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Author Topic: English Premier League (EPL) Thread  (Read 256449 times)

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Offline Deeks

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Re: 2014/15 English Premier League Thread.
« Reply #1590 on: March 21, 2015, 02:20:26 PM »
The build up for Newcastle goal was absolutely delightful. Bakes, you are correct that Newcastle were unfortunate not to get a point from their endeavor today.
« Last Edit: March 21, 2015, 02:22:10 PM by Deeks »

Offline Deeks

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Re: 2014/15 English Premier League Thread.
« Reply #1591 on: March 21, 2015, 03:04:09 PM »
I know this is not the Italian league thread. Just saw an equalizing goal by Cagliari against AC. AC in the Cag. area making short passes and they lost it. Cagliari took the ball from their area to Milan area with 5 passes. The Cagliari left wing put Mexes on his bottom with a wicked beat and as the keeper try to make the goal small, the Cag. forward slid the ball under the keeper for a wonderful goal. But guess what, credit to AC, the scored within 3 mins to take the lead again. Mexes, the man who was on the receiving end two mins ago, scored a wicked half volley from a corner kick. What a way to recover. Nice game.

Offline Dansteel - The Iceman

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Re: 2014/15 English Premier League Thread.
« Reply #1592 on: March 21, 2015, 04:20:11 PM »
The build up for Newcastle goal was absolutely delightful. Bakes, you are correct that Newcastle were unfortunate not to get a point from their endeavor today.
Arsenal lost the midfield battle in the second half but were equally unfortunate not to be out of sight by half time, slicing through Newcastle at will late in the first.

The team couldn't get out of their half in the second period but dealt well with Newcastle's attack with strong penalty box defending and excellent goalkeeping.

Oh and Arsenal now lead the league in set piece goals. Who would have thought?
Victoria concordia crescit

Offline Bitter

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Re: 2014/15 English Premier League Thread.
« Reply #1593 on: April 06, 2015, 02:11:05 PM »
I repeat again. I don't know how Navas keeps getting a sweat.

Pardew for Manager of the Year?
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Offline Peong

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Re: 2014/15 English Premier League Thread.
« Reply #1594 on: April 06, 2015, 02:15:54 PM »
Crystal Palace 2-0 up lol.  Pellegrini ask the 4th official to signal a sub for Kompany and then what happened, he changed his mind?

Offline Deeks

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Re: 2014/15 English Premier League Thread.
« Reply #1595 on: April 06, 2015, 02:56:55 PM »
2-1, Palace? Was not expecting that!

Offline lefty

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Re: 2014/15 English Premier League Thread.
« Reply #1596 on: April 06, 2015, 03:22:11 PM »
 ;D chelsea need all d help dey could get....dey runnin outa steam and fast
I pity the fool....

Offline Bitter

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Re: 2014/15 English Premier League Thread.
« Reply #1597 on: April 07, 2015, 01:58:32 PM »
I love a relegation battle.
Villa vs QPR. 2-2

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Offline Bitter

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Re: 2014/15 English Premier League Thread.
« Reply #1598 on: April 07, 2015, 02:25:58 PM »
Benteke is a beast!

3-3!
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Offline Bitter

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Re: 2014/15 English Premier League Thread.
« Reply #1599 on: April 07, 2015, 02:41:13 PM »
Game ends QPR 3 - Benteke 3. With another great goal to cap off a weekend of great goals.
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Offline soccerman

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Re: 2014/15 English Premier League Thread.
« Reply #1600 on: April 08, 2015, 09:04:28 AM »
Game ends QPR 3 - Benteke 3. With another great goal to cap off a weekend of great goals.
For a team in a relegation battle, QPR don't play bad at all. It's actually surprising to see them at the bottom of the table.

Offline lefty

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Re: 2014/15 English Premier League Thread.
« Reply #1601 on: April 26, 2015, 08:18:16 AM »
man u getting ah tactical beat down from everton
I pity the fool....

Offline Bitter

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Re: 2014/15 English Premier League Thread.
« Reply #1602 on: May 16, 2015, 06:12:57 AM »
Villa trying hard to get relegated.
4-0, 27 minutes gone.
Should have been 5-0, Pelle had a good goal disallowed.

Mane get a hat-trick in 3 minutes.  :whip:
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Offline asylumseeker

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2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread
« Reply #1603 on: June 14, 2015, 09:02:02 AM »
West Ham to appoint 'club legend' to help Slaven Bilic
Jason Burt (The Telegraph).


West Ham United are planning to hire at least one former player – a "club legend" – to help new manager Slaven Bilic.

Names have already been put forward with West Ham hoping to replicate the success of Teddy Sheringham who worked as an attacking coach under Sam Allardyce and is now the manager of Stevenage.

Possible candidates include: John Hartson, Tony Cottee, Don Hutchinson and Dean Ashton while another idea is to also employ someone such as Julian Dicks on the staff. Bilic is himself a former West Ham player, of course.

No-one has yet been approached and it all depends on who wants to do it – and what coaching badges they have.

A more immediate concern for Bilic, who flew into London on Friday to start his new job, and with West Ham playing their first competitive match, in the Europa League, two weeks on Thursday, is to obtain work permits for two of his trusted backroom staff.

It is a formality for one of the Croatians, Edin Terzic, as he was born in Menden, Germany, and has an EU passport but for the other two, Nikola Jurcevic, the first-team coach, and Miljenko Rak, the fitness coach, there may be a hearing this week with West Ham hoping, given their vast experience, they will be backed by the Football Association.

Slaven Bilic appointed new West Ham manager
Jeremy Wilson (The Telegraph).


Slaven Bilic has set himself the target of turning West Ham United into Champions League challengers and is today also expected to make Sampdoria midfielder Peter Obiang his first signing.

Bilic was yesterday confirmed as the successor to Sam Allardyce on a three-year contract worth around £3 million per season and the club have also provisionally agreed a £4.3 million deal for Obiang, a 23-year-old former Spain Under-21 international. They are hoping to add as many as four other players this summer, although winger Andrew Ayew, who is out of contract at Marseille, was yesterday in talks to join Marseille.

Bilic move could prove inspired but it's a big risk.

West Ham turned to Bilic after missing out on a series of other managerial targets and, although his appointment has been enthusiastically welcomed by fans, the club have inserted a clause that would mean he would leave with no compensation in the event of relegation next season. Bilic has made it clear that he is aiming for a top half finish and then steadily build towards regular European football after the move to the Olympic Stadium next year. “The ambition is to try to be top ten, definitely and then improve on that,” he said. “First season, if we can finish eighth, ninth or tenth. Then, in the space of a few seasons, with the stadium and everything, with hype, with probably a little bit more budget, with good planning and good play, nobody can stop us dreaming of European places or if we have a brilliant season to try to break into the Champions League places."

Carlo Ancelotti, Rafa Benitez, Jurgen Klopp, David Moyes, Marcelo Bielsa and Unai Emery are among the other managers that were approached either directly or indirectly for the job, with West Ham hoping that the prospect of moving into the 54,000-seat capacity Olympic Stadium next season would help them lure a high-profile replacement. They now want Bilic to take the team to what they regard as the “next level” and be challenging for trophies. The move to the

Olympic Stadium will transform the club’s potential, particularly its matchday and commercial revenues, and there will be immediate scope for significant squad investment. Bilic will begin work later this month ahead of a first Europa League match on July 2.


Bilic became a cult hero at West Ham after Redknapp signed him from Karlsruher SC

Although replacing Allardcye with Bilic is clearly a risk in this final season at Upton Park before the move to the Olympic Stadium, he will begin with huge goodwill from fans after previously playing for the club in the 1990s. “It is a great place to play and I felt like I was at home,” said Bilic yesterday. “I could feel that they really wanted me so it was an easy choice. I remember West Ham as a special club. I love these kind of special clubs. My last club, Besiktas, was that kind of club. It's not about the size - there is something special about them - they are a cult club. It is not only business; it is personal, it is emotional.

"It’s impossible to have a bigger bond with a club in such a small period of time. Every day was something special and the fans at that point wanted us to not only stay up and win the game but to win in style but they wanted to see good football. It was not just about winning.”

David Sullivan and David Gold, the West Ham co-owners, have said that “there isn’t a more exciting job in the Premier League at present”.

Bilic’s past history with the club was certainly important, with Sullivan and Gold keen to appoint a manager who more in tune with the club’s fans and the so-called ‘West Ham Way’ than Allardyce. Yet while Bilic is assured a longer honeymoon, it will not be easy to immediately better Allardyce’s record. Having got West Ham promoted from the Championship in 2012, Allardyce has since established the club in the Premier League.

Although Bilic was hugely successful during six years with Croatia, peaking with the quarter-finals of Euro 2008, his club career has been more mixed. He spent one season with Lokomotiv Moscow but was sacked after leading the club to their worst league finish (ninth) since the Russian championship was formed in 1992. He then joined Besiktas in the Turkish Super Lig and they finished third in both seasons under him.

West Ham will hope that the combination of additional funds ahead of the stadium move and Bilic’s own popularity can recreate the sort of momentum, spirit and fervour that underpinned his success with Croatia. Rio Ferdinand, the former England captain, played with Bilic at West Ham previously and said that he was a personality who commanded dressing-room respect.

“He's a solid appointment,” said Ferdinand. “He had 18 months at West Ham where he was a very good player and someone I looked up to as a defender”.

Asked if he used to enjoy a “crafty cigarette” – Bilic would sometimes be seen smoking around the Croatia training base when he was manager – Ferdinand said: “You'll have to ask him that. He was a fantastic guy, a great professional.”
« Last Edit: June 14, 2015, 09:03:38 AM by asylumseeker »

Offline Flex

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Re: 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread
« Reply #1604 on: June 17, 2015, 11:32:53 AM »
Saturday, August 8th, 2015

AFC Bournemouth v Aston Villa
Arsenal v West Ham United
Chelsea v Swansea City
Everton v Watford
Leicester City v Sunderland
Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur
Newcastle United v Southampton
Norwich City v Crystal Palace
Stoke City v Liverpool
West Bromwich Albion v Manchester City

Saturday, August 15th, 2015

Aston Villa v Manchester United
Crystal Palace v Arsenal
Liverpool v AFC Bournemouth
Manchester City v Chelsea
Southampton v Everton
Sunderland v Norwich City
Swansea City v Newcastle United
Tottenham Hotspur v Stoke City
Watford v West Bromwich Albion
West Ham United v Leicester City

Saturday, August 22nd, 2015

Arsenal v Liverpool
Crystal Palace v Aston Villa
Everton v Manchester City
Leicester City v Tottenham Hotspur
Manchester United v Newcastle United
Norwich City v Stoke City
Sunderland v Swansea City
Watford v Southampton
West Bromwich Albion v Chelsea
West Ham United v AFC Bournemouth

Saturday, August 29th, 2015

AFC Bournemouth v Leicester City
Aston Villa v Sunderland
Chelsea v Crystal Palace
Liverpool v West Ham United
Manchester City v Watford
Newcastle United v Arsenal
Southampton v Norwich City
Stoke City v West Bromwich Albion
Swansea City v Manchester United
Tottenham Hotspur v Everton

Saturday, September 12th, 2015

Arsenal v Stoke City
Crystal Palace v Manchester City
Everton v Chelsea
Leicester City v Aston Villa
Manchester United v Liverpool
Norwich City v AFC Bournemouth
Sunderland v Tottenham Hotspur
Watford v Swansea City
West Bromwich Albion v Southampton
West Ham United v Newcastle United

Saturday, September 19th, 2015

AFC Bournemouth v Sunderland
Aston Villa v West Bromwich Albion
Chelsea v Arsenal
Liverpool v Norwich City
Manchester City v West Ham United
Newcastle United v Watford
Southampton v Manchester United
Stoke City v Leicester City
Swansea City v Everton
Tottenham Hotspur v Crystal Palace

Saturday, September 26th, 2015

Leicester City v Arsenal
Liverpool v Aston Villa
Manchester United v Sunderland
Newcastle United v Chelsea
Southampton v Swansea City
Stoke City v AFC Bournemouth
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City
Watford v Crystal Palace
West Bromwich Albion v Everton
West Ham United v Norwich City

Saturday, October 3rd, 2015

AFC Bournemouth v Watford
Arsenal v Manchester United
Aston Villa v Stoke City
Chelsea v Southampton
Crystal Palace v West Bromwich Albion
Everton v Liverpool
Manchester City v Newcastle United
Norwich City v Leicester City
Sunderland v West Ham United
Swansea City v Tottenham Hotspur

Saturday, October 17th, 2015

Chelsea v Aston Villa
Crystal Palace v West Ham United
Everton v Manchester United
Manchester City v AFC Bournemouth
Newcastle United v Norwich City
Southampton v Leicester City
Swansea City v Stoke City
Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool
Watford v Arsenal
West Bromwich Albion v Sunderland

Saturday, October 24th, 2015

AFC Bournemouth v Tottenham Hotspur
Arsenal v Everton
Aston Villa v Swansea City
Leicester City v Crystal Palace
Liverpool v Southampton
Manchester United v Manchester City
Norwich City v West Bromwich Albion
Stoke City v Watford
Sunderland v Newcastle United
West Ham United v Chelsea

Saturday, October 31st, 2015

Chelsea v Liverpool
Crystal Palace v Manchester United
Everton v Sunderland
Manchester City v Norwich City
Newcastle United v Stoke City
Southampton v AFC Bournemouth
Swansea City v Arsenal
Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa
Watford v West Ham United
West Bromwich Albion v Leicester City

Saturday, November 7th, 2015

AFC Bournemouth v Newcastle United
Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur
Aston Villa v Manchester City
Leicester City v Watford
Liverpool v Crystal Palace
Manchester United v West Bromwich Albion
Norwich City v Swansea City
Stoke City v Chelsea
Sunderland v Southampton
West Ham United v Everton

Saturday, November 21st, 2015

Chelsea v Norwich City
Crystal Palace v Sunderland
Everton v Aston Villa
Manchester City v Liverpool
Newcastle United v Leicester City
Southampton v Stoke City
Swansea City v AFC Bournemouth
Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United
Watford v Manchester United
West Bromwich Albion v Arsenal

Saturday, November 28th, 2015

AFC Bournemouth v Everton
Aston Villa v Watford
Crystal Palace v Newcastle United
Leicester City v Manchester United
Liverpool v Swansea City
Manchester City v Southampton
Norwich City v Arsenal
Sunderland v Stoke City
Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea
West Ham United v West Bromwich Albion

Saturday, December 5th, 2015

Arsenal v Sunderland
Chelsea v AFC Bournemouth
Everton v Crystal Palace
Manchester United v West Ham United
Newcastle United v Liverpool
Southampton v Aston Villa
Stoke City v Manchester City
Swansea City v Leicester City
Watford v Norwich City
West Bromwich Albion v Tottenham Hotspur

Saturday, December 12th, 2015

AFC Bournemouth v Manchester United
Aston Villa v Arsenal
Crystal Palace v Southampton
Leicester City v Chelsea
Liverpool v West Bromwich Albion
Manchester City v Swansea City
Norwich City v Everton
Sunderland v Watford
Tottenham Hotspur v Newcastle United
West Ham United v Stoke City

Saturday, December 19th, 2015

Arsenal v Manchester City
Chelsea v Sunderland
Everton v Leicester City
Manchester United v Norwich City
Newcastle United v Aston Villa
Southampton v Tottenham Hotspur
Stoke City v Crystal Palace
Swansea City v West Ham United
Watford v Liverpool
West Bromwich Albion v AFC Bournemouth

Saturday, December 26th, 2015

AFC Bournemouth v Crystal Palace
Aston Villa v West Ham United
Chelsea v Watford
Liverpool v Leicester City
Manchester City v Sunderland
Newcastle United v Everton
Southampton v Arsenal
Stoke City v Manchester United
Swansea City v West Bromwich Albion
Tottenham Hotspur v Norwich City

Monday, December 28th, 2015

Arsenal v AFC Bournemouth
Crystal Palace v Swansea City
Everton v Stoke City
Leicester City v Manchester City
Manchester United v Chelsea
Norwich City v Aston Villa
Sunderland v Liverpool
Watford v Tottenham Hotspur
West Bromwich Albion v Newcastle United
West Ham United v Southampton

Saturday, January 2nd, 2016

Arsenal v Newcastle United
Crystal Palace v Chelsea
Everton v Tottenham Hotspur
Leicester City v AFC Bournemouth
Manchester United v Swansea City
Norwich City v Southampton
Sunderland v Aston Villa
Watford v Manchester City
West Bromwich Albion v Stoke City
West Ham United v Liverpool

Tuesday, January 12th, 2016

AFC Bournemouth v West Ham United
Aston Villa v Crystal Palace
Liverpool v Arsenal
Swansea City v Sunderland

Wednesday, January 13th, 2016

Chelsea v West Bromwich Albion
Manchester City v Everton
Newcastle United v Manchester United
Southampton v Watford
Stoke City v Norwich City
Tottenham Hotspur v Leicester City

Saturday, January 16th, 2016

AFC Bournemouth v Norwich City
Aston Villa v Leicester City
Chelsea v Everton
Liverpool v Manchester United
Manchester City v Crystal Palace
Newcastle United v West Ham United
Southampton v West Bromwich Albion
Stoke City v Arsenal
Swansea City v Watford
Tottenham Hotspur v Sunderland

Saturday, January 23rd, 2016

Arsenal v Chelsea
Crystal Palace v Tottenham Hotspur
Everton v Swansea City
Leicester City v Stoke City
Manchester United v Southampton
Norwich City v Liverpool
Sunderland v AFC Bournemouth
Watford v Newcastle United
West Bromwich Albion v Aston Villa
West Ham United v Manchester City

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2016

Arsenal v Southampton
Crystal Palace v AFC Bournemouth (8:00)
Leicester City v Liverpool
Manchester United v Stoke City (8:00)
Norwich City v Tottenham Hotspur
Sunderland v Manchester City
Watford v Chelsea
West Bromwich Albion v Swansea City
West Ham United v Aston Villa

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2016

Everton v Newcastle United

Saturday, February 6th, 2016

AFC Bournemouth v Arsenal
Aston Villa v Norwich City
Chelsea v Manchester United
Liverpool v Sunderland
Manchester City v Leicester City
Newcastle United v West Bromwich Albion
Southampton v West Ham United
Stoke City v Everton
Swansea City v Crystal Palace
Tottenham Hotspur v Watford

Saturday, February 13th, 2016

AFC Bournemouth v Stoke City
Arsenal v Leicester City
Aston Villa v Liverpool
Chelsea v Newcastle United
Crystal Palace v Watford
Everton v West Bromwich Albion
Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur
Norwich City v West Ham United
Sunderland v Manchester United
Swansea City v Southampton

Saturday, February 27th, 2016

Leicester City v Norwich City
Liverpool v Everton
Manchester United v Arsenal
Newcastle United v Manchester City
Southampton v Chelsea
Stoke City v Aston Villa
Tottenham Hotspur v Swansea City
Watford v AFC Bournemouth
West Bromwich Albion v Crystal Palace
West Ham United v Sunderland

Tuesday, March 1st, 2016

AFC Bournemouth v Southampton
Arsenal v Swansea City
Aston Villa v Everton
Leicester City v West Bromwich Albion
Liverpool v Manchester City
Manchester United v Watford
Norwich City v Chelsea
Sunderland v Crystal Palace
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur

Wednesday, March 2nd, 2016

Stoke City v Newcastle United

Saturday, March 5th, 2016

Chelsea v Stoke City
Crystal Palace v Liverpool
Everton v West Ham United
Manchester City v Aston Villa
Newcastle United v AFC Bournemouth
Southampton v Sunderland
Swansea City v Norwich City
Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal
Watford v Leicester City
West Bromwich Albion v Manchester United

Saturday, March 12th, 2016

AFC Bournemouth v Swansea City
Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion
Aston Villa v Tottenham Hotspur
Leicester City v Newcastle United
Liverpool v Chelsea
Manchester United v Crystal Palace
Norwich City v Manchester City
Stoke City v Southampton
Sunderland v Everton
West Ham United v Watford

Saturday, March 19th, 2016

Chelsea v West Ham United
Crystal Palace v Leicester City
Everton v Arsenal
Manchester City v Manchester United
Newcastle United v Sunderland
Southampton v Liverpool
Swansea City v Aston Villa
Tottenham Hotspur v AFC Bournemouth
Watford v Stoke City
West Bromwich Albion v Norwich City

Saturday, April 2nd, 2016

AFC Bournemouth v Manchester City
Arsenal v Watford
Aston Villa v Chelsea
Leicester City v Southampton
Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur
Manchester United v Everton
Norwich City v Newcastle United
Stoke City v Swansea City
Sunderland v West Bromwich Albion
West Ham United v Crystal Palace

Saturday, April 9th, 2016

Aston Villa v AFC Bournemouth
Crystal Palace v Norwich City
Liverpool v Stoke City
Manchester City v West Bromwich Albion
Southampton v Newcastle United
Sunderland v Leicester City
Swansea City v Chelsea
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United
Watford v Everton
West Ham United v Arsenal

Saturday, April 16th, 2016

AFC Bournemouth v Liverpool
Arsenal v Crystal Palace
Chelsea v Manchester City
Everton v Southampton
Leicester City v West Ham United
Manchester United v Aston Villa
Newcastle United v Swansea City
Norwich City v Sunderland
Stoke City v Tottenham Hotspur
West Bromwich Albion v Watford

Saturday, April 23rd, 2016

AFC Bournemouth v Chelsea
Aston Villa v Southampton
Crystal Palace v Everton
Leicester City v Swansea City
Liverpool v Newcastle United
Manchester City v Stoke City
Norwich City v Watford
Sunderland v Arsenal
Tottenham Hotspur v West Bromwich Albion
West Ham United v Manchester United

Saturday, April 30th, 2016

Arsenal v Norwich City
Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur
Everton v AFC Bournemouth
Manchester United v Leicester City
Newcastle United v Crystal Palace
Southampton v Manchester City
Stoke City v Sunderland
Swansea City v Liverpool
Watford v Aston Villa
West Bromwich Albion v West Ham United

Saturday, May 7th, 2016

AFC Bournemouth v West Bromwich Albion
Aston Villa v Newcastle United
Crystal Palace v Stoke City
Leicester City v Everton
Liverpool v Watford
Manchester City v Arsenal
Norwich City v Manchester United
Sunderland v Chelsea
Tottenham Hotspur v Southampton
West Ham United v Swansea City

Sunday, May 15th, 2016

Arsenal v Aston Villa
Chelsea v Leicester City
Everton v Norwich City
Manchester United v AFC Bournemouth
Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur
Southampton v Crystal Palace
Stoke City v West Ham United
Swansea City v Manchester City
Watford v Sunderland
West Bromwich Albion v Liverpool

« Last Edit: June 17, 2015, 11:36:28 AM by Flex »
The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

Offline Bakes

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Re: 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread
« Reply #1605 on: June 17, 2015, 11:40:38 AM »
Seven more weeks!

Offline Deeks

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Re: 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread
« Reply #1606 on: June 17, 2015, 04:26:07 PM »
Wow, AFC Bournemouth. What a dream!!! Then reality in 7 weeks.

Offline asylumseeker

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Re: 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread
« Reply #1607 on: June 29, 2015, 11:16:18 AM »
Cech completes Gunners move
FIFA.com


Petr Cech has completed his protracted move to Arsenal on a long-term contract for an undisclosed fee following 11 seasons and nearly 500 appearances with London rivals Chelsea. The 33-year-old has been one of the mainstays of the Roman Abramovich era at Stamford Bridge, winning nearly every club honour with the Blues along the way.

Having been a regular for ten years, he found his playing time limited last season, losing his first-team spot to Thibaut Courtois and had been expected to move on this summer, with Arsenal leading the chase for a couple of months. The Czech said: "I'm really excited about joining Arsenal Football Club and can't wait to join up for pre-season."

Cech joined Chelsea from Rennes in July 2004 for £7m and went onto establish himself as one of their greatest goalkeepers. He won four Premier League titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups and played key roles in helping them go all the way in the 2011/12 Champions League as well as the Europa League the following season.

But Cech, who was twice named in the PFA team of the year during his time at Chelsea, played understudy to Courtois last season and made just 15 appearances in all competitions, prompting his move to north London. "I have the same commitment to football, the same motivation and the same hunger for success as I had at the beginning of my career, and I love the challenges brought by the top quality players you face while playing in the Premier League," he said.

"When Arsene Wenger spoke to me about his ambitions for this club, and how he saw me as part of this team, the decision was clear."

Chelsea described the departing custodian as an "icon" on their official website, with Cech himself posting a lengthy letter to their supporters on his Twitter page. "I thought this would never happen but it is time for me to say goodbye to Chelsea Football Club," he wrote. "The club I have lived every single minute for since joining July 2004, the club in which I thought I'd hang my gloves and boots one day and finish my career. But life doesn't always turn out the way you think it will.

"Last summer, things changed and I understood I was no longer the first choice keeper but I felt it was not the right time for me to go. During the season it became clear that my situation would not improve and as I know I am not at the stage of my career where I want to be on the bench, I made my decision to move on and look for new challenges."

Cech expressed his gratitude towards Chelsea owner Abramovich for allowing him to remain in England, even though it meant selling him to a potential title rival this season. He said: "I spoke to Mr Abramovich about me staying in the Premier League and I'd like to thank him from the bottom of my heart for his support in this matter. It means so much to me because without him Chelsea Football Club would not be where it is now. He deserves huge credit for what he has done for the club and for all of us."

Cech then hailed the Blues supporters, adding: "A huge thank you to the Chelsea fans. I did everything for you and you gave me your love back. I'll never forget it. It will stay with me forever. "We will meet again but this time I will be in the other goal - I hope you will remember our history and understand it is time for me to begin a new adventure."

Cech will face competition from Wojciech Szczesny and David Ospina for the number one jersey at the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger revealed his delight at his latest acquisition, saying: "Petr Cech is a player that I have admired for a long time and I am very pleased that he has decided to join us. He has proven over many seasons that he is one of the outstanding keepers in the world and he will add great strength to our squad."


Offline Deeks

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Re: 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread
« Reply #1608 on: June 29, 2015, 11:22:25 AM »
Class!

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Re: 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread
« Reply #1609 on: June 29, 2015, 11:52:30 AM »
Liverpool acquired Milner. Isn't he somewhat of a luxury signing for a club supposedly striving to pierce the ceiling?

Thus far, in addition to Milner, Rodgers has purchased Danny Ings, Joe Gomez, Adam Bogdan and Firmino. He's also not off-loaded Kolo Toure. Nothing thus far smacks of the sort of ambition expected.

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Re: 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread
« Reply #1610 on: July 01, 2015, 10:54:35 PM »
Leicester and Nigel Pearson have spurned each other. Thanks for keeping us up, but no thanks ... we doh need you and your 'vision going forward'. The club's statement referred to "fundamental differences in perspective".

That places Leicester looking for a manager with roughly 35 days before kick-off. Not ideal. Nor entirely promising.

Where will Pearson resurface?
« Last Edit: July 01, 2015, 10:57:27 PM by asylumseeker »

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Re: 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread
« Reply #1611 on: July 02, 2015, 12:53:10 AM »
Leicester and Nigel Pearson have spurned each other. Thanks for keeping us up, but no thanks ... we doh need you and your 'vision going forward'. The club's statement referred to "fundamental differences in perspective".

That places Leicester looking for a manager with roughly 35 days before kick-off. Not ideal. Nor entirely promising.

Where will Pearson resurface?

My money's on a brothel in Thailand ;)

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Re: 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread
« Reply #1612 on: July 02, 2015, 05:48:33 AM »
Leicester and Nigel Pearson have spurned each other. Thanks for keeping us up, but no thanks ... we doh need you and your 'vision going forward'. The club's statement referred to "fundamental differences in perspective".

That places Leicester looking for a manager with roughly 35 days before kick-off. Not ideal. Nor entirely promising.

Where will Pearson resurface?

My money's on a brothel in Thailand ;)

I think he'll be avoiding Thailand under the circumstances. Reports now confirm he was fired for reasons other than his managerial stewardship. Let's call it the sins of the son haunting the father.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/leicester-city-racist-orgy-video-5794654
« Last Edit: July 02, 2015, 05:50:51 AM by asylumseeker »

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Re: 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread
« Reply #1613 on: July 02, 2015, 06:23:35 AM »
I speculated as much on FB yesterday.

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Re: 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread
« Reply #1614 on: July 12, 2015, 12:45:48 PM »
Raheem Sterling to Manchester City!

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Re: 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread
« Reply #1615 on: July 12, 2015, 12:57:19 PM »
An open letter to Raheem Sterling from a Liverpool fan
By Jim Boardman (Mirror).


Dear Raheem,

It looks like you're finally leaving us, that your games with the media have worked out for you and that you're heading off down the East Lancs Road to play for the second most famous team in the North West's second most famous city. Good luck on your new adventure, no hard feelings, hope it works out for you.

I can't say that I speak on behalf of all Liverpool fans in wishing you good luck and especially not in saying no hard feelings - I've heard lots of things wished on you and luck certainly hasn't been the main one. But still, all good things must come to an end and you've got a new set of fans to try and make happy now. As I say, good luck with that.

Those new fans will probably disagree with the bit about theirs being the second most famous city in the North West, as of course they're entitled to, but it would be hard for them to disagree with the bit about them being the second most famous club in their city. Take money out of the picture for a second - go on, try - and you've kind of moved to Manchester's Everton.

In my experience their fans are actually great people, the vast majority of those I've known down the years have a great sense of humour - they needed one - and a massive amount of humility. No doubt there'll be a new breed of fan infiltrating the old guard, as happens at any club with new found success, those who are only there for the trophies and won't be there to help fight for more if they show any signs of drying up. I can think of a few players like that. On the whole though, you're moving to a club with a great set of fans - but leaving behind a club with a much larger set of great fans.

You probably didn't read it, but your short-lived new team mate James Milner pointed this out earlier in the week. He loved his time at Manchester City and no doubt felt a certain amount of sadness at leaving behind those fans, his friends and so many memories, but already he is talking about "the magnitude" of Liverpool FC and "globally how well that it is known". As he said, Liverpool "is that next level again."

I fully understand where you're coming from in wanting to play at a club where you can win things and play at the highest level with or against the best players in the game. Believe it or not, Liverpool fans want their club to do that too. We're not happy at only winning one trophy in nine years or dropping straight out of the Champions League (when we actually do qualify for it), but we're not about to ditch our Red shirts and scarves and raid one of Mike Ashley's shops to kit ourselves out in sky blue. We'll stay and fight. That’s what we do.

We've not forgotten the heights of the best half-season you had with us, the second half of the 2013-14 season. We'll never forget it, even if there was nothing to show for it in the end. We'll never forget lining Anfield Road as the team bus drove slowly down it through banners dripping with references to this club’s great history and thick smoke from all the pyro as fans sang their hearts out and showed everyone on that team bus exactly what this club is all about.

This club is all about its fans, even if sometimes it seems to completely forget that.

These fans fought for their club when you were still at school, at the Merseyside school you moved to so you could finish your education after Rafa Benitez and Frank McParland had brought you to Liverpool's Academy and given you your break. While you were there, we were marching on Anfield and making ourselves heard around the world and especially on Wall Street. We made sure everybody knew we wouldn't be giving our club up as easily as our then owners and the people they'd put our club in hock to hoped we would.

We fought so that there was still a club there for you to get your big chance at.

If we’d had your kind of fight there wouldn’t be a Liverpool Football Club any more.

You'll see more of our kind of fight soon if Liverpool don't start to find the success that you also claim to be leaving for. You'll see it from a distance, but you'll definitely see it if it's needed.

Of course it might not be needed, and we really hope it isn’t, because it might just be that we go into this season with a squad of players with the hearts and attitude to fight tooth and nail on the pitch for the success these fans crave, instead of a squad scattered with half-hearted types who expect it all handed to them on a plate.

You've almost certainly done us a massive favour, so thanks for that. Your interview with the BBC didn’t just get the ball rolling on you getting your big money move to that club 30 miles away, it highlighted the fact - and it is a fact - that Liverpool are falling way below expectations. It's already quite clear that Liverpool fans won't allow their expectations to be lowered any more than they already have been and the time for excuses has long since passed.

There’s also the £49million fee we’re going to get for you. For all the potential you have – and you’ve plenty of it – you’ve yet to have one good full season in the first team. It could turn out to be a lucrative deal for your new club, if you turn out to be as good as your potential suggests you can be. But it’s more of a gamble for Manchester City than it is for Liverpool. The gamble from our side is whether or not we can spend that windfall wisely.

Owners, managers, coaches and players come and go, some leave on better terms than others, some leave more of a mark than others. In five years’ time will Liverpool fans have much they remember you for in a Red shirt? Nothing you’d like to be remembered for anyway.

You’ll be remembered for holding a balloon and acting like one.

Good luck and goodbye.

Best wishes,

Jim, Liverpool fan


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Re: 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread
« Reply #1616 on: July 15, 2015, 07:55:59 AM »
Leicester's hiring of Claudio Ranieri has been more or less greeted with muted response. No one seems to be particularly excited about.

Wha else? Interesting how van Gaal slid van Persie out the door with not much fanfare. Another manager, and van Persie probably wouldn't be going anywhere.

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Re: 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread
« Reply #1617 on: July 20, 2015, 01:16:06 PM »
Louis van Gaal planning sole striker role for Wayne Rooney at United
By Jamie Jackson (The Guardian, UK).


Wayne Rooney will be Manchester United’s main centre-forward this season, with Louis van Gaal clear there is no longer a need for the four-striker model that has brought the club so much success.

Rooney is the only proven finisher in the manager’s squad but Van Gaal is unconcerned because he wants goals to come from all areas. Radamel Falcao and Robin van Persie have left Old Trafford and though James Wilson and Javier Hernández are still in the squad they have struggled to establish themselves. Yet Van Gaal is relaxed regarding recruiting another frontline finisher because of how he hopes the side will play and his faith in Rooney, despite him scoring only 12 Premier League goals last season.

Van Gaal is targeting Barcelona’s Pedro, a forward who would be able to play across the attack of the manager’s planned 4-3-3 formation. If the Spaniard did arrive he would be expected to complement Rooney, Memphis Depay, Wilson and Hernández. The latter is to be given a chance to prove himself when he joins the club’s tour of America on 25 July after resting following the Copa América.

While Van Gaal would be open to buying a striker should he vastly increase scoring options, Rooney is to be the focal point of attack. There would be no issue with him being the only high-profile centre-forward in the squad as Van Gaal believes the rest of his side will contribute. Depay, who was the top scorer in PSV’s Eredivisie title win last season, will be tried as a central striker.

United’s previous success has been based on having four top-line finishers. Sir Alex Ferguson’s 1999 and 2008 Champions League winning teams each had a quartet of marksmen. The European Cup triumph of 16 years ago featured Dwight Yorke, Andy Cole, Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. In 2008 the trophy was claimed with Rooney, Carlos Tevez, Cristiano Ronaldo and Louis Saha available to Ferguson.

Last season Van Gaal had Rooney, Van Persie, Falcao and Wilson as his four. “We still have Rooney, he can play in the striker’s position, and all the media had written [he can] play there so I listened. Also Chicharito [Hernández] and maybe Wilson,” said Van Gaal, who hinted at a further addition. “Maybe there comes a surprise.”

Of Hernández, who was on loan at Real Madrid last season, he said: “Chicharito is coming on 25 July – he can prove himself again. Now Falcao and Van Persie are gone so his chances are better.”

In the 1-0 victory over Club América in Seattle, Depay was deployed as a No10 behind Rooney. “Wayne coached me a lot through the game and talked to me about which position I should take and when to defend,” the Dutchman told manutd.com. “We have to form a duo and I have the right feeling with him.

“The manager said congratulations on my debut; he was happy for me. He expects much more from me as well and that’s important for me to work on. I had some moments and some passes but I expect more from myself. I’ll keep focused and keep training hard.”

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Re: 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread
« Reply #1618 on: July 20, 2015, 01:23:34 PM »
Liverpool agree £32.5m deal with Aston Villa for Christian Benteke
By Nick Ames (The Guardian, UK).


Liverpool to pay half of fee up front for 24-year-old striker
Player will not join Liverpool for remainder of pre-season tour


Christian Benteke is expected to have a medical at Liverpool on Monday after the club agreed terms for the £32.5m transfer of the Aston Villa striker.

Liverpool activated the Belgian’s release clause on Friday but the deal could proceed no further until a payment plan was agreed between their chief executive, Ian Ayre, and his opposite number at Villa, Tom Fox.

The structure of the deal, believed to involve Liverpool paying £16m up front, has been settled and Benteke is free to complete a move that would make him Brendan Rodgers’ seventh signing of the close season.

The Liverpool club doctor, Andy Massey, has flown back from the current leg of the club’s tour, in Adelaide, to conduct Benteke’s medical in London. Assuming there are no hitches, Benteke will be a Liverpool player this week but will not join his new team-mates for the final stage of their tour, in which they play a Malaysia XI in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.

It is hoped that he will join Roberto Firmino, whose £29m arrival from Hoffenheim will become Liverpool’s second-most expensive deal of the summer, in beginning pre-season training at their Melwood training ground on Wednesday.

Benteke scored 15 goals in 34 appearances for Villa last season, including the equaliser in their FA Cup semi-final win over Liverpool. He made his comeback in October after a six-month absence with a ruptured achilles, and was particularly instrumental in Villa’s late-season revival under their manager, Tim Sherwood. The striker’s three seasons at Villa Park, since joining as a relatively unheralded 22-year-old from Genk, brought 49 goals from 101 games.

Now 24, Benteke is approaching his peak years but is also a player Rodgers will feel he can improve. Liverpool have lacked a consistent presence in attack since the departure of Luis Suárez last summer, with Daniel Sturridge sidelined by injury for long periods and Mario Balotelli failing to convince since his arrival from Milan.

Benteke’s departure will be a big blow to Villa, who also lost Fabian Delph to Manchester City last week. Sherwood would like to sign the Tottenham striker Emmanuel Adebayor as a direct replacement.

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Re: 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread
« Reply #1619 on: August 01, 2015, 09:04:38 PM »
Premier League 2015-16 preview: Chelsea
By Paul Doyle (The Guardian, UK).


The big question about Chelsea and the season ahead is whether other teams will force José Mourinho’s side to be better. The dominance of Mourinho’s men in last term’s Premier League was damning on all the pretenders whose faffing or bungling contributed to making Chelsea’s relatively seamless progress sometimes seem boring. It may transpire that the most damaging thing any so-called title rivals did to Chelsea last season was to infect the Stamford Bridge side with a complacency that could jeopardise the defence of their crown. But there is still plenty of time left this summer for Mourinho to prove the rabble did not even achieve that.

“You are speaking with the manager of the best team in England – we don’t have frailties,” said Mourinho last week, but that was probably just him making light of the pre-season friendly defeat to New York Red Bulls rather than the airing of a genuine belief his squad is perfect. After all, Chelsea have been pursuing John Stones because they know time is one opponent John Terry cannot subdue forever and interest in Pedro and other forwards suggest Mourinho wants to broaden his team’s attacking repertoire and squad. Hopefully they will need to.

How worried Mourinho is about other clubs’ reinforcing may determine how vigorously he pursues his transfer targets: he surely knows who he wants and has his eyes on players who could solve problems in the way that Nemanja Matic, Cesc Fàbregas and Diego Costa have done since the Portuguese’s second coming at Stamford Bridge, but it may be he will accept waiting until January or next summer to sign his ideal recruit if he is unconvinced the Manchester clubs, Arsenal and Liverpool have made up sufficient ground this summer. And one advantage of being scheduled to meet Manchester City in the second match of the season is that if Mourinho misjudges the levels of that team’s improvement he may still be able to respond accordingly in the summer transfer window.

Standing still would be an obvious risk and one that you suspect Mourinho would be loth to run given that he would probably be boasting two titles from two Premier League campaigns since his return to England if Chelsea had not decided to muddle through with Fernando Torres while waiting for Costa in the 2013-14 season. What is more, even if merely replacing deputies – Asmir Begovic for Petr Cech, Radamel Falcao for Didier Drogba and, it seems, Baba Rahman for Filipe Luís – turned out to be enough to stay on top in England it would hardly restore Chelsea to elite status in the Champions League, where they were found badly wanting last season. Although their elimination by PSG was more to do with Mourinho’s residual negativity rather than personnel problems and that, too, is a fact Mourinho must face.

Chelsea do not, of course, need major surgery. Their goalkeeping options are excellent and their defence looks to be still the strongest in the Premier League, with the highly promising Kurt Zouma providing solid cover if the Terry-Gary Cahill axis starts creaking. Stones would offer more security on that front if signed. Branislav Ivanovic is the best right-back in the Premier League and César Azpilicueta can deputise for him well and Rahman, if he joins, should prove sturdier backup on the left.

It is further forward where Chelsea could do with strengthening. Mourinho used fewer players than any other manager in the Premier League last season, showing both his trust in his first-choice team and, perhaps, doubts about the lack of depth. Fàbregas and Matic dovetailed beautifully at the base of Chelsea’s midfield for most of last season but there were times in the second half when they seemed jaded or vexed by the strain of having to play nearly every match. Is Ruben Loftus-Cheek ready to step in?

Eden Hazard was the one creative player who consistently delivered for Chelsea, at times being the most thrilling player in the league. But the extent to which Chelsea came to depend on him was not healthy and triggered the question as to how they would cope if the Belgian were to be sidelined by a heinous foul or the cumulative effect of constant petty ones. Willian was regularly dynamic and inventive too but still needs to embellish his game with goals while Oscar and Ramires were erratic last term. Juan Cuadrado raised concerns that the player who had looked so good for Colombia during the World Cup was secretly replaced by a Doppelgänger. Maybe one or all members of that trio will regain their best form, or maybe Mourinho should buy an upgrade or two.

Uncertainty also hovers over Chelsea’s strikers. Costa proved a wonderfully potent and belligerent Premier debutant last term (but failed to score in the Champions League), unpleasant and deadly in a way defences despise and supporters must admire. But his hamstring proved equally pesky towards the end of the season and Chelsea will hope that problem has been remedied and no other one emerges; if it does then Loic Rémy, a less abrasive but faster and cutting replacement, will have to fill the breach again or Falcao will be given a chance to show that his bluntness at United last season was not a symptom of terminal decline.

Chelsea remain the team to catch, but there are enough doubts about the champions to give other clubs hope if they can sort themselves out.

Guardian writers’ predicted position: 1st
Last season’s position: 1st
Odds to win the league (via Oddschecker): 13-8

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« Last Edit: August 09, 2015, 05:34:16 PM by asylumseeker »

 

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