The Barclays Premier League Thread 2013/14

[FLiam]

Cracking game this. Everton have come on so much under Martinez, a real threat this season.

[MDK]

Starting to think that Moyes to Man U was the best thing to happen to Everton for a while.

[Baddar]

Starting to think that Moyes to Man U was the best thing to happen to Everton for a while.

Pretty sure that's been said by at least one person for the last six weeks.

They won't keep this up.

[MDK]

Starting to think that Moyes to Man U was the best thing to happen to Everton for a while.

Pretty sure that's been said by at least one person for the last six weeks.

They won't keep this up.

I think you should have gone for Martinez instead of Moyes

[King Ellis]

In addition to such thoughts, makes me laugh to think back at all the people who were like "Appointing a manager who just got his team relegated? :/"

[Jimmy]

Chelsea need to do the rest of us top 4 hopefuls a chance and recall Lukaku

[EddieG]

Chelsea need to do the rest of us top 4 hopefuls a chance and recall Lukaku

When did you stop supporting Spurs?

[METALMAN]

Martinez is a really good manager, and I was pretty sure he'd do well at Everton. But on the other hand, Moyes is great too. He did the bulk of the groundwork putting that Everton team together. And they aren't outstripping previously Everton teams by such a wide margin. After all, Moyes got them into the Champions League.

[King Ellis]

No he didn't, he just finished 4th. :/

[Crybaby Bunting]

To be honest Moyes was good for Everton, he just had a problem of signing players on absolutely stupid wages (I remember hearing Cahill was on something like £80k per week) which meant that he had a tiny squad that was ripped apart when the first major injury hit. There's plenty of positives in an approach like that, for it often meant that he had a top 4 calibre player in the squad that could turn a draw into a win.

Martinez is using a different approach by buying bulk and rotating, spreading the wage budget across several players. It wouldn't be anywhere as successful in a team without a successful youth academy but is perfect for Everton. Whether it'll be good or not when players start to tire is another story, because we've all seen teams that completely dominated for half a season and then dropped off (Hull was notoriously awful for that in their first season) but it seems to be working now.

[METALMAN]

Do you really think Moyes decided how much Tim Cahill was getting paid though?

[EddieG]

So Mourinho has apparently said he wants to manage Chelsea for 12 more years, before managing England or Portugal.

And Fellaini is out until the end of February.

[Starvinho]

The Fellaini injury probably came at a good time, Cleverley is in decent form, Fletcher is back and Carrick should be fit very soon, so we won't miss him as much as earlier in the season. Hopefully he comes back in February fit and refreshed ready for the crucial run-in.

[METALMAN]

Lol I'm not sure if Man Utd will have to worry about a crucial run-in.

[Colly]

If City win the league cup there'll be a battle for that 3rd Europa spot.

[therockbox]

And Fellaini is out until the end of February.

Some good news for Utd fans at last!

[Nerf]

Guillem Balague reports that Real Madrid don't believe Luis Suarez has a buyout clause in his new contract.

[Crybaby Bunting]

Suarez's buyout clause could be ten billion pounds but it wouldn't matter because Real Madrid will be making a move for Falcao in the summer instead.

[stokeriño]

Team to face Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry ©, Azpilicueta; Mikel, Lampard; Ramires, Willian, Hazard; Torres. #CFC

Subs: Schwarzer, Cole, Luiz, Mata, Oscar, Schurrle, Eto'o

They claim 4-2-3-1, but surely 4-3-3?

#Arsenal team to play Chelsea: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Gibbs, Arteta, Rosicky, Ramsey, Ozil, Walcott, Giroud

Subs: Fabianski, Podolski, Monreal, Cazorla, Flamini, Bendtner, Jenkinson

[Jimmy]

Suarez's buyout clause could be ten billion pounds but it wouldn't matter because Real Madrid will be making a move for Falcao in the summer instead.

Eh? If I don't care what kind of money I'm paying, I'd buy Suarez every single day of the week. Bar Messi & Ronaldo I'd say he's the 3rd best player in the world. Bale, Ronaldo & Suarez in one team would be insane.