Premier League 2011/12 general thread

[Flabio]

Hey look everyone, Forest didn't buy anyone at all! But we sold another one of our strikers! Yep, we're utterly mid table this season now.

[EJG1980]

I don't think there's going to be too many problems with Modric. Yes, he wanted to leave, but I think he (and most footballers probably, they're not all that bad) will be professional enough to do his best now that the transfer window has closed. He's got five years on his contract so he knows he can't simply wait it out and if nothing else he needs to play well enough to keep other teams interested in signing him. As with most things, time will tell how it goes.

[toythatkills]

I find Benayoun only going on a loan bizzarre, unless there's some sort of weird deal going on I find it strange that Arsenal couldn't have stumped up ?6-8mill. He's pretty unlikely to come back to Chelsea after all.

I imagine Chelsea just wanted him off their wage bill. There's no way he was worth ?6-8m with his age and injury record, and the interested clubs were probably not even prepared to pay ?3-4m for him, so it makes sense for Chelsea to just loan him rather than have him sat around collecting wages for the next year. If he has a decent injury-free season, they'd probably get more money for him next year.

Hey look everyone, Forest didn't buy anyone at all! But we sold another one of our strikers! Yep, we're utterly mid table this season now.

Wasn't your problem scoring goals anyway? Nice one, McLaren! This is so in the wrong thread, btw

[abigsmurf]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/aug/30/manchester-united-record-operating-profits

Man U post record profits.

Even taking into account the debt restructuring costs last year, this seems inexplicable. They've increased their revenue by over ?100mill in a single year. Can't understand how they've managed to do it, difficult to believe they've grown that much in the Asian and US markets and they've a net spend in the transfer markers (over a net profit last year because of Ronaldo).

Would like to see a detailed breakdown of where the income has come from when they're released.

[toythatkills]

Maybe "operating profits" doesn't include stuff like debt payments or tax or something. There must be some reason why it's not just actual "profit," though.

[abigsmurf]

Possible, could be a case of hollywood accountancy. They are trying to attract investors for that shady share deal the owners are pushing through. The investors will own 30% of the company, but won't have 30% voting rights.

Might be able to get a true net-loss/profit figure when one an accountancy firm has their say. Just seems odd that they posted pretty grim figures last year and they've had such a massive turnaround.

[EJG1980]

TTK is right, operating profit is profit before taking into account taxes, interest payments, etc., i.e profit from normal business operations. If you look back at the old articles from last year, Man Utd also broke the ?100 million barrier for operating profit then as well, but still posted a loss of ?83.6 million overall.

[abigsmurf]

So they're still looking at a net loss of around 40million then? That makes more sense.

[toythatkills]

That's quite reassuring, in a way

[Plough Boy]

BBC live feed on today's games saying that Asamoah Gyan may have gone on loan to a team in UAE. Bad news for prinny if true. MagBoss = awesome. (not that he could have done owt - probably)

[prinnysquad]

Confirmed! I'm doing that thing where you laugh simply to stop yourself from crying.

I didn't think it would be possible for me to dislike Bruce anymore than I do, but KABOOM, it's happened. There's been rumours for weeks about Gyan being unsettled, and he's played like ****e. The manager needed to do something about it weeks ago. That should have involved either motivational work and sticking with him, or sending him packing and bringing in someone else. As it's happened, he's let him go, without replacement, and we're down to one proper Premiership striker. He can't say it was a bolt out of the blue - only yesterday he was cocking on about the player having his head turned since the Ghana-England match. Gyan's a twat, but Fatty should have put things in place. He's known for yonks, and should have rectified the situation well in advance. In the event, Gyan and Bruce have sold us down the river until the next window.

Last year we started with Bent, Gyan, Campbell and Welbeck. This year we're down to Bendtner, Wickham and Ji-Dong Won. It's a horrific downgrade. It's a tossing joke, the fat mong has utterly failed to strenghten in this most vital of areas. We're weaker than ever and Fats needs maximum cuss. This manager is undefendable, he's absolutely ****.

There'll now need to be ANOTHER overhaul next summer, and Tubbo has got a nice little excuse lined up for the next four months. Jones, Bent, Gyan - all the top forwards last one year under the management of Mongarse before they're off.

[BaronSqwelch]

Still havent really 'got into' this season...my enthusiasm is gone it seems. Not helped by the super negative "manager" we have now.

Another away day (everton this time) I havent travelled to...starting to miss it now but the day itself rather than the match. Last year we never even made it into the ground due to a couple of the lads being a bit rowdy and it was still a good trip.


Anyone else here lost the love or just me? From my first visit in 87 steadily dwindled from a peak of going to nearly every game Villa played in 1999 inc away trips to Madrid and Bordeaux....remember losing away at Leicester thanks to Steve Claridge the day ManYoo beat Porto 4-0 enroute to the treble lol. To this year when Ive not even bothered renewing my season ticket.

Sad times...

[vanpeebles]

Confirmed! I'm doing that thing where you laugh simply to stop yourself from crying.

I didn't think it would be possible for me to dislike Bruce anymore than I do, but KABOOM, it's happened. There's been rumours for weeks about Gyan being unsettled, and he's played like ****e. The manager needed to do something about it weeks ago. That should have involved either motivational work and sticking with him, or sending him packing and bringing in someone else. As it's happened, he's let him go, without replacement, and we're down to one proper Premiership striker. He can't say it was a bolt out of the blue - only yesterday he was cocking on about the player having his head turned since the Ghana-England match. Gyan's a twat, but Fatty should have put things in place. He's known for yonks, and should have rectified the situation well in advance. In the event, Gyan and Bruce have sold us down the river until the next window.

Last year we started with Bent, Gyan, Campbell and Welbeck. This year we're down to Bendtner, Wickham and Ji-Dong Won. It's a horrific downgrade. It's a tossing joke, the fat mong has utterly failed to strenghten in this most vital of areas. We're weaker than ever and Fats needs maximum cuss. This manager is undefendable, he's absolutely ****.

There'll now need to be ANOTHER overhaul next summer, and Tubbo has got a nice little excuse lined up for the next four months. Jones, Bent, Gyan - all the top forwards last one year under the management of Mongarse before they're off.

lolclub

[prinnysquad]

It's your fault. You think he's a great manager!

[toythatkills]

This year we're down to Bendtner, Wickham and Ji-Dong Won. It's a horrific downgrade. It's a tossing joke, the fat mong has utterly failed to strenghten in this most vital of areas. We're weaker than ever and Fats needs maximum cuss. This manager is undefendable, he's absolutely ****.

Pah. Bendtner's the best striker you've ever had.

YOU'LL SEE.