Premier League Thread 2015-16

When Sissoko is on form, he's a monster.

 

Wijnaldum's been the best player on the pitch, he deserves that.

2-0.

 

Mental season

 

Far too good for Newcastle though.

 

Yeah, wish we'd gone for him.

 

We're still only 2 points behind Liverpool then.

 

Chelsea are 2 points off relegation. Come on £2 bet at 750/1.....

 

There was a rumour, one of many - probably the Dutch connection- that we were looking at him in the summer.
He really would have made a difference to us, and provided drive and goals from midfield.
Maybe if Newcastle go down????

 

Even if they don't....

 

Very strange Premier League this season. It's so competitive I almost don't mind Saints being on a bit of bad form [I said almost] because it's so unpredictable. Haven't seen this sort of competition in the elite division for donkey's years. Certainly never in the PL, as far as I can remember.

 

I think there are several on here, including me, who would have him here in a heartbeat.

 

They are tough games to compare. Sturridge and Origi were on fire against us. Then strangely both dropped to the bench against Newcastle. Origi hadn't score in ages and then got a hat-trick against us. It was very bad timing to play him, he probably won't ever play better than that for Liverpool.

Having said that it's mainly down to belief. Newcastle had the belief. When we went 1-0 up to Liverpool we looked like scared cats. We should have been feeding Tadic and letting him attack Randall. But we just lost the plot frankly and seemed to be trying to force it down the right. It was as if the players felt we had nothing to gain and everything to lose after the early goal. Somehow the team needs to be more confident and positive in general, believe in themselves more as a unit. We need to get that same team spirit back that the Championship side had. But that is admittedly going to be very difficult to replicate considering the ins and outs. Koeman needs to keep drilling it into them over and over.

Amazingly Rob Elliot only made one save.

 

In truth, against Liverpool I think we had an off-day. There was a time when, if Saints beat anyone, they'd obviously had an off-day. Well, I believe Saints have risen in stature to the point where if we are comprehensively beaten then it is probably due to two factors. The opposition had a very good day and we had a very poor one. The sooner we leave this pit of bad form the better.

 

Further on my earlier post, the Beeb have done a little analysis. You'd think I had some editorial control. :
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/35021767

 

I don't entirely believe Ranieri can take all the credit at Leicester. Pearson must be the polar opposite, and had them on this run well before the end of the season via techniques such as strangling opposition players and having his son rampage across Thailand sticking metaphorical British flags in Thai hookers. In all seriousness, the style of play, set of players, and mentality was set at the point their great escape started. It took a while to gel throughout the season, but once it started, they quickly became the star of stats such as 'if the league started on x date, Leicester City would be top by 9 points' etc. So our example shows what happens when you get 'different managers (and personnel), same problem', whereas theirs is showing 'different managers, same great taste'. Ranieri is probably surprised at how light a touch he needed to get this team going.

 

Saturday 12th December 2015: KO 15:00 Crystal Palace v Southampton
Referee : Mike Dean: Assistants - S Long & A Holmes : 4th Official = R East

 

Everton huffing and puffing but they can't blow the Palace down. 0 - 0 70th minute.

 

A bit of Saints like defending at a corner and it is Palace 1 up.

 

Lukaku equalises.

 

OMG how was that not a penalty to Palace?