So the big news, sort of, is that Gareth Barry has turned out to be the first ‘Villain‘ (get it? ha ha ha) of the Premier League transfer window. After giving the News Of The World their first actual, not-made-up transfer scoop in, well, maybe ever, the Aston Villa captain has been disciplined and barred from pre-season training until the saga is sorted. Barry in a Liverpool shirt is a matter of time, it seems. The fans probably aren’t best pleased about how this has all gone, and could probably only be worse if he was buggering off to Birmingham or something.
I think it’ll make for an interesting midfield for Liverpool, they’re not going to get any more exciting with this move but Barry’s arrival means Steven Gerrard is probably going to be pushed higher up the pitch in support of ol’ Fernando Torres and given the freedom to cause havoc basically wherever he wants. Mascherano and Barry will protect the back four nicely.
Or, Rafa will go mental and start sticking Barry out on the left wing or at left back and end up with basically exactly the same team as he has had previously. Hmm, for some reason that sounds like exactly what might happen.
Manchester City have wrapped up the Jo, who along with Wagner Love put CSKA on the European map. I think he’ll be quite good, just because anyone who plays along a striker with the workrate and running of Benjani is probably going to find a lot of space and holes in the defense to exploit.
I’m pleased to see clubs making some moves early, I really can’t stand it when everyone is just sitting on their thumbs waiting for the final day to get the best possible prices. I think clubs are realising that the competitiveness of the teams, and the increasing spending parity spreading through the league, means that there is a benefit in acting sooner rather than later even if it means paying a million quid or two extra.
- CT
