Football Prem League weekly thread!

[soze]

Also a big miss, he was looking like a quality striker last season. But don't forget we've been missing our first choice left back all season and our captain for months. We've had our share of injuries too.

It more the all at the same time part 4 first team players out 1 being our creativity in midfield although arseshavin showed some promise again today.

 

[Jarahl]

How can you beat Real Madrid one day then loose to Middlesborough the next ...

That requires skill meight!

 

[cHodAX]

Hohoho! Scousers mis-fire again, if they drop any points against Sunderland you can expect them to ditch the league and gun for Europe. Mon the Villa for 3rd!

 

[megadave]

I knew we'd be back at 2nd eventually but i didnt think it'd be that fast :d

 

[Marc]

I knew we'd be back at 2nd eventually but i didnt think it'd be that fast :d

Do you think that perhaps the players didnt want to play for scolari? There were reports some players were very unhappy with his training methods? They seem like a different team now they have a new manager.
I remember back in the early 90s, the wigan rugby team, who at the time were invincible, threw a cup final because the senior players hated the coach.

 

[leviathane]

Guus Hiddink is a fantastic coach though, especially in the international scene.

 

[Vladamir]

Do you think that perhaps the players didnt want to play for scolari? There were reports some players were very unhappy with his training methods? They seem like a different team now they have a new manager.
I remember back in the early 90s, the wigan rugby team, who at the time were invincible, threw a cup final because the senior players hated the coach.

If you look at the early days of the Scolari reign in terms of results, the first 10 games we were at won 7, draw 2, lost 1; home draws to United (not a bad result by any means), Spurs (who sat back for the entire game) and lost to Liverpool (not much in it other than a deflected Alonso shot - for arguments sake). The results were fine, we were sitting top of the table and everyone was lauding Scolari's influence because everything was going pretty much to plan.

Then the poor results started piling up, a thumping away at Roma in the CL, losses to Arsenal at home, draw after draw at home because Scolari had no plan B to open up teams who defended deep with real organisation.

A lot of the draws came from late goals to equalise against us, showing our inability to kill games off and you could see the players performance would drop markedly in the last 20-25 minutes.

The papers reported that Lampard and Terry confronted Scolari about this and it came out that several players felt his methods were not intense enough and somewhat dated for league football. When you're managing a team at an international level, i can imagine that the intensity is not going to be so substantial because you need to bring the players to a peak before a game, intense training sessions may leave players sluggish before the game has started.

Yet Scolari didn't do anything about it, he persisted with his methods but not a great deal changed. Chelsea got thumped at United and conceded two poor late goals at Anfield, something that looked as if they would be cemented in 3rd or 4th with Villa hot on our tails.

Then people started to realise that Scolari was a great manager when things were going well, but when the chips were down and someone had to turn it around, it became evident he was a poor coach. Although the atmosphere seemed very relaxed and friendly around the club, some even crediting Scolari with softening Chelsea's image through making them play more pleasing football, he seemed todo so at the expense of the teams strength and winning mentality.

I for one am glad he went, it's just a shame with 11 games to go we're 7-10 points behind United with a great coach doing his best to get the team back on track, only to leave in the summer.

On the brightside i think it serves as a cruel reminder that when you try and change the system and regime of a team that has built so much success on the previous 4-5 years using the same techniques and principles (originally Mourinho, continued by Steve Clarke), it is only going to end in tears.

With any luck Roman will heed this when he looks for a permanent manager come summer time; someone who will be at the club for a good few years, rather than a stopgap until the next big name becomes available, only to flop.

 

[Lucius]

I think some of the Chelsea players (aka. Didier "I'll play when I want to" Drogba) were a disagrace for Scolari and then as soon as Hiddink comes in Drogba puts in a bit of effort. Madness.

 

[Cadelin]

anyone else excited about this weekend? Big Sam coming to the KC im hoping for hulls first win in 10! (for prem at least )

hull have only won 3 home games, blackburn have only won 2 away games, lets hope we've learnt to defend corners by now as it was a bit of a disgrace v tottenham last weekend

Oh dear. 2 down at half time at home to Blackburn. Looks like Hull are heading for a relegation battle.

 

[cHodAX]

Have to agree, it was more about the players failing Scolari than Scolari failing. Too many primadonna's in that side for sure.

 

[Vladamir]

Too many primadonna's, without a doubt. But if you look over the past few seasons, Mourinho and Grant managed to control them and in some cases get the best out of them, yet Scolari seemingly let them walk all over him.

 

[cHodAX]

Too many primadonna's, without a doubt. But if you look over the past few seasons, Mourinho and Grant managed to control them and in some cases get the best out of them, yet Scolari seemingly let them walk all over him.

Pardon? They underperformed for Grant for months, yes they came good in the end but so they fucking should do considering the wages. I am going to be blunt, Chelsea are carrying too much baggage and have been for a while. They need eleven Essien's and less fucking babies like Drogba and Anelka. You can afford one or two like that in your side but Chelsea have had 5-6 in my opinion over the last couple of years and that is why the silverware dried up. Scolari would have turned them around if the players had got thier shit together, it was nothing to do with the training and everything to do with noses being put out of place. A handful of top players at the club didn't want to play for him so they got the poor fucker sacked.

 

[Talivar]

Chelsea barely lost a game under grant if i remeber correctly, if it wasnt for the losses under mourinho then chelsea would have most likely won the league. And as to primadonnas and baggage then maybe but id class Ronaldo as just as much a primodona and piece of baggage,

 

[cHodAX]

And as to primadonnas and baggage then maybe but id class Ronaldo as just as much a primodona and piece of baggage,

Baggage that scores a minimum of 20 goals season? Primadonna yes without a doubt but he pulls his weight most of the time and scores a shitload of winners.

 

[Talivar]

Anelka is this seasons top scorer yet you classed him as baggage

 

[megadave]

Scolari looked like he didn't give a crap (infact he even said he didnt) and it transferred to the players, they started playing like they werent that bothered. Also our fitness levels have dropped a lot under Scolari and are still low. In our games under Hiddink we've looked slack at the end of games.



Also hehe @ Villa. Dropped themselves out of Europe and rested their players but still fail to beat Stoke

 

[Ormorof]

and hull loose again

really need to get some wins! dont want to be in the championship again! noooooooooo

 

[Turamber]

Also hehe @ Villa. Dropped themselves out of Europe and rested their players but still fail to beat Stoke

Rested our midfield and attack, played the same defence bar Shorey and Cuellar came in and played at right back. And in the last two minutes of the game our defence went to sleep and let them back in. Co-incidence?

Just got back from the game and I literally feel gutted. Absolutely sick. First time we've had a lead in a game this season and failed to win. Bossed the game from the beginning to the 88th minute and played Stoke off the pitch.

Football can be a very cruel game.

 

[Vladamir]

Chelsea barely lost a game under grant if i remeber correctly, if it wasnt for the losses under mourinho then chelsea would have most likely won the league. And as to primadonnas and baggage then maybe but id class Ronaldo as just as much a primodona and piece of baggage,

IIRC it was only one game Mourinho lost in his final few games in the 2007/08 season - away at Villa Park.

 

[megadave]

IIRC it was only one game Mourinho lost in his final few games in the 2007/08 season - away at Villa Park.

We lost loads of points at the start of the season though. He could of atleast waited a few days til after the United game. Then we'd probably have won the league ;l

 

[Talivar]

yea seems u was right mourinho lost 1 drew 2 and won 3 in PL before being sacked that season and ofc the draw in rosenberg

 

[megadave]

On the Spanish front, it looks like Barcelona may be cracking a little bit, in defence atleast. No wins in their last four games and just lost 4-3 to Athletico!

 

[Everz]

Cheers for the laugh Villa, drop out of Europe to draw to Stoke, if Arsenal werent so terrible you'd be dropping out of CL spots soon enough. :lol:

 

[Everz]

On the Spanish front, it looks like Barcelona may be cracking a little bit, in defence atleast. No wins in their last four games and just lost 4-3 to Athletico!

Did you watch that match.. fcking amazing mate

Aguero is god, totally outshined Messi, who i must say was totally anomyous with ironically Gudjohnsen being Barca's best player imo.

 

[TheBinarySurfer]

I'm aware this is technically trolling but let me off this once:

I'll watch football when theres 1 landmine on the pitch for every player. That way the salaries (and the fuss they make over an injury) are justified.

 

[megadave]

Cheers for the laugh Villa, drop out of Europe to draw to Stoke, if Arsenal werent so terrible you'd be dropping out of CL spots soon enough. :lol:

If Arsenal haven't overtaken within the month then they might as well give up.

Villa's up coming fixtures

Man City v Aston Villa

Aston Villa v Tottenham

Liverpool v Aston Villa

Man Utd v Aston Villa

Arsenal's up coming fixtures

West Brom v Arsenal
Arsenal v Blackburn
Newcastle v Arsenal
Arsenal v Man City

However Arsenal do have Roma and Burnley added in between.

 

[Everz]

I'm aware this is technically trolling but let me off this once:

I'll watch football when theres 1 landmine on the pitch for every player. That way the salaries (and the fuss they make over an injury) are justified.

They pay more in taxes then you and the wages are generated off the massive income from the prem. End of.

 

[megadave]

Also they bring joy to millions of people world wide, and if they didnt receive the money it would just go to some corporate arsehole anyway

 

[Turamber]

Cheers for the laugh Villa, drop out of Europe to draw to Stoke, if Arsenal werent so terrible you'd be dropping out of CL spots soon enough. :lol:

Fookin' Yam Yams

Was certainly a shocking last two minutes against Stoke but feck we played well before that. Two contenders for our best goals of the season, and we've had some crackers.

I think Arsenal are the favourites now but, even if we drop to sixth, it has been a stonking league season and gives me lots of hope for next season.

 

[megadave]

Did you watch that match.. fcking amazing mate

Aguero is god, totally outshined Messi, who i must say was totally anomyous with ironically Gudjohnsen being Barca's best player imo.

Messi wasn't totally anonymous, he scored an awesome goal by bursting straight through the whole of Athletico's back line.

Or in this commentators words ... "Look at this for heavenly the little cherub; the little arch angel Gabriel. Comes out and spreads his wings. he's engaged to brilliance. What's he going to be like when he gets married. sick sign this boy up"

Atletico Madrid 4 - Barcelona 3

American + Geordie commentary combination is great. Fantastic game too