Yes, the new season is nearly upon us, so it's about time that we all made our predictions, that as usual, will turn out to be totally wrong. It's hard to see beyond the usual suspects for the Premiership title - Chelsea, Man U (please no!) and Arsenal. What about Man City this year, that would make a change. And who will the outsider team be that makes a good start to the season, we all get excited about, and then fades away to finish mid table? Obviously, now that the mighty Leeds are back, the Championship race is all sorted! Seriously, I'd be happy for a few seasons of mid-table obscurity just to get the finances straight and to dampen down any unrealistic promotion ambitions. I'd rather have the team in good shape with a good future, than a lightning rise back to the Premiership, only to come straight back down again. Be interested to hear your thoughts and predictions. Adam
Man City to begin to fall to pieces due to a squad full of money hungry overpaid players. Mancini to get the boot at some point. John Terry to act like a c*nt. Chelsea to get loads of lucky refereeing decisions and win games they really should have lost. Liverpool to carry on about how "this is their year" and end up finishing 6th.
Yeah, I hope the foreign owned over financed teams start to fall apart, so many players are just mercenaries now. I'd just love the Gooners to lose their susceptabilty to injuries and win something. Come on Arsene you've got 5 days in which to do something you have never done before, buy a top quality keeper.
I agree with the foreign over financed teams Bison, it is honestly turning football into a joke, you take a club with success, tradition, stable management and youth development behind them such as Arsenal and Man Utd (I am a Man Utd fan by the way) and you have clubs like Man City who are only now getting close to being able to compete because someone just comes and throws millions of dollars at them and offer ridiculous salaries to attract mercenary players. You hear stories of players in Man City in the youth squadron acting as if they are premier league superstars when they haven't even played a first team game. They are just hoping to buy success and through doing that, those are they only sorts of players they are going to attract. IMO they don't deserve to win a damn thing and I hope they continue to lose.
The problem with the money arguement, is that it's all relative. It wasn't so long ago, before Russian millionaires and Arab sheiks came on the scene, that the likes of Man U and Arsenal were paying the highest transfer fees in the UK. To be fair to those two, they have also always bought through a load of home grown talent through their own systems. That seems to be the difference with today's "super rich" clubs, they are buying whole teams for megabucks and inflating the price for everyone else. That's fine while the money lasts, but once it goes, you're in a world of trouble. It wasn't too long ago that we (Leeds) were in a European semi final and looking good, untill someone realised the chairman and manger were spending money we didn't have. The rest as they say is history. Trouble is, if we we're honest, as fans we're also a little bit jealous of those teams that currently have the mega money. where it will end, I havn't got a clue..
True about the Leeds argument. I honestly can't see it ending anytime soon for these super rich clubs. However I would love to be proved wrong on this. Perhaps there is an element of jealousy, however I would still much rather support a team who relies on bringing through young players and spending money on wise transfer targets and developing them all through good, stable and effective management rather than a club who just throws money all over the place (although I must grudgingly admit, Chelsea seem to be a lot wiser with their spending than in previous years).
"Man City to begin to fall to pieces due to a squad full of money hungry overpaid players." Darklord, Your prediction certainly seemed to come true at the weekend. How did Tevez miss that goal? Maybe the News of the World caught him taking money from a Pakistani guy on the quiet?
West Ham have had a great start so I can see us challenging for honours ... not. I just hope who ever gets the title this year it is not the Russian Mafia or Man U. We need another team to pick up the trophy... Go Blackpool!!!!
Not impressed with the Man Utd game last night. 2 goals conceded in injury time which took a 3-1 lead to a 3-3 draw. A few choice words were heard out of my room at 2am. Not happy. >:-( Still, Berbatov played well and got another goal which is good to see - I've always liked Berbatov and wanted to see him do well at United. Looks like he is coming good at last. Hard luck for your West Ham lads baptist. Would have loved to have seen them stuff Chelski.
Yeah, my brother's a Man U fan - you can imagine I was very sympathetic when I rang him up this weekend! Shouldn't worry too much though Darklord, much as I hate to admit it, I'm sure Man U will be there or there abouts at the end of the season..
Crickey I don't care who we beat at the moment, just want to see a point or two on the board! See the Arse are ticking over again, looks like the usual suspects already...
Fuck sake. ANOTHER fucking draw. At home to WBA, of all teams.
Well, well, what about Mr Rooney then ? Do you think he'd like Elland Road ?
Ah, who knows. If he goes anywhere I reckon it will be to Spain. I reckon most of this is coming out of the state of mind he is in regarding the media exposing his personal life. If he moves anywhere else in England it will only get worse for him. The media would have a field day with him turning his back on his club and on his wife all in the space of a few months. I don't think we will miss him hugely anymore to be honest. He has been beyond rubbish since he did his ankle in the Bayern game. Besides, if he goes, it will hopefully force these Glazer prats into realizing that if we are going to be competing for honors over the next few seasons then we are going to have to buy.
After the world cup I'm not sure I would have tried to keep Rooney, and they are paying a lot of money for him, to be honest I think they are playing pretty well without him, anyway as a West Ham fan as far a Rooney is concerned all I have to say is
