2014-15 English Premier League

[wilson]

Today kicks off the new EPL season, and it seems like it's a bigger deal in the U.S. than it's ever been. I know that I am more excited about it and interested in the season than ever. I have followed casually for several years now, thanks largely to a close friend and fellow Duke grad who is a huge Liverpool fan. I have long said that I would follow more closely when it became easier to watch the matches, and now it's a breeze to watch them on television or stream them online. I have also long said that I would support Arsenal if/when I cultivated EPL fanhood. I've kept up with them for a few seasons now, but this year, I have cooled considerably on MLB and the NFL, so I suspect I will spend more time watching the EPL.
It seems like most prognosticators have the Gunners either snagging a low Champs' League bid or none at all, with the usual suspects of City and Chelsea pegged to win the league. I will confess that I don't know a lot about all of the teams in the league, but I have long enjoyed watching and I have no doubt that there are some intelligent and informed fans here.

[Tom B.]

And this season, Ted Lasso is doing commentary for NBC.

[duke74]

Gunners forever. Close one today....

[throatybeard]

I'd like to root for, oh, I'm sorry, this needs to be Englisher and fussier, "support" an EPL team but I just don't know which one. People have linked several Snidely McSimmons or similar articles on my Facebook, but I'm still undecided. These articles don't get to the root of my concerns. Usually they tell me which attractive actress supports which team.

I also like the German national team a lot, but I haven't been able to select a Bundesliga team because I can't settle on Bayern as long as they're the NYY of Germany and they have Arjen Robben, and other people have scared me off of Dortmund and Schalke. I generally watch the EPL on Sunday mornings when I come to.

So to recap, please help. I will "support" an EPL, Bundesliga, or maybe even La Liga or Serie A team. I probably only have time for one. Here are my criteria.

1) Like the German national team, the team at least tries to score. (Wait, my bad, "side").
2) No double-reverse antisemitism, like Ajax or Hotspur. Or any racist anything.
3) Indeed, no right wing politics at all. Labor or similar (working-class fanbase) is a plus.
4) Blue unis, (oh, dear me, sorry chap...) Blue kit is a plus. Although, I'm really put off by the US fanbase for Chelsea, which leads me to...
5) No huge US-based bandwagon fan presence, if possible. A modest one I suppose I could stomach. But none of this Man U, Real Madrid stuff.
6) Some actual chance of winning a pot to pee in. See how low I put this?
7) No total buttheads from a national team (such as Suarez or Robben).
8) No Beatles cheering for side in question. Not even the living ones. Or the dead ones.

That last one probably should have been higher. So should seven. So should five. I realize you can probably only check (oh dear me, scones) tick off four or five of these.

I seek help. Maybe Schalke is the way to go. Maybe it is. Let me go look at their roster on Wiki.

[OldPhiKap]

I'd like to root for, oh, I'm sorry, this needs to be Englisher and fussier, "support" an EPL team but I just don't know which one. People have linked several Snidely McSimmons or similar articles on my Facebook, but I'm still undecided. These articles don't get to the root of my concerns. Usually they tell me which attractive actress supports which team.

I also like the German national team a lot, but I haven't been able to select a Bundesliga team because I can't settle on Bayern as long as they're the NYY of Germany and they have Arjen Robben, and other people have scared me off of Dortmund and Schalke. I generally watch the EPL on Sunday mornings when I come to.

So to recap, please help. I will "support" an EPL, Bundesliga, or maybe even La Liga or Serie A team. I probably only have time for one. Here are my criteria.

1) Like the German national team, the team at least tries to score. (Wait, my bad, "side").
2) No double-reverse antisemitism, like Ajax or Hotspur. Or any racist anything.
3) Indeed, no right wing politics at all. Labor or similar (working-class fanbase) is a plus.
4) Blue unis, (oh, dear me, sorry chap...) Blue kit is a plus. Although, I'm really put off by the US fanbase for Chelsea, which leads me to...
5) No huge US-based bandwagon fan presence, if possible. A modest one I suppose I could stomach. But none of this Man U, Real Madrid stuff.
6) Some actual chance of winning a pot to pee in. See how low I put this?
7) No total buttheads from a national team (such as Suarez or Robben).
8) No Beatles cheering for side in question. Not even the living ones. Or the dead ones.

That last one probably should have been higher. So should seven. So should five. I realize you can probably only check (oh dear me, scones) tick off four or five of these.

I seek help. Maybe Schalke is the way to go. Maybe it is. Let me go look at their roster on Wiki.

Liverpool's fans are the bunch singing at the end of Pink Floyd's "Fearless" from Meddle (y'know -- before they became ponderous). Red kits, but otherwise might foot the bill. And although there may have been a Beatle or two rooting for them, Liverpool F.c. Is linked somehow to Gerry and the Pacemakers.

[NSDukeFan]

Not the debut I was hoping for from ManU after an impressive preseason, but there are still 37 matches to go.

[throatybeard]

I thought the Beatles were Everton guys. Do set me straight, righty-o?

[OldPhiKap]

I thought the Beatles were Everton guys. Do set me straight, righty-o?

Could be. I have no idea, other than they hailed from Liverpool.

Everton does have Tim Howard, so no shame in rooting for them now.

[wilson]

Could be. I have no idea, other than they hailed from Liverpool.

Everton does have Tim Howard, so no shame in rooting for them now.

According to this, they had (slash have) no particularly enthusiastic sporting allegiances, although there are several pretty funny, typical Beatlemaniac-style attempts to decipher various clues, including song lyrics, supposed Paul McCartney investment plans, and the 'Sgt. Pepper' album cover.

[OldPhiKap]

According to this, they had (slash have) no particularly enthusiastic sporting allegiances, although there are several pretty funny, typical Beatlemaniac-style attempts to decipher various clues, including song lyrics, supposed Paul McCartney investment plans, and the 'Sgt. Pepper' album cover.

Well, as we all know, "Paul McCartney" in 1977 was an impostor. The real PMcC died in a car crash in January, 1967.

Paul is dead, miss him miss him . . . .

[toughbuff1]

Sounds like Liverpool, is your team (YNWA). Here is an article on potential Beatles football support (pretty interesting, if inconclusive). If you are still unsure though, you may want to pick Newcastle. But seriously, pick Liverpool. Stevie G, Sterling, Sturridge, what more can you ask for? Oh, and they dumped Suarez after his biting incident.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/...nowledge.sport

[tbyers11]

Sounds like Liverpool, is your team (YNWA). Here is an article on potential Beatles football support (pretty interesting, if inconclusive). If you are still unsure though, you may want to pick Newcastle. But seriously, pick Liverpool. Stevie G, Sterling, Sturridge, what more can you ask for? Oh, and they dumped Suarez after his 3rd biting incident.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/...nowledge.sport

Not that it would affect my choice in picking a club to root for, but Liverpool waited until after his 3rd biting incident to dump him and rumors were that he was gone to Barcelona beforehand anyway.

[JohnGalt]

Liverpool's fans are the bunch singing at the end of Pink Floyd's "Fearless" from Meddle (y'know -- before they became ponderous). Red kits, but otherwise might foot the bill. And although there may have been a Beatle or two rooting for them, Liverpool F.c. Is linked somehow to Gerry and the Pacemakers.

Yea, Pink Floyd thought so highly of the Liverpool support that they included them on that track...they're Gooners too!

I thought the Beatles were Everton guys. Do set me straight, righty-o?

I've always been under the impression that the Beatles were relatively apathetic toward sport. The Liverpool supporters sing many of their songs to the tune of Beatles songs though because (a) the Beatles are from Liverpool and (b) Liverpool has historically been a hotbed for musical talent in England.

Sounds like Liverpool, is your team (YNWA). Here is an article on potential Beatles football support (pretty interesting, if inconclusive). If you are still unsure though, you may want to pick Newcastle. But seriously, pick Liverpool. Stevie G, Sterling, Sturridge, what more can you ask for? Oh, and they dumped Suarez after his biting incident.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/...nowledge.sport

Newcastle doesn't have of a shot of winning much aside from the Cups though. And I'm willing to bet someone trying to get into the sport couldn't GET super enthused about a League Cup win...especially when the English aren't generally stoked about it.

__________


I'm a big-time Liverpool guy, but that aside it seems Liverpool [although not Blue] fits most closely to what you're after: strong regional support, loads of culture around the team, not backed by gazillions of petro/arms dollars, progressive (i.e. goal-scoring) side, defo chance of winning, and Suarez is gone now.

Liverpool are historically the most successful team in England. We didn't capitalize on the globalization of soccer nearly as well as United did though and don't have a mega-rich owner like Chelsea and City do so the last 20 years has been light on the silverware. That being said, we [finally] have fresh ownership that is interested in investing in the team to make it competitive. We also have a young, relentlessly positive (in both play and speech) coach that over the past 2 years has grown from a staunch soccer-ideologue to one of the most versatile managers in the league (I think Brenno played more formations than any other manager last year). And although he's aging, we have one of the few remaining local superstars in the world that never left his boyhood club: Steven Gerrard.

It's encouraging that you've already figured out something very important: Chelsea is the worst.

[duke09hms]

Got to be Liverpool, my man. For all the reasons just listed. Also this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPEmC3vN-bQ

Glorious history, present underdog trying to rise up and vie for the title without the huge $$$$$$$ and bandwagon fans.

And this weekend ... down goes United!

[blazindw]

Got to be Liverpool, my man. For all the reasons just listed. Also this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPEmC3vN-bQ

Glorious history, present underdog trying to rise up and vie for the title without the huge $$$$$$$ and bandwagon fans.

And this weekend ... down goes United!

Don't get it twisted, Liverpool has its huge share of bandwagon fans. In soccer circles, they have a ton of "John Henry" fans: Red Sox fans who adopt Liverpool because Henry also owns them. Liverpool has long been considered one of the Big 4 in the EPL and as a result they have a ton of bandwagon fans along with the rest of the Big 4 (Chelsea, Arsenal, Man U, Liverpool) as well as Man City.

Honestly, if you're looking for a team that doesn't have huge money, a lot of history and doesn't have a ton of bandwagon fans (because most of the major EPL clubs do), Everton is your team. After those teams and Tottenham, seriously any of the rest of the teams have the potential to get relegated in any given season. If you're looking for a team to latch onto without the hoopla, you should look at the mid-to-lower table teams, but that means you have to prepare for the possibility that the EPL will kick a future season off without your team in its ranks. Some people can handle that...others cannot.

[toughbuff1]

If you're still undecided, watch this video and tell me you aren't instantly a Steven Gerrard fan.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ifsu3SIC6kw

Or if that's not enough, how about a compilation of his greatest goals?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UH6xY01jp5A

Then again, maybe the following flow hart will help you.

http://www.sportsonearth.com/article...premier-league

[toughbuff1]

Balotelli to Liverpool!!! This could be either very good, or very bad.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...ue-return.html

[JohnGalt]

7) No total buttheads from a national team (such as Suarez or Robben).

How do you feel about Mario Balotelli?

[OldPhiKap]

How do you feel about Mario Balotelli?

Super Freak!
Super Freak!
He's Super Freak - ey!

Well, I think I may have had my shortest affiliation with rooting for a team -- what has it been, like five days?

[A-Tex Devil]

How do you feel about Mario Balotelli?

Great move for Liverpool at that price. They need a guy like Mario as much for UCL as they do for EPL, and he'll provide depth there. I'm not sure how a front line of Sturridge, Sterling and Balotelli work though unless I'm missing something. They all finish the play, right? The great thing about Suarez was he was a "rising tide lifts all boats kind of player," especially with respect to Sturridge's game. He created as much as he scored, and had Liverpool been playing in Europe last year, I think he would have challenged CR7 for the the Golden Balloon thingy.