What, No Premier League Thread?

[bono_man2002]

I want to post a video of Walkers goal vs Arsenal but I can't. Amazing goal.

 

[speedracer]

Oh, I just know Headache was dying to see a stoppage-time winner from Man Utd so that he could post about the Liverpool Fighting Lebrons collapsing in the fourth quarter.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I was

Giggs apparently didn't want to get hit in the nuts.

 

[bono_man2002]

T'was a great match!

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Was. Would have liked to see what the result would have been if Man U actually played their normal lineup for the entire game... but I suppose resting before the City game was more important.

Now someone needs to go get Rooney's head right.

 

[bono_man2002]

Champions League mid-week as well.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Indeed. It is, as they say, a marathon not a sprint.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

LONDON -- Some of the Premier League's foreign owners want to abolish the relegation and promotion system, a senior English soccer executive said Monday.

With half of the Premier League's 20 clubs under foreign ownership, League Managers' Association chief executive Richard Bevan said if more teams are sold to overseas investors they could force a dramatic change to the rules.

"There are a number of overseas-owned clubs already talking about bringing about the avoidance of promotion and relegation in the Premier League," Bevan said at the Professional Players Federation conference in London. "If we have four or five more new owners, that could happen."

Forcing through any change to the Premier League's rules requires the support of 14 of the 20 clubs.

"Certainly you'll find that with American owners and you'll find that with some of the Asian owners (they have been talking about scrapping relegation)," Bevan said on the sidelines of the conference.

Arsenal, Aston Villa, Liverpool, Manchester United and Sunderland are owned by Americans, while Blackburn is under Indian ownership and Queens Park Rangers has Malaysian backers.

Under the current system, the three bottom clubs are relegated each season from the top flight to the second-tier Championship, while three clubs are promoted from the Championship to the Premier League.

Bevan wants The Football Association to implement rules that would prevent the current promotion system from being changed.

"If you look at sports all around the world and you look at sports owners trying to work out how to invest to make money, you will find that most of them like the idea of franchises," Bevan said. "If you take particularly American owners, without doubt, there have been a number of them looking at having more of a franchise situation and that would mean no promotion or relegation.

"Obviously if I was an American owner and I owned a football club or I was an Indian owner I might be thinking I would like to see no promotion or relegation, my investment is going to be safer and my shares are going to go up in value.

this would be an awful decision.

not only should the promotion/relegation system be kept in EPL, it should be adopted by the american sports leagues.

 

[nielsgov]

So in the USA, it's always the same teams?

 

[intedomine]

Would be an appalling thing to happen. Part of the romance of the European leagues are promotion/relegation battles, and the underdogs who can rise to take on the richer clubs. Swansea anyone?

The USA is different in that their professional top flight is single tiered.

The English system is a massive pyramid in which thousands of clubs can theoretically play in the Premier League. Indeed, a club playing in the East Berkshire league could, in 12 years time or so, play in the EPL should they secure promotion every season. That's a cool thing, and that should not be done away with at any cost.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Would be an appalling thing to happen. Part of the romance of the European leagues are promotion/relegation battles, and the underdogs who can rise to take on the richer clubs. Swansea anyone?

The USA is different in that their professional top flight is single tiered.

The English system is a massive pyramid in which thousands of clubs can theoretically play in the Premier League. Indeed, a club playing in the East Berkshire league could, in 12 years time or so, play in the EPL should they secure promotion every season. That's a cool thing, and that should not be done away with at any cost.

agreed... and i'd love to see a similar system be instituted in the north american sports leagues, but i know full well that it'll never happen.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Boo

 

[speedracer]

Woulda put a decent chunk of change on Man City if I were still living in Europe. Sigh.

 

[Vincent Vega]

I don't normally watch Premier League, but it was well worth it today. That was quite something. Guess the United players couldn't be happier that it ended eventually. 89, 90+1 and 90+3. Ouch.

 

[nielsgov]

Damn. Glad I didn't watch.

 

[bono_man2002]

Damn, I'm glad I recorded it. Even though I don't really care for either team. When the gay nightclub loses (which is a rarity) Tis always worth the watch!

 

[Got Philk?]

Boo

What and uninspired, awful game. United looked like they overslept, missed their breakfast...and didn't have time for a wake-up shower.

The guys on Fox Soccer said Rooney looked like the only one who had any fire. I disagree...I didn't think he didn't do much of anything either...

I'm not blaming Evans for the loss, but that red card was incredible. That looked a little like my 7th-8th grade team on defense at times.

I will be interested to see what direction the United goes in from this point on.

Why wasn't Vidic in?

 

[speedracer]

What and uninspired, awful game. United looked like they overslept, missed their breakfast...and didn't have time for a wake-up shower.

The guys on Fox Soccer said Rooney looked like the only one who had any fire. I disagree...I didn't think he didn't do much of anything either...

At the very least he was playing defense, something that nine of the other United players weren't doing.

I'm not blaming Evans for the loss, but that red card was incredible. That looked a little like my 7th-8th grade team on defense at times.

I will be interested to see what direction the United goes in from this point on.

Why wasn't Vidic in?

I assume Jonny Evans has a batch of filthy photos of Sir Alex somewhere.

 

[Got Philk?]

At the very least he was playing defense, something that nine of the other United players weren't doing.



I assume Jonny Evans has a batch of filthy photos of Sir Alex somewhere.

I thought Smalling was at least trying today. Ferdinand and Evra were aweful.

My buddy and I were watching the game and both of us kept saying, "Why is Rooney so far back again..."

I also don't believe this to be a transfer of power from United to City, like these announcers were also saying. City will be different this year...they won't collapse...they'll be contenders all year long. But I do think United will return to form and finish near, or at the top.

Oh...Evans - that might be the only explaination.

 

[bono_man2002]

They had a bad day. It happens to all the dominating teams at one stage or another. I'd be scared whoever they are playing next week, because they will bounce back at full throttle. I'm enjoying this while it lasts though, can't really stand City either, but when united gets rolled like that at home? Ya gotta love it.

 

[Got Philk?]

The only concerning thing to me though is that United played exactly the same v. Liverpool last week. Against Liverpool, that ends up as a draw. Against City, it's a 6-1 embarrassment.

 

[intedomine]

Man City bought their way to that historic win. All Mancini!

Good stuff, QPR!

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

The only concerning thing to me though is that United played exactly the same v. Liverpool last week. Against Liverpool, that ends up as a draw. Against City, it's a 6-1 embarrassment.

after an amazing start they've pretty much been sleep walking through the past month. maybe watching them pretty much give up in the second half will spark some sort of awakening.

 

[blueeyedgirl]

Yeah baby!!!

 

[jimmmm]

Manchester City fan Noel Gallagher took time out at the Q Awards to mock Manchester United by sticking six fingers in the air, following the Red Devils' 6-1 drubbing at the hands of the Blues on Sunday.

No doubt all six were on the same hand!

 

[Got Philk?]

Just watched the Man U. v Everton game. Thoughs:
1. Thank God Vidic was in.
2. De Gea is the man.
3. The forwards need to get on the same page a little more. There was some good ideas, but the players weren't on the same page.

Better energy though. Everton played well. Tough loss...

 

[mobvok]

I'm declaring this to be a general soccer thread.

Chelsea v. Barcelona, UEFA

Stoppage time, end of the first game:

woooooooooooow

 

[nielsgov]

I saw the game. It's amazing how many chances Barcelona missed. Chelsea only needed one to score.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

i can't believe chelsea's one game away from the champions league final...

that said, i fully expect barca to win when they return home.

 

[nielsgov]

Yeah, Barca will probably still progress.

Clasico today!