Give me some EPL info!

[Imran Siddiqui]

Ok, ok. As some you may know I'm a Yank who has great intrerest in soccer. Every year I tell myself I'll start following the EPL (or the Bundesliga or Series A or, etc). Now I got Fox Sports World, so I can see a few games a week, I decided to go full tilt at it (it is difficult to follow a sport when it gets no media coverage in your home market). I've been reading previews of the season, but I thirst for more knowledge! What do you guys wish to share with me about European football that you think will help me out? And you don't just have to limit yourself to the EPL.. if you want to tell me something fun about the Dutch League (Zop ) go right ahead.

Oh, I know the basics. I know the Red Devils in Manchester (United) are the traditionally hated team, yet Arsenal recently is trying to take that throne (though the loss of Viera will apparently harm them greatly). I also know that Chelsea is trying to be the Yankees of the EPL and buy everyone that Abromowich (sp?) can afford.

Oh, and my fav team is Newcastle (as Aggie knows )... mostly because I love Alan Shearer.

[alva]

Don't bother watching anything but the (english) premiership- only exception are the old firm games ( Glasgow rangers - Celtic Glascow) - the rest is boring and/or sub-par.
Ok, the Spanish top games can be good on a techical level, but that's about it.
WARNING!!!
Do not watch the Italian league, you risk to get off football for ever!!

[Imran Siddiqui]

Bueller?

[Frozzy]

I suggest Ryman League football. You can't beat the passion.

[Frozzy]

Oh, and EPL is an American-only acronym obviously. Never heard it before.

[Agathon]

OK - you asked for it.

In the Premier League, the same teams win all the time. They also happen to be the richest teams - this hasn't stopped fans of poorer teams speculating about bribery and match fixing as a way of compensating for the poor performance of their teams.

This year, the winner will be one of Chelsea, Arsenal, or Man United: probably Arsenal if the form book holds. The relegation battle will probably be more interesting, especially since Sunderland are no longer in the PL (they are a dead cert for relegation usually).

Some info on the teams.

Arsenal

Current league champions and the present team are probably one of the finest to ever play in the English Leagues. Known to their fans as "The Gunners" or "The Arse". Have been quite successful since ending a nearly twenty year title drought in 1989. Dominated the league in the 1930s using the offside trap IIRC.

Great players of the past: Charlie George (70s), Tony Adams (90s)

Hated most by: Spurs fans.

This season: will win.


Aston Villa

Boring gob****e team who haven't done anything in years (won title in 1981, an aberration). Frankly, they are mediocrity defined. Known as "The Villans". Birmingham City are the "real" Brum team.

Great players of the past: ?

Hated by: Birmingham City fans.

This season: nothing (again).


Birmingham City

The other Birmingham team ("The Blues"). They will have trouble staying up, but should make it. A battling team with a great manager in Steve Bruce. Not a team with a history of success.

Hated by: Villa fans.

This season: clear of relegation but in the lower half of the table.


Blackburn Rovers

With Souness in charge they are definite relegation candidates. The story of this team is a century of uselessness ended when a millionaire fan bought the team and subsidized the team into the PL which they won in the mid 90s (among other things, they bought Alan Shearer). Since then, they haven't been so hot.

Great players of the past: Alan Shearer (90s)

Hated by: Man U fans, nobody else.

This season: relegation candidates.


Bolton Wanderers

Another old club with a proud history that has had some success recently after years of nothing. Were the losing team in the "Matthews" final of 1953 (probably the best cup final ever played). Had a really excellent season last year (8th) and manager Sam Allardyce is a real character.

This season: top half.

Hated by: no-one I can think of.


Charlton Athletic

"The Addicks". Another club enjoying recent success. An excellent 7th place last year. Alan Curbishley is a fine manager and they should do well this season.

This season: top half.


Chelsea

Fairly wealthy club that was bought recently by a Russian gangster who has thrown money at it in what appears to be a fit of insanity. Some cup success in recent years, but no league joy.

Great players of the past: Peter Osgood

Hated by: Arsenal, Spurs

This season: will compete for the title, 2nd.

Crystal Palace

What goes up, must come down.

Nuff said.


Everton

Famous as the "other" Liverpool club. Known for some reason as "The Toffees" They suck right now, apart from that Rooney kid (if he hasn't gone already).

Great players of the past: Dixie Dean (20s), Tommy Lawton (30s), Gary Lineker (80s)

Hated by: Liverpool.

This season: going down I think.


Fulham

Another club rescued from obscurity by a rich guy, in this case Mohammed Al-Fayed, the owner of the famous Harrods Department Store.

Great players of the past: Johnny Haynes

This season: mid table.


Liverpool

"The Reds". A bit of a joke these days. Liverpool were the dominant team in England and Europe from the late 70s well into the 80s. Since 1990 the team has ranged from average to useless. Right now they aren't going anywhere.

Great players of the past: Kevin Keegan, Ray Clemence, Kenny Dalglish, Alan Hansen, Ian Rush and a crapload more.

Hated by: Everton fans

This season: 5th place.


Manchester City

The team that people who live in Manchester support.

Hated by: Man United


Manchester United

"The Scum". A team supported by Malaysians and various other groups of people who have never been to Manchester. A bunch of arrogant, cheating tossers who are hated throughout the world. Their fans are all "glory hunters" (people who follow them as long as they win).

Great players of the past: Denis Law, Bobby Charlton, Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona and many others.

Hated by: everyone else.

This season: second


Middlesbrough

"The Smoggies" A boring dour team from a boring dour city. They are so crap that it took them until this year to actually win anything, and then it was only the league cup which no-one gives a **** about.

Great players: are you kidding?

Hated by: Newcastle fans; anyone who's been to Middlesbrough.

This year: who cares?


Newcastle United

Great Edwardian team, and in the 20s. Great cup team in the 50s. So so since then. Reborn in the 90s (after several false starts) and now a rung below the really big clubs. A good squad this year, let down by a weak midfield.

Great players: Hugh Gallacher (20s); Jackie Milburn (50s); Malcolm MacDonald (70s); Kevin Keegan, Chris Waddle, Peter Beardsley (80s); Alan Shearer (90s).

Hated by: Sunderland; Boro.

This year: top 8.


Norwich City

"The Canaries". Back in the top flight after a gap of some years. Will find it hard to stay up.
Hated by: Ipswich Town fans.

This year, relegation material.


Portsmouth

"Pompey". A silk purse made from a sow's ear. They'll stay up. Just.


Southampton

"the Saints" Perennially ****ty team which. if there was any justice in the world, should have been relegated a long time ago.

This season: bottom half.


Tottenham Hotspur

"The Spurs". Used to be a good team, but rubbish now. Bottom half this season.


West Bromwich Albion





Well - that's my view.

[Frozzy]

"The Reds". A bit of a joke these days. Liverpool were the dominant team in England and Europe from the late 70s well into the 80s. Since 1990 the team has ranged from average to useless. Right now they aren't going anywhere.

In the mid 90s they would have won a lot if David James wasn't kidnapped by vampires and hence develop a fear of crosses.

[Maquiladora]

Arsenal

Current league champions and the present team are probably one of the finest to ever play in the English Leagues. Known to their fans as "The Gunners" or "The Arse". Have been quite successful since ending a nearly twenty year title drought in 1989. Dominated the league in the 1930s using the offside trap IIRC.

Great players of the past: Charlie George (70s), Tony Adams (90s)

Hated most by: Spurs fans.

This season: will win.

Also hated by everyone for their whinging fans and boring football. "boring, boring arsenal", "one - nil to the ars-a-nil" and the only reason David Seaman stayed in the England team for so long.

[Agathon]

Sure, the Graham teams were boring as hell, but the only time you hear "boring, boring Arsenal" with Wenger's team is when they are 4-0 up.

In the mid 90s they would have won a lot if David James wasn't kidnapped by vampires and hence develop a fear of crosses.

Didn't he blame his performance on too much Nintendo?

[Frozzy]

Didn't he blame his performance on too much Nintendo?

It would not surprise me if he came up with a half baked story like that.

[Maquiladora]

Sure, the Graham teams were boring as hell, but the only time you hear "boring, boring Arsenal" with Wenger's team is when they are 4-0 up.

Theyre still boring. They need to get rid of highbury, its too small and encourages the same type of game from them week in, week out.

[Agathon]

Theyre still boring. They need to get rid of highbury, its too small and encourages the same type of game from them week in, week out.

You are joking, right? Are you a Spurs supporter or something? Arsenal play the most attractive, attacking football in the league. They are the best team to watch since Kevin Keegan's Black & White Brazil of the mid-nineties.

[Maquiladora]

Theyre boring, they play the same game every week and most teams fall for it or **** up somehow. Always along the floor to Henry and the half backs step up towards the half way line to play the offside trap and fail. Its boring football. I remember when Henry complained after the England - France game at Euro2004, saying we were defending so far back and not giving him room to make any runs, i mean he was actually disgusted by our tactics of sucessfully not giving him a chance. He gets it easy in the premiership.

[Maquiladora]

The difference with Newcastle is, they scored from all over, not just set-pieces and along the floor. And they had players people liked.

[Footie Mad]

Birmingham will do better han bottom half i reckon.