2014/15 Barclay's Premier League Thread

[rich76]

Originally Posted by kobasew19

Story on CNN about AFC Bournemouth. Very fascinating!

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/05/01/fo...ue-ten-things/

Congrats Rich! Curious to know how you became a flames fan?

Bit of a long story, so here goes...

So at Easter-time 1992 my family stayed with a family in Red Deer. My dad was on a teacher exchange for a couple of weeks and we came along for the ride. Such an awesome time, I fell in love with Canada there and then. Amazing hospitality too.

The family we stayed with decided to buy me and my brother a welcome gift each. Being slap bang in the middle of Calgary and Edmonton, they bought one of us a Flames jersey, and the other an Oilers jersey. Being the older brother, I had first dibs on the jersey, and essentially just chose the jersey with the coolest logo. Turns out I made one of the best choices of my life.

I kind of watched from afar for a good few years. More of a passing interest, no real fanaticism. We never made it as far as visiting downtown Calgary itself when we were there (we only passed through on the way to Banff one weekend, and we also skirted the city for a weekend in Pincher Creek), and I've never been to the Saddledome. Once we were back in the UK, I searched to find NHL games on TV, but couldn't find any.

It wasn't until the 2004 Stanley Cup Final that I suddenly realised that the games were being televised over here on terrestrial TV (non-subscription), and that my team was playing in the final. From that moment, I was completely hooked.

I watched every game of that Tampa Bay series, getting up at 2am for every game with my 1992 jersey on, drinking a few beers before falling asleep and barely making it into work each day.

Especially with the internet, keeping up with Flames scores and news was getting easier. When the NHL TV rights got sold on in the UK, I subscribed to the various channels that were hosting it, and watched live every time they were on TV.

So the seeds were sown way, way back in the early 90s. But I've only been crazy about them since the cup run.

By this time I had also married into a family where my new brother-in-law was a Canuck fan from Kelowna. He lives over here now, so we pretty much talk hockey all day long, and I beat him in the fantasy hockey pool each year.

High moment - the whole of the 2004 Stanley Cup Final series, very nostalgic about it, and the moment I fell in love with hockey.

Low moment - game 7 against Anaheim in 2006.

Anyhoo... I've gone on too long about the Flames on a football thread, so I'll stop.

Summary... great times to be a Flames fan again. Awesome comeback last night. I wish I could come to the Saddledome sometime. It may happen one year

[devo22]

United agree deal to sign Memphis Depay

Manchester United has reached agreement with PSV Eindhoven and Memphis Depay for the player's transfer, subject to a medical, once the transfer window opens in June.

http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Fe...his-depay.aspx

wooohooo great signing, glad to see this one done early.

[d_phaneuf]

going to be interesting summer there, Depay a good signing, could be more outs than ins though

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

going to be interesting summer there, Depay a good signing, could be more outs than ins though

Hmm, must agree, will be a busy summer.

Chicharito, Falcao, surely out.
Di Maria, Evans, Rafael, De Gea?

Gundogan, Depay, Hummels, Lloris, Kane in?

[devo22]

Depay, Hummels, Clyne/Darmian, Schneiderlin and Dybala/Ings for me. Don't need more than 5 IMO and certainly no more "statement signings" like Falcao and ADM.

Evans, Rafael (), Falcao, Nani and Chicharito out. Plus De Gea if he really wants to go.

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

Hmm, must agree, will be a busy summer.

Chicharito, Falcao, surely out.
Di Maria, Evans, Rafael, De Gea?

Gundogan, Depay, Hummels, Lloris, Kane in?

might as well just sponsor the new stadium if they want to pay ENIC that kind of cash

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

might as well just sponsor the new stadium if they want to pay ENIC that kind of cash

That's a bit ambitious.

Lloris is 20. What's one good season worth for a young englishman? 50?

[d_phaneuf]

If Lloris goes this summer I think he squeezes at leas 30 out of someone, still dont think he goes though, DDG likely staying and Cech is much cheaper

Kane who knows, English tax is insane, but I'd wait until after hes top scorer at the Euro's next summer as the messiah who leads us to glory, then sell him

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

If Lloris goes this summer I think he squeezes at leas 30 out of someone, still dont think he goes though, DDG likely staying and Cech is much cheaper

Kane who knows, English tax is insane, but I'd wait until after hes top scorer at the Euro's next summer as the messiah who leads us to glory, then sell him

Lloris -- Yeah you're right actually. I just went searching for the old article, where Lloris has a buy-out of 20m if he doesn't qualify for Europe, but as this article explains that's not true.
http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/tr...ance-football/

Kane & Sterling would fetch ridiculous numbers if sold to another English club.

[devo22]

Carrick out for the rest of the season ... sigh

I know that Clyne has been linked with United for a while now, but if there's one Southampton player that United really should be after, it's Schneiderlin. United is #### in midfield without Carrick and his injury record has been horrible this season. Break the bank for Schneiderlin ... the guy is fantastic in every Saints game I'm able to catch. He'd be a fantastic signing and absolutely what's needed in the United midfield.

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by devo22

carrick out for the rest of the season ... Sigh

i know that clyne has been linked with united for a while now, but if there's one southampton player that united really should be after, it's schneiderlin. United is #### in midfield without carrick and his injury record has been horrible this season. Break the bank for schneiderlin ... The guy is fantastic in every saints game i'm able to catch. He'd be a fantastic signing and absolutely what's needed in the united midfield.

what

fml

[cam_wmh]

Chelsea starting most of their regulars, and slippy starts for 'pool.

[d_phaneuf]

haha Gerrard destroys Chelsea fans after the match

was asked about how they treated him today

"it's nice of them to show up for once"

[d_phaneuf]

much better than this years

[flamesfan6]

Not a great game by liverpool, and not a good send off for Gerrard...

but for the 2-1 goal to be scored offside, and then the 3-1 goal to be scored on a penalty shot for an incident just outside the box isn't really great..

[Winsor_Pilates]

Holy moly, how many kids does Garrard have?

[flamesfan6]

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

Holy moly, how many kids does Garrard have?

not all the kids were his, his nieces and nephews were there. He has 3 girls.

[Bagor]

Awkward ......

http://giant.gfycat.com/AbleWickedDikkops.webm

[devo22]

Phil Jones - the gift that keeps on giving!

http://gfycat.com/SingleUntriedBudgie

Young and Herrera have been majestic so far.

https://cdn2.streamable.com/video/d7...d3f420d41d.mp4

[d_phaneuf]

United win the title next year

Cech
Clyne Hummels Jones Shaw
Blind
Di Maria Gundogan
Muller Rooney Depay

Mata, Herrera, Carrick Rojo, Smalling, Valencia, Young, Januzaj