Official Premier League 2010/11 thread

[Noah]

How are Blackpool really doing? From the opinion of someone who's actually seen them play live would be great.

Would love if they could somehow do a Hull and get 2 seasons out of this top flight run of theirs.

[Sam]

I find it odd you say we're so reliant on Rooney when from the 11 goals we've scored this season thus far he's scored 1, that to me suggests that we won't be as reliant on him this season.

I don't buy this whole weaker/transition stuff, we're a different team now. But the way we have started this season is promising, I think we look a lot more threatening going forward (even if we do spurn chances), okay we have had 2 defensive collapses now but hopefully that will be a reminder to always see through a game and not coast to the end of it. Also I feel you're over doing the impact Tevez had at the club, he wasn't really as great as some United fans make out.

[stokeriño]

I'll be seeing them play live this Sunday...

It might not be representative of their season thus far, though.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

I'm starting to believe that a LOT of credit has to go onto Ferguson and the coaching staff at Man Utd though cos there's no way that O'Shea, Fletcher, Brown should be Premiership winners without some kind of magical tactical sneakiness.

[Hobo]

Not only that but Wes Brown has won the Champions League, twice? Just sinful as the fact Djimi Traore has a winners medal at all.

[Noah]

I should thank Stoke for his quote on Giggs in my sig. (Y)

[stokeriño]

People do seem to love that quote. I said that to someone at my work who mentioned it to her boyfriend, who said it at his work, and apparently a bunch of them in that office now frequently refer to Giggs being powered by magic whenever his name comes up.

It would appear to be a powerful magic indeed.

[The Future]

Not only that but Wes Brown has won the Champions League, twice? Just sinful as the fact Djimi Traore has a winners medal at all.

SAF uses the three mentioned very well. O'Shea made 50 appearances the last time we won the league and Fletcher is undroppable right now, I know Wes Brown isn't exactly god but to compare him to Djimi Traore is messed up Brown chinned everyone around him the double winning season and set up the goal in the Champions League Final he's just horribly unlucky with injuries.

[Noah]

I read it and it made me laugh.

Instantly sigged.

I think the Stevie Richards reference came from my Finnish friend in the TNACW ppv thread.... not that anybody asked.

[ONO]

Has there actually been a less inspiring, uncharismatic captain than fucking Petrov? After every defeat, he comes out the next day and states the usual old bollocks "We need to be more clinical", "We need to do this". Fuck off you knob.

After 20 minutes he's soaked in sweat and can barely track up and down the field. Embarrassing. I really hope Houllier drops this guy. Young back out on the wing. If only Delph wasn't injured.

[Sam]

I read it and it made me laugh.

Instantly sigged.

I think the Stevie Richards reference came from my Finnish friend in the TNACW ppv thread.... not that anybody asked.

Or cares

[Noah]

Ouch...

Justified though

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

I'm not judging this by a few games, I'm judging this by a gradual decline since the loss of Ronaldo and Tevez.

Same thing happened after Beckham left, took us a few years to settle after that.

There is no way we looked great last season. If not for Rooney having the season of his career, we'd have been screwed, The United of old could have relied upon goals from midfield but not so much this team, If our strikers arent nearly breaking records, we are in trouble.

You are relying on a lot of what ifs and sure if even a few of the things you say happen, obviously the outlook obviously improves but I have to see that happen first before I put faith in it.

I've supported this club probably longer than you've been alive and the club doesn't have a god given right to win titles like some of the glory hunters believe. It's something that the team has to work hard at every single season.

I'd love for you to prove me wrong but until I see the hard evidence consistently proven over a few months of the season, as things currently stand, I'm expecting us to put up a good fight but for Chelsea to eventually prevail.

Of course a difference was noticed when Ronaldo left. Any team would notice a change by losing arguably the best player in the world. Just like always though, we moved on. Last season had nothing to do with Ronaldo. What you're doing is being plain disrespectful to basically every other team from last season. You say we were far from great, yet we came ONE point within Chelsea. So we were almost on par with Chelsea, but we were far from great according to you, so the same may as well be said for Chelsea too, right? It's ridiculous. We didn't win the title, so we weren't great? Here's a fact for you, Chelsea were simply that bit better and edged us out over the run of 38 games. It wasn't because we were shit or far from great, it's because they were just that bit better overall.

It's just nonsense to say our team cant rely on our midfield, been said for too long now. Nani and Valencia are easily capable of scoring goals. Fletcher has the knack of popping up at important times and scoring crucial goals. Gibson is developing into someone who could start adding a few too. How about Giggs? Our midfield still can and does provide goals.

There's no point in even arguing any further, because your argument is you've supported the club longer (15 years, which is around the same time as me anyway, but has fuck all to do with any of this) and that it's a good idea to start judging a season four games in. Fucking ridiculous. We've beaten Newcastle and West Ham comfortably at home. We then went away to Fulham and Everton, two damn tough teams to go against and both times we were within a matter of minutes of winning, but for a defensive lapse, we would of done. As many have pointed out already, we've started better than we have on previous occasions. Chelsea have had a fairly decent opposition run up to this point. Our squad finally has some youth coming through too. Sorry, but no evidence is needed. If you're judging this title race already, then there's little point in even taking your opinion seriously.

[Noah]

I didn't say we were shit, just that we werent good enough last season and we werent. The seasons prior to that, you felt we were in a chance for every single trophy going but we just lacked that extra something that takes a team over the line. I gave credit to the team for making it as close as they did.

I love Giggs more than anyone and he'll score a couple but Gibson is still a what if. Nani actually started to mature last season and showed what he can do but needs to do that consistently. Sadly Valencia is injured now but I have high hopes for the guy,

Again where did I judge the season four games in? I am judging the team as I've seen it from the start of last season. It's been a mixed start but there has been a lot of good in there. If Berba lives up to the standard we know that may be the key.

I clearly said I'd love to be proved wrong and I hope the team does that.

[Baddar]

As said by Future in the CL thread, Valencia is likely to miss the rest of the season. That sucks.

EDIT: If there is one positive to come out of it, at least Obertan will get a chance to return to the first team now and make a couple of appearances. He was too on/off last season and I don't think Fergie will keep him unless he proves himself this term - we don't need two Nani's, so to speak.

[Noah]

Damn that really sucks.

Like you said it gives Obertan the chance that Nani got when Ronaldo left and Nani made a good fist of it last season and it'd be great to see Obertan step up and do the same now hes been given the opportunity.

[Baddar]

The positive thing for Obertan is that the fans are behind him 100% - they chant his name even when he isn't in the matchday squad.

I think it stems from the goal he set up in the CL last season.

[Sam]

The other positive thing is that Nani is so much better playing on the right than on the left. I like Valencia as he is very consistent but Nani has more flair and by regularly playing him on the right I'm certain we'll now reap the rewards. As for the left position perhaps there's a chance we'll see Rooney drift out there again with Berbatov or maybe even Chicharito through the middle? Sort of like the season when we had Ronaldo, Tevez and Rooney. Maybe that'll be the case for the big games this season whilst Obertan takes on the 'lesser' teams of the division.

[Hobo]

Any attempt by Liverpool's co-owner Tom Hicks to gain sole control of the club will have no support from the majority of Liverpool's board but could succeed, BBC Sport understands.

Texan billionaire Hicks met Liverpool chairman Martin Broughton on Wednesday, informing him he was considering raising money to refinance the club's £237.4m debt with Royal Bank of Scotland before a deadline set for early October.

The talks were described by a senior club source as "blunt but constructive" but the prospect of Hicks remaining in control of the Premier League club will horrify many Liverpool fans desperate for a change of ownership.

Co-owner George Gillett is reported to be struggling to pay back a £75m loan secured against his 50% stake in the club in 2008 and Hicks is considering buying his partner out, although Gillett insists he is not on the brink of defaulting.

Hicks and Gillett bought the Reds in February 2007 in a deal that valued the club at £218.9m.

But the American duo have endured a difficult time at Anfield, with supporters regularly voicing their dissatisfaction at the level of debt taken on by the club after their buyout.

Broughton, who was appointed in April at the request of RBS as a condition for the bank extending its loan to the Americans for a further six months, has previously said he wants to find a new owner willing to wipe out the club's debt and build a new stadium.

Along with managing director Christian Purslow and commercial director Ian Ayre, Broughton sits on the club's five-man board alongside Hicks and Gillett.

The three Englishmen will oppose Hicks' plan if he manages to raise the funds required.

The Americans failed to generate the necessary money in June because the proposed refinancing was with RBS and would lead to the club being saddled with more debt and interest repayments.

However, the board privately acknowledge that this time Hicks could succeed if he refinances with a different bank and are seeking legal advice on their power to block any attempt he may make.

"Technically, if he pays off RBS 100% the bank can't really refuse to receive the money so it can be removed from the scene," the source told BBC Sport.

"That would make the legal position of whether such a plan can be vetoed very complicated and difficult. It would have no support from three members of the board.

"The board's directors are obliged to do what's best for both the shareholders (Hicks and Gillett) and also the business (Kop Holdings) but these two objectives could be in conflict, so legal advice is being sought as to what's possible."

Hicks has not approached RBS yet to discuss his plan but the source admitted the prospect was "possible" and "could not be ruled out".

James McKenna, spokesman for Spirit of Shankly, the Liverpool Supporters' Union, predicts an angry response from fans to any attempt by Hicks to keep hold of the club.

"This is the latest in an on-going soap opera but we don't want either Hicks or Gillett involved in the club and these plans will be met with the fiercest of protests," he said. "These reports are a worry."

Hicks and Gillett put the debt-ridden club up for sale in April, valuing it at £600m but no-one has come close to meeting that figure.

Hong Kong businessman Kenny Huang was interested but withdrew from negotiations to buy the club at the end of August.

Hicks and Gillett face losing the club to RBS, which must decide whether to call in the loan and take control of the club, agree to another extension, or force a sale to the highest bidder.

Round and round and round it goes.

[therockbox]

Hicks taking full control would set the club back decades. The likes of Torres, Reina and Gerrard, even Agger, Kuyt, Skrtel and Johnson, would be gone within a year, to be replaced by cut-price 30+ year olds looking for one last payday.