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2013/14 EPL thread

Originally posted by seminoleed:
Welcome to the Prem, Cardiff City. Shocking result: 3-2 over Citeh in their first ever Premiership home match. Very boisterous crowd.
Watching the replay on ONDEMAND right now. How awesome is THAT!
 
I'm predicting a 2-1 line today for MU; and just hoping for a draw. Still scratching my head over the Willian signing and hoping that doesn't mean Mata is gone.
 
Leave it to the chavs and scum to bore the hell out of me. Truly dire stuff. I hope the causal American isn't watching this. No way they'll stick with NBC EPL coverage for this. Neither side have a glimmer of hope of winning Europe.
 
That was awful, but I'll take the road draw. I'm warming to the idea of Rooney, but do not want to lose Mata.
 
It wasn't a game of the century like Villa and Liverpool on Saturday, but with 3 games against top rivals in the first 5 games, 2 of them being Champions League participants and the other, the Dallas Cowboys/Notre Dame of the EPL (living in the past), I'll take the draw this early in the season, especially after City dropped 3 to Cardiff.

Two unlikely MOM, Rooney for United and Terry for Chelsea.
 
Originally posted by Manch.:

It wasn't a game of the century like Villa and Liverpool on Saturday, but with 3 games against top rivals in the first 5 games, 2 of them being Champions League participants and the other, the Dallas Cowboys/Notre Dame of the EPL (living in the past), I'll take the draw this early in the season, especially after City dropped 3 to Cardiff.

Two unlikely MOM, Rooney for United and Terry for Chelsea.

That was the best Terry has looked in about 2 years.
Posted from wireless.rivals.com[/URL]
 
Draw is Thursday:




Pot One: Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Arsenal, FC Porto, Benfica.


Pot Two: Atletico Madrid, Shakhtar Donetsk, AC Milan, Schalke, Marseille, CSKA Moscow, PSG, Juventus


Pot Three: Zenit, Man City, Ajax, Borussia Dortmund, Basel, Olympiakos, Galatasaray, Leverkusen


Pot Four: FC Copenhagen, Napoli, Anderlecht, Celtic, Steaua Bucuresti, Viktoria Plzen, Real Sociedad, Austria Vienna

Hoping BVB go on to win it and that they draw an English team. Them getting Man U of course will never happen so it would probably be Arsenal if they do.
 
And in the 3rd round of league cup we have to play Man U in Suarez's first game back from suspension at the library of dreams. The FA didn't plan that out....
 
What were the odds that those two teams were the first teams drawn.

In the last 4 years, United has drawn City, Chelsea or Liverpool in the earlier rounds of the FA and League Cups.

I Napoli (pot 4) could create another group if death with City and Dortmund in pot 3 and PSG and Juvi in pot 2.

I think the draw is 11:30 EST.
 
Arse got Dortmund and Napoli, probably the toughest draw.

How about Barca and Milan again!
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Group A: Manchester United, Shakhtar Donetsk, Bayer Leverkusen, Real Sociedad

Group B: Real Madrid, Juventus, Galatasaray, Copenhagen

Group C: Benfica, Paris St-Germain, Olympiakos, Anderlecht

Group D: Bayern Munich, CSKA Moscow, Manchester City, Viktoria Plzen

Group E: Chelsea, Schalke, Basel, Steaua Bucharest

Group F: Arsenal, Marseille, Borussia Dortmund, Napoli

Group G: Porto, Atletico Madrid, Zenit St Petersburg, Austria Vienna

Group H: Barcelona, AC Milan, Ajax, Celtic

Scum Bayer
Madrid Juve
PSG Benfica
Bayern City
Chelsea, Basel
BVB Napoli
Porto, Zenit
Barca, Milan
 
Love the Chelsea draw; poor Celtic, I like to root for them. Arsenal in the "group of death." Some fun draws, only worthless groups are C and G (and E if you are not a Chelsea fan).
 
Celtic Park holds the best fans in the world, they beat Barca there last year and have almost a full team back. When they scored in stoppage time yesterday, I got massive goose bumps over the crowd's reaction.

I doubt they advance, but it would be great to see those fans get a decent win at home.
 
Originally posted by Manch.:
Celtic Park holds the best fans in the world, they beat Barca there last year and have almost a full team back. When they scored in stoppage time yesterday, I got massive goose bumps over the crowd's reaction.

I doubt they advance, but it would be great to see those fans get a decent win at home.
Exactly, I'll definitely be rooting for them, but doubt they even sniff advancing after the performance they pulled last year.
 
Originally posted by Manch.:
Celtic Park holds the best fans in the world, they beat Barca there last year and have almost a full team back.
Except their two best players. Celtic barely advanced past a team from Kazakhstan to make it to the groups.
 
Looks like we are going to finish up deals for two of the most promising young CB's in Europe. Mamadou Sakho was was PSG's captain at 21 and in the 11 at age 17. Absolute class before getting frozen out and a diamond in the making in Tiago Ilori. What a team we are making.

Meanwhile, congratulations to Arsenal for completing their second free signing of the window. Well done.
This post was edited on 8/30 9:37 PM by LikeaG5
 
Some late game dramatics today in the Super Cup. Hazard putting Chelsea ahead in the 93rd and Martinez leveling things off in stoppage time of overtime. Lukaku missed (save by Neuer) the 10th and only PK in the shootout.

10 man Chelsea played well after Ramires received his 2nd yellow in the 85th minute. Chelsea had 8 cautions (4 from the 90th on) compared to 2 for Bayern.

We have United/Liverpool on Sunday followed by the Spurs visiting the Emirates.

With all the money that United generates from sponsors ($600 + million from Chevy among others). what do you think they would command for naming rights to Old Trafford (serious answers), and of course that would be blasphemy.

I looked up E'to, and at 32, he is still scoring at a decent pace, with the Willian and E'to signings, is this the end for Torres and his ?40 million transfer to Chelsea?

Nice to see Altidore notch his first goal for Sunderland in the League Cup vs MK Dons.

I must have been in a coma when Rafa snatched Pepe' for the year long loan.

I see that Daniel De Rossi is up for sale, who snags him, City or Chelsea? Hard to believe he is only 29 as it seems he's been around since 1929.

Does anyone else think that Franck Ribery winning the European Footballer of the Year award was more fraudulent than Giggs winning the PFA player of the year award in 2008/09. I love Ronaldo, and he led the Champs League in goals and was a close 2nd to Messi, but how did Messi lose? Iniesta won last year in the awards 2nd year of existance, but Messi should be 3 for 3. I guess there was a bunch of 15 year old French prostitutes voting this year.

With all the cash that United has, still no midfield help, arrrggghhhh.

Always idiots out there as a Liverpool fan suggested that 3 songs making fun of the 1958 Munich crash be played over the intercom before Sunday's match. United accepted Liverpool's apology (nothing for Liverpool to be blamed for a fan on Twitter). I know it's a game and some retarded United fans will mock Hillsborough. And people wonder why British fans are hated and often banned worldwide.

Suarez can return vs United in the League Cup, and I don't think it's irony. In think it would be irony if he came back to bite City in the ass.

Enjoy the games this weekend, as the NBC national game of the week is Crystal Palace (fresh off their stunning loss vs Bristol City in the League Cup) vs Jozy Altidore and Sunderland.




This post was edited on 9/1 8:32 AM by Manch.
 
"Always idiots out there as a Liverpool fan suggested that
3 songs making fun of the 1958 Munich crash be played over the intercom
before Sunday's match?

Exactly why I detest the Peasants. This, and G5's snarky little shot at Arsenal previous. Geez, act like you have a little class, even if you don't
 
It's pretty funny to laugh at a team that's more proud of their balance sheet than their trophy case. You gotta get a sense of humor Ed.

BS6fOL4CMAAgiKr.jpg:large



This post was edited on 8/30 11:14 PM by minernole
 
Just to make it clear, I meant a sense of humor about the jibes about Arsenal not spending any money. Not the Munich disaster.
 
Originally posted by minernole:
Just to make it clear, I meant a sense of humor about the jibes about Arsenal not spending any money. Not the Munich disaster.
Actually, it was funny, But I broke the cardinal rule of message boards last night: Never post while taking shots of Patron.

Apologies to all; now back to watching Arsene count his money.
 
Much as it pains me to say it, Liverpool deserved that win. Might be the best I've ever seen them play in years. What a cracker of a match--easy early leader for match of the year.

Congrats to all Peasant supporters for being Top of the Table after 3 games.

And starting off with 3 consecutive clean sheets is also impressive. Hotpants was on the verge of doing so as well, but Giroud just put hat pipe dream to rest.

This post was edited on 9/1 11:30 AM by seminoleed
 
Weird Liverpool stat: First time in 83 years (and 3rd time ever) that a team in England's top league started the year with three consecutive 1-0 wins. And I bet it's the first time that the same guy scored all 3 goals in the three 1-0 wins.

Question for Liverpool is whether Liverpool is experiencing a Ewing Theory situation without Suarez, or whether Suarez and Sturridge will be even better than Sturrige has been on his own up top.
 
Great line from The Arsenal's 1-0 win in the North London derby, courtesy of FoxSportsChannels game blog:

"Arsene Wenger has faced much criticism of late, but this will surely buy
him some time. Mind you, that's about the only thing being bought at
the Emirates this summer."
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Arsenal, somehow, is now 4th in the table, ahead of Spurs....AND United! Just sayin', Manch!
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Well, now, this just came out of the blue: Ozil to The Arsenal for 47 mil! Apparently down to us and PSG, and he prefers us. That would be a coup that would really settle the supporters down.
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Originally posted by seminoleed:
Well, now, this just came out of the blue: Ozil to The Arsenal for 47 mil! Apparently down to us and PSG, and he prefers us. That would be a coup that would really settle the supporters down.
shock.r191677.gif
Game changer for Arsenal. Best player to be bought by an EPL team this window. World Class.
 
Another player that United inquired about but didn't follow through on. When real finally signed Bale, it looks like they wanted to bring in some cash and Ozil was let loose.

Great signing by Arse, this is about the only EPL signing that I am jealous over.

Looks like United will get Ander Herrara and possibly Fellaini.

Mata was rumored to United or Arse, but it looks like both teams have already spent their cash on midfielders, so PSG is now the rumored destination.

I still would like to see De Rossi end up with United.
 
Bale to Real for $133 million is f*cking crazy. He's often injured and he'll never see a free kick again.

He was great for Tottenham against Southampton, but he is no where near the worth of that transfer fee. That deal makes the Neymar transfer look like a bargain basement closeout deal.

I think Tot has spent wisely in anticipation of them losing Bale.

I think one of the under the radar deals was Liverpool snagging Victor Moses. I believe that Liverpool will benefit from this signing for years to come. The days of signing the likes of Carroll and Downing for a combined ?55 million and selling them for a combined ?21 million are over. They have made some quality, low transfer signings this summer.

I also saw a stat where Liverpool's win percentage was extremely higher with Suarez out of the lineup, maybe it would have been worth the ?40 million + to transfer him out.

Here is what I found, rather interesting and astonishing at the same time:

"Last season, playing 10 games without Suarez, Liverpool won 80 per cent of their matches, losing just one, compared to a win percentage of 37% with their star attacker in the team (16 wins, 14 draws and 13 defeats from 43 matches). Of course, they played over four times the number of games with Suarez in the team and most of the games without him came in the Europa League, but the Reds did win away to West Ham, Fulham and 6-0 at Newcastle in the Premier League without his help.

The season before, the win percentage was 58% without Suarez, compared to 44% with him in the team. Taking into account only Premier League fixtures in his time at the club, Liverpool have averaged two points per game (from a total of 13 matches) without Suarez since he signed from Ajax, compared to 1.47 points per game (from 77 matches) with him on the team sheet".
 
Also saw that Bale will be paid about $14 million (the same as Ronaldo and Kaka) after taxes, which is about 50% in Spain, so his yearly salary is about $28 million.

With Kaka gone and Real recouping about half of Bale's fee, Ronaldo is not going anywhere and look for them to extend CR with a hefty raise.
 
Looks like Roma has a rejected a ?12 million bid for De Rossi and insist he is not for sale.

Does anyone know if any station is carrying a transfer day special like Fox Soccer routinely did?

Some more news from the Emirates. It looks like the Gunners are trying to secure Demba Ba from Chelsea, on loan for the season for about a ?3 million fee.

How come the British pound keeps appearing as a ? instead of the Brit. pound symbol?
 
Re the Suarez stats, I think the team relied on him to do and create way too much when he was in the team. When he wasn't in the team, it seemed like the players worked more together.

Hopefully the team can continue this work ethic when he gets back into the team.
 
Originally posted by minernole:
Re the Suarez stats, I think the team relied on him to do and create way too much when he was in the team. When he wasn't in the team, it seemed like the players worked more together.

Hopefully the team can continue this work ethic when he gets back into the team.
Kind of like the Celtics with/without Rondo, their record was a lot better with Rondo out.

That's where Rodgers needs to work with the players, working as a unit when Suarez is in there, if that doesn't work, there's always addition by subtraction and Liverpool can get a hefty check for Suarez.

Liverpool is doing this year, what they didn't do last year, and give up that sh!t goal that led to a draw or a loss. If this was last year, they would probably have two draws and a loss.
 
Oh well, back to the hospital. My wife woke up this morning with paralysis on the right side of her face and right upper torso (arm), they are running tests, with a 50/50 chance of a mild stroke (probably when she heard that MUFC might sign a CMF).

I will check in later in the day.
 
Originally posted by minernole:
Re the Suarez stats, I think the team relied on him to do and create way too much when he was in the team. When he wasn't in the team, it seemed like the players worked more together.

Hopefully the team can continue this work ethic when he gets back into the team.

Since Suarez's work rate is second to none, that shouldn't be a problem. Coutinho will benefit the most with him coming back as opposing teams are going all out for him being the only creator on the team. Aspas and Henderson haven't done much in that department.
 
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