Official 2012/13 Premier League thread

[If_You_Wanna_Be_The_Man]

Yeah it's ridiculous when you have 5 centre backs and can pretty much never have more than 2 of them fit at the same time

[stokeriño]

Chelsea contest Silverware One of Seven this season with the Community Shield on Sunday. It doesn't deserve its own thread so...

The CFC website throws out plenty of meaningless stats, such as how over the last 10 years when we have won the Community Shield we have also won the Premier League in the following season (2005, 2009), but not when we have lost (2006, 2007, 2010). Of course this is quickly thrown off if you go even as far back as 2000 (when we won the shield, but obviously not the league), but you know how stats are.

Oscar obviously won't be involved but the rest of the squad is back, although I'm not really clear whether Mata/Romeu/Sturridge/Bertrand are actually up for selection or if they're still easing into training. This is what I think the probable selection would be, though there is a press conference in about 20 minutes which I can't watch at work...so that could entirely override me:

Torres

Marin - Hazard - Ramires

Lampard - Mikel

Cole - Terry - Cahill - Ivanovic

Cech

Prediction? ATM I say 2-1 to City. Even placing our poor pre-season aside, I can't really escape how ridiculous City are right now.

[MDK]

I think I'll be supporting Newcastle or Reading for this series of The Premiership.

Colly, Gazz, persuade me that supporting Newcastle will be good for me.

[stokeriño]

Okay, Marin's out. Probably end up with Malouda playing instead.

[Crybaby Bunting]

Colly, Gazz, persuade me that supporting Newcastle will be good for me.

Danny Simpson

[MDK]

Reading it is then.

[If_You_Wanna_Be_The_Man]

Shame about the Olympics and injuries because of both teams had their full squads available it could have been really interesting.

2-2 I reckon

[Thrilla]

Reading it is then.

FEED THE POG-RENB-YAK AND HE WILL SCORE...

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Glad Reading are back - they were my second favourite team in previous seasons when they were in the Prem.

[stokeriño]

Manchester United shares have been floated for $14 each. The shares a) pay no dividend and b) are worth 1/10th the voting rights of those held by the current owners.

And people would spend money on these...why?

[Thrilla]

Probably just for the novelty.

[If_You_Wanna_Be_The_Man]

I don't think they will spend money on them

[Colly]

Reading it is then.

Danny Guthrie.

[Rafael]

Colly, Gazz, persuade me that supporting Newcastle will be good for me.

Danny Simpson

[Blaze09]

Colly, Gazz, persuade me that supporting Newcastle will be good for me.

Papiss Cisse

Fixed

[If_You_Wanna_Be_The_Man]

Cabaye too

[Colly]

If it takes star power to win you over we don't want you...

[MDK]

Krul was enough to win me over

[stokeriño]

Roberto Mancini frustrated by Man City's lack of transfer activity

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini says he is not happy with the lack of transfer activity at the club.

City have been linked with the likes of Arsenal's Robin van Persie and Liverpool's Daniel Agger this summer.

However, they remain the only Premier League club not to have signed anyone, with Mancini has expressing his frustrations at the lack of movement in the transfer market.

"I am not happy, but I won't say anything at the moment," he said.

City's rivals' summer signings

Manchester United: Shinji Kagawa, Nick Powell

Arsenal: Santi Cazorla, Olivier Giroud, Lukas Podolski

Chelsea: Eden Hazard, Thorgan Hazard, Marko Marin, Oscar

Tottenham: Gylfi Sigurdsson, Jan Vertonghe

Newcastle: Romain Amalfitano, Gael Bigirimana, Curtis Good

Liverpool: Fabio Borini

The Italian said reporters should talk to the club's sporting director, Brian Marwood, if they wanted answers.

"I am not the sporting director," added Mancini. "I can't say anything about the players. After three months or four months, I don't know what to say about this situation."

Mancini also revealed he has turned down a series of bids for Mario Balotelli this summer.

The Italian striker was one of the stars of Euro 2012, helping his country to the final where they were beaten by Spain.

"This summer, we had a lot of requests for him," he added.

"Many important teams wanted him. This is a sign that he is a top player.

"I didn't think about saying yes because he is young and we are sure he can improve and be an important player for the club."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19212916

Surely it's never a good sign when a manager comes out publicly with stuff like this... :/

Although "I'm not happy, but I wont say anything at the moment" amused me. Redknapp in disguise?

[Pesci]

Although "I'm not happy, but I wont say anything at the moment" amused me. Redknapp in disguise?

Soon he'll start complaining how he's down to the bare bones.