[Archived] Premier League Happenings

[thenodrog]

No it hasn't. The principles of good management and confidence and ambition are still the same. Swansea et al have all shown what can be achieved without much money.

Can't quite work Swansea finances out. If they were us in the prem then Michu would have been long gone, Laudrup too and the same for a number of others. Everton were similar, cash strapped as hell yet the likes of Arteta, Baines, Fellaini, Howard and Cahill especially stayed year after year. Any 'gud uns' U 30 that we unearthed left asap after the first enquiry to their availability came in. I can only assume that John Williams actively encouraged our trading policy and welcomed player sales whilst always insisting publically (at least until 20/0910) that we were not a selling club.

[M-K]

Can't quite work Swansea finances out. If they were us in the prem then Michu would have been long gone, Laudrup too and the same for a number of others.

They had to sell Joe Allen, probably didn't want to do that. But then they've made a decent profit since they've been in the Prem. Spending £12m of it on a single player (Bony) might be their undoing.

They're part owned by a supporters trust and they don't have too many parasites attached to them, bleeding them dry.

[DE.]

Looks like Andre Marriner has just robbed WBA of a victory at Chelsea. Big club bias? Never I wonder if WBA get that decision if it's at the Hawthorns?

[Amo]

They'll be a nice brown envelope waiting for Mr. Marriner when he gets home tonight.

[RevidgeBlue]

They'll be a nice brown envelope waiting for Mr. Marriner when he gets home tonight.

I don't know why anyone gets surprised by it any more. We've seen it time and time again over the years, there's one set of refereeing standards for the "big" five or six Clubs and another for the comparatively unfashionable fourteen or fifteen.

[thenodrog]

If it was a foul (and it wasn't) then it was the other way.

Mariner couldn't wait to blow his whistle could he? Not even a glance at the linesman or a few seconds reflection. Blue shirt down in the box = obvious penalty for him it seems. If the Prem wants ever more money from the media then the refs should be made to give a compulsory interview after the match to explain their decisions as managers are required to do.

[DE.]

I would love to hear Mariner explain that one. Ramires has literally run into Steven Reid, at the time he was going down he hadn't been touched. Mariner was right behind them - what excuse can he give for that? No wonder the WBA players were so furious.

[thenodrog]

I would love to hear Mariner explain that one. Ramires has literally run into Steven Reid, at the time he was going down he hadn't been touched. Mariner was right behind them - what excuse can he give for that? No wonder the WBA players were so furious.

Prob with footballers is that they are pretend furious when it's a stone waller.

[DE.]

Prob with footballers is that they are pretend furious when it's a stone waller.

True, no matter what the truth of the matter footballers will act like it's the worst decision ever made. In this instance however they were right - from whatever angle you look at it from it's just not a penalty. I still can't believe it was given, and that Mariner won't have to explain himself.

[Mike E]

Shocking. Agree with Theno that refs should be put on the spot about such incidents.

[DE.]

West Ham losing 3-1 away to Norwich. I'm a fan of Allardyce but he just can;t get it right away from home. Losing 3-1 to Norwich is a really bad result, they are a very poor team.

[Audax]

I guess Norwich felt like they had to prove something, mauled 7-0 by Man City last time out.

The bottom of the table is close, Fulham has 3 straight losses per lopsided scores, I think they will keep Jol for their next few fixtures, Swansea, at West Ham, Tottenham, Villa, at Everton but if they drop most points on these, I'd think they would change managers.

Though, we can't be sure, 2 week break now.

----------

Though Sunderland and Crystal Palace have only 4 points, in the overall scheme, I can't count out either club.

[thenodrog]

I guess Norwich felt like they had to prove something, mauled 7-0 by Man City last time out.

The bottom of the table is close, Fulham has 3 straight losses per lopsided scores, I think they will keep Jol for their next few fixtures, Swansea, at West Ham, Tottenham, Villa, at Everton but if they drop most points on these, I'd think they would change managers.

Though, we can't be sure, 2 week break now.

I love watching Swansea but if they came down it might shut a few up on here who continually trot out their name when discussing the viability of small clubs in the Premier League.

[LDRover]

No.... I wrote it.

Bolton mixed it up as WHU are doing now, but a reliance on direct football with us then probably... but rem he was playing with a poor hand that he inherited after Ince and financial necessity had shorn the squad of it's best players. I know he gambled 7m on Kalinic in a late deal BUT you need to rem his first choice was Robert Lewandovski who was only put off by the fickle finger of fate when the no-fly / dust cloud situation and the deal was subsequently hijacked by Borussia Dortmund. If he'd turned up then Allardyce would surely have silenced the likes of you wouldn't he?

Polish lad at work says the Lewandowski -ash cloud story is a myth and that he was always going to Dortmund.

[RevidgeBlue]

Polish lad at work says the Lewandowski -ash cloud story is a myth and that he was always going to Dortmund.

My recollection was that when Allardyce was interested in both Lewandowski and Jelavic there was no indication the Trustees were prepared to offer any financial encouragement or support.

Edit: As for Sam now he would appear to have miscalculated by putting all his eggs in the Andy Carrol basket and leaving himself with no other striking options.

[thenodrog]

Polish lad at work says the Lewandowski -ash cloud story is a myth and that he was always going to Dortmund.

Oh well that lad must be right then and the massed ranks of press and media must be wrong. Fair dos LD.

[Audax]

For the record, West Ham today started 8 home nations players

http://int.soccerway.com/matches/2013/11/09/england/premier-league/norwich-city-fc/west-ham-united-fc/1483562/?ICID=HP_MS_04_06

And what do you know, Norwich too including one player from ROI.

Something to think about as the press will gear up for "Internationals" this coming week.

Canaries getting one in the final minutes, probably caught the Hammers on a counter attack.

[JAL]

Shocking. Agree with Theno that refs should be put on the spot about such incidents.

Look at it from the referees viewing angle and not the camera in the stands.

[thenodrog]

Look at it from the referees viewing angle and not the camera in the stands.

Even more mistefying from his angle. He was going down before contact was made and Marriner had a clear view of it. Mourhino of course stated that it was a blatant penalty. Funny how managers who benefit from such so rarely criticise the refs.

[JAL]

Even more mistefying from his angle..

Why have you seen it anywhere.

[Audax]

But veteran goalkeeper Jaaskelainen gifted Norwich an equaliser nine minutes into the second half when he dropped the ball and then upended Gary Hooper as he attempted to reclaim it.

Hooper converted the resulting penalty and Norwich went on to secure three precious points courtesy of a fine Robert Snodgrass free-kick and a stoppage-time strike from Leroy Fer.

West Ham had only conceded one goal away from Upton Park in the top flight before the game, and Allardyce cut a frustrated figure after a defeat that saw them drop below Norwich into 16th place - just a point above the relegation zone.

http://int.soccerway.com/news/2013/November/09/allardyce-stunned-by-jaaskelainen-gafffe/n244532/

[DE.]

Look at it from the referees viewing angle and not the camera in the stands.

Would be even worse tbh, Mariner's right behind him so can clearly see there's been no contact before Ramires goes falling down.

[Cherry Blue]

Mourhino is a disgrace.

It's clear to everyone that a penalty should never have been given but the Chelsea manager does what he's good at by annoying most people by stating it was "a clear penalty" and praises the ref. FA cannot do anything about the decision, nor would we want them to do since thats one reason why football is a great game, but I wish they could do something to punish Monurino for his comments.

[Mike E]

Look at it from the referees viewing angle and not the camera in the stands.

One way to do that would be to have him explain his POV after the game.

And for those of us over the age of 7 (so we can visualise perspectives other than from our own eyes, including Marinates), it was a rather blatant dive.

[Audax]

So Crystal Palace names as sporting director the one Cardiff let go.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24880636