Recession, what Recession, not for the EPL….

So, all the talk about tightening the belts, a global market crash and the horrible murmured word in dark rooms of a recession, has obviously fallen on deaf ears at most clubs in the English premier league.

So far, and we still have 3 more days to go, a whopping £105Stg million has been spent on improving, hopefully saving, or just getting rid of dead-weight from teams.

Do Chairmen not read the papers, were in the middle of the worst global downturn since the great depression apparently and they are all swaning around like Stadler and Waldorf  who just won a “Pimp my Club” competition!

At current spending the EPL will overtake last years January figure of £110Stg million. I know staying in the premiership, from TV rights alone will give approx. £30 Stg million per club, but should clubs saddle themselves with such debt during January on the hopes of staying up.

For a club like West Brom, I would have to say no, they have been stuck to the bottom of the league since September and I don’t see it changing for them. Their case and that of about 3 or 4 other clubs should be the same, stick with what you have, as if you do get relegated, the money not spent in January, coupled with the now famous parachute payments could bolster a squad that’s light this year and would be better prepared for the Championship fight next year and of retaining their place in the EPL thereafter.

 So far the biggest movers in the market  have all come from outside the traditional big 4 group. Chelsea, for once, haven’t strenghtened at all and have resisted the temptation to throw wads of cash at some french or Spanish team for a player. Liverpool haven’t moved on anyone, bar sending a few reserves out on loan. Arsenal, have been exceptionally quiet also. But, they could still sign one of the stars Euro 2008, Andrei Arshavin. Manchester United, did their usual, said they weren’t spending any money and then promptly went out and spent £17Stg million on two teenagers which they seem to be doing alot recently. Nani & Anderson, The Da Silva brothers etc.

But all that’s really small fry compared to the money the Big 4 have spent in recent years during this transfer window. No the real movers have been Manchester City, Aston Villa and West Ham. Okay, so most of West Ham’s have been out the door, but I do expect them to bring some in before Monday. Villa could really push and take a Champions League spot between here and May, having invested wisely.

So, in the long-run, will the lack of spending by the Big 4 have a telling outcome in April and can Aston Villa push their way into a Champions League spot at the expense of one of their rivals. Or will the Big 4, having not gone mad now, be in a position to force transfers come the summer, when teams need their money back?