04/23/24
August 14, 2012
Premier League season starts Saturday: The transfer window has been quiet so far, enough so that Mancini went public at the lack of funds, though judging by their beat down of Chelsea in the Community Shield they may not need anyone new. My Reds have made two buys, ManUtd brought in a Japanese playmaker (and IPOed), Chelsea bought three quality attackers (but let Drogba go to China), and Arsenal paid big money (overpaid?) for Podolski. Robin van Persie, Luca Modric and Clint Dempsey sit by their phones waiting for news that their moves to, respectively, Juventus/Manchester/Spain (??), Real Madrid and Liverpool have come through.
PS: Remember to pick your fantasy team before then.
posted by billsaysthis to soccer at 01:18 PM - 17 comments
The Olympics is U-23s with ringers, and there's not a massive overlap with the Euro squads. On the other hand, the senior pros spent much of July doing their foreign pre-season tours in the US and Asia to rake in the cash.
I get the feeling that the season in England is going to launch in subdued fashion, given that the public have been treated to the opposite of the usual tabloid/WAG/Sky-hype coverage for the past few weeks. In fact, it's going to be interesting to see how Sky reasserts itself as the dominant broadcaster of British sport.
posted by etagloh at 07:26 PM on August 14, 2012
There isn't much of a choice ... Sky does soccer, darts, snooker. ESPN does some soccer and has the FA Cup; BBC's going through cutbacks and I don't know how much ITV does.
About the fantasy team, is this for a SportsFi league, and if so, what's the code? I'm already in 6 leagues through the EPL site; I can add another.
posted by jjzucal at 11:04 PM on August 14, 2012
First I have heard that Arsenal overpaid for Podolski, especially since, like all Arsenal business, the fee was undisclosed. Podolski, the youngest player ever to reach 100 caps for a national team, and at 27, in the prime of his playing career, seems like a great signing to me.
No mention of Oliver Giroud or Santi Cazorla, and the latter is considered an even bigger signing than Podolski. Again, 27, in his prime, plays with both feet, attacking midfielder. Awesome signing.
Giroud, 25, the highest scorer last season in France in Ligue 1, is Andy Carroll tall without the awkwardness and a much better first touch.
Fuck van Persie. Go get less playing time behind that Hobbit, Rooney, at Manchester United.
posted by scully at 11:05 AM on August 15, 2012
Podolski has been great for the national team but never really delivered at the club level--though I agree Giroud and esp. Cazorla are good signings. Although Cazorla is a loan deal so a great year from him will only make a permanent move pricier next Summer.
Worst outcome for Arsenal is that RvP does not get a transfer--he was captain last year and much beloved of the fans but the new boys (plus the return of Bendtner from his loan) will create quite a logjam of players screaming for minutes.
@jjzucal I think the code is 55086, otherwise not sure as I didn't set it up.
posted by billsaysthis at 12:26 PM on August 15, 2012
bill -- Cazorla is a permanent signing, not a loan deal. He has signed a long-term contract and the transfer fee is thought to be around 16 million GBP.
posted by holden at 12:55 PM on August 15, 2012
What Holden said. And Bendtner will leave even if Arsene releases him on a free. If RvP stays he won't be captain.
posted by scully at 02:51 PM on August 15, 2012
And van Persie has been sold to ManUre.
posted by scully at 03:00 PM on August 15, 2012
Damnit scully, we don't accept that kind of talk from the riff-raff, much less you. Straighten up and fly right! Or drop and give me 20. Whatever's easier.
posted by yerfatma at 04:15 PM on August 15, 2012
RvP off to Man U for 24 million.
posted by yerfatma at 04:46 PM on August 15, 2012
I guess Arsenal never got much from outside England. Never would have expected United, City or Chelsea.
posted by jjzucal at 07:46 PM on August 15, 2012
What's the fantasy league code? 55086 was not it and I had to sign up for a new account over there after they seem to have deleted my previous account.
posted by Jeffwa at 09:14 AM on August 16, 2012
Per this thread, seems trox is the admin for the league; maybe he has the new code. Those of us who have participated in the league in the past have been entered automatically, so I do not have a code.
posted by holden at 11:00 AM on August 16, 2012
I reached out to him on Twitter to see if he knows.
posted by yerfatma at 11:43 AM on August 16, 2012
Of course as soon as I posted that I saw the RvP news ;) Sorry about the Cazorla mixup, I messed it.
While I know Bendtner is likely to go, the point is he hasn't yet. Kinda like Liverpool who are once again overstuffed with midfielders especially if Sahin and Tello come in on loan. Although I've seen Tello play out left on the front line for Barcelona at least a couple of times and I'd like to see him, Borini and Suarez up top together.
With RvP in the lineup I wonder if both Manchester clubs will surpass Chelsea's 2009 single season goal record this year.
posted by billsaysthis at 12:08 PM on August 16, 2012
If RVP scores a hat trick at the Emirates, will there be a pitch invasion and riots outside the stadium?
posted by jjzucal at 03:30 PM on August 16, 2012
Wow, Arsenal really effed up deadline day while all their rivals did well, especially Sp*rs.
posted by scully at 03:18 PM on September 02, 2012
I've often found it interesting how the culture of European football effectively has no off-season. This year more than any other, we had the Premiership end in May, the European Championships in June, Olympic football in July, and now the new season is already upon us.
I am a believer that having off-seasons is a key component to ensuring the longevity of a sport and preventing fan fatigue. And yet, all those European leagues that have been around for over a hundred years are doing a fine job of debunking that argument.