Help Biggz Select an EPL Team

[ACCBiggz]

Well as I have gotten into the footy spirit this year I think it is time that I need a team. After reading Bill Simmonsl column (http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story...=simmons/060719) about picking his team I think I need some help as well.

As you know, but for my reference, these are the teams in the EPL:

Arsenal

Aston Villa

Blackburn Rovers

Bolton Wanderers

Charlton Athletic

Chelsea

Everton

Fulham

Liverpool

Manchester City

Manchester United

Middlesbrough

Newcastle United

Portsmouth

Reading

Sheffield United

Tottenham Hotspur

Watford

West Ham United

Wigan Athletic

Some ground rules are in need of laying down as well...

#1: I too, like Simmons, want to avoid the bandwagon side of things.

#2: Like his #6, I would like a team that I could see somewhat of the time over here on American TV. Fox Soccer Channel wil air some EPL games, I am just not sure who of yet.

The bandwagon one is the hardest to do right now as my favorite player is Thierry Henry, however, he will not be playing forever so I'd like a team that I could follow for the remaining days of my life.

So there you have it, I need some reasons why and why not to select certain teams. I will eliminate them at times as I narrow the field down to who I will forever cheer for. So EWB, help a poor American choose his fate in this matter.

Edited July 19, 2006 by ACCBiggz

[Summers]

Aston Villa. Because I support them.

[King Ellis]

He says not to pick M'Boro caus a fan ripped up his season ticket and threw it at McClaren? Hell, that's one of the reasons you would pick them.

Wait, wait, wait. Don't pick a bandwagon team but do have Chelsea as a possibility? Pffft, glory supporter.

Edited July 19, 2006 by King ROOOOOOOONEY!

[Visionary]

Seriously, asking someone else who to support goes against the whole damn idea of supporting a club. If you can't support your local club since you don't have one then watch some games and see who you like the look of. Eventually you're just start to like a certain team more and show more interest in them and wham, you support them well done.

[Turbo Yannis]

Support Portsmouth. It's always fucking mental down there.

[Liam]

Support Fulham as they have two US players, so I assume they may get semi-regular coverage, perhaps?

[stokeriño]

Charlton.

I'm a Chelsea supporter, and even I like Charlton. That's got to mean something, right?

[therockbox]

(Important note: Instead of "captain" and "coach," they use the words "skipper" and "manager" in the EPL.)

[ACCBiggz]

Seriously, asking someone else who to support goes against the whole damn idea of supporting a club. If you can't support your local club since you don't have one then watch some games and see who you like the look of. Eventually you're just start to like a certain team more and show more interest in them and wham, you support them well done.

[Turbo Yannis]

Charlton.

I'm a Chelsea supporter, and even I like Charlton. That's got to mean something, right?

[Liam]

Support Fulham as they have two US players, so I assume they may get semi-regular coverage, perhaps?

Their kits for this year are good as well. Which is a plus for me...

They also play midlly attractive football, don't have mass hooliganism and aren't a "bandwagon" team s, cover some of the guys points.

[stokeriño]

Charlton.

I'm a Chelsea supporter, and even I like Charlton. That's got to mean something, right?

You're a Chelsea fan? I didn't know that.

Cool.

Except that it's for that exact reason that I've all but lost interest in club football these past two seasons.

That's right, Chelsea killed football for me. Bastards.

[YI]

Newcastle. Because the fans are awesome. Plus it'll be funny watching us play without Alan Shearer (We were fucking awful in the Inter-Toto cup game, I should know. I was there. We kept playing long balls to nobody...SHEARER'S RETIRED!!! An Babayaro is shiter in person, remember when he was good?)

[Guest Ringo Hates Divers]

Allow me to help, Biggzy.

FSC tends to show the teams with a decent backing. Meaning, usually stuff with Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham tend to get priority, with Bolton, Everton, Blackburn, Man City and Newcastle having their games played if nothing is better. That's on the weekends. In the middle of the week, they air all the games.

If you want to avoid bandwagons, then don't root for Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea or Arsenal. These tend to be the trendwhore teams and they tend to have the most fucking irritating, ignorant North American fans you'll ever see.

Blackburn and Everton have the biggest following behind Man Utd in North America, if whatever the hell magazine I read it from is to be believed, with Newcastle a very distant fourth.

If you want someone to root forever, meaning a more or less guarantee that you'll be able to see them in the Prem (given that the lower leagues are very limited on FSC), then I'd say get rid of the following:

Aston Villa

Charlton Athletic

Fulham

Manchester City

Middlesbrough

Portsmouth

Reading

Sheffield United

Watford

These teams are all either newly promoted to the EPL of they've gone dangerously close to relegation (of course, their fans here will show me much bitterness for this, but shhhh ). I'd have put Wigan or West Ham in there too (especially given Wigan's lack of signings and 5989 million departures this season), but they've had inspiring seasons so I'm keeping them on.

So that should leave you with:

Blackburn Rovers

Bolton Wanderers

Everton

Newcastle United

Tottenham Hotspur

West Ham United

Wigan Athletic

Any of these would probably make a good choice for North American viewing. I'd tell you which are boring but certain people get picky everytime I say I'd rather die then watch Team X.

Just go from there and run.

[IAceI]

Everton.

1) They're a pretty big club and will get more exposure than other teams but not be one of the larger teams you want to avoid because of a bandwagon.

2) They have some great players such as Mikel Arteta and Tim Cahill, a great manager and produce solid performances that you won't be ashamed of. (Sunderland fan here).

3) Tim Cahill.

[therockbox]

Wigan have signed Emile Heskey so they're a shoe-in for relegation, avoid them.

[King Ellis]

West Ham's and Wigan's seasons mean nothing, Ipswich got to 5th their first season and went down the next.

[Grounded Wingman]

Bolton are too much like an American Football team to suggest supporting them.

[YI]

Bolton are too much like an American Football team to suggest supporting them.

[IAceI]

All Wigan have going for them is there chairman owns JJB - so they have unlimited resources practically.

But not even all that money can save them if they insist on signing Emile Heskey.