OFFICIAL English Premier League thread and competition!

[Jack]

A list of questions I saw on a news website (they had their sports writers answering them):

Best goal?

Best match?

Best player?

Best manager?

Best signing?

Biggest flop?

Best pundit?

Main gripe?

Change you'd like to see for next season?

Is it the best league in the world?

Anybody feel like answering them?
(I'll post mine in a bit, in the middle of something right now)

[Pearce]

Aw shit yeah 2nd place bitches.

PS: fuck you pearce


Teehee!

I'd trade it all for Spurs to have gotten the 4th spot though.

[FunkYou]

Best goal - Bale's volley against Stoke was awesome. this is admittedly biased but only goals that affect me stick in my mind. And even then not often

Best match - No idea.

Best player - No real standouts this season. Man U fans are raving about Hernadez but he has lit up the whole season merely small (but important) parts of it. I would say that Vidic probably takes this.

Best manager - Kenny Dalglish. Possibly contraversial but look at how he turned round a club seemingly in an unstoppable plunge towards relegation into one of the form sides of the second half of the league

Best signing - First half of the season I would have said Van Der Vaart but he slowed considerably second half. From liverpool's point of view Torres to Chelsea was the signing of the season £50m in exchange for one goal.

Biggest flop - Torres

Best pundit - All pundits annoy me.

Main gripe - That pundits still talk about John Tery being a good defender

Change you'd like to see for next season - Goal line tech to stop stupid decisions like goals given that didn't cross the line. Fucking Chelsea.

Is it the best league in the world - it is the best mix between quality and competitiveness so for me it is the best.

[vexred]

Best goal? Rooney against Man City

Best match? Newcastle vs Arsenal

Best player? Tevez

Best manager? Fergy

Best signing? Tiote or Hernandez

Biggest flop? Torres

Best pundit? Jaime Rednapp is alright I guess

Main gripe? lack of Goal line technology & shitty refereeing

Change you'd like to see for next season? Goal line technology

Is it the best league in the world? yes

[Jack]

Best goal - Rooney's bicycle kick against City.

Best match - Newcastle/Arsenal? Maybe Arsenal/Spurs, the 3-3 at WHL.

Best player - Vidic, although nobody's really stood out this year.

Best manager - I quite like the Dalglish pick, too.

Best signing - Odemwingie, easily.

Biggest flop - Hard not to go with Torres here. I'm not sure if people expected any more from him at Chelsea, but £50million is tough to argue with.

Best pundit - Is there a good football pundit out there?

Main gripe - Former players like Alan Shearer who think they're being paid to point out things everybody can already see, offering nothing in the semblance of professional insight or analysis, and then come out with shit like this:
“Who have I taken stick off? Punters and columnists! When you’ve played for England, that’s nothing. I’ve actually played the game and can pick something out that the people watching can’t see like why Fernando Torres is struggling.’’
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/england/8065264/Alan-Shearer-I-aspire-to-be-the-best-and-the-best-is-to-be-England-manager.html
Balding fuck.

Change you'd like to see for next season - Mic up the refs.

Is it the best league in the world? - Dunno. Depends on how you look at things. I think La Liga has the best all around quality and the Bundesliga is the most interesting competition. We're a nice mix I suppose.

[FunkYou]

Best manager - I quite like the Dalglish pick, too.

Best signing - Odemwingie, easily.


Good call on the Odemwingie. Forgot about him.

When you look at how well Liverpool did when Dalglish took over this season and at his overall managerial record it is scary to think what he could have accomplished had his health not gone to shit after Hillsborough.

The only place he has not succeded is Newcastle. And pretty much everyone fails there.

[Jack]

Good call on the Odemwingie. Forgot about him.

Yeah, 5million less than Hernandez (I think) and he's scored more goals than him. Obviously he's started more games, but he's also had far worse service than Hernandez.

[Q_F]

Rooney's goal vs City is the goal of the year for me, have to think more about the others.

[Jack]

Actually, David Pleat's a decent pundit. Well, he writes tactical articles in the Guardian which are usually worth a read. Can't really remember what he's like doing commentary, although I know he's on Five Live from time to time.

[FunkYou]

Actually, David Pleat's a decent pundit. Well, he writes tactical articles in the Guardian which are usually worth a read. Can't really remember what he's like doing commentary, although I know he's on Five Live from time to time.

He can be Ok but as he generally works on smaller matches he comes across as a bit bored. When he has had a glass of wine first he's usually good value.

[Jack]

He can be Ok but as he generally works on smaller matches he comes across as a bit bored. When he has had a glass of wine first he's usually good value.

Yeah I'm trying to remember him on the TV but can't, which probably isn't a good sign. His written pieces are really good though, as he's obviously someone with a good understanding of the game and actually does pick up on things that most fans miss (unlike Alan Shearer).

[e-thug]

Best goal? Rooney I suppose.

Best match? Didn't watch a ton of games this year but Arsenal/Spurs is a damn good shout.

Best player? Tevez

Best manager? Daglish, bias included

Best signing? Odemwingie

Biggest flop? Torres

Best pundit? Dont even complain about pundits, I get to listen to North American pundits.

Main gripe? Goal line technology, hell technology through out the game....would be nice to let managers have ONE challenge per game where the ref gets to see the replay and decide whether he made the right decision.

Change you'd like to see for next season? Goal line technology is a must.

Is it the best league in the world? The only league that I watch on a regular basis, I've given Serie A a go and La Liga but neither do what the prem does for me.

[MKZ]

Season is over but that doesn't mean we can't watch some awesome goals.

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During this World Cup, Netherlands jumped up to the top along with the Brazil as my favourite national team. Love watching them.


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ijR1WX2bLIo

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fXdcYrec4Ms
I <3 Zidane

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7-22cSRjizg

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The Real King of Kings.

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BPqGmBSxcw0
Damn, when he was back in Porto I thought Quaresma is gonna end up big, not in fucking Turkey.

J-XMPqKtGVc

[plazzman]

The Chelsea/Barca saga from that seasons CL was probably the best bunch of games I've ever seen.

And yeah, I thought Queresma was gonna be something big, but alas, I havent heard much from him since.

[MKZ]

he;s with Simao, Guti and few more former big players in Besiktas.

[plazzman]

Yeah I know. Stupid move. No one should play in those parts of the world unless they're either retiring, or just straight up shit. And he was neither

[wafb]

No Van Nistelrooy highlights MKZ?

[MKZ]

It's late here so didn't have much time to think. I was never big on RVN but I always admired his ability to have his back to the net and then all of a sudden turn around and score.

[Shamrock-Ortiz]

Scholesy retired :(

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Pep Guardiola : “Out of everyone at Manchester United, I would pick out Scholes – he is the best midfielder of his generation, I would have loved to have played alongside him.”

Jose Mourinho: “Scholes? Fantastic! Why isn’t he playing for England? It is crazy. Only in England, Scholes is a great, great player. So experienced and still, for me, one of the best in the world in midfield. Manchester United are lucky to have him.”

Dwight Yorke: “In my eyes Paul Scholes is the best Man United player of all time. I still see Scholesy train. He is still one of the best players out there. Unfortunately he does not have as many opportunities because in the past if you picked a Manchester United team he is the first name. When we are picking a team among ourselves everyone wants Scholesy because any team he is in will control the ball”

Xavi : “In the last 15 to 20 years the best central midfielder that I have seen – the most complete – is Scholes. I have spoken with Xabi Alonso about this many times. Scholes is a spectacular player who has everything. He can play the final pass, he can score, he is strong, he never gets knocked off the ball and he doesn’t give possession away. If he had been Spanish then maybe he would have been valued more.”

Micah Richards : "He's always in the right position, always seems to be at the end of the box when the ball drops in. The complete midfielder - when he's fit, he's the best. Some go missing but he's in the right place at the right time. He's my favourite player of all-time, unbelievable. If you give him a chance it's a goal, isn't it?"

Glenn Hoddle : "There isn’t a player of his mould anywhere else in the world."

Terry Venables : "He’s the best one- or two-touch passer in the country. He sees the game unlike any other player."

Alan Shearer : "If you ask footballers to pick out the player they most admire, so many of them will pick Paul Scholes. He can tackle, and his passing and shooting is of the highest level. He’s the most consistent and naturally gifted player we’ve had for a long, long time."

Eidur Gudjohnsen : "I'm more an admirer of Paul Scholes than I am of Ronaldo. Ronaldo is a fantastic player, but he has 10 other great players around him every week...Scholes is one of the most complete footballers I've ever seen. His one-touch play is phenomenal. Whenever I have played against him, I never felt I could get close to him."

Edgar Davids : ""Every one of us (midfielders) is just trying to become as good as him. Everyone can learn from Paul Scholes."

Edgar Davids : "I'm not the best, Paul Scholes is."

Tony Adams : "I really rate Paul Scholes, because he hasn't got the high profile of many of the Manchester United players, he doesn't get too much attention, but he is one very good player. He is an intelligent player, he works hard and he scores some great goals. He is not flamboyant and is a quiet lad off the pitch but he is a tremendous asset to Manchester United and to England. He has already got my vote as player of the year."

Cesc Fabregas : "He is the one whose level I aspire to. He is the best player in the Premier League."

Patrick Vieira : "The player in the Premiership I admire most? Easy - Scholes."

Thierry Henry : "I can't understand why Scholes has never won the player of the year award. He should have won it long ago. Maybe it's because he doesn't seek the limelight like some of the other 'stars'."

Zinedine Zidane : "My toughest opponent? Scholes of Manchester. He is the complete midfielder."

Zinedine Zidane : "Scholes is undoubtedly the best midfielder of his generation."

Sam Allardyce : "There is not a better midfield player in the world."

Kevin Keegan : "What United have got that Chelsea haven't is Paul Scholes. I think he is different to anything else in English football."

Marcello Lippi : "Paul Scholes would have been one of my first choices for putting together a great team - that goes to show how highly I have always rated him. Scholes is a player I have always liked, because he combines great talent and technical ability with mobility, determination and a superb shot. He is an all-round midfielder who possesses character and quality in abundance. In my opinion, he's been one of the most important players for United under Sir Alex."

Ray Wilkins : "I'm saddened because I think we as spectators, not only in this country but right through out Europe and the rest of the World, will be missing one hell of a footballer."

Gordon Strachan : "Paul Scholes has been the best England midfield player for 30-odd years. You'd probably have to go back to Bobby Charlton to find someone who could do as much as Scholes. When the ball arrives at his feet he could tell you where every player on that pitch is at that moment. His awareness is superb."

Veron while at Chelsea being asked in an interview who's the best english player : "Paul Scholes."

Peter Schmeichel : "People say he is a great player, but you have to define what a great player is, For me, it is a player who has a bottom level that means his worst performance is not noticed.If he is having a bad game, a team-mate might feel Paul Scholes is not quite on his game, but a spectator wouldn't notice. Scholes, of all the players I have played with, has the highest bottom level. His reading of the game is unsurpassed.He has an eye for a pass, for what the play or the game needs at that precise moment, that I have never seen anyone else have. He controls and distributes the play and the game better than anyone I have ever seen."

Peter Schmeichel : "Still the best player in that United midfield."

Laurent Blanc : "Scholes is the best English player. Intelligence, technique, strength... all the attributes are there. At Manchester United I saw what he could do on the training field. Phew!"

Michael Carrick : "Paul Scholes is just fantastic. When you play alongside him, you realise what a special talent he is."

Michael Carrick : "He is a legend and he's going to be remembered for a long time. Just to play alongside him and learn from him has been an absolute pleasure. I think he is a footballer's footballer; he has been at this level for so long. As long as he is part of us we always feel we have a chance. We appreciate the way he goes about his business. I have never met a character like Scholesy; certainly not someone who is that good."

Park Ji Sung when asked by the club’s official home page which United player he would like to see in the red shirt of the Taeguk Warriors : “It has to be Paul Scholes.”

David Beckham said that, among his teammates at Real Madrid, which included Zinedine Zidane, Raúl, Ronaldo, Luís Figo and Roberto Carlos, Scholes was the most admired opponent : "He's always one of those people others talk about. Even playing at Real Madrid, the players always say to me 'what's he like'? They respect him as a footballer, and to have that respect from some of those players is great."

Brian Kidd : "Paul Scholes had the best football brain I'd ever seen in a kid. Let's face it. Paul Scholes is in a class of its own."

Rio Ferdinand : "I can honestly say Paul is the best player in the England squad. For me he is the complete player."

Rio Ferdinand : "For me, it's Paul Scholes. He'll do ridiculous things in training like say, "You see that tree over there?" - it'll be 40 yards away - "I'm going to hit it". And he'll do it. Everyone at the club considers him the best."

Phil Neville : "Paul, for me, is the best player in the England team. It worries teams. Speak to any other international team and they will single Paul out as England's key player. For me, he doesn't get the full credit that he deserves. He is a world-class player and deserves to be up there with the likes of Zidane and Figo."

Gary Neville : "I wouldn't swap Paul Scholes for anybody. He is quite simply the most complete footballer I have ever played with. He is the best."

Gary Neville : "Paul Scholes is the best player I've ever played with. There's talent in every part of his game."

Steve Bruce : "He's the best player in Britain in my opinion and he has to get himself fit just before we are due to play at Old Trafford. I cannot pay Paul a bigger compliment than to say that he's the most complete footballer in the country. The best bar none."

Roy Keane : "An amazingly gifted player who remained an unaffected human being."

George Best : "To be honest I think England have lost their best player. Certainly he's the most consistent and naturally gifted player we've had for a long, long time."

Sir Bobby Charlton : "I am sorry for England because they don't have any player like him. You can talk about others but there is no one else like him. He is the best technical player England has without any question. He could have had a lot more caps if he had carried on. And if I was the manager he would have ended up with more than I did – easy"

Sir Bobby Charlton : "He’s always so in control and pinpoint accurate with his passing – a beautiful player to watch."

Sir Bobby Charlton : "Paul Scholes is my favourite player. He epitomises the spirit of Manchester United and everything that is good about football."

Sir Alex Ferguson : "Very few players can do that, but Scholes is one of them - and I knew he was one of them. That's why, without question, I think Paul Scholes is the best player in England. He's got the best skills, the best brain. No one can match him."

Sir Alex Ferguson : "He has an awareness of what’s happening around him on the edge of the box which is better than most players. As a kid he always had a knack of arriving in the penalty area just at the right time, but he’s proving just as effective from outside the box because he’s using his experience in the right way. It doesn’t matter who I am thinking about bringing into my midfield, Paul Scholes will be included, as he would in any side in the world."

Sir Alex Ferguson : Sir Alex Ferguson gave evidence in court on behalf of one of his former trainees and listened to the prosecution barrister's list of United's top players.

"You've missed Paul Scholes - and he's my best player," Ferguson chided her


My list of quotes on Scholes.

Please Jack, let me have this moment:wondering:

[MKZ]

Haha Thai made a Scholes appreciation thread already :D

It's funny how everyone's talking about Scholesy, while it was Van Der Sar that saved Utd's asses on many occasions this season.

[MKZ]

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13, 6, 4 and 2 were the kind of goals I was talking about. What a great striker he was.

[plazzman]

Whats there not to love about Ruud? Dude was such a pure striker. My favourite goal of his is #6

Remember when PSV used to be the most fertile place for prospects? Half of Chelsea's original resurgence team was from there.

[Jack]

Scholesy retired :(

Please Jack, let me have this moment:wondering:

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;).

[FunkYou]

So Jack how do you feel about the impending cannibalisation of the Villa squad?

[Jack]

So Jack how do you feel about the impending cannibalisation of the Villa squad?

Knew it was coming. I knew we'd lose at least one of out best players, and it happening the last two years running has kind of prepared me for it happening again, but losing two is still pretty crappy.

If we somehow prise Moyes away from Everton then I won't give a shit, but we won't; we'll get Mark Hughes who I'm not really a fan of.

[wafb]

I enjoyed goals #7 and 6. I'm glad you got around posting a HL vid MKZ.

[MKZ]

Speaking of HLs someone please post a good highlight of Raul or Ronaldo (R9 not CR7). Would be best from their madrid days.

[Thaispider]

RUUUUUUUUUD , the guy was just a born goal scoring machine. didn't do a lot else but he had one thing on his mind ,scoring.

prolific is the correct term for him.

[MKZ]

For some reason I always kinda thought that he and Raul had some sort of rivarly, on who's gonna score more CL goals.

[Jack]

For some reason I always kinda thought that he and Raul had some sort of rivarly, on who's gonna score more CL goals.

http://sp3.fotolog.com/photo/3/29/40/duelos_degrandes/1258652642445_f.jpg

[MKZ]

Well, that's a great rivarly. But I meant at the time when RVN scored 14 (or was it 11 ?) goals. Still, Pippe is great too. Always been a fan. Him and Shevchenko :)

But still Raul > Inzaghi :D

[Jack]

Anyway, the greatest defender the Premier League has ever seen:

http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00933/mcgrath_380x480_933873a.jpg

An all time great defensive performance:
Cm84YD0NH30

[MKZ]

Pffff

http://footballpunch.com/userfiles/2010/5/5/images/Sir%20Alex%20Ferguson%20Confirms%20That%20Jonny%20 Evans%20Is%20Set%20To%20Sign%20New%20Deal%20At%20M anchester%20United.png

[vexred]

Jack, what do you think about Houllier quitting Villa? with Young and Downing wanting to move?

[Jack]

I liked Houllier, but obviously his health has to come first.

Young and Downing? Meh. I've been resigned to losing Young for a while but hopefully we can hold on to Downing for another year.

[vexred]

what do you think about Rafa taking over?(speculation)

[FunkYou]

Hasn't Downing said he won't be signing a new contract and wants to leave. Or was that Young. Either way all you width goes and a long struggle in the season ahead awaits you.

[Jack]

Both won't sign new deals, but Downing still has two years on his (as opposed to Young's one) so unless someone comes in with a good offer we can hold onto him for a year like with Barry. He's a professional, like Barry, so you'd still expect him to give his best were he to stay.

Albrighton will fill a spot on the right anyway. He arguably outperformed both in the first half of the season (before being frozen out in the second) so it's not as bad as it sounds.

Oh, and I'm not at all keen on Rafa, vexred.

[vexred]

http://www.skysports.com/video/inline/0,26691,18305_6992051,00.html

are you as angry as this lot, jack?

Newcastle have done some good business so far, Demba Ba should be a good signing considering he comes on a free.

[Jack]

http://www.skysports.com/video/inline/0,26691,18305_6992051,00.html

are you as angry as this lot, jack?


lol, such a ridiculous manager to go after, matched only by an even more ridiculous reaction like the one in that video. I actually think one of the kids in that video (the skinny one being interviewed) works in a pub not far from my house.

I don't even care that he's coming from Blues (although I'd rather he wasn't), I care that he constantly moans about decisions, quit his last job via email (and the fact that our board were probably involved makes that even worse), just got relegated, signs horrible, scummy players, and plays what was easily the ugliest, most boring brand of football in the Premier League last season.

All the fans who went crazy when we were linked with McLaren and put the board off of signing him, well it serves them right.

I don't like Hughes much, but it is annoying that the reason we didn't give him the job is that Doug Ellis (who still holds a lot of sway with the current owners) is friends with Al Fayed.

Shit time to be a Villa fan. Even more so than usual.

[vexred]

yeah, I feel sorry for the Villa fans, I think it was a huge mistake getting rid of O'Neil. O'Neil had Villa playing attractive football, I wish we had gone for him instead of Pardew.

[FunkYou]

How the fuck does Deadly Doug have sway with anyone anymore?

[Jack]

yeah, I feel sorry for the Villa fans, I think it was a huge mistake getting rid of O'Neil. O'Neil had Villa playing attractive football, I wish we had gone for him instead of Pardew.

We didn't get rid of him, he walked out. We've actually been playing more attractive football this season than we ever had under O'Neill, we just played shit for about 75% of our games so nobody noticed lol.

I liked O'Neill, and he did a lot of good while he was here, but he really fucked up the club in a lot of ways as well. He spent money on players he didn't use, and signed them to long contracts on big money.

Reo-Coker was on 65k a week. When you have a player as good as Modric earning 40k a week and someone like Reo-Coker on 65k, you know something's wrong.

How the fuck does Deadly Doug have sway with anyone anymore?

I have absolutely no idea. I'm surprised the board have been so hard headed over this McLeish thing TBH. The McLaren business must have really pissed them off, which is understandable really.

[FunkYou]

Sdespite his poor England performance McLaren is decent club manager and generally his sides played attractive football

[Jack]

JAPAN!!!

http://www.livetradingnews.com/wp-content/uploads/japan.gif

[plazzman]

Yyyeeeessssss!!!!!!!

My Geishas did it!!!

[vexred]

bit of shinfo, I went to hospital to see my gran today and Jemaine Jenas' gran was in the bed next to her with JJ visiting her.

[wafb]

When does EPL start their new season?

[vexred]

13th August

[Thaispider]

bit of shinfo, I went to hospital to see my gran today and Jemaine Jenas' gran was in the bed next to her with JJ visiting her.

you get a pic or autograph mate?

[vexred]

you get a pic or autograph mate?

naa man, it didn't quite seem appropriate in the hospital lol. his gran and my gran had been having a good old chin wag haha, apparently she was telling my gran about Jemaine and how she was white and he was black and stuff lol.