[Archived] Premier League Happenings

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Somebody on this site ( ok, I'll spare his embarrassment by naming him ) was saying the other week that Utd hadn't had a charmed life when playing Rovers. When. I suggested either he must have started following Rovers last season or he had the memory of a goldfish he got a bit shirty,

Worst decision in the litany of bad decisions for me- the Berg sending off/penalty.

He's lost it which surprises me given his pragmatism and vast experience. There must be an inside story somewhere.

Yeah, something's gone drastically wrong there. Taxi for Big Sam I'm afraid. I know they've had injuries but it seems that he's lost the players.

[OJRovers]

The Berg sending off was one of the worst decisions I've ever seen.

Refs clearly bottled it when Grabbi disposed Barthez, and in the handball equaliser (was it Saha?) in front of their fans.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

The players aren't playing for him. Not much that can be done when you're at that point.

Correct.

Can't believe we have to play them again

Yeah, and it's live on bloody Itv. We never seem to do well on that station. I fear the worst.

[John]

@guardian_sport: Manchester United players raise concerns over David Moyes credentials http://t.co/W7D7Z14IgT via @guardian

[DE.]

Somebody on this site ( ok, I'll spare his embarrassment by naming him ) was saying the other week that Utd hadn't had a charmed life when playing Rovers. When. I suggested either he must have started following Rovers last season or he had the memory of a goldfish he got a bit shirty,

I think you're referring to me, except you've forgotten what the point of the debate was or didn't understand to begin with. I actually agreed United got lucky against us numerous times, my point was (from recollection, not going to trundle back to completely recall) that compared to the rest of the big teams they weren't necessarily any more or less lucky. They all get the decisions, United's just get highlighted more because they win everything. I think there was also a reasonable argument that United's attacking football meant that they were more likely to get pens, free kicks, etc in dangerous areas because they're always in the opponent's half. Seems logical enough when you think about it.

Can't remember if I got shirty or not tbh, but I rarely do so it would have been deserved if so.

Sad to see Allardyce repeating lines about City and their cash. Whilst it is true, his sides are supposed to be able to combat the quality gap with a determined performance. His players showed nothing tonight, they didn't want to be there and they didn't want to perform for him. I honestly have no idea how he remedies that.

[Tom]

The Berg sending off was one of the worst decisions I've ever seen.

Refs clearly bottled it when Grabbi disposed Barthez, and in the handball equaliser (was it Saha?) in front of their fans.

Wasn't the Saha handball about 6 minutes into Injury time in a game with few stoppages after the 4th official prepared to hold up a a board saying 4 minutes Fergie moaned and all of a sudden it became 5

[Guest Norbert]

@guardian_sport: Manchester United players raise concerns over David Moyes credentials http://t.co/W7D7Z14IgT via @guardian

Sounds like senior players are having a little leak against the boss. Rooney has had a swipe at Moyes in the past, and well we all know Ryan Giggs can cross the line in many ways. Assuming this is true of course.

Maybe he can have a stab at West Ham if/when Big Sam goes.

[Gally]

Wasn't the Saha handball about 6 minutes into Injury time in a game with few stoppages after the 4th official prepared to hold up a a board saying 4 minutes Fergie moaned and all of a sudden it became 5

Exactly right. That bit gets forgotten about because the goal itself should've so obviously been chalked off.

They showed the replay to Fergie in his post match interview, to which he just said "well that's another decision the ref got wrong today".

[thenodrog]

Impossible question...Which do you think was the most ridiculous refereeing decision against us, when facing Utd? A difficult choice,methinks

Sherwoods disallowed goal at OT. Nobody claimed for a foul, the MU players were walking back for a KO, OT was silent except for our lot... and Durkin blew for a foul by Shearer on Kean who was backing in. If we had lost out in the Prem that would have been the defining moment imo.

[thenodrog]

Yeah, something's gone drastically wrong there. Taxi for Big Sam I'm afraid. I know they've had injuries but it seems that he's lost the players.

Weird isn't it cos he is a players manager who usually fosters intense loyalty. I cant rem him ever 'losing' a squad so completely before.

[Gav]

Weird isn't it cos he is a players manager who usually fosters intense loyalty. I cant rem him ever 'losing' a squad so completely before.

I don't think he's lost the players I think he's lost the plot. One of Allardyces strengths has always been his defence, but they've conceded 22 in the last 6 games.

West Ham fans are saying he's trying to force the boards hand into giving him transfer funds, that sounds like something he'd do but it's backfiring spectacularly.

[Jock]

There was the match at OT were they were awarded a corner in the last minute. It was never a corner. Ince scored. We had played so well that day. Batty was fantastic . Gally had scored early on.

[koi]

Wham should just stick with Sam, they're going down regardless of who is in charge so no point spending cash on firing, hiring and the filling the clichéd war chest for those panic buys.

[roverzee]

This gets better and better. Sam could be back at Rovers within the next 7 days.

Come on venkys. You can do it.

No thanks let's stick with a manager who can put a team out against Man City with the right tactics to make a game of it.

[Jimmy612]

Wasn't the Saha handball about 6 minutes into Injury time in a game with few stoppages after the 4th official prepared to hold up a a board saying 4 minutes Fergie moaned and all of a sudden it became 5

I think the referee signalled 3 minutes, Fergie went ballistic and all of a sudden it went to 4 minutes. And then I think in about the 5th minute the scored.

Saha handballed, pulled it back to Smith who scored

[onlyonejackwalker]

I think West Hams big game this week is against Cardiff. The other two pale in comparison.

With Norwich conceding 7, Tottenhan 6, Arsenal 6 and numerous 3's and 4's scored by City at home this season, a convincing City win was hardly a major suprise against a patched up West Ham.

[thenodrog]

I think West Hams big game this week is against Cardiff. The other two pale in comparison.

With Norwich conceding 7, Tottenhan 6, Arsenal 6 and numerous 3's and 4's scored by City at home this season, a convincing City win was hardly a major suprise against a patched up West Ham.

The way WHU are playing they are doomed. I honestly cant think what has gone wrong there. It's weird. Whether anyone likes Allardyces style or not I have never seen him lose a set of players so comprehensively. If I didn't know better I'd say it had the fingerprints of the Fat Controller (or similar) all over it.

[Guest Norbert]

Newcastle was more of a fan-led issue, and the fact Mike Ashley took over. Perhaps Big Sam's powers are declining. I do believe managers have a shelf life like players, and there comes a point where they're not as good as they were. Brian Clough is an obvious example, though the alcohol abuse had a lot to do with it.

[John]

The way WHU are playing they are doomed. I honestly cant think what has gone wrong there. It's weird. Whether anyone likes Allardyces style or not I have never seen him lose a set of players so comprehensively. If I didn't know better I'd say it had the fingerprints of the Fat Controller (or similar) all over it.

Have seen few of the televised games over Xmas/New Year and completely agree - can't see him turning it around.

[Gav]

When you're putting all your faith in Andy Carroll and Stuart Downing you're in serious trouble.

[RevidgeBlue]

I think West Hams big game this week is against Cardiff. The other two pale in comparison.

With Norwich conceding 7, Tottenhan 6, Arsenal 6 and numerous 3's and 4's scored by City at home this season, a convincing City win was hardly a major suprise against a patched up West Ham.

No offence to you but that 's exactly the same sort of rubbish that Sam was coming out with in his post match interviews last night. It wasn't his fault and there was nothing he could do about it beacause Citeh were so good etc. Similarly on Sunday it wasn't his fault because he had "no choice" with his team selection etc.

The fact of the matter is he got his team selection badly wrong on Sunday and his team didn't perform for him last night. Crystal Palace went to Citeh recently, defended properly and lost an exciting game by a narrow 1-0 margin. Hopefully we can also perform resolutely next week.

Gold and Sullivan have now made a right rod for their own backs by publicly backing him and promising him money in the transfer window etc. Every time the team roll over and die and Sam tries insulting everyone's intelligence with his excuses it must be like a knife into the gut for the fans.

[FGS5635]

Sam is to wrapped up in his own self importance and arrogance. He doesnt care about the fans or their opinion. Its the reason he is disliked by a good majority of fans at all his recent clubs.

[onlyonejackwalker]

No offence to you but that 's exactly the same sort of rubbish that Sam was coming out with in his post match interviews last night. It wasn't his fault and there was nothing he could do about it beacause Citeh were so good etc. Similarly on Sunday it wasn't his fault because he had "no choice" with his team selection etc.

The fact of the matter is he got his team selection badly wrong on Sunday and his team didn't perform for him last night. Crystal Palace went to Citeh recently, defended properly and lost an exciting game by a narrow 1-0 margin. Hopefully we can also perform resolutely next week.

Gold and Sullivan have now made a right rod for their own backs by publicly backing him and promising him money in the transfer window etc. Every time the team roll over and die and Sam tries insulting everyone's intelligence with his excuses it must be like a knife into the gut for the fans.

No offence taken, but how is quoting accurate results from the Etihad deemed as rubbish? What reason did the other teams have for shipping 6 and 7?

[RevidgeBlue]

The majority of teams haven't, but even so there's a big difference between giving a good account of yourselves yet getting well beaten by a better side and not turning up and not performing any of the basics as West Ham did last night.

Sam and/or his team haven't competed in the last two Cup ties. There's no guarantee after that they can just go to Cardiff and suddenly turn it on out of nowhere, they might lose that game and the next. Then they might conceivably get some injured players back at the end of January and possibly get themselves out of trouble over the rest of the season.

But if they do it won't be because they didn't treat those two Cup ties seriously enough. There's no excuse for that in my book, just as there wasn't when he used to do the same here.

[FGS5635]

I think West Hams big game this week is against Cardiff. The other two pale in comparison.

With Norwich conceding 7, Tottenhan 6, Arsenal 6 and numerous 3's and 4's scored by City at home this season, a convincing City win was hardly a major suprise against a patched up West Ham.

Its a good point, but it was the manner of this defeat that struck me. City barely got out of 2nd gear and could possibly have scored double figures if they had gone for it. It was a very limp effortless performance from west ham.

Sam looked lost on the sidelines. I've never seen him that way before