Official 2012/13 Premier League thread

[Baddar]

It's not the fans, but more the media who insist they're in with a chance whenever they win a game.

And for what it's worth, you'll beat Arsenal.

[Colly]

I'm just looking at it from a maths-y point of view, 11 points in mid January with a bit of Dembamomentum (its a word) gives you a chance if someone slips up, 13 is maybe just too far.

[stokeriño]

I would definitely prefer for United to beat Tottenham this Sunday, let's put it that way.

[Colly]

Well I'd have preferred you to beat Southampton, but sometimes we don't get what we want. Grrrr.

[stokeriño]

You usually can when it involves United winning.

[Colly]

Well that depends on which United you refer to.

[stokeriño]

Oh, yeah. Right.

Not that one.

[Jimmy]

I would definitely prefer for United to beat Tottenham this Sunday, let's put it that way.

was taking Spurs' spot in the champions league not enough for you? have a heart Stok!

[stokeriño]

Spurs can get 4th if they like, provided we get 3rd. Whether they or Arsenal miss out, I'm not picky.

[Plubby]

You usually can when it involves United winning.

Let's poll the crowd.

Baddar, you first How will Man United do this weekend?

[Colly]

Brendan Rodgers' Luis Suarez is not a diver campaign has been damaged again, by Luis Suarez who's admitted to diving against Stoke in an interview with Fox Sports Argentina. Rodgers says it unacceptable, though its not clear whether he means diving or admitting it.

[brenchill]

Speaking of diving, I just watched the documentary on Chelsea's CL win on Sky. Drogba casually says in an interview Fabregas admitted diving for a penalty in the semi-final and the two laughed about it afterwards. Has cheating/diving really become that trivial?

[stokeriño]

I'm sure the fact that Chelsea went through (and Messi missed the penalty) has a fair amount to do with their ability to laugh about it afterwards.

[Colly]

The one that sticks out for me is still the handball that put Ireland out of the last World Cup, where after blatantly cheating Henry just went and sat with Richard Dunne and had a chat. I'd have been throttling him...

It's the magical sliding scale we've talked about before, possibly in this thread, where in the fans eyes diving is the worst crime on a pitch, players seem to accept it more apart from the immediate aftermath of a dodgy penalty.

[Adam]

Speaking of diving, I just watched the documentary on Chelsea's CL win on Sky. Drogba casually says in an interview Fabregas admitted diving for a penalty in the semi-final and the two laughed about it afterwards. Has cheating/diving really become that trivial?

When has Didier Drogba ever found diving to be anything more than trivial?

[Nerf]

In terms of the Suarez thing, I'm still backing him. He annoyed me a fair bit last season, but this year, specifically the Stoke dive, it's come in the middle of him being denied penalties after being genuinely assaulted pretty much every week. We're forgetting this is the same match that Huth stamped on his chest while he was down. Are we really implying that diving is worse than intentionally trying to hurt another player?

[Baddar]

It's not worse but why should the two be compared? They're both wrong.

[Summers]

Suarez is assaulted pretty much every week?

[MDK]

Huth should be given a medal for services to football

[Dynamite]

Trying to hurt another player is always wrong. Just as it was when Suarez stamped on Distin and Mirallas in the Everton game. Or against David Jones in the Wigan game a few weeks later. There's a reason Suarez thinks he's vilified by the media and it's because he keeps providing them with stuff to write. Admitting to diving and then complaining about being picked on by the media in the same interview is just asking for trouble.