Re: The EPL thread (II)

[Ash]

Going to be an entertaining title race this year you can't really tell whose going to win.

if arsenal do manage it, it will be the most amazing win since the prem lg started. it'd be interesting to compare the total cost of squad assembly for both teams

[Ash]

guys where did you watch this game? cant believe it was not on sky/setanta

I'll PM you the same info I sent to Mak a while back. 2 secs

goddit - cheers mr JKL

just tested it on the liverpool v sunderland match, works alright only a 10 sec lag from setanta

[Lara Lara Laughs]

Going to be an entertaining title race this year you can't really tell whose going to win.

if arsenal do manage it, it will be the most amazing win since the prem lg started. it'd be interesting to compare the total cost of squad assembly for both teams

OK. Anything's better than studying for exams. I had to guess a few.

Arsenal

Lehmann - ?
Almunia - ?
Gallas - 5mil and Ashley Cole. Let's say 20 million.
Sagna - 7.5 million
Toure - 150k!
Senderos - 2.5 mil.
Eboue - 1.5mil
Clichy - 250k
Diaby - 2mil
Hleb - 11mil if memory serves
Denilson 3.4mil
Flamini - Free
Gilberto - 4.5mil
Rosicky - 7mil.
Fabregas - F*cking cocksuckers stole him for free and then paid 1.5-2 mil in compensation.
Eduardo - 8.5 mil
Walcott - 12mil
Van Persie - 3 mil
Bendtner - Free
Adebayor - 3 mil.

Don't know about Almunia and Lehmann. Can't have been more than 4 mil apiece. So let's say 8 for the pair.

That makes a total of just over £96 million pounds.


Manchester United

Van der Sar - 2 mil
Kusszczak - Loan
Foster - 1 mil
Neville - Youth. Free.
Evra - 5.5mil
Ferdinand - 30 mil
Pique - Stolen from Barca for compensation the same way as Fabregas. 2mil.
Brown - Youth. Free.
Vidic - 7 mil.
Silvestre - 4 mil.
Giggs - Youth. Free.
Scholes - Youth. Free.
Carrick - 19mil
Anderson - 17 mil.
Ronaldo - 12 mil. Looks a bargain now, eh?
Hargreaves - 17 mil.
Park - 4 mil.
Nani - 14 mil.
O'Shea - Youth. Free.
Fletcher - Youth. Free.
Rooney - 31 mil.
Saha - 13 mil
Tevez- 2 mil.


Total - £180.5 million. Almost twice as much as Arsenal!


Chelsea

Cech - 7 mil
Cudicini - 160k
Cole - 15 mil
Carvalho - 20 mil
Terry - Youth. Free.
Ben-Haim - Free.
Ferreira - 13.2 mil
Alex - Very cheap. Don't know how much. Let's say 1mil.
Bridge - 7 mil plus Graeme Le Saux. Le Saux was 35 so let's say 8 mil.
Belletti - 7mil.
Essien - 24.4mil
Sidwell - Free.
Lampard 11 mil. Massive, massive bargain.
J Cole - 6.6 million.
Ballack - Free,
Malouda - 13.5 mil.
Obi Mikel - 4 mil.
Makaelele - 16.8 mil.
Wright Phillips - 21mil.
Kalou - ? Anelka - 15 mil
Drogba - 24 mil.
Shevchenko - 30 mil
Pizarro - Free

Total - £237.5 million, not including Kalou.

Though, to be fair, I don't think they spent that much more than Man U in terms of actual value. Abramovich was an idiot and overpaid for most of the players he bought. After he set a precedent, other clubs doubled and tripled the value of their players whenever Chelsea came calling.

[Lara Lara Laughs]

Any chance of getting that pm?

[JKLever]

Any chance of getting that pm?

On its way

[Lara Lara Laughs]

Cheers JKL. I know about that site. Been on there for ages. I thought you'd found somewhere better.

Thanks anyway.

[Eric Air Emu]

[quote="Lara Lara Laughs"]

Going to be an entertaining title race this year you can't really tell whose going to win.

if arsenal do manage it, it will be the most amazing win since the prem lg started. it'd be interesting to compare the total cost of squad assembly for both teams

OK. Anything's better than studying for exams. I had to guess a few.

Arsenal

Lehmann - ?
Almunia - ?
Gallas - 5mil and Ashley Cole. Let's say 20 million.
quote]

I don't understand the rationale - Ashley Cole came up through Arsenal's youth system so the net cost of Gallas was still 5 mil.

Pretty sure Tevez and Alex went for more and is also worth factoring in the actual wages they pay- Arsenal and Man Utd have definite wage structures where Chelsea don't. Also worth mentioing that Abramovitch had to write off something like £80 million pounds worth of debt before he could start signing players.

[Ash]

Going to be an entertaining title race this year you can't really tell whose going to win.

if arsenal do manage it, it will be the most amazing win since the prem lg started. it'd be interesting to compare the total cost of squad assembly for both teams

OK. Anything's better than studying for exams. I had to guess a few.

Arsenal

Lehmann - ?
Almunia - ?
Gallas - 5mil and Ashley Cole. Let's say 20 million.
Sagna - 7.5 million
Toure - 150k!
Senderos - 2.5 mil.
Eboue - 1.5mil
Clichy - 250k
Diaby - 2mil
Hleb - 11mil if memory serves
Denilson 3.4mil
Flamini - Free
Gilberto - 4.5mil
Rosicky - 7mil.
Fabregas - F*cking cocksuckers stole him for free and then paid 1.5-2 mil in compensation.
Eduardo - 8.5 mil
Walcott - 12mil
Van Persie - 3 mil
Bendtner - Free
Adebayor - 3 mil.

Don't know about Almunia and Lehmann. Can't have been more than 4 mil apiece. So let's say 8 for the pair.

That makes a total of just over £96 million pounds.


Manchester United

Van der Sar - 2 mil
Kusszczak - Loan
Foster - 1 mil
Neville - Youth. Free.
Evra - 5.5mil
Ferdinand - 30 mil
Pique - Stolen from Barca for compensation the same way as Fabregas. 2mil.
Brown - Youth. Free.
Vidic - 7 mil.
Silvestre - 4 mil.
Giggs - Youth. Free.
Scholes - Youth. Free.
Carrick - 19mil
Anderson - 17 mil.
Ronaldo - 12 mil. Looks a bargain now, eh?
Hargreaves - 17 mil.
Park - 4 mil.
Nani - 14 mil.
O'Shea - Youth. Free.
Fletcher - Youth. Free.
Rooney - 31 mil.
Saha - 13 mil
Tevez- 2 mil.


Total - £180.5 million. Almost twice as much as Arsenal!


Chelsea

Cech - 7 mil
Cudicini - 160k
Cole - 15 mil
Carvalho - 20 mil
Terry - Youth. Free.
Ben-Haim - Free.
Ferreira - 13.2 mil
Alex - Very cheap. Don't know how much. Let's say 1mil.
Bridge - 7 mil plus Graeme Le Saux. Le Saux was 35 so let's say 8 mil.
Belletti - 7mil.
Essien - 24.4mil
Sidwell - Free.
Lampard 11 mil. Massive, massive bargain.
J Cole - 6.6 million.
Ballack - Free,
Malouda - 13.5 mil.
Obi Mikel - 4 mil.
Makaelele - 16.8 mil.
Wright Phillips - 21mil.
Kalou - ? Anelka - 15 mil
Drogba - 24 mil.
Shevchenko - 30 mil
Pizarro - Free

Total - £237.5 million, not including Kalou.

Though, to be fair, I don't think they spent that much more than Man U in terms of actual value. Abramovich was an idiot and overpaid for most of the players he bought. After he set a precedent, other clubs doubled and tripled the value of their players whenever Chelsea came calling.

nice work, LLL. im pretty sure tevez went for a lot mroe than £2m....seem to recall reading a figure clsoer to £30m. another factor to consider is the net outlay, wengers net outlay per season would at an educated guess be a third of man u/chelsea

[Makaveli]

He's on a 2 year loan, i might be wrong but i think if United want to keep after that they have to pay out 30 mil.

[Makaveli]

Going to be an entertaining title race this year you can't really tell whose going to win.

if arsenal do manage it, it will be the most amazing win since the prem lg started. it'd be interesting to compare the total cost of squad assembly for both teams

Ok guys let's have your predictions for the title, i think with only 13 games to go we are close enough.

1. United - still feel have not hit top gear lot more to come imo, Scholes & Giggs provide exp.
2. Arsenal - still a young team but still have to go to OT/Stamford Bridge.
3. Chelsea - don't seem like the same team, doing well though.

[PearlJ]

United IMO. They just look better than Arsenal.

[Makaveli]

Also forgot to add - United have the strongest defense out of the three which imo will decide the title, attacking wise there is not much to chose between Arsenal/United, Chelsea have looked poor upfront but they are missing Drogba/Lampard.

[Ash]

arsenal traditionally have their worst period between november and january. we've not been in top gear for a while now and are still there so i also feel theres more to come - van persie, toure will be back too. we've only lost 1 game all season but are more prone to the draw than united.

i think a lot will depend on how the big FA cup tie and champions league games go this month. arsenal in particular are unable to shake off a big match defeat quickly.

im backing arsenal - the team has shown exceptional desire all season long (except the boro & bham games) and wengers focus is on the title rather than the champs lg this time.

[JKLever]

United have looked pretty strong for much of the season. I'm amazed after losing Henry that the Arse have been so consistent this season. Especially when you think they have lost Van Persie for much of the season too.

[Makaveli]

United have looked pretty strong for much of the season. I'm amazed after losing Henry that the Arse have been so consistent this season. Especially when you think they have lost Van Persie for much of the season too.

Stop sitting on the fence. only one team can win it, make yer mind up, i know you are a betting man whose your money on?

[Merlin]

United IMO. They just look better than Arsenal.

How the hell can you say that when they performed so poorly - with their full squad - against the likes
of Portsmouth and Tottenham?

Okay - I'm sure Mak will blame my rose tinted glasses for this surmation - but the fact is - there is no sublimity in the
Scum's overall play. They have gifted players in Ronaldo and Rooney - with a couple of the others chipping in
occasionally. They blow oppositions away predominantly with their counter attacking moves which pulverise defences -
however, they really are nothing special except being a close knit excellent football outfit who thrive on their reputation.

Chelsea are all blow and seldom show ... dead in the water without Drogba - end of. They will finish 3rd.

Arsenal have been thrilling the football world this season - EVEN despite them being labelled a "young" team.
They play with flare and cohesion, and every move they create draws envious acclaim - even from rival team managers.
yes - visits to OT and Stamford Bridge have yet to be overcome - but is it going to be such a hurdle?
Look at the way they tore City apart yesterday - unbeaten at home and with the best two PL defenders in Richards and Dunne
together at the heart of their defence! They had Sven creaming himself in his postmatch interview - tottering between praise
and bewilderment at the Gunners football .

My call is it's going to be close between the Gooners and the Scum ... if Arsenal can take 3 maybe 4 points from their games against Chelsea and Scum - they will win the title.
And deservedly so.

[Eric Air Emu]

Chelsea have been grinding out the results lately and when Drogba, Lampard, Terry & Essien return they could really boss the league. And what a victory for Russian organised crime that would be...

[Makaveli]

United IMO. They just look better than Arsenal.

How the hell can you say that when they performed so poorly - with their full squad - against the likes
of Portsmouth and Tottenham?

You can say the same for Arse when they played Birmingham/Portsmouth, btw did you actually see the United v Portsmouth game? United totally dominated that game i'm struggling to think of more than one chance pompey had that night.

Every team has an off day United were due one, they won 6 games on the trot before the Totenham game, and yes Merlo it looks like you got those glasses on permanently, you are so unbelievably biased it's shameful, funny how quiet you were last year about the Arse!

[Merlin]

FFS Mak, get a grip - They were rebuilding last year, or hadn't you picked up on that?!

Henry on his way out; both goalkeepers were at loggerheads; Flamini was unsettled; the boardroom was in turmoil; a young outfit (teams avge age 23) whom even the Jock-strap said 'would struggle' with the "big boys". As he is now mouthing off about Keegan (whilst all other PL managers wish Keegan luck, fergie has a dig - ar**hole).

What really pisses me off is the United holier than thou - we don't spend like Chelsea - we play beautiful football - I'm the longest serving respected manager .... bullshit that is constantly flowing from the scots git. If he's so farking marvellous, why does he always send his No 2 errand boy to post match interviews?

Anyway ... you'll be accusing me of myopia when it comes to the Jocky's attitude next !

Of course MU play excellent football - they can slice a team up when they click - but are they as pleasing on the eye as the jock infers - say compared to Arsenal - and, at times, Chelsea? Media pundits who, unlike me, don't wear those 'rose tinted glasses', are adamant that MU are more described as professional and dominating in structure rather than creative and flowing by nature.
I certainly believe that sums MU up - with additional flashes of individual brilliance from Ronaldo and Rooney.

But, for a team that the Jock scoffed at "they'll miss Henry badly", I reckon he's got the squirts now in realizing that Arsenal will give his prima donners a run for their money - and at HALF of what it cost him to build his team - and at half the wage bill to boot !!!

And ... rose tinted glasses or not, that suits me fine right now, thanks!!

[Ash]

If he's so farking marvellous, why does he always send his No 2 errand boy to post match interviews?

only for the BBC interviews does he send queiroz out. i believe he had a run in with them a few seasons ago and has boycotted them. always gives an interview to ITV/sky/setanta

[Ash]

as for beautiful football, arsenal and man u undoubtedly play the best stuff week in week out. man u's game is more based on pace and power, arsenals on touch and movement. all of arsenals XI play the same fluid game, whereas man u's threat mainly comes from the wing and up front when counter attacking.

i think most neutrals would prefer to watch arsenal though and also back them over man u a lot of people i know who dont support arsenal would like to see them winning the title as they see them as represenantives of all thats good about modern football bar the foreign player policy - ie. playing to entertain, not spending ridiculous amounts of money, building a squad slowly rather than buying a team a la mourinho and giving youngsters a chance.

[Merlin]

If he's so farking marvellous, why does he always send his No 2 errand boy to post match interviews?

only for the BBC interviews does he send queiroz out. i believe he had a run in with them a few seasons ago and has boycotted them. always gives an interview to ITV/sky/setanta

A prima donna in other words ... like his "stars", who make a habit of thrashing hotel rooms amongst their other sexual pastimes!!

[Merlin]

Ash has it bang on the button.

The beauty of Arsenal is the fact that, following a policy change 5 years ago, Wenger has since, sought for and then captured youth and only then building around it - unlike United and Chelsea who think nothing of spending zillions adding to their team.
I've got no problem with that - except when the manager's hypocritic rantings of "development at youth level" - etc etc etc which Jock does with monotony whilst thinking nothing of splashing out on established stars every time a hole appears in the his team.

And, more irritating, is his penchant to slag off other teams unnecessarily, as if seeing this feature as his lone crusade to "pressurize" those teams into submission!!

[Lara Lara Laughs]

[quote="Eric Air Emu"]

Going to be an entertaining title race this year you can't really tell whose going to win.

if arsenal do manage it, it will be the most amazing win since the prem lg started. it'd be interesting to compare the total cost of squad assembly for both teams

OK. Anything's better than studying for exams. I had to guess a few.

Arsenal

Lehmann - ?
Almunia - ?
Gallas - 5mil and Ashley Cole. Let's say 20 million.
quote]

I don't understand the rationale - Ashley Cole came up through Arsenal's youth system so the net cost of Gallas was still 5 mil.

Pretty sure Tevez and Alex went for more and is also worth factoring in the actual wages they pay- Arsenal and Man Utd have definite wage structures where Chelsea don't. Also worth mentioing that Abramovitch had to write off something like £80 million pounds worth of debt before he could start signing players.

Good point regarding Cole. Take 15 off their total then. 81 million.

[Lara Lara Laughs]

Scholes, Beckham, Giggs, Brown, O'Shea, Solskjaer, Fletcher, Butt, Gary Neville, Phil Neville.

You can't really accuse United of not investing in youth. Until recently anyway.

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