The Barclays Premier League Thread 2013/14

[Dan]

Eto'o hat-trick:

Goal 1

Goal 2

Goal 3

[stokeriño]

"David Moyes, we want you to stay!"

I hope that's coming from the Chelsea fans.

Like there was any doubt.

[HailtotheYo]

Wow, this season just gets better and better.

I'm glad though, that ManUre is getting the FULL RVP experience. Awesome ain't it ?

You know, as "bad" as it got the last few years we still didn't fall past fourth and absolutely shit the bed.

[Jimmy]

You mean except for this time last year, when Arsenal, after 22 games, were 6th, on 34 points? Which is actually 3 points less than United are on now after the same amount of games.

[brenchill]

He's had you there, HttK.

[Sam]

I cant stop watching the third goal and Valencia spinning the player around so he could score.

[Gazz]

If Jones bought that dummy anymore he'd had ended up in the crowd.

[stokeriño]

Rooney in disguise at Stamford Bridge.

[stokeriño]

Only just seen the Rafael challenge properly. Jesus H. Christ.

[HailtotheYo]

You mean except for this time last year, when Arsenal, after 22 games, were 6th, on 34 points? Which is actually 3 points less than United are on now after the same amount of games.

Meh, fair point ... I was talking about the finish but yeah, so there was this blip. I don't expect, at all that ManU will finish any better than 6th.

[Colly]

Rooney in disguise at Stamford Bridge.

I saw him behind Jose pre kick-off, he's brilliant!

[METALMAN]

Thought it was Kirkland at first.

[Colly]

Much as I agree the cards for Vidic and Rafael were the wrong way round, what is Vidic thinking with that shit a challenge in injury time while two goals down? Massively let down Moyes there.

Valencia on the third goal is hilarious, just hugs Eto'o as he taps it in.

[Chris2K]

No idea why Spurs fans are so worried about the 29th, it's not like they're competing for anything else now the four Champions League places appear all but wrapped up.

You mean the same Spurs who are in 5th and equal on points with 4th place? In that case it's very nice of you to say that Spurs have 4th place all but wrapped up.

[Sam]

In terms of the big games left against rivals I think United will beat Liverpool, Everton and Newcastle. They may even snatch something against City. Whether we can be consistent enough to take 4th on that alone though I don't know. One thing I'm certain of is if you put rvp or Rooney into yesterday's match we probably would have walked away with a point as we had chances. The result was disappointing but our play was better than it has been. Don't know if that's just a result of Chelsea and their negative approach to football though.

[Baddar]

I'd been saying for weeks that if we continue to back off opponents, especially of Chelsea's calibre, we'd be punished. At HT yesterday we were 2 down because of a mixture of being unlucky and terrible defensively. We backed off Eto'o so much before he shot, and the same was happening all game against Hazard. It's been going on all season. We've been fortunate to not concede more than we have. If the opp get the ball in midfield, you know they'll get a chance before we retrieve it. In the second half against Swansea we pressed on halfway and made it difficult - against Chelsea, it was the same old stuff. You can't keep backing off pacey players and hope to get lucky.

[stokeriño]

Don't know if that's just a result of Chelsea and their negative approach to football though.

This is the criticism that comes because we didn't let United score enough goals, isn't it...

Because I know we had more shots than United. More shots on target than United. More corners than United. I haven't found somewhere with "chances created" type stats as yet. We came out in the second half with a healthy lead and still attacked, scoring another in short order.

There were periods in the match where United played better (periods near the start of the game in particular), but it's relatively rare that any game be completely one-way traffic and the winners don't get branded 'negative' in most of those.

I would have thought a more negative approach to football was to start fouling when you don't get your way (United's foul tally, 21, was their highest in any Premier League match since 2009), but I guess I stand corrected.

[brenchill]

Winning 3-1 with a front 4. Proper negative football.

[Baddar]

I know Jose and Chelsea have been negative in the past, but they can't be criticised for that on yesterdays showing.

[Gazz]

When Newcastle finish above Man Utd this season, will 'United' start referring to us instead, since we're the best 'United' in English football.