Transfers Galore
Move over Lana del Rey, because we don’t have time to mope around this summer as things are just too action packed to be depressed (the idle mind is the devil’s playground). This is an interesting summer people! Not going to say it is the most eventful transfer window we have seen (far from it actually – just look back to summer 2021) but in this summer we see Tottenham Hotspurs leveling up big time. They are following the Manchester City model of acquiring like for like talent in starters and reserves to provide necessary depth to compete in various competitions. The modern daunting season includes 380 matches from August to May in addition to teams potentially competing in the Carabao Cup, the FA cup, the Europa League, and the Champions League. Long story short a step down in quality from starters to the bench cannot be afforded if a team wants to seriously compete. Everton circa 2020 are a great example, they started the season guns blazing but as soon as their starters succumbed to injuries (James and Allan in particular), they found themselves floundering in midtable mediocrity and any progress made was erased. Tottenham have done a good job of slowly raising the profile of the club over the past five years through a series of strategic moves including moving into a new stadium and hiring a proven coach in Antonio Conte. Their statement signings include Perišić (underrated always effective winger converted to wingback in the style of Antonio Valencia) along with a swashbuckling Richarlison (winger/forward) in his prime. Tottenham are showing off their savvy transfer knowledge (Barca take notes) as proven by Kuluseviski who had 8 assists and 5 goals during his time in the latter part of last season. It will be interesting to see how Richarlision plays into the mix given that Conte already has a very solid starting lineup. My money is on him taking up the right wing spot of a trident with Harry Kane central and Son out on the left wing, but a roulette with Kulusevski and even Perišić playing further up the field is hardly out of the question.
In other news Raheem ‘The Dream” Sterling has moved on to Chelsea. It’s hard to believe that a player seen as indispensable and was even gaining comparisons to Ronaldo and Messi three years ago struggled to break into the starting lineup last season for Manchester City. The big butted Sterling (still only 27 though it has seemed as if he has been around forever) will be an improvement over the current baby blues wingers who still have lots of growing up to do (Pulisic with never ending injuries, Hakim Ziyech hot dogging so much he should have his own stand, and Callum Hudson-Odoi finding himself in hot water off the field).
Sterling is not the only one who wanted out of the never ending game of Pep Roulette. Gabriel Jesus made his own getaway to Arsenal (great piece of business for both club and player) and will now lead the line in what is sure to be an incredibly fruitful partnership for years to come. This man has been the player to watch out of all players in the Premiere League (no small feat indeed) during preseason bagging seven goals. Arsenal much like Chelsea have an abundance of exciting young talent that has not yet fully matured (the likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Emile Smith-Rowe to name a few) and having some seasoned leadership in Gabriel Jesus is sure to do wonders for the side. Everything moves in cycles, and it is highly likely that Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal will be competing with Manchester City and Liverpool in a few short seasons for the Premiere League title.
The arrival of Lingard at Nottingham Forest truly marks the sign of the times. This is arguably the best form player the Premiere League has ever seen (scorchingly hot take I am aware – but one that I proudly stand by). This man had two of the most dominant half seasons I’ve ever witnessed by a player. The first under Mourinho at Manchester United during the 2017/18 season and the second under David Moist (Moyes) at West Ham United during the latter part of the 2020/21 season. I don’t understand this man – wasting away on the bench once more at Manchester United during the 2021-2022 campaign when he could have fought harder to be apart of an increasingly competitive West Ham United side. I don’t know if it was his ego or his clown of an agent but this echoes past players wasting away in their prime (Kaka at Real Madrid). This man made a measly 14 appearances and scored 2 goals just last season. These stats are a far cry from his dominant performances at West Ham just the season earlier. Lingard just may be the poster boy prime example of people who in spurts are brilliant and motivated but for whatever reason, sometimes not even due to lack of discipline, it is not written in the stars for them to be consistent performers. Regardless of the past, this move to the Nottingham Forest Elves provides a new beginning for a mercurial talent to establish himself as a rightful talisman of a Premiere League club. And hey – being the best paid player in the club’s 157 year history at 200,000 pounds per week – that’s a pretty significant talking point for any player; Robin Lingz Hood has made the decision to steal from the rich and give to himself.
Wishful Thinking
This could be it people. We really are entering the twilight zone. It is 2022 and the impossible has already taken place over the last decade; Donald Trump became president and this event was then followed by us all unwillingly playing roles in a sci-fi movie (except real life) thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic sweeping nations far and wide. I like to compare the good and bad times that life brings to the waves in an ocean. They rise and you feel seemingly impossible highs that are inevitably followed by harrowing lows as the wave crashes. What everyone should always remember is as bleak as things may look once the wave has crashed, it always rises again.
Ronny finally took part in a Manchester United preseason game, citing “family/personal reasons” for why he was not able to take part in the club’s tour of Thailand and Australia (sign me up). When someone of Ronaldo’s competitive nature opts to not take part in preparing for a season for illegitimate reasons it quite clearly indicates his desire to leave. After “the king” finally returned with a less than inspiring display it may be for the best to let the man depart for good as Mr. Champions League competing in the Europa League is not the look.
Although the higher ups at Paris Saint Germain were offered Ronaldo a mere month ago it is alleged that President Nasser Al-Khelaifi declined the offer claiming he did not “fit the system” but this was likely a smokescreen for not wanting to pay his enormous wages, 360,000 pounds/week (a king’s ransom indeed). The idiom “all is fair in love and war” applies to the transfer to be of world football’s biggest ego. For as hard as things have been over these past few years, an action that would bring joy to the world (a gift to us all in honor of Jesus’ belated half birthday) would be the union of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi at Paris Saint Germain. Manchester United’s MVP of last season will be turning 38 this season, but let’s be honest, this man is not normal and cannot be treated as such and his pedigree should be welcome by the Parisians. What better union would there be than a team that no matter how much money is invested and how many stars join, find themselves unable to reach the pinnacle of world football outside the World Cup? It is a shame, but it is reality. Mr. Champions League himself has the experience to guide the wayward Parisians to glory. And this would be one hell of a swan song for Lionel Messi and Cristiano to link up in the city of love (not to mention how lucrative the union would prove to be for television/streaming/ticket sales). Please for the love of all things good, let this transfer take place. The world really needs something to cheer about!
It’s an Island Ting
Kingston’s vagabond of Europe has been in badman form this preseason, leading the Villains’ stat sheet with 3 goals and two assists across five fixtures. What particularly caught the eye was his instant impact off the bench against Manchester United with a step over and curling effort that slotted nicely into the lower left corner of the net. His spark for Villa reminds me of what a younger Sterling provided for Manchester City only a few short seasons ago. Time will tell if this form can continue into the regular season (the games that actually matter). But the Reggae Boy adds a pep in the step of this exciting albeit wildly inconsistent Villa side.
Fantasy Gameweek 1 Selection
Above is my pick for Fantasy Premiere League Week 1. I feel like a tool having the 70% owned Gabriel Jesus but this man’s form has been undeniable this Preseason. The core of my team, Salah, De Bruyne, Son, and Trent Alexander-Arnold were the first names on my team sheet. My reasoning for these choices is because these are players that have punished me in the past whenever I have passed on having them in my side. They are the seasoned home run hitters – the players that can make your week when all else blank. The solid three midfielders are flanked by the two wildcards Lingard and Bailey who have the ability to produce potent offensive displays albeit in less capable teams. The Doherty Perisic double up for Spurs is chosen primarily due to their offensive abilities along with a run of early soft fixtures. Neco Williams is offensively capable but I am not banking on Nottingham Forest to consistently come up with clean sheets. Aaron Ramsdale my chosen keeper has demonstrated how capable he is in goal and the early Arsenal fixtures are quite favorable. And as for my bench, let’s just ignore that part in Schoolboy Q fashion.
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