Max
Chaosite
Imagine all the people...
Posts: 610
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Post by Max on Aug 16, 2008 9:24:56 GMT
Football's back! The tiring summer of false transfer rumours that never materialise is over and finally the Premiership is back. It's once again "the season" for Liverpool for the fifth year in a row and once again Tottenham want to break into the top four. We'll have to wait till December/January time but TBH I think it will once again be down to Man Utd and Chelsea.
As a Chelsea fan, I'm feeling far more confident with Phil Scolari than I ever was with Avram but think it will be another exciting close contest for the title. Let's just be thankful that nothing is decided on penalties.
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Post by Ubereil on Aug 16, 2008 9:32:01 GMT
I think so too. Liverpool will get the standard slow start that they won't be able to rise from, Arsenal's too young (and lack a holding midfielder), and one too many of their star players are too injury prone and the rest just isn't good enough for winning.
Tottenham has got an interesting squad this year though. And Juarde Ramos is a great manager. I'm interested in how well Luca Modric will do, I've heard lots of good things about him.
Übereil
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Post by Elliot Kane on Aug 16, 2008 9:35:39 GMT
Man U and Chelsea with Arsenal acting as spoilers I suspect, yeah. As they proved last season, though, Arsenal don't really have the strength in depth.
Liverpool will do their usual 'Yeah, we're the biggest thing EVER' mouth almighty job before crashing to a distant fourth or fifth.
Tottenham... are still Tottenham, the poor guys. They're nowhere! ;D
As always, the Hammers will fight really hard and finish somewhere between 9th and 11th, which is about all any Hammers fan can expect! I sometimes think it would be nice to support a team that wins stuff, but why break the habit of a lifetime, eh? ;D
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Post by Elliot Kane on Dec 23, 2008 22:58:19 GMT
Well, this is turning into a right battle, with the big four stymied at every turn! Draw after draw, with even the odd loss! Are they getting worse or are the other clubs getting better? What do you think?
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Post by Ubereil on Dec 24, 2008 10:13:01 GMT
I think the other clubs are catching up, and in the same time the big four is losing a little hunger. They're not focused enough to win every game this year. Exept Liverpool, who lacks quality rather than focus.  Villa's playing great, by the way. And Tottenham managed to screw up this season too! ;D I wonder what happened to Juande Ramos coaching abilities, by the way... Übereil |
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Post by Elliot Kane on Dec 24, 2008 16:11:05 GMT
Ramos, I suspect, either ran into the language barrier a bit too firmly or his style of coaching just doesn't work so well in the Prem. It would not be unreasonable to think that different leagues have different pressures and thus different requirements to achieve success.
That and Harry Redknapp is incredibly under-rated, of course.
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Post by peterh on Jan 29, 2009 17:11:31 GMT
Yet another draw for Liverpool and it's right back to third place - and if things don't pick up it might be a fight with Villa to not end fourth. Wigan isn't a easy side to fight but we need to win these matches, dammit!
Sunday's match against Chelsea is vital given that the mancs are two points up with a game in hand. A loss Sunday could well mean the end of the title chase...
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Post by Elliot Kane on Jan 29, 2009 18:31:59 GMT
I think the bottom of the table - and even the middle! - is really interesting right now. The difference between 20th and 13th is literally ONE win! This has to be the closest prem ever and I'm loving it!  |
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Post by peterh on Jan 29, 2009 20:49:13 GMT
That is true, elliot. The bottom and middle is very close and everyone - even West Ham has a chance of surviving...  And I so do hope I'll feel better Sunday as I hope to watch the match with some friends... |
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Post by Ubereil on Jan 29, 2009 21:39:25 GMT
Not only is the bottom really tight, so is the top. It's the first time in a long while that three teams looks like they might win, and Aston Villa really looks like they can challenge for a fourth spot (even a third if Liverpool keeps this up).
Tottenham and Newcastle never cease to amaze by the way. They've got two of the most talented squads in England and are two of the ritchest clubs in the league as well (especially Tottenham) yet they keep ending up in the bottom/lower mid table.
Übereil
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Post by peterh on Feb 9, 2009 23:32:32 GMT
Aaaand Scolari has been sacked.
Part of me wonders if the players ever fully recovered mentally after the CL loss against United and the dramatic loss in form might be an delayed after effect. I'm not sure sacking Scolari is the right move at this point since it might create more turbulance than it will do good.
Chelsea isn't excatly known for it's patience, though, and imo sacking Avram Grant pre season to secure a very top name was premature. Especially since there's now rumors of a Hiidink/Grant constallation. It just seems to be a complete mess..
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Post by Elliot Kane on Feb 10, 2009 0:26:00 GMT
Yeah, I agree. Grant's only real flaw was that he wasn't Mourinho, but he did pretty well with Chelsea. Scolari has struggled a bit to settle, I think, and the players don't seem too keen on him, which can't help.
He's a good coach, but I suspect Chelsea were just notthe right team for him. I have no doubt he'll be winning stuff with another team, soon.
As for Chelsea... They need to stop star chasing and find a coach who can steady and then lift them again. By their standards, this season has been dismal.
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Post by Elliot Kane on Mar 22, 2009 19:18:07 GMT
We're really going down to the wire! This is awesome! Man U, 'Pool or Chelsea could ALL still win it! Man U may be in pole position right now, but it won't take much for the now-storming 'Pool to overtake. Interesting stuff.
As for the relegation struggle, everyone from 10th place on down could still get sucked in if they aren't careful. Be a shame to lose anyone, this year.
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Post by Ubereil on Mar 22, 2009 20:44:55 GMT
Yeah, United is under pressure now, and they're shaking. I don't think I've ever seen them as weak as they've been in the last two games, against both Pool and Fulham they seemed nervous of all things. First half against Fulham is probably the worst I've seen them play ever. The only one I thought did an ok job was Edwin Van Der Sar. It will be interesting to see if they can rise from this.
Great season though, probably the best I've seen so far (haven't been that many though, you could say this is the third).
Übereil
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Post by Ubereil on Apr 21, 2009 21:04:08 GMT
I just saw the second half of Liverpool-Arsenal (I sadly missed most of the first half). Arsenal had 1-0 going in, despite Liverpool having all of the play in the first half. In the second half Liverpool just exploded out of the starting blocks, going up to 2-1 and pushing for a 3:rd. Then out of nowhere Arshavin scored 2-2 for Arsenal, his second goal of the game. A minute later he scored 2-3, again out of nowhere. Liverpool scored 3-3 right after that. But Arsenal went up to 4-3 through Bendtner, though it was offside, so no goal. Liverpool kept pushing for another goal. In the 91:st they got a corner, but the ball went out to Walcott who started running with the ball. On the other flank Arshavin came in full speed. He got the ball and scored 3-4, his fourth of the game. Liverpool gave it all they had and managed to score 4-4 short after, scored by Benayoun. Everyone ran until they vomited. There were chances all the time. This was probably the best half of football I've ever seen.
Übereil
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Post by Elliot Kane on Apr 21, 2009 21:14:22 GMT
Coming down to the wire, now. This close to the end and still two teams could win it. Plus all the excitement at the bottom of the table, of course...
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Post by Elliot Kane on May 16, 2009 16:14:21 GMT
Man United got it after a hard fought campaign, so well done to them!
The really interesting part is still the bottom of the table, though, where the bottom five clubs are all still fighting it out to not be in the bottom three...
I can't recall a closer Prem season than this one! None of the teams really deserve to go down, but three must...
Only West Brom is definitely gone, and them only just.
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Post by Ubereil on May 16, 2009 16:19:25 GMT
Acually, if West Brom manage to beat Pool tomorrow... ;D Then we'll have a last fixture worth watching!
Übereil
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