EPL 2012/13 Thread - The English Premier League

Heathrow

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Saturday 18th August 2012
Arsenal v Sunderland
Fulham v Norwich
QPR v Swansea
Reading v Stoke
West Brom v Liverpool
West Ham v Aston Villa
Newcastle v Tottenham

Sunday 19th August 2012
Wigan v Chelsea
Man City v Southampton

Monday 20th August 2012
Everton v Man Utd

* * *

The promoted teams are Reading, Southampton and West Ham, all of whom have played in the top flight of English football before.

Reading are known as "the Royals" are from the Royal county of Berkshire (near to Windsor castle), west of London.

Southampton are known as "the Saints" and are from Hampshire on the south coast.

West Ham known as "the Hammers", are from east London and may yet inherit or lease the 2012 Olympic stadium. (But probably won't.:p)

Good luck to all the teams!

:smile:

EDIT:

Handy team guide:
BBC Sport - Premier League 2012-13 season: Club-by-club guide
 
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BBC football guide said:
Chelsea will hope to pick up most of the points on offer in their first five games - Wigan (a), Reading (h), Newcastle (h), QPR (a) and Stoke (h)

:dance:
 
You still supporting them? Thought you were due another change this season. :p
 
I have eaten the celery.

I'll support them now no matter what; Chelsea FC and my girlfriend are similar insofar as I was never happy until I found them. Also, as indicated by my avvie and sig picture, I will first and foremost always support My Chicago Fire; I mean, you got to support your local, right? ;)
 
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That's fair enough. In Ukania it is considered the done thing to choose a team then stick with them through thick and thin. When I was a kid all the other kids in the road supported Liverpool (understandable as we lived about 25 miles from there and about 20 from Old Trafford) but because Liverpool were the winning team in the 70s kids gravitated towards then. I inherited my support of United via my Uncle and I was well into my 20s before League success returned to OT and nearly 30 before we tasted European glory once again.
 
van Persie - gone to Utd. Arsenal fans will be devastated.

Interesting reading about Arsenal.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18722962

Not devastated. We have a good squad that I feel can contend with or without him. He's not going to showcase at Man U, so it doesn't really matter. We have to move forward with what we have now. I am hopeful for winning some silverware this year, and feel its our best chance yet.
 
I sure would love for Fulham to sell Dempsey to Liverpool...

Edit: I'm changing my avi for the new season.
 
I was expecting to see Dempsey go. Fulham could make some money for him, but they seem determined to keep him.

Edit:

Obligatory: You can't spell Liverpool with out LOL

Seemed a rather half-assed effort from Arsenal today. Only a few decent chances, Cazorla impressed. Podolski looked rather indifferent in his runs, though that is a knock against him often. Can't believe Giroud hooked his best chance just wide. With Song departing, I'm hoping they use the RvP/Song funds and continue to shore up.
 
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Saturday 18th August 2012

Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland
Fulham 5-0 Norwich
QPR 0-5 Swansea
Reading 1-1 Stoke

West Brom 3-0 Liverpool
West Ham 1-0 Aston Villa
Newcastle 2-1 Tottenham

* * *

Seemed a rather half-assed effort from Arsenal today. Only a few decent chances, Cazorla impressed. Podolski looked rather indifferent in his runs, though that is a knock against him often. Can't believe Giroud hooked his best chance just wide. With Song departing, I'm hoping they use the RvP/Song funds and continue to shore up.

Pretty much sums up the game. Song going to Real is as bad or worse than RVP leaving. I liked him. he gave the midfield some steel & sharpness. Arteta is good, but not enough on his own. Debt problems forcing sale or something, I guess.

I was expecting to see Dempsey go. Fulham could make some money for him, but they seem determined to keep him.

Fulham looked to be doing OK with out him today, gave Norwich a good thumping. Dificult debutant team to beat last year, maybe Fulham's Martin Johl watched the videos before the game.

Don't like to pick on GKs, but Dave Green had a bit of a 'mare today for QPR.
Michu had a good start for the Swans scoring twice, a nice debut for Micheal Laudrup.

Looked like Liverpool's defence was still on holiday! Despite this, they were a bit unlucky with the second pen, I thought.

Spurs had a good go at Newcastle and loooked good, despite loosing.
LOL at Alan Pardew bieng sent off for "roughing" an assistant Ref. :lol:
 
Arsenal don't have any debt that I'm aware of:dunno:
Think it's just Arsenal being Arsenal and selling players when their value peaks.
 
Arsenal actually run the club and make a profit, too. If anything, once the deals with Emirates and Nike run out, and we're able to capitalize on large deals (if they still exist), we're going to be in fantastic shape. The deal with Emirates actually isn't as lucrative as some of the more recent signed by major clubs. In fact, I think we're the only club in the Top 10 of the EPL that are run at a profit (though I could be wrong, I'm citing some internet facts/figures).
 
United also run a profit, but since we also have a massive debt we are still in -. But it is getting payed down...slowly.
Arsenal is the only club that is debt free now iirc
 
Sunday 19th August 2012

Wigan 0-2 Chelsea
Man City 3-2 Southampton

Wigan are a strange team, they don't seem to play well except when they are about to be relegated. Chelsea were good, not great, and Wigan did OK, but Chelsea had comfortable win.

The Saints took the lead for a while, after first being behind to City.
This seemed to make tham mad or wake them up, City scored two goals using the quality players that they have. No real scare, but a good performance by Southampton.
The game also inclded a shocking penalty miss by David Silva of City, equal only in crapitude to yesterday's one by Shane Long for WBA against Liverpool.


Arsenal don't have any debt that I'm aware of:dunno:
Think it's just Arsenal being Arsenal and selling players when their value peaks.

Ah OK, I thought that they still were paying back on the ?400million for the new stadium.

:smile:
 
Ah OK, I thought that they still were paying back on the ?400million for the new stadium.

:smile:

They are. I think there is about ?100m to pay back still as of the last accounts. The flats they built at Highbury paid back a big chunk of the original ?400m odd back.
 
I thought Southgampton played OK actually.

I am optimistic that they may stay up - Cobol74 prepares to eat his words in 9 months time.
 
As pointed out, Chelsea has it easy for their first five; I will also admit that they were not the Chelsea that had a spectacular, unexpected climb last season outside of the EPL. Truth be known, they played like a upper middle ranked team yesterday; not bad but not good either. :mad:

Also, poor Hazard was getting picked on left and right in the first half. Maybe a bit of hazing to introduce him to the more aggressive EPL?
 
Monday 20th August 2012

Everton 1-0 Man Utd

Alex is not going to pleased about that start, "hairdrier treatment" for all!
I didn't see the game, anyone?

Report by BBC dude said the Toffees were deserving of the win.
RVP came on as sub at 67m already one down and didn't have the fairytale etc etc.


As pointed out, Chelsea has it easy for their first five; I will also admit that they were not the Chelsea that had a spectacular, unexpected climb last season outside of the EPL. Truth be known, they played like a upper middle ranked team yesterday; not bad but not good either. :mad:

Yup this, but early days in a long season. Oscar came on as sub prettty much straight from the Olympic Final last week, I had forgotten that he was a Chelsea man now. He looks very classy.

A funny old "closed season" this year for players of some of top European clubs, with both the Euro 2012 Championship and then the Olympics.


Also, poor Hazard was getting picked on left and right in the first half. Maybe a bit of hazing to introduce him to the more aggressive EPL?

He was getting involved in the game, but I didn't notice any hazing on the highlights I saw.

This is how the BBC dude started his match report:

BBC Sport said:
By Peter Scrivener
BBC Sport

Eden Hazard made an impressive Premier League debut for Chelsea as they held off a tenacious Wigan side to win 2-0.

The Belgian midfielder turned neatly before sending Branislav Ivanovic clear to sidefoot in the first.

Hazard was then felled for the penalty which allowed Frank Lampard to double Chelsea's lead after just six minutes.

Looks like a good player and possible Lampard replacement, maybe.

:smile:
 
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