Premier League 2013-2014

[JimmyGreaves]

My preference to win the title is Man City. Obviously not Arsenal for reasons well known. Chelsea for pissing me off by winning the CL and denying a CL place and having too much money and a know it all manager. Liverpool for poxy Suarez and his turn around not to leave and then not going on strike like Bale/Modric/Berbatov and also for not getting injured this season, they've won it too many times and most of all I don't like them :-)

Just to reiterate a final time - We're Shite!

[oakdale160]

The new chairman of a premier league club in his first public statement says that he thinks his club can be the Green Bay Packers of the premier league. I suspect that most football fans have no idea what this means and is a very stupid remark.
The "Pack" are an amazing team. The smallest city by far to have a team in the NFL with a great record of beatingBIG city clubs, but to use this comparison to an English football team is kind of pathetic.

[blue05]

The new chairman of a premier league club in his first public statement says that he thinks his club can be the Green Bay Packers of the premier league. I suspect that most football fans have no idea what this means and is a very stupid remark.
The "Pack" are an amazing team. The smallest city by far to have a team in the NFL with a great record of beatingBIG city clubs, but to use this comparison to an English football team is kind of pathetic.

which chairman?

[redzonerocker]

which chairman?

Ralph Krueger - Southampton.

[dtaai-maai]

I suspect that most football fans have no idea what this means and is a very stupid remark.
The "Pack" are an amazing team. The smallest city by far to have a team in the NFL with a great record of beating BIG city clubs, but to use this comparison to an English football team is kind of pathetic.

I suspect those football fans that have no idea what it means will not give it a moment's thought, but that those, like you, who do, will see it as rather apt. Why wouldn't Southampton want a similar record?

I certainly don't see why anyone would get their knickers twisted over it.

[PeteC]

United lose Van Persie for six weeks

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews ... -six-weeks

Double check your IKTS pick/score for MU this weekend. I still have them to win but knocked a goal off.

[dtaai-maai]

Former Tottenham greats Glenn Hoddle and Chris Waddle believe the club have failed to make full use of the £85m transfer fee received for Gareth Bale.

Spurs spent over £110m on new signings last summer but currently sit fifth in the Premier League, seven points away from a Champions League berth.

Hoddle told BBC London: "The signings at the beginning of the season have not really produced."

"At the minute I would have to say that Glenn is right," agreed Waddle.

Brilliant analysis. It's astonishing that this thought has not occurred to anyone else.

[caller]

Best not mention Chelsea beating Arsenal 6-0 then?

Wenger has accepted full responsibility for the defeat. Funny that, as I didn't see him on the pitch!

But I guess it's fair to say that tactically he got it wrong, it seemed odd leaving Flamini out.

The referee put in a good shift!

[Big Boy]

The referee put in a good shift!

They're going to be talking about his performance for a while. First time I've seen somebody trying to fall on his sword after the referee wrongly sent his team mate off

[redzonerocker]

Best not mention Chelsea beating Arsenal 6-0 then?

Wenger has accepted full responsibility for the defeat. Funny that, as I didn't see him on the pitch!

But I guess it's fair to say that tactically he got it wrong, it seemed odd leaving Flamini out.

The referee put in a good shift!

Tactically he did get it wrong.
Outplayed by the spuds last week playing to deep, he plays the same team & plays a high line against a stronger, quicker attacking team

I'm surprised we were still in the mix this far into the season.

If it were down to me (& an ever increasing number of gooners) I wouldn't be renewing his contract when it runs out in the summer, even IF we win the FA cup & finish 4th.

[redzonerocker]

The referee put in a good shift!

Forgot to mention about that bit
What a joke that was.

So Gibbs should get the red card recinded, but what about the Ox?
Will he get a ban?
If they review it, they will see the ball is actually going wide, making it 'not' a goal scoring opportunity, hence a yellow card for deliberate handball is the rightful punishment.

Then again it's the FA we're talking about here, far to technical for them to deliberate over, so we'll be expecting a 3 game ban for the intent of stopping a goal bound shot, that might have been a goal, even though you didn't know that at the time, but wouldn't have actually been a goal because it was going wide.

[caller]

Yup, it's going to be interesting and I suspect a completely unique set of circumstances. Obviously Gibbs will escape any action, but as for the Ox? I think they'll act on his intent, which was to stop the goal.

To be honest, I'm a bit mystified when players resort to such last ditch actions to prevent a goal at all cost that will result in an inevitable red card, especially in the box, where a goal is pretty much a consequence of their actions. So the goal is scored and the side are down to 10 men. Wouldn't it be better to concede the goal and still retain a full starting XI, giving a better chance of getting back into the game?

[redzonerocker]

but as for the Ox? I think they'll act on his intent, which was to stop the goal.

If it was going in yes, but it wasn't, so intent can't really be an issue.
As you said, a rather unique case awaits.

To be honest, I'm a bit mystified when players resort to such last ditch actions to prevent a goal at all cost that will result in an inevitable red card, especially in the box, where a goal is pretty much a consequence of their actions. So the goal is scored and the side are down to 10 men. Wouldn't it be better to concede the goal and still retain a full starting XI, giving a better chance of getting back into the game?

Instinct is the only reason I can come up with.
I nearly did it earlier in the season (veterans league) but pulled my hand down at the last second for the fact that you pointed out, we would have been 2 down with ten men.

I still think the rule should be changed.
Whether it's a deliberate handball or a foul, if a penalty is given, you've hardly denied a clear goalscoring opportunity.

[dtaai-maai]

I've just been looking at the reports of yesterday's games and looking at some of the highlights.
One of the stats that leapt out at me was that Chelski, Citeh and the Scousers all had around 20 shots at goal, from which they scored 5 or 6 times each.

Without checking, I'd hazard a guess that Spurs have totalled more than 20 shots at goal more often than not, but have only occasionally scored more than once, even with Adebayor in decent form.

I have to say that, contrary to all my hopes, all that this season has established is just how good Gareth Bale (and Modric) truly were.

Never mind the Champion's League, we'll be hard put to qualify for Europa next season - and maybe just as well.

[caller]

If it was going in yes, but it wasn't, so intent can't really be an issue.

That's not right is it. He thought it was going in and made a great save - the best of the day - to prevent a goal. The fact it was going wide doesn't change his intent.

The issue for the FA is that he (to all intents and purposes) was sent off for preventing a goal and in fairness to the ref, if he had actually seen it, his viewing angle might have led him to believe the shot was on target.