What club should I adopt as my favorite in the Premier League this year?

ps SPURS RULE

follow lyon in ligue 1 instead then you get to buy this
http://i27.tinypic.com/wrkxna.jpg

Sunderland were a big go-to club when they were taken over by new management a few years back, but Matt's right about them having fizzled away to nothing tbh.

LOL English manager

d-mac, you like Brum City? we will have words

Nobody likes them, even their own fans

i think they had an admirable season last year, and tho 'like' is a stretch of my feelings towards big eck, he does his job like he knows his job.

Yeah, but the Baggies are kind of unhatable aren't they? It's like kicking a blind beggar.

Oh, Beemeenhum. I don't like them for some reason. I respect them, though. Solid football side.

The Baggies are *actually* my Premiership side, alongside Spurs, now they're up, come to think of it. My dad used to watch them and I've always liked their football and their attitude.

Also, San Te, alas but the higher ranked and more popular (better supported) side you pick, the greater your chances of seeing them play on TV and meeting fellow supporters

(San Te, The Baggies are West Bromwich Albion, who deserve to win on name alone tbh, but who sadly might well get relegated - oh me of little faith)

The Premiership is still kind of shit this year isn't it? I mean, at least Newcastle are back to give us some much-missed comedy but the fixture lists are still going to look pretty frumpy on some Saturdays.

Such is English football, Matt. One reason to watch it is it's fast-paced, athletic, rugged style and there's plenty of that here.

I have a bad feeling about Newcastle, I fear some sensible purchases followed by a stable mid-table finish.

Blackpool just don't feel like a Premier League team at all, far less than any other recently promoted team has, even the ones who were disasters. I'm thinking either entirely uneventful or spectacularly explosive.

I'm really curious as to what San Te will think, after a watching a season of soccer, about relegation (promotion). It's certainly colored my thoughts about certain teams. Remember Wigan's 1st season up or Reading's?

I'd pick a club who outperformed their expectations last season and could be expected to do so again this year. That'd probably leave you with a choice of Stoke City, Spurs or Chelsea, though.

Would be interested to see the results of a poll where nobody could vote for their own club.

Faced this problem myself after Euros 2004. Picked Bolton. I can't say it's easy, but you love the club you love.

challops: Support an MLS club that you actually have the opportunity to see in person. Save the Prem fandom for watching the big matches, but don't get invested in any particular club.

I probably wouldn't be able to see many in person matches in the MLS, unfortunately, due to my frequent commutes, but I'm looking into doing it at least once.

I was 100% serious about Newcastle, by the way. They are a soap opera of a club and have been ever since I became aware of them.

They're the only club in their city and accordingly feel like the biggest thing in the world to their devotees - which makes their lack of success both hilarious and also kind of poignant. They attract huge crowds and have lots of cash, but isolation and being badly-run means they usually can't attract the best players and overpay hilariously. At least they used to - they seemed much more sober last year, but they have a comical owner and surely must overreach again now they're back in the big time.

That said, they do get reasonable success from time to time - most notably when they blew up spectacularly on the verge of winning the league in 1996, but they've also had a couple of cup finals and played in the champions league since then. Their era of big success was the 1920s and they've won almost nothing since - if they ever do, the celebrations will be incredible! They were relegated two years ago and have just been promoted back to the EPL, but that's unlikely to happen again.

I absolutely hate them, but then I despise the small-time big man thing and that's how they come across to me - but you probably won't get that if you follow them at a distance.

Even so, they do have one of my favourite players in Alan Smith and have usually had a few spectacular and exciting players on their roster ever since Chris Waddle and Gazza played for them in the late 80s, so the football is usually at least entertaining. They'll probably sign one or two more before the season starts, they usually have to to please their fans and make up for the lack of success. They had some epic series of matches against Liverpool and Man United a decade or so ago, though their big local rivalry is with Sunderland. And their uniform is classic black-and-white stripes, which is a good look.

They also provoke affection in most neutrals, probably partly due to the entertainment and partly because of the pathos. Put it all together, and you get a club who attract far more coverage than their success really deserves. You'll see them on TV a lot because their games are considered to be big ones, even though objectively they aren't really.

I think they'd be fun to follow, and commend them to you.

Man, I've tried to be a fan of the Earthquakes but it's not to be, dan m, and I can't really get into MLS that much tbh, (it doesn't help that the quality all seems to be in Midewest or East) whereas my English club loyalties cannot be shreggued off no matter how hard I try (and how much they disappoint).

Btw, Spurs fans, I'm going to see them on Saturday.

Didn't know Smith was with Newcastle.

Newcastle are a joke club right now, and maybe therefore it seems like they've always been, but really they're just at one stage of a cycle that it seems Man City, Spurs, Everton and others (tho the three named are prob most notable?) have always been prone to in my 20 odd years of caring about football in England

They also provoke affection in most neutrals, probably partly due to the entertainment and partly because of the pathos. Put it all together, and you get a club who attract far more coverage than their success really deserves.

I mean, in other years not too far gone, this could quite easily be about Spurs, Man City

In another two, it'll almost certainly be liverpool

(it doesn't help that the quality all seems to be in Midewest or East)

Not this year! Gals have lost like 1 match, SJ are actually decent, Salt Lake are riding high too. But, I get your point. It's not Prem quality by a long shot. But, I don't care. If people don't buy tickets, it'll never get anywhere, and in the 5 or so years I've been attending games the quality has risen consistently. I just hope it doesn't turn into some spendathon in the next few years where ticket costs quickly price out the likes of me.

What team should I support if I hate Anglophiles and find myself generally apathetic to the English?

Arsenal

Arsenal

or like Barca/Madrid/La Liga

Chivas (Guadalajara)

hahahaha I was going to start suggesting Mexican clubs

If you do choose Liverpool, xp, you get the added bonus fruitless arguments with Darragh 24/7 until the day football expires.

Mexican football is pretty fun, actually.

i don't do anything 24/7, but a hoy hoy shift work is nicely overlapping my 9-5 existence

"There is no reason to bother with Sunderland."

This is the reason to adopt Sunderland!

Liverpool: also legions of anglophile americans who are into class struggle

xp to MW I agree! I wish it got broader coverage in English. I am going to see the Fire vs. Morelia tonight.

Barca/Madrid

Kind of like Celtic/Rangers, I've given up on Barca/Madrid since they've got so much stupid poltical baggage hanging on them.

Vague Barca fan already (Real seem like the Yankees of soccer)

Out of curiosity, why Arsenal?

what teams have the least evil ownership?

Also, Sunderland and Middlesborough are amongst the grimmest, most mocked places in England and I cannot root against either, really and there was a time when Sunderland entertained me a good deal (Kevin Phillips era).

As a neutral on this one (as my team have been excluded), I'd say go for Spurs. Failing that, try Everton.

Out of curiosity, why Arsenal?

'Cause they have so few English players?

ha if real are the yankees (big if), than barca are the red sox, which doesnt make em much better

anyway i say go "red bulls"

I'm a Red Sox fan.

Political baggage seems to be half the fun of Euro football IMO. It's so foreign to the American sports experience.

Will be a Portland Timbers supporter next season.

Villa or Everton

Yeah, I'd go with that. Or Spurs.