EPL 2013/14 Mega Thread - Previews, Reviews and General Discussion/Banter

[My Chumps]

lol Chelsea :P

[Nige]

lol Chelsea :P

Will be 'lol Liverpool' soon enough.  ;)

[My Chumps]

lol Chelsea :P

Will be 'lol Liverpool' soon enough.  ;)

I'm trying to enjoy it while it lasts  8)

[Nige]

lol Chelsea :P

Will be 'lol Liverpool' soon enough.  ;)

I'm trying to enjoy it while it lasts  8)

If Sturridge doesn't get up, you haven't got long left to enjoy.  :P

[My Chumps]

lol Chelsea :P

Will be 'lol Liverpool' soon enough.  ;)

I'm trying to enjoy it while it lasts  8)

If Sturridge doesn't get up, you haven't got long left to enjoy.  :P

Nil all draw would do me! :P

[T Dog]

KEY PLAYER: Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle)


took your advice on this Big Tom...nice work... ;D

[chrisuzz]

ANyone closer to the spurs have any clue whether Erikson will be a constant starter?

[BoredSaint]

ANyone closer to the spurs have any clue whether Erikson will be a constant starter?

hard to see him getting dropped after last weeks performance

hes pretty much playing the bale role isnt he.. and unless lamela comes up, cant see anyone else replacing

[Nige]

Swansea and Liverpool to draw.  ;)

8) 8)

Even better? Both Michu and Sturridge scored.  ;D

[Tominator]

ANyone closer to the spurs have any clue whether Erikson will be a constant starter?

hard to see him getting dropped after last weeks performance

hes pretty much playing the bale role isnt he.. and unless lamela comes up, cant see anyone else replacing

Tottenham have wonderful depth in midfield.


Chadli, Eriksen, Lamela, Paulinho, Dembele playing behind Soldado up front.

then their additional options are Townsend, Sigurdsson, Holtby, Sandro, Lennon and Capoue (who's injured) - I'm probably missing some as well but AVB has assembled a serious midfield

[My Chumps]

Swansea and Liverpool to draw.  ;)

8) 8)

Even better? Both Michu and Sturridge scored.  ;D

Can't say I'm disappointed! Sturridge is ridiculous  8)

[Nige]

Swansea and Liverpool to draw.  ;)

8) 8)

Even better? Both Michu and Sturridge scored.  ;D

Can't say I'm disappointed! Sturridge is ridiculous  8)

Where would you be without him?  ;)

[Tominator]

SWANSEA 2-2 LIVERPOOL

Jonjo Shelvey: 1 goal, 3 assists    8)

[Tominator]

GAMEWEEK 4 WRAP



Manchester United 2-0 Crystal Palace

Not the thrashing that everybody expected in this one. Palace managed to match it with United for much of the first half, and could have been ahead late in the half if Dwight Gayle's chip shot was a couple of inches to the left. Ashley Young controversially won United a penalty, which Robin van Persie converted. RVP could have had one earlier if his brilliant volley had not smashed into the crossbar - very reminiscent of "that" goal against Villa last season. Marouane Fellaini made his debut while Adnan Januzaj made his EPL debut off the bench, and was arguably United's most creative player. He won the free-kick which Wayne Rooney converted, to seal the win. United took the three points but Palace performed admirably.



Aston Villa 1-2 Newcastle

If nothing else came out of this match, it is that Hatem Ben Arfa is a very very good player. Scored one and assisted the other, he really is Newcastle's main focal point of attack. Villa have now not kept a clean sheet in 25 games, but Christian Benteke scored his 18th goal in 21 games to equalise for the Villans. He really is a scoring machine and deserves to be playing for a bigger club. Villa had performed well against quality sides like Arsenal and Chelsea, but in this one they did not really turn up, and Newcastle were the much better side, deserving winners after Yoan Gouffran tapped in Ben Arfa's parried shot.



Fulham 1-1 West Bromich Albion

Fulham fans feel very aggrieved after they only managed a draw. Fulham scored THREE disallowed goals - all (correctly) given offside - after Steve Sidwell opened the scoring in the first half, but were largely wasteful in front of goal. Of their 12 shots only 2 were on target. West Brom were also very poor in this game though, and a header in stoppage time from Gareth McAuley salvaged a draw for them. Two sides who have struggled early this year and didn't show an awful lot to disprove their doubters.



Hull 1-1 Cardiff

The first game between the two promoted clubs saw them come away with a point each. Both sides played the game at an attacking pace, and Hull should have gone ahead when Danny Graham blazed over the bar from very close range, with an open goal gaping. Hull were the better side and deservingly took the lead through Curtis Davies just before Half-Time. Cardiff hit back after with a brilliant team goal through Peter Whittingham. Caulker ---> Campbell ---> Cowie ---> Whittingham, from end to end in a matter of seconds. Aron Gunnarsson and Sone Aluko both came close to grabbing the lead, but the match finished a draw.



Stoke 0-0 Manchester City

Another unconvincing display from Manchester City. Manuel Pellegrini changed five of his front six players from the last match against Hull, but it was to no avail, with none of them being able to get past the brick wall that is Asmir Begovic. Stoke were extremely good defensively, and even had a couple of very good chances to get ahead through Jonathon Walters, Kenwyne Jones and new signing Marko Arnautovic who looks a very good signing for just 2 million pounds. Doubt he'll be as good as Michu from Swansea but you never know. Stoke are coming along nicely with Mark Hughes at t and were actually the better sideer side, but City are yet to find their rhythm if they want to win the title.



Sunderland 1-3 Arsenal

The scoreline suggests a very easy win to Arsenal, but in truth it was the opposite. Sunderland made them work for it, and could easily have been ahead if not for some contentious refereeing, which saw Paolo di Canio sent to the stands. New boy Mesut Ozil took just 11 minutes to get his first assist, teeing up Olivier Giroud to fire home his fourth goal in as many games this season. Arsenal dominated the first half but failed to extend on their lead, as Theo Walcott and others blew clear chances. After half-time Sunderland came alive. A foul from Laurent Koscielny saw Sunderland win a penalty and Craig Gardner converted. Sunderland very nearly took the lead when Steven Fletcher scored from an offside position, and nearly took it again when Gardner's free kick bounced off the post. The most controversial moment of the match came when referee Martin Atkinson failed to pay the advantage to Jozy Altidore, who went on to score after Bacary Sagna's challenge, denying Sunderland making it 2-2. Aaron Ramsey's late double continued his fine form, but killed the game off, and for all Sunderland's second half chances they had no points to show.



Tottenham 2-0 Norwich

Tottenham really showed how deep their midfield stocks are in this win over Norwich, who really didn't play well given their glimpses of potential. Tottenham had 23 shots to Norwich's 5, and two of those were goals to fringe player Gylfi Sigudsson. Debutant Christian Eriksen was brilliant all day, showing his technical ability, dazzling defenders and providing an assist, and receiving a standing ovation when being subbed off late in the game. Tottenham cruised to the win, and are now shaping as real Champions League contenders. Life without Bale is looking good down at White Hart Lane.


Everton 1-0 Chelsea

Everton defy the odds yet again to claim a big scalp. Roberto Martinez is undefeated in four starts - 3 draws and now a win. Everton made the most of their limited chances, with Steven Naismith grabbing a goal right on Half-Time. For Chelsea, they were very wasteful in front of goal. Andre Schurrle and Samuel Eto'o were the main culprits, missing some very gettable chances. Gareth Barry won the hearts of Toffees' fans with a goalsaving tackle on Eto'o as he wound up a shot into the open net. Chelsea should have scored 2-3, but Everton kept them blank and hung on for a gutsy win.



Southampton 0-0 West Ham

A game that hardly fits the "Super Sunday" billing. Pretty dour nil-all draw really, for two defensive-orientated sides which have struggled for goals this season. Southampton did create a lot of chances, but veteran Hammers goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen pulled off some terrific saves to keep the match scoreless. James Collins, the centre-back, had the Hammers' best chance of the game, but he skied his shot. For Southampton, Jay Rodriguez was good down the flanks, while Rickie Lambert was a threat as always, but neither side did enough to get on the scoresheet.



Swansea 2-2 Liverpool

Very good game to finish the round. Former Liverpool player Jonjo Shelvey opened the scoring for the Swans after 90 seconds, before barely a minute later, a horrendously-miscued Shelvey backpass saw Daniel Sturridge score the equaliser. Victor Moses was dominant down the left on his debut (on loan from Chelsea), troubling especially Angel Rangel, before intercepting a Shelvey pass and making a darting run on the counter-attack and scoring. Liverpool were 2-1 up at Half-Time, but in the second half they were a different team, switching off. Despite missing Pablo Hernandez, Swansea were more dangerous and created chances. Shelvey was determined to try and make amends, and did so, with a lovely flicked header teeing up Michu to score his first goal of the season. Swansea could have won it but 2-2 is a fair result.

[stew42]

Flowering Fulham. Honestly, we can't play for 90 mins to save our lives. I've been sticking up for Jol on the FB page, but honestly, it's getting hard. Especially when two of our more maligned players, Sidwell and Senderos, contributed to our goal, then WE FLOWERING CHOKE!!!
Life and times of a Fulham supporter lads.