The Big Opportunity!

I tend to agree with Sir Bowforfowler.
Liverpool are not competing with Arsenal and Spurs. Arsenal and Spurs are competing with each other for 5th. Arsenal and Spurs look like bottom 3 sides than top 3 sides.
Liverpool currently are light-years ahead of both. Chelsea are obviously a good side, but they don't convince me. Liverpool are competing with them for third. It does look at the moment that its a Manchester battle for the title. If City can keep squad harmony and the get a bit of togetherness, they will be hard stopped. Even Man United will be unable to prevent them from winning the title. City have such a formidable squad. Look at their bench yesterday?, £100 million worth of players on it.

 

Ha, almost every thread we have seems to descend into a free-for-all with Utd-even the threads on our own board which have nothing to do with them.
To be fair, they have some decent posters- but there's always so much underlying tension between the two clubs that the slightest ambiguity can spark a sodding row and all reasonable debate gets lost.

 

Which part do you not agree with then?

The fact that after finishing 2nd that winning the league should be a reasonable prediction? Or the part about most of us thinking we have a realistic chance of coming 4th this year?

 

So Biscan, I take it you'd agree with me that this guy's an idiot?

 

I never said I disagreed. You went off on a total tangent..

Oh nevermind.

 

You really are a rimlicker, would argue the toss with you but cannot be arsed.

 

Not an idiot... just entitled to his opinion. I tend to think those 3 will be too strong on the assumption they play as well as their squads are capable of. Their depth is far greater than ours, but we thought we had a great squad 2 years ago and look what happened. Nothing is guarenteed in football and that is why we all love it!

 

I think United have to be most likely for the title- it pains me to say this- but they're looking very strong at the moment and I don't think anyone will touch them. There have been a couple of recent campaigns where they didn't look the quality of a winner- but did anyway. This year they look the real-deal so I can't see anyone beating them.

City are the strongest squad on paper. They would have every ability to challenge if they had a strong manager and a unified team. As of now, I have questions about Mancini and the team doesn't looked gelled. If they can get it together they can conquer the world- but right now they look fragmented.


Third is a tough call; I think we [Liverpool] have a decent shot- although we are the rebels going against the might of the empire [Chelsea]. We're no weaklings- but I don't know we truly match Chelsea's muscle- yet we have wise leadership and a determined spirit which might give us an edge. Luis Suarezwalker is truly our new hope. We could pull off the upset- it depends on how well Chelsea perform- Chelsea underperformed last year.

I hate that Arsenal are doing badly. Over most of the last 20 years we've had a fair affinity with Arsenal fans-probably due to our shared enemies- I don't know why that changed over the last few years as Arsenal fans have sought it necessary to rub our nose in our recent misfortunes- they shared a common respect when both teams were doing decently. Still I have no dislike or Arsenal and wish them no ill will... They're a good team, with a strong pedigree; and historically truly nice agreeable fans with a knowledge of the sport. I truly hope (and suspect) they will eventually rebound.

It will be a tough year for Arsenal- but I see them rebounding back to 5th.


I've not watched enough of Spurs to accurately judge, but I would suspect they'll be fighting it out again in the Spurs-Everton-Villa tier amongst the "not quite in the top 4 quality" group- a good run and they could challenge le'arse.



Now, with all that said... it is rediculously early and everything can change... this is just an initial impression.

 

He's the world famous KPR, you haven't read his previous stuff?

 

Why is Elpistoleros magic feet an idiot? He's entitled to state his opinion without you making derogatory remarks.

So, I'll tell it as I see it.

It's far too early to make any predictions for ANY of the clubs mentioned here. Sure City and United have looked good so far but nobody knows if they can sustain it. Liverpool have shown promise and look like there is more to come. Arsenal look to be in a mess - but when they get their suspended/injured players back they won't be in such disarray. Spurs look as though they need to find some harmony within the squad. Chelsea got a lift from the new signings but still look as though they can't work out how to play Drogba and Torres. Plus their midfield build up is still so slow.

One thing I am sure of is that it is possible for all of these sides to both beat and lose to each other. Sounds like the basis for a good season to me.

 

FINALLY, some perspective

 

Liverpool are not as good as Chelsea, or Spurs, or Arsenal. They have been fortunate with the early fixture list and playing a severely depleted Arsenal team. I expect them to end up 6th well off the pace.

 

Its hard to judge Chelsea yet to be fair, they haven't finalised the Modric deal yet. When they do I suspect we'll see a different Chelsea.

 

Milk.
I tend to disagree with that. In no shape or form are Man United certainties for the title. I do agree that if City had more unity and a stronger manager, they would blow the rest of the premiership out of the water. WHL is not an easy place to go to at the best of times and City destroyed Spurs. I'm not suggesting Spurs are a formidable outfit as I tend to believe they are a tad over-rated, and Redknapp is a tad over-hyped as a manager. But it was as good a performance as you would see from an away side.
There was a comment on another thread suggesting that ''Liverpool may get 4th by default''.
That is the biggest pile of horse-**** I've heard in quite a while. Did Arsenal get 3rd by default in 2010 when Liverpool were going through a living nightmare? They took advantage of another clubs problems are rightly so. Liverpool are taking advantage of their problems, and would anyone expect them to do otherwise. It is after all a competition.
If Liverpool can keep up their momentum, I think they are the very least can challenge Chelsea for 3rd. Its too early yet for Liverpool to be considered champions but its not very far away though. From 6th to 3rd added with a cup or two would be a wonderful transformation. It wouldn't be considered a success, it would only be considered progress.
John Henry has said in his latest interview, he will not let Liverpool rest on their laurels on and off the pitch. He said there will be annual investment in the squad. In other words the more progress, the more investment.
He's not inclined to turn the tap off like Hicks and Gillett did in 2009 when we were 2-3 players short of making that final step. I reckon if we are close to making that final step, John Henry will ensure we do make that final step.

 

Arsenal or chelsea you could argue about but spurs

We have a much better squad than last season and you have strengthened by doing what?

 

Spuds and Arsenal are both terrible. I for one will be embarrassed if we can't finish ahead of them loser's and I don't think we should be talking about them we should be aiming for 3rd place ahead of Chelsea.

 

Sorry only an idiot would think Arsenal and Spurs are title contenders. They look more like bottom 3 than top 3.
Okay they both had difficult fixtures, Spurs had Man United and Man City and Arsenal had Man United away and Liverpool at home, but you have to play these teams at some stage, so its not really an excuse. The fixture list is made by a computer that takes certain things into consideration ie clubs from the same city playing at home on alternate weekends. In Arsenals case they and Spurs can't play at home the same weekend. So overall its fair and is not in any shape or form unfair on anyone.

 

The thing your red-tinted spectacles can't see is it is a new season and an opportunity for everybody in and around the top 6. It is up to them to make sure the personnel are in place and the tactics employed to take the opportunity over 38 games. To make such bold claims after 3 games is something that ManUSA and ManArab can do, money and success allow them to. How does your side look with injuries to 2 or 3 key players or more? It is a long season, why not keep this sort of blind optimism on your board? Who knows, you may find somebdody who agrees with you!

 

The fixture list isn't made by a computer.
It's virtually picked.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/paulfletcher/2009/06/secrets_of_the_fixture_compute.html

 

There's only been 3 games (2 in Spurs' case). How can you make such definitive judgements on teams?