We Go Again! The Premier League thread

[Fernando]

First topic message reminder :

Galloway off for Browning due to injury

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Him, Kane and Berahino all need to basically get 20 goals a season for the next 10 years to have a sniff. I'm not sure that anyone who shows himself capable of doing so will stay in the Premier League. Not sure many English or Premier League strikers will get to 22 with the kind of experience Shearer had.

Having said this, one striker who does is Romelu Lukaku. 17, 15 and 10 isnt at all bad by 22 in three PL seasons. If 10 was more blip than norm then he might have a chance if he stays long term.

[wheelchair1991]

Ross Barkley again adds to the evidence which says he is not as good as some in the media say

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Ross Barkley again adds to the evidence which says he is not as good as some in the media say

To be fair, hes started the season well.

[NickisBHAFC]

Ross Barkley again adds to the evidence which says he is not as good as some in the media say

One bad game lets slate him. Good work.

[wheelchair1991]

Ross Barkley again adds to the evidence which says he is not as good as some in the media say

To be fair, hes started the season well.

Yeah but to be lavished with the praise he gets is daft. Talented yes, good future yes, but i am yet to be convinced he is a top player

[NickisBHAFC]

Also that Everton defending was poor.

[wheelchair1991]

Ross Barkley again adds to the evidence which says he is not as good as some in the media say

One bad game lets slate him. Good work.

No ive said it for a season, i think my comments above are balanced

[Hammersmith harrier]

I too think Barkley is massively over rated, he hasn't progressed much over the past two seasons.

[wheelchair1991]

I too think Barkley is massively over rated, he hasn't progressed much over the past two seasons.

Yep i agree

[Hammersmith harrier]

His few good games get used to ignore the majority of games he doesn't perform in.

[wheelchair1991]

I think its because he's english he getsso much praise, i hope he dors progress

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

I would genuinely rather go down than watch my side be managed by Tony pulis and stay up

So dull

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Everton's defending is atrocious

[NickisBHAFC]

This game is becoming interesting now

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Everton's defending is atrocious

To be fair they are missing 75% off their starting back 4

[wheelchair1991]

Good to see some young English players though

[NickisBHAFC]

James McCarthy what a bel*end

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Goal and a assist for Lukaku tonight. These type of performances make the non existent games he has so infuriating. He has the talent

[NickisBHAFC]

Lukaku is the perfect all round striker at this level. Not many better than him in the league.

[wheelchair1991]

That booking rule for taking the shirt off when celebrating is daft

[GSC]

Kone quietly having a career revival so far this year

[NickisBHAFC]

That booking rule for taking the shirt off when celebrating is daft

Indeed. All it does is show passion and being a supporter that is what we want to see.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

West Brom settled, got punished. Everton's defence dont deserve this win.

This is why Lukaku could get closer to that record than earlier comments suggest. And he could end up at somewhere like Arsenal.

[NickisBHAFC]

Lukaku has been different gear tonight though

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

I'd have sympathy for west brom but when you take your striker off for a midfielder with about 30 mins to go you deserve to lose

[GSC]

That's what I meant, what did it say? Guessing phone autocorrected something

[Stella]

That booking rule for taking the shirt off when celebrating is daft

Indeed. All it does is show passion and being a supporter that is what we want to see.

Isn't it do with showing your sponsorship, or something like that?

[Dolphin Ziggler]

That's what I meant, what did it say? Guessing phone autocorrected something

Said rivalry. I assumed it was revival, and i'm nothing if not an annoying nitpicking ****

[GSC]

Well whatever works I guess

[Lowlandbrit]

That booking rule for taking the shirt off when celebrating is daft

Isn't it do with showing your sponsorship, or something like that?

Under the section "Additional Instructions for Referees and Assistant Referees", the Laws clearly state: "Removing one's shirt after scoring is unnecessary and players should avoid such excessive displays of joy."

So... probably.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

I hate excessive joy

[Duty281]

I'm greatly in favour of players taking their shirts off after scoring.

In fact, I think yellow cards should be handed out to Sanchez/Walcott/Borini/Oxlade/Wilshere at any point when they score, but fail to remove their shirt.

Fair's fair.

[Soldier_Of_Fortune]

I must have been Evertons good luck charm. Stuck the match on when I seen it was 2-0..... :Picard:

[westisbest]

Getting booked for taking your shirt off is ridiculous.

[Guest]

This is why Lukaku could get closer to that record than earlier comments suggest. And he could end up at somewhere like Arsenal.

I know HH shot it down & I don't either think he could ever challenge Shearer, but he does score goals. He'd need to elevate to another level, possibly at a higher club, but if he stayed as he is & in theory being a 15 goal a season man, with another 10 years, that's 150 goals + the 46 he already has. 196 goals. Think if he stayed in the PL, he could challenge the top 5 with Henry being at 175, but nothing more.

[Hero]

Shirt wise yes it's due to sponsorship, basically the camera does a big close of a player when they score, the sponsor wants to see their product on the chest of the scorer and isn't happy if the player then has removed their top.
FIFA will say otherwise, but they're a bunch of corrupt kumquats.

[CFCNick]

Chelsea, all I have to say is ha, ha, ha, and fraking ha. It appears that without Mike Dean and Costa's cheating your squad is currently a hot pile of steaming sheet. Could not enjoy it more. Should be 11 points behind the leaders at this point.

What has happened to Costa and Hazard? Oscar has been awful for a long time now. I mean Jose's claim that Hazard is the 3rd best player in the world is pretty ridiculous. He isn't even the third best player in the premier league this season. That genius sale of Mata by the special one is not looking that genius anymore.

I like Mata and he is a quality player but he didn't fit the system that Jose Mourinho wanted to play by the looks and to be completely honest i think we have done okay without him. We sold him for like £30-40m and managed to win the title in the process. 

As for this season, we haven't had the greatest of starts but we are picking up and will be there or there abouts at the end of the season, we are more than capable of catching the teams at the top of the table right now and i'm certainly believing in my team.

I don't think so frankly. I don't doubt Chelsea can come back and contend but I don't have that feeling from what I have seen so far this year. They were less than impressive in the second half of last season as well. They were so far ahead and the other teams at the top were all to a degree struggling. I mean the 3 points against Arsenal masked what has been an atrocious couple of months of football. They have two wins in their last 8 league matches and those two wins are a stolen three points from Arsenal at home, and a 3-2 win over Norwich. I think City are playing better this season, United are much better, and Arsenal hasn't hit their stride but they aren't far off from the top of the table either. It isn't just the points, I mean 8 or 9 points behind isn't panic time especially this early in the season. But it is the fact that since the second half of last year they haven't looked good at all and instead of getting better seem to be getting worse. To me this has a feeling of a season where Chelsea struggle relatively. If as now Costa's goals dry up you really have no one else that can score. Hazard hasn't looked threatening for quite some time and Oscar hasn't really panned out. I think that is why they bought Pedro, a great player but I don't think he is going to win you the league that is for sure and I think will struggle early on to adjust to the new team and new league.

Oscar is great talent. He's also not afraid to get stuck in and do the dirty work. Pedro is completely different player for a different position. Oscar's 24 so he still has his best years to come.

But please know you have to cut him some slack, the poor lad must have been knackered last season. This summer was his first proper break since early 2011. He played 64 games for Internacional from 2011 to 2012, then he played in the Olympics for Brazil before coming to Chelsea, then he played in the Confederations Cup in 2013 before then going back to the World Cup last year. He's played 200 games for Chelsea and Brazil since the summer of 2012.

[socal1976]

Yeah but it isn't just this year that he has been slumping for Chelsea, he didn't do much last year. And for part of last year if I do remember he was relegated to the bench. I do agree he is a talent and I haven't written him off, but he has done nothing now in the last two seasons to make me think that Chelsea can rely on him for goals in the here and now. More worryingly if I was a Chelsea fan has been how ineffectual Hazard has been for quite some time. I am big fan of his ability but there simply isn't a consistent impact on matches that we are used to seeing from him. Oddly, Willian could be your best midfielder so far this season and who would have thought that with the players they have. I also think it was a mistake to let go of Schurle he was a player who could play a number of positions and actually had a good nose for goal which they are missing now.

[Hero]

For once I agree with SoCal, something is awry at Chelsea currently, so many big players are just not looking at the races and for some like Fabregas it's no longer a short term dip in form but a long term dip in class. Beginning of last season he looked the answer for Chelsea, assists galore. He's no longer the answer, he's now the problem.

[CFCNick]

You clearly didn't read the part that says how busy Oscar has been over the last four years. And stop evaluating midfielders on their goal scoring ability. Oscar is more of a playmaker and like I said he likes to get stuck in and win the ball back. Also he's been injured this season. The Maccabi game was his comeback.

[CFCNick]

For once I agree with SoCal, something is awry at Chelsea currently, so many big players are just not looking at the races and for some like Fabregas it's no longer a short term dip in form but a long term dip in class. Beginning of last season he looked the answer for Chelsea, assists galore. He's no longer the answer, he's now the problem.

Yeah something needs to change. Jose has basically said that it's open season for someone who can do a job to step up as he said he has no untouchables. I'd prefer Oscar to start in the central role of the three forward midfielders ahead of Fabregas because having Matic, Ramires and Oscar in the midfield is a good thing.

[Guest]

Absolutely woeful result last night for us, throwing away two goal leads is what a dire Newcastle side would do, not a Pulis side. Poor substitutions too, just invited pressure. James Chester is absolutely pony & as for Rickie Lambert, he is truly appalling on so many levels, as I stated before we embarrassingly signed him. Still without a home win at the Hawthorns is more than worrying for a Pulis side.

As for Lukuku, don't think he's great, but he manages to find the net, so you can't complain. It's all about his longevity now, I'd say he would achieve Henry's 175 goals, the way he is going.

[CFCNick]

A good Pulis side needs good solid CBs. No other Pulis side would have conceded the first goal.

[Guest]

Shirt wise yes it's due to sponsorship, basically the camera does a big close of a player when they score, the sponsor wants to see their product on the chest of the scorer and isn't happy if the player then has removed their top.
FIFA will say otherwise, but they're a bunch of corrupt kumquats.

Perhaps they should introduce a rule which says that the scorer of an own goal has to put the opposing team's shirt on. Anyway, the lack of sponsor's logo excuse is b*llocks because as soon as a player scores a goal, he's surrounded by team mates all wearing the same shirt and showing the SAME F*CKING LOGO. It's also plastered around the ground for all to see but my question would have to be, who's watching a player who's just scored a goal and thinking "Hmm, wonder what company his club are sponsored by...oh, LG, well, I now suddenly have the urge to buy electrical goods"

[Mat]

I'd have sympathy for west brom but when you take your striker off for a midfielder with about 30 mins to go you deserve to lose

Why? It's not like we went striker-less, in fact he put our best forward into the role. The only problem was that it was Gardner who came on rather than Gnabry or McManaman.

Missed McAuley big style last night, no chance he'd have been out-muscled as easily as Chester was.

[Mat]

I laugh at WBA and their centre back recruitment, but is this the best Premier League (at least) choice of strikers theyve ever had?

Think Long, Odemwingie and Lukaku for the first 6 months of Clarke's time in charge was probably the best, with Rosenberg as the fourth choice.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

I'd have sympathy for west brom but when you take your striker off for a midfielder with about 30 mins to go you deserve to lose

Why? It's not like we went striker-less, in fact he put our best forward into the role. The only problem was that it was Gardner who came on rather than Gnabry or McManaman.

Missed McAuley big style last night, no chance he'd have been out-muscled as easily as Chester was.

2-0 up, why would you change the system that got you to that point? Soon as you went defensive it allowed Everton to play. No sympathy for such stupid management

[Dolphin Ziggler]

I'd have sympathy for west brom but when you take your striker off for a midfielder with about 30 mins to go you deserve to lose

Why? It's not like we went striker-less, in fact he put our best forward into the role. The only problem was that it was Gardner who came on rather than Gnabry or McManaman.

Missed McAuley big style last night, no chance he'd have been out-muscled as easily as Chester was.

2-0 up, why would you change the system that got you to that point? Soon as you went defensive it allowed Everton to play. No sympathy for such stupid management

Gotta disagree. Most managers will change systems in games as it wears on, regardless of how well its working. The personnel involved was the issue

[socal1976]

For once I agree with SoCal, something is awry at Chelsea currently, so many big players are just not looking at the races and for some like Fabregas it's no longer a short term dip in form but a long term dip in class. Beginning of last season he looked the answer for Chelsea, assists galore. He's no longer the answer, he's now the problem.

Yeah something needs to change. Jose has basically said that it's open season for someone who can do a job to step up as he said he has no untouchables. I'd prefer Oscar to start in the central role of the three forward midfielders ahead of Fabregas because having Matic, Ramires and Oscar in the midfield is a good thing.

I would have Fabregas over Oscar in the midfield anyday and everyday and twice on sunday. Cesc is a much better passer and playmaker and he can more consistently get you goals. The long balls he was delivering last year when Chelsea and Costa were firing were truly worldclass. He would pick up the ball in his own half and drop a perfectly weighted ball on Costa who would time the trap so well. I like Matic and Ramires in there with Cesc that would be what I think is your best lineup.

This is speculation but maybe, maybe what has become stale and old at Chelsea is Jose. I have played for coaches that are all about the mind games and motivation, it works well but after awhile it starts losing its impact and getting old. I look at the squad he has in his 2 and half years back and I think while he has done well, he hasn't exactly lit things up like the first go around. He seems to have a shelf life with every club he goes to of about 4 or 5 years. After awhile he starts to get under the skin of the media, fans, and management could it be that after awhile he starts getting annoying and counterproductive for the players and that his psychological games have less of a positive impact?

[CFCNick]

I think really the team isn't used to having consistency from the coach. Azpi, Oscar and Hazard came into the team when we had Robbie in charge. Then the whole thing with fans angry that Benitez was hired after Robbie.

Only Costa, Fabregas, Matic, Willian and Zouma have had one manager whilst at the club.

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