Barclays Premier League

[Rappy Veteran]

I feel the EPL is turning crap now with these owners owning clubs like ours,Newcastle,Man City...its all going down hill.

[Kralik]

I agree.. as I said in another thread.. what hurts even more is that these new 'owners' are not even the fans of the clubs they take over.. its purely business for them... :/ :ermm:

[Guyro]

its not really business for most of them as they know they cant make a profit from a club, for most of them they are fans - Abramovich

i think it is good for the premiership if foreign investors are coming in - and thats coming from a united fan

edit: especially as platini has been thinking of putting restrictions on the premier top flight but these big investors might change his mind once he sees what they are doing for football - or maybe he will want more restrictions on the prem

[Martyn]

For Arsenal this season the task is simple.. win the EPL or UCL.. if not then we can see BIG players leave and we do not have billions of pounds to replace them.. this would mean Arsenal out of top 4 next season and some1 else in..

The thing is though, Wenger has the money to buy whoever he wants, and that has been publically stated countless times. The problem is, he will not spend.

[Kralik]

Frantic Newcastle United bosses were yesterday begging Kevin Keegan to stay as manager - in the face of a full-scale revolt from angry fans and disgruntled players.

Billionaire owner Mike Ashley was said to be stunned by the reaction of fans who protested outside the ground and swamped club websites baying for his blood.

Steven Mitchell summed up feelings by writing: "The message to Ashley is clear. Force Keegan out and we'll force you out."

Davie Appleby added: "Fans won't put up with this and they will make their feelings known with a boycott."

[._.Andy._.]

Keegan is a hothead! :angry:

[Rappy Veteran]

Keegan is a hothead! :angry:

Yeah in the past but lately he hasn't been that bad.

[HilariousNinja]

Nah, I think that this all directs to Wise and Ashley, they simply haven't supplied enough cash to Kev and well to leave simply because of transfer dealings after a very decent start to the season in terms of football says a lot about ownership and management at the club.

[tom01]

man city will take your place... man city is going to take everyones place soon enough.

I heard they offered a BLANK check for ruud and it got rejected. BLANK!!!! I also hear they are going to offer a 100 million plus next season for ronaldo... EPL is ****ed.

Noway...Manchester city and trillions of pounds couldn't pull Arsene Wenger out of the top four.

Don't you forget who he is, twice the manager Mark Hughes will every be.

[Kralik]

Noway...Manchester city and trillions of pounds couldn't pull Arsene Wenger out of the top four.

Don't you forget who he is, twice the manager Mark Hughes will every be.

No other manager could have come to 4 points from winning the league with such a young team and limited resources. We dont understand some signings he makes or some steps he takes.. but "In Arsene we trust" and we always will.. as long as he is at Emirates we will be top4.. Liverpool can go down.. just you wait and see till UCL starts and Rafa starts making 11 changes a game to the starting lineup :D

[Martyn]

No other manager could have come to 4 points from winning the league with such a young team and limited resources. We dont understand some signings he makes or some steps he takes.. but "In Arsene we trust" and we always will.. as long as he is at Emirates we will be top4.. Liverpool can go down.. just you wait and see till UCL starts and Rafa starts making 11 changes a game to the starting lineup :D

Arsenal have had a young squad for the last five years now. You cannot use having a "young squad" as an excuse, I mean he handpicked every single player in the Arsenal squad, so it was his choice. I bet if Arsenal signed 20 League 1 players when the media would still lick his balls and exclaim "but they are League 1 players, leave poor Arsene alone!".

[tom01]

I bet if Arsenal signed 20 League 1 players when the media would still lick his balls and exclaim "but they are League 1 players, leave poor Arsene alone!".

Actually no, the media hate Arsenal because they don't get hints on who Arsene Wenger signs :p

[gregb0b]

Ouch, Gerrard is out for the man utd game.... Sir Alex could field him self and man utd would beat liverpool hahaha

[Zlain]

Ouch, Gerrard is out for the man utd game.... Sir Alex could field him self and man utd would beat liverpool hahaha

Stop jinxing it...

[Kralik]

Ouch, Gerrard is out for the man utd game.... Sir Alex could field him self and man utd would beat liverpool hahaha

No they won't.. No Ronaldo remember?

Utd are c**p without him..

Gianfranco Zola is expected to be offered the job of West Ham United manager after the club ruled out the possibility of appointing Slaven Bilic last night. Zola appears to have won the battle with Roberto Donadoni, his fellow Italian and the only other candidate being considered, but the club's board is expected to meet today to finalise its decision. If personal terms are agreed, an announcement of the successor to Alan Curbishley, who resigned last week, could take place on Thursday.

Zola lacks the experience of Donadoni, who has taken charge of three clubs in Italy as well as the national team, but it is understood that he was more impressive during his two interviews in Rome last weekend. Zola, 42, detailed his vision of attractive football, integrating youth players and explaining how the club could evolve. Also in his favour is that he played for seven seaons in England after signing for Chelsea in 1996.

[Rappy Veteran]

I am not sold on Zola to be honest I would of preferred Donadoni.

[Zoom7000]

Hyypia shocked at Reds omission

Liverpool defender Sami Hyypia has admitted he faces an uncertain future at Anfield after being left out of the club's 25-man Champions League squad.

New Uefa regulations mean clubs have to include at least eight home-grown players in their squad.

The 34-year-old Finn said: "The manager's decision to leave me out of the squad is a big disappointment.

"I understand it's partly because of the Uefa regulations, but the news came as a surprise to me and a shock too."

The Finland international was subject to a bid from Stoke City during the summer, but Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez wanted to keep hold of him.

Hyypia, who has made 446 appearances for the Reds since signing from Dutch club Willem II in May 1999, hopes he still has a future on Merseyside but admits that had he known about Benitez's decision earlier, he might be playing his football elsewhere this season.

"The club had a 'perfect' timing for this," he added.

"They didn't want me to move elsewhere, so that's why I was told the news of having been left out, just after the transfer window had closed.

"The club went public to say there had been offers for me, but turned them down. So perhaps that means I am still part of the plans for this season.

"I don't know if I would have wanted to move on had I heard news about the squad when the window was still open."

Uefa rules state that four players in the 25-man party must be produced by the club's own academy, while four others can be produced by an English academy.

Established names Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher, along with 19-year-old midfielder Jay Spearing and right-back Stephen Darby, 19, make up the contingent from Liverpool

The other four players are Robbie Keane, Jermaine Pennant, 17-year-old versatile defender Steven Irwin and 18-year-old defender Martin Kelly.

Liverpool begin their Champions League campaign away at Marseille on 16 September and will also face PSV Eindhoven and Atletico Madrid in a tough group.

Should they progress beyond the group stages, clubs can submit a revised squad list prior to the knockout rounds in the new year.

Liverpool's 25-man Champions League squad:

Cavalieri, Reina, Dossena, Agger, Aurelio, Arbeloa, Carragher, Degen, Darby, Kelly, Irwin, Skrtel, Gerrard, Reira, Alonso, Benayoun, Pennant, Mascherano, Leiva, Spearing, Keane, Torres, Kuyt, Babel, Ngog

If Benitez can leave him out of the UEFA CL squad then quite frankly I think that shows that he isn't in his 1st team plans.

[Shibby]

West Ham will only go for zola because they have some power over him regarding transfers.

As for Hyypia, best he find another club to see him out till he retires.

[rajputwarrior]

i love hyypia... but he is old too. Raffa wants a young fast team, unfortunately he doesn't fit in either of those... You had a good run Sami!

[Martyn]

Hyypia is not included because of the new rule where you need to have a certain number of home grown players. Which is a rediculous rule.

I suppose Rafa had to choose three centre backs out of the four available. He deemed Carra, Skrtel and Agger to be the best of the four, and hence they were included in the squad.

Sami has been a great servant to us, and has always been immense in Europe, even last season he scored against Arsenal.

Sami Sami Sami!

[Mike]

No they won't.. No Ronaldo remember?

Utd are c**p without him..

i thought ronaldo went walkies in the big games? :p

[FaRSightxc2]

Can't wait for this Monday - going to my first game of the season at the Lane!

COME ON YOU SPURS!

Got tickets for 'pool at the Lane in November too....!!!!

[Rappy Veteran]

Slightly off topic...West Hams Sponsors are bankrupt!

Package holiday firm XL has filed for administration after experiencing financial difficulties, reports say.

The firm is Britain's third biggest tour operator and flies to 50 destinations, mainly in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean.

XL is the latest travel firm to face financial difficulties as the industry struggles with sky-high fuel costs and an economic downturn.

Low-cost transatlantic airline Zoom collapsed last month.

[tom01]

COME ON YOU SPURS!

GET ****ED :D scum scum scum

[Rappy Veteran]

West Ham have terminated their relationship with shirt sponsors XL Holidays and will play against West Brom tomorrow in an unbranded strip.

The club acted after the collapse of the company midway through a three-year contract worth ?7.5m that left the Hammers with a ?5m shortfall.

West Ham have also suspended all sales of replica shirts and will look to remove all branding from Upton Park.

As West Brom do not have a shirt sponsor currently, the match at the Hawthorns tomorrow will see the rare sight of two Premier League sides playing both wearing unbranded strips.

West Ham said in a statement on their official website: "In light of the circumstances surrounding the company, West Ham United have taken the decision to immediately terminate their relationship with XL Holidays.

"In view of this, the club have suspended all sales of replica shirts until further notice. This will also involve in due course the removal of XL Holidays branding from all West Ham United platforms.

"West Ham United will be seeking further talks with the administrators at the earliest opportunity to clarify the situation regarding the company.

"As stated, our sincere sympathies are with those XL Holidays customers and staff directly affected by today's news."

I would love a foreign company that brings in the ?'s