The Official 2011-2012 English Premier League Football Thread

[DTroppens]

And to think, about five years ago I wouldn't have even put up much interest to watch today's games.

Well, won't be able to watch it because I have to go to the in-laws now, but time to change caps.

Let's go PARMA!!!

[dadair6]

Wow! I got back in the car at the start of time added on and heard the last five minutes. Pure craziness. Not sure who the TalkSport announcer was, but I absolutely love Stan Collymore on the analysis. They were a little over the top with the dramatics, but I think they were correct that today is probably the best finish to a Division 1/Premiership season including the fantastic 1989 finish with Arsenal.

[DTroppens]

Last year was a heart-stopper at the bottom of the table. It was today as well. At the top of the table, this was a thrill.

You know anything can happen, but when ManCity went up 1-0, I figured that it was probably going to end up 3-0, 4-0 or something like that. I thought until ManCity scored, you never know. But trailing, I wouldn't have guessed QPR would tie them back up and then take a lead. But when you are playing for your survival, funny things happen.

I kind of feel sad for Bolton. Our area has a youth development program associated with the Bolton Wanderers, so in that respect I would've liked to see them remain in the EPL. I was kind of pulling for them today. I wish their game was one of the ones on the easy access stations today.

[DTroppens]

Anyone that missed Sunday's action should watch the EPL week in review show that they have on FSD and FSD+ occasionally. They did a pretty good job of flip-flopping between the two Manchester games and the wave of emotions between the two places as the day continued on.

[dadair6]

Anyone that missed Sunday's action should watch the EPL week in review show that they have on FSD and FSD+ occasionally. They did a pretty good job of flip-flopping between the two Manchester games and the wave of emotions between the two places as the day continued on.

Thanks for the heads-up. I only got to see the last few minutes of the post-games shows and I didn't see the ManU footage on either.

I've been listening to TalkSport all day today and the ManU fans are having a tough time coming to grips. The most frequent quote of the day from them is that ManCity bought their championship. One caller said "Man City bought their championship. Even though ManU spent more money this year we've earned the right to spend more money!!"

Just goes to show, callers into sports talk shows are morons the globe over.

[DTroppens]

Just goes to show, callers into sports talk shows are morons the globe over.

So true.

[Blue Square Thing]

This is why, quite frankly, Talk Sport is blocked from every listening device in this house ;-)

[DTroppens]

This is why, quite frankly, Talk Sport is blocked from every listening device in this house ;-)

I pretty much banned it from myself for a long time as well. Now with the Tigers returning to action, it's on a little bit. But, I find myself flipping on a CD when the game is not on.

Honestly, some sports radio people can just put you in a bad mood. Why listen to something that just wants to tick you off?

[dadair6]

I actually like TalkSport, more so than BBC Radio 5. I enjoy listening to it as long as they don't take callers.

I normally don't get into domestic leagues during the late fall through early spring. I'm in the mood at the start and end of the EPL season, but there's too much going on here during the winter to keep my attention. I'm exctited for the next month with the Champions League final and Euro2012. I'm debating a trip to Toronto in July to see Liverpool play at Rogers Centre agaisnt Toronto FC. The game is the weekend following Iron Maiden at Pine Knob and I'm not sure I can swing both.

[DTroppens]

I actually like TalkSport, more so than BBC Radio 5. I enjoy listening to it as long as they don't take callers.

I normally don't get into domestic leagues during the late fall through early spring. I'm in the mood at the start and end of the EPL season, but there's too much going on here during the winter to keep my attention. I'm exctited for the next month with the Champions League final and Euro2012. I'm debating a trip to Toronto in July to see Liverpool play at Rogers Centre agaisnt Toronto FC. The game is the weekend following Iron Maiden at Pine Knob and I'm not sure I can swing both.

I'll be at Pine Knob as well on that date!

[jonjd]

I'm debating a trip to Toronto in July to see Liverpool play at Rogers Centre agaisnt Toronto FC.

Excellent! I'll be there, and in Boston and Baltimore to see the Kenny-less Reds. We have a lot of positions to fill in management.. practically all of them. It shall be a busy, busy summer in Scouserville.

[Blue Square Thing]

I actually like TalkSport, more so than BBC Radio 5. I enjoy listening to it as long as they don't take callers.

I occasionally still listen to 5, although increasingly Radio 4 takes control over my radios (or the World Service sometimes tbf). Radio Norfolk for the football :-)

Just now, of course, there's a test match on so it's cricket all the way...

[dadair6]

West Ham scores in the 87th minute to take a 2-1 lead on Blackpool for promotion. Four minutes of stoppage time.

[dadair6]

West Ham wins and joins Reading and Southampton in the EPL next season.

[DTroppens]

Bayern Munich-Chelsea right now.

0-0 halfway through the first half.

[DTroppens]

Chelsea defending and seeing if they can be broken, looking for counter chances. Right now, it's been relatively quiet.

[DTroppens]

Nice shot by Kalou. Chelsea is asserting themselves as this game progresses.

[DTroppens]

First half
Chelsea has to be very pleased with their performance. And as the half went on, it wasn't just defend and counter. Chelsea started asserting itself a bit.

0-0 at the half

[dadair6]

Just finished watching on the DVR. If there was ever a team that didn't deserve to win a championship, it was Chelsea today. Bayern Munich dominates the entire game, scores in the 83rd then give up a corner goal in the 87th to Drogba. Robben misses a PK in extra time then Czech makes two saves in penalties, the last on BM's final shot, and Drogba puts in the winner. Unbelievable.

What a kick in the teeth for Tottenham.

[DTroppens]

Just finished watching on the DVR. If there was ever a team that didn't deserve to win a championship, it was Chelsea today. Bayern Munich dominates the entire game, scores in the 83rd then give up a corner goal in the 87th to Drogba. Robben misses a PK in extra time then Czech makes two saves in penalties, the last on BM's final shot, and Drogba puts in the winner. Unbelievable.

What a kick in the teeth for Tottenham.

I just finished watching the rest of it on DVR as well. I had to leave after regulation to go to a family party.

I don't really agree with much of what you said. Chelsea played this type of football to perfection not once, not twice but three times in the three most important games of the season. Bayern Munich dominated shots, but they got off very few quality shots on target. Some of that goes to the outstanding shape of Chelsea's defense, actually a lot of it. Some of it goes to BM's players flat out failing on the opportunities they had. Chelsea had very few, and when it mattered most, Drogba came out with what was a pretty nice equalizer.

I wanted Bayern Munich to win this game. They are my adopted German side. But, anyone that has seen Chelsea over the final three games of this tourney, saw this performance twice before.

Chelsea, simply, deserved it.

[DTroppens]

Friedel wants to be anywhere but the postgame show.

I swear he might have a rifle and might go a little ballistic.

It would've been nice to see him in the Champions League, but I guess that's not going to happen now.

[Blue Square Thing]

What a kick in the teeth for Tottenham.

Every cloud has a silver lining then...

[jj04]

West Ham wins and joins Reading and Southampton in the EPL next season.

Another season stuck in the nPower League.

[dadair6]

Another season stuck in the nPower League.

After following the EPL's final weekend and the Champions League with me final my wife wanted to "adopt" an English team. After a little searching she has decided on Nottingham Forest. Her mother's maiden name was Sherwood and since we couldn't find a professional team in Sherwood, only a youth club, she's going with Forest. Maybe I'll pay a little attention to the Championship next season.

[DTroppens]

After following the EPL's final weekend and the Champions League with me final my wife wanted to "adopt" an English team. After a little searching she has decided on Nottingham Forest. Her mother's maiden name was Sherwood and since we couldn't find a professional team in Sherwood, only a youth club, she's going with Forest. Maybe I'll pay a little attention to the Championship next season.

It's hard to find a lot of the games in terms of viewing them, but there are plenty of ways to follow the teams. I follow Hull City pretty well despite not really ever seeing them play (I think it was one game and parts of another game this year).

Word of warning - I thought Nottingham Forest was going to be a good threat to get promoted this year because pretty much every year since I started watching England soccer, they've been on the door knocking at it. This year, they took a serious turn for the worst and spent more time near the relegation zone than anywhere else. Don't know if that will happen next year, but it could be scary.

I'm kind of expecting Hull to fall a bit down the table next year for some reason.

[DTroppens]

Is there any way DiMatteo isn't kept at Chelsea. That guy turned around that club when it looked like they were about to fall into oblivion.

If he doesn't come back, what are the chances of him joining a side he was fired at within the last 18 months. Oh, that good huh. Darn.

[Blue Square Thing]

Is there any way DiMatteo isn't kept at Chelsea. That guy turned around that club when it looked like they were about to fall into oblivion.

Apparently (I was listening to the radio t'other day waiting for a child to come out of scouts...)...

There seems to be a "plan" for Chelsea to appoint someone for a year while they try to attract Guardiola. So I suppose it all rather depends on whether he fancies it for a year - or is going to take a bet on them not being able to tempt Guardiola.

[pyrotigers]

After following the EPL's final weekend and the Champions League with me final my wife wanted to "adopt" an English team. After a little searching she has decided on Nottingham Forest. Her mother's maiden name was Sherwood and since we couldn't find a professional team in Sherwood, only a youth club, she's going with Forest. Maybe I'll pay a little attention to the Championship next season.

It's probably a safe bet I'm the only Nottingham Forest fan on this forum so I have some bad news:

Nottingham Forest's owner died this year, and they still don't really have an owner or any sort of financial certainty around the club, due to this they're most likely going to lose several of the clubs top players for nothing this summer.

On top of that, they already did this last year because the now deceased owner didn't put much money into the club the past season, and also made the horrifying mistake of hiring Steve McClaren as manager.

It's probably not a great time to become a fan given all that, but hey when I started supporting them they were languishing in League 1 so assuming they don't get relegated this upcoming season things are still going well. Also, Lewis McGugan is pretty good:

Lewis McGugan Goal vs Ipswich Town 23/10/10 - YouTube

[pyrotigers]

I might have to take that back, apparently a mega-rich Kuwait Refrigeration tycoon (seriously) is going to buy the club, things could be looking up for Nottingham Forest