Official 2012/13 Premier League thread

[Summers]

Great move for Wenger and Arsenal. Both need a change. Not sure he'll go though.

[Colly]

Just got back from holibobs having missed what seems to have been a fun two weeks of football. Flew early morning after the Sunderland game so thankfully skipped the highlights, horrible game though and the crowd is clearly getting restless. Watched Liverpool in a bar (bad idea, luckily very empty), but my mate who sits next to me thinks it might not be long for Pardew. Still think we'll stay up though, Wigan to finally go down.

Only seen stills of Suarezgate. The div.

Saw the end of yesterday's game, and though the result doesn't help us, it did cheer me up. Especially Di Canio mugging to the crowd after the equaliser.

No comments.

''Oh Rafa you shouldn't criticise Cheick Tioté he's so fucking good''

You criticised him after his first superb season where he barely misplaced a pass and looked solid, only racking up a daft disciplinary record through an unfounded reputation with what I'd imagine could well be appearance based (with the same offenses Cabaye would've only got about two yellows...).

You then bizarrely changed your mind at the end of last season when he'd been sloppy and fouling players stupidly all year, along with trying to score his Arsenal goal over and over again. This has continued this year, and criticism of him has occurred during this entire period, WHEN IT WAS ACTUALLY WARRANTED. Clod.

Edited April 30, 2013 by Colly

[Summers]

Seems to me Wigan have have too much to do to overtake people now. Especially with a cup final at Wembley in the middle.

[MJB]

MJB doesn't watch any matches apart from Man Utd games and only when they're three or more goals clear.

I'll have you know I watched Reading vs. QPR on Sunday

[Rafael]

Just got back from holibobs having missed what seems to have been a fun two weeks of football. Flew early morning after the Sunderland game so thankfully skipped the highlights, horrible game though and the crowd is clearly getting restless. Watched Liverpool in a bar (bad idea, luckily very empty), but my mate who sits next to me thinks it might not be long for Pardew. Still think we'll stay up though, Wigan to finally go down.

Only seen stills of Suarezgate. The div.

Saw the end of yesterday's game, and though the result doesn't help us, it did cheer me up. Especially Di Canio mugging to the crowd after the equaliser.

No comments.

''Oh Rafa you shouldn't criticise Cheick Tioté he's so fucking good''

You criticised him after his first superb season where he barely misplaced a pass and looked solid, only racking up a daft disciplinary record through an unfounded reputation with what I'd imagine could well be appearance based (with the same offenses Cabaye would've only got about two yellows...).

You then bizarrely changed your mind at the end of last season when he'd been sloppy and fouling players stupidly all year, along with trying to score his Arsenal goal over and over again. This has continued this year, and criticism of him has occurred during this entire period, WHEN IT WAS ACTUALLY WARRANTED. Clod.

He was pretty good last season, but 10/11.....

[Regia]

Say it ain't so

They've also said they are getting Rooney in the summer, so you know, grain of salt.

Edited April 30, 2013 by regia

[Hobo]

It would be awesome if Wayne Rooney left United to play in France.

Mostly because its rare you see big name English players go abroad.

[HailtotheYo]

Meh, I just don't see Wigan getting the points they need. It'll be either Newcastle, Sunderland shitting the bed and not picking anything else up.

That said, I can absolutely see Arsenal getting assed up by Newcastle on the last day keeping them up and Arsenal from 4th

[Matt]

I could see Wigan getting 4 points in their next 2 if they do decide to become super Wigan this year.

[Summers]

@henrywinter: Sad to see #mufc fanzine @RedIssue mocking #avfc fans' support for Stan Petrov. #supportstan

[Hobo]

I want Wigan to survive. Newcastle going down would be slightly worse than I thought the would do.

My ideal scenario purely for the novelty would see Wigan win the cup and go down. Or somehow Villa go down. Just because they're things which have not happened before.

[Pesci]

Warnock did perfectly well at QPR, I think they were about 12th when he was unceremoniously dumped for Hughes. So not surprised at all that Redknapp has a worse record than him.

Well they were 17th and one point away from the relegation zone, but sacking him for Mark Hughes was always a silly idea.

[Jimmy]

@henrywinter: Sad to see #mufc fanzine @RedIssue mocking #avfc fans' support for Stan Petrov. #supportstan

just read the follow-up tweets -- they're fucking disgraceful

[The Future]

I saw the tweets myself and was quite ashamed as a United fan, unfollowed very quickly.

[Pesci]

They've taken the piss out of Hillsborough and Muamba before, so they've been attention seeking cunts for a while. I'm not sure what would even be gained by it.

Edited April 30, 2013 by Pesci

[Szumi]

Why would PSG want to hire Wenger? I thought they wanted to win trophies?

[Hobo]

Something tells me the PFA had never heard of Reginald D. Hunter before they booked him.

PFA deputy chief executive Bobby Barnes confirmed lawyers for the organisation had contacted the London Speaker Bureau, through which Hunter was booked.

Barnes told Telegraph Sport: “We are in discussions with our lawyer and our lawyer is in discussion with the London Speaker Bureau, who we booked him through.”

Hunter is being pursued for what effectively amounts to a breach of a verbal contract over a performance that saw the black American comedian from Georgia repeatedly use the word “’n*****” and make potentially-offensive jokes about Jews and women.

The PFA came under heavy fire for booking a comedian known for his satirical use of discriminatory language but it issued a statement last night insisting he had been explicitly told to avoid any “swearing or any racist references”.

It is thought he was paid a five-figure fee to perform a 10-minute turn at the lavish Grosvenor House hotel in Mayfair, which hosted what is traditionally one of English football’s biggest galas.

“Whatever he was paid was too much.” Barnes said.

“We are obviously very upset, because he was briefed. We are very aware that very have a very diverse audience there. I was sat there with Jewish friends on my table as well, and it was as if he set out to upset everyone in the room one way or another.

“There were anti-Jewish jokes, there were anti-women jokes, there were anti-Irish jokes, there was the repeat use of the ‘N’ word.

“If you were looking for a scenario of absolutely everything we wouldn’t want on the night, I think you had a montage there.”

He added: “The excellence of Gareth Bale and his achievement in actually winning a double award, that’s what we should be talking about.

“Instead, we’re talking about a set that was totally inappropriate for our dinner and, more importantly, certainly not what we ordered.”

PFA chairman Clark Carlisle admitted yesterday he and his colleagues had made a “gross error of judgment” in booking Hunter and there are those within the organisation who want to stop comedians being hired for the awards dinner.

But Barnes said: “We’ve had many comedians over the years who’ve been hugely successful.

“You accept, and the players accept, that there’ll be a bit of gentle ribbing about players and I think players secretly don’t dislike that.

“This went so far over the boundary, it was totally unacceptable on every level, quite honestly.

“I can’t think of a redeeming feature where you could say that was positive because I actually think the whole performance from start to finish was dreadful.”

A representative for Hunter did not respond to requests for comment.

[Szumi]

Honestly, so many black comedians use the N-word in their act. It's like a crutch, almost, to promote their black origins, it seems like. It is highly annoying, as it really takes away from their actual comedy. But that's for a whole different topic.

[Pesci]

Absolutely brutal the way they've hung him out to dry.

[DavidMarrio]

Something tells me the PFA had never heard of Reginald D. Hunter before they booked him.

PFA deputy chief executive Bobby Barnes confirmed lawyers for the organisation had contacted the London Speaker Bureau, through which Hunter was booked.

Barnes told Telegraph Sport: “We are in discussions with our lawyer and our lawyer is in discussion with the London Speaker Bureau, who we booked him through.”

Hunter is being pursued for what effectively amounts to a breach of a verbal contract over a performance that saw the black American comedian from Georgia repeatedly use the word “’n*****” and make potentially-offensive jokes about Jews and women.

The PFA came under heavy fire for booking a comedian known for his satirical use of discriminatory language but it issued a statement last night insisting he had been explicitly told to avoid any “swearing or any racist references”.

It is thought he was paid a five-figure fee to perform a 10-minute turn at the lavish Grosvenor House hotel in Mayfair, which hosted what is traditionally one of English football’s biggest galas.

“Whatever he was paid was too much.” Barnes said.

“We are obviously very upset, because he was briefed. We are very aware that very have a very diverse audience there. I was sat there with Jewish friends on my table as well, and it was as if he set out to upset everyone in the room one way or another.

“There were anti-Jewish jokes, there were anti-women jokes, there were anti-Irish jokes, there was the repeat use of the ‘N’ word.

“If you were looking for a scenario of absolutely everything we wouldn’t want on the night, I think you had a montage there.”

He added: “The excellence of Gareth Bale and his achievement in actually winning a double award, that’s what we should be talking about.

“Instead, we’re talking about a set that was totally inappropriate for our dinner and, more importantly, certainly not what we ordered.”

PFA chairman Clark Carlisle admitted yesterday he and his colleagues had made a “gross error of judgment” in booking Hunter and there are those within the organisation who want to stop comedians being hired for the awards dinner.

But Barnes said: “We’ve had many comedians over the years who’ve been hugely successful.

“You accept, and the players accept, that there’ll be a bit of gentle ribbing about players and I think players secretly don’t dislike that.

“This went so far over the boundary, it was totally unacceptable on every level, quite honestly.

“I can’t think of a redeeming feature where you could say that was positive because I actually think the whole performance from start to finish was dreadful.”

A representative for Hunter did not respond to requests for comment.

8 game ban?