Yahoo, Barclay's premiere league is back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:|It's been a pretty bad season for the Blues. I still think we will finish the season strong, maybe 3rd. Once we part ways with Drogba, Ballack, Malouda, and any other players with bad attitudes or anybody we don't need anymore then the future's bright. So bright, spectators may just need a pair of stunna shades to be able to watch Chelsea.

 

Well, I admire your optimism

 

Would you believe that being a football fan actually works against me, haha. Since everyone is football mad here, I have usually dated guys who were into the game, but my two ex boyfriends both hated it (I managed to convert one of them, now he's more mental about United than I am).
I think the worst mistake I ever made was going on a date with a City fan...

 

Well, I admire you.

At the end of the day it dosen't hurt that bad. I live in a country that should be winning the World Cup at least once every decade but they refuse to even call the sport by its correct name. I've never even been to West London (better yet England, the UK, or Europe). The MLS is terrible. There's very little food in my kitchen. Global recession. Real can't catch Barca. I have no Valentine. I'm just glad I woke up this morning.

 

Which country you live in that should be winning the World Cup at least once every decade? The US? I hope you weren't being serious. Despite all the talent they have supplied throughout history, USSR/Russia, Portugal,the Netherlands and Spain have never won a single World cup, so what makes you think that the US should be able to at least win the World Cup once every decade?

 

Well, it's hard to believe indeed. To me, there's something charming about woman who is a die hard football fan. And I'd like to hear the story about you going on a date with a City fan That must have been quite interesting. I am a bit fanatical about my favorite team AC Milan, so I can't imagine myself going on a date with a die hard Inter fan... we're going to clash sooner or later.

 

I was just exaggerating. You didn't have to rush in and try and make me look dumb. I am very aware that those teams never won the World Cup. My only issue is that the U.S. should be up there with Brazil, Italy, Germany, Argentina, etc when it comes to World Cup success. Unfortunately there's not much passion in the country for the sport. We have the potential to be a top 5 footballing nation. Also if the 80's never existed, Brazil would have lifted the Cup at least once in every decade dating back to the 50's. We're not Brazil when it comes to football, but if we started training our youngsters and football was as big as football (if that makes any sense) then yes I believe we could do it.

 

I wasn't trying to make you look dumb, I just wanted you to elaborate a little bit and tell me why you thought about the US chance. So, I was just curious to see your arguments. I personally disagree with you, and that's why I gave you those example with Spain and the USSR etc.

 

If the US had as much footballing passion as any as those nations you mentioned, it would be possible. If Brazil almost did it I see no reason why we wouldn't be able to do it. I'm going off our population and how competitive we are as a country (mostly Olympics). My bad about the misunderstanding with trying to make me look dumb. I was just insulted at first because I felt you took what I said too literally and because I'm aware of the teams that have won/lost the World Cup. peace.

 

What people don't realize is that the U.S doesn't have to "sign on" to "soccer" (i hate that term, it's football dammit!). You need to understand that football is the most watched, most expensive, most lucrative and most popular sport on the face of the planet as it is. I understand it would be even bigger business for it to become popular in the United States, but it's not, big deal! The last World Cup in 2006 was watched by a total of more than 2 billion people, most of them not in the United States. The Premier League has an audience of more than 4 billion people. That is more than the audience of all U.S sports put together. Don't even get me started on the revenue football generates. The money football generates make the NBA and NFL look like a small business.

I really do think that there will be a surge in popularity in soccer however, given the demographic changes. The Asian, Latino and even African populations in America is growing and these ethnic groups have a bigger passion for football than the native U.S. ethnography. Moreover, young Americans of all backgrounds are increasingly adding it to their repertoire of sports and with the population of under-18s growing, it's safe to say that the game has a bright future in the U.S of A. It may not be as big as it is in Europe, Africa and Asia but there we go.

Speaking of the Premier League, i think it'll be an eye opener if Arsenal lose out on the crucial 4th Champions League spot to Aston Villa. I wish it doesn't happen as i'm an Arsenal fan, but i'm a realist - Arsenal are 6 points behind Villa, they have more games in Europe coming up, they have a banged up squad and they have difficult games. Having said that, we need it to be made clear that Arsenal need to spend more in the transfer window and more importantly, that "top four" mentality has got to go. Whenver any team perceives an air of inevitability, they begin to fumble because they believe it is all theirs. It happened to AC Milan last year. They missed out on the CL this year, and its done wonders for them in the local league. They are currently 2nd in the league, and are doing much better than they did all of last year. Maybe if the same fate befalls Arsenal, they will make a U-Turn. Until then, here's hoping we never have to go down that route.

P.S. If Arsenal fail to make the Champions League this year, Arsene Wenger can begin to look for his resume and hand it out to numerous employers because he is a goner.

 

I know we haven't won a trophy in a while, but Arsene Wenger has cult status following at Arsenal. I think a lot of people at Arsenal appreciate what he has done for the club. So if Arsenal don't make the Champions League, I don’t think he will get sacked. Even if he was sacked as manager of Arsenal, I am 99% sure a role in some capacity would be found for him at Arsenal. Most likely director of football. I really don’t think wenger will be sending out his CV.

Arsene Wenger has revolutionized the Arsenal youth system. Sacking Arsene isn't like sacking any manager. A lot of players have said how they improved under his guidance, and would reconsider their future if he wasn't there. Fabregas, one of our biggest assets is at Arsenal mainly because of Wenger; there are other players as well. I honestly feel if he was to leave there would be a mass exodus of quality players at Arsenal. And I think the board are aware of this.

The one thing I think he is stubborn about, and is to the detriment of Arsenal is his transfer policy. He really needs to revise that in my opinion.

 

Swazi, do you honestly think that Arsene would stay at Arsenal as something other than a manager?!
I have a lot of respect for him because of his love of the club and I know that in the eyes of many an Arsenal fan he can do no wrong, but I think it'd be very difficult for someone like him to (if he gets the sack as manager) stay with the club.

 

I think a lot would depend on how acrimonious the split was.If it was a mutual thing and Arsene himself agreed he had taken the club as far as could as a manager, I think it is possible he could take up another position at the club.David Dein(one of the directors) said a while back Arsene has a job for life at Arsenal. David Dein isnt there anymore, but that is the esteem they hold him in.No one has ever said that about an Arsenal manager before.He will not get sacked, believe me..
What will most likely happen is when Wenger himself doesn't want to be Arsenal manager is, he will move to the director of football position and see the overunning of the club, retire or take up another job.

Read this:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...al-to-offer-Arsene-Wenger-a-job-for-life.html

 

World club rich list is out, for anyone who cares.

WORLD'S WEALTHIEST CLUBS BY REVENUE
1) Real Madrid: £289.6m
2) Man Utd: £257.1m
3) Barcelona: £244.4m
4) Bayern Munich: £233.8m
5) Chelsea: £212.9m
6) Arsenal: £209.3m
7) Liverpool: £167m
8 AC Milan: £165.8m
9) AS Roma: £138.9m
10) Inter Milan: £136.9m
Source: Deloitte: 2007/8

 

Honestly, I think that Arsene Wenger has lost his touch. He isn't able to update his squad and make the key and strategic acquisitions like he used to in the past. They have hole in the midfield and they badly need a defensive midfielder like Viera used to be. A holding midfielder is very necessary. Let's hope that the addition of Archavine in the squad will change something because he is an exciting player who deserves more exposure than he was getting while playing for Zenith St Petersburg. But the only way I see Wenger leaving Arsenal is if the team doesn't qualify for the champions league for like 3 straight seasons.

 

I love Arsene Wenger too, but if Arsenal don't get to the Champions League this year, im tellin you the man is gone.

We don't need more attacking players (okay, maybe we need one or two) but what is crucial are central defenders and a defensive midfielder, a la Makalele and Vieira. We had a good holding midfielder in Flamini but cheap ass Arsene Wenger let him go because he won't give in to his wage demands.

I'm really worried for the long term future of this club, though.

 

Arsenal never should have let Thierri Henry go to Barca

 

Actually, they should have. Thierry was beginning to age at Arsenal, the team gettin staler with his presence and it became clear that he was no longer happy being in London. When he got shipped off, that allowed the rest of the squad assert themselves a lot more and take more responsibility for what they do on the field, as opposed to being the one-man-team they were much maligned for.

I'm sorry, but keeping him there would not have done us any good. As Arsene Wenger has proven time and time again, he knows when players are past their primes and then he lets them go. Emma Petit, Overmars, Vieira, Wiltord, the list goes on. Henry's departure was not Arsenal's weak point, a failure to adequately replace him was.

 

You make a reasonable argument here, my only point of contention is that Theirry is past his prime, he is currently 6th in goals scored in the Spanish league, we could still use that firepower big time.

 

Couldn't agree more.:smt023