Official Premiership 2008/09 thread

[Farmer Reil]

Quick note on the Tevez situation £31 million for a squad player would be stupid. I don't think he'll be a United player next season and would rather see Fergie stick with Berba and Rooney up top. Possibly get Manucho and Welbeck into the team as well next season. Tevez just hasn't set Old Trafford alight and although he's a favourite amongst the crowd that's not good enough to stump up so much money.

Wait, Carlos Tevez can't get into the team, yet you expect Danny Welbeck and Manucho to do so next season? Tevez hasn't set Old Trafford alight because he's had about three minutes of football, during which he's only had time to score about 28 goals. Seriously though, I'm not saying United were wrong to sign him, but they'd be fucking stupid to keep him now. Tevez needs to be playing football regularly, not because he's a selfish prima donna, but because he's fucking awesome. It just smells of "we don't need him, we're only paying him so that you can't have him either".

[Scott McFly]

Why is it every time I catch Dermot Gallagher on Sky Sports trying to offer some insight he's always having the piss ripped out him by Andy Gray?

[IAceI]

Because Andy Gray can't win an argument against anyone better, so resorts to that.

And I can't wait for Baddar to come and give his thoughts on the Man Utd game! Hope he isn't on the PS3 too long.

[Farmer Reil]

Reports that the referee joined in the Wigan celebrations have been confirmed.

I just watched it on MOTD, and based on that... cry more. Wigan could've had two or three other goals. Pretty much the closest you got was Darren Bent's second half header, and that went backwards. The referee didn't score their goal, the referee didn't poorly defend set pieces for you, the referee didn't mark Wigan's players (why should he? Nobody else did...) and the referee didn't pick Gareth Bale. Wigan were the only team that even tried to score, so you can't cry too much just because they finally did.

Even your idea of a 'final push for a goal' involved three players going forward.

But yeah, blame the referee. Easier, innit?

Edited January 11, 2009 by Farmer Reil

[Baddar]

Because Andy Gray can't win an argument against anyone better, so resorts to that.

And I can't wait for Baddar to come and give his thoughts on the Man Utd game! Hope he isn't on the PS3 too long.

Here goes...

Neville instead of Rafael was a great call. I said after the CC game in midweek that Fergie would've been stupid to play Rafael ahead of Neville, especially seeing as though he'd be playing on the same side as Ronaldo at times. There wouldn't have been enough defensive cover on the wing had that happened.

And I'm another who thought Chelsea didn't play all that badly. Conceded very late in the first half and were still in the game up to and after United got their 2nd I thought. That may have just been nerves on my part though.

Vidic playing lead-blocker for the third goal was amazing, and Berba finishing it off even more so.

As for the Tevez situation, I think he'll stay. If he was to go elsewhere, it'd be another big team where he'd have to earn his place anyway, so could find himself on the bench quite a bit there too.

£30m isn't bad considering we've had him for last season and this for nothing apart from his wages. If he signs on for just next season, that'll work out £10m a season, and I certainly won't complain if we end up with a hat-trick of league titles from it.

Fact is, if Tevez goes, we'll need to spend more money in the summer on a different striker, who's unlikely to have proved himself in the PL up to now. There's no way we'd see Tevez leave and bring no-one in I don't think. Campbell would be back, and I suppose he'd be an option, but it seems the promising youngsters end up being sold just when you think they're beginning to go from good to very good lately.

See: Eagles and Pique, and to some extent Rossi, for what I mean.

[Scott McFly]

Holy crap, in that introduction video to the Man U/Chelsea game on MOTD2 just now I swear that was the opening score to the movie Dune! Anyone know if that's a standard piece of music or did the BBC really just use the intro to a fairly niche film from 25 years ago?

[Farmer Reil]

The Dune soundtrack was by the rock band Toto (who have broken up now Though to be fair it's about time ¬_¬). So if it was the Dune opening score, then they actually did use a piece of music from a 25-year old cult classic (Y)

Edited January 12, 2009 by Farmer Reil

[Zaz]

That's rubbish about Bent and Defoe being only good in the box, they've both shown that they can pick the ball up and link with the midfield, Defoe more than Bent of course but then again Bent's the big striker, you don't want him to have to do that. Defoe didn't get much of a chance today but that was due to the horrible formation.

As for Dos Santos not being given a chance, he's been injured since before Redknapp took over. Yeah he made the bench last week because he's only just recovered from ankle ligament damage but he's still unproven in the Premier League. He was pretty poor when Ramos tried him in the league so there's no real incentive to give him a go at the moment. As I've said previously, every league game at the moment is a big one as we try and fight off relegation, this isn't the time to be giving fringe players a run out.

Bent has the first touch of a child rapist. The only linking up he really does is winning the odd header or two. And for someone with pace he's the most awkward dribbler I've seen. How many times has he had a 1-on-1 and managed to get past his man? When he's in the box, he's great as he can put the ball in from anywhere, but apart from that he's pretty ordinary.

Defoe I was a tad harsh on, as he can dribble and shows classy touches from time to time, but he's not the type to drop deep and provide ball to our midfield and particularly our wingers, which Pav has been doing very well lately. This is where we miss Keane the most as he was great at doing this, and I reckon he would've done great with Modric.

[AJ]

footjob fever please stop having bad and wrong opinions.

No.

Don't argue with Tom.

Awesome, awesome win for United yesterday. I was driving home listening to the second half and had just pulled up on the drive when the second goal went in. Sounded like Old Trafford was as relieved as I was, it seemed really tense leading up to it as Chelsea had more chances.

After watching the highlights, it looked a pretty even game. All three goals were absolute belters though. Shame Rooney didn't mention the corner plan to the linesman though, might've got away with it then. Love cheeky little things like that, they always seem to involve Giggs. I remember a previous one worked by Scholes and Giggs, think that was a free kick set up though.

[Baddar]

Was that the one where they purposely ran into one another, making it look as though they'd fucked up?

[King Ellis]

No. Rooney put the ball on the corner spot but rolled it back out a little. Then Giggs ran over making it look like he was gonna take it instead but he just ran with it and crossed.

[Baddar]

I know what happened yesterday, I mean what AJ is talking about that took place previously between Scholes and Giggs.

[King Ellis]

Oh, right.

[King Ellis]

Oh, right.

Ack, double.

Edited January 12, 2009 by Marlon King Ellis

[METALMAN]

What is this corner plan I have been hearing lots about?

Anyway after some(i.e. very little) deliberation, I have decided that I am going to support Chelsea in this season's title race. It was a close thing between them and Aston Villa but unfortunately I don't think they will last it out.

[Baddar]

Ellis pretty much summed up the United corner routine from yesterday 4 or 5 posts up.

[King Ellis]

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=4tgtvDSwReI

That's a clip of it.

[stokeriño]

After watching the highlights, it looked a pretty even game.

Really wasn't. Chelsea had periods (mainly in the first half) where they were able to pass the ball around comfortably, but that doesn't count as being 'even' for me when they were also physically incapable of making real attacks from it.

Chelsea sucked in exactly the same way that they've been sucking against Southend/Fulham/Everton/West Ham/Arsenal/Burnley/Newcastle over the past month and a half. I was expecting the result going into the match and it's not unlikely that their next three league games against Stoke/Boro/Liverpool end up as a draw/draw/loss, simply because their tactical system is flawed and generally involves try to string three or more quick, tight and difficult passes together through the middle of 3 or 4 defenders on the edge of the penalty box. No width, no vision, nothing. Their two full-backs, upon whom the 4-3-3 formation is supposed to be largely dependent, rarely get within 15 yards of the byline because they instead always pass back to Lampard or Ballack when they're still 25 yards from goal.

If this is Scolari's system, I've no idea what the fuck it's supposed to accomplish, short of the expectation that they entire opposing team will stand aside and let Anelka through to the 6 yard box. Scolari has shown no sign of having a Plan B either, which is the most concerning thing of all.

But before all this, it's a trip to Southend in midweek. I'm not optimistic.

[ONO]

Chelsea fans not optimistic against Southend?

>_>

[stokeriño]

I attended the Burnley match and the first Southend match in person. No I am not fucking optimistic.