The Barclays Premier League Thread 2013/14

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

As I said on twitter, he'll be super-lucky for Tan as he played for a red team, a red country and has an 8 in his height (in centimetres).

[Mad Jack]

Reputations are starting to precede Young and now Adnan. It's unfortunate but in no way should be used as an excuse for our failure to improve our midfield in the summer - which is the main source of the problem now. Hopefully we'll bring in some quality this month.

Also Nerf remains an insufferable twat.

There is an ignore feature

The only reason I don't is to remind myself that there's worse than baddar.

[Nerf]

That's silly. You can't get on my case when you're CHOOSING to be offended by me.

[Lineker]

@OleGunnarDragon is worth a foillow.

[Cymbols]

I'm more amused by the fact that Aston Villa seem to be following it. There are a few Tan parody's out there but most of the stuff is getting recycled now. So yeah, he needs to do some more batshit crazy things to freshen things up...

[Roster Depth Sicko No. 2]

I'd recommend Solskjaer try and sign Rogerio Ceni to solve their 'lack of goals from goalkeepers' conundrum.

[Lineker]

Thudds has had his haircut!

[Cymbols]

Fuuuuck...Libor Kozak's broken his leg in training today and is out for the season. Please step up Mr Benteke.

[brenchill]

Broken by Ciaran Clark

[Lineker]

Sparky has avoided a touchline ban.

[Colly]

Finally caught up with New year MOTD. Fuck knows what Debuchy was thinking, middle of the park too so no pressing need to take that ball. Could be an interesting back four through Jan with Colo out too.

Pretty sure Yaya Toure and Soldado are the only non injured players in my Dream Team. Not ideal.

[Baddar]

Paul Lambert says he could do without the distraction of the FA Cup and thinks other managers would feel the same if asked.

Surely, if anything is a burden, it's the League Cup? Games in midweek which are followed by a league game and sometimes even a game in Europe for certain sides the week after. There are weekends set aside for the FA Cup.

[stokeriño]

More like it takes them until January to realise how screwed they are, by which time they're either out of the League Cup or one step from the final.

[Lineker]

Mark Clattenburg is being investigated by referees’ chief Mike Riley after Southampton accused him of ‘abusing and insulting’ their captain, the England star Adam Lallana.

Sportsmail can reveal that the extraordinary incident occurred in Southampton’s 2-1 defeat by Everton at Goodison Park last Sunday.

Saints have written to the Premier League asking that Clattenburg is not appointed as an official for any of their matches until the investigation is over.

Clattenburg has a controversial style and it is understood the alleged insult was directed at Lallana after the referee turned down Southampton penalty appeals late in the game.

Last season, Clattenburg was accused by Chelsea of racially abusing their midfield player John Mikel Obi during a fiery Premier League clash against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge.

An FA inquiry concluded there was no case to answer and Clattenburg was back in charge of a Chelsea game six months after he had been accused of calling Mikel a monkey.

Tomorrow, Clattenburg will officiate the high-profile FA Cup third-round tie at the Emirates between Arsenal and Tottenham.

Lallana confronted Clattenburg at Goodison after his cross was met by the hand of Everton defender Antolin Alcaraz. The referee turned down Southampton appeals for a penalty.

According to sources close to the incident, Clattenburg spoke to the player in a manner that is ‘not what you might expect of one of the game’s top officials’.

Saints manager Mauricio Pochettino was furious with Clattenburg after the game and claimed the South Coast club should have been awarded two spot-kicks.

But Southampton, who followed up their loss at Everton with a 3-0 defeat by Chelsea at St Mary’s on New Year’s Day, have taken Pochettino’s complaints a step further by writing to the Professional Game Match Officials Ltd board.

Riley is investigating the matter, but PGMOL and the Premier League refused to comment.

Riley is duty-bound to speak with Clattenburg about Southampton’s claims and they are expected to respond to the club’s letter within the next few days.

Clattenburg is well known in the game for responding to verbal abuse from players with some choice phrases of his own.

After the match at Goodison, Pochettino complained bitterly about Clattenburg’s handling of the game.

The Southampton manager said: ‘These things need to be said and I am actually defending my club because it is my club and if I don’t talk I am going to be seen as if I am dumb or I don’t care about my club.

‘I don’t mean any disrespect against any referees but anyone watching the game can see there were two clear penalties that weren’t given or should have been given.

‘That would have changed the game completely but we weren’t given them and, of course, we are angry and upset about this.

‘I am saying that should not be forgotten in the overall analysis of the game and they need to be said. We don’t want to be judged by our young, handsome, good-looking players. We just want what’s fair. We can be a******s as well.’

Incredibly, last Sunday’s match was Clattenburg’s first appointment at Goodison Park since his questionable handling of the Merseyside derby won 2-1 by Liverpool in October 2007.

On that occasion he sent off Everton’s Tony Hibbert, allowed Liverpool’s Dirk Kuyt to escape after he launched a kung-fu kick at Phil Neville and ignored a penalty appeal when Jamie Carragher clashed with Joleon Lescott.

This weekend Clattenburg will be officiating Saturday's FA Cup third-round tie at the Emirates between Arsenal and Tottenham.

[stokeriño]

MIKE RILEY IS ON THE CASE

...which would be the worst detective drama ever.

[Summers]

Paul Lambert says he could do without the distraction of the FA Cup and thinks other managers would feel the same if asked.

Surely, if anything is a burden, it's the League Cup? Games in midweek which are followed by a league game and sometimes even a game in Europe for certain sides the week after. There are weekends set aside for the FA Cup.

I could do without Paul Lambert.

[Colly]

I think the basic translation is: Villa fans, don't buy tickets to the cup game as I'll be playing the u14s.

[brenchill]

I got "I don't need more games because were in the shit and need as much rest between league games as possible."

[Lineker]

Former Football Association chairman David Bernstein has been criticised for accusing club bosses of setting a "terrible example" to players.

The League Managers Association said Bernstein's comments were "misguided, unhelpful and inflammatory".

Bernstein, 70, spoke out after being made a CBE in the New Year Honours.

The LMA statement added: "It's particularly sad to find him celebrating his CBE by engaging in a megaphone commentary."

The former Manchester City chairman said managers were harassing officials and were being too critical of referees after matches.

"I have been involved with football for a long time and I do understand the pressures they are under but when you look at the constant protesting on the touchline and the comments afterwards, it doesn't do anyone or the game any good," Bernstein had stated.

The LMA defended its members from the accusations.

"It is important to recognise that managers in professional football contribute significantly to the success of the game both on and off the field," the statement continued.

"Having spent their lives dedicated to the game, they value it, are committed to seeing it continue to grow and to contribute to its future direction."

Bernstein was appointed FA chairman in 2010 but was forced to relinquish the post when he reached 70, under the Association's rules.

[stokeriño]

Daniele De Rossi on rejecting a move to Manchester United last summer:

"It was a good thing I didn't go to Manchester, now I would have committed suicide."