Official 2012/13 Premier League thread

[Gazz]

There's a great comment on the BBC report of the Newcastle/Spurs game from a Spurs fan saying the 'club is in crisis and all the pundits are tipping us (Spurs) for relegation'.

What pundits?

[Hobo]

As irksome as it is to not win game one of the season. It doesn't really matter.

But tabloids are tabloids and people like to exaggerate. Liverpool aren't in meltdown, they just went to pieces after losing their best CB to a red card. Arsenal have lost a couple of players now but last year they lost 8-2 to Untied and still finish in a champions league spot.

Only after about 10 games does anything really matter.

[Jimmy]

I thought after last season people would just learn not to doubt Wenger.

And I'm not worried about Spurs, their squad is clearly incomplete and Newcastle are a very good side. Question for people that watch Newcastle more than I do, does Ben Arfa play like that alot? Or is he quite inconsistant? Because he was very impressive yesterday.

[Jimmy]

As irksome as it is to not win game one of the season. It doesn't really matter.

But tabloids are tabloids and people like to exaggerate. Liverpool aren't in meltdown, they just went to pieces after losing their best CB to a red card. Arsenal have lost a couple of players now but last year they lost 8-2 to Untied and still finish in a champions league spot.

Only after about 10 games does anything really matter.

Not even then, really I'd say. Well, uless you're having a nightmare of 10 losses in a row, mind. Until you're at 19 games I'd say nothing's clear.

[Noah]

Faaaaaaaaark I was so close to betting on a draw between Arsenal/Sunderland. Would have been a pretty good return.

[IAceI]

Just for the record I don't really buy into anything said on Sunday Supplement, I just like to watch it when I'm up on a Sunday morn. Much like when I listen to TalkSport despite disagreeing with nearly everything they say on it.

Shaun Custis is an utter cretin, mind, I knew this already but he almost does a Brick Tamland cough and 'lookatme' trick so he can get splurt his words everywhere.

And was there booing at full time Gooner? We didn't really hear anything so I was surprised when it was mentioned by John Richardson earlier on SS. Not denying it happened, just we didn't hear anything, but we were obviously cheering and chanting so that would probably be why.

[FLiam]

Yeah there was quite a bit going on. Complete farce really, I don't see what the players did to deserve to be booed, you were incredibly difficult to break down, was one of those games. Players aren't going to be 100% sharp on the first game of the season.

I'm confident still, ingredients are all there, team just needs a bit of time to gel.

[IAceI]

Exactly. There was a lot of grumbling when we were walking to Highbury & Islington about how we were so boring and negative but it's a compliment to Arsenal that we knew that we had to play in such a way to increase our chances of coming away with anything. Saha had just signed, Wickham and Ji aren't trusted at all and Campbell plays wide on the right now - after that we don't have anymore strikers really. Sessegnon essentially played as an attacking midfielder for the hour or so he played.

It's disappointing we aren't looking very match fit ourselves, and the season has started and we don't seem to have done very much transfer business. We're still missing three players or so, and the long mooted Adam Johnson signing in my opinion is never going to happen, a loan perhaps because we can't afford his wages but I doubt Man City want to pay him anything if they can help it.

Just watched the highlights on Goals on Sunday. Heard the booing at the end, sounded louder on the TV than it did in the ground at least. Honestly can't remember hearing any.

[Colly]

I thought after last season people would just learn not to doubt Wenger.

And I'm not worried about Spurs, their squad is clearly incomplete and Newcastle are a very good side. Question for people that watch Newcastle more than I do, does Ben Arfa play like that alot? Or is he quite inconsistant? Because he was very impressive yesterday.

Ben Arfa could genuinely be an absolute star in a few months with a silly price tag on him. Bear in mind the injury he's had to come back from he's just been getting better and better.

I think part of the issue comes from accommodating him, he's at his best as part of a front three and can roam without having to drop back and defend, whereas yesterday we seemed to go back to 4 4 2 to let Ba play up front which left us quite light in midfield strangely. He sort of kept roaming so we looked shapeless for the most part, think we were very fortunate to win.

[stokeriño]

Ramires is unwell so joins Marin in being unavailable today. Bertrand starts again in the AML position. Oscar could make his debut from the bench.

Team: Cech, Ivanovic, Luiz, Terry, Cole, Mikel, Lampard, Hazard, Mata, Bertrand, Torres

Subs: Turnbull, Cahill, Ferreira, Essien, Meireles, Oscar, Sturridge

Plus we get to play in our third kit for a second time, after it debuted in that 3-1 loss to Brighton.

[Lineker]

Eden Hazard starts for Chelsea, making his Premier League debut in the process. Oscar is on the bench. Ryan Bertrand is also included, possibly to play on the left side of midfield. Ramires has not travelled due to illness. Victor Moses, who Chelsea have reportedly been pursuing all summer, starts for Wigan against the Blues. New signing Ivan Ramis does start in defence for the Latics despite suggestions he would miss out through injury.

[Nerf]

Do I watch Wigan/Chelski or City/S'hampton or neither? I really can't decide.

[Baddar]

Just caught all of the action on ESPN Goals - Michu's 2nd for Swansea was excellent.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

And it's Ivanovic of all people

[stokeriño]

Penalty!

They really haven't got to grip with Hazard yet.

[Matt]

Do I watch Wigan/Chelski or City/S'hampton or neither? I really can't decide.

Or both?

This could be a drubbing at this rate, 2-0 after 6 minutes.

[Jimmy]

i've just tune in, what the fuck's gone on?

[Jimmy]

oh just check fantasty football, I used to have Hazard in my team too

[stokeriño]

i've just tune in, what the fuck's gone on?

Hazard owned two Wigan players and set up an assist/penalty kick for Ivanovic and Lampard respectively.

[Gazz]

i've just tune in, what the fuck's gone on?

Wigan are back to being pre-February Wigan again.