The State of the Game? Mental.
September 3rd 2008 04:10
It will comes as no shock to regular readers that I am a Manchester City fan. However, the goings on at Eastlands have been well documented and whilst I of course have one or two opinions on the events of the last few days, I thought it best to spread this blog around a little and talk about the Premier League in general and more specifically the winners and losers of transfer deadline day.
But first, let's talk about the day itself. The idea of set transfer periods, as oppose to the old system, certainly has it detractors, but I liken these few to the people who can't let a penalty shoot out pass by without claiming the unfairness to the losing side. To these people I say, show me a better solution. The set dates are a line in the sand, a point where FIFA tell the clubs 'no more', and it means that the wealthier clubs only have a certain period in which they can buy their success. Petr Cech gets injured next week? Sorry Luis, you're going to have to wear it.
But more than that, and like a penalty shoot out, it adds incredible drama to this game of ours. Obviously there have been a few damp squibs but who can say they didn't enjoy the events of September 1st? Okay, apart from Peter Kenyon, who didn't enjoy it?
Anyway, with that I give you the winners and losers of transfer deadline day...
WINNERS
Manchester City
I'll get it over with first off, shall I? The whole day was incredible and, if you're a City fan, one that will go down as the most exciting in the clubs history; a day in which we arguably became the richest club in the world and broke the British transfer record by outbidding Chelsea. Chelsea! This wasn't exactly on the cards either and it was only last week that I'd been reading about the dire financial situation my club found themselves in. What a difference a day makes. Robinho will either set the Premier League alight or will prove to be the most expensive flop ever in the British game. I get the feeling there will be no half measures with this bright young talent. That said, few could deny that on the day, City were winners in more ways than one.
Manchester United
Fair play to Fergie, he said he’d get him and he did. This could well prove to be the signing of the season and in Berbatov United have bought themselves a proven goalscorer, a proven Premier League superstar, and what could be the catalyst for them to stay on top of the pile for at least another few years. Berbatov, in short, is brilliant. He holds the ball up well and creates chances for himself and his team mates and he’s no slouch in the skill department either. Linking up with Ronaldo, I think, he’s a certainty to prove a great buy.
Tottenham Hotspur
Now I know what you’re thinking, but no I haven’t inserted them into the wrong section. Yes, they lost Berbatov (though recouped a thoroughly fair price) and yes, their squad looks decidedly thin in important areas, but let’s not forget that Spurs are still in a transitionary phase under relatively new coach Juande Ramos. Cries of them breaking into the top four this year were, I thought, rather premature. They should still have a little bit of money in the bank in January when they can be rather more selective in their bidding, but on top of that they made two very astute signings. The first is Vedran Corluka, who is one of the least wasteful defenders I’ve seen in the past couple of years. He’s good going forward, quick in defence and he’s still only 22 years old. The second and perhaps more important signing is that of Roman Pavlyuchenko from Spartak Moscow and it is in this man where Spurs will either sink of swim. Will he be the new Berbatov or the new Rebrov? Only time will tell, but I’m not going to write him off before he’s even kicked a Premier League ball. Frazier Campbell on loan from United, frankly, doesn’t deserve a mention.
LOSERS
Chelsea
Peter Kenyon will claim the high ground and say that Chelsea weren’t willing to enter an auction and that Robinho, perhaps correctly, isn’t worth 32.4 million, but don’t be fooled. The reason Robinho is going for that in the first place is because of the ludicrous money the Russian billionaire has thrown around for the last five or six years. Mark my words, Chelsea will feel slightly worried and more than a tad embarrassed at not landing the young lad who Scolari saw as the final piece of the puzzle. What’s more, they didn’t have a back up plan. To be fair, nobody saw the events at Eastlands coming, but so sure were the Chelsea back room of landing Robinho, there has been a hushed silence over Stamford Bridge ever since he was snatched from under their noses.
Arsenal/Liverpool
Maybe not today and maybe not even this season, but you’d think the time is coming when one of these teams will be replaced in the 'Big Four'. Man City's billions could well make this a reality sooner than they think. At Arsenal, Wenger’s transfer strategy of not spending big, whilst admirable, has made them an entirely beatable side. Over at Anfield, Rafa Benitez’s Liverpool are, in my opinion, one injury short of losing their Champions League spot. Without the brilliant Torres (currently sidelined with a hamstring injury) and with Gerrard’s inconsistency still proving strange and worrying, Liverpool look very very shaky and I think they have the most to be worried about this season.
Newcastle
What is going on at St James’ Park? The trouble they are having over there is comical, but not entirely unsurprising. When they appointed Keegan and then Wise, this blog in a Mystic Meg style moment (yeah, okay, anyone could see it coming) predicted it would end in nothing but tears, though eight months was even shorter than expected. Their transfer deadline activity was restricted to unproven under-21 Spanish striker, Xisco, for a not-too-shoddy fee of 5.7 million and Ignacio 'Nacho' Gonzalez, a Uruguayan midfielder… on loan. Hardly the headline grabbing signings that the Toon Army were hoping for. Newcastle could find things tough this year and with the ‘has he gone or hasn’t he gone’ soap opera surrounding manager, Kevin Keegan, you’d have to say top half of the table is all they can reasonably hope for.
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Comment by The Toon Cryer
Mike Ashley wears an Alan Smith shirt for gods sake. He has about as much football knowledge as Ross McCallum. ie very little, and I'm not talking about Drunken Duncan the Dog Whisperer
Comment by Anonymous