at 3.75, then Redknapp at 7.25, Bruce 9, Lambert 11. A whole platoon next and way back is Mark Hughes still at 67. Come on Zenyatta! ahem, Hughesy!

Typical Spurs - very good start, build hope, only to be shattered by the harsh reality that our defending is SHITE.

Chelsea barely had to get out of 2nd gear so relentless were we to shoot ourselves in the foot. They just handed us the gun and let us get on with it.

Going forward, Kane hit the post at the phase of the game which was probably our only chance to do so. Chelsea are going to strangle this game in the way they do better than anyone else. Harry Kane has again been the only silver lining, he just improves each time I see him. Tough game today, he's playing as the lone striker, but really caused them trouble with his clever direct running and decision making. Wish I could say the same about Lamela, ridiculously talented technically, but continuously makes the wrong decision, running into blind alleys, holding on too long etc. God only hopes he develops a footballing brain and fast. And by God, I mean Spurs fans.

Harry Kane isn't a fantastic decision maker if you ask me, Bernardo. He always tries to 'force it' too much. But he is young and learning and has a lot of potential.

Let's just hope Southampton can get a goal.

Also I am beginning to question Lloris' place in the side. Yes, he commands his box exceptionally but his kicking and passing game is always atrocious and he concedes far too many soft goals. I think he conceded goals from about 5/6 consecutive shots on target this season.

Told you that Harry "useless outside the box" Kane is shite. Told you that Harry "one good game a month" Kane should not be a starter. CA$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$HHHHHHHHHHHH

For Tottenham to have a chance against Chelsea: Paulinho instead of Hull-quality Mason, and Soldado instead of Harry "born 25 years too late" Kane. TFS!

Pochettino made it too easy for Mourinho today. Maybe he can give himself a better chance with the huge improvements I suggested.

What a freckin safe from Forster.

Ah fuckoff..

ERIK LAMELA wrote:Harry Kane isn't a fantastic decision maker if you ask me, Bernardo. He always tries to 'force it' too much. But he is young and learning and has a lot of potential.

Forcing it too much? As in, the verb "to Lamela"?

Kane was once again our best player today. FFS how anyone can criticize what he does for the team is beyond me, he's the only decent decision maker we have in our team alongside Eriksen!

Isco Benny wrote:

ERIK LAMELA wrote:Harry Kane isn't a fantastic decision maker if you ask me, Bernardo. He always tries to 'force it' too much. But he is young and learning and has a lot of potential.

Forcing it too much? As in, the verb "to Lamela"?

Kane was once again our best player today. FFS how anyone can criticize what he does for the team is beyond me, he's the only decent decision maker we have in our team alongside Eriksen!

Running the most does not mean playing well.

Isco Benny wrote:

ERIK LAMELA wrote:Harry Kane isn't a fantastic decision maker if you ask me, Bernardo. He always tries to 'force it' too much. But he is young and learning and has a lot of potential.

Forcing it too much? As in, the verb "to Lamela"?

Kane was once again our best player today. FFS how anyone can criticize what he does for the team is beyond me, he's the only decent decision maker we have in our team alongside Eriksen!

I agree Lamela also tries to force it too much, but he is also our primary chance creator and assister this season I believe (although I don't have access to recent stats, so this may have changed since the stats I saw).

The thing I like about Lamela and Kane is that they are always looking to do something. Always trying to force an opening. And yep, this means they will give the ball away or that things won't come off, but you need players like that - you won't get anywhere just with 'tidy' players in the side.

I also agree that Kane deserves to start at present, and I'd have played the same side that Poch did today. However I do feel that Kane is better operating off a lone striker and working the channels/exploiting the space created by the movement of other players. Chadli is another who is good at exploiting space and getting goals.

For me however the players who absolutely *must* start for us at present are Kane, Eriksen and Lennon.

ERIK LAMELA wrote:

Isco Benny wrote:

ERIK LAMELA wrote:Harry Kane isn't a fantastic decision maker if you ask me, Bernardo. He always tries to 'force it' too much. But he is young and learning and has a lot of potential.

Forcing it too much? As in, the verb "to Lamela"?

Kane was once again our best player today. FFS how anyone can criticize what he does for the team is beyond me, he's the only decent decision maker we have in our team alongside Eriksen!

I agree Lamela also tries to force it too much, but he is also our primary chance creator and assister this season I believe (although I don't have access to recent stats, so this may have changed since the stats I saw).

The thing I like about Lamela and Kane is that they are always looking to do something. Always trying to force an opening. And yep, this means they will give the ball away or that things won't come off, but you need players like that - you won't get anywhere just with 'tidy' players in the side.

I also agree that Kane deserves to start at present, and I'd have played the same side that Poch did today. However I do feel that Kane is better operating off a lone striker and working the channels/exploiting the space created by the movement of other players. Chadli is another who is good at exploiting space and getting goals.

For me however the players who absolutely *must* start for us at present are Kane, Eriksen and Lennon.

I agree with nearly all of this. I also agree about Lamela, it's just frustrating because he is capable of so much more if he would learn to keep it more simple and release the ball quicker. Kane, despite being just 21, just seems to be the most intelligent player we have at present when it comes to playing Pochettino's system, which is massively concerning given how much we spent post Bale, and how many internationals we have in our squad.

Today I don't blame any of the attackers though. We were undone by terrible defending which then allowed Chelsea to play their defensive game and essentially cut off any real chances to score, given how strong they are in those positions. We continue to be exceptionally naïve defensively (as Neville says: WEAK! NEVER READY!), which undoes any of the nice pretty passing.

Isco Benny wrote:

ERIK LAMELA wrote:

Isco Benny wrote:

ERIK LAMELA wrote:Harry Kane isn't a fantastic decision maker if you ask me, Bernardo. He always tries to 'force it' too much. But he is young and learning and has a lot of potential.

Forcing it too much? As in, the verb "to Lamela"?

Kane was once again our best player today. FFS how anyone can criticize what he does for the team is beyond me, he's the only decent decision maker we have in our team alongside Eriksen!

I agree Lamela also tries to force it too much, but he is also our primary chance creator and assister this season I believe (although I don't have access to recent stats, so this may have changed since the stats I saw).

The thing I like about Lamela and Kane is that they are always looking to do something. Always trying to force an opening. And yep, this means they will give the ball away or that things won't come off, but you need players like that - you won't get anywhere just with 'tidy' players in the side.

I also agree that Kane deserves to start at present, and I'd have played the same side that Poch did today. However I do feel that Kane is better operating off a lone striker and working the channels/exploiting the space created by the movement of other players. Chadli is another who is good at exploiting space and getting goals.

For me however the players who absolutely *must* start for us at present are Kane, Eriksen and Lennon.

I agree with nearly all of this. I also agree about Lamela, it's just frustrating because he is capable of so much more if he would learn to keep it more simple and release the ball quicker. Kane, despite being just 21, just seems to be the most intelligent player we have at present when it comes to playing Pochettino's system, which is massively concerning given how much we spent post Bale, and how many internationals we have in our squad.

Today I don't blame any of the attackers though. We were undone by terrible defending which then allowed Chelsea to play their defensive game and essentially cut off any real chances to score, given how strong they are in those positions. We continue to be exceptionally naïve defensively (as Neville says: WEAK! NEVER READY!), which undoes any of the nice pretty passing.

Yep, agreed. If we can only sign one player in January I hope it's an experienced midfield general and defensive organiser to break up play and instigate attacks from deep.

P.S. Bernardo I may well be moving to the USA in August. Perhaps even California!

Fuck's sake, everybody moving to my country now? Is it because you're all tired of being watched and followed all the time in England?

Puro wrote:Fuck's sake, everybody moving to my country now? Is it because you're all tired of being watched and followed all the time in England?

I was here first!

I don't live in England, Puro. Anyway I am very likely to move to the US to do my PhD.

ERIK LAMELA wrote:

Isco Benny wrote:

ERIK LAMELA wrote:

Isco Benny wrote:

ERIK LAMELA wrote:Harry Kane isn't a fantastic decision maker if you ask me, Bernardo. He always tries to 'force it' too much. But he is young and learning and has a lot of potential.

Forcing it too much? As in, the verb "to Lamela"?

Kane was once again our best player today. FFS how anyone can criticize what he does for the team is beyond me, he's the only decent decision maker we have in our team alongside Eriksen!

I agree Lamela also tries to force it too much, but he is also our primary chance creator and assister this season I believe (although I don't have access to recent stats, so this may have changed since the stats I saw).

The thing I like about Lamela and Kane is that they are always looking to do something. Always trying to force an opening. And yep, this means they will give the ball away or that things won't come off, but you need players like that - you won't get anywhere just with 'tidy' players in the side.

I also agree that Kane deserves to start at present, and I'd have played the same side that Poch did today. However I do feel that Kane is better operating off a lone striker and working the channels/exploiting the space created by the movement of other players. Chadli is another who is good at exploiting space and getting goals.

For me however the players who absolutely *must* start for us at present are Kane, Eriksen and Lennon.

I agree with nearly all of this. I also agree about Lamela, it's just frustrating because he is capable of so much more if he would learn to keep it more simple and release the ball quicker. Kane, despite being just 21, just seems to be the most intelligent player we have at present when it comes to playing Pochettino's system, which is massively concerning given how much we spent post Bale, and how many internationals we have in our squad.

Today I don't blame any of the attackers though. We were undone by terrible defending which then allowed Chelsea to play their defensive game and essentially cut off any real chances to score, given how strong they are in those positions. We continue to be exceptionally naïve defensively (as Neville says: WEAK! NEVER READY!), which undoes any of the nice pretty passing.

Yep, agreed. If we can only sign one player in January I hope it's an experienced midfield general and defensive organiser to break up play and instigate attacks from deep.

P.S. Bernardo I may well be moving to the USA in August. Perhaps even California!

Great place to live, as long as you don't mind driving (assuming you don't end up in San Fran). You and Puro should come round mine to watch the football on my 60 inch TV and then debate Gerrard V Lampard into the early hours mes amis