2012-13 English Football Season

[Bubba]

On to today, Another insane game of football where we can't smurfing defend. We're lucky we have a top strikeforce.

Seriously. United's defence is the quality of a lower midtable side (apart from Rafael, he's pretty handy) whereas their attacking players are some of the best the Premiership has ever seen. It makes for great entertainment.

Agreed, this much is clear. Considering you have to go down to Fulham in 14th to find a team with a worse defensive record. We'll come unstuck again guaranteed though when our strikeforce has another off day. Obviously more than happy with a seven-point cushion at the top though... especially when you consider we've already played a lot of tough away games (Everton, Chelsea, Liverpool, City) and generally come away with all three points.

[Heath]

I don't want to get all Kevin Keegan on you, but I would love it if we beat Chelsea and Benitez tomorrow, though I don't see it happening. I do rather like this four horse race for 4th between West Brom, Spurs, Everton and Arsenal at the moment (all on 33 points, Arsenal on 30 with a game in hand), though I suspect that Spurs and Arsenal are more likely to pip us to 4th.

[Psychotic]

Rafa's alright. You leave him alone.

[Bubba]

Well I guess Rafa isn't such a knob after all.

I'm predicting a 3-1 win for Utd today and I think City might run riot today against Norwich like they did last season... they're due a hamering after playing so well recently. I'm confident that Chelsea will drop points away at Goodison tomorrow too. Our first game of the season against the toffees was the only game so far I've seen where we've been completely outplayed. I'd take David Moyes for the next Utd manager when Fergie steps down.

[charliepanayi]

The Premier League - where defences go to die.

And if Liverpool would be so good as to lose to Mansfield in the FA Cup that would be great, as then people might forget about us falling on our backsides against Bradford.

[Psychotic]

Huh? People still give a trout about Liverpool?

[Old Manus]

Ah, right on cue, good ol' charliepanayi returns.

[charliepanayi]

I just need a Premier League team to lose to a team that's below Division Three! Mansfield v Liverpool was the first tie that came to mind.

Anyway here's to a 5-5 draw to Southampton on Tuesday.

[Bubba]

15 mins gone. QPR 0-2 Luis Suarez. He could score ten if QPR continue in the same vein.

[DK]

ahahahah harry redknapp

[Cuchulainn]

the premier league is so smurfed up right now

[Rocket Edge]

Does anyone still care about FF? I had Walcott as captain last gameweek - 52 points! My highest ever.

Anywho, I agree our defense has been awful, although with Vidic back we should be more tight. I shudder to think what we will be like against Real if we defend the way we have against the likes of Newcastle and so on.

[Psychotic]

I think I put Suarez and Michu in my team and then forgot about it. I sure hope I did.

[Old Manus]

I'm still doing FF, as I have sums of money riding on it in different leagues. The EoFF league inexplicably remains the toughest one.

In other news, Demba Ba in talks with Chelsea. I may be missing something here, but why are so many PL transfers domestic? The prices are ridiculous. Chelsea only want Ba because he did well at Newcastle; it's not like he was a trout player before that. I would have thought teams such as Chelsea would have vast scouting networks to pick up foreign talent before they came to the PL and added a magical £10M onto their price tag. I can't remember when the Swans last signed a domestic player. Pablo Hernandez has caps for Spain and has played in the Champions League, and he only cost 5 million.

[Rocket Edge]

That's a good point, but he is only going for 7M I believe, that's what his release clause is anyway.

Still, teams like Man City and Chelsea probably don't give a toss about bringing up youth (Man City is coming bottom of the under-21 league last time I checked). When you have money to burn it's just a case of who they can bring in who's best regardless of any kind of money. Youth systems are becoming meaningless to the mega-rich clubs, but why wouldn't it when you can buy a ready made player?