The Barclays Premier League Thread 2013/14

[Noah]

MARK SCHWARZER~! What a hero. I love him, I wanna boof him. Get him up here.

Steady on there Bill.

[Dan]

He mad :/

[DavidMarrio]

Question for the armchair refs, if Cameron Jerome had followed up that played on dive with a deliberate handball or similar a minute later, could he receive two yellow cards? Or does the ref have to blow and book him immediately for diving?

All hypothetical, it's Howard Webb so no decision as per usual.

He'd only get a yellow card for when the ref blew the whistle for the foul. So if he dived no whistle but handballed it and the ref blew the whistle then he'd get the card for the handball.

[Colly]

So the dive would go unpunished? What if I hacked down 7 players cynically but the opposition team still had an advantage after each, would I still just get the one booking?

[Gazz]

So the dive would go unpunished? What if I hacked down 7 players cynically but the opposition team still had an advantage after each, would I still just get the one booking?

Then you'd get a red card for a violent conduct.

[britneyspearsisgod]

Liverpool capitulated. The pressure got to them.

Fair play to Mourinho on the basis of he worked out Liverpool. It was naive of Brendan Rodgers to just think Liverpool's way would work. The way Chelsea played, they needed to get someone playing off the defender's shoulders and get the ball behind the defence. Habitual crosses into the box wasn't going to work against a strong, organized and tall defence. Has to be said Kalas had a fantastic game. Certainly believe on that performance he could become world class. The difference in his calm, cool approach to many of Liverpool's rushed attack is the epitome of the game.

Ultimately, there can be such a thing as wanting something too much. Keeping your cool was what Liverpool should have done. Ultimately, Chelsea did it instead and sadly they come unstuck. They gave Chelsea too much respect when they should have been more patient.

Alas, a golden opportunity was wasted. It may still go their way if Manchester City mess up. But they shouldn't have allowed that to happen.

Maybe this is the experience to guide them for the future. This could still be the awakening of the Liver bird yet.

[brenchill]

[therockbox]

Liverpool capitulated. The pressure got to them.

It has been coming for the last few games. Today the bubble burst.

[Colly]

So the dive would go unpunished? What if I hacked down 7 players cynically but the opposition team still had an advantage after each, would I still just get the one booking?

Then you'd get a red card for a violent conduct.

Not if none of the fouls fit the violent conduct criteria. Which they don't.

[Chael P. Sonnen]

So the dive would go unpunished? What if I hacked down 7 players cynically but the opposition team still had an advantage after each, would I still just get the one booking?

Then you'd get a red card for a violent conduct.

Not if none of the fouls fit the violent conduct criteria. Which they don't.

Surely your behaviour would fit the Violent Conduct criteria?

[britneyspearsisgod]

Liverpool capitulated. The pressure got to them.

It has been coming for the last few games. Today the bubble burst.

Absolutely. "Slow and steady wins the race", as they say. It's probably the most frustrated I have felt in a long time. Such an opportunity...

Still. Just have to give "hope" and "dream" a chance to win it for us, I guess. Keep us dreaming boys. Keep us dreaming.

[Cheeky Hughes]

Take a bow Yaya. That was beautiful.

[stokeriño]

Today is a wonderful day.

To anyone who thinks Chelsea aren't about entertaining the fans...I think you need to check the footage of the Chelsea fans again, because we for sure were going fucking mental.

[Kaney]

I can't stand Mourinhos smugness and I'd completely argue that the point is to entertain the fans as well as win games. He got tactics spot on but man fuck Chelsea.

I'd rather a 'boring' winner than 10 years of almosts and not-even-closes.

I'd wager Arsenal fans might start feeling the same way soon.

Edit: can't believe I'm rooting for City of all teams.

I'd take the points obviously but I'd still be frustrated if we sat back and didn't try to attack at all. Given the calibre of players Chelsea have they aren't a team that needs to play like that and it's a symptom of Mourinhos teams they can be amazing one week and boring as fuck the next.

I don't see why anyone needs to drag arsenal into it, end of the day Mourinhos is a cunt and parks the bus, any team attempting to win the league, and the champions league, should be able to do it without needing to win ugly.

[Jimmy]

I disagree wholeheartedly with that. The team that wins the league should be one that can adapt tactically, not one who can play nice football. It's like the Spurs fans who didn't like AVB because every now and again we learnt how to a kill a game off, instead of give away a three goal lead. People won't remember the performances, people will remember the success. No one cares that Chelsea parked the bus against Barca a few years back, but everyone will remember that they won the CL.

[Rainiac]

I can't stand Mourinhos smugness and I'd completely argue that the point is to entertain the fans as well as win games. He got tactics spot on but man fuck Chelsea.

I'd rather a 'boring' winner than 10 years of almosts and not-even-closes.

I'd wager Arsenal fans might start feeling the same way soon.

Edit: can't believe I'm rooting for City of all teams.

I'd take the points obviously but I'd still be frustrated if we sat back and didn't try to attack at all. Given the calibre of players Chelsea have they aren't a team that needs to play like that and it's a symptom of Mourinhos teams they can be amazing one week and boring as fuck the next.

I don't see why anyone needs to drag arsenal into it, end of the day Mourinhos is a cunt and parks the bus, any team attempting to win the league, and the champions league, should be able to do it without needing to win ugly.

I'm not a fan of Jose Mourinho by any means, but as much as I love 'attractive' football that's crazy talk. A win is a win, especially when you're going for the title

[brenchill]

Mourinho is smart enough to know that pretty football isn't the be-all-and-end-all. That being said, during his first year at Chelsea they played some brilliant stuff with Duff/Robben/Drogba.

I think Fergie got it spot on throughout the 90's and 00's. At home, Utd just battered teams. Two wingers and two strikers. Away from home, it wasn't always pretty, but they always seemed to get something.

[Kaney]

Agree to disagree then. Saying the team that play the best football don't deserve to win is just silly to me.

[Gazz]

I disagree wholeheartedly with that. The team that wins the league should be one that can adapt tactically, not one who can play nice football.

[Liam]

Agree to disagree then. Saying the team that play the best football don't deserve to win is just silly to me.

Football is about attack AND defence, last time I checked.

Chelsea's defence played the best football on the pitch today.