[Archived] Premier League Happenings

[LeChuck]

Hats off to Lampard, not many midfielders become a clubs leading goal scorer.

He's unbelievable. Another criminally underrated player by his fellow countrymen. I hope he stays in the PL next year and doesnt wind down his career in the US or somewhere like that.

[Philly13]

Interesting little point. If Wigan, Reading and QPR are relegated, 3 of the 4 teams with the lowest attendance will go down. It's quite possible that with the promoted teams maybe averaging in the mid 20,000s each (depending on how much the promoted teams attendances increase), next year will be the highest average attendance in prem history. Forget where I read that

[Audax]

Wigan's sojourn is unfathomable to me.

They win the tournament that started out with 740+ clubs, Manchester City in losing is rumoured strongly to be on the verge of sacking their Manager Roberto Mancini,

Wigan's next match is Tuesday, so I doubt they will even leave London, it's either win against Arsenal or get ready for Championship League Football basically, yet at the same time, they will be playing in Europe next season.

[Majiball]

Shouldn't be a surprise, Maj. He's done it most seasons!

A number 10 in the old school sense?

Aye his record is strong, even this year he's made a strong contribution to the blues.

He's unbelievable. Another criminally underrated player by his fellow countrymen. I hope he stays in the PL next year and doesnt wind down his career in the US or somewhere like that.

And yet another top player, still performing who's formative years are public knowledge. As far as I'm aware he won't be leaving chelsea as Jose loves his ass, another season at least beckons.

[Amo]

Hats off to Lampard, not many midfielders become a clubs leading goal scorer.

That's only because he takes all their penalties.

[LDRover]

There'll be squeaky bums aplenty at SKY at the moment if the Spurs game stays as it is.

Just needs an Arsenal win against Wigan and points for Newcastle Sunderland and Norwich and the season is done!!! From AGUEROOOOO to F##K NOOOOOO.

I can see a ref taking a hand somewhere along the way.

[ABBEY]

Mancini sacked ? Just said on radio but didn't catch full story .. Not seen anything on twitter tho . So a bloke who wins the league is sacked for bring runner up ..

[Gav]

Its not often that justice is served when a player dives to get a penalty, but in the dying minutes of the Watford v Leicester justice was well and truly served.

Leicester’s Anthony Knockaert took a dive then stepped up and missed the penalty, 30 seconds later the ball was in the back of the Leicester’s net and justice was served.

[K-Hod]

Its not often that justice is served when a player dives to get a penalty, but in the dying minutes of the Watford v Leicester justice was well and truly

Leicesters Anthony Knockaert took a dive then stepped up and missed the penalty, 30 seconds later the ball was in the back of the Leicesters net and justice was served.

Most definitely. Was similar to the final league 1 game of the season between brentford and donny rovers, where donny broke and scored following a brentford attack.

[Salgado Is A Hero]

It was one of the best things I've seen on a footy pitch. Completely crazy, justice was indeed served. Hope Watford go up for Zola as I dislike Holloway and a lot of Brighton fans.

[LDRover]

Unbelievable stuff, I roared the Watford goal in after what had gone before.

More unbelievable that it was the same referee as the Brentford Doncaster game a couple of weeks ago.

[T4E]

Mancini gone.

[davulsukur]

Mancini gone.

Doesn't surprise me.

[Audax]

The way the scores are going, Wigan can only stay up if they win their last 2, Sunderland has a much better GD at -12 vs. Wigan's -23 besdes, Sunderland just took the lead vs. Stoke, Norwich is mauling West Brom 3-0, QPR 1 Newcastle 2. All of these scores show Wigan is just a result short for staying up, the pack got too far ahead of them this time. Arsenal need to defeat Wigan to get into the Championship League Playoffs ahead of Spurs, Wigan has a tall order to stay up.

[Stuart]

Dumb timing though. You would have thought with Ferguson retiring a stable City with a couple of acquisitions over the Summer would see them very nicely placed for next season.

[T4E]

Indeed. Unless they were replacing him with someone undeniably better. Which they aren't.

[Salgado Is A Hero]

Dumb timing though. You would have thought with Ferguson retiring a stable City with a couple of acquisitions over the Summer would see them very nicely placed for next season.

Mancini isn't good in Europe, at City or at Inter. That's why he's gone I think. Pellegrini is excellent in Europe. For Villareal he was immense, this season Malaga came top of their group and were incredibly unlucky not to win away at Dortmund.

I'm a big fan of Pellegrini as I love and watch a lot of Spanish football and I don't think it's fair to call him a step down on Mancini, which I've read quite a bit today. If he adapts to English football well, City will be defensively solid while playing some lovely attacking football.

Hopefully he brings Isco with him.

[Stuart]

Mancini isn't good in Europe, at City or at Inter. That's why he's gone I think. Pellegrini is excellent in Europe. For Villareal he was immense, this season Malaga came top of their group and were incredibly unlucky not to win away at Dortmund.

I'm a big fan of Pellegrini as I love and watch a lot of Spanish football and I don't think it's fair to call him a step down on Mancini, which I've read quite a bit today. If he adapts to English football well, City will be defensively solid while playing some lovely attacking football.

Hopefully he brings Isco with him.

This is my point. Mancini has settled already. Won the FA Cup, won the league and finished runner up in both this season. Europe will come later.

This is where foreign ownership is a big problem. They are in it for prestige and bragging rights, not the long term good of a club and community. If they don't get success instantly and sustained year on year then it's all change and try again.

Mancini has had more success in his first few years in England than Fergie did. Food for thought.

[Salgado Is A Hero]

Ferguson had won a European trophy with Aberdeen, beating Bayern Munich and Real Madrid along the way. He's a special case and I don't like when he's considered in things like this tbh.

Runner-up in the PL this season yea, but look how far they've behind been all year.

My original point was about him not being good for them in the Champions League, just like at Inter. Yaya Toure, Nasri, Clichy, David Silva, Tevez, Aguero I'm pretty sure as well, all had Champions League experience so I don't really buy that excuse.

Inter were very successful domestically around his time but they never did anything in Europe. Until winning the Champions League under Mourinho just after he left. Mourinho is a brilliant manager but still, they were poor in Europe under Mancini.

They didn't even win a game this season in Europe......domestically sure, they would most likely be better next season but they probably wouldn't go far in the Champions League, especially because they're gonna get a hard group again, so I can see why he's going.

[Stuart]

But Mancini does have a track record of success both as a player and manager. I don't think the comparison is invalid just because of lack of European success as a manager, aside from a UEFA cup semi - although he did win two CWCs as a player.

Ferguson won the European Cup sure but Mancini won the PL in his second full season. Not to belittle Ferguson but winning a 38 game league is harder than winning any cup competition. Mancini had to do better than Ferguson himself, to do so too.

The fact is after a short domestic success he's being discarded just when his chances have improved, at least domestically.

You don't break into Europe straight away, you create consistency in winning the League domestically then you go out and strength, bringing in the best players from other European clubs. If anything I blame Mourinho - another one-off - for winning the Champions League so quickly with Porto. Now every dumbass foreign owner is looking for that kind of quick success.

I assume Salgado you think they are right to get rid?

[blueboy3333]

Man City were outplayed yesterday by a team that cost less than Gareth Barry. The owner will have been sheiking with rage.

[DE.]

Mancini has been unable to control the egos in the City dressing room and has never really been able to get them to play as a team. The only reason City won the title last year was because United had a very uncharacteristic slip up. It was always on the cards that they were going to concede the title back to United this season, because nothing at City had changed but United were more determined than ever to return to the top.

It also has to be noted their European campaign was truly abysmal. It wasn't just bad, it was awful to the point of embarrassment. I've never been convinced Mancini had the personality required to put together an elite team. He's too quick to snap at his own players and the board - deserved or not, you never see the likes of Wenger or Ferguson doing that and there is a reason for it.

[Stuart]

The only reason City won the title last year was because United had a very uncharacteristic slip up..

Nothing to do with the other 86 points they won?

I guess the only reason Rovers won the league was because of another uncharacteristic slip up?

Leagues are won over a season, not in one match. Even Fergie will tell you that.

[Salgado Is A Hero]

Mancini has been unable to control the egos in the City dressing room and has never really been able to get them to play as a team. The only reason City won the title last year was because United had a very uncharacteristic slip up. It was always on the cards that they were going to concede the title back to United this season, because nothing at City had changed but United were more determined than ever to return to the top.

It also has to be noted their European campaign was truly abysmal. It wasn't just bad, it was awful to the point of embarrassment. I've never been convinced Mancini had the personality required to put together an elite team. He's too quick to snap at his own players and the board - deserved or not, you never see the likes of Wenger or Ferguson doing that and there is a reason for it.

But Mancini does have a track record of success both as a player and manager. I don't think the comparison is invalid just because of lack of European success as a manager, aside from a UEFA cup semi - although he did win two CWCs as a player.

Ferguson won the European Cup sure but Mancini won the PL in his second full season. Not to belittle Ferguson but winning a 38 game league is harder than winning any cup competition. Mancini had to do better than Ferguson himself, to do so too.

The fact is after a short domestic success he's being discarded just when his chances have improved, at least domestically.

You don't break into Europe straight away, you create consistency in winning the League domestically then you go out and strength, bringing in the best players from other European clubs. If anything I blame Mourinho - another one-off - for winning the Champions League so quickly with Porto. Now every dumbass foreign owner is looking for that kind of quick success.

I assume Salgado you think they are right to get rid?

DE makes some more valid points. I just don't really see him as a top class manager. With Mourinho coming, they need to be at the top of their game for the majority of the season, something they weren't when they won it.

They were poor, or relatively poor, for much of the second half of the season. Most of their fans seemed to have given up before hearing at the final whistle that Utd had lost to Wigan. Utd bought Van Persie and Kagawa, lost nobody.....City lost De Jong and Savic, bought in Javi Garcia, Nastasic, Rodwell and Sinclair.

Javi Garcia hasn't worked out yet, Nastasic has been good but the other two were stupid signings. I'm not sure the ins-and-outs in terms of whether he was allowed to bring in quality players but he should have done all he can once Utd signed Van Persie.

I get what you're saying about Europe but he had already brought in the best players from foreign clubs.

Utd have players like Cleverley, Hernandez, Evans etc who will be happy to sit on the bench for a lot of the season. Barry and Milner would as well but Dzeko, Lescott, Tevez, Nasri etc, these kind of players won't and it must upset the squad harmony.

Maybe you can't blame all that on Mancini who didn't buy them all but I don't think he's a good enough manager to keep that squad happy.

I would say it's the right decision providing it's Pellegrini who replaces him. If it was Moyes for example, then I would rather have kept Mancini.

[Audax]

Man City had Balotelli, big help for them.