This is a mobile optimized page that loads fast, if you want to load the real page, click this text.

English Premier League

Jump to new
Only a week to go and having followed the goings on with transfers and pre season performances would say its a 2 horse race between Chelsea and Man Utd.

Liverpool and Arsenal don't look as strong as last season but wont be far of the pace if at all

Man City could be in the mix but still think they will take time to settle as a team and a bad start may see them lower or mid table with alot of turmoil during the season.

Everton look about the same so i would expect a 5th to 8th finish

Aston villa, have a great manager but have lost 2 key players and although have few good signings may not go as well as last season but still in the 5th to 10th position

Tottenham look to be very good in pre season and may be a suprise to the top 4, in the 5th to 10th category though.

West Ham, unless they can get a decent striker then 8th to 10th at best, if they do get a decent front man then could be a surprise.

Fulham, like Villa have a great manager and there team with no big names is a solid performing outfit so will be in the 8th to 11th position.

Sunderland, spent alot of money and some good signings so will IMO be in that 8th to 11th position.

the rest will all struggle and spend the majority of the season worrying about relegation
 
Geez, I can't wait for the season to kick off!

I don't think Man U will perform this season, they will probably grind out results, but I expect more draws from them, which will ultimately put them out of top spot.

Liverpool should still do well, but just don't think they have the depth to win a long, grinding season.

Unfortunately, I think the same goes for Arsenal.

Again, unfortunately, I think Chelsea will win it this year, too much depth, too much talent in all positions.

Man City should come close to breaking the top 4 I think, they have a very solid squad and I like a lot of their players, just have to see if they click.

Viva Barca.
 
MRC & Co said:
Viva Barca.
Click to expand...

Although not EPL related, but the Ibrahimovic/Eto'o switch has me nervous. Sammy was one of my favourite players.
Let's hope Ibra can make some magic of his own, especially in big games where he has often gone missing.
 
Since this and UCL thread are the only football threads, thought I'd post this here.

Paying my respects to Daniel Jarque - the Espanyol Captain. He died while participating in a training session yesterday. Cardiac arrest. Being a Barca fan, he was a constant thorn at the local derby.

Such a pity to see someone so young and talented leave us.
RIP
 
mazzatelli said:
Although not EPL related, but the Ibrahimovic/Eto'o switch has me nervous. Sammy was one of my favourite players.
Let's hope Ibra can make some magic of his own, especially in big games where he has often gone missing.
Click to expand...

Yeh, this is an interesting one for me.

I think Ibra is one of the biggest talents in the world, perhaps top 3-5.

But my biggest problem, is this is not the type of player Barca need, they already have plenty of talent, they just need someone in the middle to bury it, which is what Eto'o was the best at the world at IMO. Best pure striker out there. Lethal infront of goal and as soon as he touches the ball, he has one aim, turn on goal and crack (very similar to Torres). He also made great runs and had the speed to do so.

That being said, Ibra has the height, which is something Barca lack and he also has more technical ability than Eto'o. Another reason he disappears from big games as you say, is he was really the only major threat at Inter or for Sweden, so they just ensure they shut him down in big games. He should get a stack more space at Barca, but he really lacks enough speed for the Spanish game, which is probably the fastest in the world (just look at how much Henry struggled with it).

So I will be very interested to see how this plays out, and won't be surprised if Ibra either fits in straight away, or struggles.

Madrid will also be spectacular to watch, Robben, Kaka and Ronaldo possess more speed than I have ever seen on one team before in my life! That will be a killer problem to shut down for slow poach Barca defenders.

Also want to see how Ronaldinho does at Milan, Huntelaar and Pato are guys with huge promise and will have to develop well to take the title from Inter (with Eto'o, Milito and Lucio added, they should still be a force).

All reasons I can't wait for the season to get going. CL in itself will be spectacular, I don't expect the English teams to do so well this time, doubt 3/4 will make semi finals this time.

Oh yes, sad news on Daniel, can't believe it.
 
Pager said:
Tottenham look to be very good in pre season and may be a suprise to the top 4, in the 5th to 10th category though.
Click to expand...

I'm a Spurs fan, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Every time we get a team that's worthy, we break it up. Although, if we do get a good start to the season (somethings that's not a usual occurrence) I'll sit up & take note.

I think Man United will lose its shine this year due the line up changes & Liverpool will be the ones to beat.

Chelsea is a bit of a has been, although Arsenal have a number of players with flair and may play well.

Cheers
 

I agree!! Ibra is no doubt a great talent, but it seems Eto'o was created for Barca. The way he switched his runs with Messi and Henry and his persistence in chasing the balll down in the final half, I find it hard [but hope] to see Ibra doing the same thing.

His beautiful touches in front of goal, exemplified by the jink on Vidic in last years UCL final.
Here's some extra footage for viewing pleasure or as Barca great Luis Enrique coins "a footballing org@sm".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rHqShnxCCA

Testament to his prowess is that Casillas says he is glad Eto'o is gone

I like your point about the pace of Spanish. I like the EPL which is more about pace and power, but La Liga is pace and technique IMO. Cristiano [as a player ] is a huge loss for EPL.

I'm still hoping for Ronaldhino to capture some of that form during Barca days.
I hope Madrid causes everyone to raise the bar in La Liga, will be great for football overall.

BTW Gunners getting Kalou would be a great addition if it happens
 
Community Shield results:
Chelsea winners

Someone please deck Michael Ballack. No class at all.
I have lost all respect for that player
 
The penalty by Patrice Evra would have to be the lamest attempt i have seen .... barely made the distance.
 
mazzatelli said:
Community Shield results:
Chelsea winners

Someone please deck Michael Ballack. No class at all.
I have lost all respect for that player
Click to expand...
Can't disagree with your comment about Ballack, but check Evra out. A little hip and shoulder and he goes down rolling around grabbing his FACE.
The initial act was very poor, the reaction was just pathetic cheating.
 
Yeh, agree with all of that mazza, BTW, nice avatar change!

Oh yeh, Kalou to Arsenal would be great, but I'm worried of Wenger. He has a good team to play and still ends up with some hopeless guys on there, or at least not top quality.

I mean, Sagna, Gallas, Clichy, Nasri, Walcott, Rosicky, Fabregas, Van Persie, Eduardo, Arshavin are all quality. Vela is also very good.

But some of the other guys he plays are ok, mid-table type players, but not top notch. Eboue, Bendtner, Denilson etc.

And then to think he sold both Gilberto Silva and Flamini in the same year.......WTF? Along with their most creative player in Hleb.

So I will be glad to see them add Kalou. Though they still lack some vital positions to be able to compete, IMO, a holding mid and a creative playmaker. Fabregas is a playmaker in the way of a distributor, but more like Deco or Xavi, not someone who is going to open up the space on the field the way Hleb did for them.
 
Largesse said:
i would swap Fabregas for Yaya Toure + 15m
Click to expand...

Yes, I think this would be a good trade for Arsenal if Nasri or Rosicky were fit to play the distributor.

Though, WTF would Barca want Fabregas for? Xavi already plays that role very well, Iniesta adds the extra dimension in the midfield (as Hleb did for Arsenal the year they should have won the title) and Hleb was a good backup (bad move by Barca to get rid of him).

I have to say, I am very shocked at some of the plays some of these managers make, great players sit there unwanted and on the cheap, while others get snapped up who are of half the quality.

I mean guys like Diego, Riquelme, Hleb are quality. But no top club wants them (of course until Juve snapped up Diego recently).

On United, IMO, they should have used the Ronaldo money to try snap up Eto'o (could have got him on the cheap at the start of the window) and Ribery. The former would add the goals and the later would add the winger, speed, creation element. It was the perfect set-up for United and they were talking of both, but obviously Ferguson didn't want to dig deep. Unfortunately, I think it will cost them the title to Chelsea (though I would love to see Arsenal come out of nowhere and pull it out).
 
MRC & Co said:
I mean guys like Diego, Riquelme, Hleb are quality. But no top club wants them (of course until Juve snapped up Diego recently).
Click to expand...

I will add Van Der Vaart to that list. Quality player.

Another who is a Madrid bench warmer with great potential, Drenthe.

Sad when there are all these quality guys on benches or in poor leagues or poor teams. Would be great to watch them play week in and week out.
 

I always rated Saviola as well. I remember when he was with Sevilla on loan and got to play week in week out. He was excellent, but unfortunately for Barca and Real he could not get a spot.

Crespo was another one who was unlucky while at Chelsea and Inter. He was an awesome goal poacher.

Pity because these 2 may be past their best form (probably include Riquelme as well)

I'd also add Lukas Podolski - FC Cologne WTF??
 
Yeah Podolski is another one.

Saviola was good, but I don't think he is world class, sort of like a poor mans version of Aguero. But I know many would disagree.
 
Some interesting results on the first day, Arsenal beating Everton 6-1 and Villa losing at home to Wigan 2-0 and there fans booing them of the pitch, then there were these comments from Wolves Manager Mick McCarthy as his side back in the premier league after a few years got a lesson on the difference in the quality of that league against the Championship, nice to see a manager not whinging and making excuses when there side lose like a certain Mr Wenger and Ferguson are notorious for.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljXemehBiTo

Interestingly in the Championship a huge controversy with the goal that everyone saw except the officials, here's a link to that incident, unbelievable that in this day and age this could occur, a disgrace IMO.

http://www.101greatgoals.com/videodisplay/3204560/
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

V
America Is Bankrupt
2 3
Replies
57
Views
15K
mullokintyre
R
The American use of War Pretext Incidents
Replies
6
Views
9K
sptrawler
Coin Tossing - Risk & Money Management
Replies
0
Views
5K
RichKid
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn more...