Official 2012/13 Premier League thread

[Ant]

This is simply glorious.

http://www.bebo.com/Profile.jsp?MemberId=7467761033

[stokeriño]

This is simply glorious.

http://www.bebo.com/Profile.jsp?MemberId=7467761033

Scared Of

Nuhin Am Solid

^ Favourite.

Was linked to this Mata season recap video a short while ago and have watched it twice already. The guy is just wonderful, wonderful.

[brenchill]

I mean, their midfield is unbelievable, add a top, top striker and maybe another centre back and the it's theirs to win next season.

[therockbox]

[MJB]

On the one hand, I'm terrified that Jose is back at Chelsea.

However, I'm also confident that it can't possibly go aswell as last time Domestically, anyway. Terry, Lampard, Cech and Cole are all going to have to be replaced at some point, so I'll be interested to see how Jose handles the ageing spine of his previous tenure.

[TCO]

Realistically only Cole and Cech would still be guaranteed first choice of those four and even then they Courtois as a read made replacement for Cech. Assuming Mourinho has a decent amount to spend, which he more than likely will, I'd be very afraid of Chelsea.

[Jimmy]

I dunno, I just don't think Mourinho knows how to plan long term. I'm afraid though. I want it to all go gloriously wrong, but I doubt it will. Either way it's nice to have him back in the sense that he is fun to have around.

[stokeriño]

I'm not sure that Jose will get any more to spend than we've had in most recent seasons (e.g. a £30-35m player, a £20-25m player and a <£10m player). What's more interesting to me is whether he'll be able to take the talented (but as yet raw and perhaps not quite "world class") players in our squad and push them over the edge to becoming truly great.

See: Lukaku, Luiz, Oscar, Ramires, etc.

[brenchill]

I dunno, I just don't think Mourinho knows how to plan long term. I'm afraid though. I want it to all go gloriously wrong, but I doubt it will. Either way it's nice to have him back in the sense that he is fun to have around.

You're a Spurs fan. You just keep worrying about Arsenal...

[King Ellis]

They're much too comfortable with spending 9 months laughing at them and then weeping as they finish behind them.

[Jimmy]

I'm not sure that Jose will get any more to spend than we've had in most recent seasons (e.g. a £30-35m player, a £20-25m player and a <£10m player). What's more interesting to me is whether he'll be able to take the talented (but as yet raw and perhaps not quite "world class") players in our squad and push them over the edge to becoming truly great.

See: Lukaku, Luiz, Oscar, Ramires, etc.

So only 70 mil? Not much, then. I really, really hope he does something with Lukaku. I'm a huge fan and really think he's earned a shot in your starting line-up. Buying another striker would just push him further down the pecking order. For what it's worth, I don't think Oscar needs the help on his path to become truly great. He's gonna be insane no matter who his manager is.

I dunno, I just don't think Mourinho knows how to plan long term. I'm afraid though. I want it to all go gloriously wrong, but I doubt it will. Either way it's nice to have him back in the sense that he is fun to have around.

You're a Spurs fan. You just keep worrying about Arsenal...

No no, I'm gonna keep worrying about the team which finished below us two seasons ago and only two places above us this season. I expect the gap to probably be greater this season, but yeah.

[stokeriño]

So only 70 mil? Not much, then.

Yeah I know what you mean - but remember also that Chelsea have adopted this curiously expensive method of squad management which involves releasing a bunch of players for free each season and spending a lot of money just to keep the numbers on an even keel.

For example, last summer we released Drogba, Kalou and Bosingwa for nothing. Thereafter compounding the initial squad drain further by loaning out Essien and selling Meireles (admittedly for a bit of cash). We also have a tendency to spend a tonne on players who never make any impact on the first team, either because they're sent straight out on loan (Lukaku, KDB) or...um...are just oddly shit (Marin).

[brenchill]

I'm not sure that Jose will get any more to spend than we've had in most recent seasons (e.g. a £30-35m player, a £20-25m player and a <£10m player). What's more interesting to me is whether he'll be able to take the talented (but as yet raw and perhaps not quite "world class") players in our squad and push them over the edge to becoming truly great.

See: Lukaku, Luiz, Oscar, Ramires, etc.

So only 70 mil? Not much, then. I really, really hope he does something with Lukaku. I'm a huge fan and really think he's earned a shot in your starting line-up. Buying another striker would just push him further down the pecking order. For what it's worth, I don't think Oscar needs the help on his path to become truly great. He's gonna be insane no matter who his manager is.

I dunno, I just don't think Mourinho knows how to plan long term. I'm afraid though. I want it to all go gloriously wrong, but I doubt it will. Either way it's nice to have him back in the sense that he is fun to have around.

You're a Spurs fan. You just keep worrying about Arsenal...

No no, I'm gonna keep worrying about the team which finished below us two seasons ago and only two places above us this season. I expect the gap to probably be greater this season, but yeah.

Only two places above you?

Bit of a difference between finishing 5th and 3rd...

[Jimmy]

I'm not sure that Jose will get any more to spend than we've had in most recent seasons (e.g. a £30-35m player, a £20-25m player and a <£10m player). What's more interesting to me is whether he'll be able to take the talented (but as yet raw and perhaps not quite "world class") players in our squad and push them over the edge to becoming truly great.

See: Lukaku, Luiz, Oscar, Ramires, etc.

So only 70 mil? Not much, then. I really, really hope he does something with Lukaku. I'm a huge fan and really think he's earned a shot in your starting line-up. Buying another striker would just push him further down the pecking order. For what it's worth, I don't think Oscar needs the help on his path to become truly great. He's gonna be insane no matter who his manager is.

I dunno, I just don't think Mourinho knows how to plan long term. I'm afraid though. I want it to all go gloriously wrong, but I doubt it will. Either way it's nice to have him back in the sense that he is fun to have around.

You're a Spurs fan. You just keep worrying about Arsenal...

No no, I'm gonna keep worrying about the team which finished below us two seasons ago and only two places above us this season. I expect the gap to probably be greater this season, but yeah.

Only two places above you?

Bit of a difference between finishing 5th and 3rd...

Two places.

Three points.

You're right, HUGE DIFFERENCE.

Honestly don't know where you're trying to go with this.

[DavidMarrio]

Chelsea's squad is interesting to breakdown because you have an interesting mix of players who are pushing towards the back end of their careers in the likes of Lampard, Terry, Cole, Cech and then you have a solid core of younger players who are already good now and can get even better. Its scary due to Oscar only being 21, Hazard 22, Moses 22 then you have the likes of Mata and Ramires who are 25/26 the midfield is pretty much sorted out, maybe another defensive midfielder.

Attacking wise I'd be giving Lukaku a fair bit of game time, he's been a beast this season and has earned a chance. I remember going to the game when West Brom beat us at Anfield and he changed the game, comes off the bench bullies the defence and we fall to pieces and get beat despite having dominated pretty much the whole game until the sub.

Chelsea already have a squad capable of mounting a title challenge and a squad that with a few additions this summer and in the future that could win the league multiple times. Its just a question of how will Jose do second time around, will Abramovich be patient and who Chelsea bring in.

[brenchill]

I'm not sure that Jose will get any more to spend than we've had in most recent seasons (e.g. a £30-35m player, a £20-25m player and a <£10m player). What's more interesting to me is whether he'll be able to take the talented (but as yet raw and perhaps not quite "world class") players in our squad and push them over the edge to becoming truly great.

See: Lukaku, Luiz, Oscar, Ramires, etc.

So only 70 mil? Not much, then. I really, really hope he does something with Lukaku. I'm a huge fan and really think he's earned a shot in your starting line-up. Buying another striker would just push him further down the pecking order. For what it's worth, I don't think Oscar needs the help on his path to become truly great. He's gonna be insane no matter who his manager is.

I dunno, I just don't think Mourinho knows how to plan long term. I'm afraid though. I want it to all go gloriously wrong, but I doubt it will. Either way it's nice to have him back in the sense that he is fun to have around.

You're a Spurs fan. You just keep worrying about Arsenal...

No no, I'm gonna keep worrying about the team which finished below us two seasons ago and only two places above us this season. I expect the gap to probably be greater this season, but yeah.

Only two places above you?

Bit of a difference between finishing 5th and 3rd...

Two places.

Three points.

You're right, HUGE DIFFERENCE.

Honestly don't know where you're trying to go with this.

Just made me laugh how you said "I'm terrified of Chelsea now, too!" as if Mourinho's appointment is going to stop Spurs winning the PL title next season or something.

But yeah, there's a pretty big gap between finishing 3rd and 5th in the PL, regardless of points total. You get Champions League football for finishing 3rd for a start - which allows you to spend vast sums of money and stops you having to sell your best players should a CL club come knocking.

[FLiam]

Now, I love Santi Cazorla, but after watching that Mata video, I am gutted we couldn't get hold of him when Chelsea did. What a player.

[Jimmy]

I'm not sure that Jose will get any more to spend than we've had in most recent seasons (e.g. a £30-35m player, a £20-25m player and a <£10m player). What's more interesting to me is whether he'll be able to take the talented (but as yet raw and perhaps not quite "world class") players in our squad and push them over the edge to becoming truly great.

See: Lukaku, Luiz, Oscar, Ramires, etc.

So only 70 mil? Not much, then. I really, really hope he does something with Lukaku. I'm a huge fan and really think he's earned a shot in your starting line-up. Buying another striker would just push him further down the pecking order. For what it's worth, I don't think Oscar needs the help on his path to become truly great. He's gonna be insane no matter who his manager is.

I dunno, I just don't think Mourinho knows how to plan long term. I'm afraid though. I want it to all go gloriously wrong, but I doubt it will. Either way it's nice to have him back in the sense that he is fun to have around.

You're a Spurs fan. You just keep worrying about Arsenal...

No no, I'm gonna keep worrying about the team which finished below us two seasons ago and only two places above us this season. I expect the gap to probably be greater this season, but yeah.

Only two places above you?

Bit of a difference between finishing 5th and 3rd...

Two places.

Three points.

You're right, HUGE DIFFERENCE.

Honestly don't know where you're trying to go with this.

Just made me laugh how you said "I'm terrified of Chelsea now, too!" as if Mourinho's appointment is going to stop Spurs winning the PL title next season or something.

But yeah, there's a pretty big gap between finishing 3rd and 5th in the PL, regardless of points total. You get Champions League football for finishing 3rd for a start - which allows you to spend vast sums of money and stops you having to sell your best players should a CL club come knocking.

No, I meant it in a way that I think Chelsea will be a lot better than last season, which basically means it'll probably be Spurs, Arsenal and maybe one other fighting it out for 4th, instead of 3rd and 4th being quite up for grabs like the last two years.

You were acting like it was preposterous that I dare compare Spurs to Chelsea. There was a three point gap this year, and we finished above them the year before. That's what I was clearly saying, not some shit about how finishing 3rd and 5th is obviously the same. We didn't CL football this year, and they did, and we only finished 3 point behind. So your point is just kind of, I dunno, irrelevant.

[brenchill]

You're irrelevant.

[Nerf]

Edit: Wait, never mind. I was wrong