Premiership Talk

[MountaineerDave]

Truth be told, KB, the lower division champs in European football don't stick in the higher divisions for more than a season or two at best. It's always the same five or six clubs running up, then back down, then up and then back down, then up, and back down. Up. Down.

Case in point: Portsmouth, surprise promotion in the '02-03 year shocked the universe by surviving last season in the premiership, but is already all but officially relegated back down to division one with Crystal Palace, a promotee for '04-'05 who would much likely be better off still playing division one rather than getting left on the roadside like so much roadkill.

I was just going with the hypothetical, jeez, you don't have to take it personally. Blame doublee for picking on OSU. :)

Indiana probably wouldn't rebound easily, you've got me there. Illinois' problem, I don't believe, is personnel as much as it is system and coaching. So, I expect a rebound upon the firing of Ron Turner. Still, while a program like Louisville might survive, the #2 in CUSA is an everchanging face: TCU, Memphis, USM... and none would be able to stay up for any length of time. Thinking it through, UofL can't even win the CUSA every year... I'm not so sure they wouldn't fall back every year or three.

Dave

[KevinBeane]

Dave, you must be thinking of another team? Portsmouth (this is true, I mentioned it on the Premiership thread) is my favorite Premiership team. I follow them, and I can tell you that they are 12th (out of 20) on the table after 8 games played, and have not been close to the bottom of the table yet in this young season. If your "all but officially relegated" point is an analytical one, I still dispute it...they're coming off a nice victory over Spurs, they have a +1 goal differential, and generally look quite good to stay up.

Play up Pompey!

[MountaineerDave]

Mebbe I am thinking of someone else. I'll get back to ya.

Dave

[MountaineerDave]

Yeah, I'm not sure who I meant. I must've mis-read/heard a table discussion on FSW the other night.

Of the four in danger, Crystal Palace and Blackburn look best bets for relegation at the moment. (WTH? Please tell me Friedel's not in goal for Rovers-- -11 GD!!)

Dave

[#99]

It's not all Friedel's fault. Rovers have been sapped of a lot of talent. A goalie can only do so much when the ten men in front of him are underperforming.

[MountaineerDave]

Yeah, but a premiership worst -11 goal difference!
I'm not going to pretend to have seen Rovers this year or even know who's in front of him, but come ON!
The 'keeper's gotta do something, if just for pride.

Dave

[#99]

The Premiership is the toughest soccer league in the world (arguably). If you have a bad team, you're going to get torched for -11 through 8 games. And yes, I've seen Blackburn. They're pretty sad. I still think they'll manage (somehow) to stay afloat by season's end. Palace and Norwich look prime for a one-and-done drop and Southampton is surprisingly back to their old ways of 4-5 years ago when they couldn't do anything. It's at least a relative surprise, because the Saints had made progress the last couple years. Pompey, I think, will safely survive another year at the top flight.

[KevinBeane]

How does a club qualify for the UEFA cup? The Champions league clearly seems to cull the top-finishing teams in each European League, but the UEFA Cup seems a random hodgepodge.

So, tomorrow is the big Arsenal/Man U match. On one hand, I'd like to see Man U win for the sake of their American goalie (something Howard, but I'm not even sure if he starts anymore), but on the other hand, I'd rather a less-celebrated team break the most celebrated streak in soccer.

[MountaineerDave]

CL qualification is won by winning your league. The biggest leagues (England, Spain, Italy, Germany) throw in two teams that qualify automatically for group phase. The next two from these leagues get into a qualifying round against clubs from smaller leagues. Losers in the CL qualifying rounds end up in the UEFA Cup tournament, with even smaller leagues donating their top and second and sometimes third place clubs.

I think winning a domestic cup (not the league, but the separate cup tournament) also gains entry to UEFA, though I might be wrong about that.

ManU's American keeper is named Tim Howard.

Rooting for ManU to win anything is like rooting for the Yankees. If you're comfortable with that, go right on ahead.

Dave

[KevinBeane]

Originally posted by MountaineerDave

Rooting for ManU to win anything is like rooting for the Yankees. If you're comfortable with that, go right on ahead.

Dave

So it is, but not as much as Arsenal at this point, no?

At any rate, Tim Howard it lost his job earlier in the season to Roy Carroll, it seems. If anyone hasn't heard, Man U did indeed snap Arsenal's 49 game unbeaten streak, 2-0, so Howard probably won't play again for them for awhile, barring injury.

Brad Friedel is indeed still in goal for Blackburn, whose GD is now -15, having played at Chelsea last week.

My rooting team (Portsmouth), despite being dominated statistically, finagled a 1-1 draw at upper-half Middlesborough. I have seen three of their matches and they are not much for passing and ball control, but their strikers make the best of their opportunities...their chances always seem to turn into GOOD chances, moreso than the other side. Hopefully they won't get embarrassed too badly by Man U this weekend , I"m looking forward to watching it.

Heathen, Dave et al., how are your teams doing?

[KevinBeane]

BUMP since I screwed up and essentially made a new post above.

[MountaineerDave]

In the premiership, I generally root for Liverpool, for no real reason. I like Steven Gerrard... am a Michael Owen fan (though I hate him now--at Real Madrid) and wanted to root for a team that would one day win, but who was on the outside looking in compared to Arsenal and Man U.

Arsenal isn't the same as the Yankees because:
1. They don't have more money than God
2. They don't run around in the silly season and try to buy anyone and everyone with pedigree
3. Call me crazy, but I like Wenger way more than I like Fergie.

I'm not a huge premiership guy, to my own failing. My soccer club is Barcelona, in La Liga. That reminds me, KB, you have GolTV.
You need to tape a Barca game for me and send it to me.

Dave

[#99]

Manchester United is generally regarded as the richest, most recognizable sports franchise in the world. Period. Arsenal's resurgance has only fully blossomed over the last six or 7 years and only in the last 2 have they been dominant monsters. They look strong again in the league this year (though they've struggled in their last couple games). The Gunners need to shake their annual troubles on the European stage (Champions League) before their status can rise to equal that of Man Utd's.

Liverpool are persevering right now amid a slew of injuries to the likes of Gerrard and, as of last Saturday, Djibrill Cisse who they lost for the year due to a broken leg. I tell you what, though, this team -- even without Owen -- plays a far more attacking, hungry style of soccer this season under new coach Rafael Benitez than they ever did under Gerard Houllier. As a Liverpool fan, its refreshing.

[Pimpbot]

A premiership thread with all American posters. How refreshing!.

[KevinBeane]

Portsmouth is turning out to be quite schizo. They've lost two in a row to teams behind them on the table....after beating Man U 2-0....after Man U had JUST stopped Arsenal's incredible streak. Oh well, at least they look safely up for years to come (famous last words).

[Heathen]

Pompey should stay up this year.... but I don't care. The glourious RED AND WHITE ARMY are gonna be back in the Premier League next season.... :D

[El Jefe]

It's been quite the exciting season so far...though I am ultimately pissed I cannot watch any Champions League matches right now in the States.

How about that Newcastle victory against the Blues in the FA Cup?

[Ross]

If you have ESPN2 you can watch Milan-Man U tomorrow.

[MountaineerDave]

But it shoulda been Barca-Chelsea!!

I hate that ESPN doesn't televise more CL matches stateside. Or maybe I hate that my cable co won't broadcast ESPNDeportes. Or something.

More Barcelona in the States! NOW!!

Dave

[Heathen]

More Barca :o

Looking forward to Sunderland getting back in the top flight.

[middo]

HELLO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD THE SUPER BLUES ARE THE CARLING CUP CHAMPS, NOW ITS DEFINATLY ON FOR THE TREBLE COME ON YOU BLUES!!!!

I FOUND THIS SITE OUT OF LUCK IS YOU ALL IN THE U.S.A

[Heathen]

Originally posted by middo
HELLO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD THE SUPER BLUES ARE THE CARLING CUP CHAMPS, NOW ITS DEFINATLY ON FOR THE TREBLE COME ON YOU BLUES!!!!

I FOUND THIS SITE OUT OF LUCK IS YOU ALL IN THE U.S.A

*Spellcheck* :rolleyes:

Erm... yeah thanks for the insight...

[El Jefe]

Dave- do you get Gol TV?

it's basically one of my main staples of television watching. They have La Liga and Serie A on a lot, plus there are some good programs on the history of the World Cup. A lot of it is dubbed though , so it's a bit funny to watch.

[KevinBeane]

El Jefe,

Excellent question.

Sincerely,

The guy Dave jealously snapped at because I mentioned in passing that I do get Gol TV. :D

[El Jefe]

well if he's desperate, either you or I could tape matches for him heh.

[KevinBeane]

El Jefe, we're sharing the same brain. I offered him that TOO, but he declined.

[El Jefe]

must be the golden state warrior connection hah.

[El Jefe]

Wow...Chelsea pulls through and defeats Barca to head into the QF of the CL!

Do they have what it takes to defeat the likes of AC Milan? I don't believe any other clubs have what it takes to match up with the Blues after they just took down arguably the best team in the world.

[Heathen]

Yeah I expect Chelski to win the CL this season and the Premier League.

[MountaineerDave]

I hated that game. Well, the Terry goal, anyway.
That goal by Ronnie--sheer brilliance. Unimaginable. And, while I don't know the guy for ESPN who did the play-by-play commentating, I really like him. Thought Tommy Smythe let his (blue) colors show a bit, but the play by play voice-- I just love his aptitude for using the English language. (Something I used to believe I had, but seem to have misplaced or dropped somwhere along the line.)

Then again, after a first half like that one's, how can you avoid some poetry...

Barca proved that they just didn't have the defense to win the CL.
Chelski, on the other hand, MIGHT have the defense to win it.
I'm rooting against them, though, unless they face ManYoo somewhere along the line. I realize the premeirship is all about buying your way to silverware, but... I prefer Liverpool's red to Chelski's blue.

El Jefe--KB brought you up to speed on me and GolTV. I'd love to have it. My cable system (RCN) doesn't offer it. But, they're not quite as expensive as comcast (for a reason, apparently). One day, though. One day, I will have GolTV.

I may, if the La Liga title hangs in the balance (and he's not on his honeymoon) take KB up on his taping offer for the upcoming against the Madridistas.

Dave

[Heathen]

I wish someone would show Championship games from England. But as Sunderland are top and comming back to the Premier League next season.... I'll bide my time.

:D

[#99]

I still can't believe Liverpool choked against Palace this weekend. Ugh. The road woes continue. There go our hopes (barring a surprise run over Chelsea and probably Milan) of making the Champions League next season.

[Heathen]

Well... WE'RE BACK!!!!

:D

Red n White Army