[Archived] Premier League Happenings

[Waggy76]

Proved himself time and again in the top flight for years and years. And the idiots in India thought it was OK to sack him. Still makes me angry.

Very true that crazy decision and the appointment of an idiot ,will haunt this club for many years !

[Amo]

Swansea eh? When they've been doing that as long as Sam has - come back.

Smartly dodged.

[Tom]

Bunn just let a soft goal in from distance, good strike but he should have done better

[DE.]

Bit harsh, it was a good shot and going in at speed, always curling away from him.

[Stuart]

Interesting stat tonight.

City have become the first EVER team to go out of the Champions League group stage without a SINGLE victory. Even Rovers managed that.

Finished bottom, not even qualifying for the Europa League!

I look forward to the obligatory lampooning by the media. Obviously.

[Audax]

Watching A Villas Boas as a manager, it is interesting, Tottenham lost 3 PL matches in a row; Wigan, Man City and Arsenal leaving him looking lame and then have currently won 3 PL matches in a row: Wham, Liverpool and Fulham. Next at Goodison Park, looks drawish. http://www.soccerway...-football-club/

Updating this without bumping this thread: I'ts also curious how Sunderland and Martin O'Neill are doing this year.

[Audax]

Dang, Rio Ferdinand got bloodied from something thrown on to the pitch. Some match.

[Rovermatt]

How considerate of Arsene Wenger to flog his best player to United.

[Stuart]

Dang indeed.

Although when I first saw it, I though he had poked himself in the eye trying to put his shirt over his head.

[DanLad]

Dang indeed.

Although when I first saw it, I though he had poked himself in the eye trying to put his shirt over his head.

So did I. I had a little chuckle to myself about it (assuming that he hadn't actually hurt himself to any meaningful degree).

[jim mk2]

Sam working his magic at West Ham again ....only for Liverpool to come back !

[Stuart]

edit

[DE.]

Liverpool are in a pitiful state, it'd be quite amusing if we weren't in such a pathetic state ourselves.

Wonder how much longer Mancini will get? Out of Europe with the worst ever performance by an English team in that competition and rapidly losing ground to United in the league...

[Audax]

Good to see SA out on the bench, for awhile seemed like he'd go into the stands for his heart condition. So if he has improved so much, he's always on the sidelines, that is good.

[Blue n White Rover]

Dang indeed.

Although when I first saw it, I though he had poked himself in the eye trying to put his shirt over his head.

Likewise. Although, I have no sympathy for that smackhead. Nobody told him to celebrate right in front of the City fans. He was asking to get hit.

He probably forgot they were playing City, just like he forgot his drug test.

Idiot.

[DE.]

Bradford knock Arsenal out of the Carling Cup... it was basically Arsenal's strongest team as well they're absolutely pathetic right now. Wenger's plan has gone badly awry.

[old darwen blue]

Arsenal 28 shots to Bradfords 5 and 63% possession. Still that's the beauty of the cup. Winger is still one of the best premier leagues managers ever.

[DE.]

I think his time at Arsenal is coming to an end. I imagine this will be his last season. In some ways it's a shame that it's ending this way for him, but inevitable given the utter greed of the club.

Unfortunately for Arsenal with the money he has been allowed to spend he's bought a host of absolutely awful players in the last few years and this will to an extent tarnish his legacy. The likes of Chamakh, Gervinho, Johan Djourou, Mertesacker, Squillaci, and Koscielny are just terrible... and the failure to purchase a good keeper (Szczesny is good enough now but how long did they wait for him to appear?) has been a glaring issue he was either never able or never willing to resolve.

[Salgado Is A Hero]

Arsenal 28 shots to Bradfords 5 and 63% possession. Still that's the beauty of the cup. Winger is still one of the best premier leagues managers ever.

Their first shot on target was when Oxlade-Chamberlain came on round about the 70th minute.

And stats mean nothing anyway....Arsenal were slightly the better team imo due to their 2nd half performance, but anyone who watched it wouldn't have said it was undeserved.

If Arsenal cleared out all the deadwood that are on 50 grand a week, bought a real goalkeeper, top class midfielder and goalscorer I think they could challenge for the title.....and bought some adequate back-up players also.

Although maybe a new manager should be the priority....I can't see them becoming a force again under Wenger and Spurs as well as maybe Everton or Liverpool will eventually beat them to 4th and they might start to seriously decline.

[Amo]

Although maybe a new manager should be the priority....I can't see them becoming a force again after Wenger and Spurs as well as maybe Everton or Liverpool will eventually beat them to 4th and they might start to seriously decline.

If Platini has his way and expands the CL, Wenger can live off that for another seven years.

[old darwen blue]

Their first shot on target was when Oxlade-Chamberlain came on round about the 70th minute.

And stats mean nothing anyway....Arsenal were slightly the better team imo due to their 2nd half performance, but anyone who watched it wouldn't have said it was undeserved.

If Arsenal cleared out all the deadwood that are on 50 grand a week, bought a real goalkeeper, top class midfielder and goalscorer I think they could challenge for the title.....and bought some adequate back-up players also.

Although maybe a new manager should be the priority....I can't see them becoming a force again under Wenger and Spurs as well as maybe Everton or Liverpool will eventually beat them to 4th and they might start to seriously decline.

First of all I'm not an Arsenal fan but I admit I do enjoy watching them. 28 shots therefore in 50 minutes (including extra time) is still pretty good going.

In terms of them starting to decline then I don't agree with you as the vast amount of money that they are pulling in through gate receipts etc plus the income from the old stadium won't exactly lead them to being paupers. They also have a shareholder I believe who wishes to pump more money into the club so that would help as well. The problem with Wenger is that he believes he can do it all his way ie spending little and developing players. If he started to throw the cash around like Chelsea then he would be buying better ready made players if you like. I still stand by my statement regarding him being one of the best managers in the premier league era.

[thenodrog]

First of all I'm not an Arsenal fan but I admit I do enjoy watching them. 28 shots therefore in 50 minutes (including extra time) is still pretty good going.

In terms of them starting to decline then I don't agree with you as the vast amount of money that they are pulling in through gate receipts etc plus the income from the old stadium won't exactly lead them to being paupers. They also have a shareholder I believe who wishes to pump more money into the club so that would help as well. The problem with Wenger is that he believes he can do it all his way ie spending little and developing players. If he started to throw the cash around like Chelsea then he would be buying better ready made players if you like. I still stand by my statement regarding him being one of the best managers in the premier league era.

"Problem"? I'm sure that there are approx 90 other club chairmen who would be quite happy with that situation.

If Abromovich were to get bored / die / go skint / pull out it could see Chelsea enter a terminal tail spin. Who the hell would want to pick up the tab at Stamford Bridge given that scenario? Alternatively any one of Arsenal shareholders could come and go and the club would move on with hardly a ripple.

[thenodrog]

What a hoo hah over Fellaini's treatment of Ryan Shawcross ( Moyes is to be applauded for condemning Fellaini's actions btw). But as far as I could see on each of the three occasions that Fellaini punched or butted Shawcross the correct decision should have been a red card on two occasions and a yellow on the other BUT with a penalty awarded to Everton. Each time Shawcross had Fellaini player in a tight bear hug yet was never judged to be fouling. This happens frequently but Shawcross (and most other Stoke players) has been doing this to opponents for years with almost complete impunity so it's high time he had his features altered. What other options do forwards have when they receive no protection from such treatment by referees who simply do not apply the rules of football? I assumed this would be pointed out on MoTD but no, neither Shearer nor Lawrenson even mentioned Shawcross constantly reverting to tactics more suited to rugby union. It's almost as if gripping opponents with both arms in a vice like grip so they are unable to move let alone jump is acceptable. I simply don't get it and that goon on MoTD was suggesting a 6 or 8 week ban! If that does happen it will be scandalous.

[DE.]

He wasn't being bear-hugged when he head-butted Shawcross.

Most players deal with it week in week out and don't resort to violence. Defenders do take too many liberties in the area but it's up to the referees/FA to do something about it, the answer isn't retaliating with head-butts and punches.

As for expecting insightful analysis from MOTD pundits, when was the last time you watched it Gordon?

[thenodrog]

He wasn't being bear-hugged when he head-butted Shawcross.

Most players deal with it week in week out and don't resort to violence. Defenders do take too many liberties in the area but it's up to the referees/FA to do something about it, the answer isn't retaliating with head-butts and punches.

As for expecting insightful analysis from MOTD pundits, when was the last time you watched it Gordon?

One hand gripping his underarm and the other around his back. No doubt in my mind that Shawcross had been gripping him all the match... it's all he's good at. Also never ever discount the 'professional' but hidden tricks of nipping and scratching which is done simply to provoke reaction. Kean knows how he is on the England scene.