The 2011/12 Gary Speed Memorial Thread

[GoGo Yubari]

[Hobo]

Craig Bellamy plays for Liverpool now Be

[stokeriño]

That's the first time I've seen one of those that isn't the Michael Jackson one.

[GoGo Yubari]

I like the SpongeBob one because it looks mildly horrifying.

[Clawson]

I don't understand why we and Chelsea get all the shit for buying players and trying to "buy" the League, while United spent a shitload on players this summer and numerous years before to win the League without a peep.

[Steeb]

It's because you wear blue. People fucking hate blue.

[Starvinho]

I wouldn't say we've ever tried to 'buy the league'. The money we generally spend on players is usually profits as well, not something that can be said for City and Chelsea. Also it's very rare we go mad in the transfer market, even this summer I think we've bought very wisely and picked up a couple of bargains in Young and Jones (and last season too in Smalling and Hernandez).

Edited September 21, 2011 by Starvinho

[Clawson]

Of course you've tried to buy the league. The only way to win the league nowadays is to buy it which is why its insane to criticise two teams for trying to do it. Especially when the team thats currently leading the league spent quite a large amount of money this offseason even if they were smart buys.

[stokeriño]

But hey, if the UEFA FFP actually sticks it'll be okay...no one will be able to buy the league again and the same bigger clubs will remain on top until the end of time.

Hooray for all.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

The only top team that haven't tried to buy the league with money in recent years is Arsenal. Instead, Arsene sold his soul to the devil early in 2000 to get Arsenal their little glory run but now the devil is back and he's coming for his payment.

[stokeriño]

Haha...I'm not sure if I'm impressed or concerned for the time this guy has on his hands.

[Thrilla]

Impressive.

[TCO]

He could've at least made David De Gea's number right if he was going to go to all that trouble.

[lanky316]

He could've at least made David De Gea's number right if he was going to go to all that trouble.

While nit picking he should also have used the lob button and aimed towards the goal for it to hit the side netting. You'd think after all that effort he'd get those things right too. Otherwise it just seems lazy

[Colly]

A bit of creative mishearing made me giggle at the final line of 'shovel, and spade, and dick'. Like a child.

[Lineker]

Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere will be out of action until Christmas as his ankle injury has not responded to treatment.

The England player sustained the injury in the Gunners' pre-season friendly against New York Red Bulls on 31 July.

It was only expected to rule him out for a short while, but has proved far more troublesome for the 19-year-old.

"The bone is not responding. I will have surgery on my right ankle on Monday," Wilshere wrote on Twitter.

"Hopefully I will return to action around Christmas time. I am in good hands! Thanks for your support everyone!", he added.

Arsenal released a statement on their website which added: "Wilshere has recently been wearing a protective boot aimed at allowing a stress fracture of the ankle time to heal naturally and avoid surgery.

"However, scans this week have revealed that the fracture has not responded positively during this period.

"Throughout Jack's injury, the club has been guided by the continuous advice of several world-renowned specialists. The information attained this week has led to the conclusion that surgery is now required to gain an optimal response.

"Wilshere is now expected to be out for a period of months. Following surgery these timescales will become more specific."

Wilshere's absence adds to the disappointment surrounding the start of the season at the Emirates Stadium. After losing key midfielders Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri, Arsene Wenger's side lie 17th in the Premier League table having lost three of their first five matches.

On the plus side, the arrivals of Yossi Benayoun and Mikel Arteta have strengthened Arsenal's midfield. On Friday Wenger said he had not given up hope of winning the title, despite the poor start to the campaign.

Wilshere was wearing a protective boot to guard the affected right ankle, which Wenger claims was first damaged before the US pre-season trip, when the youngster was on England duty against Switzerland.

Wenger won his running battle with England Under-21 counterpart Stuart Pearce over Wilshere's selection for the summer's European Championships in Denmark, but the rest he was able to enjoy in the close season was not sufficient to cure the problem.

[DavidMarrio]

Wow tough break for him. Hopefully it won't be as long as christmas as I enjoy watching him play.

Edited September 23, 2011 by davidmarrio

[Jimmy]

And Arsenal could really use having him back. I know it's quite early, but if Arsenal do have a really bad season they could easily lose some of their top players, Wilshere included. They really need to get it together.

[Lineker]

Man City: Hart, Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy, Nasri, Barry, Toure Yaya, Silva, Dzeko, Aguero.

Subs: Pantilimon, Zabaleta, Milner, Kolarov, Savic, Tevez, Balotelli.

Everton: Howard, Hibbert, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, Neville, Fellaini, Rodwell, Osman, Coleman, Cahill.

Subs: Mucha, Heitinga, Bilyaletdinov, Saha, Drenthe, Stracqualursi, Vellios.

Referee: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire)

[Lineker]

1-0 City.

Man City goal: Ask, Michael Gray, and ye shall receive. Sergio Aguero is the creator, dashing across goal and then back-heeling for Mario Balotelli (on for Edin Dzeko) to curl into the bottom corner from 20 yards out, courtesy of a helpful deflection off Phil Jagielka.

1421: BREAKING TEAM NEWS

All eyes on Matt and Greg below as it is confirmed Bobby Zamora is indeed missing for Fulham at West Brom. So, too, is Damien Duff due to "private and personal" reasons.

1420: BREAKING TEAM NEWS

Steven Gerrard is again on the Liverpool bench against Wolves, with Andy Carroll displacing midweek goalscorer Craig Bellamy up front.

1419: BREAKING TEAM NEWS

Two changes for Arsenal from their defeat at Blackburn - Kieran Gibbs and Theo Walcott starting. There is no Gary Cahill for Bolton, though - he's unwell.

1417: BREAKING TEAM NEWS

Hatem Ben Arfa is on the Newcastle bench against Blackburn, for whom Martin Olsson starts.

1416: BREAKING TEAM NEWS

Sandro and Rafael van der Vaart both return to the starting line-up for Tottenham at Wigan. Jermain Defoe is out with a virus, it would appear.

1415: BREAKING TEAM NEWS

Frank Lampard is on the bench for Chelsea against Swansea, with Fernando Torres again up front.

Full team news to come.