[Archived] Other Premier League Happenings

[jim mk2]

The Whammers will probably go down as their financial problems bite and the few good players will have to leave. I bet Lacah will be one of the first to jump ship.

West Ham were very impressive against Villa on TV last night and only lost because of the heroics of Friedel.

If they do manage to keep their best players in January they won't be near the bottom at the end of the season.

[John]

Real Madrid swoop for Ashley Young

[47er]

Very, Very tight table, we are only 8 points of Fulham who are 8th. However the worry is that teams are taking points of each other and that could mean that to survive teams would need more than 40 points.

I have a feeling that Hull will drop into the relegation dog fight, they are well clear at the moment but few consecutive and results like this weel could see them dragged in.

This will go down right to the last weekend of the season.

At the moment I'm looking at Stoke, West Brom and Boro.

[rover6]

Real Madrid swoop for Ashley Young

Haven't Real learnt their lesson with ENglish players?

McManaman was Albanian, before you make the elementary mistake.

[RevidgeBlue]

imo we could have well done without those two extra time goals. I must say this is shaping up to be the most enthralling Prem season of all time. For all the wrong reasons mind! Instead of the usual pecking order just about every team has something to play for at the moment.

Like I said earlier Gordon, just about any team from Hull in 6th downwards could go down.

Hull should have enough points in the bank to scrape up but you never know. Any of the bottom fifteen clubs pulling in fourteen or fifteen points in the second half of the season will be gone.

[philipl]

At the moment I'm looking at Stoke, West Brom and Boro.

When you see what happens in January, you will replace two of those with West Ham and Pompey.

I'd say Boro are more likely to stay up than Rovers are at this stage.

[tony gale's mic]

Haven't Real learnt their lesson with ENglish players?

McManaman was Albanian, before you make the elementary mistake.

Beckham was good for them, Owen didn't do too badly either.

[philipl]

Diarra (who wasn't Albanian last time I checked) signs for Real Madrid.

Repurcussions of this are:

- Man City have missed out on Hughes' number one target (more so than Roque). That could be very bad news for Hughes if ADUG think Hughes/their league position is the reason why their money did not talk for Diarra.

- Liverpool, Spurs and anyone else Pompey bought a player off recently will now get paid the next transfer payment installments

- Pompey have eased their immediate crisis but still need to sell Defoe and get high wage earners like James and Campbell off the books BEFORE they can even think about money for transfers in.

- Real have spent some of their transfer kitty and have bought an incredibly strong midfielder. They will be a much stronger CL proposition and have probably not finished buying with players in England among their likeliest targets.

[leftfooter]

Diarra (who wasn't Albanian last time I checked) signs for Real Madrid.

Repurcussions of this are:

- Man City have missed out on Hughes' number one target (more so than Roque). That could be very bad news for Hughes if ADUG think Hughes/their league position is the reason why their money did not talk for Diarra.

- Liverpool, Spurs and anyone else Pompey bought a player off recently will now get paid the next transfer payment installments

- Pompey have eased their immediate crisis but still need to sell Defoe and get high wage earners like James and Campbell off the books BEFORE they can even think about money for transfers in.

- Real have spent some of their transfer kitty and have bought an incredibly strong midfielder. They will be a much stronger CL proposition and have probably not finished buying with players in England among their likeliest targets.

According to BBC website:

Pompey boss Tony Adams said he will have all of the money from Diarra's sale to sign new players.

"It's a substantial offer. Every penny is mine, and I had money before that, so I am delighted," confirmed Adams last week.

Two surprising points from the above quote:

1. Why no sell-on clause by Arsenal?

2. How long can Portsmouth continue to defy financial gravity?

[FourLaneBlue]

- Real have spent some of their transfer kitty and have bought an incredibly strong midfielder. They will be a much stronger CL proposition and have probably not finished buying with players in England among their likeliest targets.

Won´t Diarra be unable to play in the CL because he was in the Uefa Cup with Pompey already this season?

[philipl]

I think there is a January watershed and the UEFA does not contaminate the CL.

Re Arsenal sell-on; I read 20% on the Diarra profit somewhere over the week-end.

OK, let's watch Tony Adams spend £20m+ on transfers shall we (and all the other money from the pending sales as well of course)?

[they_think_its_all_rover]

Another win for Sunderland today.

Hate to be a doom merchant after such a good win but events really are starting to conspire against us. Sunderland are really picking up form.

I was at Hull City Vs Sunderland... the scoreline flattered them. A 2-2 draw would have been a fair result if it wasn't for a limelight-seeking wannabe-celeb of a ref. Mike Riley was VERY poor... I've seen some bad refereeing before, but he was just terrible.

stats from the game;

Hull City------Sunderland

14 Goal Attempts 15

8 On Target 6

6 Corners 6

4 Offside 1

49% possession 51%

Sunderland started brightly, then once the pressure was on their back 4 they resulted in playing hoofball until the sending off.

7 of Sunderland's 15 shots came after the sending off in the 81st minute.

[1864roverite]

With the amount of debt pompy have I dont think for a minute Adams will get every penny to spend on transfers, they are £60m in debt already.

[modes98]

Dick Advocaat getting some backing with the bookies today. He has become the 2nd favourite with all the bookies now.

I am hoping that Sbragia doesn't get the job so he can join us.

[Stuart]

I am hoping that Sbragia doesn't get the job so he can join us.

Ditto.

Unless I dreamt it, on MOTD, when asked directly if he wanted the job, he said no. And sounded very sure about it.

[tony gale's mic]

Interesting little take on things at Eastlands on F365:

Whether the recent malaise also reduces the size of Hughes' transfer kitty next month is another unknown but it cannot help the mood of the dressing-room knowing that replacements are being sought. In effect, Hughes is asking his current set of players to buy him enough time so that he can buy a new set. Shake your head in wonder. It could only be City.

[thenodrog]

edit

[BuckyRover]

Diarra will be cup-tied for their Champions League campaign I believe

[philipl]

Lifted from Wikipedia so might not be right:

Further, as per Champions League regulation 17.18, one player per club who would normally be cup-tied can be registered and eligible to play, so long as his previous club did not field him in the same competition, meaning that this player can represent two different clubs in the UEFA Cup and Champions League. However, if the first club fielded him in the Champions League, but would later play in the UEFA Cup through finishing third in the group stage, the transferred player is ineligible to play in the UEFA Cup. This was the case with Alan Hutton who could not play in Europe for Tottenham Hotspur following his former club Rangers' entry into the cup.

So unless Real Madrid are un-cup-tying another refugee from the UEFA, they will be able to play Diarra.

[alexanders]

Red Card for John. Terry

[BuckyRover]

Has that always been the case or is it a recent amendment?

[alexanders]

Has that always been the case or is it a recent amendment?

Don't understand.

[BuckyRover]

Sorry, I was replying to philipl

[disgruntled]

Warnock had played in the Champions League when he signed for Rovers. He then went to play in the UEFA Cup the same season against Bayer Leverkusen

[Bing]

Red Card for John. Terry

Surprise surprise. Old pals act from the ex-pros on Setanta with Sherwood defending Terry and McManaman saying Osman dived. Ridiculous.