ChelseaBoy

Strangely, I have a sort of phobia to the stuff, i'm the one people wait behind at McDonalds getting burgers with no ketchup in them I can't watch TV if people are putting it on their dinners or can't have it on the table if i go in a cafe. But i can eat tomatoes. weird.

I can't disagree with a thing he said. Doornan is a 1st class anker.

Well there are at least 21,728 of them.

i wish it was midnight here as i could escape watching !!

A good day. West Ham, Arsenal, Leicester, Brighton and Utd all losing. Hope that City can be held but i doubt it.

Instead of coming down with the Christmas Decs, it looks like West Ham will struggle to put them up.

What purveyors of truth and reason? I think that ship sailed many many years ago

Definately, especially as he bought Cantona for 1.5m and Keane for 4m and Ince to kick start the domination of the 90s and 2000s

Good stat, but i suppose Fergie saved a fair bit by having Scholes, Beckham, Giggs, Sharpe, Butt, the Nevilles, Wes Brown, Fletcher, O'shea, Evans and Wellbeck come through, whereas Wenger struggled after the defence he inherited got old and the replacements were poor.

We saw Ranieri at Chelsea and it was a job too far for the Tinkerman as he froze. Though he did much better at Leicester where expectation and resources were much less.

I would say a different managerial strategy than say Arsenal keeping Wenger for over 20 years, the last 10 being stale and uninspiring, both strategies have their merits and drawbacks i suppose.

Ferguson Wenger Guardiola Klopp Mourinho I would put Klopp above Mourinho just because of his balancing the PL with success in Europe, which may ultimately be Peps undoing if he dosn't win this year or next - if he stays.

So SG had bags of experience when joining? I think if Gerrard had been made Liverpool manager too early he would have shate himself just as more senior guys had done like Rogers and Hodgson. Timing is v important in management.

Dont think that is quite correct. How do you reckon that?

I'd rather have an up and coming than a tired old has-been.

I'd go like for like with Frank Lampard - he will develop youth as he did at Derby and Chelsea and could attract some half decent players if players leave and funds are there. He has worked with no funds at Derby and resources galore at Chelsea and he is a half decent guy.

Not sure it is self proclaimed, i think the stats speak for themselves in terms of inward investment (inc tv deals), viewing figures around the globe, money spent, the competition (not many leagues have a top 4 all of whom can win the leagure and another 4 clubs below that who can win trophies, plus their record in Euro competition. In any other league Villa would be a huge club.

That's football today and they all say it, players included. There are not many that turn down better pay and conditions but the decision to leave Gers for Villa must have been a finely balanced decision with pros and cons on bothe sides.

I will.

Really?

That guy behind looks like Alan Pardew lol

If he goes, and i personally hope he stays for at least another season after this - depending on whether the league is won and at least one other trophy, how would the group feel about Lampard taking over? He did a reasonable job at Derby getting them in the playoffs with no money and despite things ending abruptly at Chelsea, he was responsible for the emergence of several youth players inc Mount, James, Abraham, Hudson and Chalobah and those on loan elsewhere like Conor Gallagher, Anrmando Broja and Billy Gilmour. He is used to high pressure having been a penalty taker twice on CL finals and is a serial winner as a player much like SG, In fact they were very similar players and their statistics bear this out. Anyone violently against a move of this sort with more experience neccessary or could it be an interesting appointment that would bring just as much interest as SG has?

Don't think Rogers will leave Leister for Villa. But who knows in the crazy world of the EPL

I'm more worried about this than SG being linked with Newcastle as Klopp isn't going anywhere for at least 2 years and 2 years at Villa, keeping them up and a mid table finish next year will place him at the front of the queue when Klopp or Liverpool are ready to part company. Martinez i'm sure will not leave Belgium until after the 2022 WC

Southampton 2-1 Villa United 2-3 City Brentford 3-0 Norwich Chelsea 3-0 Burnley Palace 2-1 Wolves Brighton 2-0 Newcastle Arsenal 1-1 Watford Everton 1-1 Spurs Leeds 0-2 Leicester West Ham 1-2 Liverpool