The Barclays Premier League Thread 2014/2015

[Lineker]

Ha, naturally the other Jew on here would also support Spurs

[MDK]

I support Orient, you pleb

[Lineker]

You're just Jew-ish.

West Ham defender James Tomkins has been fined £3,500 for assaulting a police officer. Tomkins, was refused entry to a nightclub in Brentwood on 21 December last year, and security staff called police. The 25-year-old pleaded guilty to assaulting a police constable, being drunk and disorderly in a public place, and obstructing a constable.

[MDK]

Anti Semite

[Lineker]

Yup!

Chelsea have made an initial enquiry about playing at Twickenham while Stamford Bridge is redeveloped.

The Rugby Football Union has confirmed it has been in contact with the Premier League club but said talks are at a very early stage.

Twickenham is the home of English rugby union and the 82,000-capacity stadium has never hosted a football match.

The RFU said: "We have had an enquiry from Chelsea FC but have not had any discussions of any substance."

Chelsea announced in June that they are looking at possible expansion plans for their 41,800 capacity stadium - but the club has not set a date for any work to begin.

Redeveloping Stamford Bridge into a 60,000 capacity stadium would boost match-day revenue and help Chelsea meet Uefa's Financial Fair Play guidelines.

Blues owner Roman Abramovich had initially considered seeking a permanent new home, but there are few suitable sites available in London.

Chelsea's bid to turn Battersea Power Station into an "iconic" new stadium was rejected in favour of a reported £400m offer for the 39-acre site from a Malaysian company.

Twickenham, which has hosted music concerts and rugby league matches in the past, is around seven miles from Stamford Bridge and is thought to be just one venue under consideration as a temporary home - which is likely to be for a single season.

A Chelsea spokesman said: "We're investigating different scenarios as part of the consultation process we started early last year, but have had no discussions of substance so far."

Any possible move could not take place before the 2016-17 season as Twickenham is the main venue for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

The RFU added: "While we don't comment on any specific confidential conversations, each request is taken on its merit, assessing a variety of factors, such as the effect on the pitch, availability, transport and local considerations and other important implications."

Tottenham have recently been linked with a move to play a number of games at Wembley or the Olympic Stadium in the 2017-18 season while White Hart Lane is improved.

[stokeriño]

Yesterday's news.

[Lineker]

Was it? I spent all of yesterday at a funeral, must have missed it.

Anyway, is it likely at all to happen, do you think?

[stokeriño]

There are a million issues with the local council re: expanding the Bridge that make me think it's not going to happen, regardless of where we would spend a year in the interim.

Regarding Twickenham specifically, I don't think there's anything to it but it seems as likely as anywhere else. Since Chelsea don't mind being hated by most of the rest of the footballing world, might as well make the rugby world hate us too.

[peteypirahna]

Why stop there though? There's something majestic about going above and beyond traditional hate and becoming a heathen of sodom and misery.

Which is why a new Chelsea stadium would be best located above the smouldering wreckage of Great Ormond Street Hospital.

[Lineker]

Mark Hughes makes one change to the Stoke team that drew 2-2 at QPR in their last Premier League match with Marc Muniesa, who scored both goals in the 2-1 Capital One Cup win at Sunderland, replacing Erik Pieters at left-back. Newcastle boss Alan Pardew names the same side that came from behind to draw 2-2 with Hull in their last league game. That means Papiss Cisse is on the bench despite scoring both goals against Hull after climbing off the substitutes bench.

Stoke: Begovic, Bardsley, Shawcross, Wilson, Muniesa, Whelan, N'Zonzi, Diouf, Adam, Moses, Crouch.

Subs: Pieters, Huth, Ireland, Arnautovic, Assaidi, Bojan, Sorensen.

Newcastle: Krul, Janmaat, Williamson, Coloccini, Dummett, Tiote, Colback, Sissoko, Cabella, Gouffran, Riviere.

Subs: Anita, Cisse, Elliot, Obertan, Steven Taylor, Ameobi, Armstrong.

Referee: Craig Pawson (South Yorkshire)

[Baddar]

I honestly don't know why I'm bothering watching this game. Hopefully it surprises me.

[Lineker]

The commentator just rhetorically asked if Newcastle could do the job tonight on a wet weeknight in Stoke

[Lineker]

1-0 Stoke; Crouch header.

[Baddar]

What the fuck even was that celebration from Crouch.

[Baddar]

Stoke should have had a pen then.

[Lineker]

Papiss Cisse on for Newcastle. He's scored four in his last five appearances against Stoke.

[Baddar]

It was actually a decent first 45. Moses looked dangerous on the break, and Begovic pulled off a worldy save just before HT.

Arnautovic has a shot on him!

[Lineker]

Alright, one of you fess up...

[9 to 5]

Alright, one of you fess up...

That is Gazz's real name.

[Lineker]

It would have been so aptly hilarious had Moses put that away.