Official Premiership 2008/09 thread

[Matt]

For fucks sake

Where would Man Utd be in the table if games were 80 minutes long?

Higher than Leeds

No seriously, the same can be said for the majority of other teams. Liverpool have done it time and time again this season, as have Chelsea including today and even Arsenal. It's funny that you only bring it up for United though.

Sounds like some good games and really glad United are back on top. Hoping Everton can pull off a memorable victory now.

I've mentioned it about Liverpool several times. And Arsenal too (although that may not have been on here).

[Clawson]

The Dunne kick was obviously a red card but the reaction of Zaki is hilarious. Like he got shot instead of kicked.

[King Ellis]

He needs shooting for missing an open goal.

Being kicked in the ribs with studs probably does hurt a bit though.

[Scott McFly]

I'm surprised Mark Hughes still manages to keep his cool with him being asked about Kaka at every single opportunity. If there's anything to report, they'd frigging well report it.

And Zaki's obviously been taking "missing the open goal" lessons from Chris Iwelumo. That was unbelievable.

[IAceI]

So as Call of Duty + QI is better than MotD, I didn't watch, but my best friend reliably informs me that Milner's goal was perfectly legit. And the penalty was maybe just outside the box. And the Young decision was spot on, which I don't think there was any dispute about.

I can accept a close decision not going our way in the case of the penalty so oh well, you win some lose some. Good to know we weren't outplayed or anything by Villa. Turn out attention to the FA Cup for a week, and then back to business against Fulham and Newcastle.

[Matt]

So as Call of Duty + QI is better than MotD, I didn't watch, but my best friend reliably informs me that Milner's goal was perfectly legit. And the penalty was maybe just outside the box. And the Young decision was spot on, which I don't think there was any dispute about.

I can accept a close decision not going our way in the case of the penalty so oh well, you win some lose some. Good to know we weren't outplayed or anything by Villa. Turn out attention to the FA Cup for a week, and then back to business against Fulham and Newcastle.

He has better eyes than I then. It's impossible to tell on the replays unless they slowed it down on the analysis, I missed that part.

[King Ellis]

Enrique better watch his back during training.

[IAceI]

So as Call of Duty + QI is better than MotD, I didn't watch, but my best friend reliably informs me that Milner's goal was perfectly legit. And the penalty was maybe just outside the box. And the Young decision was spot on, which I don't think there was any dispute about.

I can accept a close decision not going our way in the case of the penalty so oh well, you win some lose some. Good to know we weren't outplayed or anything by Villa. Turn out attention to the FA Cup for a week, and then back to business against Fulham and Newcastle.

He has better eyes than I then. It's impossible to tell on the replays unless they slowed it down on the analysis, I missed that part.

My friend is a Newcastle fan and always did love Milner, so not sure if there's any bias but I'll trust it's not. I think it was more a case of that he apparently got tackled into it, so it was quite accidental and whatever the outcome, it would have probably resulted in them getting a goal so a moot point I figure. Blackburn next, always a big match for me and another of my friends - although this season they're getting a bit tedious.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Young's tackle was really bad but if that's getting a red, how did Sunderland not get a red when the guy (McShane I think) fucking full kicked Agbonglagor in the face? You're giving a penalty for a kick to the head where his foot is about five foot from the ground, but not a red?

Oh and that late Lampard goal and aftermath celebration was quite emotional. I really cant stand Chelsea, but for some reason I felt that as a real great moment :/

[Summers]

Yeah, all 'controversy' in our game had the right outcome.

Sucks for Young.

[Zaz]

This is why I hate Chelsea :@ (amongst various other reasons)

[Turbo Yannis]

God, I fucking love and hate football just now.

Why can't we go back to fucking teams every week? Get this shit sorted, Phil >_<

[TheArsenal]

Ok, time for a wee rant.....

No offence to Hull, but if we want to be competing with Chelsea and United, we need to be putting out convincing displays against the vast majority of teams in the league, and we seem to be a way off of that.

Arshavin will be a great signing. He would fit in well across our midfield or up front - but most importantly he will take a lot of the pressure off of Fabregas. There is too much pressure on him to perform and carry the team. It was the same for Henry when he was captain, and to a lesser extent, Vieira when he was captain.

Then we need an established, strong, cenral defender. I honestly believe Gallas' time at the club is as good as over. He seems to have found a new lease of life since he was stripped of the captaincy, but then the reported bust up with Toure means he puts his place in jeopardy. I like Djourou but I think he's not quite ready for the first team spot.

Maybe a new goalkeeper too. I like Almunia a lot, but he isn't in the same mould as Cech, van der Sar, or Reina. There has to be someone out there who can come in and hold that level of consistency.

The thing that sometimes annoys me about Wenge is he seems unwilling to go just that little bit further in order to improve the team. For example, if we don't get Arshavin, it will be because Zenit want £15million, and Wenger only wants to spend £12m. And we lost Flamini because he wanted £60k a week, and Wenger would only offer £55k. Now, I like a man with principles, and his stewardship over the club has seen us grow, and our finances be one of the most secure in the country. But when it's a case of £3-4 million that stops you bringing in a world-class player, (and let's face it, £15 million for Arshavin isn't bad when City paid £32.5 for Robinho) or an extra £5k a week to ensure one of your best performing players stays at the club (Flamini had an amazing season alongside Fabregas last year, and we go an lose him and don't even get any money from the transfer) you have to wonder why he won't just pay up. Or even worse, when Liverpool came out in the summer and said we had made a move for Alonso, and they were willing to sell, but Wenger had not left enough time to get the deal done - come on man, you know how long the transfer window is. Stop trying to do every deal on the last day. And it's not like we are in huge financial trouble. We have the stadium debt, but that is pretty much secured and ring-fenced so that it's all completely managed, accounted for, and we basically don't have to worry about it. Other than that, we posted record profits for the last two years and our directors keep shouting about how much money we have to spend on players - I think out of fear that the fans might turn on them for not making funds available.

Wenger says that we have a great youth system - and we do, one of the best in the world - and he doesn't need to buy. When he's asked about buying, he always says "Why should I buy 7 or 8 players, when I have the youth players coming through?" Why he always talks about 7 or 8, I don't know. We need a minimum of two, and that's a player like Arshavin, and a good, solid, established central defender. It would be nice to have a new goalkeeper, and possibly a new defensive midfielder too, but they are less of an issue as Almunia is pretty solid and Denilson is improving all the time. If we don't get a few good signings, and I mean really good signings, we will fall behind the top four, and the likes of Man City, Villa and Everton, will start to consistently be ahead of us. And if we can't win trophies and be playing the best football, those promising youngsters will decide they want to move to clubs that do.

Signing someone like Arshavin doesn't mean that someone like Wilshere will never get a chance. It just gives him an awesome player to learn his trade from (evidence of this is how much aspects of Walcott's game changed to look like Henry's when he joined the club, eg. C.C. Final goal vs Chelsea) and it means that, since Wilshere probably has two or three years before he is ready to sit in the first team week-in, week-out, Arsenal have a player who can play and help us challenge at the top of the league.

We bought in Ivan Gazidis to fulfill the role that David Dein was layin gin the past, but he is virtually redundant if Wenger won't take any action. Looking around at other clubs, United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man City, Villa, Spurs, amongst others are all bringing in top players, and strengthening their squads - yet Wenger seems very reluctant to do so. If he doesn't start soon, Arsenal will be in big trouble.

Rant over.

[-A-]

I'm actually starting to believe West Ham might not get relegated this season

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Bale has earflaps

EDIT:

Fortunately Woodgate is immense and Lennon is all kinds of awesome at the moment.

Edited January 18, 2009 by ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster

[TheArsenal]

1530: As plenty of you have already noted, Gareth Bale makes the Spurs line-up today. Should his side fail to win, that will be 21 matches without ever tasting victory in the Premier League - equalling the record held by Giles Barnes of Derby.

I thought he came off the bench to take part in a win earlier in the season?

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

1530: As plenty of you have already noted, Gareth Bale makes the Spurs line-up today. Should his side fail to win, that will be 21 matches without ever tasting victory in the Premier League - equalling the record held by Giles Barnes of Derby.

I thought he came off the bench to take part in a win earlier in the season?

Which is why I never thought I'd wish that Assou-Ekotto was back in the side...

Anyway nice first 20 from Spurs on the whole. Just lacking the final touch as usual...

[TheArsenal]

1530: As plenty of you have already noted, Gareth Bale makes the Spurs line-up today. Should his side fail to win, that will be 21 matches without ever tasting victory in the Premier League - equalling the record held by Giles Barnes of Derby.

I thought he came off the bench to take part in a win earlier in the season?

Which is why I never thought I'd wish that Assou-Ekotto was back in the side...

Anyway nice first 20 from Spurs on the whole. Just lacking the final touch as usual...

So he didn't? I could have sworn he'd got a win. A Spurs fan told me so....

And just for a laugh, someone text this into the BBC live text (slightly editted)....

"So, Jermain Defoe is playing his for his new club, which is old club at his new home ground that is his old home ground, against his old club, for his new manager who is his old manager? He just has to score doesn't he? Let's hope he remembers who he is playing for??"

[Scott McFly]

Defoe had a good final touch there, great save by James. Better than the final touch he got previously when he was in the way of Pavlyuchenko's shot.

Vital block by Corluka there!

[Matt]

1530: As plenty of you have already noted, Gareth Bale makes the Spurs line-up today. Should his side fail to win, that will be 21 matches without ever tasting victory in the Premier League - equalling the record held by Giles Barnes of Derby.

I thought he came off the bench to take part in a win earlier in the season?

Which is why I never thought I'd wish that Assou-Ekotto was back in the side...

Anyway nice first 20 from Spurs on the whole. Just lacking the final touch as usual...

So he didn't? I could have sworn he'd got a win. A Spurs fan told me so....

And just for a laugh, someone text this into the BBC live text (slightly editted)....

"So, Jermain Defoe is playing his for his new club, which is old club at his new home ground that is his old home ground, against his old club, for his new manager who is his old manager? He just has to score doesn't he? Let's hope he remembers who he is playing for??"

I think it's just Premier League starts.