Topic: Premier League fixtures 14th/15th/16th September

[walshys_mullet]

Bored of the Ozil mania already. Hes only played a half against a crap team.

[downtown]

Fucking hate the word "squad" "players:" etc now.

If the league is decided all by which team has the best squad, or best players...why bother with managers and tactics ??!! Surely they become pointless if the so called "squad" or "team" is weaker than others on paper.

[Thog]

We weren't top of the league after 3 games under Kenny.

The Mancs club both won their first 5 games that season.

We were league leaders overnight then.

[Thog]

Fucking hate the word "squad" "players:" etc now.

If the league is decided all by which team has the best squad, or best players...why bother with managers and tactics ??!! Surely they become pointless if the so called "squad" or "team" is weaker than others on paper.

So you're saying the players at the manager's disposal don't have a part to play in where teams finish?

[DyingAtheist]

I don't think there's anything wrong with being jealous of the squads of other teams - it doesn't mean you want to swap with them, but you can't help but look at Spurs line-up and think "I'd have a bit of that", they've got some great players, as do the rest of the 5 teams we're competing against.
Fortunately, football isn't won on paper, and things like how well the team gels, how much they're willing to fight and their determination all play a huge part in the actual results.

We have that this year, based on the evidence so far - do Spurs?

[Thog]

Anyhoo, hope Borini comes on for Sunderland and grabs the equalizer. Don't know why he isn't playing ahead of Altidore who is awful.

[JustDan]

Penooo!

[payback]

pelanty sunderland!!!!!!

[The Gigi]

Koscielny giving away a penalty yet again. What a shitty start of the season he is having.

[Fiasco]

Tottenham go 2 up but Sunderland equalize.

[swoopy]

Sunderland 1 Arsenal 1

[EmotionalCitrus]

Season over, Spurs have scored again 

[SamAteTheRedAcid]

Gardner. Haha.

[JustDan]

Scores from the spot! Nice one

[downtown]

So you're saying the players at the manager's disposal don't have a part to play in where teams finish?

They do. But the manager is still a very significant part of the equation.

You can have a good squad on paper, and be utter tosh in reality. no way QPR had the worst squad in the league last season for example.

or United the best squad in the league in 2009/10 when they won it replacing Tevez with Owen and Ronaldo with Valencia.

[NealFrom25Yards]

City have been brutally bad.

Stoke killing them.

[Danny_]

Haha! Sunderland penaly.  Yesss! 1-1. LOL!

[Melbred]

Oh look Arsenal concedes a penalty.

[Kop10]

Koscielny is a good defender but he's too aggressive at times.

[koppitekop11]

Great pelanty but terrible dive. Nice one 

[xbugawugax]

I don't want to get carried away after three games in which we've scraped through all of them. We had decent runs last season, only for us to brought back down to Earth the next game. If we can beat Swansea then I know we mean business this year.

Your the eternal pessimist.  Kind of like I am.  We have got the results while not playing that well and that is a good sign.  Just see how many titles Man u won while we all argue they play like shite.

When we start beating teams 1-0, the media claims we are lucky but when Man u does it, the media Man u lovefest headlines that the stuff champions are made off.

Before you berate me for it, I too am a bit apprehensive after all the false dawns.  Just take it a game at a time. If we win against Swansea then its fantastic and look forward to the next game.  No point saying that we are the bees knees when we beat swansea but lose the next 3 fixtures(touch wood it would not happen!)

[Heighwayondawing]

Okay maybe jealous is the wrong word because obviously I love Liverpool but I can't say that I wouldn't be happier if we had the likes of Lamela, Jovetic etc - players that our rivals have and are the reason why it will be incredibly difficult to break into the top four, despite our start to the season.

What you're not taking into account though is the fact that there's a cohesive system in place here and the players have worked under Rodgers long enough to understand that system. He's had time to implement his vision and acquire the right types of players for it. Obviously he's had to do that in a creative fashion and doesn't have the world class talent as his disposal, but the list of teams who have just bossed a league by walking on the pitch is very short. He's built a squad that would seem to have some interchangeable pieces to it. The players you named are fine and I wont deny it would be nice to have some of them, but we're not exactly void of class at the moment. Chances are not very good that those players are going to bed in and turn those clubs into powers overnight. I like our chances, but I'm not blind to the fact that the clubs you name have massive talent.

[rob1408]

Okay maybe jealous is the wrong word because obviously I love Liverpool but I can't say that I wouldn't be happier if we had the likes of Lamela, Jovetic etc - players that our rivals have and are the reason why it will be incredibly difficult to break into the top four, despite our start to the season.

Why do you bother ?  It's clear that you're one of those people that take little joy from the game and look for every negative rather than enjoy the positives.  Every side in the country would want Suarez, Sturridge and Coutinho in their squad, then there's Gerrard, Agger and Mignolet, not to mention the quality youngsters.  We also have a manager that seems to have a bit about him.  We'll do okay, I thought we'd finish above Spurs before the season started, I've seen nothing to change my mind.

[Niru Red4ever]

Ozil should have saved that penalty.

[Thog]

We only picked up two points off our first five games last season. It didn't mean we were relegation candidates.

[Liverbird27]

After the wankfest that was going on here, I just knew one of Spurs/Arsenal were gonna drop their lead in the second half! 

Glad it was Arsenal....

[youll never walk alone it]

we were top of the league in may 2009?  oh dear.

[El Lobo]

Thanks. And I'm not saying our squad is too shabby either but on paper (and I know football isn't played on paper) we're probably behind the rest of the top six. No one had us down to finish fourth before the season because of that. We started the season well under Kenny in 11/12, first three games unbeaten, top of the league for the first time since May 2009 but then we lost to Stoke 1-0 and Spurs 4-0.

True. First or second, not fourth.

We haven't 'started the season well'. Our form since January is right up there and we've added well to that squad. This isn't a three wins from nowhere. We've carried on our excellent form.

[Po The Panda]

All the stick Mancini got, I don't think Pellegrini will be that much better the football looks more of the same.

[Earl of Dingleberry]

Di Canio must send Borini in to finish off Arsenal!

[DyingAtheist]

Think Chelsea will take the league this season, can see the other 3 spots being fought out by the rest of the teams... don't think City or United will be pushing ahead like they have done in the past.

[Melbred]

True. First or second, not fourth.

We haven't 'started the season well'. Our form since January is right up there and we've added well to that squad. This isn't a three wins from nowhere. We've carried on our excellent form.

Indeed

A little fact.

We've got 8 clean sheets out of the last 10 league games. We're just continuing our form, and converting what would've been draws last season into wins.

[The 1989 Brit Awards]

All the stick Mancini got, I don't think Pellegrini will be that much better the football looks more of the same.

Give it time. A lot of signings to click. Once they do they'll destroy.

Just like everyone is giving Spurs the title now.

[HoinkDoink]

Stoke are actually playing quite well

[swoopy]

Stoke are actually playing quite well

You should be banned for saying that dirty sentence

[Stringer123]

We only picked up two points off our first five games last season. It didn't mean we were relegation candidates.

Just like no one is saying that we are title candidates right now. But top 4? I think so.

[ryatnalkar]

What channel on sop cast is the arse game?

[Thog]

Why do you bother ?  It's clear that you're one of those people that take little joy from the game and look for every negative rather than enjoy the positives.  Every side in the country would want Suarez, Sturridge and Coutinho in their squad, then there's Gerrard, Agger and Mignolet, not to mention the quality youngsters.  We also have a manager that seems to have a bit about him.  We'll do okay, I thought we'd finish above Spurs before the season started, I've seen nothing to change my mind.

I strive for excellence. You can't rest on your laurels. We want to be aiming for the league do we not? I love watching us play well and win, but that doesn't mean everything is fine and dandy. Even Rodgers alluded to it yesterday, saying the squad is still not there and will take several more windows to get the depth and quality required.

[Bangin Them In]

All the stick Mancini got, I don't think Pellegrini will be that much better the football looks more of the same.

True

Those egos will probably have very little input from a coach/manager actual taken on board in terms of either style or formation, and the manager will always pay for that, even though in all probability he has minimal influence

As a team ethos we are probably far better off in terms of cohesion than they ever will be

[DyingAtheist]

Give it time. A lot of signings to click. Once they do they'll destroy.

Just like everyone is giving Spurs the title now.

Not sure their signings are anything particularly special though. Even before they joined City.