Barclays Premier League

[Crazysah]

Barclays Premier League 2008/2009

The 200809 Premier League season (known as the Barclays Premier League for sponsorship reasons) will be the seventeenth since its establishment.

Manchester United are the defending champions, having won their tenth Premier League title on the final day of the previous season.

The Fixtures were announced on 16 June. The season will begin on Saturday 16 August 2008, and is scheduled to end on 24 May 2009.

A total of 20 teams will contest the league, 17 of which will have contested in the 2007-08 season, and three of which will have been promoted from the Football League Championship.

Starting with this season, clubs will now be allowed to name seven substitutes on the bench instead of five. This season is also different in that there will be no New Year's Day game, as is usually traditional. This is because the FA Cup Third Round is traditionally the first Saturday in January, which in 2009 will fall in the usual spot for New Year's league games.

The Teams For The Barclays Premier League - 2008/2009

1. Arsenal

2. Aston Villa

3. Blackburn Rovers

4. Bolton Wanderers

5. Chelsea

6. Everton

7. Fulham

8. Hull City

9. Liverpool

10. Manchester City

11. Manchester United

12. Middlesbrough

13. Newcastle United

14. Portsmouth

15. Stoke City

16. Sunderland

17. Tottenham Hotspur

18. West Bromwich Albian

19. West Ham United

20. Wigan Athletic

Promotion and Relegation

Teams promoted from 2007-08 Football League Championship

• Champions West Bromwich Albion
  
• Runners up Stoke City
  
• Play-offs: Hull City
  

Teams relegated to 2008-09 Football League Championship

• Reading
  
• Birmingham City
  
• Derby County
  

Opening Fixtures On Saturday, 16 August 2008

Arsenal v West Brom

Aston Villa v Man City

Bolton v Stoke

Chelsea v Portsmouth

Everton v Blackburn

Hull v Fulham

Man Utd v Newcastle

Middlesbrough v Tottenham

Sunderland v Liverpool

West Ham v Wigan

Edited July 16, 2008 by Crazysah

[George Bush]

i hope liverpool can win it.

Those guys are incredible and have great supporters but no success in EPL lately.

Arsenal could win it either.

I dont think chelsea or man utd can win it.

[AdzzzUK]

Fantastic opportunity for Hull, come on the Tigers!!

[tom01]

Liverpool simply can't win the EPL...They do not have the squad and to be fair Rafa is SH*T at signing players.

[George Bush]

yeah i agree that liverpool's squad is not top notch. but i wish they could win it

they won Cl in 2005 and played in the final in 2007...

[Rappy Veteran]

Liverpool simply can't win the EPL...They do not have the squad and to be fair Rafa is SH*T at signing players.

Hope your ready for the revolt because 90% of footie fans on Neowin are Kopites :p

I am West Ham and we are relegation candidates this year.

[Zoom7000]

I am West Ham and we are relegation candidates this year.

So you don't think we are safe in Mid-Table Mediocracy Mode? Hold on... What, you mean Curbs is still manager? Yeah I suppose you're correct...

I just look at all the signings last season, and think... Why? Just Why? I mean, has Nigel Quashie even played a single match for us? ?5m for the superstar... Luis Boa Morte! West Ham are not safe from the drop until we get a manager that knows how to do business in the transfer market.

[Martyn]

Liverpool simply can't win the EPL...They do not have the squad and to be fair Rafa is SH*T at signing players.

I know yeah, that Torres guy who scored 33 goals last season...crap player...

;)

[Farstrider]

As a fanatical Aston Villa supporter I am expecting FAR greater things from Villa this year, with or without Barry! :) Thank God he at least wants’ to go to a decent club! ;)

[George Bush]

hey Zoom7000.. is is true that you will give Neil to us (galatasaray)

also how would u rate him as a defender?

I dont think west ham would relegate.. there are other teams that are weaker.

[Martyn]

Hope your ready for the revolt because 90% of footie fans on Neowin are Kopites :p

I am West Ham and we are relegation candidates this year.

Not really. There are only a few Liverpool fans on here; myself, Sharpy and our lovely American hockey fan friend who we have not see around for a while! To be honest, there are way more Arsenal fans on this forum.

[Rappy Veteran]

So you don't think we are safe in Mid-Table Mediocracy Mode? Hold on... What, you mean Curbs is still manager? Yeah I suppose you're correct...

I just look at all the signings last season, and think... Why? Just Why? I mean, has Nigel Quashie even played a single match for us? ?5m for the superstar... Luis Boa Morte! West Ham are not safe from the drop until we get a manager that knows how to do business in the transfer market.

Yeah plus the fact he is not spending anything this summer because the owner doesn't want to give curbs anything other then about ?200k for a 17 year old.

[Zoom7000]

Yeah plus the fact he is not spending anything this summer because the owner doesn't want to give curbs anything other then about ?200k for a 17 year old.

Well, that is Curbs fault totally. For buying useless players and paying half of them absurd wages. I mean, I know that the chairman is a billionnaire and has plenty of cash, but I wouldn't give it away to be "wasted" either. Frankly put, the manager needs to clear out half of the squad that are sitting around and just earning easy money doing nothing.

@George Bush - Yes, I do see WHU getting rid of him because the manager needs to cut the wage bill and frankly we can get someone as good or if not better for a lot less.

I agree we might not get relegated because there are teams that are weaker. However, we definately need to improve the squad or we will struggle.

[tom01]

I know yeah, that Torres guy who scored 33 goals last season...crap player...

;)

So, Roque Santa Cruz cost under 5 million and scored 23 and it's not hard to look good with the players in liverpool is it :rolleyes: Come on...

[Martyn]

So, Roque Santa Cruz cost under 5 million and scored 23 and it's not hard to look good with the players in liverpool is it :rolleyes: Come on...

What are you even chatting?

I take it you are saying the general quality of the Liverpool squad is bad and it not hard to look good? Ok then, how come Torres is shining more at Liverpool than he did at Atletico? Or are you saying that our players are so good that it is easier to play better?

Get a grip. Reina, Mascherano, Agger, Skrtel, Alonso, Babel and Torres are hardly poor players, and form an excellent spine of any team. The likes of Benayoun, Pennant and Arbeloa are not top class players, but they do a good job.

Liverpool are hardly a poor team and you know it.

[Rappy Veteran]

Well, that is Curbs fault totally. For buying useless players and paying half of them absurd wages. I mean, I know that the chairman is a billionnaire and has plenty of cash, but I wouldn't give it away to be "wasted" either. Frankly put, the manager needs to clear out half of the squad that are sitting around and just earning easy money doing nothing.

@George Bush - Yes, I do see WHU getting rid of him because the manager needs to cut the wage bill and frankly we can get someone as good or if not better for a lot less.

I agree we might not get relegated because there are teams that are weaker. However, we definately need to improve the squad or we will struggle.

Yeah I know what you saying, its a shame really Bellamy wasn't fully fit most of the season or Dyer because I feel they would of been a big help towards the end where we were drawing and losing a fair few but I think now they are coming back to fitness and not forgetting Faubert we could have a stronger team but there are players who I think we would benefit without for example Boa Morte (he has never been good at any club he has played in), Neil (is earning to much and is pretty poor). Quashie (as you said Zoom has he played one game yet?).

[George Bush]

thank you liverpool for giving kewell to us. He is a great talent but injuries are killing him. I hope he does not get injured anymore.

P.S. he just landed to Istanbul and welcomed by over 1000 Gala supporters.. WOW...

[tom01]

What are you even chatting?

I take it you are saying the general quality of the Liverpool squad is bad and it not hard to look good? Ok then, how come Torres is shining more at Liverpool than he did at Atletico? Or are you saying that our players are so good that it is easier to play better?

Get a grip. Reina, Mascherano, Agger, Skrtel, Alonso, Babel and Torres are hardly poor players, and form an excellent spine of any team. The likes of Benayoun, Pennant and Arbeloa are not top class players, but they do a good job.

Liverpool are hardly a poor team and you know it.

You are over rating...Don't care what anyone says...Torres, Gerrard and Reina are the only above average players at liverpool. The rest would not make first team at any big club.

[Kralik]

Fantastic opportunity for Hull, come on the Tigers!!

I hope they surprise us like Wigan and Reading did their first season back!

[gregb0b]

Chelseaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[Zoom7000]

Yeah I know what you saying, its a shame really Bellamy wasn't fully fit most of the season or Dyer because I feel they would of been a big help towards the end where we were drawing and losing a fair few but I think now they are coming back to fitness and not forgetting Faubert we could have a stronger team but there are players who I think we would benefit without for example Boa Morte (he has never been good at any club he has played in), Neil (is earning to much and is pretty poor). Quashie (as you said Zoom has he played one game yet?).

I can't believe that Bellamy is our record signing. We paid more for him than Liverpool did. Liverpool only paid ?6m and we forked out an extra ?1.5m for a player who's known to cause trouble in the dressing room. I'm looking at a squad list and even Pardew started making some foolish signings towards the end of his reign. Davenport, Katan even Bowyer has always been mediocre. It seems we pay big money for players that should cost a lot less.

Anyway, back on to this season, we've just signed a 17 year old Icelander. Funny that, we don't have any Icelandic influence at our club do we? And I suppose we'll forever be linked with Gudjonsson until he moves to a different club!:rolleyes:s:

[Rappy Veteran]

Yeah I actually liked Katan its a shame he didn't settle.

[Shibby]

It's not really the manager fault for the money situation.

Most clubs, it would be a matter of giving a list to your chairman and say these are who I want. Then from there, they can start finding how much they cost to buy and wage. Near on all of the money side will be done by the club and not manager.

That is why pompey raise some eyebrows when they sign a player or two, then release one or two. The chairman is making sure they can afford it.

[Dev Null Zen]

Howay the Toon and Down with the Mackems!!!

Here's to another year of great hope in Newcastle, ending in very real depression!

[Martyn]

You are over rating...Don't care what anyone says...Torres, Gerrard and Reina are the only above average players at liverpool. The rest would not make first team at any big club.

I'm surprised that you have put that Reina in that list. Even though he has won the golden glove in every season in the Premier League, he is still underrated by a vast majority of people.

Mascherano is a class, class player, just watch him closely and you will see the effect he can have on a team. We missed Agger last season, and he helps link the defence with the midfield which is what we missed last season when we were employing Carra and Hyypia in defence. Babel at the moment is just raw potential, but he can be something hugely special in the future.