Premier League 2011-2012

[ibetwin]

Monday night’s match between Chelsea and Manchester City was a bizarre one. If you watched the first 30 minutes, you would have been spellbound by how superior Roberto Mancini’s side was. City was so much in control of this match that Chelsea looked like a mere mortal in comparison, unable to link passes together and looking worse than ordinary.

But that’s the beauty of soccer. No matter how much a team is in the driving seat, one goal can change everything thanks to a great run by Daniel Sturridge down the right and into the box, to cross to Raul Meireles and to tie the game.

The other bizarre aspect of the game was after Gael Clichy got sent off, you would presume that Chelsea would push forward with more tenacity due to their one man advantage. But Chelsea sat back and played an incredibly patient game. So patient, in fact, that they took the life of the match. The first half was entertaining. The second was a bore. That is, until Frank Lampard scored from a penalty to make it 2-1 to Chelsea.

At the end of the day, three points is all that matters. I don’t believe this was a superior performance by Chelsea, and I thought Manchester City could have done better to put this game out of Chelsea’s reach in the first half. But what it does tell us is that the Premier League title race is now wide open with Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal all in the running. When was the last time we could say that there were six teams chasing the title at Christmas time?

It also tells us that Manchester City is not invincible. They can be overcome, which will give their opponents a boost in the upcoming games.

Who do you think will win the Premier League this season?

[JimmyGreaves]

Monday, 12 December 2011
Barclays Premier League
What's occuring?

[Frank Hovis]

Spam Time Slip maybe ?

[caller]

Did you read any of that report Caller?

Thoughts?

Haven't had time, it will have to wait until the weekend.

[dtaai-maai]

Spurs 1-0 WBA
Glad we got that one out of the way... 3 good points in the end.

Man City 3-0
Only saw bits of the game and nobody looked very impressive.
Nice score line.
Then I saw the stats - from memory: Possession equal, corners about 10 apiece, shots on target about equal, goals... oops.

And no appeal against the Suarez ban. Interesting decision, as you'd have thought they would at least try to get it reduced if there was any wiggle room at all.
Maybe they are trying to cut their losses and get the ban out of the way while there are a few cup games to come.

[BaaBaa.]

Don't think cup games count, I'm hoping they take it higher.

Seems odd they won't appeal when the club statement was so aggressive and the FA statement is full of holes.

[sateeb]

, I'm hoping they take it higher.


Who?....God

[dtaai-maai]

Don't think cup games count,

Check that out, BaaBaa, coz I think I saw something to the contrary.

[redzonerocker]

Don't think cup games count,

Check that out, BaaBaa, coz I think I saw something to the contrary.

He will miss 5 prem games, 1 FA cup tie & both the Carling cup semi final games.
Can't see why it wouldn't count cup games, every other ban does

[sateeb]

Surely Baa Baa can't be wrong....After all he knows more about this than anyone


He will be banned for all domestic matches including the Carling Cup semi and FA Cup.

He will be available for the Man U match on Feb 11th

[redzonerocker]

Seems odd they won't appeal when the club statement was so aggressive and the FA statement is full of holes.

They obviously had it looked over by a legal eagle or two & decided it wasn't worth the risk of getting punished further.
Just how far it would have went is anyone's guess, the law courts

What seems quite obvious is that the FA would be turning a deaf ear to any appeal.
Which no doubt would have incurred further punishment for having the audacity to question their judgement in the first place

[BaaBaa.]

Back for the United match.

Should be interesting.

[dtaai-maai]

^^While I would love Liverpool to win, I suspect it will be more 'interesting' for Liverpool than it will for Man U.

EDIT: But I completely missed the point!

[dtaai-maai]

I've just read the most bizarre non-statements by Dalgleish, who hints none too subtly that there is so much he could and would like to say, but he can't because he'd be in trouble. Frankly, I think he'd be better leaving all that to the club's officials and officers while he concentrates on the many problems they have on the pitch.

An interesting blog from Early Doors, which, apart from the melodramatic headline, I broadly agree with.
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/ear ... 53446.html

EDIT: And another interesting, though only slightly relevant, little factoid I noticed while admiring Spurs' position in the table is that Liverpool have scored 24 goals in 20 games, while Blackburn have scored 29...

But never mind all that, let's hope Newcastle can play out of their skins tonight.

[BaaBaa.]

Eeeerrrm, he was getting asked the questions in a press conference.

What do you expect him to do?

We can't seem to score but we've hit the woodwork a ridiculous amount of times, are creating loads and also have the best defensive record in the league.

I'm not overly worried.