11/23/24
May 08, 2003
EPL Post-Season Polka Begins. As teams let contracts for old and aging players run out, others extend contracts for promising players. Yet others begin shopping in preparation for next season's battles (Liverpool to sign Fulham/Ireland defender Finnan; Blackburn/Ireland winger Duff is next!). And some young'uns decide to try their luck as first-teamers on lower teams in other countries rather than bench-sitters on star teams. What would be your dream buy/sale? Why?
posted by worldcup2002 to soccer at 01:44 PM - 16 comments
HAHHA!!! Bowyer to Birmingham!! That would be hilarious!! I WANT KEWELL FOR LIVERPOOL!!!
posted by StarFucker at 02:07 PM on May 08, 2003
Why hilarious? It would be better (for Bowyer) than playing Div 1 with West Ham. I just wonder who'd waste good money on him when there's an abundance of talent around. (Leeds will be having a warehouse sale -- everything must go! -- very soon.) He's not worth the risk. Kewell looks good. Someone who can slot in behind the strikers, create chances with skill and just by giving the opposing defense another element to worry about, and score goals himself. Liverpool just needs more attacking options. I don't think Houllier will get away with another season of hoof-it-down-the-park.
posted by worldcup2002 at 02:36 PM on May 08, 2003
I think it is intuitively obvious to even the most casual observer that Arsenal needs a new keeper. Keeping that in mind with my dream buy, bring Rustu to Highbury! (I'd prefer Friedel, but somehow, I don't think Blackburn will let him go).
posted by trox at 02:38 PM on May 08, 2003
Excuse my naivety, but this EPL is just a regular season, no kind of post-season tournament? What a novel idea!
posted by corpse at 03:19 PM on May 08, 2003
Corpse: English pro (and semi-pro) teams have two domestic major cup tournaments running concurrently with the regular season: The Worthington (fka League) Cup and The FA Cup. The FA Cup final "concludes" the season this next Sunday, May 17. Also held concurrently with regular league play are the European championships such as the Champions League and UEFA Cup. So, during the season, top EPL teams will be competing in at least four different competitions: domestic league, two domestic cup competitions and one Euro competition. That's enough match-play I think.
posted by worldcup2002 at 04:01 PM on May 08, 2003
Oh yeah, I forgot that in World Cup and Euro qualifying and championship years, top players will be playing local club league and cup, continental club cup, as well as international games.
posted by worldcup2002 at 04:04 PM on May 08, 2003
that's right corpse. We have a post-season in the divisions below the Premiership. 1st, 2nd, 3rd division and Conference playoffs this weekend. Looking forward to it immensely. It's a fairly new concept to us. But I'm all in favour.
posted by squealy at 06:00 PM on May 08, 2003
Soccernet, which I seem to prefer to BBC's soccer coverage, has a decent feature on ManU comings and goings as well as a sidebar analyzing specific potential additions. Given the Fookers apparent expertise, if he says Kewell for LFC, than I can hardly disagree. I do think we haven't given the Owen/Baros combination enough of a chance to gel but then again I still wonder why teams don't play three men up front.
posted by billsaysthis at 06:42 PM on May 08, 2003
That's it? Birmingham, Man U and a couple of links? C'mon people! How about all the players Leeds is gonna have to sell to stay afloat? Where's BigCalm and Villa? Where's 86 and Everton? What about the players West Ham will have to sell if they don't stay up? C'mon!
posted by worldcup2002 at 12:42 AM on May 09, 2003
Where's Big Calm and Villa HAHAHAHAHAH! Under a rock you fool! where else do you think they go between May and August?
posted by Fat Buddha at 02:17 AM on May 09, 2003
"It's a marathon, not a sprint," as Ron Manager would say. (I hate the fact that I enjoy the agony of the playoff finals. I hate the concept and have done since the year Boro went up and Chelsea went down, and we away fans feared for their lives. I hate the proposed expansion of the playoffs to six teams -- apart from at the Div 3 / Conference level -- and I hate the fact that it can basically ruin clubs.) Anyway, I just want Boro to sign Geremi on a permanent deal. Please.
posted by etagloh at 03:05 AM on May 09, 2003
Too true FB. We're going to be "relying on our youth team and reserves" more next season. No that doesn't mean we're going down. It doesn't. No matter how much you'd like it to happen squelchy. Villa have exceptional youth teams - we're doing well in the reserves league, the under-19s league, and we've won our under-17s league. Assuming that we can hold on to all this precocious talent, the future's bright (the future's claret and blue). In terms of signings, If West Ham go down, I hope we steal some of the excellent players. If they don't, I hope we buy Jay Jay Okocha from Bolton. <wishful thinking>Oh, and Becks isn't going to Real, he's coming to the Villa</wishful thinking>
posted by BigCalm at 03:40 AM on May 09, 2003
Did I mention Villa going down Clamster? *Rubs hands together using large tub of glee* Seeing etagloh's comment about Geremi, which would be an excellent permanent signing IMHO, I should add that I'd like to see the Blues sign Dugarry on a year's contract (at least). He's da man. Rumours are we're looking at signing Sorenson from the poor old Mackems and a left/right back called Juretti from some French club or other.
posted by squealy at 04:21 AM on May 09, 2003
posted by StarFucker at 04:37 PM on May 11, 2003
btw, Villa finished a full three places (16 v 13), three points (45 v 48), and three goals (difference -8 v -5) below Birmingham. Congrats, Blues, squealy and FB! And, there's always next year, Calmy.
posted by worldcup2002 at 01:17 PM on May 12, 2003
I don't really have any dream signings I'm afraid. I'll leave it to our manager Steve Bruce who seems to be doing pretty damn well on his own. All the players I'd want to buy are far to pricey for us to afford anyway. Btw, if you want to keep up with transfer rumours this is a good site. I hope the Bowyer to Birmingham rumour is unfounded. :-(