2012/2013 English Premier League thread

[d_phaneuf]

That was 1 of 3 incidents in the game

he threw another headbutt and an elbow, and also an open handed punch

you get 3 with a straight redcard, so I am guessing 3 is the absolute minimum, and because he did it repeatedly I could easily see 6

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

Hughton is a great manager, Newcastle firing him made no sense (although Pardew has proven to be good)

While it was a blow to lose Lambert, especially in a messy breakup, Hughton has exceeded all expectations so far. Although I wouldn't expect Norwich to stay in 7th for much longer given a tough stretch of fixtures coming up, they are higher than most people (myself included) expected them to be at this point.

He made a number of excellent acquisitions over the summer. Bassong has been huge, Garrido, Whittaker. Even Turner (after a couple of bad games at the start of the season). The defence was last year's weak spot, and it has been totally revamped and improved.

Signing Bunn as an experienced backup has proved to be vital. Snodgrass and Tettey have also been great.

Although Norwich fans will forever be grateful of Lambert pulling the team out of the dark ages, Hughton has made this team his own. My only criticism is that he seems to leave his substitutions until very late in the game, long after the point where Norwich are scrambling and some players are struggling. But on the other hand, he's getting the results, so it is hard to moan about it. But there have been a few games where it seemed like they were barely hanging on and the game was crying out for some fresh legs.

[Bagor]

Italian striker Mario Balotelli will face Manchester City at a Premier League tribunal in London on Wednesday. Balotelli is fighting City's decision to fine him two weeks' wages for his poor disciplinary record last season.
The 22-year-old missed 11 games domestically and in Europe last season because of suspensions.
Balotelli appealed against the decision but an independent panel of City's board upheld the penalty. The case will now be heard by a three-man panel.
The striker is expected to appear in person, along with his Italian lawyer and a representative from the Professional Footballers' Association, while City will bring their legal team.
A two-week fine is the maximum penalty stipulated in standard player contracts and, although City refused to comment on the case, they are privately confident of winning.
It is unusual for internal disputes between clubs and their players to go to a Premier League tribunal. The PFA has advised the player throughout and its chief executive, Gordon Taylor, told BBC Sport: "We try to avoid situations like this wherever possible, but the player and club have not been able to resolve this situation."
City began the disciplinary process after Balotelli was sent off against Arsenal in April 2012.
In all, he received nine yellow cards and three reds - one of them retrospective - during the season.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20756755


Would love to see him win this. Looks like the end of his career at city. The good thing is they should have no problem offloading a 170k/week attention seeking disruptive nutjob.

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Stang

Although Norwich fans will forever be grateful of Lambert pulling the team out of the dark ages,

Any more ever come of the chairman reporting that he was suing Norwich for a couple of mill?

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by Bagor

Any more ever come of the chairman reporting that he was suing Norwich for a couple of mill?

Supposedly they're both (Lambert and the club) are suing each other for breach of contract. Lambert apparently had a clause that allowed him to speak with "bigger clubs" and Norwich refused to give Villa permission and let Lambert out because they felt that they would be entitled to compensation from Villa (and still believe this).

So the dispute is headed for a tribunal where it should all get settled one way or another. I can't find the exact date, but I recall hearing something about January, although I could be wrong.

Norwich fans shouldn't be too bitter because Norwich were taken to a tribunal for the way they poached Lambert from Colchester one game into the season a few years back. At least when he left Norwich, they had some time to hire Hughton and prepare for the forthcoming campaign. Colchester didn't get that luxury.

[d_phaneuf]

[Bagor]

^
Suddenly this headline makes sense.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20735575

[The Big Chill]

Originally Posted by Bagor

^
Suddenly this headline makes sense.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20735575

I keep hearing comments about Rodgers saying this and I never knew where it came from until you posted this. The thing is, he never says he is setting his sights on 2nd, he just says how close the table is. He has been pretty honest all along that he thinks it will take some time to get back into the top 4.

[Bagor]

I agree, totally misleading headline from the beeb.

[moon]

Originally Posted by The Big Chill

I keep hearing comments about Rodgers saying this and I never knew where it came from until you posted this. The thing is, he never says he is setting his sights on 2nd, he just says how close the table is. He has been pretty honest all along that he thinks it will take some time to get back into the top 4.

It sounded like he was saying top 2 is what they should be aiming for long term. That said the top 4 comment sounds a lot like Flames fans talking about being x amount of points out of 8th with no regard for the fact that the amount of teams ahead of them even closer to that 4th spot is the real issue.

Sure they can make up the 4 points on Everton or Spurs but they then have to hope that somehow WBA, Arsenal, Swansea, Norwich and one of Spurs/Everton get no points in that time frame.

[united]

Following an Independent Regulatory Commission hearing yesterday [Monday 17 December 2012], Liverpool’s Jesus Fernandez Saez (Suso) has been fined £10,000 and warned as to his future conduct for a comment posted on Twitter.

http://www.thefa.com/News/governance...-comments.aspx

[The Big Chill]

It's dumb how they don't make these fines proportionate with a players salary. That's a pretty large fine for a player on Suso's wages, yet they'd give a similar fine to someone with an extra zero on their paycheck.

[d_phaneuf]

Phil McNulty ‏@philmcnulty
Update @RorySmithTimes reporting that Liverpool have deals done at a combined £18m for Sturridge & Ince. Announced early January.

I call BS on Ince unless he is staying there until end of season, Palace are in a great position for automatic promotion and he's their best player, that's worth more than the 18m combined number

also some serious LOLs that they sold him 2 years ago and are now buying him back at 800% the initial price

[The Big Chill]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

I call BS on Ince unless he is staying there until end of season, Palace are in a great position for automatic promotion and he's their best player, that's worth more than the 18m combined number

also some serious LOLs that they sold him 2 years ago and are now buying him back at 800% the initial price

Isn't he at Blackpool? I thought Ince left when he was out of contract because he wanted more playing time and Liverpool couldn't promise it to him.

[d_phaneuf]

Blackpool ya, don't know why I wrote Palace

at his age it had to be agreed sale, can't go on a Bosman until 24 I believe, and it didn't go to tribunal so they did agree a fee

[d_phaneuf]

Sturridge will be great though, I think it's stupid of Chelsea to let him go

[moon]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

Sturridge will be great though, I think it's stupid of Chelsea to let him go

Can they/when do they get Lukaku (sp?) back?

Or he is only looking good in limited time for WBA and not on their radar?

[The Big Chill]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

Blackpool ya, don't know why I wrote Palace

at his age it had to be agreed sale, can't go on a Bosman until 24 I believe, and it didn't go to tribunal so they did agree a fee

How exactly does that work? If he doesn't want to sign a new contract then what can be done? He can't keep playing without a contract until he is 24.

[Bagor]

Liverpool got 250k compensation after KK let him walk.

Now going to buy him back for 4M.

Other news ....... Looks like Sneijder is done at Inter. Firstly ....

Sneijder was left out of the squad for last week’s match at home to Napoli, where a 2-1 win lifted Inter into second place.Inter said he was injured but the Dutchman’s wife Yolanthe Cabau angered the club by using Twitter to claim that her husband was “just fine.”

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sport...rticle6301139/


and now news that he has been sent home for his Christmas break early.

Another one for PSG.

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by The Big Chill

How exactly does that work? If he doesn't want to sign a new contract then what can be done? He can't keep playing without a contract until he is 24.

Another team can sign him but they need to agree to a binding tribunal, meaning whichever the fee is set at both sides have to agree

Spurs and Palace had one for John Bostock about 5 years ago and Palace were angry with the fee (it turned out to be a steal for them)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/foo...Tottenham.html