Football 2009/10 Season

[Tokyo Sexwhale]

FOOTBALL! SOCCER! NEW SEASON! NEW THREAD!

Who's gonna win the League?

Who's gonna win the Cups?

Will it be the last Premier League ever as we know it?

When are Villa going to fucking sign someone?

GRRRR! FOOTBALL!

[the midnight watch baboon]

SPURS

[actwithoutwords]

*Snippy comment about Man Utd*

[actwithoutwords]

*Snippy comment about Liverpool*

[Tokyo Sexwhale]

This is no time for your jokes TMWB!

Alright Premier League Prediction Time:

1. Chelsea
2. Man Utd
3. Liverpool
4. Arsenal
5. Aston Villa
6. Everton
7. Man City
8. Tottenham
9. West Ham
10. Fulham
11. Sunderland
12. Wigan Athletic
13. Bolton W
14. Blackburn R
15. Portsmouth
16. Stoke
17. Wolves
18. Bummingham Shitty
19. Burnley
20. Hull City

New singings, Arab billionaire takeovers E&OE

[ziggy starbucks]

very disappointed about england's defeat in the world cup quarter finals on penalties.

we woz robbed by the cheating foreign types and dodgy refs

[Tokyo Sexwhale]

Well the big transfer news so far is obviously Darius Vassell's transfer from Manchester City to Ankaragucu of Turkey.  If you think Ronaldo's reception at Real was impressive, watch this:

http://video.turk.net/video/izle/17374/Ankaragucu-Darius-Vassel-i-Ankara-ya-getirdi---ANKARA/

[the midnight watch baboon]

Here are my attractively bendy Premier and misc. Other preddo's

PREMIER LEAGUE

1. LIVERPOOL
2. MANCHESTER UNITED
   3. CHELSEA
     4. MANCHESTER CITY
      5. ARSENAL
        6. TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
          7. EVERTON
            8. ASTON VANILLA
              9. WEST HAM UNITED
                10. BLACKBURN ROVERS
                  11. FULHAM COWBOYS
                    12. WIGAN ATHLETIC
                   13. WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS
                  14. BOLTON WANDERERS
                 WYCOMBE WANDERERS
                15. PORTSMOUTH
               16. STOKE CITY
              17. BURNLEY
               18. BIRMINGHAM CITY
                 19. SUNDERLAND
                   20. HULL CITY

FA CUP: SPURS
lEAGUE CUP: CHELSEA
CHAMPIONS' LEAGUE: BARCA

CHAMPIONSHIP: QPR

WORLD CUP: SPAIN

SHOULDERS: STOMACH

[Tokyo Sexwhale]

Sunderland for relegation, seems a bit harsh.

They've got an American billionaire backing them up now, and Steve Bruce should turn them into a solid mid-table team.

Ha - and Spurs laughably close to the top as usual! I'm not making that mistake this season.

[the midnight watch baboon]

To be honest, I think Sunderland will finish 11th-14th but had forgotten about them until I got down to the last couple of places and lacked the heart to relegate someone else!

Strangely quiet, transfer-wise for Spurs so far, the annual mass turnaround of players hasn't happened as of yet. Harry must be on his hols.

[Tokyo Sexwhale]

Well apparently Spurs want Ashley Young and John Carew off us, and in return Happy Harry's going to offer Tom Huddlestone and some old tracksuits.

[Roy*Mallard]

Can't really see Everton doing as well as the last couple of seasons, due once again to our lack of finance and, in particular, Man City having a shed load of money to spend. Tho i did say that last year, so what do i know.

Would be nice to see someone else win the league this year and if Man City, or anyone else, break into the top 4, fine, as it breaks the stranglehold of the sky 4.

As for relegation, i'm going to go for 2 of the newly promoted clubs and Hull.

[The Boston Crab]

Haven't Everton (we) just got Jo back on loan for the season?

I know he's not exactly been a phenomenon but he'll score goals. With Arteta, Jagielka and a couple of also-rans fully fit, should at least keep the first eleven fairly competitive.

[the midnight watch baboon]

Realistic Spurs aims for 09/10:

• Beat Arsenal in the Prem
• Beat a Sky 4 team away from home in the Prem

• Qualify for Europa Cup
• Win a domestic cup

• Avoid traditional 8-12 game slump where we lose to all and sundry in timid fashion
• Achieve any 2 of the above 5 (to make aims more realistic)

Thank you

[chand]

Realistic Spurs aims for 09/10:

• Beat Arsenal in the Prem

I thought you said realistic?

I'm not making any predictions about the new season yet, so much depends on what's happening in the transfer window. Chelsea are looking for big signings, it's not totally clear if Liverpool will be able to retain Alonso or Mascherano, and who knows who the fuck United might or might not sign. [/list]

[confettiinmyhair]

I'm in agreement with Chand, best to wait til August for predictions. So many things to ponder

Will anyone break into the Top Four?
Will Ancellotti be a Mourinho or a Scolari?
How quickly will Michael Owen get injured?
Was last season a one off for Liverpool?

[richey]

Llanelli will beat Motherwell in the second leg of the Europa league preliminary round.

[Slaaaaabs]

Sir Alex obviously felt the need to fill that kidney shaped hole that Mikael Silvestre left.

[niat]

Sir Alex obviously felt the need to fill that kidney shaped hole that Mikael Silvestre left.

Are you sure that isn't a new Chris Morris character? It's the wobbly mouth, I think.

[Lee Van Cleef]

It tried to post earlier asking who this Obertan clown is, but the forum appeared to be knackered.

So who is this Obertan clown?

[Slaaaaabs]

It tried to post earlier asking who this Obertan clown is, but the forum appeared to be knackered.

So who is this Obertan clown?

20 y/o Winger/Striker in the Ribery mould

MVP at the recent Toulon tournament

Progression hindered by attitude

He look weird

[confettiinmyhair]

Obertan is a decent player and a shrewd signing by Sir Alex, no doubt he's still on great terms with Laurent Blanc who almost certainly gave United first dibs on the youngster. I've seen him play against the U-21's where him and David N'Gog tore England apart.

[Mr Colossal]

 I'm actually really pleased with the signing, and he could well be playing more games this season than people think.  He came from the illustrious Clairefontaine academy and he's been gradually introduced and played about 20 games of top first team football for bourdeaux each season, since his debut at 17- including champions league and u21 fixtures...  People are suggesting that he's 'off the boil' and hasn't lived up to his potential- but Laurent blanc found himself with a glut of in-form forwards (including a certain David Bellion...) and with the help of bagging Gourcuff on a season-long loan  (I was suprised Milian actually sold him) actually won the  French Ligue 1 title- so Obertan was deemed inexerperienced, and a bit of a gamble for a side challenging for its first title in 10 years (think Rossi at united), so was sent to gutsy bottom table strugglers FC Lorient- where he would play more games and learn how to graft a bit.


So 3 million seems a little bit of a steal, and it could be argued that he's had a better footballing apprenticeship than Ronaldo, before he walked through Uniteds doors...    I would imagine Blanc being a former united player has something to do with the price tag, and there's probably further incentives or some kind of special 'agreement' in place behind the scenes-  And he's another one of these players than can play out wide or center forward, so it wouldn't suprise me if he'll be developed to play both sides.




Other breaking news, apparently not a single person has bought an 'Owen' top yet...




http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=659544&sec=england&cc=5739




Amidst all the piss-taking and this brochure nonsense, I actually didn't realise he was a free agent.  It'll take a while to get used to him wearing a united shirt,  but i'd image the tide will soon turn the minute he starts slotting goals in...  So, providing he stays fit, it might possibly be the shrewdest bit of business of the season from suralex, who's slowly improving his squad, and still has the glut of the ronaldo transfer fee to spend.

[Slaaaaabs]

Owen doesn't have a shirt number, bit of a silly story.

Eto'o to United according Spanish rags. Doubt it personally.

[Roy*Mallard]

Haven't Everton (we) just got Jo back on loan for the season?

I know he's not exactly been a phenomenon but he'll score goals. With Arteta, Jagielka and a couple of also-rans fully fit, should at least keep the first eleven fairly competitive.

Jo's new loan deal was shown on a couple of sites (possibly including evertonfc.com) yesterday then quickly removed. However, there have been pix of him training with the rest of the squad in Scotland, so it's a bit of a mystery really. Reckon he'll end up being part of the deal which sees Lescott on his way to City - hope not tho. Think Jo will do well if he comes to us - after a full pre-season etc.

Yeah, can't wait to get the sick and injured back - just hope we don't have a start like last season - that was bloody awful and may have cost us a champs league place.

[Doctor Stamen]

It's too early to make any major predictions considering there's hardly been any transfer activity, though I can safely say that Alex McLeish will have been hounded out before Blackpool put their famous illuminations up.

[The Duck Man]

David N'Gog tore England apart.

I presume this is an entirely different David N'Gog to the one that plays for Liverpool.

[George Oscar Bluth II]

My Premier League prediction:

Arsenal
Aston Villa
Birmingham
Blackburn
Bolton
Burnley
Chelsea
Everton
Fulham
Hull
Liverpool
Man City
Man Utd
Portsmouth
Stoke
Sunderland
Tottenham
West Ham
Wigan
Wolverhampton

[Mr Colossal]

Reckon he'll end up being part of the deal which sees Lescott on his way to City - hope not tho. Think Jo will do well if he comes to us - after a full pre-season etc.

I dont think he'll go.    Everton come across as a close-knit squad that really enjoy their football- and seeing as they're a club that are still improving, and he's got quite a good rapport with the Goodison fans, I can't see him as the type of player that would trade it in to move to a team that have yet to prove that they're even capable of challenging the big 4 as of yet.  Whether Everton have come as far as they're likely to come, and have the finances to compete with the biggest teams on that level, is another issue.   If he was sensible he'd stay and establish himself as an Everton legend, be flattered by the city interest, and maybe wisely take the 'retirement-fund' move he's earned, if it one day becomes inevitable.  But if Everton strengthen again, I can only see a City Move swapping like-for-like, until they're good enough to pip a team to fourth. 


I guess the factors will be the player himself, and whether Moyles feels he can get enough out of City to buy the few players needed to take their squad up a notch.  He doesn't buy many players, but he's invested wisely when he has...     I know Jack Rodwell will probably eventually fall back into the defence and be his successor- but he probably needs a season or two's shadowing before he's experienced enough to go it alone there.

[chand]

Owen doesn't have a shirt number, bit of a silly story.

I'm reliably informed (by a guy who knew about the Owen signing before most people), that Owen is getting the number 7 shirt, which will cause howls of derision from opposing fans. And a fair few United ones. Still, there's not really anyone to give it to other than promising kids, and there's probably something to be said for giving it someone like Owen rather than Valencia/Nani/Obertan who'd then be viewed as the new Ronaldo and suffer the inevitable pressure that comes with it.

Eto'o to United according Spanish rags. Doubt it personally.

Yeah, can't see it after signing Owen. Much is said about having to have four top-class forwards, but in reality it doesn't really happen; the fabled 98-99 team was a bit of a one-off in that Solskjaer was an absolute freak of a player who got almost a goal a game that season and yet didn't mind getting benched, while Sheringham, despite being bought as a first-teamer, seemed happy just to be getting a chance to win big prizes toward the end of a very good career which was just missing some trophies (although he did go on for years and years afterwards anyway). I don't really think you could rotate Rooney, Berbatov and Eto'o in the same way and still have any use for Owen, not to mention the young talents. I don't think we'll buy another proper striker, but I could see us getting someone like Alexis Sanchez who can play a few different roles.

Quite excited by Obertan, not expecting too much this season but by all accounts he has the raw ability to be very good indeed. I think we're going to be giving youth a bit of a chance this year which is always exciting to see.