Liverpool still won't win the premiership (2007/08 edition)

Not strictly prem-related, but Mark C / Dave B - are either of you going to AFCW v FCUM on Saturday?

Any (prem) predictions?

Yup! I'm going with my Man U supporting (but FCUM founder member-being) mate Ben, occasionally of this parish, so say hi if you see me!

Everyone else is predicting Man Utd this time round, but I'm liking the look of Chelsea's reinforcements a bit more. Man Utd's could go either way really (especially Nani and Anderson, maybe Tevez as well if he ever turns up). Chelsea's have the look of just providing cover where they were lacking last year and slotting people into a system that's worked in the past. They'll go back to 4-3-3 and be ruthlessly effective again.

It all depends how they get through the African Nation's Cup period though.

I don't like making predictions before all the transfers have been sorted out (especially the Tevez one) and I haven't been paying much attention over the summer, but I reckon:
-Man United or Chelsea to win it
-Liverpool third again
-Spurs to finally break into the top four
-Arsenal to finish outside the CL spots and Wenger to leave
-Wigan, Fulham and Derby to go down (actually, more likely Sunderland than Fulham, but I'd like to see Keane keep them up)
-Birmingham to finish one place above the relegation zone and Steve Bruce (sadly) to get the push, only for Brum to finish bottom of the table the following year

Not sure about Reading: for fantasy football I've gambled on them having another good season, but they might do a Wigan.

@MarkC - I'll definitely be there, possibly via a pub in Kingston first (trying to sort out meeting the handful of other southern FCUMers). How many do you reckon will come? Kingsmeadow The Fan's Stadium The Cherry Red Arena holds about 4,500, doesn't it? I think there'll be 2-3 thousand, but I'm a bit nervous of pay on the gate just in case I get locked out by foolishly leaving it to the last minute.

I just managed to get hold of two tickets for the Traditional Charidee Shield on Sunday for £15 each! That's crazy. They were on general sale from Man Utd - (obviously I'm not a member any more) - there can't be much interest in this one if they're just flogging them for peanuts to Joseph Public. Personally, I don't normally even bother watching it on the telly as it's a meaningless friendly, but I quite keen to get a look inside Wembley.

You'll be fine i think, but if you're concerned, just stop by the ground on the way to the pub and pick up tickets that way - unless they've changed security arrangements it's possible to simply by your ticket and turn round, rather than going through the turnstile.

I reckon 3k is about right - it's the most highly regarded friendly, and FCUM do actually have a few fans.

traditional 'how it won't finish':

1 Chelsea
2 Man Utd
3 Liverpool
4 Arsenal
5 Tottenham
6 Newcastle
7 Portsmouth
8 Blackburn
9 Aston Villa
10 Everton
11 Man City
12 West Ham
13 Reading
14 Bolton
15 Sunderland
16 Fulham
17 Birmingham
18 Middlesbro
19 Wigan
20 Derby

1. Chelsea
2. Man Utd
3. Liverpool
4. Tottenham
5. Arsenal
6. Blackburn
7. Everton
8. Portsmouth
9. Aston Villa
10. Newcastle
11. Sunderland
12. Reading
13. West Ham
14. Middlesbrough
15. Man City
16. Bolton
17. Birmingham
18. Fulham
19. Derby
20. Wigan

I am being a bit harsh on Man City there and I think Sven will do fine as a Premiership manager but they need to make a shitload more signings before I'm putting them any further.

That whole run from 6th to 10th is anyone's really. Blackburn look pretty stable and have a good squad and a great manager, Villa are a bit of an unknown quantity.

Seeing as Alan Curbishley appears to be collecting every overpaid, underachieving second or third rate British footballer out there, there's no way he'll be able to keep them under control. Sacked by Christmas.

Arsenal's positioning really depends on whether Van Persie and Adebayor can score enough. I'm pretty sure they'll beat Tottenham on both occasions.

Sunderland to hit that magical 'top six at Christmas' spot. It is possible I have a little too much faith in Roy Keane. Newcastle = get one defence and the noises Fat Sam is making lead me to believe that might not happen. Boro - no bludy idea.

Matt DC you are harsh on Man City every year!

I like how you're bullish on Tottenham, but I think Liverpool is going a bit high there.

BAD PREDICTIONS GO!

1. Chelsea
2. Man Utd
3. Liverpool
4. Arsenal
5. Tottenham
6. Blackburn
7. Newcastle
8. Everton
9. Portsmouth
10. Aston Villa
11. Reading
12. Middlesbrough
13. Man City
14. Sunderland
15. West Ham
16. Bolton
17. Birmingham
18. Derby
19. Fulham
20. Wigan

I wanted to put Tottenham lower actually, but although I don't see any reason why they will do as well as everyone is predicting, there also aren't any teams that look at all likely to take their spot.

I imagine Spurs will come second or something now. This is my secret ploy for ensuring my Fantasy Football team does well, as I lay all my (secret) hopes upon Berbatov's feet!

1. Man Utd
2. Chelsea
3. Liverpool
4. Tottenham
5. Arsenal
6. Aston Villa
7. Everton
8. Portsmouth
9. Blackburn
10. Newcastle
11. West Ham
12. Man City
13. Sunderland
14. Reading
15. Fulham
16. Middlesbrough
17. Bolton
18. Birmingham
19. Wigan
20. Derby

I am being harsh on Man City because they basically need to buy an entire squad. Except a left winger. Which is kind of the wrong way round.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/6921902.stm

£6M for Reyes. Isn't that hella cheap in today's stupidly cash rich market?

1. chelsea
2. manchester united
3. arsenal
4. liverpool
5. tottenham
6. blackburn
7. aston villa
8. west ham
9. everton
10. newcastle
11. bolton
12. portsmouth
13. reading
14. sunderland
15. manchester city
16. derby
17. wigan
18. middlesboro
19. birmingham
20. fulham

that bottom 8 could well shift around

Yes, especially when West Ham drop 10 places.

8th is ridiculously high for West Ham - why on earth would they be expected to do any better than Newcastle have done over the past few seasons?

I have absolutely no idea how Boro are going to do. Could be midtable mediocrity, could be relegated. How good is Tuncay then?

Because 4 of the 5 sides you have finishing above them are

8. Portsmouth
9. Aston Villa
10. Newcastle
11. Sunderland
12. Reading

portsmouth: headed for a mediocre season, punched above weight last time out

aston villa: yes

newcastle: as you imply, west ham will finish roundabouts same place as newcastle. also, newcastle still have no defence, questions about strikers staying, allardyce complaining about lack of funds etc

sunderland: i put them too high also, keane factor or no, theyre going to find this season hard going

reading: lost sidwell, very little transfer activity. need to get off to a good start at old trafford

Newcastle were keeping qutie a few clean sheets at the end of last season. They weren't scoring goals at the same time but I think Martins might do better this time, and there's Owen. They may start slowly tho.

Pompey's momentum still rising surely - tho the squad hasn't strengthened significantly (neither have their immediate rivals tho).

If Viduka can play as well last season as he did last, Newcastle will be alright.

Portsmouth punching above their weight, maybe, but factoring in the clubs most likely to underachieve and that's got to be the Hammers surely?

who needs Tevez when you have Ashton back ehhhhhh?

Did Viduka really play that well last season? He didn't seem to do much till right at the end...then got a couple of braces against sides whos seasons were over

I suspect these drifting-back-toward-midtable predictions for Everton are about right. I think we have the 5th or 6th best first XI in the Premiership and did very well last season maintaining our place in the top six despite the lengthy injuries to Cahill, Johnson, Vaughan, etc. We didn't disgrace ourselves against the Resented Elite either - beating L'pool/Arse at home, leading both Chel/ManUtd late into the game, taking points at Stamford, Emirates, Anfield (compare & contrast the 04-05 Champs Lge team - hanging grimly on to 4th without Gravesen - getting tanked by Arsenal in May). But I think we've lost a little ground in the close season splurges, Vaughan's out again and we've not replaced Beattie (he is going, right? Sheff U?).

Not going out of every Cup competition as soon as our ball is plucked from the bag would be considered progress this season.

I couldn't give a toss about anyone else; just as long as the thread title is correct. I wish the season was still a couple of months away.

I was very impressed with Everton/Moyes last season almost as much as the 04/05 season. I think UEFA Cup campaign might weigh them down a bit this time is all.

Last season was better than 04/05, I think. Sans Tommy G we took 21pts from the second half of 04/05, which is practically relegation form. In 06/07, we scored more goals, played better football and genuinely outclassed a few sides. Subtract the shambolic last 25mins vs Man U, the FA Cup debacle, McFad's dismissal vs Arsenal Kids in the League Cup and the infuriating AJ-is-a-diver nonsense, it was a great season - maybe the best since the '80s. I hated every minute of it.

I think Viduka started scoring about halfway through last season, and then continued pretty consistently without anyone really noticing.

A lot of those goals might have been in cup tournaments though, can't really remember due to it being Middlesbrough and my not giving a shit.

He only scored 3 of his 19 before Christmas, though two of them were winning goals (vs Chelsea and Everton).

Portsmouth will apparently try using a 3-5-2 formation this season in some matches. Presumably using Taylor and Lauren as wing backs with Kranjcar giving a floating attacking role with 2 holding midfielders.

I still think Portsmouth need a right winger with pace for a 4-4-2 formation and another striker if Andy Cole and LuaLua leave.

3-5-2? Have you employed Glenn Hoddle or something?

wish list for pompey:

SWP from Chelsea or Royston Drenthe from Feyenoord - would be ideal to inject some pace.

Kanoute from Sevilla FC as a striker.

Pompey played most of 02/03 in the Nationwide Division 1 under Harry with a 3-5-2 - and went up as champions.

with jason crowe at right-back. remember him?

jason crowe is now at northampton town, when he left pompey i was surprised when he went to grimsby town [then in the third tier] - he could have played at a higher level.

My "Prediction:"

1. Chelsea
2. Manchester United
3. Tottenham
4. Arsenal
5. Liverpool
6. Newcastle United
7. Blackburn Rovers
8. Manchester City
9. Everton
10. Portsmouth
11. Aston Villa
12. Reading
13. Middlesbrough
14. Bolton Wanderers
15. West Ham
16. Wigan
17. Birmingham City
18. Sunderland
19. Fulham
20. Derby County

How I came to this:

- Nobody else put Tottenham above third, so despite not reaaallly thinking they will finish this high, I've put them there because I would love to be the only person who called it on that off-chance it occurs.

- I have no faith in Sunderland, and apparently everyone else does-- another opportunity for an "I told you so" and this one might even be more likely! I'm not much for Roy Keane. Sorry Mackems.

- I got bored after doing my bottom 4 and top 8 so the rest are somewhat randomly chosen.

How mad would you be, after reading this, if I was bang on at the end of the season?

furious

Who do you support again blueski?

1. Manchester United
2. Chelsea
3. Liverpool
4. Tottenham
5. Arsenal
6. Everton
7. Newcastle United
8. Aston Villa
9. Portsmouth
10. Blackburn Rovers
11. Bolton Wanderers
12. Reading
13. Middlesbrough
14. Sunderland
15. West Ham
16. Wigan
17. Manchester City
18. Fulham
19. Derby County
20. Birmingham City

Any one from the top two, I think it will be very close. I expect Arsenal to struggle and maybe miss out on a CL spot. Tottenham should keep scoring for fun and maybe add a wee bit more consistency and finish above Arsenal for the first time in yonks. Reading losing a good player and not being a "surprise package" any more will see them drop down a bit, especially with what I expect to be a resurgent Newcastle and Villa. Man City and Wigan will struggle but survive again. Sunderland will maintain enough momentum from the Championship to ensure survival. Birmingham will be pish.

Alan Smith to Newcastle it seems. Good move for him I think, barring injuries he should play a fair few games what with Owen probably being injured, Viduka being fat and Martins being sulky about having to play Derby.

I wish I had the balls to make predictions.

It's okay to admit you think Liverpool will win the title Pete.

Liverpool - it's all about FERNANDO TORRES. I think he is a bit of a jessie, but I hope he proves me wrong.

I think TEVEZ will be PLAYER OF THE SEASON.

I saw an advert in a telly shop today (OK, it was John Lewis) and it was footage of LFC in action and the slogan was "The beautiful game just got more beautiful". I thought about Michael Jones.

I suppose it was about HIGH DEFINITION.

Is anyone going to get Setanta Sports for 9.99? I'm not. I have no idea if it is a good deal or not.

I would quite like to go to the Charity Shield, for the reasons mentioned above. How does one go about obtaining tickets for fifteen nicker? That is quite reasonable.

I too wish the season were two months away. Such is my enjoyment of Major League Soccer. I wonder if Juan Pablo Angel does a video blog for Colombia or wherever he's from.

I am glad to see Villa have been upgraded to "unknown quantity" rather than the usual "big pile of shit". I think they will continue to be a big pile of shit, but will finish eighth, not ninth, as so many people seem to predict.

I shall be interested to see how MAN CITY get on.

I wish DERBY COUNTY well. Billy Davies (?) is waiting until the end of the transfer window to make his moves.

I think transfers are possibly more interesting than football itself these days.

Tevez will take about a third of a season to get going and suddenly become unstoppable.

Torres will be amusingly rubbish and this year's Shevchenko. Six goals in La Liga = lol massive flop in the Premiership.

turns out - we get setanta for free - or we do for now anyway, I bet they turn it off just before the season starts :(

Matt - are we having a bet on that?

Villa snap up American teenager
Aston Villa have completed the signing of United States Under-20 international Eric Lichaj.
The 18-year-old former Chicago Magic defender will go straight into Villa's Academy squad.

Lichaj is Villa's first American signing since the club were bought by Cleveland Browns owner Randy Lerner.

The 6ft defender, formerly at the University of North Carolina, will not be able to play until September as he is recovering from a broken foot.

"He signed a two year deal with options," said Lichaj's agent Steve Kelly.

"He was injured before he signed, but they saw his talent before that."

1:Man Utd
2:Liverpool
3:Chelsea
4:Arsenal
5:Spurs
6:Blackburn
7:Newcastle
8:Aston Villa
9:Everton
10:West Ham
11:Portsmouth
12:Reading
13:Man City
14:Middlesborough
15:Sunderland
16:Bolton
17:Wigan
18:Fulham
19:Birmingham
20:Derby

Derby and Birmingham surely certs to go down. Only putting in Fulham cos I hope they do. Either Bolton or Wigan would be nice though.

Can't see Spurs breaking top 4, it's more likely that they'll be pulled back by Blackburn, who've bought well up front. Everton never have two good seasons in a row, and Man City and West Ham have made too many changes to do well under dodgy managers.

I did not realise that the Charity Shield is today. That is TOO SOON!

One of the money teams is going to go down this season, dunno if it'll be Man City or West Ham though.

Presumably Man City when Thaksin goes to jail forever and the club is sued inside out by the government of Thailand.

I was thinking last night that Hargreaves could be a totally crucial signing for Man U and I can see them winning the Prem at a canter this season.

defend like bastards and try and nick goals/points, presumably

It means you're in goal, Ken.

Except that "anyone that can play a bit" includes Brutal Blackburn.

I think your criticism, ironically, would've applied far more last season or the season before but this season we've been far more adventurous. Not, it has to be said, when the likes of Pienaar, Arteta and Cahill are missing. The last quarter of the season has been lockdown mode. I think we were quite a decent side to watch up until around March.

We outpassed Arsenal for an hour at Goodison in December but contrived to concede four goals!

Blackburn play pretty attractive football these days, we're not in the era of Robbie Savage and Andy Todd any more.

Maybe I'm being unfair on Blackburn (but who cares? It's not like they have any fans) but they're unfair on the rest of us. Look at the Fair Play table.

(Also, the 0-0 at Blackburn was the 2nd biggest travesty of EFC's season).

if they defend like bastards/have me in goal against the "big 7" surely they'd like, have more draws??

Well, let's see - those 12 games:

Man Utd: two even games, lost both to late goals, one a penalty
Chelsea: drew at Stamford, offered very little in drab 0-1 at Goodison
Arsenal: tried to play the beautiful game, got caught repeatedly on break in bizarro 1-4 reverse; decent performance at Emirates, bit unlucky, late winner
Liverpool: never in it at Anfield, early defensive error settled game; Clattenberg debacle at Goodison
Villa: open, attacking game at home ends 2-2; total non-performance in 0-2 away
Blackburn: lucky to grab point in weak home display; undone by insane reffing at Ewood

Last season against the top four:
2-4 (from 2-0), 0-3
2-3 (from 2-1 with 9min to go), 1-1
3-0, 0-0
1-0, 1-1

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=vQx2_KQVkpI&feature=related

it was disappointing to see how far Everton ended up finishing behind 4th, but if this counts as a late-season collapse in the cycle than holding on to 5th feels like a big step forward.

good thread

Apologies if this has already been noted on here, but I thought this was interesting:

Premier League Winners......................Season........................ La Liga Winners

Manchester United....................................2000/2001.........................Real Madrid

Arsenal........................................... ........2001/2002..........................Valencia

Manchester United...................................2002/2003..........................Real Madrid

Arsenal........................................... ........2003/2004.........................Valencia

Chelsea........................................... .......2004/2005..........................Barcelona

Chelsea........................................... .......2005/2006.........................Barcelona

Manchester United...................................2006/2007.........................Real Madrid

Manchester United....................................2007/2008.........................Real Madrid

So since the start of the new millenium......

...everytime Mancester United win the league, so do Real Madrid
...everytime Arsenal win the league, so do Valencia
...everytime Chelsea win the league, so do Barcelona.

aye, saw that on soccer am on saturday.

who are Liverpool paired up with - Tenerife?

ROFL

Hamburgler:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/may/14/hamburg.bundesligafootball

I mean,
Hamburglar

Surely Martin Jol should be able to turn round the fortunes of this underachieving sleeping giant of a club oh wait

Hamburg are so going to punt Spurs out of the UEFA Cup next year.

i like martin jol, i think he'll do well.

will robbo also go to hamburg? i think he'll get on well with the hamburgers amirite.

your boys took a hell of an eating, etc

Thaksin puts the entire squad up for sale!

Best season ever.

You just knew that City were going to take the barking despot owner thing into totally new territory. This is Roy of the Rovers stuff!

One of them won't get out alive.

is there a Man City equivalent breakaway team to FC United and FC Wimbledon yet?

this is great. we'll have richards, hart, johnson and petrov, thanks very much.

can you imagine all the other PL managers queueing up outside, holding their handbags to their chests and glaring at each other?

Considering they finished comfortably in the top half and did the double over United it must still be fucking terrible being a City fan at the moment

I'd like to see some interviews with the head-in-sand Thaksin apologist dudes who were being all " 'alleged human rights abuses', what does that even mean, who cares, what's that got to do with football?" though

Wouldn't be anywhere near as entertaining as DIC taking over at Liverpool and fucking them up even worse though

that said, by this stage Randy Lerner's so ridiculously affable I'm becoming convinved he's basically a real life Hank Scorpio

I'm convinced Randy Lerner's going to be outed as a paedo or something, he seems a little too good to be true at the moment, as far as loaded American investors go.

you're just being influenced by his name

"I'd like to see some interviews with the head-in-sand Thaksin apologist dudes who were being all " 'alleged human rights abuses', what does that even mean, who cares, what's that got to do with football?" though"

i think they'll still be more concerned with the running of the football club, just that it's now gone spectacularly pear-shaped.

I'm convinced Randy Lerner's going to be outed as a paedo or something, he seems a little too good to be true at the moment, as far as loaded American investors go.

Our kit "sponsor" next year is a hospice for terminally ill children - who does he think he's fooling?

I guess it beats a deal worth about £8.50 with a presumably long bankrupt gambling website tho

will you be getting any money out of it though? presumably a charity offer, like barcelona's UNESCO sponsorship.

Thaksin is more of a muppet than Romanov at Hearts.

Not really sure how the £££ situation is with Acorns and Villa, I think Villa basically set a price for sponsorship which wasn't met, and went fuck it, let's grandstand instead

They've been fair spunking money into the Hospice for the past few years anyway tho

Avram Grant sacked according to the BBC news.

Heaven needed scowling.

Funny that its happened after todays earlier rumours about Mourinho having cosy chats with abramovich and going back as boss.

If Mourinho is the next Chelsea manager, I'll run naked through the streets of... wherever Avram Grant is from. Tel-Aviv?

Frank Riijkaard, surely.

No, I think you'll find it's Tel-Aviv.

aye, very good.

I'd love to see Dick Advocaat let loose with Abramovich's cheque book given how mad he went with Sir Minty Moonbeam's.

Mourinho as short as 11/2 with some bookies :/

Still 16s with Paddy Power. Rijkaard and Mancini both 7/2. Mancini would be a bad manager for Chelsea.

Carlo Ancelotti at 25/1 seems worth a flutter.

[As for his own reluctance to retire being fuelled by an ambition to overhaul Liverpool's tally of 18 league championships and five European Cups, Ferguson remarked; "I did my job of getting rid of Liverpool from the top a long time ago. The club will take care of the rest."]

!!

Comedy Ferguson vanity that. Liverpool have been more than capable of getting rid of themselves for the last 20 years.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/F10237190?thread=5493359&show=50

Trying to find the dumbest opinion on this thread is an effort.