A successful £20m loan move for Lulz. Well done Chelsea. Marco Alonso (???) is also signing for them too. Seems like these are all panic buys to me.
Legend... <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="de"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">Gänsehautmoment. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DankeBasti?src=hash">#DankeBasti</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ServusBasti?src=hash">#ServusBasti</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GERFIN?src=hash">#GERFIN</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DFB_Team">@DFB_Team</a> <a href="https://t.co/3mle5rY4cy">pic.twitter.com/3mle5rY4cy</a></p>— Marco Hagemann (@Marco_Hagemann) <a href="https://twitter.com/Marco_Hagemann/status/771082437497647104">31. August 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Not sure how the time zones are an issue. The time zone is definitely not a barrier to the EPL in the USA. A number of American fans have zero problem waking up at 6 or 7 am to watch their Liverpool or Arsenal team play. Also, the matches aren't all at 6,7 or 8 am in the morning. They are staggered. The prime matches are usually around 10am or 11 am which is a good time for the American viewers.
I don't think Hart was ever a bad goal keeper. He's just been average to good. He was never on Neuer's level. The problem is the English press and fans and the tendency to elevate players abilities above what they actually are and the desire to overexaggerate how good a player they are. Then there is no media or group of fans that are faster to throw a player off and kick them down from the high perch in which they've placed them than the English media and fans. It's almost a fun game for them. The desire for some especially in the media to rag on Rooney is absurd to me. Of course he is on the decline...just like most players are when they get to a certain age. How is he a false captain that can't lead a team? I haven't heard anything otherwise about his leadership abilities but rather the opposite from his teammates. There are different types of captains and different types of leaders. Gerrard and Beckham had different approaches. Also, Rooney not being able to play or excel as an out an out striker isn't a problem at all and wasn't a problem for Roy Hodgson or Mourinho right now. Rather it's helpful because there are other strikers they can play in that role and Rooney as the type of player that likes to drop deep to get the ball whenever he doesn't get it(in the striker position) is better suited now to play in midfield than before. Now he can't mess up the shape of the team as often as he did before. He has played well so far this season, he hasn't stunk up the joint(albeit against inferior opposition and not the big EPL teams). Englands focus, whether it be leadership or elsewhere should be on the manager because they haven't had that in ages (the combination of leadership and tactical ability). Hopefully Big Sam will show them what they need(doubtful though).
Leicester got Slimani today. imo that's the big winner of the day. Slimani is an absolute beast and I wouldn't have guessed it'd be Leicester that would get him. They now have the Algerian connection- Mahrez and Slimani.
Interesting take. Of course he was a very good player, not phenomenal to me in the 3 Lions shirt. Far off from his earlier Everton and ManU performances for sure. He will end his national team career in couple of years (already announced) so what will fans take away from his career? What stood out? Exactly, not much. Nothin much. I had him on my fantasy team in 2 World Cups, he rarely scored or never scored. Always regretted taking him. England did not fare well either.
Interesting take. Of course he was a very good player, not phenomenal to me in the 3 Lions shirt. Far off from his earlier Everton and ManU performances for sure. He will end his national team career in couple of years (already announced) so what will fans take away from his career? What stood out? Exactly, not much. Nothin much. I had him on my fantasy team in 2 World Cups, he rarely scored or never scored. Always regretted taking him. England did not fare well either. What about WH's Sofiane Feghouli?
I was rating him highly a couple of seasons ago at Valencia but he seems to be stuck now... didn't take the next step. Solid player but nothing to brag about.
Valencia got gutted this transfer session... Sucks for Los Che because when Lim took over he came on saying how they will be competing in UCL but clearly that's not the priority. Notable Players out this transfer session: Mustafi(24) - 41,00 Mill. € Gomes(22)- 35,00 Mill. € Alcacer(23)- 30,00 Mill. € Paul(22)- 3,00 Mill. € Barragan (29)- 2,70 Mill. € Negredo/Ferghouli/Piatti- Loan Notable Players left in recent years: David Villa Otamendi Jordi Alba Silva Mata Soldado Ever Banega Juan Bernat Rami Mathieu Guardado To be fair Lim took over in 2014 so many of those players left before but imagine the team Valencia could have if they had the means to keep their players.
"Before Mahrez, Leicester were unknown in Algeria where Liverpool was the most popular club," local journalist Samir Lamari told the Daily Mail. "Now it is the most popular club in the country, supported by more than five million people, with the Premier League watched more than the local Ligue 1." 'Of the Foxes' 2.37 million Facebook fans, more than 14% hail from the North African nation; dwarfing their 140,000 Facebook fans that live in England.' This was before the Slimani signing..I'm Algerian myself and at this point, the anticipation for Leicester EPL games is as big as watching the national team play. This will be great for the country ahead of Afcon and WC qualifiers. I wonder what Ranieri is gonna do with his influx of strikers.
I guess Claudio will be rotating frequently since they're playing in more competitions this season(UCL) and EPL, FA Cup and the other one. Plus I think Musa is versatile enough to play on the wing but that still lives 4 other strikers. Someone is going to be upset about not playing enough in matches - tough decisions for Ranieri.
It prevents from becoming a mainstream attraction. Sure, true fans will get up this early just like European Rockets fans here are willing to stay up until 4 in the morning to watch their team play. But a majority of people can't or won't.
You're missing my point though. Sure there are games at 6/7/8am but a lot of the prime fixtures are given a great time- 10/11am in the USA. That definitely hasn't prevented it from moving towards becoming a "mainstream attraction". A number of casual fans definitely are able to and do tune in for the late morning matches. Trust me, if you're in LA or elsewhere on the West Coast, for some marquee matches that have early start times(especially on the west coast with the time difference) you'll find pubs that open early just to let people in to watch. If one had to rate where on the scale of becoming a "mainstream attraction" or not that the EPL is w/regard to sports fans in the USA, I'd say it's on the right path. In a way it sometimes takes the attention away from MLS.(That is also the same effect the EPL has in a number of major African countries. Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya for example). The Premier League is well at the moment.
You obviously know the situation better than me. Might be some cultural difference, I don't know too many people that are up 8/9 in the morning on a Saturday or Sunday to watch sports or even go to a bar. 10/11 maybe, I'll give you that. But even if the time zones don't affect the situation as much as I thought, the U.S. market won't compensate the downfall.
