Official Premier League 2009/10 thread

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Bolton did well against Spurs because:

a) They're playing with a fourth choice and makeshift defender as their centre back pairing (King/Dawson, Woodgate/King, Dawson/Woodgate or any of those three with Bassong would have been a lot more comfortable).

b) Spurs just don't like it up 'em.

c) The Tottenham players couldn't see the ball because of the sheer amount of plastic bags and other rubbish littering the pitch.

And the fact that they actually played really damn well and were arguably the better side on the day.

Nice to see Arsenal performing well.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

They did play well I'll agree. Cohen looked very good, albeit a bit too werewolf like.

However, they're ugly to watch though even when performing at their best so I can kinda see the Bolton fans' point...Although I don't think they'd do as well if they tried to play real "flair" football....But Cohen and the Korean guy do try.

[Hobo]

Meh, didn't play horribly but didn't play well either.

[Sir Alan LCSugar]

LCS was on TV before the Arsenal Blackburn game. Apparently I was in a section they had about Arsene Wenger. They interviewed me and my mate about Mr. Wenger and my bit was put in. The match was fantastic and I was right next to the Blackburn fans, so that was fun. My first trip to the Emirates was top notch!

[Plubby]

What did you say?

[ONO]

Lol @ Villa fans handing out fake £50 notes to throw at Judas.

[Crybaby Bunting]

Surely if they wanted to keep hold of Barry they'd have rejected any offer, or accepted a bid high enough to get a replacement.

And it is kinda deliciously ironic how Villa fans can't even have the "European football" argument in their favour any more

[ONO]

The Europa League is hardly the darling of European football.

[ONO]

COME ON TO FUCK

[Scott McFly]

Lol @ Villa fans handing out fake £50 notes to throw at Judas.

I don't get all the Barry hate, the guy absolutely busted his ass for Villa for 10 years and had reached the peak of anything he could achieve there, let's be honest. Man City come in and are putting together a team to rip up the rule book and ring in the biggest changes in the upper end of the Premier League since Chelsea threw money around 5+ years ago, even bigger than that potentially, and they say "we want you to be right in the heart of the team". Can you blame him for wanting to go there? Villa got £12m out of it too, it's not like he left for nothing. I could understand it if he stuck two fingers up and went to Birmingham, but he didn't.

[ONO]

How the hell did Barry bust his ass off for 10 years? He was mediocre until O'Neill came in. He was voted our second worst player, just behind Carlton Cole in the DOL days.

[Scott McFly]

He might not have always had the skill and been the player he is today, but I've always seen him as someone who works hard and gives it all when playing. I'm sure you've had players that have come and gone in Barry's tenure at Villa, just because he's been there for longer he's a traitor?

[Summers]

Dunne & Collins are quality.

[ONO]

I actually really enjoyed that match. The last time I enjoyed a match like that was when we destroyed Birmingham 5-1.

[R.W.]

Arsenal scored 6 high-quality goals. Incredible.

Undoubtedly deserved the win on that basis, but can only wonder what might have been had Walton got it right and given the penalty and sent Vermaelen off. But footballing karma will sort things out I'm sure. Hopefully against Burnley.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

I lived in Birmingham from 2002-2008. The Villa fans loved Gareth Barry, and I worked with more than a couple let alone being friends with others etc etc. He was great and it was sad that he left but he gave great service. This was his last chance to leave for a new chance while he was still around his peak so he can't be blamed. Mellberg left for exactly the same reason (A chance to try something new at Juventus - not that it worked out) and the fans loved him and he gave out Mellberg shirts in his last away game to all the Villa fans there. He was at Villa for ages and (quite rightly) a fan favourite too.

The reason Villa fans can't stomach Barry leaving is because they LOVED him so much. It hurts. He could have done a Sol Campbell but he didn't.

It was similar to Robbie Keane last season on his short hiatus up north. Spurs fans were gutted but you can't begrudge him. In fact there are plenty of players who have given loads to their club then moved on for different reasons and they're treated better than Barry was.

This modern obsession with getting really nasty about players "leaving for money" isn't very nice. Barry gave great service for a long time and it'd be nice to think that the fans could at least maintain non-booing when he plays against them....Not like Man City are Villa's local rivals or something anyway. In theory he moved to the "bigger" team of the moment.

[Adam]

I think one of the really grating things for Villa fans though is that, having said before he wold only leave for Champion's League football, he went to a side that not oly came below Villa last season, but one that wasn't even in Europe. I'd have been pissed off too, just because they have the money doesn't mean they should be considered 'bigger' than Villa at this point in time. But that opens the whole 'what consstitutes how big a club is?' debate.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

I would suggest that Man City have more chance of getting into the Champions League this season than Villa.

[ONO]

Well, many pundits feel Villa have a good and fair chance at it as well. The thing is City can go out and spend £100m odd in January if they are flying high, but you never know. We have built up a team that work for each other.

[stokeriño]

The Sun suggests that Viera could move to Chelsea in January to cover for Essien and Mikel during the African Nations' Cup, if they time their appeal to allow the signing.

It'll never, ever, ever happen. But it would be so funny if it did.