Official 2012/13 Premier League thread

[Nerf]

Must be thinking of somebody else.

[stokeriño]

See, my first thought on a team winning only 1-0 against opponents playing that badly would be a headline like "United laboured to a narrow victory on Saturday, managing to find the net only once in spite of poor opposition..."

However you spin it, I guess.

[Dan]

I agree with JP that Man Utd weren't probably going to lose against Madrid. The red card changed that game.

[Plubby]

See, my first thought on a team winning only 1-0 against opponents playing that badly would be a headline like "United laboured to a narrow victory on Saturday, managing to find the net only once in spite of poor opposition..."

However you spin it, I guess.

You can play a team off the park and be thwarted by a phenomenal goalkeeping performance.

(So speaketh the goalkeeper)

[Matt]

Man Utd have done so well because teams seem to have bought into media hype and set themselves up to lose. Its been shown in both the last two seasons that if you press them, get in their faces and don't give them time on the ball, they go to pieces.

I've been saying this since we took the game to them at Old Trafford and completely out performed them.... and that was an injury ridden league one side. True, they will probably beat teams anyway, but by setting up to close them down and actually be willing to attack them, you give yourself a chance. If you give them time and space on the ball of course they're going to break sides down sooner or later

[Jimmy]

I did love last night that before the game the commentator said the Premier League was the 'most competitive league in the world'. Five different winners in twenty years, that's pretty competitive alright.

It's not so much about the winners, but everything else in the league. You've always got a number of teams competing for top spots and it's hardly the two horse race a number of other leagues have become. The top 4 race is as much, if not more interesting, than the title itself, as is the relegation battle - so it's hardly just the winners that make it so entertaining.

I agree with JP that Man Utd weren't probably going to lose against Madrid. The red card changed that game.

I agree, too. Fergie's tactical changes had that match under wraps until the red card.

[Hobo]

It's not so much about the winners, but everything else in the league. You've always got a number of teams competing for top spots and it's hardly the two horse race a number of other leagues have become. The top 4 race is as much, if not more interesting, than the title itself, as is the relegation battle - so it's hardly just the winners that make it so entertaining.

I guess what I really want one of these years is a mad season where someone nobody could've seen getting relegated gets relegated or someone nobody could've called winning the league does it.

[Baddar]

It's not so much about the winners, but everything else in the league. You've always got a number of teams competing for top spots and it's hardly the two horse race a number of other leagues have become. The top 4 race is as much, if not more interesting, than the title itself, as is the relegation battle - so it's hardly just the winners that make it so entertaining.

I guess what I really want one of these years is a mad season where someone nobody could've seen getting relegated gets relegated or someone nobody could've called winning the league does it.

The relegation thing is a possibility, but I think it'll be a good few years yet before the title isn't with United, City or Chelsea.

[Matt]

Never gonna happen as long as Sky's money make sure that the rich get richer. Bringing in the financial fair play rule and the new academy ranks doesn't help either, it means that noone will even be able to work their way in to the illustrious group of top clubs.

[Baddar]

This picture shocked me today.

...though I always knew Matt was secretly a fan!

[Matt]

Needs more jester hats

[Nerf]

It's not so much about the winners, but everything else in the league. You've always got a number of teams competing for top spots and it's hardly the two horse race a number of other leagues have become. The top 4 race is as much, if not more interesting, than the title itself, as is the relegation battle - so it's hardly just the winners that make it so entertaining.

I guess what I really want one of these years is a mad season where someone nobody could've seen getting relegated gets relegated or someone nobody could've called winning the league does it.

We're not far off that with Newcastle atm.

[Crybaby Bunting]

Regarding the "if you press them you can beat them" line often repeated about United, it's actually applicable to plenty of teams and part of the reason that Liverpool had such atrocious seasons from 2010 onwards (because of the gaping hole caused by no Mascherano), if you can spot an exploit and push at it hard enough you can steal a win or draw from a team that'd normally trounce you.

The reason WHY so many teams don't press them more often is basically down the uncomfortable truth that if you give a team the belief that they can beat a bigger team and they lose by a comfortable margin it can absolutely crush them and would probably cost the team more points than just going out with a defeatist attitude in the first place. That and it usually opens up a bigger gap to exploit in the attacking team, who would then get ripped to pieces.

Part of the reason Manchester United are such a good team isn't because they have the best players in each position, but because of the fluidity of how they compliment each other. If a gap opens, more often than not they'll pounce on it as a collective and catch the opposition unaware, usually without even needing to make it to half time and receive instructions.

[Crybaby Bunting]

Speaking of which, I found it ridiculous that some Liverpool fans are fine with the point rescued by Suarez when 5-7 games without Suarez will cost Liverpool more than just one point.

[Nerf]

Speaking of which, I found it ridiculous that some Liverpool fans are fine with the point rescued by Suarez when 5-7 games without Suarez will cost Liverpool more than just one point.

But... will it? I am very interested in seeing how we play without Suarez. For all his incredible qualities, he does give the ball away an awful lot and wastes plenty of chances.

I'm genuinely intrigued as to how a midfield three of Lucas/Gerrard/Henderson and a forward line of Coutinho/Downing/Sturridge get on without him. Statistically, we actually played better during his ban last season. This is our only chance for a glimpse at what life without Suarez would be like. Could go either way.

[DavidMarrio]

Speaking of which, I found it ridiculous that some Liverpool fans are fine with the point rescued by Suarez when 5-7 games without Suarez will cost Liverpool more than just one point.

But... will it? I am very interested in seeing how we play without Suarez. For all his incredible qualities, he does give the ball away an awful lot and wastes plenty of chances.

I'm genuinely intrigued as to how a midfield three of Lucas/Gerrard/Henderson and a forward line of Coutinho/Downing/Sturridge get on without him. Statistically, we actually played better during his ban last season. This is our only chance for a glimpse at what life without Suarez would be like. Could go either way.

Exactly, it'll force other players to hopefully step up and make a mark which could potentially be a good thing.

[Jimmy]

All things considered, you're quite lucky it's come at this time when you've really not got a lot to play for, instead of at any other point where it could really have affected your form and put pressure of Rodgers.

[Gazz]

It's not so much about the winners, but everything else in the league. You've always got a number of teams competing for top spots and it's hardly the two horse race a number of other leagues have become. The top 4 race is as much, if not more interesting, than the title itself, as is the relegation battle - so it's hardly just the winners that make it so entertaining.

I guess what I really want one of these years is a mad season where someone nobody could've seen getting relegated gets relegated or someone nobody could've called winning the league does it.

We're not far off that with Newcastle atm.

We'll be fine once we pick up three points against your now toothless (geddit?) team.

[Hobo]

We'll just get Brendan to convince Sturridge that he used to play for Newcastle and he'll score a million goals.

[Baddar]

The Sun reckons Arsenal fans will do the Poznan and ignore the game if the team perform a guard of honour for United on Sunday.

Given the price they're undoubtedly paying to be at the game, that'd surely be a stupid move.

No way it's happening for any sustained period though - but I do expect RVP to get shit from them all afternoon.