Great win. Just a shame we couldn't keep a clean sheet. I thought it was a bit sloppy. Also we need to be better on the counter, we looked so dangerous but that final ball was missing. Must say Costa doesn't look quite right even though he got 2 'assists'.
perfect summary Bob. We should be ruthless. Could be costly against lower position team. But happy for the result. Would have taken 4 pts from these 2 games.
Easy win without breaking a sweat, only one moment of lapse probably due to the substitutions unsettling the cohesion of the team. Hazards goal was worth the entrance fee alone but everybody had a solid team game.
Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen!!! Looking back maybe, the results against Liverpool and Arsenal in September were the best things that happened, as apart from the blip against Spurs and the draw against Liverpool, you look good. Just don't take the pedal off the gas yet as perhaps someone might make a rally, (City). United are looking good to finish 5th and win three cups!!!! Well Liverpool did when they weren't very good!!
Well we have 5 (relatively) easy games in a row now. Burnley (a) Swansea (H) West Ham (a) Watford (H) Palace (H) If we get maximum points from the next 5, then the title is looking very likely imo. I know its the PL and nothing can be taken for granted, but of these matches, West Ham away looks the hardest fixture (their cup final). Spuds go to Anfield next week, hopefully the scousers can do us a favour and take some points. (not looking too likely on current form though).
think you are underestimating burnley. They have like the 2nd best home record, lost to arsenal narrowly from an offside goal, had a good game against city losing narrowly and have beaten everton and pool (when they were good). I personally think this will be the hardest game. West ham away is a mixed bag, obviously they will try harder but they are awful at home.
I think we have to give credit to Conte Stan, though your posts might have had an impact !!!!! First Alonso scores then Hazard shreds half the Arsenal defence with the best response a player could give.Tough call to play Hazard over Willian, but Conte proved right, AGAIN !!! Poor old Cech , I always said his weakness was his kicking, too often to the opposition, but this was gift wrapped. Fabulous from everyone again, but Kante deserves special praise, what a player. Actually, so does Matic, top performance.Costa the only one off colour, more than once he made really bad choices. Never mind, great players recover form and do great things. Watch out for Costa next game he plays ! We answered the doubters today, big time.
The Arsenal losing yesterday makes it 11 straight wins at home and just the one loss at home all season. Indeed, Signor Conte is a genius considering the form problems he inherited......
100% with Bob. Burnley (a) Swansea (H) West Ham (a) Watford (H) Palace (H) Burnley will be the most difficult. Swans are on a roll after the Yank left. Hammers are playing hot & cold. Don't know which one will turn up. But I see goals on both ends there. Watford have found some gems in the Jan window. I expect them up for it. Palace is the easiest fixture in this list. They are useless under Fat Sam.
Isn't it weird that Managers with pretty ordinary or even pretty lousy records keep on getting jobs?? Seems if you get into the Managers "Club" you can just rotate round the middle to lower order Clubs until you retire. PL Clubs never seem to look for young up and comers, or managers of any age that get results, like bringing lower clubs up their ladder with no budget, halting slides by improving performances. There must be managers who do very good work in the lower Leagues that never get a go, yet the Allardyces of this world keep on keeping on, and keep on doing very ordinary work.
True CP. Was chatting with Mackems about how Steven Taylor saved them from relegation more than Sam did. Sam will be found out this season.
Who will Pardew manage next as he is running out of mid-lower Premiership clubs to manage. I have a hunch it will be Bournemouth if Eddie Howe leaves or is given the push.
I think it's because clubs in a relegation dog fight like to appoint managers who have been in that position before. They keep the club up, get sacked when the club continues to be ****e the following year and then move to the next club hoping to be kept up. The P.L is unique in that 4 out of every 5 clubs that are in the league, their main goal is to just stay in the league (especially for the board/chairmen who want the money to keep coming in). Therefore they are happy to have managers who can just sustain clubs in the division. Why else would Tony Pulis exist? His football is dross but he keeps teams mid table.
The way Arsenal play at the Bridge the title of the thread needs changing to "Gormless-at-the-Bridge"
Think you are being harsh. Pulis is showing what a good manager he is even if his players play very close to the line. Look how well brom are going and his teams consistently improve even if they stagnate at mid table for a while. Allardyce on the other hand has shown he can stabilise and keep clubs up. If that is your target why wouldn't you keep with him? The ones that are chronically crap and are on the merry go rounds are the ones that should get binned off. Your pardews, your dowies, your bruces (at least at PL level)