official Barclays Premier League Season 2011/2012

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From Wikpedia:

The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier League is a corporation in which the 20 member clubs act as shareholders. Seasons run from August to May, with teams playing 38 matches each, totalling 380 matches in the season. Most games are played on Saturdays and Sundays, with a few games played during weekday evenings. It was known as the Premiership from 1993 to 2007. It is currently sponsored by Barclays Bank and therefore officially known as the Barclays Premier League.

The competition formed as the FA Premier League on 20 February 1992 following the decision of clubs in the Football League First Division to break away from The Football League, which was originally founded in 1888, and take advantage of a lucrative television rights deal. The Premier League has since become the world's most watched association football league. It is the world's most lucrative football league in terms of revenue, with combined club revenues of over ?2 billion in 2008?09.[2] It is ranked first in the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) coefficients of leagues based on performances in European competitions over the last five years, ahead of Spain's La Liga and Germany's Bundesliga.

Last season's title went to Manchester United. Who will win it this season? Which teams won't make the cut? Vote now.

As an aside: I was surprised not to see the thread having been created yet. I blame Rappy's hiatus for it.

[Wakers]

Not looking forward to the season as a Blackburn fan. We've gone from making progress under Hughes, to appointing the worst premier league manager in history in Ince, and now the club is owned by a bunch of jokers who obviously have nowhere near the money they said they did, and they appointed someone who is clueless to manage the team too.

We're going to lose Samba, we've only got one striker at the club with some sort of potential, we've bought an unknown in Goodwille, and we're still stuck with Roberts.

Not going to be fun.

[rajputwarrior]

thank you meph... didn't have to do it this year :)

[Valerus]

This is our make-or-break year. Arsene better get his game together or we may finish below Liverpool.

[Crazysah]

This is our make-or-break year. Arsene better get his game together or we may finish below Liverpool.

Yes. I believe this is our comeback year. Six years and nothing but it's not going to be seven years and nothing.

Also, no one creating a fantasy team this year? No league?

[idioot]

Arsenal will be lucky to stay in top4 this season. They haven't really improved the squad at all, and time is running out to do so.

While others buy new players, we still haven't bought a good CB that we so badly need. Every time Squilvestre is on pitch, the defence is utter shambles and the pre-season friendlies all showed it.

Add to that the uncertainty about Cesc & Nasri staying and being committed and it's already looking like another dissapointing season.

[Asharae]

As a Chelsea fan, I believe that it is going to be our year this year. We seem to be much much stronger and everyone seems raring to go.

I would say main competition is United and City, they both seem to be on good track this year aswell.

[acnpt]

Football on tonight, Celtic Legends v Man Utd Legends, 7pm itv4 (Sky120)

[rajputwarrior]

liverpool is finishing top 4 this year... guaranteed thanks to the downfall of arsenal :)

arsenal is going to be the liverpool of two three years ago this campaign.

[Guyro]

think its gonna be a Manchester 1-2 (United winning) City second if Aguero is firing

Chelsea third as they havent got stronger at all

Liverpool 4th

however, if torres doesnt get on his A game i can see liverpool coming 3rd with Chelsea 4th

[Wakers]

Liverpool don't have the team for it. Full of mediocre and overrated players. They'll be top 7, but struggling for 4th.

[Alladaskill17]

Sunderland v Liverpool!!! Wooo

[Kralik]

Larsson scored an absolute blinder against 'Pool!!

[idioot]

Barton is such a scumbag..assaults Gervinho for diving and then dives himself after a slight touch

[Kralik]

Needs to be said again...

From what I saw yesterday I'd be very surprised if we scored against Udinese on Tuesday with the same team.. we need Wilshere back for sure and with Cesc and Nasri going and Wilshere injured we have absolutely no creativity. I felt sometimes players were taking it too easy as well. The seniors know they have no competition for their places.. and Wenger says we do not need any more signings coz we have a "big enough" squad?? We need Mata/Hazard and a CM and a holding midfielder in immediately!! Had Wenger signed these at the start of the window like Sir Alex did. we would have been able to hold Nasri and Cesc for another year.

If we had for example Mata, Hazard and someone like de Jong, Beram Kayal, Marcos Senna or Fernando Reges then Arshavin, Song and others would play harder to cement their place in the starting 11. Also, Ramsey is no where near the level needed to start a game every week and why is Rosicky still here?

Also Wenger not bringing Chamakh on shows how much he trusts Chamakh to influence a game.. I believe Bendy looks more dangerous than Chamakh whenever he comes on and he should stay and Chamakh should be sold along with Rosicky, Diaby, Almunia and Eboue... we are in deep trouble if Wenger sells Cesc and Nasri and believes the youngsters and deadwood seniors can replace them...

RvP seemed lost at times.. the transfers and losing friends like Nasri and Cesc are definitely affecting him...

WRT Barton.. everyone knows thats how he is.. he lays into you and hopes you will strike back.. Gervinho fell in the trap but he should have known better.. I rem Diaby got sent off last season for the same as what Barton did yesterday

If Cesc and Nasri both leave (looks imminent sadly) then our starting 11 should be:

Szcency

Sagna

Djourou

Verm

New LB!!!

New DM

Wilshere

New CM

Gervinho/Walcott

New winger (Mata/Hazard)

RvP

So we are atleast 4 players short with almost half a month to go but a manager who seems is living in lala-land ATM!

[Jimmy0]

United to win the league. Swansea, Norwich and QPR to go down. ;)

I'd love to see Swansea stay up, but unfortunately I just don't think they have it in them.

[Scazza]

After seeing highlights of yesterdays games, I feel for the Arsenal fans. They could only manage a draw with a very poor Newcastle side who on paper really do not have any quality players.

The Barton/Gervinho spat was pathetic and I really hate this part of football, Barton contradicts himself when he gets fired up and grabs Gervinho by the throat (he didnt dive, there was a small amount of contact, the way he fell made it look a dive) and then when Gervinho scrapes him with a slap, Barton falls to the ground (after a pathetic delayed reaction) like he has been shot. I swear these people forget they are being watched by tens of thousands live and that there a TV cameras there that will catch most things that happen.

As for my predictions, they are:

Title Winners - Manchester United.

Relegated Teams - Swansea, Norwich & Newcastle.

Relegation is going to be close as always, I think QPR will be strong enough at home (even after their 1st game nerves). Although other Relegation contenders will be Wigan & Wolves.

EDIT:

LOL @ the 1 person who voted that Arsenal will be relegated.

[mattmatik]

Chelsea to win EPL :whistle:

Same with Swansea, Norwich, Queens Park to drop.

Can't wait for this morning (0530 here in California). Go Blues! Hope to see much better play from the backfield, we were extremely porous last season.

[mattmatik]

Scoreless draw @ Stoke, blah. Man U, some lucky ********.

[nothuman]

Happy about the results of course, but this was not the easy start I wish we had. Ferdinand out for 6 weeks and a lack a spirit in the second half worries me.

[idioot]

Damn Ag?ero!

2 goals and assist on his debut. And he only played for half an hour!

[Kralik]

Damn Ag?ero!

2 goals and assist on his debut. And he only played for half an hour!

It was against Swansea FGS!! Why are ppl making it such a big deal? If he does the same to Man U or Chelsea then I'll be impressed

[idioot]

so what if it was Swansea..that's still a good result on debut. And his 2nd was a great goal. Swansea keeper was also amazing last night but he could do nothing about that one..

[the better twin]

so what if it was Swansea..that's still a good result on debut. And his 2nd was a great goal. Swansea keeper was also amazing last night but he could do nothing about that one..

Yeah but you have to consider he came on in the second half, when swansea were tired after a half trying to play at a very high level.

Not saying he isnt good, but after one match, playing against a newly promoted side its a bit premature to be getting carried away, much in the same way people are calling De Gea garbage after nerves have got the better of him.

[Kralik]

Yeah but you have to consider he came on in the second half, when swansea were tired after a half trying to play at a very high level.

Not saying he isnt good, but after one match, playing against a newly promoted side its a bit premature to be getting carried away, much in the same way people are calling De Gea garbage after nerves have got the better of him.

I agree abt de Gea too.. Sir Alex always grabs top players and De Gea will become one.. it was his first big game and he is very young so he would be nervous for sure then. He will improve after a few games when he starts to control his nerves and the back four start to cover him better.