Rival Watch Thread Watch

direct quote is

"When you look at the finish against Manchester City in New York, how many times have we seen Messi produce a touch like that? "

headline is "Sterling's pre-season form similar to Barcelona frontman Lionel Messi, says Rodgers"

i think the the echo reporter can be called a hack to basically make a stupid headline like that to sell papers.

 

so when messi bascially urn 6/8 kms in a game compared to 12/14 by ramsey I'd love to knwo how much real pressing and tracking back messi really does... it looks good for a few seconds when ball is close but the minute a pass is gone he's trotting.


I can't see cheslea building anything round anyone but matic... matic will be the key to chesleas set up. everyone else will build off that base.

 

I see Everton now have loaned Asti from Chelsea and the cycle continues.

Good for Everton this improves them

Chelsea are a joke and the rules once again look ridiculous how many will they have on loan in both player numbers and monetary investment I wonder

 

Think its a step down from who they had last year. Delafaeou (sp?) was promising and had clear quality. From what I saw of Atsu at the WC he looks like a headless chicken. Aimlessly running with the ball and ****e at crossing and shooting.

Chelsea's model is clear. Buy the best youth, don't wait for them or play them, sell them (or loan them) to generate money for big name signings. Its their way around FFP.

 

Normal service is resumed at BBC Salford HQ.

They asked all 27 of their football pundits/commentators/reporters to predict this seasons top four, 13 of them predicted Liverpool to finish 4th, 10 reckon man yoo will get 4th and the other four reckon Arsenal will get 4th place.

However BBC Salford moved the goalposts and manipulated the survey to suit their local club.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28778605

 

I laughed at Dublin, Motson and Neville who reckon United might come first or second

Every single one of the pundits who put United in the top 4 all say something like, 'they need to buy some defenders' or, 'they'll get top 4 IF they get 3 more players'. I mean, brilliant. I'd vote Everton to win the league assuming they can buy 3 top players - Messi, Ronaldo and Suarez . If they don't have them yet, how can you vote them for the top 4?

 

So....

Less people think united will finish ahead of liverpool than those who think liverpool will finish ahead of united?

Biased? No

Thick? 13 of them are anyway

 

Anyway most people choose chelsea last season, had united top 3 and liverpool 5th or 6th.

That worked out well didnt it. Couldn't have been more wrong. Even more uncertainty this time round.

Chelsea - on paper it should be easy. In reality they will struggle for goals. Their defence despite being the best last season has a new midfield in front of it. One that is less solid and will leave the poor centre backs exposed.

Arsenal will fly out the blocks. They will fade.

City have lost yaya, wipp lose aguero to injury and signed a defender who begged for chelsea to come in so he didnt have to go to joke fc.

Liverpool. Youre weaker. Much weaker. Also far more games to play this season. All in all a safe bet to finish lower this season. How many places? Could be 1, could be 5.

United - need players but the ones we have are looking good under van gaal. Weve signed a couple but still need a centre back and midfielder. Rojo and vidal seem likely. If they happen we will be right in the title race. Right now, 3rd or 4th.

Spurs....?

Everton. Wont be top 4.

 

It's your opinion on whether we'll struggle for goals, but how do we have a new midfield? We have the same one minus Lamps, plus Fabregas. The main reason for our defence being so solid last season was the way we played to compensate for our lack of balance at full back and in midfield. We will probably concede a few more because we have more creativity and a better first choice striker, but I disagree that our midfield is 'less solid'.

 

Your lot should win the league comfortably this season, with the squad and team you have. It will be interesting to see if you fail to win anything again, what the Russian up top will do.

 

We will see less of ramires and oscar in midfield i recon. With fab there he will be the first choice.

You will be more active going froward anyway so gaps will be there and will be exploited. You need to be if you want to win the title. Defending wont cut it and hasnt since 2006.

I really dont race costa either. Wouldn't be surprised if both drogba and torres outscore him this season.

 

Freudian slip.

 

Don't know about that: on paper Man City should be up there as well. But at the moment it's hard to look past those two as the top two.

 

Nah based on alot more than.... Oh theyve signed some names i know of so must be good...

Or the, city spent loads and have great players, reasoning.

Football is never that straight forward. City and chelsea have been favourites since 2003 basically. Basically, most seasons, the majority are wrong.

 

City's squad is easily as good and probably better than ours, so that's nonsense that we should win it comfortably. I genuinely think it could be anyone's this season. I agree we have to win something though.

Ramires was piss poor last season and Oscar faded by about December. Oscar will be our number 10 and rotated with Willian I think. Fabregas is far better than all 3 anyway so that makes our midfield stronger. We were crying out for someone like Fabregas at times last season who can actually make something happen from deep.

Agree with 2nd bit and I think we will be more expansive.

Costa has been magnificent in pre season, and was magnificent pre hamstring injury last season. Obviously it's opnion based on how we think he'll do but I think the British public in general are merely basing his ability on the world cup and games he had against us.

 

He may well have been. Against poor opposition though.

Ashley young has been brilliant in pre season. Against top class opposition too. Does it mean anything?

 

But Ashley Young didn't fire his side to the title and CL final last season!

 

Drogs, you should quote uir on the Costa thing. There isn't the slightest chance the likes of Torres will outscore him. Costa may not be a 25-30 goals a season man, but I think he will get 17-23.

 

No he erm, did something.... Probably.

Thats it, he fell over many times and tackled himself on numerous occasions. Thats something.

 

Based on his career to date, you have about a 1 in 7 chance of being correct.