Fixtures announced:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot...es/default.stm
Printable View
Fixtures announced:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot...es/default.stm
Wonder why Man U have bought Valencia from Wigan (replacement for Giggs/Ronaldo)? Not exactly a prolific goal scorer? Other than Berbatov (on which the jury is out), do they have a genuine centre forward?
It's hard to know what Fergie has in his head. Maybe he thinks that Macheda or Welbeck will come to the fore or that Berbatov will be more effective without Ronaldo, who knows. With Ronaldo sold, Nani looking poor, Giggs past it and Park fairly limited I think Valencia is a good addition but don't think he was bought for goals really.Quote:
Originally Posted by OwlsFan
Michael Owen perhaps?
Forecasts for the new season:
Champions: Chelsea
CL: Usual other 3.
Next 2: Man City and Spurs
Relegated: Hull, Burnley and Stoke.
I think Man City are worth a small bet, if they sign a decent center half they could do well. They've a strong spine with the likes of Kompany, De Jong, Ireland, Tevez. Robinho and Wright Phillips could do well on the wings too. This is probably a season or two too early for them as a team, but if they get off to a decent start and with no European distractions they should be able to break the big 4 at least.
I think Liverpool have a great shout if they can keep Alonso and Mascherano they will have the best 11. Chelsea have a good chance too but I think the Ancelotti factor might mean a slow start for them, Yhirkov will be a great player for them. I think Man Utd still need to sign 1/2 more players if Hargreaves was to come back that could be a major boost for them but he seems out long term. I fear for Arsenal, they really need to sign another top class striker, otherwise they will fall apart if they have any injuries in attack.
Spurs still look suspect at the back, Gomes looked shakey last weekend and they might start the season with Dervitte and Chimbonda as center backs, Celtic's reserves destroyed them on Sunday.
A Liverpool squad including Torres, Gerrard, Benayoun, Riera, Alonso, Mascherano, Kuyt, Fabio Aurelio, Carragher, Skrtel, Agger, Johnson, Reina... is capable of destroying any other team - albeit David Silva or Villa would be a welcome addition.
Assuming Alonso stays, I'm going for Liverpool to win the title, and Man City for a top four finish at Arsenal's expense.
The usual Liverpool pre-season optimism, granted a bit more justified than most years but still a bit deluded. Since when are Riera, Kuyt, Aurelio all that great? Agger generally doesn't get on the team. Benayoun had a good season last year but can be pretty ordinary. The biggest thing Liverpool have going for them is the players that have left OT imo. I don't think there's any reason that Liverpool will accumulate any more points than last season so they'll be dependent on United dropping a level and Chelsea standing still. I agree completely about needing to keep Alonso as he's pure class and won't be replaced easily. Mascherano epitomises everything about Liverpool... hard working, dogged, effective without any flair or ability to use the ball whatsoever, so they'll need to keep him too. A fully fit Torres for the majority of the season will obviously be huge as well, more so than Gerrard I'd suggest.Quote:
Originally Posted by ped_ped
Considering they went from 21 points behind in 2007 to 11 in 2008 and now (i think) 4 in 2009 suggests they can go further.Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
It's hard to see how they will improve further without signing anybody of note. Torres has brought ye from that -21 points team to something far more competitive but I think ye need more than Glen Johnson (and possibly minus Alonso/Mascherano) to improve further. It will depend on how United respond to losing Ronaldo/Tevez I think, how good Valencia/Tosic are and the fitness of Hargreaves and Owen. Chelsea will have a lot to say as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rafa B
..and now? City's pre-season form has also been poor. If it continues for say 8 games in to the new season, farewell Mark Hughes.Quote:
Originally Posted by ped_ped
Read a rumour on another forum that Portsmouth are going into administration within the next few days. Relegation odds have been slashed aswell apparently.
they'll get points docked if they do. I was tipping them to go down anyway so -10 or -15 seals it!
Yep, I'm just raging I didnt put a nice wad of cash on them to go down a few weeks ago when they started selling their best players.:(
I have money on them to go down from a few weeks ago. At 9/2 I think. Not much though.
More so than ever the scramble at the bottom will cover many teams, including
Hull, Burnley, Wolves, Birmingam, Portsmouth, Blackburn, Stoke, Wigan with one other surprise one (Fulham?).
More poor sides than usual this season thanks to the likes of Stoke and Hull staying up last season.
Just spotted this is the guardian so for a laugh here are my predictions for the season:
World Cup Winners - Brazil (but win ugly!)
Premier League Winners - Man Utd
Champions League Winners - Real Madrid
Player of the Year - Andrei Arshavin
Top Scorer - Torres if he stays fit. Darren Bent gets close to 20.
Best Buy of Summer - I'm hoping it's Kevin Doyle. Cana for Sunderland and Arsenal's new centre back from Ajax.
Young Player of Year - Wilshere will get it but I think Foley will impress.
Relegated - Portsmouth, Hull, Burnley
Surprise Package - West Ham/Sunderland
First Manager to be sacked - Alex McCleish. However I wouldn't be surprised if Hughes is gone by end of September!
Promoted - Sheff Utd, Ipswich, Forest.
Do you know something I don't?:DQuote:
Originally Posted by shakermaker1982
Arsene admits to selective vision:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot...al/8201233.stm
Now, there's a shock ;).
Quote:
Originally Posted by OwlsFan
more of a shock he admited it.... even better on match of the day tonight as stephen ireland scores second goal to clinch victory for city
commetator comments " the home bred player clinchs it for city" :confused::confused:
He came through their academy, didn't he? He's been there long before he first played a game for them.
Under the new UEFA laws for UEFA competitions, a home-grown player is someone who has trained in the country (in this case, the UK) for three years before the age of 21.
I'm pretty sure Ireland's been there long enough to qualify as "home-grown", in UEFA talk.
Ah balls - going to have to put up with a season of the Sky Sports commentators calling him "Keith Farr-hee"
Hope he does himself justice at Old Trafford this afternoon
so his place of birth or childhood have nothing to do with it .. :confused: more of a case of english media trying to claim another player as thier own when they are doing well :ball:Quote:
Originally Posted by superfrank
I think only people from former colonies would take it that way.Quote:
Originally Posted by old git
Any eejit from England with half a brain would know that Stephen Ireland is Irish. He's been capped and he's scored goals for Ireland and I'm sure there's been talk over there about his whole national team selection bull.
The fact is there is nothing wrong with Sky, or whatever other English media outlet, calling him a "home-grown" player. If Man City were in Europe or he moved to another English side playing European football, he would qualify as a "home-grown" player for that team's UEFA competitions.
AFAIK, from the Ireland match on Wednesday, only Shane Long and Kevin Doyle were the only players who couldn't be classed as UK home-grown players under UEFA rules.
So you better get used to it as a term because it's going to be bandied about a lot more frequently and an awful lot of Irish players will be branded with it.
How did he play? Didn't see the game?Quote:
Originally Posted by Réiteoir
The Irish people are mostly literal with their phonetics but once the name travels abroad, it gets changed. How Cahill (KA-HILL) become KAY-HILL, I have no idea.
He was ok but United had most of the ball really. He had a good effort for distance and was unlucky not to score. Jay O'Shea came on and was out muscled and put flying by Evra for the first ball, sent in a cross too close to Foster after that.Quote:
Originally Posted by OwlsFan
World Cup Winners - Holland
Premier League Winners - Chelsea
Champions League Winners - Arsenal
Player of the Year - Cesc Fabregas or Drogba
Top Scorer - Rooney.
Best Buy of Summer - Vermaelen
Young Player of Year - Ashley Young.
Relegated - Portsmouth,Wolves,Birmingham
Surprise Package - Wigan/Fulham
First Manager to be sacked - Pompey boss
Promoted - Newcastle,Boro and Cardiff
After last season I think the only way Fulham could be a surprise package is if they challenge for a Champions League spot, which I can't see happening.Quote:
Originally Posted by briancool21
Also I reckon if Rooney finishes top scorer I think he'd almost certainly get player of the year, not necessarily obviously. I agree about Vermaelen, early days but I've a feeling he'll be really good.
World Cup Winners - Brazil
Premier League Winners - Manchester United
Champions League Winners - Real Madrid
Player of the Year - Wayne Rooney
Top Scorer - Fernando Torres
Best Buy of Summer - Thomas Vermaelen
Young Player of Year - Fabio da Silva
Relegated - Portsmouth, Wolves, Burnley
Surprise Package - Wigan
First Manager to be sacked - Mark Hughes
Promoted - West Brom, Middlesbrough, Sheffield United
World Cup Winners - Brazil
Premier League Winners - Chelsea
Champions League Winners - Barcelona
Player of the Year -Frank Lampard
Top Scorer - Fernando Torres
Best Buy of Summer - Stephen Fletcher
Young Player of Year - Fabien Delph
Relegated - Portsmouth, Wolves, Birmingham
Surprise Package - Burnley
First Manager to be sacked - Paul Hart
Promoted - Newcastle , Reading , Middlesborough
World Cup Winners - Spain
Premier League Winners - Liverpool
Champions League Winners - Arsenal
Player of the Year -Arshavin
Top Scorer - Fernando Torres
Best Buy of Summer - Kevin Doyle
Young Player of Year - Stephen Ireland
Relegated - Portsmouth, Hull, Wigan
Surprise Package - West Ham
First Manager to be sacked - Mark Hughes
Promoted - West Brom, Preston, Ipswich
Delighted for Burney and Owen Coyle last night (Le Tissier predicted the win) but the rest of the panel were reacting as if they had been struck by lightening. I am always so surprised that they never expect a surprise. Football would be very boring if every match went to script and every match Man U lose this season will be down to "the Ronaldo factor". Get ready for it. Were they really a one man team? Merson blamed the absence of Ronaldo but if Man U can't beat the likes of Burnley because they don't have Ronaldo, it will be a relegation dogfight for them ;)
Well I suppose they did lose 1-0 and there weren't too many games over the last couple of years where Ronaldo didn't score so it's only natural. Same with Tevez, how many times did he recue United from a losing poition, well a lot!! Fact is they're gone though so get over it. Still think they're weaker in midfield than anywhere else.
Won't be too much talk about him after today's 5-0 win - that is until the next time they have a bad result.Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
Man City not exactly setting the world alight (as yet).
Steady start from them anyway. The first year Chelsea won the league they started slowly too.
Chelsea will drop stupid points as Ancelotti's team always do.
was actually impressed by city against wolves missed a lot of easy chances though. Those heavy wallets must be affecting there sharpness..an especially awful miss for young stephen ireland
World Cup Winners - England
Premier League Winners - Man U
Champions League Winners - Barcelona
Player of the Year -Wayne Rooney
Top Scorer - Wayne Rooney
Best Buy of Summer - Darren Bent
Young Player of Year - Ireland
Relegated - Portsmouth, Wolves, Birmingham
Surprise Package - West Ham
First Manager to be sacked - Paul Hart
Promoted - Newcastle , Cardiff , Middlesborough
I have recurring nightmares where this happens. But I fear they will come true.Quote:
Originally Posted by bellavistaman
Didn't see the game but I believe Keogh could have rescued a point with a shot off the post and Given was in the team of the day in some paper I saw (Indo?). How did Dunne play in what was probably his last game for City if the rumours of his transfer to Everton are true?Quote:
Originally Posted by briancool21
Given made a top class save. I watched MOTD so hard to say how well Dunne played but I didn't see any bad marks in the paper for him (unlike week before).Quote:
Originally Posted by OwlsFan