Premier League 2011/12 general thread

[Flabio]

Most Villa fans I know seemed to think he wasn't up to much. But hey, Brummies, what you gonna do...

[Plough Boy]

Edit: Doh, forgot he was Norwich manager for a few months as well, thanks Wikipedia! When he left they were only a few points off the top of the Championship though, with half a season gone, so he wasn't doing too badly there.

O'Neill was brilliant at Norwich. We played excellent football under his stewardship. Problem was Robert Chase (our chairman at the time) broke promises to him over funds available for transfer. ie - there wasn't any. O'Neill wasn't having any of it and walked. Off he trotted to Leicester who he then turned from below mid table dross into a promoted team. Meanwhile Norwich went from high flyers to mid table dross. I was gutted he left. Still pisses me off a bit now. He was an ex-Norwich player and the crowd loved him.

[prinnysquad]

Got to be an upgrade on Brooce. His record at Celtic often gets downplayed because it's Celtic, but he definitely revived their fortunes:

http://www.thecelticwiki.com/page/O'Neill,+Martin

Some other mush posted this on a forum for Mackem scummers:

- When he went to Celtic, they hadn't won the league in 2 years and it was 10 years since the previous win before that. This was due to Rangers' domination of winning 11 out of previous 12 League titles!
- Celtic hadn't won the Scottish Cup for 6 years.
- In his first season he won the Scottish treble! First time since 1969
- He won the league by 15 points yet the season before Rangers had won it by 21, some turnaround that
- He's won 7 trophies as a Celtic manager, the most since Jock Stein in 1978
- Compare this to the fact, Celtic had only won 4 trophies since 1991 (1 League, 1 Cup, 2 League cups)
- He won a record 7 consecutive times in derbies against Rangers
- He also oversaw a British Record of 25 consecutive wins
- He had a 75% win ratio
- First Celtic manager (out of 8) to get into the revamped Champions League (he did it 3 times)
- Only manager since 1970 to get Celtic to a European Final (lost UEFA Cup final in E.T. to Silver goal)

[toythatkills]

Jebus, didn't I have a discussion with you back in August about how dirty Arsenal were?

[Adrock]

Hang on, it IS the Scottish Premier. His style works well at getting a club up to the top of the mid table rush but I would never be confident of him taking on a big club, a bit like Roy Hodgson. There again I'd much rather he proved me wrong because there is a void in the quality of British management.

His style of play does not lend itself to breaking down teams who can keep possession of the football and press hard. He showed that at Villa and it makes me chuckle when people go on about him leaving because of lack of transfer funds. He had decent funds before hand and the owner told him it was proving too expensive in the face of failed attempts to reach the Champions League.

Regardless of all of that, he will be perfect for Sunderland. He'll get them to a point where they are difficult to break down first and foremost then look to sign players who can work to his counter attacking style and big man/little man strike partnerships. Heskey might be a signing he could make if there is truth in the budget being restricted, O'Neil clearly likes him.

All in all you'd have to think Sunderland will be safe as long as he is manager.

[prinnysquad]

The point stands, though, that Celtic were ****E compared to Rangers when he took over, and looking further downwards. Of course, many managers - good and bad - could barely fail to get Celtic second, but O'Neill won the top two duel time and time again despite turning up at a very low ebb in the club's fortunes. His achievements stand out in Celtic's recent history, and Strachan rode his coat tails for a few years. Rangers had won every league title since 88/89, apart from 97/98, before he took over, and he swung the points deficit by 36 points in his first season. Obviously it's not like he'd taken Hibs to the top, or another outsider, but as far as doing the job at one of the Big Two goes, his reign was total and absolute dominance.

As far as his time at Villa goes, I'd be more than happy with three 6th place finishes! Failing that, working under a tighter budget, consistent 7-12th is good. Getting past the first round of a cup might be a good start, and creating a balanced team with a strong work ethic is a must. We have meagre expectations round these parts, in spite of what Steve 'The Fans Want Champions League' Bruce might say, but a balanced team playing with a bit of soul is the bare minimum. The big worry, indeed, is his style. If it's dirge then everyone will tire of it eventually. Bringing in Heskey would be a very bad start!

[prinnysquad]

The Shadow of Bruce hangs like a cack-stained blanket over the players. Not only have they thrown away a position of win, but Larsson has committed the sin of diving. The Footballing Gods have punished us with a missed penalty, and two goals for Norman Stanley.

The folly of bringing on the World's Worst Right sided player, Elmo-Hamaddy, is apparent for all to see. He comes on, and within a minute Larsson committed his scandalous act and was thus punished thrice. His crime galvanised their crowd and their players to nail us good and proper.

17th. Bruce!

[prinnysquad]

This defence is ****ly abysmal. Now wonder Ferguson got rid of these tossers. Blackburn should be at least two up.

Plus, Connor Wickham has the most feeble, powderpuff headers I've ever seen. It's like the ball hits off his cushioned head and dies, rather than him actually heading the ball. I can't see us scoring against this lot at all.

Edit: Two belters!

[Kit]

Glad Sunderland picked up all 3 points. Blackburn played really negative football in the second half. Not fun to watch.

[parkinho]

Keep up the good work Steve Kean!

[Flabio]

I think it's a bit of a shame Anelka isn't staying in the premier league, although I don't think there's many clubs left in it that he hasn't already played for.

But to not even go for any European side and instead shoot off to China...

I don't get it.

[Flabio]

Martin O'Neill really does have his work cut out for him. Both on and off the pitch.

[EJG1980]

I think it's a bit of a shame Anelka isn't staying in the premier league, although I don't think there's many clubs left in it that he hasn't already played for.

But to not even go for any European side and instead shoot off to China...

I don't get it.

He's reported to be getting ?8 million per year, might have something to do with it!

Although I suppose it is a bit easy to just say he's gone for the money. He's won just about everything there is to win in his career in Europe, maybe he simply likes the idea of spending a couple of years in a completely different culture? He might see it as a big adventure. I wouldn't mind doing something like that and get paid huge amounts of cash

[Flabio]

The Scottish Premier League have relaxed their rules on standing areas at clubs, which means those clubs are now free to start looking into introducing those new 'safe standing' areas they have in the German league.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/16248937.stm

Next stop England? Would be nice.

[Adrock]

Sounds like a very good idea. I suppose the FA will be watching how the SPL manages their standing areas in the future.