English Premier League 2012-13

[ross_the_man]

Originally Posted by k5villan

liverpools owners must have had a 30% share of facebook to afford that lot...

i think the summers rags will be full of RVP to city bullshit only for them to get cavani in instead, id love to see him in the prem

The media will do everything they possibly can to get RVP out of Arsenal.

[albionfagan]

Yer, of course, the nasty media will persuade RVP to leave. Nothing to do with your complete inability to come close to winning anything.

[jrb]

It's gone viral.

Hazard is going to make an announcement tonight after Lille's last game.

City, Chelsea or United according to the wires.

The again, it could all be...........

[JD47]

Originally Posted by jrb

It's gone viral.

Hazard is going to make an announcement tonight after Lille's last game.

City, Chelsea or United according to the wires.

The again, it could all be...........

Does Hazard think its a game of Cluedo or something.

[Fillet Tower]

Unfortunately, I think Albion is right. If RVP wants to go, he'll bugger off soon (if we decide to cash in). We've been 7 seasons without a trophy, although close on several occasions. But last season we weren't even close. In some ways I don't blame him for weighing up his options. It will probably be his last contract and also his last chance to go out with a bang.

Wishful thinking would be that he is using his situation to persuade the board to splash some cash on a couple of top class players, then it's up to us to prove that we can compete for the prizes.

[Tubeman]

He's gone, I'm resigned to it. Don't blame him, he's got a couple of his best years left and would walk in to any club on earth... I would be upset if it were to an English club, but I'd have no hard feelings if he went to Barca or Madrid

[jrb]

It's nothiong but fun.

Bayern Munich’s trip to the Champions League final lifted the European runner-up above Real Madrid into second place in a survey of soccer’s top teams by brand value.

The report published by Brand Finance Plc gives Bayern a brand valuation of $786 million, up 59 percent from last year. Manchester United, which has won a record 19 English league titles, tops the list with a brand estimated at $853 million.

“Shrewd commercial management and commanding Champions League performances by Bayern Munich could see United unseated from the top spot in the near future,” Brand Finance, which advises companies including brewer SABMiller Plc and bank Standard Chartered Plc, said.

Bayern was beaten 4-3 in a penalty shootout by Chelsea two days ago in the final of Europe’s elite club competition.

While many of the major clubs concentrate on the international market, Bayern has focused on Germany, according to Brand Finance. Its commercial revenue of $254 million is the highest of any club.

Spanish champion Real Madrid, which lost the top spot to United last year, drops to third at $600 million with Barcelona fourth at $580 million.

Even after winning the Champions League and the F.A. Cup, Chelsea remained in fifth place at $398 million because of its poor performance in the Premier League, where it finished sixth.

Premier League champion Manchester City continues its growth under billionaire Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who has spent more than $1 billion to win the club’s first league title since 1968. City ranks eighth with a value of $302 million, up 77 percent from last year.

The huge investment of Sheikh Mansour “is beginning to pay off for City both on and off the field,” the report said.

The report defined brand value as the trademark value and all associated intellectual property. http://www.businessweek.com/news/201...s-league-final

Top 25 clubs by brand value (millions of dollars):
====================================================
 1. Manchester United    853
 2. Bayern Munich        786
 3. Real Madrid          600
 4. Barcelona            580
 5. Chelsea              398
 6. Arsenal              388
 7. Liverpool            367
 8. Manchester City      302
 9. AC Milan             292
10. Schalke              266
11. Borussia Dortmund    227
12. Tottenham            225
13. Inter Milan          215
14. Ajax                 184
15. Marseille            168
16. Juventus             160
17. Hamburg              153
18. Lyon                 120
19. Aston Villa           87
20. Newcastle             86
21. Roma                  85
22. Napoli                85
23. Everton               79
24. Corinthians           77
25. Bordeaux              76

[pakboy]

Hazard just playing games and trying to increase his fees

[ross_the_man]

Originally Posted by albionfagan

Yer, of course, the nasty media will persuade RVP to leave. Nothing to do with your complete inability to come close to winning anything.

Its a combination of many things. The way the media acts when it comes to Arsenal players who consider leaving the club is a pain in the ass though.
But yes, the club has fuck all ambition and I really wouldn't blame him if he wanted out.
I would really not be surprised if Podolski is the only signing Wenger makes, and if that's the case next season we'll be saying bye to Walcott and Song.

[albionfagan]

Edin Hazard seems to whore himself out to everyone, he's not as good as he thinks he is either.

[PrevaricationComplex]

How much you reckon they can get for Arshavin?

[Splish]

Hazard reveals his new shirt for next season:

[Fizmo1337]

Originally Posted by albionfagan

Edin Hazard seems to whore himself out to everyone, he's not as good as he thinks he is either.

He just doesn't know it yet. And who cares, the transfer window isn't even open yet. Give him a break. It's not him that is asking for interviews, he gets interviewed after every game because he is so popular in France. Can't really ignore those stupid journalists everytime... He always gets asked where he's gonna play next year. Every journalist hopes he gives a hint or mentions something stupid so they can say they are the first one that know where he's gonna play.

The only thing he ever said is that City, Man United, Chelsea, etc... are big clubs and are an option to play. All the rest are lies & twists from journalists.

[JimB]

Fizmo - how highly do you rate Verthongen?

Lots of chat that he's close to signing for Spurs and that Daniel Levy is currently in Amsterdam negotiating with Ajax.

Of course, given the disaster that befell Spurs on Saturday night and given Levy's notoriously tough negotiating stance, it's far from a done deal. But it would be good to get an opinion on the player - even he ends up signing for Arsenal (also rumoured to be interested) instead!

[Fizmo1337]

Originally Posted by JimB

Fizmo - how highly do you rate Verthongen?

Lots of chat that he's close to signing for Spurs and that Daniel Levy is currently in Amsterdam negotiating with Ajax.

Of course, given the disaster that befell Spurs on Saturday night and given Levy's notoriously tough negotiating stance, it's far from a done deal. But it would be good to get an opinion on the player - even he ends up signing for Arsenal (also rumoured to be interested) instead!

Well, since he did go to Ajax and to the dutch league on a quite young age (from germinal beerschot) I haven't really seen _that_ much from him. At least not in the belgian league.

I can only base myself on his CL performances, the few games I watch from him in holland and his international games allthough that shouldn't be a reference because Belgium can even make players like kompany and hazard look like shit.

Anyway, for a defender he's a technically very good. Got a good and accurate pass in him, has vision in his passing. He can dribble a few players. Did it multiple times in holland and just like Kompany he likes to surge forward once in a while. That's probably something they (tottenham) will need to adress. You can't do that in England.

Furthermore he got a very good shot from distance. Can take free-kicks (the hard shots, not the curling ones). His positional play is very good aswell, together with his technical ability his best weapon. He can sometimes lose his concentration (well, had a bad spell at around november) but that was probably because he felt he was too good for the dutch league. I don't think he will do that in England. In his last 10 games he played on a very high level. Ajax barely conceded a goal in their last 8 or 10 games. Edit: just looked it up, only conceded 3 times in their last 10 games. Scored about 30.

He scored 10 goals this year for Ajax (both domestic & in Europe) so can definately score a few goals here and there during the season. Half of those this year were from poor defending tho or because of his surges forward & he hangs there for a bit (and can finish a lost ball or tap in from a pass from a teammate). Half of those wouldn't happen in England I imagine. His other goals are his free-kicks and some headers. Certainly a good scoring record for a defender. Considering he won't surge forward for the spurs & won't take any free-kicks he could/should get 3-5 goals a season.

Another plus point is that he is versatile and can play on multiple positions. Central defence (ajax), left back (national team) and defensive midfield (used to play there). He prefers playing at central defence. Doesn't mind the midfield position either, not so the left back position but in an emergency situation (injury) he is an option.

He doesn't have the physical shape like Kompany, doesn't have the bullet headers like Kompany (against united) but he makes up for it with his technical ability & positional play. Smart player. About his speed, he isn't the quickest there is but he isn't slow either.

Certainly a good addition for the spurs. Fits in it with his technical ability and his accurate passing. And certainly for that price... From what I read, he is definately going to Tottenham. But then again, what should you believe in the papers nowadays? Could be all made up.

Btw, you can watch him against England on 2 june

[Jonny Gee]

sounds a bit like Philippe Albert.

[Toadboy]

Originally Posted by Splish

Hazard reveals his new shirt for next season:

That actually looks like a "normal" kit from the French league.

[JimB]

Originally Posted by Fizmo1337

Well, since he did go to Ajax and to the dutch league on a quite young age (from germinal beerschot) I haven't really seen _that_ much from him. At least not in the belgian league.

I can only base myself on his CL performances, the few games I watch from him in holland and his international games allthough that shouldn't be a reference because Belgium can even make players like kompany and hazard look like shit.

Anyway, for a defender he's a technically very good. Got a good and accurate pass in him, has vision in his passing. He can dribble a few players. Did it multiple times in holland and just like Kompany he likes to surge forward once in a while. That's probably something they (tottenham) will need to adress. You can't do that in England.

Furthermore he got a very good shot from distance. Can take free-kicks (the hard shots, not the curling ones). His positional play is very good aswell, together with his technical ability his best weapon. He can sometimes lose his concentration (well, had a bad spell at around november) but that was probably because he felt he was too good for the dutch league. I don't think he will do that in England. In his last 10 games he played on a very high level. Ajax barely conceded a goal in their last 8 or 10 games. Edit: just looked it up, only conceded 3 times in their last 10 games. Scored about 30.

He scored 10 goals this year for Ajax (both domestic & in Europe) so can definately score a few goals here and there during the season. Half of those this year were from poor defending tho or because of his surges forward & he hangs there for a bit (and can finish a lost ball or tap in from a pass from a teammate). Half of those wouldn't happen in England I imagine. His other goals are his free-kicks and some headers. Certainly a good scoring record for a defender. Considering he won't surge forward for the spurs & won't take any free-kicks he could/should get 3-5 goals a season.

Another plus point is that he is versatile and can play on multiple positions. Central defence (ajax), left back (national team) and defensive midfield (used to play there). He prefers playing at central defence. Doesn't mind the midfield position either, not so the left back position but in an emergency situation (injury) he is an option.

He doesn't have the physical shape like Kompany, doesn't have the bullet headers like Kompany (against united) but he makes up for it with his technical ability & positional play. Smart player. About his speed, he isn't the quickest there is but he isn't slow either.

Certainly a good addition for the spurs. Fits in it with his technical ability and his accurate passing. And certainly for that price... From what I read, he is definately going to Tottenham. But then again, what should you believe in the papers nowadays? Could be all made up.

Btw, you can watch him against England on 2 june

Cheers for that.

Sounds as though he could be a very good signing, whoever gets him.

But also sounds as though he's something of a risk for an English club. David Luis, for instance, has found that he has to curb his attacking and playmaking instincts in the Premier League.

[Splish]

I'm devastated, knew this day had been coming for years, especially over the last few days. No Chelsea departure has hit me this hard since Zola left all that time ago - a controversial character but no-one can deny he's been one of the PL's, and the worlds, greatest strikers. We'll miss you Didier.*

I need to man the fuck up... football, fucking hell.

*I'm sure Arsenal's defence won't though

[Fizmo1337]

Originally Posted by JimB

Cheers for that.

Sounds as though he could be a very good signing, whoever gets him.

But also sounds as though he's something of a risk for an English club. David Luis, for instance, has found that he has to curb his attacking and playmaking instincts in the Premier League.

Imo, he's not that much of a risk. I'm quite confident he will succeed, just like Vermaelen & Kompany. I just had to put some negative points of his play in it aswell in order to give a realistic assessment of his skills He is a very smart player and will certainly adapt his play to the English game. You can't go wrong with an Ajax captain anyway.

He played twice against man united in the europa league this year and was arguably in both legs man of the match. No doubt he will do well.