Observations From Around The Epl

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Some comments and observations from the team correspondents on Soccernet as the new season gets underway. Quotes all taken from http://soccernet.espn.go.com/et/corr/corre...g.1&cc=5901

 

"Well call about cutting it fine, Rovers excelled themselves again with the delivery of my season ticket yesterday, even though it was paid for back in May. And now with less than 24 hours before the season kicks off, the new home and away replica shirts are not on sale, however I'm told that they should be available for next weeks first game of the season at Ewood."

--Blackburn, Aug. 10

 

"As the new season begins, there is a different aura swirling around Stamford Bridge. The spending has drastically decreased, but they have still managed to sure up the weak points in the squad while only spending money on highly coveted French international Malouda. Expect to see a different Chelsea side from last season, the players they brought in are not as aesthetically pleasing as Abramovich may have wanted, but being pretty doesn't garner success."

--Chelsea, Aug. 11

 

"I've avoided comment, still enjoying looking at the table, where we're perched between Chelsea and Everton... pre-season."

--Derby, Aug. 11

 

"For the first time since the Jean Tigana era, Fulham has spent like a Premiership team rather than a Coca-Cola Championship team. While there was talk before last season of a top ten finish from Chris Coleman, it was very unrealistic to think that it would actually happen. I was one who was drinking the champagne before last season and I learned my lesson."

--Fulham, Aug. 9

 

"In a nutshell this is a team that is being built for the long term. Players such as Elano and Petrov will of course play a huge part this year but next season will be the one that we use to judge the strength of the eight signings so far....I've seen various comments from some folks in the press that teams needing to gel is just an excuse. I can only presume that such individuals have never played a team sport in their life."

--Manchester City, Aug. 9

 

"This summer, the top-level game has indulged in demented economics. It's getting harder and harder to relate to a game where, say, a club can pay five million pounds for a very average player with a professed dislike of them (see Sunderland and Chopra, Michael). In many cases, it seems like managers are desperate to replace their cash with fixed assets as if we're in hyperinflation-era Weimar Germany, only instead of clamouring after loaves of bread people are offering wheelbarrows of cash for Diomansy Kamara."

--Middleborough, Aug. 10

 

"Expectations need to be kept in check by the masses who flock to Gallowgate if Allardyce's 'revolution' is to be successful. The changes to the playing staff so far appear to be very positive - on paper we have the strongest squad that we have seen for quite a while. Hopefully the new fitness regime at SJP might actually manage to keep most of them fit too. That would be very refreshing."

--Newcastle, Aug. 9

 

"Off the pitch the old ground is having quite a bit of work done to it....New hospitality and match day bars, better facilities for the media hacks (maybe we'll get more generous write ups now) and a new club shop have really turned Pompey into a proper football club. If the toilets are clean, I'll know Pompey have really arrived!"

--Portsmouth, Aug. 10

 

"I still don't believe in Second Season Syndrome. I actually see it as more of an excuse for failure than a reason why we should struggle. If we do go down next season it will be because we are not good enough or maybe didn't increase player numbers enough, not because of SSS."

--Reading, Aug. 11

 

"Curbishley was put in charge by the new Chairman. A man who, in a few short months, has swept away the old order at Upton Park and ushered in real hope and belief. I'd be lying if I said I wanted Curbishley last year, or indeed, ever - I've got a book that states it quite clearly so I can't deny it - but what I won't deny is that I have started to trust Eggert Magnusson implicitly."

--West Ham, Aug. 9

 

"Like most teams in the division there has been a pre-season shake-up with some major changes to personnel and the focus of most attention is by and large the appointment of the man to fill Paul Jewell's considerably large shoes. One Irish bookmaker is giving odds of 9/4 on Chris Hutchings being the first Premiership manager to receive his P45. Talk about a friendly welcome into life as the new boss!"

--Wigan, Aug. 11

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I still don't believe in Second Season Syndrome. I actually see it as more of an excuse for failure than a reason why we should struggle. If we do go down next season it will be because we are not good enough or maybe didn't increase player numbers enough, not because of SSS."

--Reading, Aug. 11

 

Well no signs of Second Season Syndrome on saturday (Man utd 0 Reading 0 )!!

 

Mind you Second Season Syndrome usually kicks in during the third game of the

new season!MMmmm,That will be the game against us then.....wouldn't that be nice!