Official 2012/13 Premier League thread

[Baddar]

Oh, yeah, he's irreplaceable. But I think the team is starting to function well as a unit rather than being a one man band.

?

[Summers]

BAAAABY

[Jimmy]

How long do you think Suarez will stay at Liverpool if they don't start climbing the table? He's clearly got the talent to play for a Champions League side. Obviously you'd never want to lose him, but just a question I mean in a non-dickish way.

[Nerf]

He seems pretty genuine when he says he wants to stay, though you never know in football. I'd hope we'll get at least another season out of him at least.

Edit: I'd also argue that Reina, Agger, Skrtel, Lucas and Gerrard could walk into most sides. I'm just as fearful of losing them, maybe not Reina as much as the others.

[Jimmy]

But you make a pretty interesting point, yeah.I wouldn't be fearful about losing Gerrard. I think Gerrard's a different case because he's a one man club kind of guy and he's been there since the start and Lucas has been injured a lot so really hasn't had a chance to be pulled into a transfer saga, but you're right with Agger.

I got the feeling Suarez loves Liverpool but as we've seen with Van Persie, players who do love their club can definitely be willing to move if they want some silverware to show at the end of their careers.

[Nerf]

Suarez, 4-0.

Also, Split, there's been countless people encouraging Gerrard to leave this year. It probably will never happen, but it does worry me sometimes. It wouldn't be as big a loss as if he'd gone to Chelsea when he had the chance, but I'm looking forward to witnessing his retirement after everything he's done.

[ZJ Penn]

Do you think Gerrard would leave now? I always assumed if he was going it would have been to Chelsea a few years back and now hes a lifer.

The difference between van Persie and Suarez is that Liverpool have stood by him through all his "scandals". He might have some loyalty to them through that.

Edited December 22, 2012 by ZJ Penn

[Rafael]

About the Newcastle/QPR game, I think that clearly showed that Cissé should be a back-up for Ba, not his striking partner. Ameobi/Ba works better because Ameobi is better as the man who holds the ball and Ba being the pacy striker, not Ba doing the target man role and Cissé being the pacy striker. That's why I think a Carroll/Ba partnership could work well.

Edited December 22, 2012 by RafaelFms

[Jimmy]

Swap Carroll for Cisse and both clubs get something they want

[Nerf]

Do you think Gerrard would leave now? I always assumed if he was going it would have been to Chelsea a few years back and now hes a lifer.

Like I said, I doubt it would happen, but you never know. He's maybe got one or two seasons left in him, he might feel compelled to win a league title before he retires.

[Khain]

Everything was coming up Milhouse in this game. If Downing can mantain the form of the last two games, I'd keep him. As a right winger he was doing everything right.

Gerrard played his best match in the season so far, it was like watching 2009's Gerrard.

[TCO]

Gerrard is definitely there for life. When he didn't go to Chelsea the 2nd time around, it made that clear. He's 33 this season and really I don't see any of the big teams wanting him even if he did want out.

[Khain]

I see him going to the MLS eventually, and that would really sucks :/

[Cheeky Hughes]

But you make a pretty interesting point, yeah.I wouldn't be fearful about losing Gerrard. I think Gerrard's a different case because he's a one man club kind of guy and he's been there since the start and Lucas has been injured a lot so really hasn't had a chance to be pulled into a transfer saga, but you're right with Agger.

I got the feeling Suarez loves Liverpool but as we've seen with Van Persie, players who do love their club can definitely be willing to move if they want some silverware to show at the end of their careers.

I've stopped trusting players when they say they love the club. Shaun Wright-Phillips said he loved City and wanted to stay for many years to come... three months later he was off to Chelski.

[stokeriño]

Presumably the 23 year old SWP never imagined that any other club would deem him a worthy recipient of a mountain of cash when he said that.

And to be fair, he would have been right. He really, really wasn't worth it.

[Colly]

About the Newcastle/QPR game, I think that clearly showed that Cissé should be a back-up for Ba, not his striking partner. Ameobi/Ba works better because Ameobi is better as the man who holds the ball and Ba being the pacy striker, not Ba doing the target man role and Cissé being the pacy striker. That's why I think a Carroll/Ba partnership could work well.

Cisse still needs the chance to actually be a striker, he really doesn't suit the right wing role he's been playing for weeks. I'd play Ba and Cisse up top, two actual wingers whether that's Ben Arfa, Marveaux or Obertan (both of whom also need a chance), reverting to one up top and three in the middle when we need more defensively. Today the three man midfield was completely unnecessary, QPR were awful, and we needed creativity on the pitch and had none.

[Jimmy]

That end to MotD was awesome (Y)

[Cheeky Hughes]

Was it the same as the Football Focus ending? With the toys?

[Jimmy]

Yeah, that's the one.

[Cheeky Hughes]

I liked it. Although that might just be the AGUEROOOOOOOO~! talking.