Aren’t you just waiting for the 16th of August. And no, not because it is just another Olympics day. But because it is a Saturday. Dare to ask me why I’m so happy on a regular run-of-the-mill Saturday? Risk a bloody nose or black eye from football fanatics all the world around. It is when the new season of the English Premier League begins! Oh, syntax error. The Barclays Premier League. Don’t snicker. I know its abbreviated BPL. Very funny. Ha Ha Ha.
As I don’t have anything to do on this Saturday Bloody Saturday, I am going to analyze the most 10 most publicized transfers which have made the err … BPL a much better place to be in. Better did I say? Well, that’s for those stars there to decide and us to watch. Of course, the month isn’t over as yet and there might still be some last-minute fiascos. Just wait and watch.
(Of course, I’m not a professional analyst. Its more of my opinion than an actual breaking-to-pieces-and-observing-thing.)
- Luka Modric – Dinamo Zagreb to Tottenham Hotspur
- Jo – CSKA Moscow to Manchester City
- Samir Nasri – Marseille to Arsenal
- Deco – Barcelona to Chelsea
- Valon Behrami – Lazio to West Ham United
- Robbie Keane – Tottenham Hotspur to Liverpool
- Giovani Dos Santos – Barcelona to Tottenham Hotspur
- David Bentley – Blackburn Rovers to Tottenham Hotspur
- Jonas Gutierrez – Real Mallorca to Newcastle United
- Jose Bosingwa – Porto to Chelsea
1. Luka Modric – Superb
Let me begin with this man from Croatia. Signed by Spurs befoe Euro 2008, he has proven himself to be an astute choice at the European Championships. The slight man is an excellent passer of the ball, tackles well and generally has been all over the place. His capabilities and enthusiasm cannot be underestimated. All in all, I’d say he is a superb signing, even at the supposed £15 million price.
2. Jo – Don’t really know
When I first about this signing by the blue part of Manchester, I exclaimed at the price spent on this Brazilian. But on later learning more about Jo, I noted that he is a prolific striker, ergo, in Russia. Signed at a supposed price of £19 million, he is one of Man City’s most expensive signings. He might yet paint the Premiership blue.
3. Samir Nasri – Superb
Known as the next “Zidane”, but relatively unknown outside France. I would say he is a really good signing by Arsenal just on the basis of the few videos I saw of him on Youtube. And he is a very young signing, at the age of 20. (What else did you expect of Wenger?) Nasri is supposed to be a very good dribbler and would also fit well into Arsenal’s style of playing. The only problem would be his penchant for the spectacular, where he is more apt to take on defenders that passing the ball.
4. Deco – OK
Deco has been signed at the age of 30 by Chelsea, at a price of £9 million. A bit expensive, I should say, for a player on the wrong side of 30. But there is no doubt that this is one player who can change the face of a game completely by his technical skills and brilliant passing. There is no doubt about the class, only the age.
5. Valon Behrami – Good
Behrami participated in the recent European Championships with the host team, Switzerland. Although the Swiss crashed out early, Behrami has been a breath of fresh air for the team. He was one of the few people in the squad who impressed me. Behrami is a good dribbler and a decent passer. He would fit in well with West Ham. Needless to say, West Ham Could do with a bit of his qualities, if he stays fit, unlike other West Ham crocks.
6. Robbie Keane – Superb
Although I mostly included players coming INTO the Premier League, I made the 1st exception with Robbie Keane. Robbie is a brilliant player, and has played superbly for Spurs. An ex-Inter player, Keane has been looking for European football, and who other than Liverpool can provide it for him? Superb signing by Liverpool, the suckers finally signed their second great striker, after Torres signed last summer.
7. Giovani Dos Santos – Don’t Really Know
A young signing by Spurs. Dos Santos is a Mexican international, and was Carlos Vela was caught saying that he is “too good” for Spurs. Maybe, haven’t really seen him in games for Barca, but I guess he will be good, considering he is from Barca’s Premier Academy.
8. David Bentley – Superb
Has shown himself to be a brilliant player for Blackburn. Nice way to spite his former employers, Arsenal, by joining their loathed rivals, Tottenham. (For the record, Arsenal disgraced Bentley by selling Bentley, saying he wasn’t “good enough”. And that Arsenal fans refer to Spurs as “the scum”)
9. Jonas Gutierrez – Don’t Really Know
A signing from Real Mallorca, he is best known for his goal celebrations, where he takes out a Spiderman mask from his shorts and wearing it, runs to the crowd. But I believe he is a good signing for Newcastle, who have really struggled in previous seasons. Not that I have any sympathy for them, believing that Newcastle fans are the world’s most fickle fans (besides Real Madrid fans, that is).
10. Jose Bosingwa – Bad
Please don’t comment on the “Bad” before you read the whole thing. Not that I believe Bosingwa is a bad player, in fact, he is a pretty good one. But where Chelsea is concerned, there always have to be inflated prices. This deal is no different. £16 million is too great a price for a defender, especially a right back. And I don’t think he is in the class of Dani Alves, who is worth every bit of the £16 million of Bosingwa. Besides, Chelsea already have 2 right backs in Ferreira and Belletti.
The Song Remains The Same 