EPL 2007 Thread

[eldaec]

 

[HaemishM]

Liverpool 2 - Chelsea 0

Why is Essien playing center back? Surely Wayne Bridge can be used on the corner and let one of those guys play center back? Surely there's a better option. Essien is a great player, but he's not a central defender. If he had to play a back spot, he should have played on the wing opposite Cole. I understand Mourinho is desperate, but shit.

[eldaec]

Bridge is injured as of last Friday.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/6280513.stm

Essien is playing centreback because Chelsea felt that buying Andrey Shevchenko was more important than having any cover at all in defence. I guess Chelsea were worried they might not miss enough penalties without the Ukrainian on the team.

  ^h  :-D

[sigil]

It was only for three minutes, but there were four Americans (with no keepers) on the pitch for and EPL Match.

For Fulham,

Bocanegra (man of the match)
McBride(scored the gamewinner, came off at 80')
Dempsey(another sharp,if brief, appearance : came on at 77')

And Oguchi Onyewu played a great match, but the defense of Newcastle was horrid. Poor backpasses and Brambles is terrible.
Gooch came close to getting a goal in his first match, but he was stoned by Bocanegra.

A good day for American Soccer. Hopefully this Wednesday, we'll kick the shit out of Mexico and keep it going.

[sigil]

Liverpool now owned by Americans

Gillett has done a good job being an owner for the Habs, he's been  supportive without overbearing, and lets quality people with knowledge of the field do the  dirty work.

You could do far worse for owners than these two. 

More importantly, not a dime of debt was incurred.  Look for the Pool to flex their newfound financial muscle. I'm sure you supporters  are happy that it's at least finished.

[HaemishM]

The other side of the Liverpool sale is Tom Hicks. Major League Baseball has Tom Hicks to thank for Alex Rodriguez's assinine and insane $25 million a year salary. I'm not exactly jumping for joy over his Dan Snyder-like hands touching my Reds.

But at least it's not Dubai.

[Jobu]

The other side of the Liverpool sale is Tom Hicks. Major League Baseball has Tom Hicks to thank for Alex Rodriguez's assinine and insane $25 million a year salary. I'm not exactly jumping for joy over his Dan Snyder-like hands touching my Reds.

But at least it's not Dubai.

He's also a semi-toady of George Bush. Yay.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Hicks#Politics

[eldaec]

More importantly, not a dime of debt was incurred.  Look for the Pool to flex their newfound financial muscle.

The debt is likely to come when the stadium is built.

The Dubai bid was far and away the more popular bid in the stands.

Everyone over here is cautiously eyeing up the Gillett/Hicks dynamic duo right now. Looking at the numbers I don't see any (big) increases in spending power unless and until they get LFC's merchandising other revenues outside of the UK on the rise. Also, the fans are now braced for the new stadium to have a *really* stupid name.

But it could have been much worse, and at least the whole saga has been resolved.

[sigil]

the key is which side of the duo exercices greatest influence.

If it's Gillett, you'll be in good hands. This is my thinking, as, as Gillett was the one who started this effort, only bringing  Hicks on at the end. If it's Hicks, then there's some question.  From thiis view. however, it looks good.

Then again, I like Spurs. What the hell do I know. ;)

[HaemishM]

Also, the fans are now braced for the new stadium to have a *really* stupid name.

Expect the naming rights to be sold to the highest fucking bidder, like baseball stadiums in the US.

[sigil]

LOL,Crouch is a fucking hack.

Was there an opportunity he didn't completely screw up on today?

Game tonight at 9 eastern, ESPN2. Four guys from the premiership playing tonight  of the US against Mexico.

I'm thinking it's going to get really ugly in Glendale. Should be interesting.

[eldaec]

Also, the fans are now braced for the new stadium to have a *really* stupid name.

Expect the naming rights to be sold to the highest fucking bidder, like baseball stadiums in the US.

You know, I wouldn't really mind - it doesn't matter that much what the damn thing is called, except in most cases the amount of money involved has been pretty tiny given how much exposure the name gets. At £2-4M a year, stadium naming has to be one of the cheapest and best sponsorship deal that an advertiser can get.

Arsenal recently secured £100M for 15 years of stadium sponsorship and 8 years of shirt sponsorship; now the average premiership shirt sponsorship is worth £3M per annum, so a top 4 shirt is worth at least £5M, that leaves £60M left for the stadium naming, over 15 years that represents £4M per annum - which is still more than Hicks or Gilette have achieved in North American Baseball and Canadian Hockey, but nonetheless doesn't seem like that great a coup. At the time the media were falling over themselves to tell us how Arsenal had achieved an incredible deal......   clearly nobody did the maths.

Nobody in the media ever does the maths...

[HaemishM]

Math takes work, and journalism is increasingly becoming the bastion of the lazy.

[sigil]

And now Arsenal is the next to fall.

Kroneke is in advanced negotiations to form a partnersip with Arsenal

He's been buying shares in arsenal through his landsdown hedge fund, and is currently a 2 .7 percent shareholder.

First step is an official tie in, Arsenal will have a sister club in North America, formerly the Colorado rapids in MLS.

Colorado Arsenal, and it's not fake wannabe crap like Real Salt Lake*.  It's a doubly fitting name, as the new stadium they occupy is on the grounds of the former Rocky Mountain Weapons Arsenal.

*Although Real Salt Lake did get a foot in the door with that and turned it into a partnership. They got their stadium and are preparing now to build a full fledged soccer academy in partnership with Real Madrid  in Salt Lake City.

[Jobu]

Under the terms of the proposed Arsenal-Rapids alliance, it is planned that the Rapids will be renamed, and become either Arsenal Colorado or Colorado Arsenal. There are also plans to change the colour of the team strip to match the historic maroon strip Arsenal wore last season.

I've always thought that was a good idea, making sister teams here in the US. It seems to be working quite well for Chivas. And also, LOVE the maroon kit!

[sigil]

Announcement arrives and it's stil rapids., Which isn't the worst name is MLS. Everything else looks pretty flesh out.

[sigil]

Liverpool's Bellamy pulls a Jack Nicholson on Riis over a Karaoke contest.

LOL, Liverpool.

Spurs to the FA Quarters!

[HaemishM]

Damn Bellamy. Every time you think he's unfucked his head, he goes out and does something more stupid than his last thing.

[sigil]

John Terry has been officially had the shit beat out of him this season.

Knocked out for a minutes and swallowed his tongue during the Carling Cup Final.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcIVYYHxoEA

God Damn, he's been through it.

[HaemishM]

Oh, since I forgot to do it earlier...

LIVERPOOL 2 - BARCELONA 1

Barca looked very ordinary in that game.

[HaemishM]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcIVYYHxoEA

OUCH.

[eldaec]

Hmm,

9 matches left and the only thing left in doubt is uefa cup and intertoto cup qualification.

Buccaneers now will obviously win, Chelsea 2nd, Liverpool and Arsenal will finish in the CLQ3 spots, Bolton in the first UC spot. Charlton, West Ham, and Watford nailed on for relegation. I can't remember a season when all these issues were resolved with such certainty before easter, never mind by the beginning of March.

2nd UC spot is between Everton, Reading, and Spurs. That's what is now being played for.

Meh, at least the Champions League is still alive.

Also, watching Leeds in the championship is a little bit funny.

[HaemishM]

Liverpool totally shit the bed yesterday. They played a good game, but never could finish it off. That last free kick was horseshit, though. Man U should not have gotten that foul. Fuckers.

I really hope Reading pulls into the 6th spot. Spurs don't deserve it, and Everton is a Merseyside rival. Plus, Reading is one of the best underdog stories of the season.

[eldaec]

Regarding the Liverpool/ManU match, I think both sides were holding back because a draw suited them both, and this is a European week.

Clearly that worked out better for one side than for the other....


And yeah, it demonstrated once again that Liverpool are going to need 2, and arguably 3 new strikers this summer. The guy they already signed looks more like cover for Kuyt than a partner imo.

Carragher was hilarious talking about this in the aftermatch interview.

q: What will it take for Liverpool to win more matches against the other top sides?
a: Better players, but hopefully not at centre-back.

[HaemishM]

I think Bellamy and Kuyt are decent enough strikers, personally. But Liverpool really needs a good wing midfielder who can cross the ball in. Pennant/Zendan/Gonzales/Garcia/Aurellio just ain't going to cut it. And Gerrard needs to be back in the center where he does the most good. Of course, that would mean either selling Momo or Xabi Alonso, and I'm not sure that'd be a good idea either. Maybe switch Gerrard and Alonso, see if Alonso's great passing works better on the wing. Other than replacing Finnan, I don't think the back line really needs a lot of tweaking.

I wouldn't put Kuyt and Bellamy together every game, though. And as much as I've come to like Peter Crouch, I think he needs to be sent elsewhere.

[Jobu]

The great thing about this thread is going back and reading all the crap from the beginning of the season. My turn to start eating crow:

(re: C. Ronaldo) You know all the stick he's gonna get is going to make him worse too, and not turn his behavior around. Such talent, wasted on such a douche.

Oops. The way things are going, this is the Ronaldo Season, not the Rooney Season everyone was thinking/hoping it was going to be. still a douche

I don't know what you're smoking when you praise Drogba though. Total hack/cheat. When he's not handling the ball or hogging the ball, he's fluffing his first touches and watching it bounce for a goal kick off his chest or thigh. I hope Schevchenko and Kalou put his ass out to pasture.

This is where I ask for some salt and pepper to go with my huge serving of crow. And maybe a hat for dessert, to top it off.

Of the bottom rung teams, I usually cheer for Wigan lately. They held their own really well after promotion last year. I also like watching West Ham, just because every extra day Sherringham plays is amazing.

Well.... at least *one* of them isn't getting relegated.

The Manchester Buccaneers...

So now do I get to start calling Liverpool the RangerCanadiens?

[HaemishM]

This is a fun game.

Fuck Man U. I was happy to see Ruud go, if only because it means they won't be as good as last year.

My plate of crow appears to be quite large.

As for the Reds, I think they'll do good this year. From the games I've caught in rerun, Liverpool made it off of Gerrard, Reina in goal and tough defense. Their strikers were pretty ineffective. Cisse and Sinama-Pongolle just disappeared too much and Crouch is pretty terrible in the air. His height seems to actually be a disadvantage, in that everyone wants to air-cross the ball to him and he just doesn't go down the throat enough to make good use of it. What's frightening is how good he is with the ball on the ground, he just doesn't use it nearly enough. Signing Bellamy was fucking brilliant. In the games I've seen him, he's a really good striker, and I think he can only improve that offense. Alonso is good in the midfield, but I think Garcia is their weak link there.

I was right about Garcia, but I thought Bellamy would do better. Maybe if he'd played every game instead of constantly being rotated like Benitez does.

Chelsea are the Yankees of the EPL. Money money money. Drogba is a fucking thug. But they play good football. Really strong team and I'm not sure how anyone will unseat them. Arsenal is a good team, but they just seem to fall apart too easy, like they did in the UEFA championship. Of course, having Lehman sent off so early probably totally screwed them.

Not so far off. Arsenal is playing up to last year's form, and Drogba is still a thug. But he's playing incredible this year, better than I would have thought. If Chelsea hadn't had so many key injuries, especially to Terry, I'd have put even money on them repeating.

[eldaec]

The Manchester Buccaneers...

So now do I get to start calling Liverpool the RangerCanadiens?

Meh, if you like, refering to the Buccaneers is only fun because Buccaneer fans got so much sand in their vaginas about the takeover.

Trying to do the same to Liverpool fans doesn't really have the same impact on our collectively unbunched panties.

[lamaros]

Ronaldo is one of my favourite players. He is one of the best in the world, as he showed at the World Cup, regardless of the fact that he still has showmanship and gamesmanship issues to deal with. I hope he does get over them, and Ferguson will help with that I think, because he has such huge potential.

Yep!

Man Utd will be better without Ruud, as long as Rooney and Saha dont get injured. Ruud doesn't suit Rooney's style of play anywhere near as much as Saha does.

Zing!

Bellamy is a complete tosser, good though he may be, in a way far worse than Ronaldo.

Red, red, wine!

[sigil]

Berbatov and Zokora have done for spurs and new additions. Still needing more support on right wing, but supporters are thinking this is the year the Spurs make their return to Champions League.

That thought i mixed with much concern, as befitting the Yid Army.

So,I was right and yet horribly wrong. That would be  fitting.

Goddamn Spurs

[sigil]

I like Reading, but I'm going to be realistic, y'know?

A Spurs fan being realistic?  That's a table full of crow right there.

Had a passing interest in Spurs since Klinsy dived on his inaugural goal there. I've upped it as of late.

They upped it, then shit it all out like a a bad lasagna.

My team of Young pups is currently occupied by the Houston Dynamo. Off to watch the tape delayed game of the week. A strong start to the "New era with ESPN" 

They won the MLS cup, and were the first team in MLS to beat a Costa Rican side in CONCACAf. Semis against Pachucha starts on the 15th at Robertson Stadium, live on FSC. Their new kits are teh ghey with the hideous  swirl. They turned down Cuahetemoc Blanco as their DP. I love them. :) Every MLS game on the Deuce will get a pre and postgame, and be broadcast in HD. Some crow for that too.

[eldaec]

Watching the last 10 minutes of Liverpool-Barcelona right now, it's 0-1, but should be about 5-2. You really can't fault Bellamy and Kuyt for making chances and working hard, but the getting the shot off is such a performance - and it is getting old.

Barca's midfield has been awful throughout the tie. Whatever happens in the next ten minutes - Barca aren't winning anything.

[Hoax]

Their midfield has been ok, the  defense is just fucking terrible.  Though Deco is apt to get discouraged and stop playing I can't find too much fault in midfield.  They just never really looked brilliant for any kind of sustained periods today.

Gerrard is ass, watching all 90 of yet another game where he did nothing amazing.  I find all the hype on this guy so infuriating.  He's a solid starter but calling him anything above that is bullshit.

Also fuck Chelsea, from what I've read that got lucky with their first goal.  Too bad Lyon lost they have a good team Roma is a free win for someone in the round of eight.

Liverpool's defence esp on the wings was fantastic kudo's to them.  Too bad Barca forgot how to play with Eto'o here's hoping he ends up on a new team next season.  He deserves better then how they use him.  He's the best tiny center forward I've ever seen lol.

Hoping for PSV to hold out tomorrow just to spite England, Man Utd to win because they are ten times as entertaining as Lille can ever hope to be.  Celtic to win of course and really who cares what happens in the Bayern tie?



As for early predictions:

I'm rooting for Man Utd. because of Christiano, the kid can play if he ever matures a little people will need to watch out.  I also really started to like the Keane-led Spurs while watching reruns on FSC of last season.  Them loosing Carrick though most likely means they are boned.

Yeah, all you naysayers can eat it, the kid has skills and isn't the bitch diver horrible player you all pegged him as.

Keane was non-existent, Spurs sucked although even with Carrick they probably would have sucked so who knows if that was a good sell or not.

I'm always hoping for Scottish teams to do well in the Champion's league because Scotland > England (yes I've been to  both) but I dont bother talking about that.  I like Seville in the Spanish league because they were such a good story to follow and the two games I saw were impressive.

Hopefully Celtic can get an away goal or three tomorrow.  Seville continues to be a great underdog in the Primera, although I've yet to see anything but highlights of them this season.

Lampard > Gerrard, I dont know why he gets so much love nor do I care.  Terry > both, great defender comes all the way up but almost always gets back, always clogging the middle on the cross.  I hate Chelsea, because rooting for the team w/ more money then god isn't much fun.  But you can't argue with the fact that Lampard/Terry/Drogba are amazing players.  Gallas (sp?) isn't too shabby either.

I can't believe someone is ripping on Drogba, you sir are fucking insane...

I'd like to amend this to, they both are overrated.  I stick by my call on Terry and aparently many agree with me.  Drogba = teh win.  Called that one.  You all called him a diver and thug.  Gallas hasn't done much due to injuries and the whole crying to get traded drama.

[eldaec]

Gerrard has certainly been off form for a few weeks now.

Today he was great at picking it up the ball and moving it forward, but his eye for a cross or shot has been off for a while and it has meant he's often been wasting ball.

Clearly he hasn't dropped anywhere near the standards of rubbishness that Lampard dives to each week, but it hasn't been great.

[sigil]

It took a little over half a season for Berbatov and the striker corps at spurs to get their chemistry in order.

Now, here's where it gets interesting. . .

Spurs

Sat 17 Mar     Barclays Premiership     Tottenham    -    Watford        at White Hart Lane
Sun 01 Apr    Barclays Premiership    Tottenham   -    Reading FC       at White Hart Lane
Sat 07 Apr    Barclays Premiership    Chelsea   -    Tottenham       at Stamford Bridge
Mon 09 Apr    Barclays Premiership    Tottenham   -    Blackburn Rovers       at White Hart Lane
Sat 14 Apr    Barclays Premiership    Wigan Athletic   -    Tottenham       at JJB Stadium]
Sat 21 Apr    Barclays Premiership    Tottenham   -    Arsenal       at White Hart Lane
Sat 28 Apr    Barclays Premiership    Middlesbrough   -    Tottenham       at Riverside Stadium
Sat 05 May    Barclays Premiership    Charlton Athletic   -    Tottenham       at The Valley
Sun 13 May    Barclays Premiership    Tottenham   -    Manchester City       at White Hart Lane

Reading
Sat 17 Mar     Barclays Premiership     Reading FC    -    Portsmouth        at Madejski Stadium
Sun 01 Apr    Barclays Premiership    Tottenham   -    Reading FC       at White Hart Lane
Sat 07 Apr    Barclays Premiership    Reading FC   -    Liverpool       at Madejski Stadium
Mon 09 Apr    Barclays Premiership    Charlton Athletic   -    Reading FC       at The Valley
Sat 14 Apr    Barclays Premiership    Reading FC   -    Fulham       at Madejski Stadium
Sat 21 Apr    Barclays Premiership    Bolton   -    Reading FC       at Reebok Stadium
Sat 28 Apr    Barclays Premiership    Reading FC   -    Newcastle United       at Madejski Stadium
Sat 05 May    Barclays Premiership    Reading FC   -    Watford       at Madejski Stadium
Sun 13 May    Barclays Premiership    Blackburn Rovers   -    Reading FC       at Ewood Park

Everton
Sun 18 Mar     Barclays Premiership     Everton    -    Arsenal        at Goodison Park
Mon 02 Apr    Barclays Premiership    Aston Villa   -    Everton       at Villa Park
Fri 06 Apr    Barclays Premiership    Everton   -    Fulham       at Goodison Park
Mon 09 Apr    Barclays Premiership    Bolton   -    Everton       at Reebok Stadium
Sun 15 Apr    Barclays Premiership    Everton   -    Charlton Athletic       at Goodison Park
Sat 21 Apr    Barclays Premiership    West Ham   -    Everton       at Upton Park
Sat 28 Apr    Barclays Premiership    Everton   -    Manchester United       at Goodison Park
Sat 05 May    Barclays Premiership    Everton   -    Portsmouth       at Goodison Park
Sun 13 May    Barclays Premiership    Chelsea   -    Everton       at Stamford Bridge

Bolton
Sat 17 Mar     Barclays Premiership     Manchester United    -    Bolton        at Old Trafford
Sat 31 Mar    Barclays Premiership    Bolton   -    Sheff Utd       at Reebok Stadium
Sat 07 Apr    Barclays Premiership    Wigan Athletic   -    Bolton       at JJB Stadium
Mon 09 Apr    Barclays Premiership    Bolton   -    Everton       at Reebok Stadium
Sat 14 Apr    Barclays Premiership    Arsenal   -    Bolton       at Emirates stadium
Sat 21 Apr    Barclays Premiership    Bolton   -    Reading FC       at Reebok Stadium
Sat 28 Apr    Barclays Premiership    Chelsea   -    Bolton       at Stamford Bridge
Sat 05 May    Barclays Premiership    West Ham   -    Bolton       at Upton Park
Sun 13 May    Barclays Premiership    Bolton   -    Aston Villa       at Reebok Stadium

The last two Euro spots are entirely up for grabs. I almost thought a top four was possible, then I saw  Arsenal's schedule and got back to reality