The Official Football Thread 08/09 (4 Viewers)

[blakegman]

So the 08/09 season looms closer, and as usual is appears it will be another two horse race between Chelsea and Man Utd.

Predictions?

 

[Aplus]

Liverpool fucking hell... Want to drag on this 18+ year nightmare any fucking longer? To be honest, I'm not expecting much from Liverpool anymore. Every season has been full of failed promises and high expectations. But this is too far. Fucking annoying.

 

[blakegman]

What you think about getting Keane ?

Torres/Keane forward line would be pretty dangerous.

 

[u-borat]

keane's a good signing but we're still missing a trequartista- a creative playmaker like a prime aimar.

if we dont suffer any major injuries and dossena/degen adapts to the PL, i'd be disappointed if we don't challenge for the title until the end.

 

[blakegman]

Can't see liverpool seriously challenging all the way.

Far too inconsistent.

 

[Gael Clichy]

Keane is going to be really good next to Torres but you can't help but feel Rafa's spent way too much of his transfer money on a position of secondary need. Good creative midfielder(preferably wide) should have been the order of the day for them, so a bit surprised they weren't a par tof the Ben Arfa,Modric,Nasri sweepstakes that have just gone past.

As for us, we'll do fine from what I can see. Gilberto was a bit part player for us last year, Nasri can surely equal Hleb's majestic record of 7 goals and 12 assists in 3 seasons with Flamini the only real loss for me. Please Arsene get Cesc a quality partner. Doesn't have to be an Essien but someone like De La Red or Toulalan(forget the Euro's he's a beast) would improve this team heaps. Looking forward to seeing Vela play as well. We're not far away from having an awesome squad, just need one or two good signings to put us over the hump.

As for our younger players coming through, Coquelin looks very good but the name to watch from us is Jack Wilshere. Wow, he looks like Joe Cole on speed, really exciting prospect.

 

[always.dreaming]

Keane is going to be really good next to Torres but you can't help but feel Rafa's spent way too much of his transfer money on a position of secondary need. Good creative midfielder(preferably wide) should have been the order of the day for them, so a bit surprised they weren't a par tof the Ben Arfa,Modric,Nasri sweepstakes that have just gone past.

As for us, we'll do fine from what I can see. Gilberto was a bit part player for us last year, Nasri can surely equal Hleb's majestic record of 7 goals and 12 assists in 3 seasons with Flamini the only real loss for me. Please Arsene get Cesc a quality partner. Doesn't have to be an Essien but someone like De La Red or Toulalan(forget the Euro's he's a beast) would improve this team heaps. Looking forward to seeing Vela play as well. We're not far away from having an awesome squad, just need one or two good signings to put us over the hump.

As for our younger players coming through, Coquelin looks very good but the name to watch from us is Jack Wilshere. Wow, he looks like Joe Cole on speed, really exciting prospect.

What the hell happened to Arsenal last season?

I play football alot but don't really pay attention to the EPL until near the end of the season.

During the season I was casually following the table and was under the impression Arsenal had a really good chance of winning it...I think they were doing really well; top of the table and infront of Man U. Chelsea didn't seem to be in it and everton/blackburn/man city were challanging 3rd and 4th respecitively. Oh and I got the feeling that Liverpool were struggling (?)

Anyway I started following it towards the end of the season and was pretty surpised to see man u had fought back to be on top, so had chelsea to become second and somehow Arsenal was 3rd.

So yeah, how/when/what happened to Arsenal? I looked online but didn't find any answers hmmm...

 

[Gael Clichy]

What the hell happened to Arsenal last season?

I play football alot but don't really pay attention to the EPL until near the end of the season.

During the season I was casually following the table and was under the impression Arsenal had a really good chance of winning it...I think they were doing really well; top of the table and infront of Man U. Chelsea didn't seem to be in it and everton/blackburn/man city were challanging 3rd and 4th respecitively. Oh and I got the feeling that Liverpool were struggling (?)

Anyway I started following it towards the end of the season and was pretty surpised to see man u had fought back to be on top, so had chelsea to become second and somehow Arsenal was 3rd.

So yeah, how/when/what happened to Arsenal? I looked online but didn't find any answers hmmm...

Eduardo got injured and then we had 4 draws in a row against bottom half of the table teams. Gallas had a strop and lost the dressing room, so at the time we most needed balls and leadership we didn't have any from our captain. That fortnight is where we threw away the league.

Which is why we need some experience and leadership in this team for this season more than ever.

And yes, Liverpool were struggling but had their customary good run at the end of the season to give them hope for the next one.

 

[always.dreaming]

Eduardo got injured and then we had 4 draws in a row against bottom half of the table teams. Gallas had a strop and lost the dressing room, so at the time we most needed balls and leadership we didn't have any from our captain. That fortnight is where we threw away the league.

Which is why we need some experience and leadership in this team for this season more than ever.

And yes, Liverpool were struggling but had their customary good run at the end of the season to give them hope for the next one.

thanks for the reply man.

Okay so now i see what happened and why they need experience and leadership *thumbs up*.

But I thought wenger had some policy about only bringing in young players and developing their talent (and selling them for millions of pounds more than he bought them for *think*), well that's something along the lines of what the bbc commentators said about them the few times I watched them play (I generally follow the teams where aussies are playing in the EPL...i.e. Neill at West Ham, Cahill [when he's not injured] at Everton, Viduka at Newcastle etc oh and I watched Liverpool in the hope that Kewell would be called off the bench as a late replacement for babel or something..) and yeah you know how the commentators waffle on between themselves during the game.

I read that mark milligan was trialling for a while with Arsenal, although i'm biased towards australians I don't think he's upto the Arsenal quality...but that's just mho.

 

[always.dreaming]

So the 08/09 season looms closer, and as usual is appears it will be another two horse race between Chelsea and Man Utd.

Predictions?

Manchester, Chelsea, Arsenal to dominate season.

Blackburn improve to challange for 4th and a UEFA cup spot under Ince.

Fulham to improve

Newcastle despite Kegan to remain middle table, same with West Ham

West Brom, Hull, Stoke/Sunderland or Middlesbrough(cause they're shit) to drop.

Grella and Bresciano to move to bottom half clubs. Lucas Neill to leave West ham at the end of this season.

 

[blakegman]

Can't see anybody cracking the big 4 to be honest, unless Arsenal's young team were 1 seasons wonders.

Portsmouth, Villa. Blackburn and Everton should be thereabouts again.

Fulham could be surprise packets if they can win on the road.

So pretty much agree with the above

 

[LMF^^]

I don't think there's ever any doubt about the big 4. They'll all be up there again, unless Arsenal somehow suffer again. But I honestly think Arsenal will be stronger this time around, they should learn after last season anyway, if they get some strong reinforcement in midfield.

Reports are still saying we're getting Berbatov. Well I just hope this thing ends soon. Waiting for things to happen is quite painful.

 

[blakegman]

I bet Darren Bent is stoked with how things are going. Kickass midfield and not much competition in the forwards.

 

[Martyno1]

come on united!!!!!!!!
i have a feeling that liverpool will give up 4th position, probably to everton.

 

[blakegman]

Can't see everton being as good as last year unless they land Mountinho and he turns out to be a gun in the epl.

 

[kuytbird]

united to win it over chelsea, arsenal a couple of points behind them, and liverpool just under them.
Hull, West Brom and sunderland to fall down.

 

[aus-love.it.or.]

Spurs have made some good signings, with the line up looking half decent. If they manage to keep Berbatov and Dos Santos lives up to expectations. Garath Bale to do well at the back, although besides king they are lacking in the centre of the park and centre of defence. Although the squad doesn't have much depth, with a few injuries they could be in trouble.

 

[Bainesy]

Ronaldo is gonna screw up Man U the same was as Adebayor is gonna screw up arsenal. unless rooney finally performs well, man u are out. same with arsenal, i dont see them really doing as well as they have been. how long can they continue to dominate with young guns? and captaincy is going back to gallas now is it? mistake. Cesc should be leading them this season, which should also secure his services in future

chelsea will dominate easily IMO. if liverpool pick up Silva as rumored they will challenge for 2nd. however i think Rafa may rarely play the Torres - Keane strikeforce, opting for one or the other. that rotation crap, which will dampen livers chances.
Chelsea wins following by manu/liverpool relatively on same amount of points. arsenal fair way behind.

Spurs should give a vgood challenge to 4th spot if they retain berbatov

 

[blakegman]

I think spurs are a legitimate 4th contender if they can sort their defence out. On paper, their mids and forwards match arsenal or liverpool.

That said. they will probably choke like last year.

 

[LMF^^]

Ronaldo is gonna screw up Man U the same was as Adebayor is gonna screw up arsenal. unless rooney finally performs well, man u are out. same with arsenal, i dont see them really doing as well as they have been. how long can they continue to dominate with young guns? and captaincy is going back to gallas now is it? mistake. Cesc should be leading them this season, which should also secure his services in future

chelsea will dominate easily IMO. if liverpool pick up Silva as rumored they will challenge for 2nd. however i think Rafa may rarely play the Torres - Keane strikeforce, opting for one or the other. that rotation crap, which will dampen livers chances.
Chelsea wins following by manu/liverpool relatively on same amount of points. arsenal fair way behind.

Spurs should give a vgood challenge to 4th spot if they retain berbatov

How will Ronaldo screw us up? Will Madrid still buy him if he was playing like shit? What about all the awards he wants to win? There's no point in him playing crap on purpose.

Saying Chelsea will dominate easily is just stupid. It's hard to see anybody dominating easily these days with all the clubs having so much money to spend. Spurs certainly look the goods, and if Everton does manage to pull off the transfer of Moutinho then they'll be hard to crack too.