[Archived] Premier League Happenings

[Audax]

Can't help but comment on the relegation battle taking place, 11 games to go, QPR at 17 points...so you can see how against it they are.

http://int.soccerway.com/national/england/premier-league/20122013/regular-season/ Otherwise, it looks fairly normal. The real battle would be who goes down between Wigan and Aston Villa at the moment.

Wolves could drop another division: http://int.soccerway.com/national/england/championship/20122013/regular-season/ Course, that's a big mix too and fairly tight.

[Philly13]

I was considering editing my post to say about personality but you summed it up there.

It's a common theme amonst players Ferguson has. He never has mentally fragile and tempremental players. Just look how at determined and composed the players that he's bringing through for this 'new' team - Rafael, Jones, Welbeck, Cleverley, Hernandez, Buttner etc.

Not the most talented technically but they'll provide a solid foundation for the stars he'll inevitably have over the next few years and mean that they'll always have a hard working and competitive side. When was the last time you saw a Man Utd team that didn't compete?

Except a lot of those guys are very talented. Jones, Rafael and probably Cleverley will all be great players.

[T4E]

Gareth Bale is @#/? ridiculous.

[Salgado Is A Hero]

[Amo]

Too bad he's a Welshman. His international career is pretty much shot.

[Exiled in Toronto]

West Ham threw this away when the fullbacks changed, letting Lennon, who had done nothing to that point, back into the game.

And why would they want to buy fatty when they have Jussie?

[thenodrog]

Fairly certain that Spurs fans have got just a handfull of games left to appreciate him so they'd better make the most of it.

From our own experience if they let him walk off the pitch to a standing ovation sometime near the end of the season his leaving is pretty well rubber stamped.

[DanLad]

Too bad he's a Welshman. His international career is pretty much shot.

That's even better for a club manager. He's not going to be off at tournaments in the summer. He'll be putting his feet up, relaxing and keeping in shape.

[K-Hod]

Fairly certain that Spurs fans have got just a handfull of games left to appreciate him so they'd better make the most of it.

From our own experience if they let him walk off the pitch to a standing ovation sometime near the end of the season his leaving is pretty well rubber stamped.

Indeed, the only crumb of comfort from a Spurs' fans point of view is Levy having a history of driving a hard bargain,

i.e Berbatov, Carrick etc.

I expect his transfer fee to be ridiculous.

[G Somerset Rover]

I know that the best players create space for themselves but I was amazed last night at the luxury of time that Bale constantly found himself in. The effectiveness of a man marker cannot be underestimated and im amazed that West Ham didn't do it. See Jones against Ronaldo last week, or Feilani the match before for an example of how well it can work at nullifying a player.

Teams also allow Bale to cut in on his left too often, his right foot is pretty poor so the better players who mark him, such as Rafael, will constantly look to push him this way.

I don't doubt that he is world class, but I get frustrated watching some teams attempts to stop him. As much so because he isn't in my fantasy football team . He will leave though, Real Madrid being the likely destination IMO.

[LeChuck]

Indeed, the only crumb of comfort from a Spurs' fans point of view is Levy having a history of driving a hard bargain,

i.e Berbatov, Carrick etc.

I expect his transfer fee to be ridiculous.

I hope he stays in the Premier League because he's a joy to watch. I just hope he doesn't end up at Man City, but they're probably the only ones who could afford him.

[K-Hod]

I hope he stays in the Premier League because he's a joy to watch. I just hope he doesn't end up at Man City, but they're probably the only ones who could afford him.

I can't see it personally, I imagine he'll go abroad, which is certainly the PL's loss, as you alluded to.

[Salgado Is A Hero]

Not sure where he'd go. I'd say United or Barca. Possibly Bayern. Madrid play Ronaldo on that side so I can't see him being pushed back to left back. Unless they start to play Ronaldo as a No.9.

Bale and Pedro either side of Messi as Villa is off and they don't rate Sanchez is what I think will happen.....for about 60+ million.

[K-Hod]

Not sure where he'd go. I'd say United or Barca. Possibly Bayern. Madrid play Ronaldo on that side so I can't see him being pushed back to left back. Unless they start to play Ronaldo as a No.9.

Bale and Pedro either side of Messi as Villa is off and they don't rate Sanchez is what I think will happen.....for about 60+ million.

Yeah, I reckon circa £50 Million will be his transfer fee. Then Spurs could be a real force next providing they use that money well.

[Tom]

Sounds like Rafa has finally lost it with the chelsea fans, said he'll be gone at the end of the season so the fans needn't worry about him and they have an agenda

[DE.]

Rafa was never going to last beyond the end of the season. Hiring him in the first place is baffling, can only assume he's working for pittance just to get his name back out there.

[Audax]

Like DiCanio at Swindon, you just know it's not going to end well. Is it going to end well for 'Arry at QPR? Maybe noone even cares about that one. That's the way it is in management. Newcastle and Pardew could go either way at this point, I'd think he's earned his stripes though, even if they finish around 15th.

I've got mixed feelings on Rafa. CFC has been a jinxed team with Roman there, CFC hasn't been too bad with Benitez and Utd. is basically creaming everyone.

[DE.]

United must be dumfounded at how awful everyone else has been this season.

People laugh at how poor the Scottish league is because Celtic are 20+ points clear, but Man Utd are 12 points clear of City who have spent astronomical amounts of money on their team. They're 17 points clear of Spurs in 3rd and 19 points clear of Chelsea in 4th. It's not like England can claim to have a competitive race for the title.., some bookies have already paid out on Utd as champions and they've dominated for over 20 years now. Two decades dominated for the most part by one team. That's arguably more embarrassing, considering the money awash in the Premier League.

[M-K]

People laugh at how poor the Scottish league is because Celtic are 20+ points clear, but Man Utd are 12 points clear of City who have spent astronomical amounts of money on their team. They're 17 points clear of Spurs in 3rd and 19 points clear of Chelsea in 4th. It's not like England can claim to have a competitive race for the title.., some bookies have already paid out on Utd as champions and they've dominated for over 20 years now. Two decades dominated for the most part by one team. That's arguably more embarrassing, considering the money awash in the Premier League.

People laugh at Scottish football because it's rubbish.

Man Utd winning by miles this year and being excellent for two decades, while competing against many super rich teams, isn't an embarrassment; it's a testament to how good Alex Ferguson is.

They've gone through lean years when it looked like Arsenal or Chelsea were ready to take over in the long term, but they always seem to wind up on top in the end. That's not because Man Utd are the one big team in a league full of utter dross, it's because they've got the only manager who's capable of building and rebuilding title-winning squads. In recent times, despite the club being bled dry by American parasites.

[davulsukur]

People laugh at Scottish football because it's rubbish.

This

[DE.]

I'm not saying Scottish football isn't rubbish, of course it is. But it also doesn't have the money or prestiege of the Premier League. I think it's pretty pathetic that no other club or manager has been able to halt United's dominance for two decades, but maybe my expectations are too high. I appreciate Ferguson is an incredible manager, but other than Wenger briefly and Jose Mourinho nobody else has come close to challenging him for any sustained period.

If you don't find that sad then you deserve the PL in it's current tepid form.

[Amo]

Same could also be said for Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Juventus etc.

[DE.]

The Italian leagues have been corrupt for decades and Real Madrid are funded by the state bank good luck ousting them.

I do agree that it's a problem across the majority of big leagues, though. The PL is unique in terms of pure revenue and reputation though.

[roverandout]

barcelona are streets ahead of real madrid, for me the spanish league is overrated, take away barce and real and you are left with a load of average teams

[Amo]

barcelona are streets ahead of real madrid, for me the spanish league is overrated, take away barce and real and you are left with a load of average teams

Real Madrid have still been the dominant force - 32 titles to Barca's 21.