[CoffeeJanitor]

Are we talking within a period of the next 5 years or do you mean NEVER? Clarence Goodson -> Brøndby. Do it.

Literally never. Poisonous ownership is the worst thing a team can possibly have.

I don't follow the Premier League, but because you're a yank, you should follow a team where a yank plays (Dempsey -> Fulham, Tim Howard -> Everton). ... I hope this can help you a little bit. edit: Arsenal is another great option, forget about winning first place, but they usually manage to do good (3, 4 place). They play good looking football.

Thanks, that does help a lot. Not too attached to any of the American players so that's not a big deal for me.

Why do you need to pick a team? Just watch a few matches see if you like any of the clubs maybe make a few bets. I've been watching the premier league for the past two seasons and still don't have a favored club.

I might end up doing this for a little while before choosing. I'd rather have a team to call my own because I like being a fan of a certain team. I guess that's sort of circular reasoning but you don't get the highest highs (nor the lowest lows) if you aren't a fan of a specific team, at least that's my experience with NA sports. Being emotionally invested makes following things a bit more fun.

[sohois]

Are some of the front offices in the Premier League inept? I'm trying to pick a random team to support but I don't want to end up with one that is never going to have a chance at success. (I am a fan of Minnesota sports teams so I am kind of sick of perpetual disappointment) I am new to Football as a whole, so if this doesn't make sense I can rephrase...

Most of the teams will currently in the premier league will not have a chance to actually win the league within the next 10 years, it would take that long for them to build up to the level of the top teams without getting a sugar daddy like Chelsea or City. Newcastle have certainly seen an impressive rise whilst spending very little, but really the club is one of the bigger teams anyway and should never have fallen like they did.

However, the cup competition will always present an opportunity to smaller clubs, even the Europa league assuming they can qualify, so I guess there is that. Of course, another problem here is that the smaller teams tend to play poor football just so they can survive in the premiership, teams like Swansea are few and far between and even when they manage to stay up there best players & manager will soon be picked off.

So outside of the big teams there is always a risk of catastrophic failure just around the corner, look at Aston Villa who a few years ago were on the verge of breaking into the top 4, but now are in a relegation battle under a terrible manager.

If you did want to choose a smaller team, Fulham are a good bet at the moment, they have a good manager at the moment and have been fairly stable for a few years now. Everton have also been suggested but there financial situation is very precarious and will force constant sales of there best players which will limit their achievements. Sunderland are another good bet, financially well run and with again with a good manager. And as already mentioned there is Newcastle, though their owner is terrible.

[elsk]

You can also pick Blackburn Rovers or Wigan. :D

[Blablurn]

aaaaargh, 12 hours to go :(

[elsk]

aaaaargh, 12 hours to go :(

"fuck gravity"

[bjaelke]

Barlotelli showed up during Inter's press conference just to say hello to the new coach. So random.

Literally never.

Well City couldn't have won the league 5 years ago, but they have a decent shot at doing it this season. If we assume that no club is suddenly getting an oil injection, then the current top 8 have a shot at silverware. I'm a bit unsure about Newcastle and Sunderland. They've both had a good season so far, but they're likely to remain feeder clubs. If they can keep players like Ba and Sessegnon at the respective clubs, then they'll get closer to the league title. Liverpool just need to get its shit together.

[dc89]

I hate the new Nike boots! But money talks!

[WoodenLung]

Clarence Goodson -> Brøndby. Do it.

Let him at least take a semi succesful team like Fc Nordsjælland with Parkhurst, that guy can even defend unlike Goodson.

[dc89]

WTF on FM12!

Hart Injured on Great Britain duty in the Olympic Games. Out for 8 months. Great :/

Triffic bit of business:



Why did Arsenal put him on the transfer list! Yes I am City, but no I've not gone and spent mega monies!

[Salazar]

Missed all of the football. Good work Chelsea. Went to hear Ian Rankin. Top man.

Wondering where all that Guinness has gone inside of me. It usually blows me over for the morning but I feel fine.

[elsk]

Someone gift me FM12 for mac already, jeez :(

dc89, go buy Alaba from Bayern. And Emre Can.

[bjaelke]

[IMG]http://i.minus.com/ixOfQxlJ5FvqF.gif[IMG] Let him at least take a semi succesful team like Fc Nordsjælland with Parkhurst, that guy can even defend unlike Goodson.

Glarence Goodson's been fantastic this season. The rest of our defense...not so much.

And you're forgetting his winner against FCN two weeks ago. It practically gave you the title.

[dc89]

Someone gift me FM12 for mac already, jeez :( dc89, go buy Alaba from Bayern. And Emre Can.

I have it on Mac! I bought it from the US Amazon store with my UK account for like £3 when it was on offer for $5.00.

Downloaded through steam too.

[BrentonRodgers]

Missed all of the football. Good work Chelsea. Went to hear Ian Rankin. Top man. Wondering where all that Guinness has gone inside of me. It usually blows me over for the morning but I feel fine.

When you least expect it. Never understood the love for Guiness, it's akin to drinking a blanket.

[elsk]

I have it on Mac! I bought it from the US Amazon store with my UK account for like £3 when it was on offer for $5.00. Downloaded through steam too.

Yeah, I missed that :( I'll have to wait for another big sale.

[Blablurn]

"fuck gravity"

i have a feeling he will deliver one fine game today. especially since its in france and against his old team. damn, i'm excited.

and madrid didnt look that special today.. i'm sure we can deal with them if badstuber keep his form haha.

[elsk]

i have a feeling he will deliver one fine game today. especially since its in france and against his old team. damn, i'm excited. and madrid didnt look that special today.. i'm sure we can deal with them if badstuber keep his form haha.

Yes, I think we can beat Real Madrid if we keep this good form. I'm just worried about the freaking bundesliga, we got matches like every 3 days...

We need Schweini back at 100% :)

[WoodenLung]

Glarence Goodson's been fantastic this season. The rest of our defense...not so much.

That defending by Goodson. Especially the last one.

[Blablurn]

Yes, I think we can beat Real Madrid if we keep this good form. I'm just worried about the freaking bundesliga, we got matches like every 3 days... We need Schweini back at 100% :)

ah, fuck bundesliga. let's focus on the real deal!!!

[elsk]

ah, fuck bundesliga. let's focus on the real deal!!!

Yes, I want the team to focus on the CL!
But still, we don't have a true "B" team to play the bundesliga matches anyway :/

[bjaelke]

That defending by Goodson. Especially the last one.

CANT WATCH IT ON MY COMPUTER. SORRY.

[Oxx]

Are some of the front offices in the Premier League inept? I'm trying to pick a random team to support but I don't want to end up with one that is never going to have a chance at success. (I am a fan of Minnesota sports teams so I am kind of sick of perpetual disappointment) I am new to Football as a whole, so if this doesn't make sense I can rephrase...

Ineptitude isn't really the major issue. It's all about the money.

Unless another team picks up a rich benefactor, it seems like the only teams with a chance of winning the league are playing in Manchester or London (or maybe Liverpool).

There's more variety when it comes to the Champions League, though. 7 different winners in the last 10 tournaments.

[Kozak]

subbing!

[WoodenLung]

CANT WATCH IT ON MY COMPUTER. SORRY.

Listen to bodegasvinet get more and more depressed as Brøndbys hope for victory crumbles.

[FootballFan]

Extremely unrealistic Pepsi commercial with Messi, Torres, Aguero, Wilshere, Drogba and Lampard

Can't wait for the Milan game

Probable line-up, although Pedro could be switched for Cesc or Tello/Cuenca.
--------Valdes-------
Alves-Pique-Masch-Puyol
---------Busquets---------
----Xavi---------Iniesta--
Sanchez--Messi--Pedro-

edit
Team trained in San Siro
Puyol and Van Bommel reunite

[bjaelke]

Listen to bodegasvinet get more and more depressed as Brøndbys hope for victory crumbles.

bodegasvinet?

[HixxSAFC]

wtf was that :( those 20 minutes after half time were embarrassing. Kyrgiakos is so shit. We need O'Shea, Brown and Rico back if we are going to try and finish above Liverpool

Fuck :(

Only decent part of night was talking to a lass who smelled like Skittles. I fucking love Skittles. All women should smell like Skittles. All men should too. Everything. Smell like Skittles.

[FootballFan]

Now I know where that pic with Messi drinking the HerbaLife is from.
He looks genuinely disgusted when he takes a sip. :lol
link

[WoodenLung]

bodegasvinet?

He's around 1 meter and here's a real danish football hero imitating him :

[Vivalaraza]

If Chelsea were to win the CL, they would qualify for next years competition at the expense of the 4th placed team and they would also be seeded meaning the team finishing in 3rd would have to qualify.

Very unlikely but if it happened somebody would be pissed.

[WoodenLung]

If Chelsea were to win the CL, they would qualify for next years competition at the expense of the 4th placed team and they would also be seeded meaning the team finishing in 3rd would have to qualify. Very unlikely but if it happened somebody would be pissed.

Wait what? Pretty sure it just means that Belgium won't get their direct CL qual spot, premier league qualifications will remain unchanged.

[bjaelke]

Good article on the future of Nextgen Series: Prestige not pounds key for NextGen

There are also some speculations regarding the new clubs participating next season:

As the dust settles on the first NextGen Series, the speculation inevitably begins about the competition's future. Organisers have already revealed that 24 clubs - it was 16 this season - will participate next time, with Chelsea recently confirmed and Arsenal set to rubber-stamp their involvement soon. The other six clubs are thought to include Spartak Moscow and FC Porto, while Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Manchester United and Juventus are all understandably being courted.

[Blablurn]

Sanchez--Messi--Pedro- edit Team trained in San Siro Puyol and Van Bommel reunite

i miss van bommel so much :( he was a great leader. but noooo, thanks to fucking van gaal he left us :(

oh and btw, my shirt is ready! RIBERY RIBERY RIBERY

[fadetoblack]

Juve expecting to get £15 for Krasic. Not going to happen. He may go to Lazio, and if he does, he'll wreck us next year. Please, Tottenham or somebody from the EPL, just take him from us. I don't want to see him playing against us in the league. :(

[Jeff Albertson]

When you least expect it. Never understood the love for Guiness, it's akin to drinking a blanket.

I like it but can only have a couple or it gets too heavy

I love Balotelli gonna wear my why always me t shirt in tribute today

[elseanio]

Wait what? Pretty sure it just means that Belgium won't get their direct CL qual spot, premier league qualifications will remain unchanged.

Pretty sure Viva is right. They changed the rules after England were allowed 5 teams in 2006 with Liverpool, Everton, Chelsea, Arsenal and United.

[Ushojax]

Pretty sure Viva is right. They changed the rules after England were allowed 5 teams in 2006 with Liverpool, Everton, Chelsea, Arsenal and United.

Yeah, only 4 English teams will qualify for the CL, whether that's the top 4 in the league or the top 3 + the CL winners.

[Yurt]

Sorry guys, I passed out last night lol

Juve expecting to get £15 for Krasic. Not going to happen. He may go to Lazio, and if he does, he'll wreck us next year. Please, Tottenham or somebody from the EPL, just take him from us. I don't want to see him playing against us in the league. :(

I'm certain Milos is the next Giovinco, destined to own us repeatedly with another Serie A team. I've said this many many times, but Spurs are PERFECT for him!

It's funny, Krasic is like the opposite of Bonucci. Loved by the fans but not trusted by Conte.

so is del piero gonna leave juve after this season?

Del Piero will forever be with Juve. His body might leave for the US though :(

I saw it man don't worry. Much appreciated. :P

Cheers FF :D

[Noirulus]

ah, fuck bundesliga. let's focus on the real deal!!! [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/1Y3jxl.gif[IMG]

I want to punch the announcer every time he says this on FIFA 12.

[spidye]

I want to punch the announcer every time he says this on FIFA 12.

haha. it's so ridiculous.
who thinks that's funny? we get it. ea has a hard on for real madrid.

[Yurt]

Team trained in San Siro Puyol and Van Bommel reunite

I've always liked Van Bommel.


....until we faced him in Serie A.

[pslayer666]

I've always liked Van Bommel. ....until we faced him in Serie A.

I dislike every single team he played for (apart from Bayern), but god-damn he is a great captain for The Netherlands to have.

There's no denying his drive, determination and sheer will-power in the games he's part of.

[Willkiller]

So glad Sunderland got beat lastnight. Celebrated that own goal like a Newcastle goal haha!

Happy Chelsea and Real won aswell, just Barca and Bayern tonight to set up some pretty saucy semi's. It's all going according to plan.

[Blablurn]

I dislike every single team he played for (apart from Bayern), but god-damn he is a great captain for The Netherlands to have. There's no denying his drive, determination and sheer will-power in the games he's part of.

we will never forget

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ja5rtAwqXdw

[Schweini]

we will never forget http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ja5rtAwqXdw

I still have this gif here haha:

[Yurt]

I dislike every single team he played for (apart from Bayern), but god-damn he is a great captain for The Netherlands to have. There's no denying his drive, determination and sheer will-power in the games he's part of.

Your wife is next to you isn't she?

So, apparently we're not starting Matri in a 3-5-2 against Napoli but Mirko and Borriello.

On paper, Borriello is a nightmare for Napoli's defense (set pieces). But seriously, it's over for him, I don't want to see him ever again. Matri + Vucinic played quite well in San Paolo's 3-3, so I don't get it either?

[fadetoblack]

So, apparently we're not starting Matri in a 3-5-2 against Napoli but Mirko and Borriello.

Really? Borriello? Again we're going down this road? I mean, I like him, he tries hard, he creates space, and even when he isn't scoring he's a thousand times better than Amauri, but it's embarrassing that Conte continues to put his faith in this guy. He's fine off the bench or in an injury crisis, but really we just need to play Matri, or, at least failing him, Quagliarella

This is getting to be like Pepe over Krasic/Elia at the beginning of the season, but at least in that case Pepe was playing like a god.

[Carbonox_Ratchet]

Interesting article on Asprilla and his opinion of Dalglish when he was in charge of Newcastle:

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/newca...2703-30640337/

The former Newcastle boss arrived on Tyneside in 1997 hoping to lift the Premier League title, but only succeeded in dismantling one of the greatest teams in the Magpies’ history as he incredibly sold Peter Beardsley, David Ginola, Les Ferdinand, Lee Clark, John Beresford, Robbie Elliott – and the talisman himself, Asprilla.

Prick.

[Charles]

Hello new ot!

[pslayer666]

Your wife is next to you isn't she?

Nope. I've been well trained though!!! :P