Official 2009/2010 Premiership Thread

[Jagger]

Originally Posted by rubecube

The Russians want Torres.

Benayoun too apparently:

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...nsfers&cc=5901

Frig. It's like a vulture circling round a corpse. I hate this. Liverpool as a selling club; my dad must be rolling over in his grave.

[rubecube]

Lokomotiv Moscow want Pav.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...nsfers&cc=5901

I'd be fine with that, if Harry can get a good price for him. Robbie Keane will be back next year, and this could also give them a chance to either buy Gudjonsen or go after a truly elite striker.

[d_phaneuf]

I hope they sell both Keane and Pav

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

I hope they sell both Keane and Pav

I'd be fine with that, too. I really think they need to bring in an elite striker if they plan to hold onto fourth and make any noise in the Champions League. Crouch was great down the stretch, but the better teams seemed to have no problems shutting down Defoe.

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by rubecube

I'd be fine with that, too. I really think they need to bring in an elite striker if they plan to hold onto fourth and make any noise in the Champions League. Crouch was great down the stretch, but the better teams seemed to have no problems shutting down Defoe.

ya what they need is a big target man who can do what Berbatov did at Spurs and play alone up front

cause Harry has said that in big away games in the league and CL next year he wants to start using a 4-5-1 and try to attack on the counter with Lennon and Bale on the wings

the biggest rumor right now is Dzeko who would be great I think, but he has a lot of teams after him as well so who knows

Defoe is a solid striker but he can't play alone up top, Crouch doesn't have the pace to do it well either.

[d_phaneuf]

Arsenal face a battle to keep Cesc Fàbregas after the Spain midfield player told Arsène Wenger yesterday that he wants to rejoin Barcelona.

In face-to-face talks at the club’s training ground, Fàbregas told his manager of his desire to return to his boyhood side, who are preparing an initial bid of £30 million for a player they lost for nothing when he left their academy seven years ago.

Fàbregas wants to stay on good terms with Arsenal, who have nurtured his development since he left Barcelona as a 16-year-old, and is particularly keen not to damage his excellent relationship with Wenger. However, he is prepared to submit a written transfer request if necessary.

The 23-year-old has known of Barcelona’s interest for several months and has given the matter great thought before reaching what he considers his final decision.

His reasons are primarily footballing ones, having rejected the opportunity to discuss more lucrative moves to Real Madrid and Manchester City. While the prospect of being closer to his family and friends by returning home is appealing, his main concern is success on the pitch and winning the biggest honours. He views this as a doubtful proposition at Arsenal, who have not won a trophy for five years. A 2005 FA Cup winner’s medal is the only club honour in his collection.

Barcelona secured a second successive Spanish championship last weekend and are preparing to try to reclaim the Champions League title they won in 2009 by attempting to sign David Villa and Fernando Torres from Valencia and Liverpool respectively.

Fàbregas has always planned to return to Spain and appeared to open the door for a move last week by claiming that he wanted to resolve his future before next month’s World Cup finals,...

from http://timesmobile.mobi/ms/p/times/o...3019&cat=Sport

if he himself is saying he wants to go I dont know how they keep him. Also wonder if Wenger will actually spend the money they make from any potential transfer. Arsenal haven't spent much in the last 4-5 years and they have sold quite a bit, dono if thats the owners not wanting to spend or Wenger's arrogance in trying to build a young dynasty from within but it has cost them trophy's

if they sell Cesc and dont add a new keeper, replacement midfielder, and depth around the squad they are in serious danger of falling out of the top 4

[NBC]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

from http://timesmobile.mobi/ms/p/times/o...3019&cat=Sport

if he himself is saying he wants to go I dont know how they keep him. Also wonder if Wenger will actually spend the money they make from any potential transfer. Arsenal haven't spent much in the last 4-5 years and they have sold quite a bit, dono if thats the owners not wanting to spend or Wenger's arrogance in trying to build a young dynasty from within but it has cost them trophy's

if they sell Cesc and dont add a new keeper, replacement midfielder, and depth around the squad they are in serious danger of falling out of the top 4

My sense is that it is the ownership group not wanting excessive spending at the club. It cost around £390 million to build the new ground and I am fairly certain that the ownership does not want the club to accrue massive Man U and Chelsea style debts.

Wenger can be arrogant over certain things, but I'd bet that he's been given clear instructions to not overspend. I don't think that it would be good practice to forgo winning silverware for the sake of saying you built the squad from the ground up. That type of football model would get you turfed out in an awful hurry. He's arrogant but not stupid.

But I could be completely wrong here.

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by NBC

My sense is that it is the ownership group not wanting excessive spending at the club. It cost around £390 million to build the new ground and I am fairly certain that the ownership does not want the club to accrue massive Man U and Chelsea style debts.

Wenger can be arrogant over certain things, but I'd bet that he's been given clear instructions to not overspend. I don't think that it would be good practice to forgo winning silverware for the sake of saying you built the squad from the ground up. That type of football model would get you turfed out in an awful hurry. He's arrogant but not stupid.

But I could be completely wrong here.

ya if it came from the ownership that wouldn't surprise me, and you can't really fault any of the buys Wenger actually has made over the last few years. Vermaelan would be worth double now what Wenger payed for him last summer, Nasri was solid as well.

But this was the year they had a real shot at the title with Man U in a transition year and Chelsea a little older. Both teams will probly spend in the summer and bring in 2-5 real solid players. But they didn't get a striker or a goalie in january which they needed. If thats the owners doing than the fans should be angry

they have been very thrifty though, and at this point they are probly the team in England with the 5th biggest ability to spend behind (Man U, Chelsea, Man City, Spurs) and if Liverpool get new owners than they could fall to 6th

I just think selling Cesc, and if he puts in a written transfer request I don't see how they keep him, would be a huge turning point for the club if they don't use the funds from the sale to make the team better, which they didn't when they sold Henry, Viera, Adebayor, Toure etc.

[rubecube]

Barca sign David Villa.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...nsfers&cc=5901

[ipuckedyourmom]

Originally Posted by rubecube

Barca sign David Villa.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...nsfers&cc=5901

Wow! I was hoping they would get Torres but Villa is a great striker as well. Barcelona will be even better offensively next year, harder to believe.

I guess this means Torres will probably be going to Chelsea...

[Finny61]

La Liga is looking like the Scottish Premiership, two dominant teams and the rest being filler.

I am bias about Wenger (I'm a gooner) but to be fair the guy is an economist, he knows how to run the books, he isn't stupid. I also don't see how he will jump at selling Cesc because he has admitted some regrets losing Veira and Henry and how old were they when dealt? 28 or so? Cesc is 23? He's got a lot of room. I think Wenger will need to spend to help keep Cesc, he's committed to getting Chumakh at the striker position and he should consider maybe getting Joe Hart as I can't see him wanting to be second fiddle at City.

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by Finny61

La Liga is looking like the Scottish Premiership, two dominant teams and the rest being filler.

I am bias about Wenger (I'm a gooner) but to be fair the guy is an economist, he knows how to run the books, he isn't stupid. I also don't see how he will jump at selling Cesc because he has admitted some regrets losing Veira and Henry and how old were they when dealt? 28 or so? Cesc is 23? He's got a lot of room. I think Wenger will need to spend to help keep Cesc, he's committed to getting Chumakh at the striker position and he should consider maybe getting Joe Hart as I can't see him wanting to be second fiddle at City.

Ya I agree on the economist part, and the lack of buying may have to do with their new stadium being relatively new

I am not saying he is a bad manager or anything

Don't think Joe Hart gets moved quite yet because Given won't be fit until October I think, so City probly won't sell him until january

if Cesc hands in a transfer request which the English media is saying he wants too (but they have been wrong in the past) than I don't see how they keep him. Would bring unrest in to the dressing room if he stayed.

[Finny61]

If we lose Cesc we are screwed.
I know we can buy some players but he is top calibre.

[Finny61]

On another note does anyone know what we are getting for broadcast next season? I heard Setanta is leaving and Sportsnet got EPL rights while Serie A is getting picked up by Score. Does this mean our only soccer option is one or two games every weekend?

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by Finny61

On another note does anyone know what we are getting for broadcast next season? I heard Setanta is leaving and Sportsnet got EPL rights while Serie A is getting picked up by Score. Does this mean our only soccer option is one or two games every weekend?

Setanta not going anywhere in Canada, it got overtaken by FSC+ in the US

Rogers Sportsnet, TSN2 and Setanta Canada have come to terms on a multi-year agreement that will give the three networks Canadian broadcast rights to exclusive England's Barclays Premier League matches over the next three seasons.

Barclays Premier League is widely regarding as one of the top soccer leagues in the world and is also one of the most-watched. Made up of 20 member clubs, the English-based league includes some of the most popular teams in the world of soccer such as Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and more.

TSN2 will feature the early Saturday morning matches, (7:30 a.m. ET) and the Monday afternoon matches, (3 p.m. ET). The remainder of the schedule will be shared between Rogers Sportsnet and Setanta Canada. Details on the Barclays Premier League broadcast schedule for the three networks will be confirmed in August.

[Nuje]

As far as I know, Setanta Canada is owned by Sportsnet, which is why we still have it, where it went away in the UK (along with SpecialOne TV, which was awesome)

So if TSN2 has a Saturday match, Sportsnet usually runs one as well (and both will likely be in HD which rocks), then unless Sportsnet moves to air Sundays instead (or hopefully, just air more games) there should be a lot more live games.....that is fantastic.

[d_phaneuf]

its a little old but I just saw this on a Man U site, hilarious

[Addick]

Originally Posted by NBC

My sense is that it is the ownership group not wanting excessive spending at the club. It cost around £390 million to build the new ground and I am fairly certain that the ownership does not want the club to accrue massive Man U and Chelsea style debts.

In the last few years it has been about paying off the stadium costs. With the club now being debt free on the property side I think their spending power will increase or at least be available once more.

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

they have been very thrifty though, and at this point they are probly the team in England with the 5th biggest ability to spend behind (Man U, Chelsea, Man City, Spurs) and if Liverpool get new owners than they could fall to 6th

For some reason I think that if Wegner goes all out he could rack up the third highest transfer bill this summer. I neither think that SAF will go crazy in the market nor does United actually have the funds in hand.

Originally Posted by Finny61

La Liga is looking like the Scottish Premiership, two dominant teams and the rest being filler.

Do you read the Arseblog? Just this morning he commented on how La Liga was turning into the Sunny SPL.

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

if Cesc hands in a transfer request which the English media is saying he wants too (but they have been wrong in the past) than I don't see how they keep him. Would bring unrest in to the dressing room if he stayed.

I was absolutely devastated yesterday morning. When I was reading the transfer gos on my mobile during my commute I was surprised my fellow passengers didn't push the help button when they saw the look of shock and horror on my face. I couldn't imagine a week were Charlton would lose their play-off tie and Arsenal would lose Cesc, the football gods would be having a cruel laugh. However, after reading some levelheadedness on Arseblog my fears have been calmed for now.

[Finny61]

Okay so sportsnet, tsn2 and setanta have a deal in place, that's great and all but where does Setanta stand? Are they still broadcasting all the games with Sportsnet and TSN2 picking up a couple on the weekends in Hi Def?

I don't like the $15 a month for Setanta but I like coming home in the evening after work and having games replayed various times so I don't miss anything. And no I don't have a PVR.

[Locke]

Setanta is worth the $$$