The muddle that we call the transfer window

What better way to get back at it than delve straight into the flurry of transfer action...I truely believe that reports have this random number generating program to come up with the figures for transfer fees...like 10 million for Wayne Bridge...oh but i forget its City thats doing the buying...I personally would nominate city as the worst team money could buy. Well City got the ball rolling by splashing the cash on Wayne Bridge, 7 more signings and they will be well on their way to world domination.

Next we turn our eyes to White Hart Lane, I think they spurs fans are feeling now its more like Broken Heart Lane. I am not so sure what it is with spurs but I dont think when they buy players they have a goal in mind, but atleast now they have a wiley campaigner at the helm that certainly knows how to wheel and deal. They kicked off their spending with a bit of Nastolgia splashing 15 million on Jermaine Defoe who they not so long ago discarded to Pompey for 7 million.

On the opposite side of the fence is pompey who can seem to keep a secret more than they can keep a hold of their players. Every club is casting a gazing eyes at Pompey's prized assest, first Diarra now Defoe...who next Disting, Johnson...Lenny the ball bwoy. It seems to be the season of linking up with old acquaitances... it seems that big same is in for Diouf, Blackburn needs all the help they can get after the mess Ince left them in...and nothing more would help than little spitting from Diouf.

It seems as if this trnasfer season is gonna be a very low Transfer window for the Big Four... or should that be big Five...whatever...with the exception of Arsenal... but as we have seen in past years predicting Arsene's next move is as hard as predicting when next Mike Riley will make a correct call... I will not even beging to go into the names that are being speculated...basically if he is a player he will be linked with Arsenal...but i have it on good authority Arsene is looking for his next player in some spem bank in London....yeah yeah...His career maybe a little embryonic at this stage but u can never have too many good home grown talent...

As you may have notice i have been taking the piss out of the transfer window...basically because thats wat it is... a bunch of rumours that float around the place from lazy journalist... a silly as it may be its still silly fun...so until January 31st we will just enjoy all that is the transfer window.

Change of Fortune

After having a quick glance at the table, one thing quickly caught my eyes, Hull City, they are currently slipping down the table as fast they climbed it. Then suddenly I remember the old saying, What goes up must comes down…gravity all over again.

Another thing which caught my eye was the possibility of all three promoted clubs (Hull City, Stoke City and West Brom) from last season could go down in 2009…this right away would make interesting phenomenon…clubs promoted in the future would find it much more difficult to stay up, why I say this? Simple, with each club in the premier league set to make an approximated £60.0 million from television rights, then each additional year these clubs manage to stave off relegation, they will become £60.0 million richer. As such, they would be able to spend like the “Big Four”, well not quite but, you get the point, i.e. they will be able to spend much more than their newly promoted counterparts. This includes the possibility that these “richer clubs” will suppress the their poorer rivals by buying up all the talent that is available thus, making it even more difficult for new clubs to compete…let alone survive in the premiership.

This campaign already promises to be a very interesting one and there is even more spice to be added by this years relegation battle and the fact that this could be era where surviving clubs now longer worry about their future in the premier league, at least as long as this television deal remains in place. Otherwise, it would take some very rich investor getting a club out of the lower division and into the premiership, plus with a legitimate shot at survival.

Festive Season

Its been a while...still haven't shaken the overload of food and football over the festive season... this weekend proved to bring a number of things to light....

Liverpool are a genuine title challengers... I was one of those people that took it for granted that Liverpool would eventually fade (even tho they still could)...but history is on their side because in recent years the side that finished top at turn of the year has gone on to win the title...

Manchester United have three games in hand... yeah Liverpool may be the leaders but one must not overlook the fact that Man Utd had three games in hand...mind you thats still three games that they have to go out and win...

Anyone notice that Chelsea don't seem as invincible as they once did...yeah i know its only a draw against fulham...but in my view the team has lost a certain air of invincibility...i dont know exactly what it is...probably it an marauding in form Drobga bearing down on goal...

Arsenal is definitely in a scrap for fourth place...yeah they can all but forget the title what is of importance now is the covetted fourth place... and they are being pushed all they way by Aston Villa...the gunners need a change of fortune and also a change of form in the new year... maybe some new faces in the transfer window may help their cause....

even tho it was christmas no cheers were extended to fellow team mate Chris Morgan by Ricardo Fuller... but football is a passionate games especially when you are barely hovering over the drop zone... word of note to Harry Redknapp... spurs better shape up or they will be shipped out... dropping points in a crucial 6 pointer was not what the doctor ordered for spurs....and can someone explain to me why they continue on with a guy that can only play one game in a week?

The league seems to be getting even more competitive... there is more competition at the top and even more so at the bottom...with 11th and 20th possition only separated by a miserly 5 points....yeah that a turn of 2 games... strange to think that 2 games is what separates the relative comfort of mid table to the utter dispair of relegation...

well the festive season was truely a feast of football and a feast of prty and food...but a suppose thats for anotehr blog... so a guess that leaves us to wait in aticipation for the transfer window to open...

Fabregas ruled out for up to four months

Cesc Fabregas will be out for "three to four months" after suffering a serious knee injury against Liverpool on Sunday.

The Arsenal captain was hurt in a challenge with Liverpool's Xabi Alonso at Emirates Stadium and hobbled off the pitch at half-time. Arsène Wenger hoped Fabregas' spell on the sidelines would be limited to a matter of weeks but his worst fears were realised after the Spaniard went for a scan on Monday.

According to Arsene Wenger,

"How much [we will miss him] is difficult to say, the only thing we can say for sure is that we will miss him of course. We have to find a way to compensate for the fact he will not be on the pitch, and give everybody a bit more. I am sure we can deal with it. When he comes back he can help us to get over the line in the final months"

I must admit that for me this is a bitter sweet moment, in other words, a blessing in disguise. With Cesc going out injured for what should be considered a very large chunk of the season, and might I add, just before the transfer window reopens may be the answer to our prayers for Arsene Wenger to go out and spend on a few quality players.

With Cesc aside, a certain Robin Van Persie and maybe to lesser extent Adebayor, along with our ever injured duo of Eduardo and Rosicky, this Arsenal team have been for the last couple seasons starved of some real quality signings.

So with our ever mounting injury list, not to mention our best players being out, there is no better time for Arsene Wenger to splash the cash and get some real quality players in January. With Arsenal struggling for winning form, Aston Villa seemingly having endless luck, inter-alia, there is no better time than now. In addition, the board as already come out and said that Arsene Wenger will have cash to spend in January and there is also money available from the Lassana Diarra sell on clause.

The weekend that was

Lokking back at the weekend activities...so very gripping games and some that if it was a video i would have simulated them....

Aston Villa 1 - Westham 0
Villa keep rolling on with some good fortune and some good play...this was one where neither team really impressed much, but with the aim of some good fortune...in the shape of lucas Neills well paid leg...and some great goal keeping villa managed to edge this encounter.

Arsenal 1 - Liverpool 1
This game was nothing near a classic but it was surely made interesting by that ever interesting show pony called Howard Webb. His need to be in the limelight led him to dismiss Arsenal striker Adebayor for what could be mildly called tow questionable yellow cards. If anything was revealed from this game it was the poor standard of refereeing and also Liverpools lack of cutting edge.

West Brom 2 - Manchester City 1
To me this was the match of the weekend bottom of the table West Brom put in a battling performance to edge out new 'money boys' and fellow bottom dwellers Citeh. If City's result continue they way they are now expect mark Hughes head to be on some high priced chopping blocks soon.

Fulham 3 - Boro 0
Jimmy Bullard continue to stake his claim for an England call up with another oustanding performance from the cottagers. Boro contunued their jekel and hyde season by rolling over and surrendering to a very purposeful Fulham.

Blackburn 3 - Stoke 0
What can you say about Big Sam the man knows how to win games and rightly so, as Blackburn duely dispatched a beligured stoke... with Big Sam at the helm dont be surprise to see blackburn make a hasty escape from the drop zone

Hull 1 - Sunderland 4
Needing wins Sunderland under caretaker manager Ricky Sbragia (I nominate this name as the hardest to pronounce in football...i hear many a commentators bite their tongues trying to force out a rendition of the black cats gaffer last name) rousing performance to romp all over this seasons surprise packagae... I a game that looked even poised for much of the match Sunderland made the best of thier opportunities to put a gloss on the score line and take themselves out of the relagation zone.

Bolton 2 - Pompey 1
This was a macth of missed chances...missed chances by bolton that is... after romping to a 2 goal cushion the opening 10 minutes...Bolton contrive to miss a host of presentable chances to make the game done and dusted. Instead they allowed Pompey to grab a life line and some semblance of hope. In the end the better team won if not by the margin they deserved. With yet another loss they eyes of the axe man will now doubt be gazing on the head of another rookie manager in Adams.

Newcastle 2 - Spurs 1
Another match with crucial relegation implications Newcastle managed to edge out spurs with a stppage time winner from Damian Duff. On the balnce of play a draw looked the most likely outcome, but Newcastle with their new found determination just clawed ahead in the dying minutes. Spurs fans will be hoping Happy Harry has the magic to keep them from the dreaded drop.

And in closing my gripe of the weekend. The standard of refereeing in england has been woefully poor this year. It seems like Howard Webb has not only inherited Graham Polls title as the best ref in Engalnd but also his tendency to get it all wrong in the big Games. They league needs to take a long hard look at the refs and come up with some solutions. Maybe they need to go on the continent where their seem to be some more sensible refs and bring them in for the big games.. whats your thought?

World Champions

Wayne Rooney grabbed the only goal as 10-man Manchester United were crowned kings of the world following a 1-0 win over LDU Quito in Yokohama.

What a year for the red devils, English League Champions, European Champions, and now World Champions. Roll on 2009.

Weekend Preview

A jam pack weekend upcoming...Heres a look of the matches over the weekend and into the festive season:

Saturday, Dec 20
Blackburn v Stoke
Bolton v Portsmouth
Fulham v Middlesbrough
Hull v Sunderland
West Ham v Aston Villa

Sunday, Dec 21
West Brom v Man City
Arsenal v Liverpool - The tie of the weekend...Liverpool looking to consilidate at the top while the gunners battling to retain their status as one the 'big 4'
Newcastle v Tottenham

Monday, Dec 22
Everton v Chelsea

Friday, Dec 26
Chelsea v West Brom
Aston Villa v Arsenal
Liverpool v Bolton
Man City v Hull
Middlesbrough v Everton
Portsmouth v West Ham
Wigan v Newcastle
Tottenham v Fulham
Sunderland v Blackburn
Stoke v Man Utd

So onto the weekend then and a hopefully a feast of goals...

Champions League Draw

Yes its that time again, ah it is here the long awaited second round draw to the champions league. Well maybe am exaggerating little, but one cannot deny that this draw may prove to be one of the most exciting in years. So i got up this morning bright and early to view the draw and this is what i got...

Chelsea vs Juventus - the Old Lady versus the New Russians should give us some degree of quality football...a suppose...lets hope Del Piero is not injured...cause that would mean the end of quality football...lol

Villareal vs Pana - Yes i knew that there must be a stinker in there and this draw is most definitely it...

Sporting Lisbon vs Bayern Munich - Not much to say here...the tie speaks for itself...

Atletico Madrid vs FC Porto - not such a big glamour draw, but interesting none the less....who am i kidding this will be a yawn fest for the ages.

Lyon vs Barcelona - am sure none of teams envy Lyon right about now

Real Madrid vs Liverpool - This should be a whopper, Juande wanting to prove to the EPL fans that he was not a hack will sure have the merengues geed up to face the scousers. Not to mention two of the most successful clubs in europe.

Arsenal vs Roma - Two proponents of the beautiful game, will go head to head. From the biased opinion of an Arsenal fan this draw could have been worst, but i think this tie could go anyway.

Inter Milan vs Manchester United - will i will just skip the crap about on field antics and get to the better off field stuff. Just think of the prospect of Sir Alex going head to head with the special one.

So there it is the CL draw some very interesting tie as we initially thought, but smack dab in that u have the proverbial bore fest. So its until january then...or is it February...a will check the calender and confirm...if only the second round was next week...but we all now how football can change in a whim so in a couple of weeks these ties may look starkly different.

The Men Behind the Machine

This being the first installment of Creme dela Preme, there is no better way to kick off the debate that a top ten listing. But top ten of what... best players...naah been done a million times already...hmmm...top ten goals?... also been done... i know...how about we give a ode to the men behind the machine and look of the top ten EPL managers (Past and Present). Here is my take on it:

1. Sir Alex - the most success manager in the history of the EPL so a guess he is a shoe in for the top spot.

2. Arsene Wenger...or should i say Le Voyeur... lol - Throphies aside the french man eye for talend and playing philosphy has lit up the premier league since 1996.

now here where it gets interesting...

3. The Special One - His brand of arrogance mixed with his astute understanding of tactics has lead to his time at chelski being one laden with thropies.

4. Rafa Benitez - Just by the fact that he has won the champions league...oh and him well groomed facial hair.

5. David Moyes - The wiley scots man so far has been the only manager to displace one of the big four, hence his inclusion in the top 10. Also he has helped Everton to punch above their weight for couple seasons now.

6. Harry "wheeling Dealing" Redknapp - Where ever he goes expect there to be some sort of wheeling and dealing. Cunning as a fox Harry has carved out a niche for himself as an escape artist, saving clubs from the drop on numerous occassions.

7. David O'leary - The Arsenal legend saw Leeds through one of their most successful period, culminating with a Champions League semi finals appearance. Leeds fortune went as David did and it was no surprise to see their demise after his departure.

8. Big Sam - Love him or hate him, you have to admit he knows how to get the best out of what he has. bringing Bolton up from the Chmapionship, he turned the reebok stadium into one of the most feared places in the EPL. Armed to the teeth with a mob of long ball specialist Big Sam, turned Bolton into one of the 'best of the rest'.

9. Sir Bobby Robson - Yes his time with the Geordies was not laden with trophies... infact it was not laden with much otehr than failures and excuses. But his time at Barca (yes I know I said EPL managers....but come on I am struggling here) was very fruitful. Oh and plus Mourinho was once his translator.

And last but not least...

10. Gerard Houllier - Well maybe he should have been higher up due to the fact that he won a think a treble (Carling Cup, Fa Cup and Uefa Cup)... he is down here because we all know that what Liverpool really wanted was the League.

Well there is my take on it be free to let me know what you thinking. So on this note I hereby open Creme dela Prem for service. AMy this blog live on forever... well if not forevr atleast longer that Paul Ince...