Official English Premier League Thread

[SlapStick 0]

Well at least by the time they have all the experience they need they'll be only 21.

[rinswun 6]

Well at least by the time they have all the experience they need they'll be only 21.

this is very true and fills me with great hope for the future - providing we dont blood these players and then sell them which i could see happening. whatever happens, i am pysched for saturday afternoon!

[James D 0]

Following the fortunes of Man City will also be interesting this year.

Yes James... yes it will.Man City 0-1 FC Midtjylland <<------ Looooool!

[DinkDonk 1]

1. Man U2. Liverpool3. Chelsea4. ArsenalIMO

[rinswun 6]

very pleased with that solid start to the season considering we were missing fabregas/rosicky/eduardo and toure/van persie on the bench. i thought denilson was outstanding in the middle and clichy we excellent as always. it wasnt the greatest performance overall but its always tough playing the promoted teams first up so to get a win and a clean sheet is very satisfactory.

[KDawgCometh 2]

Manchesters first game is against Newcastle.

, and you guys didn't exactly reinforce that leaky defense in the close season

You're not missing anything, just me on a personal level. I'm a Newcastle fan and they put 11/12 or goals past us in two matches last season.Not a good way to start our season.

I'D LOVE IT if we put another 4 or 6 up against you

Bets I'm considering for this season:7/2: Fernando Torres top goalscorer.5/1: Kevin Keegan to be first manager fired.5000/1: Hull to win the league (value).9/4: Wayne Rooney to become a father. All odds from Paddypower.

what're the odds on hughes getting the axe or leaving before the end of september?

Lol.. I think I'd need about 100,000-1 to find the value in that... it's Hull!Anyway, I'm getting exited about the start of the season for the first time since the end of last. I think the Ronaldo saga drained my interest somehow, for a while. I think we could see almost a repeat of last season for Man Utd though, with a slow start. However, will Chelsea slip up enough this year to let us back into it? I think not, tbh.Following the fortunes of Man City will also be interesting this year. I like your Keegan bet, but another to consider would surely be Hughes. The Thai owner (I won't attempt to spell his name), seems a little hot headed and spontaneous at times, and also has a warrant out for his arrest. Something else I'm going to be keeping an eye on this year, outside Prem, is QPR... Wonder what's gonna happen there, with Briatore and Ecclestone in charge? Could be interesting. With the money and contacts they have, something huge COULD happen you never know. Also, Lakshmi Mittal (4th richest guy in the world) bought 20% of the club at the start of this year.Top 6 predictions for this season:1 - Chelsea2 - Arsenal3 - Man Utd4 - Liverpool5 - Aston Villa6 - Portsmouth

1. For me, it wasn't so much of a drain as itwas just a big pain in the ass, and we've really yet to make a move. I have no doubt that something will happen before the end of the window, but I'd sure as hell like another striker and maybe a bit more defensive cover2. Thaksin is a complete idiot and Sven was lucky that he got fired for no reason. That club is one big mess on the verge of happening and it'll be extremely amusing watching it3. I just wonder though how willing to spend all of these big moneyed guys that QPR are bringing in? There is still the problem that Loftus Road will need to get a lot bigger and that QPR just have never really been more then a medium sized club. The QPR fans can ask the Fulham fans what its like having an extremely deep pocketed owner for a mid sized clu4. WTF ON HAVING ARSENAL AHEAD OF US. I can see and sadly agree with chelski being the favorites to win the league this season. There'll have to be a major injury to Terry or Cech again for them to slip up. They have a much superior manager then Grant and miles less drama then Mourinho existed under before he got the retard axe, and they played spectacular from January on. That said, aresenal still don't have the depth to compete on three major fronts and signing Nasri didn't address their thin defense

I noticed this as well. I think Liverpool has a real shot to win the league this year. And I would make a completely uninformed bet at even money that they finish top 2.

[SlapStick 0]

lol that sums it up nicely.Did anyone follow Arshavin? did he ever go anywhere? i lost track

[rinswun 6]

lol that sums it up nicely.Did anyone follow Arshavin? did he ever go anywhere? i lost track

tottenham seems to be the only club still considering a serious offer. rumour has it he wants to be paid top 5 money for any premiership player, so i dont think he'll be on his way.

[SlapStick 0]

, and you guys didn't exactly reinforce that leaky defense in the close seasonI'D LOVE IT if we put another 4 or 6 up against you

Yea I'm not happy as usual about our defense, we bought that guy Colocinni but asides from that nothing in the defense.And Nicky Butt did great for us, but seriously he can't last much longer, and he never creates goals. Bartons a dirt bag, it pains me but Duff doesn't look like being consistent.The one thing that I am happy with is noone stole or even really attemtped to buy our front 3 and Keegan seems to want to play 4-3-3. so we will go back to the worst defensive league in the premiership and our matches will be 3-2 and 4-3.Better than it was anyhow

[SlapStick 0]

Newcastle have included new Argentine defender Fabricio Coloccini, but Joey Barton has not been considered. Skipper Michael Owen, Mark Viduka and Andy Carroll are all injured and Shola Ameobi is talking to Ipswich,0-0 one time?

[SlapStick 0]

wow Chelsea crushing portsmouth(Im feeding off live updates) deco and ballack both involved in the goals and apparently boswinga is doing really well too.Portsmouth are a quality team, scary stuff for everyone else

[Gaffer 0]

yeah russia are looking good, they have rolled over portsmouth

[KDawgCometh 2]

Newcastle have included new Argentine defender Fabricio Coloccini, but Joey Barton has not been considered. Skipper Michael Owen, Mark Viduka and Andy Carroll are all injured and Shola Ameobi is talking to Ipswich,0-0 one time?

that didn't last past the first half hour

[SlapStick 0]

that didn't last past the first half hour

I got to celebrate, it was great!I'm obviously biased but was vidic not 8 feet away from the ball when he shouldered Guiterrez(sp) in the box in the peno claim. It probably wasnt a penalty but he seemed miles away from the ball.I'm quite happy, Man U obviously dominating possesion but be look very sharp and are not walk overs. I like Jonas(easier to spell). Its been good so far

[SlapStick 0]

I'll take it. We actually looked solid defending. Not such a clean performance by Man United, cambell looked good.Well I'm pretty confident we will finish in the top 10 anyway, its been a while.Interested to see what will happen when Viduka and Owen come back, I like having duff jonas and martins on the pitch.WE DIDNT CONCEDE 6 GOALS!!!

[QED 4]

Will be very interesting to see what happens to City this season, their own is now an international fugitive. Maybe we've finally found someone that will fail the "fit and proper" test for owning a premier league club.

[SlapStick 0]

Come on Man U fans, just because you couldn't beat Newcastle and Chelsea look amazing doesn't mean the seasons over yet, you only sing post when you're winning?Chelsea Arsenal should be a great match this seasonNewcastle on 4 points, happy with that but Owens not fit and Martins and Duff both went off injured

[DinkDonk 1]

Steven Gerrard FTMFWIMO

[SlapStick 0]

Steven Gerrard FTMFWIMO

so it will be the same liverpool. Gerrard fc, struggle against the rest of middle pack and Gerrard and torres will pull them through to finish 4th

[James D 0]

Come on Man U fans, just because you couldn't beat Newcastle and Chelsea look amazing doesn't mean the seasons over yet, you only sing post when you're winning?Chelsea Arsenal should be a great match this seasonNewcastle on 4 points, happy with that but Owens not fit and Martins and Duff both went off injured

lol.. I hope you saw today's match. Same old boring Chelsea.Basically, the only difference from last season is Scolari and Deco (who I've always enjoyed watching play.. unfortunate, now he's at Chelsea). I do still think this will give them the edge needed to win the league this season, but Chelsea are far from amazing to watch.Our (United's) hope to win, is that Chelsea's lack of firepower makes them come unstuck later in the season... and us signing an extra striker this week would help too.Other early season opinion - I know there's always a few shock results in the first couple of games, but I think slowly but surely the 'smaller' clubs are getting stronger season by season... which is great for the league in general. I don't think any of the big 4 will finish lower, but teams like Sunderland, Fulham, Blackburn, Portsmouth (tough start) continue to grow. Hull and Stoke have started well too, and this all bodes well for a competitive full season.As for Newcastle, looking solid so far, and that's exactly what you need. There's been too much upheaval at St. James' over the last few seasons (not only on the pitch, but managerial and board level) to give you a base to build on. If Keegan can steady the ship and have things go his way for at least the next 2 season, then you'll be in Europe without question. Which is where you should be anyway, imo.

[DinkDonk 1]

so it will be the same liverpool. Gerrard fc, struggle against the rest of middle pack and Gerrard and torres will pull them through to finish 2nd to Chelsea.

FYP

[bigkg 0]

so it will be the same liverpool. Gerrard fc, struggle against the rest of middle pack and Gerrard and torres will pull them through to finish 4th

Yeaaaa, my boys haven't looked great and they're lucky to be 2-0.

[DinkDonk 1]

Yeaaaa, my boys haven't looked great and they're lucky to be 2-0.

Shhhhhhhh. Confident facade FTW.

[QED 4]

Come on Man U fans, just because you couldn't beat Newcastle and Chelsea look amazing doesn't mean the seasons over yet, you only sing post when you're winning?Chelsea Arsenal should be a great match this seasonNewcastle on 4 points, happy with that but Owens not fit and Martins and Duff both went off injured

Unless Arsenal bring in someone that can kick lumps in the middle of the park they aren't going to get very far this season imo. Eboue is even worse in the middle of midfield than he is on the right of it.

[KDawgCometh 2]

Come on Man U fans, just because you couldn't beat Newcastle and Chelsea look amazing doesn't mean the seasons over yet, you only sing post when you're winning?Chelsea Arsenal should be a great match this seasonNewcastle on 4 points, happy with that but Owens not fit and Martins and Duff both went off injured

we're getting relegated this year LDO. Chelsea didn't look all that great today and wigan were able to find holes via their passing through the chelsea defense. Its impossible of course to infer too much though off of the early season

lol.. I hope you saw today's match. Same old boring Chelsea.Basically, the only difference from last season is Scolari and Deco (who I've always enjoyed watching play.. unfortunate, now he's at Chelsea). I do still think this will give them the edge needed to win the league this season, but Chelsea are far from amazing to watch.Our (United's) hope to win, is that Chelsea's lack of firepower makes them come unstuck later in the season... and us signing an extra striker this week would help too.Other early season opinion - I know there's always a few shock results in the first couple of games, but I think slowly but surely the 'smaller' clubs are getting stronger season by season... which is great for the league in general. I don't think any of the big 4 will finish lower, but teams like Sunderland, Fulham, Blackburn, Portsmouth (tough start) continue to grow. Hull and Stoke have started well too, and this all bodes well for a competitive full season.As for Newcastle, looking solid so far, and that's exactly what you need. There's been too much upheaval at St. James' over the last few seasons (not only on the pitch, but managerial and board level) to give you a base to build on. If Keegan can steady the ship and have things go his way for at least the next 2 season, then you'll be in Europe without question. Which is where you should be anyway, imo.

i definitely agree. I think if we can finally get berbatov or maybe snap up dean ashton that will help us greatly. I also would like to see some more defensive cover. I also would like to see Frazier Campbell get used a lot more this season. There's a spark in him and I think that as him and Rooney learn each other more, they will become a scary strike force I don't know about Fulham, they're still relegation fodder to me. They just don't seem to have the players to stay in the middle of the pack. I do like how Keane has sunderland playing football and blackburn will be interesting with Ince as coach. I'm undecided on pompey With newcastle, I say give it time before their defense unravels. Its like how spurs fans keep on saying that this is the season that they break into the top 4