2011/2012 English Premier League thread

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by The Big Chill

It wasn't too long ago that his preference seemed to be Spain though. I think it is likely that a lot of big clubs from multiple countries will be bidding for him. I also recall him saying that he wants to go somewhere where he is guaranteed playing time, so it is possible that that could rule out City/Barcelona and a couple others. At the end of the day its all about $$ and Champs league though.

He said today (and I am paraphrasing) that while Spain suits his style of football better it's a different league because only two teams matter

in England every week is big

[d_phaneuf]

exact quote is

“I said I would go to England. Maybe I’ll go to Tottenham. It’s a great English club. There are great players [at Tottenham], a great manager. I haven’t signed anything yet. This will happen soon.”

[The Big Chill]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

exact quote is

“I said I would go to England. Maybe I’ll go to Tottenham. It’s a great English club. There are great players [at Tottenham], a great manager. I haven’t signed anything yet. This will happen soon.”

That would be a great signing for Spurs, especially considering how strong their midfield already is. I guess a lot will come down to whether or not 'Arry stays there or goes for the England job.

[NBC]

Oh diane, where are you?

Klinsmann could replace 'Arry

Personally I thought a more snappy headline would be "A Jerry to Replace Harry."

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/120220...lace-arry.html

[d_phaneuf]

no thanks

I love him but he's a terrible manager, the players at Bayern would meet behind his back before the game and disregard his tactics for one's that gave them a chance to win, Low has shown to be the tactical mastermind behind Germany, not him

[Addick]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

ya I don't see him going to City after seeing the situation Nasri is going through right now

At the end of the day, I could see City signing him because the more Hazard talks the more he sounds like Nasri. I'm pretty sure Hazard will end up being to Tottenham what Mata was to Arsenal last summer; affordable but unaffordable. Even if they can cough of the transfer fee, the wages demands will be too high.

[Barnet Flame]

Regrettably, Arsenal are sending Henry back to New York.

Spoiler!

[NBC]

In the news:

Chelsea players confront André Villas-Boas in training-ground row

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2...illas-boas-row

Liverpool shirt sponsor in 'robust talks' with club over Luis Suárez
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2...dard-chartered

[d_phaneuf]

[vennegoor of hesselink]

Originally Posted by NBC

Oh diane, where are you?

Klinsmann could replace 'Arry

Personally I thought a more snappy headline would be "A Jerry to Replace Harry."

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/120220...lace-arry.html

Didnt Klinsi refute this? He said he was happy with the US National team and i cant see him leaving California for London as hes been there awhile now except when he managed Germany and Bayern

[d_phaneuf]

Spurs signed the u20 Brazil captain today Bruno Uvini, he's a CB

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...-1million.html

on loan until the end of the year and then a 3.1m option to buy, which they will

I like that they are doing it now, he can't play this year but it gives him 7 months to settle in London before next year

[The Big Chill]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

Spurs signed the u20 Brazil captain today Bruno Uvini, he's a CB

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...-1million.html

on loan until the end of the year and then a 3.1m option to buy, which they will

I like that they are doing it now, he can't play this year but it gives him 7 months to settle in London before next year

That is a great deal for Spurs. Very little risk, huge potential reward. It seems like Brazilians can have a tough time adapting to England (the country itself as well as the football), so it is nice to have that loan first in case he is unable to adapt to living there.

On a different topic, I read today that Tevez to Anzhi could still happen since the Russian window is still open. It was based completely on speculation and had no backing source or anything, but that could make sense. It was a destination that we have already discussed in this thread, and Anzhi may just want to make sure Tevez is fit before paying for him. It is also just possible that Ancelloti thinks his squad is still short on players and wants Tevez to suit up again.

[d_phaneuf]

Tevez and Eto'o together should score 5 goals a game in that league

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by The Big Chill

That is a great deal for Spurs. Very little risk, huge potential reward. It seems like Brazilians can have a tough time adapting to England (the country itself as well as the football), so it is nice to have that loan first in case he is unable to adapt to living there.

ya and it gives him time

Lucas took a few years, Sandro and Ramires took a year, Luiz is taking longer...

gives them time to settle, he's so young to that they could send him out on loan next year

also nice to build up a squad of some brazillians, gets the team more known there, and players will feel more comfortable coming over

[Locke]

Emmanuel Petit is not a big fan of Arsenal's at the moment.

Former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit has warned the club need to get rid of a host of their big names and sign six established players if they are to return to their former glories.

...the likes of Andrei Arshavin, Tomas Rosicky and Theo Walcott were simply not good enough.

"I asked myself what has become of the team that I knew. It's worse than I thought, they haven't recovered from the departures of (Cesc) Fabregas (to Barcelona) and (Samir) Nasri (to Manchester City),'' Petit told sofoot.com.

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

I really dislike former players going on about crap like this all the time. Certain guys like Macca who are now broadcasters, fine, but old crap is just old glory crap. The old German players are the worst for it.

Its not like Petit is talking from vast managerial experience either.

[Pagal4321]

To be fair, I don't think he's going out on a limb and pointing out any players that we fans haven't criticized?!

Arshavin has been garbage for quite some time now, Walcott is much maligned for his lack of production and Rosicky never really did live up to his pre-transfer hype.

Attacking those three players isn't exactly going out on a limb.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Pagal4321

To be fair, I don't think he's going out on a limb and pointing out any players that we fans haven't criticized?!

Arshavin has been garbage for quite some time now, Walcott is much maligned for his lack of production and Rosicky never really did live up to his pre-transfer hype.

Attacking those three players isn't exactly going out on a limb.

I actually thought Walcott has been decent this season, maybe not as many goals as people would like, but his crosses in have gotten van Persie a good number of goals.

[The Big Chill]

Now Eden Hazard wants to go to Arsenal. He is turning in to that drunk guy at the bar who hits on anything that walks just to ensure he doesn't go home empty handed.

http://football-talk.co.uk/59543/now...ove-whos-next/

[Addick]

Originally Posted by Locke

I actually thought Walcott has been decent this season, maybe not as many goals as people would like, but his crosses in have gotten van Persie a good number of goals.

Most of his assists to RvP have been rather similar, usually it is either a cutback or a low cross across the front of goal that RvP's foot finds. A lot of the time he's rather invisible and this was definitely the case on Wednesday night as he provided absolutely no coverage whatsoever for Sagna.

Originally Posted by The Big Chill

Now Eden Hazard wants to go to Arsenal. He is turning in to that drunk guy at the bar who hits on anything that walks just to ensure he doesn't go home empty handed.

I told you so.

[Locke]

I think whichever team does land Hazard are probably going to be disappointed. He strikes me as a marginally more creative Bendtner, nothing to get too excited over.

Arsenal would just turn him into another Chamakh or Gervinho.

Which surprises me, I liked what I saw from Gervinho at the World Cup, but for Arsenal hes been decidedly average.