Exactly, we're title favourites The way I see it we have an outside shot of having an outside shot of the title. So basically lets just get in the top 4 this season and worry about where we're going to put all the trophies next season.
I hope it don't happen but im expecting at least one of our signings to flop and us go on a bad run at some point. next year is when I reckon we will see how great we can be under Avb as theres too many new players to even think about the title but YV, considering your normally sensible ( apart from the prediction league) then for you to even mention us as outsiders shows you been drinking some dodgy water Lol
I said we're outsiders to be outsiders in the title race. Basically we could be on the fringe of a title race(just within 10 points of top say) but it's not very likely If our signings flop we'll just sign more.
I don't think I am being negative I think I'm being realistic and that you are being unrealistic to say that we'd push on until we were awarded a penalty,how can you know that? Winning two matches by penalties shows that we've been in the hands of refs who make mistakes,it's far better to score in open play then there can be no disputes like"Clear penalty" or "Never a penalty." I've also posted that I've forgotten what it's like to concede a goal which means I've taken notice of our defence which to me is me being positive and not negative Spurm. I hope we do up our game James because we need to and quickly. Arsenal have had good wins since their opening day loss.
similar to Newcastle under Bobby Robson, they where always on the fringe but never stood a chance, I'll give you that as thats possible if city or utd struggle with their new managers.
So City can be contenders but Spurs can't. I don't follow the logic. With the players we have brought in I would expect us to be fighting for the top. We were only 3 points behind Chelsea last season and we have added significant quality since then. We have stepped up.
Difference for me is that City buy players like David Silva, Yaya Toure, Aguero, they had tevez, kompany etc, all in a different league to us. Our spending is impressive (for us) but if you look at our signings, they don't really match these type of players but maybe they can progress to that level which is why I reckon if we're truly building a team to compete for the title, it won't happen this year but in the coming years. If this is a one off (because of the bale transfer) then it means we have to keep our best players and then sign players at their peak in the summer. Otherwise how can we seriously match teams like Chelsea over 38 games, unless they have a screw up of a season like last year.
I am not impressed with 'names' they finished just 5 points ahead of us, we did that with our inferior team.
Do we know how well all you signings will do? All are new to PL football. None have a proven pedigree elsewhere. Most are promising rather than established. It's nice to have loads of new players coming in, but having a big price tag and an being enigmatic foreigner is no guarantee of success. And even if they are prove to be world class talents, they might not gel together as a team. I'm not trying to put a damper on things - just being pragmatic; teams which win titles have usually played together as a team for a while, have one or two outstanding matchwinners who can turn games and a core of hardened, experienced players who have been the distance before. They almost always have a very solid defensive base which enables them to grind out the necessary 1-0 wins here and there. Spurs team is surely more of a work in progress.
All teams are a work in progress. To me it's simple, because I am not bogged down with names or watching other 'great' teams. It is obvious already that the new signings are of a higher quality. They just have to get used to their new surroundings and team mates and the level Spurs play at should improve. As we were already around 4th/5th any improvement would suggest higher, unless of course all 3 or 4 teams above us all improve as well. Looking forward to an exciting season with ALL to play for.
United were some way off the rest last season (albeit that was down to City not turning up) but its up to everybody else to catch them. I feel City and Chelsea will improve but Arsenal are catchable for Spurs and possibly Liverpool.
As an Arsenal fan I have NO idea how this weekends game is going to pan out. It's a weird one. This early in the Season teams are a little inconsistant - you guys have new signings that our looking to establish themselves (but at the same time will not have not experienced games of this intensity before) I'm going for another high scoring game. 3-2 to Arsenal would be my prediction.. Possible line-ups.. --------------------Lloris----------------------- Walker------Dawson----Vertonghen------Rose -------Sandro----Paulinho----Capoue--------- ---Townsend-------Soldado---------Chadli----- -------------------Sczezney--------------------- Sagna----Mertesacker----Koscieleny-----Gibbs --------------Wilshere-----Ramsey------------- --------------------Carzorla--------------------- Walcott-------------Giroud--------------Rosicky
None have a proven pedigree elsewhere? Paulinho just flukedbhis way into the Brazil starting 11 did he? If Soldado's not proven in Spain then who is? Lamela was very good in Italy too.
Title contenders? Utd - need Rooney to stay, need at least one more "go to" player who should be a creative/attacking midfielder, need RvP, Carrick, Vidic and Rio fit, need de Gea to keep progressing. City - need new signings to hit the ground running, need cover for Kompany, need to find theIr resilience again away from home. Chelsea - need more consistency, need to cut out defensive aberrations, need to find the best blend of all their midfield talent, need a cutting edge up front. Arsenal - need all their first team to stay fit all season or sign another half dozen quality players, need to compete against the top sides, need to defend consistently. Spurs/Liverpool - need all the new players to pull it off straightaway, need to reach a higher level of consistency.
Traditionally there is always two teams that are a cut above the rest, I think those days are disappearing and the gap between 1st/2nd and 3rd-6th is smaller than ever before.
Liverpool were as far away from us as we were from City and yet you bracket us together. This shows me you have the same syndrome as the pundits. You just can't see over the staus quo. just can't bring your self to consider the teams on their merits.
