Official 2012/13 Premier League thread

[Adam]

tl;dl - what's he said?

He's keen to sign Alan Tate and Mark Gower in January to turn Liverpool into the true 'Swansea MkII'.

[Gazz]

If he wait's 12 months, he'll be able to sign Scott Sinclair for less than £3m too!

[Hobo]

What I can remember as I didn't take notes: Praised Sterling and Lucas a lot, said the squad needed 'surgery'. Was honest in his appraisal of the Arsenal result. He aims to dominate possession in games in what he called 'death by football', believes the players will get better at it but currently they aren't patient enough in the final third. He's interested in giving chances to youth team players. He has said he's open to anyone to come to him, mentioning he brought the groundsmen into his first meeting.

He comes off very excellently and if everything he is trying it instil comes to pass, it could take a few years but he could have a good long run at Liverpool I think. He could be a revolutionary manager at the club.

[therockbox]

[Hobo]

That plus when he says "Fuck" under his breath at one point are two of his best bits.

[Lineker]

I like Rodgers (despite him twatting Watford over) - I hope he does get time to implement his ways properly at Liverpool.

[Lineker]

Queens Park Rangers midfielder Samba Diakite has been given an extended leave of absence in his native France as he is suffering from depression.

Diakite, 23, was granted a 10-day absence on 25 August but, with his club's blessing, has yet to return.

The Mali international excelled while on loan last season from Nancy, and signed a four-year contract in June.

Last season, the Professional Footballers' Association issued a booklet on depression to members.

The 36-page guidebook was released to more than 50,000 current and former professionals following the death of Wales manager Gary Speed.

Although it is not known whether the former Leeds United, Newcastle United and Everton midfielder had been affected by the condition, PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor wanted to "let people know there is a support system".

The debate around mental health in football has grown since Germany goalkeeper Robert Enke took his own life in late 2009 and Rushden & Diamonds keeper Dale Roberts killed himself a year later.

Diakite started QPR's first two Premier League games of the season, but manager Mark Hughes said at the time he missed the 3-1 defeat to Manchester City last Saturday due to "personal issues".

QPR's club doctor is making regular visits to Diakite while he recovers, and it is not known whether he will be available for the game against Chelsea a week on Saturday.

[Rich]

I think its great that teams are now acknowledging player's issues and allowing them and helping them to deal with them rather than being all "man up you pansy"

[badotori]

I think its great that teams are now acknowledging player's issues and allowing them and helping them to deal with them rather than being all "man up you pansy"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19515644

[Rich]

That's injuries! And Liverpool are a bunch of awful pansies, that's not mental problems!

[Lineker]

An ex-Premier League academy footballer has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 10 years for killing his girlfriend.

Andrew Hall, 18, released by Stoke City in May, pleaded guilty to murdering Megan-Leigh Peat, 15, at a house in Ampthill, Bedfordshire, on 9 June.

Ms Peat, of Westoning, suffered at least 60 stab wounds in the attack.

Judge Richard Foster, sentencing at Luton Crown Court, said Hall was jealous of her other friendships.

Hall, of Flitwick, admitted stabbing Ms Peat in the head and body at the house which belongs to a mutual friend.

She died from her injuries and severe blood loss after being treated by emergency services.

Hall, who suffered injuries to his hands, was at the end of a three-year scholarship at Stoke.

The court heard the midfield player was on the brink of signing as a professional with a future in the club's development side next season.

He had returned home to Robin Close, in Flitwick, and had spent the evening at nearby pubs with Ms Peat, a pupil at Harlington Upper School, in Harlington, near Dunstable.

Ms Peat was described as a caring girl who looked after her friends but also enjoyed her social life.

Luton Crown Court heard that she was subjected to an horrific attack.

Hall spent several days in hospital being treated for hand and arm wounds after the killing.

Judge Foster told Hall: "Megan Peat will never experience the thrill and success of exam results, going on to higher education, or perhaps being a bridesmaid at a best friend's wedding or an 18th birthday party.

"Her life ended in your hands at 15 years old.

"Only you know why you did what you did that night and what the catalyst was for such a ferocious attack.

"It is clear you were jealous of her innocent friendships with others."

Hall stabbed her 60 times in the head, neck and upper chest.

Two knives, including a serrated bread knife, were found next to her body.

Ms Peat's family said in a statement they were satisfied Andrew Hall had pleaded guilty.

The family said: "Megan was a healthy, vibrant, loving and caring person who was very much loved by all her family and all her many friends. She had her whole life ahead of her.

"Before her untimely death we were an ordinary family leading an ordinary life.

"Since that fateful day our world has changed beyond recognition.

"The pain of losing our beautiful daughter and the tragic and awful way she died will stay with us for the rest of our lives."

[Pesci]

Ah, that's the article I read earlier with the headline "Stoke City's Andrew Hall admits murdering girlfriend". Pretty shameful since he's not a Stoke City player and never went past academy level.

[Hobo]

With Liverpool it's less individual mental health and more squad mentality that needs fixing. They panic in the final third of the pitch (which Rodgers also talked about in that interview and how they need to be patient because 'you're not going to score every time you attack') and if we go behind players heads drop (we've an awful record of going 1-0 down and not recovering going back a couple of seasons).

[DavidMarrio]

http://www.talksport.co.uk/magazine/virals/120907/real-reason-players-keep-leaving-arsenal-revealed-180471

These "chants" are so awful they are funny.

[Colly]

Why is he nude for the Frimpong one? Scary chap. Also, you're on the talksport website for some reason...

[Pesci]

Glad Rodgers mentioned Suarez being able to play as a "false winger" - I'd like us to try that. I think Borini would be most beneficial to us at the moment leading the line and opening up space for Suarez to run into. Teams know Suarez is our only real goal threat at the moment so whenever he's up front, they crowd him out and he has too much to do to get clear of defenders. Johnson could provide the width on the right or left side to compensate too.

[DavidMarrio]

Why is he nude for the Frimpong one? Scary chap. Also, you're on the talksport website for some reason...

As long as its no one talking shite for Talksport then they I don't mind it. The odd viral thing they have can be mildly amusing.

I'd take Talksport over The Sun, then again that isn't hard really a hard choice.

Glad Rodgers mentioned Suarez being able to play as a "false winger" - I'd like us to try that. I think Borini would be most beneficial to us at the moment leading the line and opening up space for Suarez to run into. Teams know Suarez is our only real goal threat at the moment so whenever he's up front, they crowd him out and he has too much to do to get clear of defenders. Johnson could provide the width on the right or left side to compensate too.

This is pretty much what most fans have been saying, think every Liverpool fan on here has suggested using Suarez on the right instead of Borini, makes so much more sense.

[Colly]

Isn't that what most of us assumed anyway, Borini as the striker? Suarez has always felt like a number 10, so relying on him as the main striker surely can't be the plan. It's not as if signing Dempsey would have changed matters either, he's another attacking midfielder.

[DavidMarrio]

If Dempsey would have joined then he would have probably been out wide as well, would have made sense to have Dempsey and Suarez on the sides with Borini down the middle. For the games so far this season when both Borini and Suarez have played together its always been Suarez in the middle with Borini out wide.

If you are going to have Borini out wide then have him keep swapping positions with Suarez, Good example would be agaisnt Gomel (Yes I know its only Gomel) but the link up between the two when they kept changing positions gave a good glimpse at what they can do together, plus it'll make it a lot harder for the defenders to pick up their man. But really I don't see why we just haven't gone Borini striker, Suarez inside forward/false winger and whoever on the left whether it be Sterling or someone else.

I can't see where we are gonna get goals from tbh, but Hobo has said it already and at least Rodgers can see it as well. We are too impatient in the final third and when things don't go our way then the team just crumble under pressure. You can see it in the games that Suarez puts so much pressure on himself that he starts playing like a madman trying to run through about 5 different players and starts moaning when things don't go his way. Not looking forward to the next two games considering Sunderland away will be a tricky tie and I can see Fletcher picking up a goal and United at home will be tough but at least normally when it comes to us playing United at Anfield form goes out the window.

[Pesci]

Glad Rodgers mentioned Suarez being able to play as a "false winger" - I'd like us to try that. I think Borini would be most beneficial to us at the moment leading the line and opening up space for Suarez to run into. Teams know Suarez is our only real goal threat at the moment so whenever he's up front, they crowd him out and he has too much to do to get clear of defenders. Johnson could provide the width on the right or left side to compensate too.

This is pretty much what most fans have been saying, think every Liverpool fan on here has suggested using Suarez on the right instead of Borini, makes so much more sense.

Yeah, I've mentioned it myself a few times.

Isn't that what most of us assumed anyway, Borini as the striker? Suarez has always felt like a number 10, so relying on him as the main striker surely can't be the plan. It's not as if signing Dempsey would have changed matters either, he's another attacking midfielder.

Borini played out on the flanks for Roma too, though. I always assumed he would be support for Suarez, to take the pressure off his shoulders. Hasn't worked is all. I wouldn't class Suarez as a number 10 - he's not really a creator, unless it's for himself. He is a goalscorer, he just seems to have trouble being one for us