English Premier League

[lambertman]

Well, for me personally, it's been a nailbiter of a season. The two teams I can't stand, Chelsea and Liverpool, are fighting for the title (although Man City still has a chance to sneak up there), while the two teams I like most, Arsenal and Everton, are fighting for one Champions League qualification spot. It looks like Arsenal has the upper hand, as long as they continue the return to form we saw against West Ham. Everton's got a much tougher stretch of matches ahead of them.

Despite my sour taste for Liverpool, I was still greatly moved by the ceremony for the victims of Hillsborough. I still don't know if I'm ready to watch the ESPN documentary.

[Gosling]

I'm an Aston Villa supporter, meaning I'm on the other end of things. The past few weeks have been increasingly antsy for me. I'll take the point we got against Southampton, and I like that Fulham lost and Cardiff also left some points on the table, but we lost another place in the table because Swansea passed us. 5 points clear is not clear enough for me.

[AimingforYoko]

Manchester United. does. not. fuck around.

Moyes sacked.

[lambertman]

How about these late season bursts of quality from Sunderland and Crystal Palace?  They might have something going next year. Sunderland is especially impressive given they sacked their coach earlier this seaon.

[ChlcGirl]

Even though my club is now out of the title hunt, I have to say that I have loved this season. Over the course of the season four clubs have had a genuine shot at the title. Up and down, back and forth - it is the kind of thing that makes this league so much fun to watch!

[wanderingstar]

Everton supporter here.

The late-season surges of Sunderland and Crystal Palace stunned me. Pleased for both clubs and their supporters.

[Elsydeon]

Everton supporter here.

 

Nice season you guys had. I could see a possible CL berth in a season or two. Wish I could say the same for Villa, because this last couple months has just been painful.

[wanderingstar]

Nice season you guys had. I could see a possible CL berth in a season or two. Wish I could say the same for Villa, because this last couple months has just been painful.

 

I've been beaming the whole season. Just so pleased with the way we've played - it's even enough to make up for not making the CL.

 

Wishing good things for Villa and their supporters next season. Do you think Paul Lambert will be staying on as manager?

Edited May 15, 2014 by Gillian Rosh

[Elsydeon]

I've been beaming the whole season. Just so pleased with the way we've played - it's even enough to make up for not making the CL.

 

Wishing good things for Villa and their supporters next season. Do you think Paul Lambert will be staying on as manager?

 

After we barely escaped relegation again, I want him gone. Hopefully with new ownership, that will come to pass. Now I honestly have no idea if Lambert is going to stay, but regardless if he does, whoever buys the club is going to have to spend some money. I'm not expecting us to go out and spend what Man City and Chelsea do every window, but bringing in lower level players on cheap transfers is not cutting it.

 

And on another note, if I hear one more player moan about wanting more money, I will flip out. So sick of these whiny primadonnas complaining about what they're paid. They should try to live on what their female counterparts make. Most of them don't get a cent, and 90% of the ones who do get paid make 4 figures at best. There are a lucky few in Europe and the States who get decent salaries, and by decent I mean 20-30k for a season.

[lambertman]

QPR vs. Derby this Saturday to fill the last PL spot for next season  (10 Am Eastern on BeIn Sports here in the States).

 

I like seeing the London teams do well - Blues and Spurs excluded. - but can't root against Derby, either.

Edited May 22, 2014 by lambertman

[wanderingstar]

QPR is back in the Premier League next season. Will this time be different?

[DeafAngelboy23]

I support Liverpool but I enjoy the rivalries with other football clubs.

[Kip Hackman]

NBC told me to "Keep Calm and Pick a Side."  I chose Fulham.

 

That did not go well.

 

 

[wanderingstar]

Oh, ouch! Well, you can root for them to get back into the Premier League..

[Kip Hackman]

True. Although I'll only get to see them in 2 minute YouTube highlight videos.

[JustaPerson]

I'm a pretty recent soccer fan, so I'm a bit unclear about when seasons start and how everything works. Also, since I don't have soccer channels and it isn't usually shown on tv in the US, where can I stream games online? I'm thinking of keeping up with Arsenal and Bayern Munich.

[ganesh]

NBCSports carries a lot of EPL games. They did last season, and I assume it's going to be the same. It's part of my basic cable, so it might be yours too. 

 

I'd recommend the FotMob app. You can stay on top of all the leagues. I'd also recommend following the Champions League and qualifications thereof. 

[JustaPerson]

So when exactly do seasons start? and the leagues and qualifications and things like that?

[ganesh]

Usually mid to late August. The CL is in qualifying now, but it's the lower leagues. The 'play off round' is when the 3rd, 4th, 5th place teams from the big leagues jump in, and that should be next month too. 

[proserpina65]

NBCSports carries a lot of EPL games. They did last season, and I assume it's going to be the same. It's part of my basic cable, so it might be yours too.

 

Lucky dog!  It's not part of mine so I have to depend on the few matches shown on regular NBC and a friend who does get NBCSports for my Arsenal fix.  (It's only fair - when I had FoxSoccer, I used to tape Chelski matches for her.)  I'm hoping this coming season that NBC will use more of their channels for EPL matches; there's nothing on MSNBC and CNBC on Saturdays that isn't worth not bumping for football.

Edited July 11, 2014 by proserpina65

[JustaPerson]

I'm probably gonna be away from a tv for a while, so is there anyway I could watch games online?

[proserpina65]

NBC Sports had matches online last season.  They'll probably do that again for the upcoming season.

[lambertman]

With Suarez out of the league, I don't think I'll hate Liverpool as much as last year. It'll be good to focus my enmity completely onto Chelsea and Tottenham :)

[Athena]

I am one of those strange sports fans that has no strong allegiances. I like more teams and clubs than not. The ones I do not like, I am bitter about. I've enjoyed Man Utd, Arsenal, Liverpool and a few other teams, but the one team I hate in the EPL is Chelsea. I hope that my antipathy for does not die anytime soon. It doesn't look like it given the management and the coaching so yay.

[Rick Kitchen]

West Brom is coming here to Sacramento to play two friendlies against Sacramento Republic FC.  How does a Premier League team wind up playing a USL Pro team?  Isn't that a mismatch?  Rangers FC were here last week, but they're second division Scottish Professional League.

Edited July 21, 2014 by Rick Kitchen

[wanderingstar]

but the one team I hate in the EPL is Chelsea. 

 

 

My people! My loathing for Chelsea has been pretty constant since I started following the EPL four years ago.

 

Re the pre-season tours, I really do wish I could see Real Madrid v. Man United in Ann Arbor in a couple of weeks, but I'm out of town that weekend and it's sold out.

[lambertman]

Gillian, Set the DVR: that one's going to be on Fox.

Edited July 22, 2014 by lambertman

[Elsydeon]

West Brom is coming here to Sacramento to play two friendlies against Sacramento Republic FC.  How does a Premier League team wind up playing a USL Pro team?  Isn't that a mismatch?  Rangers FC were here last week, but they're second division Scottish Professional League.

 

They might be USL, but they draw good crowds for a lower level club. It's not like they're playing in Dayton or Rochester.

[Kip Hackman]

With Fulham in the Championship, this will be an odd year for me. I suppose I could pick a random match to watch each week, but I like the idea of following a team on its journey through a season. Maybe a stop gap team for this year that will swap places with Fulham at the end of the season. Obviously QPR are Fulham's rivals, and Leicester may avoid the drop, so .... Burnley? Maybe. 

[proserpina65]

West Brom is coming here to Sacramento to play two friendlies against Sacramento Republic FC.  How does a Premier League team wind up playing a USL Pro team?  Isn't that a mismatch?  Rangers FC were here last week, but they're second division Scottish Professional League.

 

West Brom has never really been one of the top clubs in England, even though they've managed to scrap and claw their way back up to the Premiership, so them playing a USL team isn't such a stretch.  Rangers, on the other hand, is one of the two really big Scottish teams; they are the other half of the Old Firm (along with Celtic) which is one of the oldest rivalries in European football, and have actually won more league titles than any other team in Scotland - only Celtic has come close to the number of titles.  They suffered some terrible financial mismanagement a few years ago, went into receivership, and were punished by the Scottish FA by being sent down to the lowest level of Scottish professional football; they've been rapidly climbing their way back up the various divisions, and I fully expect them to be back in the Scottish Premiership for the 2015/2016 season.  Them playing Sacramento is more of a case of a shark playing against minnows - no disrespect intended to Sacramento.

[Rick Kitchen]

I found out why West Brom played here.  One of Sacramento Republic's executives, Graham Smith, used to play for them.

[JustaPerson]

I know this isn't EPL news, but what do you guys think of James Rodriguez's transfer to Real Madrid? 70+ million euros is a lot of money...I don't know if he's really worth that much. Especially since he's so untested in the top leagues compared to like Toni Kroos (who got 24 mill or so) who's been playing in the top leagues with Bayern Munich for the last 7 seven years. What do you guys think?

[ganesh]

That's very nice of West Brom to do that. I also noticed that Tottenham is playing a USA tour as well. I think is great for soccer across the board. And the MLS all stars play the CL champ again this year too. 

[wanderingstar]

I know this isn't EPL news, but what do you guys think of James Rodriguez's transfer to Real Madrid?

 

 

Real Madrid fan here!

 

I do not want to lose Angel Di Maria or Isco, and with the arrival of James, it looks like that's what will happen.

 

That said, I really like James as a player. Like most everybody, I fell in love with him during the World Cup, and the thought of him lining up for my team - yeah, I'm not gonna lie - I dig it. We'll see if Carlo Ancelotti can accommodate all of these players. 

Edited July 24, 2014 by Gillian Rosh

[JustaPerson]

I'm a Real Madrid fan, too! Well, I became one when Toni Kroos signed with them (no shame in my game -- I like CR7 and James Rodriguez but I LOVE Toni Kroos. I'm a total newbie to the world of soccer/football so I was still trying to find the right teams.) I totally loved Rodriguez in the WC too and I hope he does well in RM.

 

ETA: So Man United just TROUNCED LA Galaxy 7-0. Is Man United just that good or is LA Galaxy just that bad?

Edited July 24, 2014 by JustaPerson

[wanderingstar]

ETA: So Man United just TROUNCED LA Galaxy 7-0. Is Man United just that good or is LA Galaxy just that bad?

 

 

Well, strictly speaking, the standard of Premier League teams is much better than that of MLS teams - and I say that as a diehard MLS fan (Go NY Red Bulls!) In past years, MLS teams have gotten the odd win over an EPL or other European team, but this result is par for the course in these pre-season friendlies, where the MLS teams are usually pretty over matched.

 

As for the question of how good Man United is, we'll see when the Premier League season starts. Likewise, the true quality of the Galaxy we'll find out come playoff time.

 

JustaPerson, aren't you glad you asked :-)

Edited July 24, 2014 by Gillian Rosh

[Kip Hackman]

MLS teams have gotten the odd win over an EPL or other European team, but this result is par for the course in these pre-season friendlies

 

 

Is it, though? I don't expect MLS teams to win these matches, but 7-0 is embarrassing. At least the other games were somewhat competitive.

[wanderingstar]

The series of MLS-EPL matches usually features a handful of competitive games along with one or two blowouts. So this is pretty normal.

[JustaPerson]

I still a newbie, but I know that Man United is a traditionally good club that's coming off the worst season in their history or something like that. Plus it's Louie van Gaal's first game as manager so I guess the need to prove themselves is strong, which helps explains the beating they gave LA Galaxy.

[ganesh]

ManU also didn't qualify for the CL this year for the first time like ever. So I would imagine that they better damn well this time. 

[ganesh]

The manager of Arsenal is the Twelfth Doctor. 

[Athena]

The manager of Arsenal is the Twelfth Doctor. 

 

Ha. He's been there awhile too and speaks many languages including Japanese.

[wanderingstar]

So, NY Red Bulls are the first MLS team to beat an EPL team (Arsenal) in this series of pre-season matches. I'm proud, but I'm more concerned with whether or not NYRB can beat Real Salt Lake next Wednesday!

Edited July 27, 2014 by Gillian Rosh

[ganesh]

I watched that match, but I wasn't particularly impressed with either side. Though the NYRB keeper made several good reaction saves. There were just some flat out misses that were inexcusable.

 

Though I had to drink half a pot of coffee because Lalas was putting me to sleep on the commentary. 

[wanderingstar]

Though I had to drink half a pot of coffee because Lalas was putting me to sleep on the commentary.

 

 

This is true. Jon Champion is good, but putting Lalas alongside him? Blah.

[ganesh]

I think Lalas was a last-second fill in, so he might not have been prepared as a color guy for this particular match. But for one, it's a friendly, so that means you want to showcase the game. For the other, MLS needs all the promotion it can get.

 

Isn't this EPL-MLS series cool? You can be a fan of both leagues, it's not an either/or. More people are becoming knowledgeable about soccer and that's great. Here, you're basically telling them to fuck off. 

 

He just seemed like he didn't want to be there. I mean, they were actually talking about *him* at one point and he wasn't interested. 

[JustaPerson]

Yea, they mentioned that Taylor Twellman was supposed to commentate originally but for some reason (illness maybe? I can't remember) he couldn't make it. 

[lambertman]

I'm not taking the Arsenal loss nearly as badly as perhaps I should be. Stinks being the only EPL side to lose to the MLS, but I have to remember a lot of guys didn't make the trip over. (Then again, the guys who did should've played a lot better.)

 

I'm sure I'd be taking a lot of gruff from Spurs fans if I associated with any :)

[proserpina65]

While I was disappointed that Arsenal lost, I also wasn't too upset about it.  Arsene tried out several young players and combinations of players in a match where there wasn't much of a downside to losing.  It did highlight, though, that defense is still an issue.  Yeah, I know, no Koscielny, Vermaelan or Mertesacker, but still, they can't play every match, and boy, do we ever need a solid replacement for Sagna.

 

As for Alexi Lalas, he's pretty much a waste of space, although I was amused by his story about following Tony Adams up the steps at Highbury.  Yes, Big Tone was a bit slow, but he made up for it by being extremely tough, willing to tackle hard, having a great sense of the right place to be at any given moment, and, with Martin Keown, running what was probably the best off-side trap in European football.

 

Oh, and I hate to tell Lalas, but any Arsenal fans at that match who are within driving distance of the Red Bulls' stadium probably already attend RB matches because of Thierry Henry; those who came from farther might become more inclined to watch RB games on tv (although, again, Henry) but they're not likely to actually attend matches.

[Kip Hackman]

Oh when the Saints go marching out ...