EPL 2012-2013

Uncle Si

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Gate, who on this board has claimed Liverpools stability? Its almost getting to the point where your posts are so inane they are no longer humourous. "The real Arsenal?" Boy kid, you still haven't sorted out the ebbs and flows of the Prem. The "real" anybody versus the one off good performances are the difference in rationality and fan boy. Honestly, who has looked exceedingly good or bad this season? Chelseas top 3 and recently lost to QPR. QPR is relegation bound but has beaten the European champions. There are a hundred similar examples. This is more than an anomoly, I believe they are true reflections of both the parity and mediocrity settling into the PL these days.

Anyways, Hazards actions are despicable. I don't care if that was Michu lying on the ball, you don't kick someone in the ribs. He will take a hefty beating on this one. Plastic fans can not turn away from this one no matter how much they villify the immaturity of a (clearly mature) ball boy

Looking forward to Wednesday. Always fun when two big teams meet mid week
 
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Gatehawk

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Did I say it was someone on this forum who said Liverpool are stable? No I didn't.

As for "The Real Arsenal" comment, I wasn't the one who said it first, I just picked it up from the commentator of the Arsenal match after this goal.
 

Uncle Si

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peachesenregalia":hrirjniq said:
he is a kid. I have to remind myself of this on occasion so that I don't just hate him. He has that certain naivite that you only get with neuveau soccer fans.


true, and appreciate the talk down. taken care of
 
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Gatehawk

Gatehawk

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7 EPL clubs have crashed out of the FA cup 4th round. Norwich and Liverpool suffering the more embarrassing upsets in my mind. That's not to say Luton Town and Oldham don't deserve to still be in it, they made their fans proud and put forth inspiring efforts to make it through.
 
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Gatehawk

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FA Cup 5th Round Draw

Oldham vs Everton
Arsenal vs Blackburn
Man City vs Leeds
Man United vs Reading
Huddersfield/Leicester City vs Wigan
MK Dons vs Barnsley
Luton vs Millwall.
Middlesbrough v Brentford or Chelsea

Oldham get rewarded for their big win by getting the other half of the Merseyside Derby. United get their 3rd straight EPL opponent in the FA Cup. Seems like Millwall got the best of the draw getting non-League side Luton Town.
 
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Gatehawk

Gatehawk

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peachesenregalia":2bh2pgdp said:
Here gate, what's gonna be your excuse when Arsenal crash out of the FA cup? Better competition than Bradford?

We'll cross that bridge when and if we get there. At least my club's still in the FA Cup.
 

Uncle Si

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Gatehawk":5mc7u6ce said:
peachesenregalia":5mc7u6ce said:
Here gate, what's gonna be your excuse when Arsenal crash out of the FA cup? Better competition than Bradford?

We'll cross that bridge when and if we get there. At least my club's still in the FA Cup.


I dont mind getting knocked out of the cup. Would have loved a deeper run, but with the lack of depth in this squad (as apparent in the back line choices today as we save up for Wednesday) we could probably do without the games.

However (and that was an emphatic HOWEVER).... losing to Oldham and looking like a JV team from the keeper to the top leaves a nasty taste. Im not going to say its unacceptable, as these results are somehow quite common this year. but it wasnt pretty and casts doubts on the futures of Jones, Wisdom, Coates and Robinson (and maybe Allen). We thought we would simply outscore them, but Oldham put their body in front of quite a few shots to their credit, and we did just fine missing when they werent in the way.

Not a good day at LFC.
 
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Gatehawk

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Uncle Si":1wu23obr said:
I dont mind getting knocked out of the cup. Would have loved a deeper run, but with the lack of depth in this squad (as apparent in the back line choices today as we save up for Wednesday) we could probably do without the games.

However (and that was an emphatic HOWEVER).... losing to Oldham and looking like a JV team from the keeper to the top leaves a nasty taste. Im not going to say its unacceptable, as these results are somehow quite common this year. but it wasnt pretty and casts doubts on the futures of Jones, Wisdom, Coates and Robinson (and maybe Allen). We thought we would simply outscore them, but Oldham put their body in front of quite a few shots to their credit, and we did just fine missing when they werent in the way.

Not a good day at LFC.

We all can, and should, agree that Oldham deserved to get no less than a replay with their performance. They never let Liverpool intimidate them, and went right at them without fear. Oldham's defense deserves tons of praise for defending the lead they had, it almost seemed like Suarez and company were kicking at a brickwall, as almost every shot Liverpool took in the 2nd half was blocked up front. On Liverpool's end I think most to blame for Oldham's goals is Skrtel and Jones as both of Matt Smith's goals came about because of a mishap in the Reds' defense, Brad Jones more as Skrtel couldn't do much about the ball going off his head. The 3rd Oldham goal nobody could do anything about it since is was a very good header that somehow slipped itself under the crossbar.
 

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Gate... Oldham deserved atleast a replay because of the fragility with which Liverpool attacked the game. The fact that a brutish center forward can push our players around and high pressing midfielders disrupt our intricate passing lanes is nothing brilliantly new to the 4-3-3 (just look at us against Stoke, or review Barcas season last year, theres a reason they play more direct now). Did they play inspired? sure they did. Its the FA cup, these stories are annual, and they come when the top teams dont do their business. Thing is, we should have been up 4-1 at half.

Nope, this was all about the team sheet. Asking two teenagers and an unbalanced, gangly 20 year old to make up 3 of the 4 back line, and then move from the preferred 4-3-3 to a two man midfield composed not of the grit and teeth of Gerrard and Lucas but of the slight Joe Allen and the constantly searching for confidence Jordan Henderson put us in a hole before the game started (and merely 2 minutes later). all three goals could have been prevented. But its not the end product where the trouble lie but an inability to maintain possession, dispose of obvious chances (Borini, Gerrard) and hold Oldhams attack before it got to the deepest target (again, same issue as with Stoke). Sturridge floundered and Sterling (a poor choice in my mind tonight) pushed the ball right into pockets of defenders instead of space.

Gerrard and Downing should have had the start, and probably Carra as well.

Oh well...
 

InSuarezWeTrust

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Liverpool has a sizeable amount of problems, the chief concern I think is that Liverpool has a decent starting XI, and relative garbage after that. This problem reared its ugly head today. Joe Allen's best days were in Swansea, Sterling seems to have lost that special "something" that showed early in the season. Henderson is wildly inconsistent, Coates signed his own loan, or outright sale slip today.

Just not enough quality in the squad when our best isn't out there. Onwards and upwards I guess.
 

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InSuarezWeTrust":m0pcl0g3 said:
Liverpool has a sizeable amount of problems, the chief concern I think is that Liverpool has a decent starting XI, and relative garbage after that. This problem reared its ugly head today. Joe Allen's best days were in Swansea, Sterling seems to have lost that special "something" that showed early in the season. Henderson is wildly inconsistent, Coates signed his own loan, or outright sale slip today.

Just not enough quality in the squad when our best isn't out there. Onwards and upwards I guess.


easy there... cant think of too many clubs outside Barca (and maybe Citeh) that can put out two solid 11s. The problem was the choices were in places we really lacked depth. I like Allen, Henderson and Sterling. I thought there positioning was the problem today (Allen and Henderson should not be alone in a 4-4-2, Sterling should not be a midfielder, needs to be higher up the pitch.... it looked like a 4-2-4 most of the first half). We definitely need new wing backs. Wisdom may come good, but Robinson needs a loan spell.

Like you said, onward and upward, learn the lessons. Arsenal...
 

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InSuarezWeTrust":39bif4n7 said:
Liverpool has a sizeable amount of problems, the chief concern I think is that Liverpool has a decent starting XI, and relative garbage after that. This problem reared its ugly head today. Joe Allen's best days were in Swansea, Sterling seems to have lost that special "something" that showed early in the season. Henderson is wildly inconsistent, Coates signed his own loan, or outright sale slip today.

Just not enough quality in the squad when our best isn't out there. Onwards and upwards I guess.


easy there... cant think of too many clubs outside Barca (and maybe Citeh) that can put out two solid 11s. The problem was the choices were in places we really lacked depth. I like Allen, Henderson and Sterling. I thought there positioning was the problem today (Allen and Henderson should not be alone in a 4-4-2, Sterling should not be a midfielder, needs to be higher up the pitch.... it looked like a 4-2-4 most of the first half). We definitely need new wing backs. Wisdom may come good, but Robinson needs a loan spell.

Like you said, onward and upward, learn the lessons. Arsenal...
 
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Gatehawk

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That was the bad Arsenal. Besides I wonder how you were celebrating between minute 64 and minute 67.

Honestly I think we can say both teams got a deserved point. Liverpool should not have given up the lead, more so with how fast it happened, and Arsenal let a slow start nearly kill them again. And at the end both teams had great opportunities to take all 3 and just good defending and bad shots prevented that.

I was feeling right when I saw the team sheets that Mertesacker shouldn't be starting, Koscielny would have been a better choice, and the fact that he was part of that comedy act that lead to Suarez's goal. I was really worried when Gibbs went down and Andre "Half-a** Defender" Santos came on, but he played fairly okay, aside from his mistake that lead to Henderson's goal. Arsenal really gotta stop waiting 45 minutes to actually start playing, cause it's starting to piss me off. Now with Gibbs expected to miss 3 weeks, Wenger better get off his ass and buy a Left Back or we're gonna be attacked on the left side to no end.

On a slightly related note, can someone please help me explain to this moron exactly why Liverpool's new signing, Coutinho, wasn't selected for the game? Because he clearly doesn't understand the transfer rules.
 

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Arsenal deserved a point? Christ they were fortunate. Aside from a 10 minute spell Arsenal didnt look like they even deserved to be in the PL. Liverpool should have been up at half by 3 or 4. Suarez and Sturridges inability to capitalize on the blunders of the Arsenal back line coming out cost us, and Henderson's inability to finish that chip was painful.

Go to second half and you have Vermaleen handling the ball like he took it hot out of the oven. How is that not a penalty? We finally get the second and shut off for 10 minutes. Suarez' last minute effort was the best thing the keeper did all night.

Disappointed to not get the full three. We were better for long long stretches of time, but a lack of clinical finishing cost us.

for Arsenal solid effort from Wilshere, who may have bee MOTM for me, and Walcotts nice finish. and loved Podolski and Giroud's diving antics... Gate, you must be super proud of them, considering the drums you bang on Suarez.

I have to say Liverpools inconsistency will keep them from challenging the last CL spot, unless Everton and Tottenham switch off entirely. The talent in our squad is there, but this is the second 2 goal lead we've let go. Cant wait to see Countinho on that wing, although Downing has shown himself quite credible. Henderson had a good game, but still lost for stretches
 
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Yeah, Liverpool should have been up at least 3-0 with how vulnerable Arsenal's defense was playing, but you weren't and paid for it. I said Arsenal deserved the point because of the fight back though the way you guys apparently are reading it you must think I'm saying Liverpool didn't deserve any points, they deserved at least a point, Liverpool deserved no less than a point. And again both teams had great chances at the end and both teams couldn't pull it through so let's just deal with it and not cause another stupid argument. As for the dives. First, what dive by Podolski? Second, I was at work listening to the game on talksport so I couldn't actually see the Giroud dive. And the reason I jump on Suarez about diving is cause it's so freaking obvious with him, not to mention he's admitted to diving.
 
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On a scale of 1-10 how would you rate your clubs Winter Transfer Window.

I'd say 4 out of 10 for Arsenal, resigning Walcott was probably the most important deal. The biggest gripe I have is that they waited until the absolute last second to do anything at all(Monreal's signing was confirmed after the window closed). Arsenal raiding Malaga once again was a bit of a surprise, and to the best of my knowledge Nacho Monreal is a fairly decent signing. Wish they had made more signings but it's better than doing nothing.


Pretty big news hearing about Brek Shea joining fellow Countryman Geoff Cameron at Stoke City. I had a feeling Shea was gonna be Europe bound at some point.
 

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What I was trying to say was that Liverpool pissed that game away... should have had all three. this is a reoccurring them with them this season. Not so much about Arsenal, who were very fortunate that their two goals made any difference.

Liverpool has the worst shot percentage of any team in the PL.... awesome stat.

as for deadline day, id give Liverpool an 7.

We needed strikers and attackers and got two very good ones. However, we also needed a Left back, CBack and DM and didnt even attempt it. It sounds like Diakate will be here in the summer, but the Arsenal game just reiterated their weaknesses in the back. Going to have to deal with it while making a run at 4-6
 

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