The Fan

The best close-season transfers

5 to watch for the new season

Some large transfer fees were paid out over the summer. Which new signings will make the biggest difference…

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When asked if he [Van Persie] would be prepared to revert from attractive football to play for a side who won 1-0 every week and earned more trophies, Van Persie replied: “Small chance. The way I see it, I would never give that up. There are only a few teams in Europe who play the way Arsenal play. I will always play for a team where I earn less money but play fantastic football rather than a team where you can earn lots of money and win every week…

“I don’t like to run after people all game long; I like that they run after me.”

 

Without meaning to slander a whole nation, there’s something very Dutch about that statement. Style counting more than substance.

It’s one thing to say he is prepared to be paid less money to play in the style he wants, but when the amount of money he is earning is so much greater than the fans that are paying his wages who are wanting to win trophies, it sticks in the throat a bit.

From: The Guardian

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Sympathy for the devil

Portuguese star not guilty of diving shock

Christiano Ronaldo’s penalty winning tumble in the Middlesborough box provoked the usual allegations of the Portuguese player’s inclination to dive. Maybe, this time, we should forgive him. Just this time, mind…

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Last week, Arsene Wenger was promoting the use of video evidence. This week he might not be so sure:

The Football Association has, meanwhile, asked for video evidence of their [Wenger and Pardew’s] altercation and several other incidents that followed West Ham’s 1-0 win over Arsenal.

From: The Guardian

 

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Big four meet to kick-start season

Last season’s top 4 teams meet each other this Sunday, as Chelsea face Liverpool and Man Utd play Arsenal.

After a summer of World Cup football, and the football season’s first month being broken up by international games, the English Premiership has so far failed to fire…

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When Englishman Justin Hoyte came on as sub in Arsenal’s Champions League game against Hamburg, every player came from a different country.

Jens Lehmann (Germany); Emmanuel Eboue (Ivory Coast), Johan Djourou (Switzerland), Justin Hoyte (England), William Gallas (France) Tomas Rosicky (Czech Republic), Gilberto (Brazil), Cesc Fabregas (Spain), Alexander Hleb (Belarus) Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo), Robin van Persie (Holland).

While striking in its self, its more surprising that the only English player has join from the bench, and that none of the other players were even British. English teams have for a long time had a huge variety of cultures, but has been rare that some of the team has not come from Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.

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With Juve effectively relegated for 2 seasons due to their 30 point deduction in Serie B it seems inconceivable that they will be able to hang on to all their players or even loan them out for a year.

Not too many leagues will be able to match the Italian clubs’ salaries, so England will be a likely destination for many who leave.

Here’s a list of transfer speculation of England’s top clubs and who they are targetting.

Chelsea

Alessandro Nesta (Milan), Fabio Cannavaro, Pavel Nedved, Gianluca Zambrotta (Juve);

Manchester United

Patrick Vieira, Pavel Nedved (Juve), Gennaro Gattuso (Milan), Luca Toni (Fiorentina)

Liverpool

Mauro Camoranesi, David Trezeguet (Juve)

Arsenal

Gianluigi Buffon, Lilian Thuram, Patrick Vieira, David Trezeguet (Juve), Filippo Inzaghi (Milan)

Tottenham

Lilian Thuram (Juve), Filippo Inzaghi (Milan)

Source: BBC

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Henry and Wenger blame referee

English if they'd won, French since they lost

The post match interviews with Arsene Wenger and Thierry Henry left a sour taste in the mouth after both men complained about the performance of the referee.

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Four England-based managers on Madrid shortlist

Real Madrid seek high profile appointment to turn fortunes around

England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson, along with Chelsea’s Jose Mourinho, Liverpool’s Rafael Benitez and Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger are on the shortlist of manager’s wanted by Real Madrid.

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has called on referees to stamp out diving by suspending guilty players.

From: BBC

 

There was surely some irony in his voice when he said this, considering some of Robert Pires’ behaviour (most notably against Portsmouth a couple of seasons ago).

The Arsenal manager went on to say: “I can say that when my team are not involved I am 100% against it.”

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