Premier League (Official Thread)

[tmporter]

I love his passion and press conferences (Ollie's). They're going to lose Charlie Adam regardless.

If fortunate enough to stay up, Holloway needs to shore up the defense (most goals conceded in the league at 71).

It's going to be interesting to see where Rob Green, Scott Parker and others go off of West Ham. You'd hope that Harry and Spurs would think about another goalie, even though Harry already said Gomes would be No. 1 next season.

Ian Holloway is precisely what is needed in sports. A manager who will speak the truth. They are simply not even close, in terms of talent, to being a Prem team. They need 12 new players minimum that are more talented to even compete for 12th place. Sad as it is, they are probably heading back down. I think they could be a team that goes up and down each year for the next few years.

Now onto the disaster that has been West Ham. I do hope this proves that Avram "Mr. I need Pepto Bismol" Grant IS NOT a good manager. He has taken what should have been a squad of players that have enough talent to have stayed up and turned it into a complete mockery of a team. They will have to cut and cut to get the wage bill down and that means cut rate moves for a number of players. Harry Redknapp can say he is going into the season with Gomes as his #1 keeper all he wants and everyone who watches 3 EPL games a year knows that can't happen. The guy is a walking timebomb. He has cost Tottenham 7 goals this year and a chance at Champions League football next year. He will soon be playing for a team no one has ever heard of and rightly so.

 

[zwem]

I am a huge Chelsea supporter...and I had convinced myself the Blues were going to win that match.

I had barely made it to the couch and BOOM..1-0.

Frickin' Park set the tone for the first 20 minutes of the match and really gave the devils a boost. He was so active it stunned the Chelsea side.

What a shame...but it was absurd that Chelsea even got back in the hunt after the way they played in November.

Could be worse. You could be an Arsenal fan like me. See them beat Man U then the next week lose to Stoke 3-1. :(

 

[Buckeye513]

Could be worse. You could be an Arsenal fan like me...and had to live through the past 6 years.

FI.

 

[HINYG8]

Could be worse. You could be an Arsenal fan like me. See them beat Man U then the next week lose to Stoke 3-1. :(

Good friend of mine is a massive Aresnal supporter. He is from a bit north of London and has damn near lost his will to live.

How on earth do they get rolled up by Stoke? I mean they were dismantled. The two sides looked worlds apart.

Opps..sorry...didn't mean to describe the water while you are drowning, but you ARE a UM fan.

 

[Merih]

Stoke is no bad squad, they are in the FA cup final after all...but Arsenal should have done better there.

Untill they get a true rock at CB, to go along with someone with a nose for defensive midfielding, I don't think they'll challenge for a premier league title. This year would've been the year, with Man U dropping points away from home, Chelsea having their slump to end all slumps, and Liverpool still in transition.

I hear Samba could go to the Gunners in the summer...and he's been a collossal CB this season.

 

[tmporter]

Stoke is no bad squad, they are in the FA cup final after all...but Arsenal should have done better there.

Untill they get a true rock at CB, to go along with someone with a nose for defensive midfielding, I don't think they'll challenge for a premier league title. This year would've been the year, with Man U dropping points away from home, Chelsea having their slump to end all slumps, and Liverpool still in transition.

I hear Samba could go to the Gunners in the summer...and he's been a collossal CB this season.

Stoke play the brand of football the Arsenal just can't seem to cope with. That physical and up in your face style. Stoke clearly rattled some of the Arsenal back four and made them pay with set pieces and crosses. Both of those have been, are and will be the bane of Wenger's existence. He simply refuses to get players that have a backbone. He would rather play pretty football than win and would rather pay small sums of money on mid-level players than sign someone who may cost him some real money. Oh well, they will be in the Champions league again next year and will be near the top of the table in the Prem. They just won't win anything as they lack the toughness required to win silverware.

 

[Merih]

Stoke play the brand of football the Arsenal just can't seem to cope with. That physical and up in your face style. Stoke clearly rattled some of the Arsenal back four and made them pay with set pieces and crosses. Both of those have been, are and will be the bane of Wenger's existence. He simply refuses to get players that have a backbone. He would rather play pretty football than win and would rather pay small sums of money on mid-level players than sign someone who may cost him some real money. Oh well, they will be in the Champions league again next year and will be near the top of the table in the Prem. They just won't win anything as they lack the toughness required to win silverware.

Well, I could still see them winning a Carling Cup or something

If I were Wenger I would go ahead and let Barca have their #1 fanboy in Fabregas. Wilshere and Ramsey both have shown flashes of brilliance and eventually that midfield is going to get crowded...might as well cash in on Cesc while everyone swears he is this amazing footballer. IMO an over 30 year old Xavi still far outstrips him.

Take that cash and go get some spine for the squad. Arsenal are just built wrong, IMO. Usually you build teams with strength and grit and then add players via transfers who have that technical flair to make the game beautiful...Arsenal has all of the nice condiments and dressing, but none of the main course necessary to compete for silverware in England.

 

[Buckeye513]

How on earth do they get rolled up by Stoke? I mean they were dismantled. The two sides looked worlds apart.

They had 75% possession and 18 shots in a game that didn't matter because their season ended weeks ago.

Untill they get a true rock at CB, to go along with someone with a nose for defensive midfielding, I don't think they'll challenge for a premier league title. This year would've been the year, with Man U dropping points away from home, Chelsea having their slump to end all slumps, and Liverpool still in transition.

Song is fine in mid-field. The only problem here are the Bad News Bears across the back line.

The defense should be better next year with Vermaelen back, but it won't be good enough unless someone else is brought in. I like Djourou as a #3, but neither he nor Koscielny should be playing 40-50 games a season. Whether Wenger will stop worrying about getting the stadium paid off and start worrying about being able to perform consistently remains to be seen. It's sad that I'm having to root against PSG to stay out of the CL places so they might lower their asking price for Mahamdou Sakho.

 

[OH10]

Well, I could still see them winning a Carling Cup or something

Nope. They blew that chance by losing to Birmingham City (?), which in and of itself was quite an impressive feat.

 

[tmporter]

They had 75% possession and 18 shots in a game that didn't matter because their season ended weeks ago.
Song is fine in mid-field. The only problem here are the Bad News Bears across the back line.

The defense should be better next year with Vermaelen back, but it won't be good enough unless someone else is brought in. I like Djourou as a #3, but neither he nor Koscielny should be playing 40-50 games a season. Whether Wenger will stop worrying about getting the stadium paid off and start worrying about being able to perform consistently remains to be seen. It's sad that I'm having to root against PSG to stay out of the CL places so they might lower their asking price for Mahamdou Sakho.

Sagna is the only real player across the back 4. Vermaelen is a decent player, but by no means elite. I would say he is somewhere between 15th to 20th best in the Prem. Djourou is a disaster waiting to happen. Koscielny is a soft player on a soft team and that isn't going to go very well. Clichy is good going forward, has great speed and will always be prone to moments of sheer stupidity. The real problem lies under these guys. No quality in the depth at all. The rest of the guys are so obscure, no one would even be able to name them. I really hope Wenger does some solid deals this year, cause I certainly like Arsenal more than I do Man City.

 

[Merih]

Nope. They blew that chance by losing to Birmingham City (?), which in and of itself was quite an impressive feat.

I know that's why I said that.

 

[zwem]

Sagna is the only real player across the back 4. Vermaelen is a decent player, but by no means elite. I would say he is somewhere between 15th to 20th best in the Prem. Djourou is a disaster waiting to happen. Koscielny is a soft player on a soft team and that isn't going to go very well. Clichy is good going forward, has great speed and will always be prone to moments of sheer stupidity. The real problem lies under these guys. No quality in the depth at all. The rest of the guys are so obscure, no one would even be able to name them. I really hope Wenger does some solid deals this year, cause I certainly like Arsenal more than I do Man City.

Could not agree more. Arsenal needs serious help with the back 4 and need to take care of that this summer. Also another strong defensive midfielder to add depth would be nice. Also a top notch goalkeeper would be great this summer. Arsenal does have some young talent at GK but nothing elite. Arsenal doesn't have trouble with the midfield or strikers/wingers. Very excited with Wilshire and Ramsey for the future.

I would like to see what Gibbs does next year because he might have a bright future. Other than that, the back 4 is killing us.

Just frustrating to win a big game against the likes of Barcelona or Man U then draw with Newcastle after having a 4-0 lead or lose to Stoke 3-1.

Also, Liverpool next year......watch out people. Danglish just signed a 3 year deal. If they can add a few pieces to that squad they could be a threat next year.

 

[Merih]

Speaking of Liverpool adding weapons...they are rumored to be in the lead for Aston Villa man Ashley Young in a transfer.

 

[Bucklion]

Wow, Wolves and Blackpool both win wins today...nice. Blackburn and Birmingham, you are now on notice.

 

[tmporter]

Wow, Wolves and Blackpool both win wins today...nice. Blackburn and Birmingham, you are now on notice.

Blackburn and Wolves will play each other on the final weekend. This game will be huge for survival in the Prem. Blackpool better hope Sir Alex puts out the entire second team. Birmingham could lose both of their last 2 games and face the drop. The last weekend will be a great one.