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Post by sweeper on Aug 6, 2015 21:19:01 GMT -5
The fun starts again this weekend. I don't think either Man City or Chelsea helped themselves this offseason and I doubt John Terry will be able to perform at the same level as last season. I see Man U and Arsenal leading the pack this year with Arsenal coming out ahead. Stoke and Crystal Palace will be surprises and be in the hunt for Europe. I hope Aston Villa and Guzan can turn it around but I am afraid they will be in the relegation battle.
Top 4: Arsenal Man U Chelsea Man City
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Post by trilion on Aug 6, 2015 21:38:34 GMT -5
Being a Gooner, I hope you are spot on, but I believe we need a little help down the spine. Love Girou, but we need an additional forward, don't believe he'll remain healthy ffor the long season, Not a big fan of Mertesacker, he's keen to lose a couple from a lack of positional focus. Czec was a great addition, but keeping was not an issue in the BPL, but I believe he'll add a significant amount of confidence in CL, hopefully Wenger will play him in CL, in the past he's normally played the second. Looking forward to a great year!
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Post by reinalocura on Aug 6, 2015 21:50:49 GMT -5
Being a Gooner, I hope you are spot on, but I believe we need a little help down the spine. Love Girou, but we need an additional forward, don't believe he'll remain healthy ffor the long season, Not a big fan of Mertesacker, he's keen to lose a couple from a lack of positional focus. Czec was a great addition, but keeping was not an issue in the BPL, but I believe he'll add a significant amount of confidence in CL, hopefully Wenger will play him in CL, in the past he's normally played the second. Looking forward to a great year! I so agree with your Mertesacker comment. I like Giroud - he's not the best, but I always end up enjoying watching him play. He doesn't take himself so seriously and he likes to have fun. I do like Cazorla, Ozil, Alexis and BELLERIN! It IS going to be a great year to be a gunner!
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Post by soccertwins on Aug 6, 2015 22:04:28 GMT -5
Gunners!!!
Any chance we sign Benzema? That would be wicked!
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Post by stevieg on Aug 7, 2015 6:53:53 GMT -5
Here's my top 7. Gunners supporters rejoice (although I'm always wrong and wishful about ManU stinking it up again like 2 years ago).
1-Arsenal - CL QF 2-Chelsea- CL Semis 3-Man City - CL Rd of 16 4-Liverpool - FA Cup winners, EL Rd of 16 5-Man Utd - CL Rd of 16 6-Spurs - EL QF 7-Stoke - League Cup winners
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Post by Soccerhouse on Aug 7, 2015 8:06:03 GMT -5
I'm similar, going with 1-Arsenal 2-Chelsea 3-Man City 4-Man U 5-Spurs 6-Liverpool
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Post by zizou on Aug 7, 2015 8:38:25 GMT -5
Being a Gooner, I hope you are spot on, but I believe we need a little help down the spine. Love Girou, but we need an additional forward, don't believe he'll remain healthy ffor the long season, Not a big fan of Mertesacker, he's keen to lose a couple from a lack of positional focus. Czec was a great addition, but keeping was not an issue in the BPL, but I believe he'll add a significant amount of confidence in CL, hopefully Wenger will play him in CL, in the past he's normally played the second. Looking forward to a great year! I so agree with your Mertesacker comment. I like Giroud - he's not the best, but I always end up enjoying watching him play. He doesn't take himself so seriously and he likes to have fun. I do like Cazorla, Ozil, Alexis and BELLERIN! It IS going to be a great year to be a gunner! The team were made by the play of Francis Coquelin after Wenger recalled him. He is the key as far as I am concerned. In this regard, I thought finding another quality holding mid should have been the top priority for this transfer window.
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Post by stevieg on Aug 7, 2015 8:42:24 GMT -5
Arsenal's biggest problem is the lack of depth in the spine. Cech, Mertesacker, Cocquelin, Ramsey, Sanchez. Lose any of them and they may have trouble staying on top.
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Post by sweeper on Aug 7, 2015 9:08:53 GMT -5
Arsenals biggest problem is a coach who has not kept up with the development of the game and who plays favorites (especially if the player is french). Playing a a high line with Mertesacker against Liverpool 2 seasons ago showed me that the once brilliant Wenger had lost it. Mistakes have been adding up since then, playing Ozil out left instead of in the center, keeping Podolski on the bench, keeping Giroud on the roster. The players are there to win this season we just have to hope Wenger does not mess it up. Any other top coach with this collection of players and we would be talking dynasty.
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Post by jack4343 on Aug 7, 2015 22:38:51 GMT -5
Come on you Gunners! Cautiously optimistic about this season. I agree with Zizou...the miraculous play of Coquelin was so out of left field. They need him to continue this year. I'm back and forth on Giroud. When he's in form, it seems so easy for them but when he hits a rough patch...oh boy. They might not be done in the transfer window and much talk about Benzema. Not sure it will happen but sometimes where there's smoke there's fire. Here's my top 4...
1. Arsenal 2. Manchester United 3. Chelsea 4. Tottenham Hotspurs (ack!)
5. Manchester City (doubt Pellegrini lasts the season) 6. Liverpool (iffy about this because I don't think Rodgers lasts the season either)
Surprises..Stoke City and Crystal Palace
Regulation battle: Bournemouth, Norwich City, Leicester City and Aston Villa
Player of the year: Alexis Sanchez
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Post by special1 on Aug 7, 2015 22:57:43 GMT -5
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Post by stevieg on Aug 8, 2015 19:48:40 GMT -5
Well, you didn't win today
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Post by jack4343 on Aug 9, 2015 19:10:14 GMT -5
But my Gunners did...ouch...Cech please! Lol! Only 37 more to go! Glad Giroud was ok. He looked unconscious for a bit.
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Post by stevieg on Aug 9, 2015 19:32:13 GMT -5
Good win for the Reds at Stoke even if the game was a snoozer for 85 minutes. A win over Bournemouth and we can go to the Emirates and settle for a draw.
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Post by reinalocura on Aug 10, 2015 1:15:08 GMT -5
But my Gunners did...ouch...Cech please! Lol! Only 37 more to go! Glad Giroud was ok. He looked unconscious for a bit. That was rough to watch - the game and that collision. Blech. Could have saved the money and played the keepers we had and been in the game.
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Post by special1 on Sept 2, 2015 22:06:48 GMT -5
Without getting to deep into numbers and this crazy transfer window schedule, I will say Man city spent quickly and very well hence they are looking really sharp, along with a fairly easy early schedule, it won't be easy for them to drop points. As a BPL fan and Chelsea supporter, I'm not happy about the way things started, Players look slow and tired, Mou is over managing everything. I think this international break is good for Mou and players to come back with better energy and with the window closed. The new players who all are ready to play, they will turn it around, I'm sure Hazard will turn it around. Ivanovic needs rest and fabregas is not on form. Chelsea's weakness is in the midfield. Arsenal will continue to be top 4 and Liverpool top 6 lets just be realistic. United may be somewhere in the middle of the pack. I don't think it will be far fetched to find Crystal Palace, Everton, Southampton or Swansea in top 4.
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Post by totaalvoetbal on Sept 10, 2015 13:59:20 GMT -5
I don't think it will be far fetched to find Crystal Palace, Everton, Southampton or Swansea in top 4. I think that is pretty debatable, especially about Crystal Palace. Everton and Southampton are very good. However, Southampton didn't do much to improve their team this year, they just got decent replacements for people they lost. I always like Everton, but depth is always a question for them. Swansea is good, but if Gomis goes cold, who else can get them? Crystal Palace is alright, their defense isn't great and Bolasie, Zaha, and their forward crew are extremely streaky. Although, I am a Newcastle fan, so maybe I just wish we were in the discussion of top 4. We really have to work our way up and make sure we get a top half finish this year.
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Post by jack4343 on Oct 4, 2015 13:02:42 GMT -5
6. Liverpool (iffy about this because I don't think Rodgers lasts the season either) Wow...Rogers sacked today after Derby draw with Everton.
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Post by jash on Oct 4, 2015 13:07:35 GMT -5
6. Liverpool (iffy about this because I don't think Rodgers lasts the season either) Wow...Rogers sacked today after Derby draw with Everton. Yeah, scratching my head over the timing.
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Post by stevieg on Oct 4, 2015 13:10:12 GMT -5
It was already decided. International break coming up. Nice guy and solid coach, but the time had come.
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Post by jash on Oct 4, 2015 14:07:15 GMT -5
Maybe Liverpool and Chelsea will just trade managers.
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Post by stevieg on Oct 4, 2015 15:46:47 GMT -5
Actually, I expect us to bring in Klopp. I think Ancelotti is waiting to see if Van Gaal gets yanked by Christmas (not likely). I also think that Chelsea are in a real tough spot. Who can they possibly bring in to replace Moaninho? The egos on that club would not work well with a young manager. Ironically, best available man is Ancelotti, but he would never go back after how he was treated (although you could have said the same about Jose).
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Post by rifle on Oct 4, 2015 16:53:55 GMT -5
Klopp definitely has led teams to success, but the end of his run at Dortmund was less than stellar. His replacement meanwhile improved the team dramatically (and immediately) despite losing some star players. I don't really see Klopp being what Liverpool need. Liverpool is a tough assignment given the history and supporters.
Prediction: LFC finish this season in 13th.
I wish Rodgers had brought in a style like he used at Swansea... will be curious to see where he lands after this one. Probably not Sunderland.
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