And, as predicted, the remaining Champions League spots will come down to the very last day of football.
Go Gunners!
Looks like I need a new Premier League team to cheer for after Wigan goes down. I rarely see them in the US, though, so no big deal. Maybe I’ll follow Dempsey’s Spurs.
Heck of a last match for Sir Alex! Who put money down on 5-5?!
- United 2. City 3. Chelsea 4. Arsenal 5. Spurs
Bye bye Bale?
I doubt Dempsey is long for the Spurs.
Cheer for Arsenal instead! Go Gunners!
I think Dempsey has looked a little out of his depth at Spurs, his decent goal return doesn’t offset the fact that when not scoring he doesn’t have much to offer a team chasing a Champion’s League spot. But his ability to be a fairly consistent goalscorer makes him a still a useful enough player for Spurs to have in the squad, even if they wouldn’t want him as a consistent starter.
Stoke didn’t get relegated - but it looks like Tony Pulis has left the club after a post season review, which might wind up being the next best thing. Hopefully, this will result in a change of tactics from Stoke and a more entertaining watch for the neutral - otherwise, I’m going (again) to have to hope they go down next year.
Still, there is no denying that Pulis has been successful. I wonder where he will pitch up next. Some club is bound to take a punt on him doing what he did for Stoke and getting them into the promised land - where with the new TV deal, there is ever more money sloshing around.
It’s hard to say how Spurs are going to look without Bale. Hopefully some of the loot they’ll get for him will help them bring something that keeps them near the top of the table, I but I wouldn’t put any money on them sniffing the Champions League next season.
Who’s to say where Dempsey will fit in that mix? Here’s an interesting analysis by a Spurs fan on how Dempsey’s role changed over the season with them.
That was excellent, thanks.
Bale has reportedly signed/is on the verge of signing a new deal with Spurs, so they’ll have him for a while more.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/may/20/gareth-bale-tottenham-contract
Although I am an Arsenal guy, I like to see that. I like seeing players not instantly bolt for “bigger” clubs.
I’m glad Bale is staying, too. He’s still just 23, I think. My guess is that there’s going to be a sell price that’s pretty reasonable in the contract IF Spurs don’t qualify for the 2014/15 CL. If they finish top 4 next year, there’s probably a higher sell clause.
Rumour is that Bale’s release clause is £50m in his new contract. Don’t know if it escalates if Spurs make the CL though.
Oh, they won’t have to worry about that… 
Successful in bringing them up to the Premier League perhaps. The rest, not so much. £80 million net spend in 5 years, making them the 3rd highest net spend teams in the league. http://www.transferleague.co.uk/premiership-transfers/stoke-city-transfers.html He has a winning percentage of 29% - 190 played, 56 wins, 57 draws, 77 losses. He signs players too old and at too high a cost with no resale value. Peter Crouch for £10m at age 31? Stoke fans have reason to be appreciative for all he’s done in keeping them up, I suppose, but Swansea have won more with less.
Roberto Martinez has decided to leave Wigan and has been given permission to speak to Everton about their vacant position.
Wigan chairman Dave Whelan said: ""Everton chairman Bill Kenwright rang me last week and said, if our talks broke down, could he have permission to talk to Roberto?
"I told him I had a meeting with Roberto, that he would find out the outcome of that meeting, and I’ve given them permission to talk to Roberto immediately.
“Roberto feels it’s time to move on, he doesn’t feel equipped to take Wigan back into the Premier League.”
The last sentence wouldn’t fill me with much confidence if I was an Everton fan, but he’s untested at the top level much like Moyes was when he took over after leaving Preston. I like Roberto, he’s a nice guy and plays football the right way.
It’ll be interesting to see if Moyes makes any offers for some of his old players.