Brand new season

[xavier]

Ok. Its 1 am. I am not able to catch sleep. Ok, ill make a post.

 

Lets see, now.

 

 

(1) Chel$ki:- Called as C*ntSki by many, this russian team are shite. They are the costliest team in the world and one of the worst too. They are favorites to lift the premier league title this season. But one of the most underserving, i'd think. They have a great squad, but still play slow, defensive football. Buying the league is one thing.., buying it and then filling it with crap, defensive performances with a magical squad is another. Underserving.., an understatement.

 

(2) Arsenal:- They play the best football in the league. One of the few teams in the EPL that actually play aggressive football. But the loss of Viera has put a lot of pressure on young players like Fabregas, Flamini etc and the new ones like Hleb. I think they have a chance to win the premiership only if Henry, Hleb/Gilberto, Lauren, and Lehmann have a blinder of a season. They look good to win a title though. F.A. Cup?? League Cup?? Who knows.

 

(3) Man Utd:- Ah. The underachievers of last season. Highly unpredictable. Have made a great, yes great signing by getting Van Der Sar. He looked ok'ish with Fulham. But my reading is that, he gets better with better players surrounding him. Park Ji Sung, might click. Might not. If the likes of RVN, the fake Ronaldo and Heinze have a good season, i might not be surprised to see Man Utd challenge

Chelsea for top honours, this season. Oh. and for the record. I hate ManUre.

 

(4) Everton:- Rafa-Beneathus. Oh, the Evertonians loved that. Their defensve 4-5-1 1980's wimbledon football worked wonders last season and they qualified for europe. Congrats to you boys for the feat. A new season this. And i think Moyes (HK too) has/have been an arse/arses this summer. Nobody seems to want to play for Everton. Lemme see. Forsell, Baros, Sissoko , others too. Well, my personal opinion is that if Moyes cant bring the big names in, the least he could do is go into the chamionship and get some players to add depth into his depleted, thin squad. Many think, people/media as writing the team off. Yep. Coz i dont see Everton do what they did last year again. Lets face facts, even if you are remotely troubled by injury this season, unlike last season, you'd be in big trouble. Already, Per, Beattie, Pistone, Naysmith and now Bent. Lucky that most are short term. You dont need to get BIG players. Get players who'd suit your game. And give you a decent squad. Somewhere between 8and 10 would be your place and i am not being sluggish.

 

(5) Liverpool:- The last of the 'Big Four' as stated by the media. Rafa Benitez has made some shrewd buys this season. Reina, spain's number 2 should serve us for years, i hope. He looks good. The Sissoko buy was a coup. Bought him from right under a 'certain' teams nose. DM would have been wa**ing himself off at another possible transfer disappearing in fromt of him. Not only that, he saw that our Academy and Reserve team was shite. So he has bought in many young players who'd go right in the reserve setup and also act as local players by 2008. Remember, UEFA might make a rule stating that upto 4 local players in a team is necessary. Chelsea, would be pissing themselves . I think we will get 3rd place this season. Dont care what the others think.

 

(6) Tottenham:- This is one team with the squad of upsetting the dice IMO. I think they are going to do really well. I see them getting a 5th spot, surely. They have a good team, decent bench strength and have decnet strikers. Now only if Jol would stop packing his forwards line and look to his defence as well. I rate this team highly.

 

 

(7) Birmingham City:- Ah, the Brummies. Another potential banana leaf for the bigger teams. They have a decent squad and a very decent first 11. They have improved a lot with Bruce at the helm. And are looking better every season. Maybe a good Cup run would do their confidence good.

 

(8) Newcy united:- They think they are big team. They have a massive fan base. A good budget for a midtable side. And are the only club in their city. Still they look awful with Souness as manager. Maybe they'll be back challenging for CL spots once Souness is sacked. They still need a striker though. Luque might be the man.

 

(7) Mid-table teams:- Charlton, Bolton, Aston Villa (although the might look to get a UEFA Cup spot if they can sign Baros and maybe a defender), Boro, Charlton, Man City will look o fill up the remaining mid table spot and if they get a run going, might challenge for a Uefa Cup place.

 

(8) Lower midtable clubs:- Blackburn, Fulham and Portsmouth are fucked this season. Fulham might be saved coz they still have a ok 11. Not great though, that team. I reckon Portmouth might go down out of this three.

 

(9) The new boys:- West Ham United are my pick who will be safe this season. They have bought in many, many players and look to take the fight to the opposition. Sunderland and Wigan will be relegated. IMO.

 

Favorites to win the Title----> Chelsea.

 

Underdogs--> ManU, Tottenham, WHU, Birmigham City.

 

Relegation Favorites--> Portsmouth, Sunderland, Wigan.

 

Underachivers---> Newcastle United, Blackburn, Charlton.

 

 

Fucking hell, 2 O'clock!!

[thebluenose]

where do you live xav

[xavier]

Oh, the time difference!!

 

Mumbai, India.

Edited August 21, 2005 by xavier

[rowlo-efc]

Some good points there Xavier. But I do want to comment.

 

Firstly - Newcastle - spot on, hope they do even worse than 8th - I hate them.

 

Liverpool - although they will perform well, I think that they lack something (like so many other teams) up front - and it shows.Only two weeks in and you have played two teams reduced to 10 men and not been able to capitalise on the good fortune. Infact, other than gerrard and set pieces, there isn't much going on up front. It has to be a concern to benitez. why he hasnt bought owen is a mystery - none of this 'he doesnt fit in the playing style' crap - owen has proved that he can fit in any style of play - liverpool, europe, england and now real madrid - all playing different styles of football. seems senseless - morientes is a waste of time.

 

Everton - okay, as a fan i will take 5th all day. However the original 5 yr plan sees the club in a mid table position this year - the plan was skewed by a fantastic season lasst year but i feel that dm's plan is still valid and must continue - building a club takes time and the fans have to stay real - ew could do as well as last year, but i would happily take a regular uefa cup place for the next seasons.

 

Man utd - could, with discipline, win the league. both chelsea and arsenal are lacking the killer edge (drogba's goal was embarrasing today).

 

to go down:

 

 

west brom

sunderland

portsmouth

 

near miss: wigan, west ham, blackburn and fulham.

[xavier]

Liverpool, there isn't much going on up front. It has to be a concern to benitez. why he hasnt bought owen is a mystery - none of this 'he doesnt fit in the playing style' crap - morientes is a waste of time.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Well, Rafa believes in the attacking 4-5-1 formation where the wingers come into play, and Morientes feeds on the crosses provided. We have already seen the goals he has scored for Madrid (wingers: Zidane, Figo) and for Monaco (rothen, Guily)

 

Unfortunately, we do not have such quality on the wigns at this point of time. Clearly, Cisse is a waste on the right and Potter and Garica are not good enough im afraid. Calling Liverpool a one man team is not the greatest of comments IMO. We have more to us than Gerrard.

 

Secondly, we are Liverpool, not Chelsea with unending rooms filled with money. So, it is tough to bring quality to all the positions at once. Yeah, Owen is quality. So i might think, we are going for him.

 

But look, we dont have a right winger. So, we cant expect crosses from there. Crouch and Nando need them to strike fear into defenses. We, also need a CB.

 

If either Hyypia or Carra get injured our reserve CB Whitbread isnt good enough IMO.

 

So, buying Owen and not filling up the RM and CB void would be daft. Rafa is playing it cool though. And i expect us to sign Owen and maybe another player by the end of the month.

 

Also, i wont be gutted if we dont see Owen. GIVE ME THAT RIGHT WINGER RAFA!!!

[Willo]

Yeh good post xavier mate , would be well happy to take 5th this year but its gonna be a tough one .

 

I see alot of RS games as my family are massive RS fans and i am a massive fan of my local , but on sarurday i saw that Zenden has brought something to the wing that you have been missing .

 

Like you rightly say ( and i have said for some time now ) you need good wingers and a right sided midfielder is more a must for you than Owen .

 

Good win for us today but i'am under no illusions that we're gonna have to sign better players if we're gonna make that ( as you have so gracefully put us ) 5th place .

[Guest fozzie22]

Yeh good post xavier mate , would be well happy to take 5th this year but its gonna be a tough one .

 

I see alot of RS games as my family are massive RS fans and i am a massive fan of my local , but on sarurday i saw that Zenden has brought something to the wing that you have been missing .

 

Like you rightly say ( and i have said for some time now ) you need good wingers and a right sided midfielder is more a must for you than Owen .

 

Good win for us today but i'am under no illusions that we're gonna have to sign better players if we're gonna make that ( as you have so gracefully put us ) 5th place .

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Owen though,is money in the bank

 

shirts bums on seats,i dont think the balding one really wants him back,but the true "power" at the RS "gerrard" wants,so he will come

[rowlo-efc]

Owen though,is money in the bank

 

shirts bums on seats,i dont think the balding one really wants him back,but the true "power" at the RS "gerrard" wants,so he will come

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I think that having watched liverpool on several occassions (mainly last year - obviously) - gerrard is making it a one man team.

 

Observe his movement - he takes the ball off the right back, the wingers, the goalie and even the strikers.

 

Gerrard has little faith in his team mates abilities and it shows - which is partly why Rafa was not bothered about him leaving.

 

I still think that Liverpool lack the killer edge ( not that Everton have got it)

 

Morientes is crap (which means that he will score against us) - Cisse is rubbish when he has to think or has time on the ball - when he has to 'instinctively' play - he is very good - but the norm performance from him is average at best.

 

I certainly think that this year LFC will have a big hard struggle for 4th - Tottenham are looking strong and I think that you guys will struggle against us, bolton and the top three.