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Premier League (Official Thread)

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Smudger said:
Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino announced as Tottenham Spurs head coach - ESPNFC

VERY late with this one, but figured it was important enough to post. Your thoughts, @jlb1705 ?
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He's the best they could have done, I imagine. There are reasons to be encouraged by his record. Statistics seem to show that he is an elite defensive manager. The high back line they played under AVB was a shambles because the team didn't press enough to make it effective. Soton (and Espanyol before that) pressed very well. I think the team will be more aggressive under his watch than what we've seen in recent seasons, but I'm not sure it will manifest itself as with the kind of goal tally and attacking flair that many Spurs fans are dying to see again. I hope he is given time because the club is never going to take the next step with a managerial revolving door.

This profile is where I drew most of those opinions from: http://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnatio...stats-mauricio-pochettino-statistical-profile

I get the sense from watching Soton play and from hearing the words of some of his players after his departure that he is an effective man manager, that he got the best out of that squad and got them pulling in the same direction. More than anything those are the qualities that Spurs need at the moment so I hope that's what he brings.
 
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BuckeyeNation27 said:
So I think I've decided to get into the EPL, but I need a team. How does one go about choosing a team on the other side of the ocean to root for?
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Spend some time reading about clubs that seem interesting to you. Don't bother with those stupid articles that say, "if you like THAT American sports team then you'll like THIS Premier League club." I mean, spend time reading some news about the club. Read a little history. Read their official websites. Who plays in a style that you enjoy? Do you want to root for a team that has a realistic chance of winning the league every year? Are you comfortable with the prospect of rooting for a team in a relegation battle? Are you comfortable rooting for a team that doesn't play in the Champions League? Are you comfortable rooting for a team that may only win silverware occasionally? Check out several clubs. Who owns them? Who is the chairman? Are you comfortable tolerating or defending that owner or chairman's eccentricities? What are their supporters like? Do you identify with them? When you find the right one, it'll just fit.

It took me a few tries to find my club. I had watched the league as a neutral fan for a long time, mostly paying attention to American players and the teams they were on. Clubs like Fulham, Aston Villa and Everton just weren't the right ones for me. The league is much more fun to follow when you have a club to call your own.
 
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BuckeyeNation27 said:
So I think I've decided to get into the EPL, but I need a team. How does one go about choosing a team on the other side of the ocean to root for?
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There are many good ways...here are a few possibilities:

1- pick a level: Do you want to cheer for a team fighting for Champions League spots and Trophies, or a team that is a "mid-major" in the mid-table that is trying to move up, or one of the smaller clubs with ravenous fans but with smaller budgets and will be fighting to stay up?

2- by players: I followed Fulham for several years because they had McBride, then Bocanegra, then Dempsey. If you have players you like, from the WC or wherever, follow their team.

3- by style: do you like holding midfielders, or an onslaught from fullbacks, or packing the box with defenders, or 4-3-3 attacks? Do you like 1-0 and 0-0 games or do you prefer 3-2 and 4-3 games?

4- by BP: we have fans of Spurs and Arsenal and ManU and Liverpool and the bigger clubs here...sometimes it is easier to get into it when you can discuss clubs with fellow board members (I am a Southampton and Wolves guy myself)
 
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My main concern is becoming a fan of the Yankees of the EPL. If some guy from India decided he wanted to follow baseball, and picked the Yankees because they have the most titles and buy all the players....that guy is automatically a douchebag. But from what I've seen....if you aren't picking one of the Yankees of the EPL, you aren't going to win.
 
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BuckeyeNation27 said:
My main concern is becoming a fan of the Yankees of the EPL. If some guy from India decided he wanted to follow baseball, and picked the Yankees because they have the most titles and buy all the players....that guy is automatically a douchebag. But from what I've seen....if you aren't picking one of the Yankees of the EPL, you aren't going to win.
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Yes :lol: If you don't pick: Arsenal, Man U, Man C, Liverpool, or Chelsea, you are going to wait a while to win much. Spurs and Everton are sort of on the fringe of that group, but much like baseball...some clubs have the transfer budget to but players, and some don't. Good news is you have 4 CL spots and 3 Europa spots, so 7 clubs get something, and with 2 Europa spots going to cup winners...teams like Wigan and Hull can qualify for Europa too.

Take heart, though...the real Yankees of soccer is PSG, and I don't think you will be following them or the French league, I imagine.
 
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BuckeyeNation27 said:
My main concern is becoming a fan of the Yankees of the EPL. If some guy from India decided he wanted to follow baseball, and picked the Yankees because they have the most titles and buy all the players....that guy is automatically a douchebag. But from what I've seen....if you aren't picking one of the Yankees of the EPL, you aren't going to win.
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ManU is the Yankees of the EPL. While they used to do a good job of developing talent they are now buying it. Plus, the real reason they are the Yankees of the EPL is their extensive DB fanbase. Much like Yankees fans across the US, worldwide ManU fans have no real connection to the team or city, but love to be complete jackholes about their team and proclaim their love for it. You just nailed it... if anyone from Asia picks an EPL team, ManU will have the highest percentage in terms of a potential pick.

I had a similar consideration as you. In my experience with ManU fans, they are so universal and douchey that it caused me to pick an EPL team in the following way: I looked at the standings (table) and simply picked the team that was battling ManU for the top spot.
 
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BuckeyeNation27 said:
So I think I've decided to get into the EPL, but I need a team. How does one go about choosing a team on the other side of the ocean to root for?
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Just pick Everton.

Tim-Howard-001.jpg
 
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