11045 replies to this topic

[Michael*]

It'll be interesting to see if any other ridiculously minted clubs emerge over the next couple of years or so. Chelsea were followed by Manchester City, then Anzhi Makhachkala and Malaga (though that seems to be going horribly wrong as of late) and now PSG. Many more and they'll shift from positions of prominence to much of a muchness, constantly competing to attract the same select group of players.

[astronomer]

There is money and rich people still left and football is still a big thing, I am pretty sure it will happen. The thing is how much teeth does Platini's financial fair play have moving beyond its early stages.

[Michael*]

Milan's recent exercise in debt-clearing seemed to send out a message that the Fair Play order is a genuine concern for high-profile clubs, but PSG and Chelsea are still lashing out large transfer fees like there's no tomorrow, so presumably they're confident of being able to circumvent it somehow. So mixed signals thus far, I guess. We'll see how it all goes soon enough.

[Dalmore]

Abramovich has been always spending a lot of million for transfers in order to make his team win a CHL trophy and that finally happened only the season when Chelsea had made no transfers because they were banned! They didn't even have a normal manager but they made it! (they were very lucky though) This proves that everything can happen in football even if you don't spend much however we do expect more from the clubs that spend a lot of money for transfers like City which would have never won the EPL without all these transfers that the Arabs made.

[Michael*]

Dear footballing brothers and sisters in arms,

Requesting the pleasure of your company at the fourth annual BZ Fantasy Premier League extravaganza (yes, it's that time of year again!). All welcome. First deadline is on Saturday August 18th 2012, 11.30 GMT, free transfers unlimited until then.

Classic League: 600942-153361 (I've renewed this one so players from last season should be automatically entered upon registering a team)
Head-to-Head League: 600942-153389

RSVP

[Frederick]

Can't bring myself to think too much about fantasy football just quite yet but I will be there in due course to defend my double crown. Hopefully my "human values" (as "AVB" would say) will shine on through!

[Frederick]

Okay, thy deed is done. Michael, you may have to send some reminders to the usual gang.

[Michael*]

^Much appreciated, Fred. Other invitations going out as we speak!

[Frederick]

I want it on the record that I was planning on calling my team Before the Devil Knows You're Fred but alas, the silly character limit prevented such majesty.

[astronomer]

I am in, thanks Michael

[Michael*]

^Fantastic, thanks Astronomer.

[astronomer]

Now you have someone (me) who will finish last, guaranteed

[Dalmore]

mouahaha

[astronomer]

Football is becoming even more the rich and the poor. Selling to direct rival (traditional direct rival any way, because it's not really the case anymore) is just sad

[Dalmore]

This is why Arsenal will always be a pathetic club. They always play with promising youngsters hoping that they will someday become great footballers and once that comes true, Arsenal just sells them away.
It's not just Van Persie, it's also Nasri, Fabregas and many other footballers. Arsenal will never win any title again if they keep this policy. Maybe they don't care about the titles, they care about money only!
If they wanted to have a strong team able to win titles then they wouldn't be selling all of their greatest players every season!

[Michael*]

Van Persie turning out for Man United is going to be a bizarre sight, and after successive summers where their best players have moved on I wouldn't blame Arsenal fans for feeling down today. But this isn't the end of days at the Emirates, and provided he's adequately replaced (which of course, is another conversation entirely) it's a shrewd piece of business by Wenger. Last season was the first and only injury-free stint of Van Persie's career and there's surely a strong possibility that he'll revert to knackered type again in the near future. Take into account his age and contractual situation as well, and the fee starts sounding pretty generous.

astronomer, on 13 August 2012 - 10:01 AM, said:

Now you have someone (me) who will finish last, guaranteed

As it stands, I can guarantee you at least a top four finish.

[Frederick]

I fail to see much drama in this scenario. Van Persie wanted to leave, plain and simple. Arsenal made him a better offer, bought two highly talented attacking players to play alongside him and he said "thanks but no thanks". He has one year left on his contract, a rancid history of injury and is 29. What the hell else do you do but sell him for as much as possible? Force him to stay? That's worked so well in the past.

[Dalmore]

He wanted to leave cause he knew that he would never win any titles with Arsenal. The gunners have been nothing but losers the last 6-7 years.

[Frederick]

Dalmore, on 17 August 2012 - 05:34 AM, said:

He wanted to leave cause he knew that he would never win any titles with Arsenal. The gunners have been nothing but losers the last 6-7 years.

I know why he wanted to leave. I also know that allowing Van Persie to leave for free next year, having held him hostage for a season, would be the dumbest possible thing that the club could do.

[Dalmore]

True. What Arsenal should have done was building a strong team and persuade him to stay. That never happened so Van Persie left for a bigger club where he can pursue his dreams.
I wonder if he has qualms for leaving the gunners for United. He was turning into something like a symbol in Arsenal and now he plays for a rival club, I guess this will hurt Arsenal's fans a lot.