EPL Discussion Thread 2008/9

[devilsadvocate]

Thought I'd start a new thread for all the EPL arguments we're bound to have throughout the season.

I'll kick off with a few interesting things pointed out in this week's Sport mag here in London:

Hull's Dean Windass, who is 39 will be aiming to keep Hull up so he can have a crack at the great Edward Sheringhams record of being the oldest EPL goalscorer. He'll have to wait until Jan 2010 if he's to achieve the feat, but I doub't the old buy willhit enough goals to keep the new boys up. Windass played for Aberdeen previously and is dubiously best remembered for receiving 3 red cards - THREE! He committed a crude foul and got red, then abused the match officials - got another red, then booted the corner flag in rage, to receive his hattrick of Reds. IMO, It's great to have a player with character in an otherwise sterile world!

Other things to watch out for:

WBA - Roman Bednar - can he be as instrumental with the big boys as he was in the CCC last term? - Tough welcome to the top flight with Toure and Gallas.

Chavski - Big Phil Scolari - It's going to be great watching how he deals with the crap that will fly his way from Fergie, Arsene and Rafa, not to mention the media.

English managers - this year there are 10 English managers in the EPL, including the first ever black English manager in Paul Ince. Overall, 16 of the EPL's managers are British. Only Scolari, Arsene, Rafa and Ramos are imports.

This year, sides are allowed 7 on the bench rather than the 5 allowed last term. You still only get 3 subs though, so it's a touch pointless, but brings the EPL in line with Euro regulations.

Aston Villa - Well done to the midlands club who, like Barca, have given their shirt sponsorship to a charity - the Acorns Childrens Hospice. Outstanding!

Best league in the world: No Kaka, Messi or Robinho, but the EPL is still the best, most exciting in the world and don't we all love it! Apparently 600 MILLION households world wide receive an EPL feed in over 200 countries. It really is the world game.

As you can probably tell, I'm a little excited about it all, but that will wane in about 4 weeks time when Spurs have 2 points from their opening 5 matches and are sitting 18th. But here's hoping for a new dawn!

[Dirko]

What's EPL ?

[devilsadvocate]

HAHA Jabba, I would say you will know all about it again next year, but with PJ at the helm, I'm not convinced!

bulldog, you'll love this - I was just offered 2 tcikets to the Barclays corporate box at degenerates for tomorrows opener v WBA, but had to turn it down due to a pre-planned dirty weekend with the trouble & strife.

It hurt even the most passionate Arsenal hater (me) to turn that opportunity down. Lesson in life - don't get a wife!

[Dirko]

Lesson in life - don't get a wife!

Lesson 2, make sure the missus doesn't log in under your user name and check out your posts !

[devilsadvocate]

Lesson 3 - Make sure your bro in law who also uses the site doesn't read these posts.

[mighty_tiger_79]

What's EPL ?

exactly

[johntheclaret]

HAHA Jabba, I would say you will know all about it again next year, but with PJ at the helm, I'm not convinced!

bulldog, you'll love this - I was just offered 2 tcikets to the Barclays corporate box at degenerates for tomorrows opener v WBA, but had to turn it down due to a pre-planned dirty weekend with the trouble & strife.

It hurt even the most passionate Arsenal hater (me) to turn that opportunity down. Lesson in life - don't get a wife!

Jewell is a joke and will take the Rams into league one. On the bright side, they will have 4 great derby games against Leicester and Forest next year

[johntheclaret]

What's EPL ?

exactly

Look up, that the land of EPL

[JK]

Switch on the Gunners game and after 4 mins they're already 1-nil up, my tip of 3-nil could be too skinny

[brod]

Switch on the Gunners game and after 4 mins they're already 1-nil up, my tip of 3-nil could be too skinny

No, but you missed the scoring

[JK]

Switch on the Gunners game and after 4 mins they're already 1-nil up, my tip of 3-nil could be too skinny

No, but you missed the scoring

Yeah I know, fair effort by WBA ... Gunners looked a little rusty and you wonder if the off-season departures and current injuries to Fabregas, Rosicky and Eduardo (did Toure play tonight??) could make them a little more vulnerable early season than usual?

[Dogwatcher]

Damn Torres - one touch is all it took. Damn.

[johntheclaret]

Double for the Tigers this week end.

Hull City 2 - 1 Fulham

Great fightinig spirit shown by the Tigers and good luck to them. they could have easlily dropped their heads when they went 1 - 0 down but they just over ran Fulham in the 2nd half. Barmby looks like a bloody teenage on the field, and playing for his home club in the EPL has given him an extra yard. The Brazilian guy, can't remember his name, was a stand out today. Scored a great individual goal and should have had another tap in, but the fact that he was so dangerous in and around the box, was enough to cause Fulham so many problems. As for Fulham, they started well but faded quicker than a North side in the final qtr of a Bays game.

Stoke on the other hand are going to do a Derby this year. You can not just play long ball football in the EPL and get away with it. Bolton are no stand outs for sure but they were just too polished for Pullis' kick an hope side. Stoke are a physical side, they showed that last year by almost bullying their way to promotion, but that style is worth diddlysquat in the ELP. they have also spent big (for them), but I think the shrewd signings have gone to Hull this year.

WBA showed plenty against a weakened side and must be happy to come away from Highbury Emirates losing by the only goal. They must be happy they off loaded Zoltan Gera to Fulham too after his abysmal open goal misses yesterday. The gunners will be happy that they had WBA in the opener, as it gives the injury list and extra week to recover, but they will also be happy that they got over the line. Still play fancy, fast football, but without any major signings, I think they will not have the depth that Man U or Chelsio have and will fall short again.

Everton must be feeling a bit p1ssed after they were robbed of a draw with the b4st4rds 4th minute extra time winner. Nelson was so far offside when the free came in, then just ran back into the pack and got the header that hit the post. FFS, do these iofficials not understand anything. Up until then, this was a fairly even contest. Arteta's goal was sublime and if the Toffee's lose him they will be in big trouble. I don't expect Everton to make the same impact this year as they did last year. They have lost a couple of big out's and have no money to buy. Moyes must be getting a bit fed up of overachieving every year and not being given the resources to strengthen, and I think this might be the year he moves on before the dominoe stack finally falls. Look out for a big name sacking, let me think, maybe at Spurs, or even Newcastle and you might just see Moyes walk into a new job. The only consellation is the b4st4rds won't fair any better. Ince is a nice guy, and has a lot of potential, but Santa Cruz will go, maybe not before the window closes now but for sure this year (I saw Fergie at the game and it's not secret he is an admirer of Sanat Cruz), and they are stuffed as thety will come up against sterner opposition that Everton this year.

Speaking of sh1t officials, I saw the same thing happen at Ayesom Park or whatever it's called. Spurs take a shot and Berbatov and another Spurs player clearly standing in an offside position, but no flag. reason? they were not interfering with play. So how do you work that out. both wre stood between the keeper and the shot taker and Berbatov actually had to duck down so the ball didn't hit him. Now how is that not interferring with play. Fortunately the shot went wide, but I don't think that is actually the point. Mido got the winner for a lively Boro side that were just more hingriere than Spurs. Brebatov has to go. got a very luke warm reception when he came on as sub, and if everything is hunky dorey with him, why play him as a sub anyway, and then he spent the rest of his 20 minutes moaning at his team mates and throwing his arms up in the air. not good for team morale. Spurs are disjointed and lack passion. Maybe this is something to do with Berbatov, or maybe it's something to do with the manager, or maybe they simply aren't a team. I know there are some new faces in there, but the defence was terrible yesterday. Was was most obvious is not that they don't have ability. You can praise anyone fro losing becaue they tried and were just not good enough, trust me I know, I'm a Rooster fan, but they just weren't trying. The didn't close down, they didn't hold the line and they just weren't interested. Tough time ahead for Spurs, and maybe they might have the 1st managerial casualty this year. As for Boro', Southgate has got them playing for each other and with passion. On paper, Spurs are a better outfit than Boro', but Boro' just showed they wanted it more. Weater was the big difference, had a perfectly good goal ruled out, (again I can't believe that the officials didn't see who was pulling on who), and scored another. Mido was very graceful in the post match interview, very happy with the win, very happy to get is 1st for Boro' but was sad it was against his old club Spurs. Has a lot of respect for the fans, and the club after they gave him his chance in the EPL. Yeah, and then look what they did to him. Still fair play to the lad.

Liverpool did enough imo, althtough i think they will have a bit of work to do with Torres and Keane up front. A couple of times they got in each others way, once with keane actually blocking a Torres shot as they both went for the same ball. Both like to get inside the box, both like to poach the loose ball and they are going to have to sort out who will do what. Sunderland did their usual huffing and puffing but I think Pool could have won by more. Personally, if they can sort out the two front men, and I'm sure they will, I think Pool can have a real crack at the title. 3rd spot at least depending on how Chelsio do under new management. Scolari is a good manager but how he will cope with this bunch of prima donnas, I'm nor sure. thte club has already shown that it is willing to back down, just look at the Lampard deal. The CEO says they will not give Lampard a 5 year deal then, hey presto, Lampard has a 5 year deal. Hmmmm

West Ham got off to a good start, and i think Wigan will struggle even more this year than they did last season. Bruce is deadset on poiaching as many people from Brum as he can, especially his old back room team, and I have to ask the question, why?. Brum wre going down when Bruce left, and the team there were just not good enough. all he is going to do is replicate what he had at Birmingham, with the same end reslut, relegation for Wigan

[JK]

Liverpool did enough imo, althtough i think they will have a bit of work to do with Torres and Keane up front. A couple of times they got in each others way, once with keane actually blocking a Torres shot as they both went for the same ball. Both like to get inside the box, both like to poach the loose ball and they are going to have to sort out who will do what. Sunderland did their usual huffing and puffing but I think Pool could have won by more. Personally, if they can sort out the two front men, and I'm sure they will, I think Pool can have a real crack at the title.

3 points and nothing else for the Red's on the weekend, however at the start of the year when everyone's a bit scratchy, I'll take that.

Not too concerned by the Torres/Keane partnership ... In that particular instance where Keane got in the way, I actually reckon he was where we want to see him ... Torres is the main to take the ball from further out and either run himself into the box or shoot from distance (as he demonstrated so well again the other night) whereas I see Keane as more of a "Johnny On The Spot" type, a great poacher of goals which was exactly where he'd placed himself.

Reckon Keane is a bit of confidence player though, so hope he doesn't leave it too long to get on the board else it becomes harder and harder.

Pretty big win for Chelsea ... With the current injuries at Old Trafford and Emirates, the Blues could score themselves a nice little early lead in the standings, and I reckon they'll be pretty tough to reel in if they do so.

[RoosterMarty]

You want to see Keane in front of Torres' shots?

Shades of Bendtner in that effort.

Chelsea looked bloody good in the first half but Pompey were terrible.

[whufc]

Wasn't overly impressed with West Ham's 2-1 win. Second half was ordinary and West Ham only played well in patches in the first half. Biggest worry is injuries again to Ashton and Parker. There is no doubt Ashton is the key to this squad, with him fit and firing West Ham are a top half team without him we are awful.

Parker can be replaced by starting Hayden Mullins in the same position but Ashton will probably be replaced for this weeekends game by Freddie Sears while he looks the goods his not quite ready at EPL level just yet. I was also very impressed with Carlton Cole's commitment and work rate which at times does go missing.

Must add Chelsea looked real bloody awesome and glad i put Deco in my fantasy team.

[devilsadvocate]

Only really saw the MOTD summaries for this weekend, but some good goals were scored.

Watching Robbie Keane defend Torres on the line was hilarious. Fernando was not impressed - classic! . Despite supposedly being a bit rusty, Torres's strike was pretty damn fine.

Spurs - same old. Pick up 2 points from the first 5 games, call the season a 'transitional season' then finish 11th-14th. A couple of fans have posted on a Spurs forum that they're ceasing to be supporters - weak pricks!

Man U was LUCKY!!! Sure they're short on players, but their 2nd 11 should still pump the Toon, who also had players out. Obafemi Martins should have scored 1 maybe 2 more. Shay Given is an excellent goalkeeper, but could do nothing stop Fletchers effort. Man U had to take their chance while the Geordies were down to 10 with Taylor off the pitch receiving treatment.

Villa look good for 5th at this early stage. Agbonlahor was amazingly good with a hattrick. Citeh are RUBBISH. Long year for Hughes if he sticks it out.

Blackburn looked impressive in their first outing under Ince. Both Rovers and the Toffees look suspect defensively though.

Chavski will win the league. Utd are good, but the Roman's Rubles have bought a class squad and Big Phil will have them playing with flair and totally dominating other sides. It's going to be a tough year with that lot dominating everything. the less said about Prtsmouths effort yesterday the better...

Stoke were actually very good against Fulham after a bit of a false start. Geovani could snipe quite a few goals here and there this year.

I was quite impressed with WBA too. Nasri's goal was a corker, but WBA didn't lay down and the Emirates wasn't an easy place to start.

Bolton totally dominated Stoke who wont score 1 point let alone 10 if they carry that form forwards.

Didn't see any of WHU v Wigan.

[Bully]

i won 60 bucks on the man united newcastle game tipped a draw and won the money, might have to head to the TAB and tip against man united this week. they havent got there golden boy ( ronaldo ) until october i heard.....be very interesting for them this season. also some of there greats...ie giggs and scholes seem to be getting on a bit

[JK]

Hows David Moyes post match comments ... I like what he's done with Everton (even though I hate them), but do they ever lose a match because they weren't good enough? It's always someone elses fault!

If I were him I'd be more concerned by the body language and effort of some of his players (refer Joleon Lescott on the Santa Cruz goal).

[cyclops]

can sum1 tell is there any way u can find out the ins n outs for each weeks epl games.The bloody fantasy team i chose last week,well half the bastards are not even playn.