2011/2012 English Premier League thread

[d_phaneuf]

he's as good as gone

[Barnet Flame]

Originally Posted by Locke

Van Persie talks not going well.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...adlock?cc=5901

They're only offering £130k/week? That seems fairly low for the Premier League's top scorer. Most people speculate that Wayne Rooney makes £100k/week more than that and lord only knows what some of the City strikers make.

I love all the quotes in that article.

[Barnet Flame]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

he's as good as gone

You hope.

[Barnet Flame]

Originally Posted by Locke

From the same article:

To be fair, they are talking to 3 or 4 other candidates.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Barnet Flame

To be fair, they are talking to 3 or 4 other candidates.

I understand they're talking to several managerial candidates, but I like Steve Clark as a coach so I'm glad they've decided to keep him on.

[Barnet Flame]

Originally Posted by Locke

I understand they're talking to several managerial candidates, but I like Steve Clark as a coach so I'm glad they've decided to keep him on.

Clarke is a good coach - a strong assistant. Pretty much the type of guy we could do with at Arsenal.

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by Barnet Flame

To be fair, they are talking to 3 or 4 other candidates.

Barca pulls out.
http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/...l-wantaway-van

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by Barnet Flame

You hope.

nope, I don't like players leaving the PL, regardless of who they play for

and what kind of rivalry is it going to be if Arsenal throw out a lineup with Nicky or Chamakh up front

won't even be worth it

[d_phaneuf]

Kenneth Dalglish ‏@kennethdalglish
Overwhelmed by support of the fans. Always been special but even more so now. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. YNWA and I never have.

classy

[Barnet Flame]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

nope, I don't like players leaving the PL, regardless of who they play for

and what kind of rivalry is it going to be if Arsenal throw out a lineup with Nicky or Chamakh up front

won't even be worth it

Yes, because even if Van Persie goes, Arsenal don't have a track record of getting effective strikers to play up front.

And what kind of rivalry could you describe it as now when you have people who are now adults that have no memory of your team finishing above your 'rivals'?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Barnet Flame

Clarke is a good coach - a strong assistant. Pretty much the type of guy we could do with at Arsenal.

Exactly, for me he is one of the lone bright spots so its good that hes staying.

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by Barnet Flame

Yes, because even if Van Persie goes, Arsenal don't have a track record of getting effective strikers to play up front.

And what kind of rivalry could you describe it as now when you have people who are now adults that have no memory of your team finishing above your 'rivals'?

certainly not lately

and your right, it's not a rivalry I guess, just a random game

[The Big Chill]

I don't know if there will be that many suitors for RVP. As great as he is, with a long injury history (although he has managed to stay healthy for a while now) and the fact that he will be 29 at the start of next season, I just can't imagine too many teams paying the amount that Arsenal will likely be asking. Plus if Barca are out, RM are odds on favorites to get Cavani, and City already have plenty of striking options, that doesn't leave too many teams with the kind of budget that can afford him.

[The Big Chill]

I read that Jurgen Klopp could be one of the guys interviewed for the Liverpool job. He has done a heck of a job at Borussia Dortmund.

[NBC]

In all fairness the Spurs-Arsenal rivalry wasn't much of a rivalry for a decade. It has only been in the past couple of years when Spurs have been able to mount some sort of a challenge to Arsenal's supremacy in north London (the coca-cola cup notwithstanding). During this time Arsenal and its supporters viewed CFC and Man U as their chief rivals as there was typically more at stake in these matches and the on-field product that Tottenham produced in the North London Derby matches was lacking.

I've long thought that in order for a rivalry to flourish, results need to be a back and forth. This is why it was a weak rivalry for such a long time. Similar to how Calgary-Edmonton was/is the historic rivalry. But now, since the Oilers are terrible and Calgary has beaten them a ridiculous amount of times over the past number of years, the hot-blooded rival in now Vancouver. I think that a plurality of Flames fans would agree with this.

[Barnet Flame]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

certainly not lately

and your right, it's not a rivalry I guess, just a random game

Just picking up on your point.

But for a number of years, the NLD, while important, was utterly immaterial to where the two teams finished relative to each other.

[NBC]

Aston Villa 'in talks' with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Aston Villa are talking to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer about taking over as their new manager, according to the former Manchester United striker's club Molde.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18116353

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by NBC

Aston Villa 'in talks' with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Aston Villa are talking to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer about taking over as their new manager, according to the former Manchester United striker's club Molde.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18116353

Interesting, if there was a ex-player to take over when Fergie leaves most people have thought it was him

job in the PL won't hurt that

[d_phaneuf]

Liverpool asked to talk to Rodgers and he declined

[Locke]

Wigan Athletic chairman Dave Whelan has warned Roberto Martinez against taking the Liverpool job, suggesting that the Reds "don't know what they are doing".

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...erpool?cc=5901

I think hes right.

Swansea City boss Brendan Rodgers has turned down the opportunity to speak with Liverpool about their vacant managerial position.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...odgers?cc=5901

Seems desperate and I certainly dont blame him, Liverpool are a mess right now. This whole thing is pretty grim.