The Barclays Premier League Thread 2014/2015

[Jimmy]

I don't think it is. I mean, Poch supposedly runs a stricter regime, and we haven't had the problems you guys have had. Or am I little off with my trail of thought?

[MJB]

I don't think it can be the training load.

We've had a huge number of injuries over the past 6/7 years even stretching back to 2007ish. Especially in defence. Ferdinand and Vidic were on the injured list more often than not and Smalling, Jones and Evans have all struggled aswell over the past three seasons.

[brenchill]

It's all part of the philosophy.

[Plubby]

They're told they're starting in the back 3 and thinking "not me too" and faking an injury

[Baddar]

They're told they're starting in the back 3 and thinking "not me too" and faking an injury

[Plubby]

Oh, a zinger on Newcastle.

...I am slain.

Please, no more Newcastle burns, I can't handle any more.

Seriously. Please don't do it.

[Gazz]

Steven Taylor is willing to bleed for the black and white.

Which is good because otherwise he is a fucking shocking defender.

[Cheeky Hughes]

Ex-referee chief says refereeing is "bordering on appalling", calls for Mike Riley to quit, as well as five top flight refs.

This referee bashing is unfounded, and should stop.

[stokeriño]

Absolutely zero surprise that Chris Foy and Lee Probert are on his list of 'Top Five Shit Refs'.

[DavidMarrio]

Instead of pointing out 5 crap refs he should have tried to point out 5 good ones. But then again that would be quite challenging.

[Szumi]

There's only one Sian Massey?

[Ant]

Bring back Collina and Rennie

[brenchill]

Is Dermot Gallagher still reffing?

[stokeriño]

There's only one Sian Massey?

By definition, yes.

[Lineker]

The Premier League have announced that next season will start earlier than normal - on August 8th.

[Ant]

A week earlier. Yeah. That really warrants an announcement

[brenchill]

Hey! Lineker doesn't make the news he just tells it!

[stokeriño]

So...to recap.

July 2014 - NYCFC announce on their website that "New York City FC signs Frank Lampard to a Designated Player contract ... a two-year contract which starts August 1st.”

August 2014 - It is announced that Lampard will join Manchester City "on loan".

Lampard refers to being "on loan" several times in interviews during the first half of the season.

December 2014 - It's revealed that Lampard will continue with Man City until the end of the season, rather than returning to New York in January as originally claimed.

January 2015 - Having been questioned about the deal, the MLS say that Lampard was signed by City Football Group [CFG], aka Sheikh Mansour's company that owns Man City, NYCFC, etc., and that the original intention was that Lampard would be with Man City for all of 2014/15 and then join NYCFC for the 2015 and 2016 seasons.

The Premier League ask Man City if this thing about CFG is true, because if so it would seem to contravene Third Party Ownership rules (in that CFG fits the definition of a 'Third Party' in that it is "a person or entity that is not a Club or an Overseas Club" - even though they of course own several clubs).

Man City assure the Premier League "that there is no agreement in place between the club or City Football Group with New York City FC relating to the player". In other words, Lampard is Manchester City's player and nothing to do with NYCFC.

This isn't shady at all. No sir.

[Gazz]

Surely the Premier League would have signed off on paperwork that stated who now owned Lampard's registration?

[stokeriño]

Depends what they mean by "assurances", I suppose.