Premier League 2013-2014

[BaaBaa.]

Who's the guy in Maroon with the rip-off Chelsea numbers on his shorts?

That's Juan Mata's poster from his bedroom.

[BaaBaa.]

Our Chelsea reject is brilliant!

Sturridge is a great player.

[Zidane]

Liverpool joint top after 2 games......its like turning back the clock 25 years !!

[dtaai-maai]

One of the advantages of 365Sport is that you can watch the programmes live or any time you like up to 4 days later.

I watched Villa v. Liverpool and Southampton v. Sunderland today. Liverpool have won 2 out of 2 and they look okay, but their test will come when they play one of the top teams. They were a tad fortunate to win both games. Sturridge looks good (fantastic goal against Villa), but they need Suarez or someone like him to bolster their attack.

Moyes complained about Man U's start to the season, but Lambert has far more reason to complain about Villa's - Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool as their first three games. They have a good young side and could well have snatched a draw in the two games they lost. I'll be surprised if they don't finish in the top ten.

Southampton scored a late goal to get a home draw against Sunderland in a game they should have won. Another good young team, they play a neat passing game, but it's not quite the finished article, with too many final passes going astray and not enough clinical finishing. Lambert appears to be highly rated, but I don't like him and I don't think he suits the Southampton style. He strikes me as a second rate Carroll, and the fact that he is now an England player speaks volumes for the lack of quality in the England team.

The Saints shouldn't have any relegation worries, but Sunderland look pretty ordinary and will probably spend most of the season not far from the relegation zone.

Anyway, I'm just passing time until tonight's Spurs game...

COYS!!

[kendo]

Lambert scored 15 goal last season that's the same as Lampard.
Hopefully with this new Signing from Italy they will gel up front together.

Kendo.

[dtaai-maai]

Well, the names are similar, but other than that they really don't have much in common. Lampard is a 35+-yr-old midfielder who probably had less than half Lambert's playing time last season.
Anyway, there don't seem to be many pundits who agree with my humble assessment!

[Zidane]

Quiet on here today....I thought the Spuds fans would have been happy after a deserved win,albeit from a penalty,and going joint top of the league.
Citeh losing,too,a bonus and the prospect of either Chelsea or United or both dropping points tonight.

d-m,I agree mostly with your "humble assessment.....Villa will be top 10,Sunderland will be fighting relegation (along with Hull,Palace and Newcastle) but I think Southampton could well finish top 10 and surprise a few people.

Anyway,big game tonight.....could Rooney and Mata be swapping clubs before 2nd September ?

[dtaai-maai]

Yes, I watched the Spurs win and am obviously happy, though I'd be much happier if they could ditch this habit of making life difficult by not taking their chances and killing off a game they should be winning by 2 or 3 goals.

Having said that, we've kept 2 clean sheets and I think that given it is a very new look team they are entitled to take a few games to find their fluency. Hopefully it will be up and running at the Emirates next Sunday!

Paulinho looks to be a real gem, and I think we'll see a few goals from him. Walker is still struggling to find the form he showed a couple of seasons ago, but Townsend has really come into his own.

I'll be interested to see what we have up our sleeve in the way of transfers this week. Haven't heard anything about Lamela for a while, but a quick Google check suggests he is on his way to London for 'talks'. And a possible bid for Hulk in the pipeline. Not entirely convinced about the merits of that at 30 million quid!

[Zidane]

According to the BBC,Spurs have approached Chelsea offering Gareth Bale for a Chelsea player plus cash....the Chelsea player in question is believed to be Juan Mata !!

[dtaai-maai]

Well, got up early to watch the 'big game' before the result could filter through to me and needn't have bothered. Bit of a damp squib, to be honest. Chelsea were feeble and United weren't much better. If they keep playing like that, they'll both finish outside the top 4!

Best player on the park? All credit to Mr Rooney - he may be as thick as a brick, but he certainly gives 100% on the football pitch. Probably upped his value by a million or two. He may be almost expensive enough to interest Daniel Levy...

[Zidane]

That was Rooneys best performance in a United shirt for a long while but the question is was he playing for his long term future at United or his proposed transfer to Chelsea ?
Chelsea strikers.....Torres and Lukaku on the bench.....Baa not even in the squad.
Mata on the bench again.....he's being treated just like Casillas at Real Madrid.
Moyes coy when asked about Gareth Bale !
Summats goin'on for sure and will hit the fan in the next few days !

The match itself....a damp squib.....first 0-0 draw at Old Trafford for 77 games.

[dtaai-maai]

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says he will not panic buy

Never mind, you have Flamini...

[Wenger] said: "At the start, I did not want to sign him. The circumstances, and his attitude, convinced me to do it. I did not expect him to be in that mental state or physical shape."

Oh, and best of all, there's still the Bendtner option...

Wenger has now said if Bendtner can prove his fitness, he could get chances in the first team.

He said: "The chances for him to leave now are very, very small. If he does not leave, prepares well and is really fit, I will use him."

[Terry]

So - Bale is finally on his way

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23899821

About bloody time - now let's get on with the footy

[Bamboo Grove]

Just about the time before I left the sunny shores of Hua Hin, I was actually hoping that the duo Fabregas-Flamini would be the core of our team for years to come. That was not to be but I do welcome Flamini back, just as one day I will Fabregas. Flamini will add debth into our squad, even though he may not be a regular starter. And yes, I don't think we made bad business with him.

[Terry]

I'm just surprised Henry is not back for the third time.....................