The Round Ball Game - II

[Stanfordian]

Ofcourse, the Premiership hasn't started yet!!

With the new Premier League season about to start my forecast is that the champions will be from my beloved Manchester not London. Possible big signings might effect the outcome so I shall wait until the end of the transfer window before actually placing my wager. If things generally stand as they are now I will have a reverse forecast on either Man Utd or Man City to lift the trophy.

Come on you Reds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Lat-Literal]

With the new Premier League season about to start my forecast is that the champions will be from my beloved Manchester not London. Possible big signings might effect the outcome so I shall wait until the end of the transfer window before actually placing my wager. If things generally stand as they are now I will have a reverse forecast on either Man Utd or Man City to lift the trophy.

Come on you Reds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You may well be right. It is very peculiar at present. They all appear to be completely incompetent. Klopp lost his temper the other day. "It's August" he said. "Play football". That's all very well except the "injured" Coutinho could be going and Clyne, Sakho, Lallana, Henderson, Ings and Sturridge as always are being paid huge sums of money to be genuinely unfit. I have made the point about Robertson being bought as a left back answer but possibly not to be played. The defence still isn't to be trusted. There's Mane in midfield but upfront it is back to Firmino who is often considered not to score enough goals and the somewhat out of favour Origi. Arsenal have now overtaken Liverpool on injuries. They always lead in that particular poll pre-season - it's Koscielny, Gabriel, Gibbs, Mertesacker, Ozil and Sanchez if they are to be believed but that could just be a Coutinho like rebellion, Ramsey, Coquelin and Cazorla. Absolutely ridiculous. Lacazette may well not be what he is on paper, Walcott and Welbeck never have been and Iwobi still has much to prove. Two clubs. Two sets of chaos.

Spurs got rid of Walker and now Trippier is injured. They have no one other than Dier as a replacement. Rose is favoured over Davies but as is often the case he is currently injured. Son, Wanyama and Lamela are injured. Alli is a little out of sorts. And Owen was right. Janssen isn't designed for English football. One loss in a friendly and Chelsea have lost the plot. Conte fumes while his owner goes through a divorce. They won by a long way last season and yet the defence isn't good enough apparently. Alonso especially criticised which is odd as his defensive skills are supreme and he scored more goals last year than any other defender. They have got rid of Matic to a key rival - a player who has done more than anyone to deliver the Premier League title to teams in the past two years. And given both Costa's idiosyncrasy and Hazard's combination of current injury and tendency to take strike action, they haven't really got a goalscorer. Anyone could be forgiven for thinking that all these clubs are operating on a shoestring budget under managers chosen randomly from the streets.

[zola]

They have got rid of Matic to a key rival - a player who has done more than anyone to deliver the Premier League title to teams in the past two years.

That was Kante not Matic. But point taken.

Added to all the above, Manchester United have a very favourable early season fixture list while the other likely contenders all play each other. Mourinho's preferred scenario is to lead from the front, Lukaku can adopt his flat track bully persona in the opening fixtures and they can then park the bus for the difficult fixtures when they eventually come around.

[Lat-Literal]

That was Kante not Matic. But point taken.

Added to all the above, Manchester United have a very favourable early season fixture list while the other likely contenders all play each other. Mourinho's preferred scenario is to lead from the front, Lukaku can adopt his flat track bully persona in the opening fixtures and they can then park the bus for the difficult fixtures when they eventually come around.

You are absolutely right.

I think I can now allow myself the phrase "it was a senior moment".

On Manchester, I wouldn't place my money there either other than by default and as I implied that is pretty easy. Stan is right. We need to see what happens re transfers. I happen to think that the managers of the clubs I have mentioned are all good and have to varying degrees temporarily "lost it" whereas the two there are the great pretenders. Linedelof looks a dud and I can't see anything other than wayward chop and change in United's defence. They have decided against Martial. Lukaku is an A- player. He isn't A+. There is a goal per game which is good but it isn't Kane or Aguero at his best. Plus there will be injury, which will leave it to Rashford. Man City - the luck may be there with Pep G basking in undeserved glory.

Save your pennies - unless there is a Bale sort of game changer. As for the rest, it is all so incredibly weak you could almost back Bournemouth to come in 7th.

If I have to :

1 Man City 2 Man Utd 3 Liverpool 4 Arsenal 5 Tottenham 6 Chelsea 7 Bournemouth 8 West Ham 9 Everton 10 Southampton 11 Crystal Palace 12 West Brom 13 Leicester 14 Newcastle 15 Stoke 16 Swansea 17 Burnley 18 Watford 19 Brighton 20 Huddersfield

[johncorrigan]

If I have to :

1 Man City 2 Man Utd 3 Liverpool 4 Arsenal 5 Tottenham 6 Chelsea 7 Bournemouth 8 West Ham 9 Everton 10 Southampton 11 Crystal Palace 12 West Brom 13 Leicester 14 Newcastle 15 Stoke 16 Swansea 17 Burnley 18 Watford 19 Brighton 20 Huddersfield

Get down to the bookies, Lat, and get a fiver on...I wouldn't want to take the risk of that happening!

[cloughie]

Truro City's dream start to season following up a home win on Saturday with an away win at Gloucester last evening. Good to cheer after Owls lacklustre and everything else on Saturday!

[BBMmk2]

With the new Premier League season about to start my forecast is that the champions will be from my beloved Manchester not London. Possible big signings might effect the outcome so I shall wait until the end of the transfer window before actually placing my wager. If things generally stand as they are now I will have a reverse forecast on either Man Utd or Man City to lift the trophy.

Come on you Reds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not being biased there, Stan!

[Stanfordian]

Not being biased there, Stan!

Of course I am biased. But it is still my view the the next Premier League champions will be from Manchester not London. That's where my money will be; for what it's worth!

Spurs squad is too thin especially as they are in Champions League. No signings as yet as almost of the other teams have been strengthening. The Chairman does not like spending money. He would much rather sell. Possible may still loose their best player(s). Injuries to key players will be especially devastating for them.

Arsenal squad is all over the place. But can beat anyone on their day. I don't see them being consistent enough and they tend to lack steel. The Europa league on Thursday's is very demanding.

Chelsea have affectively weakened their squad. There is certainly unrest in the camp and the manager is said to be unpopular with some senior players. They have withdrawn their labour before.

Liverpool's effective style of attacking play has been fathomed out by other teams and cancelled out this season. The defence notably the goalkeepers are not top drawer. Being in Champions League play-offs will show up their lack of squad depth. May loose their best player.

Everton dispite their many signings are not the same quality as the above teams. Playing in Europa League 3QR will stretch them greatly.

[eighthobstruction]

....I cannot believe how many high level stress ridden, strength sapping, air flight jet lagging the top 6 have allplayed in July /Aug....Man u v Real Madrid tonight, playing for the second time in 2 weeks....wass going on....never seen the like of it....Matic to Man U excelent best signing of pre season/year....(what's the catch).....

[Stanfordian]

....I cannot believe how many high level stress ridden, strength sapping, air flight jet lagging the top 6 have allplayed in July /Aug....Man u v Real Madrid tonight, playing for the second time in 2 weeks....wass going on....never seen the like of it....Matic to Man U excelent best signing of pre season/year....(what's the catch).....

Hiya eighthobstruction,

As you will know Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has history in letting excellent players go to rival clubs: Mata to Man Utd and Čech to Arsenal spring to mind. It's risky strategy! Puzzling!

21.30 pm:
I think Nemanja Matić is playing superb tonight for Man Utd against Real Madrid; slotting straight in which bodes well for the future.

[cloughie]

....I cannot believe how many high level stress ridden, strength sapping, air flight jet lagging the top 6 have allplayed in July /Aug....Man u v Real Madrid tonight, playing for the second time in 2 weeks....wass going on....never seen the like of it....Matic to Man U excelent best signing of pre season/year....(what's the catch).....

All about CASH

[Lat-Literal]

Get down to the bookies, Lat, and get a fiver on...I wouldn't want to take the risk of that happening!

After the Kante and Matic error - completely ludicrous - I think not - but it really is anyone's guess.

Remember, mind, who said Federer and Muguruza. Although that also needs to be put in context.

He also said Aldaniti, West Tip and Seagram and then got everything wrong for the next 26 years.

(Edited - I even managed to mess that one up too)

[teamsaint]

One might make the assumption that Chelsea know something about Matic that Man Utd don't.

Edit: Saints sign player from Juventus for about £18m.

there have been times in the past when that seemed an unlikely prospect.
Lets hope he doesn't follow the pattern of many of our other record signings in being a bit meh.

[Lat-Literal]

One might make the assumption that Chelsea know something about Matic that Man Utd don't.

Well, there's a lot of that sort of thing and it works in various ways. Before people get too excited about Man Utd it might be worthwhile noting how the footballing skills have magically transformed Mourinho's opinions of what is likely to be the key forward combination of Lukaku and Mata. Both are unequivocally single. That's the part never spoken about the manager. In any other situation, it would have been exposed in the press long before now. Not them. Him. But the money and success talk, albeit that the Chelsea doctor nearly went all the way.

See also Guardiola and Aguero. Actually, notwithstanding Ozil being Ozil and the rest of them being the rest, perhaps the Gunners under "Whatever" Wenger could surprise after all.

[teamsaint]

In other transfer news, Saints fans are pretty equally divided about VVD.

Half think he is an utter ****, while the rest think he is a complete ****.