EPL Roundtable Part 1: Maire Ofeire, Carolina Tiger, Salaar Shamsi

We all know preseason just doesn't cut it. So whilst we wait for the real football to kick-off, why don't you spend some time reading the ramblings of some of B/R's finest.

Find out what Arsenal supporter Maire really thinks about Adebayor; What Man United fan Salaar has to say about Liverpool's summer spending; and what happens when you hold down Hull City follower Carolina Tiger and threaten to spit in his mouth.

Intrigued? Then read on.....

1. What is your club's best bit of business so far this summer?

Maire: Tying Robin van Persie down to a long term deal. He had said all along that he wasn't stalling because of money but because he wants success.

If he wasn't going to at least challenge for it at Arsenal he would need to move, which one can understand given what point he is at in his career and what a good player he is. His signing shows that Arsenal must be on the right road otherwise he would have moved. 

Apart from that, selling Adebayor. I don't care what anyone says—Arsenal fan or not—he is lazy and was disruptive in the dressing room. He can go kiss City's badge, they are welcome to him.

Besides getting £25million into what is a restricted transfer budget from a player who will be off to play in the African Cup of Nations in January, isn't a bad bit of business is it?

Carolina: We ain't done any yet. Our one signing so far was Steven Mouyokolo from Boulogne, France. He is a very talented young central defender but we signed him in January, with the proviso that we wouldn't take him till summer as Boulogne were pushing for promotion.

Salaar: Manchester United lost two massive stars during the summer, the departures of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez may have significantly weakened United's attacking options but despite gaining 80 million pounds from Ronaldo's move to Madrid.

Sir Alex Ferguson hasn't been to keen on splashing the cash. Antonio Valencia was brought in from Wigan for some £17 million, Gabriel Obertan, a relatively unknown French prodigy swooped up from Bordeaux for £3 million but personally, I think Michael Owen's signing has been United's best bit of business.

Owen was signed on for free after his contract with Newcastle expired and has signed a pay-as-you-play deal which makes him an absolute steal for the Red Devils.

There is no doubting the sheer talent that the ex-Liverpool forward possesses although a string of injuries have enforced a recent slump in Owen's career but if he remains fit, Owen is a threat to every defense in the Premier League and he is willing to wait for his chances unlike Tevez.

 

2. What has been your rival's best business so far this summer?

Maire: There seems to be more leaving the EPL than joining it at the moment. Obviously everyone is looking towards Manchester City with the signings of Adebayor, Tevez, Santa Cruz, and Barry, which is obviously going to strengthen them considerably.

Apart from that, Alex Ferguson's capture of Michael Owen on a free could be a stroke of genius while Wigan's signing of youngster James McCarthy could be a master shot by them if he is as good as claimed. He can add to the team while if it all worked out could be sold on for a large profit, a bit like they did with Valencia.

Carolina: I am struggling to see the best bit of business for anyone just yet. The huge amount of cash in the Premiership due to Manchester City's oil Sheikh means prices have gone even more crazy than normal.

However, if you were to pin me down and threaten to spit in my open mouth with a really long drooling piece of spit if I didn't tell you, I'd have to say Stoke signing Dean Whitehead from Sunderland. At £3 million, he isn't too expensive and he is a very good holding midfielder that will be a leader for a club that are building steadily.

Salaar: From United's rivals, Manchester City have literally splashed the cash a la Real Madrid. They have boosted their ranks with the signings of Tevez, Adebayor, Santa Cruz and Barry though I reckon, the best of business from one of United's rivals has been done by Liverpool in signing Portsmouth's Glen Johnson.
 
Johnson's deal is believed to be in excess of £17 million but he has significantly developed as a player over the last two seasons. He is solid defensively and has a daunting impact when he darts down the right flank, he also has a knack of cutting in to test the keeper, his prolific displays for both Pompey and England have raised a few eyebrows.

 

3. What business should your club be doing before the window closes?

Maire: Pretty easy question to answer regarding Arsenal, add grit and defensive steel. One part of that has been done with the signing of Thomas Vermaelen, but I'd like to see more grit in midfield.

Carolina: It's no surprise but we are desperately trying to sign strikers. Last season we were woefully short in the final third for the second half of the season.

So far, as many will know we have been rebuffed by Fraizer Campbell from Manchester United—who chose to join Sunderland and sit on their bench rather than play for us—and Marc Antoine Fortune who chose to join Celtic.

He can get a couple of games of European football each season rather than a fantastic game each week in the Premiership. We just need to keep plugging away and try to sign a striker or two.

Salaar: After the signings of Obertan, Owen and Valencia, United's transfer business for the summer is more or less complete. As Sir Alex refuses to pay Europe's inflated prices, it is unlikely to see another arrival at Old Trafford this summer.

There has however been speculation of adding some defensive cover for the likes of Vidic and Ferdinand with the someone like Sevilla's Federico Fazio, who I think could be a decent signing, in the long term.

 

4. What are your highlights during the offseason so far? 

Maire: My personal highlight so far has been the return of Tomas Rosicky after 18 months out against Barnet. I don't think people realize how good a player Tomas is and what he can offer Arsenal. My hope is for him to start about 15 games and be a valuable squad member. 

Real Madrid playing against Shamrock Rovers was good too, gave Irish football a bit of a boost.

Carolina: The unveiling of our new kit for the season. A beauty if you ask me. As for other clubs; Manchester City buying the world's top players for a season of mediocrity unless they sign some defenders they will implode and Hughes will be on the dole.

Salaar: Wayne Rooney coming forward and pledging to replace the likes of Ronaldo and Tevez provided a useful bit of inspiration for the Red Devils.
 
Arsenal seem quite pleased to have offloaded Adebayor, they have strengthened themselves defensively with Vermaelen but they need to attract a forward, who is known for scoring goals week-in and week-out.

 

5. What do you think has been the low point of the offseason so far?

Maire: Samir Nasri's injury. Just when it looked like Arsenal were getting everyone back to full fitness he suffers a fractured leg.

Hopefully though, Tomas Rosicky will be fit enough to play over the next two months. Arsenal's start is crucial and we need the players to be fit and ready to hit the ground running.

Carolina: For the Tigers I'd have to say, Campbell choosing to join Sunderland over a team that were willing to offer more money and give him a chance to shine in the Premeirship, against a team that he has no real guarantees of first team football.

The mind boggles at times over players and their choices.

For our rivals it has to be the silly money swirling around at the moment. I am just flabbergasted to be honest at the money that is been asked for players that are so very ordinary.

Yet, they will still have multi-million pound price tags or the most ridiculous wage demands. It makes me long for the Championship and the football league at times. At least it is more grounded and less of a super rich playground that small clubs have a chance of surviving in.

Salaar: Real Madrid have taken the spotlight, it might be all glitz and glamour for now but the signings of Ronaldo, Kaka, Benzema, and Raul Albiol have stunned the football world. Whether they succeed on the pitch, is another story.
 
Man City have followed suit and it will interesting to see if it is proven, once and for all that money can not buy glory.

 

6. What has been the bargain transfer in the Premier League so far?

Maire: Michael Owen to Manchester United.

Carolina: Whitehead to Stoke a great bit of business by Tony Pulis.

Salaar: Economically, Owen's move to United is up there. But I think Greg Halford's £2 million move to Wolves from Sunderland was one hell of a bargain, as I think Halford is a massively underrated player.

 

7. What on earth have you been doing without football?

Maire: Watching re-runs of last season and counting down the days.

Carolina: Too busy to really worry. Started a new job and in the process for relocating to another area. Time waits for no man as they say.

Although, living in the States I enjoyed the Confederations Cup, the Americans were chattering about it all the time which was great. 

Salaar: To be honest, over the summer, the weekends have become terribly dull, just can't for the action to begin again!

 

8. With the Emirates Cup in mind: Should attacking football be rewarded with a point per goal? 

Maire: It wouldn't work, as nice a theory as it sounds. Defending could go by the wayside and then the game wouldn't be as good. Arsene Wenger suggested a method whereby if you win by three clear goals you get an extra point, thus attack is promoted but the team has to defend too.

Personally I think it should be left the way it is.

Carolina: NO! That's why teams get three points for winning and not two anymore.

Salaar: No, that is ridiculous. These kind of changes may ruin the beautiful game, keep it as it is, for now.

 

9. Can you predict the top seven places in the league on Christmas Day and in May. 

Maire:

Christmas Day: Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea, Everton, Tottenham, Manchester City

May: Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Everton, Manchester City, Fulham

I'm a Gunner, what did you expect?!

Salaar:

Christmas Day: Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United, Everton, Aston Villa, Arsenal, Manchester City

May: Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Arsenal, Burnley, Wigan

Carolina: Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Aston Villa, Spurs

 

So there you have it. Now that you have read this article, you are ten minutes closer to the start of the new season! Good times!

Thanks as always to Maire, Carolina, and Salaar for taking time out of their busy schedule to provide us with their contributions.

If you would like to read Part Two if this EPL roundtable, with contributions from Salomon Gonzalez, Willie Gannon, and Jason Halfpenny, then Click Here.