I post this from the Echo every season, always interesting to get the oppositions opinion... http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/spor...verpool-201617-season-premier-league-11724636 Arsenal Andrew Mangan How will you fare this season? At this moment in time it's hard to say. There are a couple of gaps in the squad which really have to be filled before you could be genuinely confident of winning the Premier League. Everyone knows Arsenal need a striker and to improve their efficiency in the final third, but the need for a central defender – in the wake of a long-term injury to Per Mertesacker – is now particularly urgent. It doesn't look as if anyone will come in in time to play a part in the opening game, so it could be a bit makeshift at the back for a while. Which player will be key to your hopes this season? Obviously people are looking at the new midfield arrival, Granit Xhaka, as somebody who can bring qualities to the midfield which have been missing. He's strong, a great distributor and has a bit of an edge to his character – a very welcome addition to a team criticised often for being too nice. I also think this might be an outstanding season for Alexis Sanchez, who will probably start Sunday's game up front. He's had some summer rest, and if he can come out all guns blazing he's going to be hugely important. How do you think Liverpool will get on? It will be fascinating to see how Jurgen Klopp fares having had a summer in which to rebuild his squad. He's brought in plenty of players, so a lot will depend on how well they integrate. You have to think he's identified guys who can fit into the system he wants to play, so maybe we'll see his methods implemented much more effectively than they were last season. I certainly expect them to challenge for the top four. Which, if any, Liverpool player do you secretly admire, and why? Alex Manniger, he's still going! And which, if any, Liverpool player do you dislike, and why? Life's too short for disliking players who aren't John Terry. Who will win the Premier League? And who will be relegated? I think it'll be Man City, provided Pep Guardiola can get his message across quickly. United look daunting too but I'm hopeful of another Mourinho meltdown. As for who goes down: Burnley, Swansea, Boro. Chelsea Rory Jennings How will you fare this season? Better. Much better. I hope. The signs are good and the feeling amongst our support is that after last years disastrous campaign we have got it right this summer. Antonio Conte is a breath of fresh air. He preaches the right work habits and has a totalitarian approach that this group of players needed. I think he has succeeded in removing the toxic atmosphere from the club. He introduced a games area on tour, the players have been having swimming competitions and the mood seems to be positive. He has been seen regularly working with youngsters as well as senior pros. Every interview mentions his communication, Remember Mikel saying Mourinho had stopped talking to his players? If we back him, he could do special things. But we have to be patient, it's a process. Which player will be key to your hopes this season? Eden Hazard. On his day he is unplayable and is far and away the best player at the club. Getting him firing again is essential; I would actually go so far as saying that our top four ambition is only achievable if he finds top form. The good news from our perspective is, it is looking good and I think that he is going to have a massive year. His body language is relaxed, he seems injury free, he's fluid, balanced, happy and has been pinging them in. How do you think Liverpool will get on? Liverpool got to a European final last year so they will be looking to kick on from that. Consistency was the problem for them last year and will be the key this year. In Klopp I think they have a great manager and signings such as Mane and Wijnaldum are two examples where I think the club have got it spot on. I think the trouble for Liverpool this year is similar to ours, there are so many contenders for the top four. In seasons gone by a Klopp team with the likes of Coutinho and Mane undoubtedly make the top four, this year, I’m not so sure. Which, if any, Liverpool player do you secretly admire, and why? Coutinho. Simply a class act. He was magnificent against us last year and his eye for a spectacular goal is unparalleled. Could quite easily have his own goal of the month competition every month. Marvellous player. And which, if any, Liverpool player do you dislike, and why? Not a fan of Jordan Henderson. He demonstrates an arrogance that doesn’t correspond to his ability. Who will win the Premier League? And who will be relegated? Find it very difficult to look beyond the Manchester clubs sadly but I think City will just edge United. City will be a force with Pep at the helm and with Sergio Aguero leading the line anything is possible. He is the best player in the league for me by some distance. Everton David Downie How will you fare this season? I think we’re probably the most unpredictable side in the league; Top class manager, some very good players and even more deadwood. Lack of signings is a huge issue for me. Providing that’s addressed before September then I can see us returning to the top 8 after a couple of years in the wilderness. Anything better than that is dependent on how quickly we recruit players that will improve us and I can see the endless pursuit of Stones and Lukaku being an irritant until both reach a conclusion one way or the other. With that in mind I think we’ll start slowly as players start to conform to the demands of Ronald Koeman. I think Barkley, Mirallas and Deulofeu will all shine and I am really excited at seeing Tom Davies develop as what we’ve seen so far looks very impressive. Which player will be key to your hopes this season? It pains me to say it given his conduct this summer but as things stand it will be Lukaku. Like it or not, 25 goals is a huge contribution to the team and if he stays I would largely fancy Koeman to improve on that by encouraging more service to him from wide areas – much the same way Graziano Pelle thrived at Southampton. Which, if any, Liverpool player do you secretly admire, and why? I used to be a huge fan of Jordan Henderson. I interviewed him the day he moved to the club and he looked like a rabbit in the headlights. To come back from the brink of being regarded as a big money flop and almost leaving, to becoming the player we saw around 18 months ago and successor as captain to Steven Gerrard takes a lot, particularly in the pressure cooker of a club like Liverpool. However, that was before all of his Grant Mitchell impressions snarling at Diego Costa and the like thinking he’s hard. I’ve gone off him a bit for all that nonsense. I’ve since turned my attention to Divock Origi. He’s a terrific prospect and I think he’ll be a top player in the coming season. Seems a nice lad as well. And which Liverpool player do you dislike, and why? In all honesty I can’t stand Daniel Sturridge. But similarly to Luis Suarez before him, a lot of that is to do with how good he is. I’ve got horrible memories of that awful wiggly arm rubbish that he does. I don’t like Emre Can either but that’s because of his hair and how he’s generally overrated by my dear Red friends. Who will win the Premier League? And who will be relegated? I think Man United will just overcome City by the time we reach next May. They’ve bought really well this summer and their players seem to be in tandem from what I’ve seen in pre-season. Hull - They are already down for me unless something drastically changes. Burnley - I don’t think they’ve done much in the summer in terms of Premier League quality. Watford – I think they’ll struggle after wrongly sacking a perfectly good manager at the end of last season Manchester United Ste Armstrong How will you fare this season? There’s existing squad players who’ve let themselves down with points to prove. There’s new players with points to prove. A manager with a lot of points to prove and a club who cannot really afford to not be winning at the highest level so I expect a very strong season. All of the usual title challenging suspects should be thinking big for the simple reason that they are trying to overhaul Leicester City. It’s not chasing down Liverpool of 84, Everton of 85 or United’s treble winning team. It’s not even chasing that ‘invincible’ Arsenal team that lost 6 matches. It’s a bang average Leicester team who simply cleaned up while everyone else kept laughing at each other for being rubbish. United have to expect, because of that and who they have onboard now to be title contenders throughout and treat anything less than not winning it as failing. Thankfully the we have a manager now who thinks like that also and isn’t just trying to make things difficult for Newcastle like Moyes did or having a weekly meltdown like Van Gaal. Which player will be key to your hopes this season? United still have issues in central defence so despite the firepower and creativity now assembled ahead of that it is there that will determine where it ends up. Individually Mikhitaryan is an obvious shout. I’m keen to see what influence Ibrahimović has on the likes of Martial, Rashford, Lingaard and even Depay. Cantona did more for the generation after him than the one he played in and it would be important for United going forward that Zlatan takes time from loving himself to do something similar. I would like Mata and Herrera to have chance to make big contributions and it would be good if Wayne Rooney, who will always be one of my favourite ever United players has a strong season. How do you think Everton will get on? Liverpool have a weaker squad than they had the season they nearly and should have won the league. They have a better manager than they had then and that makes a big difference. United have shown in the last three seasons and the 25 before those that the manager is everything. Can’t foresee any way they’ll win the title and can’t see them finishing ahead of United or City. So how they fare against the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea in that transition season and Spurs is key if they are to finish in the top 4. I genuinely wouldn’t care if they proved me wrong and won it. If it wasn’t United , it simply cannot be City from my point of view. If Mourinho and Guardiola spend the season pulling each other’s hair and calling each other names there’s nothing to stop an opportunist like Klopp filling his boots and putting Liverpool right in the thick of it after Arsenal fold in late February. 5th would be my bet. Which, if any, Liverpool player do you secretly admire, and why? Coutinho is world class. Head and shoulders the best player on the pitch in the Europa League games last season against United. Sturridge has everything bar being able to stay fit and having mental strength. Sadio Mane and Georginio Wijnaldum are decent adds. Don’t have much of a view about the others truth be known. If there’s anyone in there that’s proper dirty and fouls people a lot I’ll probably admire them for that. And which, if any, Liverpool player do you dislike, and why? I come from an era of having an entire squad of brilliance to choose from so find today’s squad hard to hate really. I find Sturridge’s dance offensive so I’ll chuck him forward and the Nivea adverts are still getting up my nose so anyone who’s been in one of those like last year. None of them have the Fowler ability to get right under the skin of United fans which is I suppose part of the problem. The ‘5 times’ thing doesn’t bother me as I’m a grown man , but the combination of him doing that after scoring for City against us put him right up there in a hate but sort of admire kind of way. No one in today’s Liverpool side has that ability. Who will win the Premier League? And who will be relegated? United should win the league. Those reading this who know me will know I never ever predict United successes and it’s a large reflection on the strength elsewhere that I think they could and should. Burnley need to go down because it’s too near for it to be a good away day out. Stoke can do one as well as Mark Hughes really bugs me. Swansea will struggle as well I reckon. If those three went and we got the best away day in the world to Fulham back, our most hated rivals Leeds for a game of unparalleled hatred back and Brighton for the long haul day our on our monkey bus I’ll take that over United winning the league. It’s almost worth going down to play those three.
They didn't ask the Everton fan how he thinks we'll do The United fan comes across as a prick with what he says about Leicester, he's got a point about the other teams eating themselves but they blew everybody out of the water
I'm not wasting time reading that guff But I'm not surprised the Liverpool Echo is printing it. **** paper full of the stench of fear. Where's that arsehole Tomkins btw? Still defending Rafa in the Championship on page 956?
It's just one of those lazy tropes, like "deluded" and "bottler", that get used all the time in lieu of actual debate. Fear is what I'd feel if a madman with an axe was banging on my door, or if Trump looked like winning. The fact that Man U might have a better side than us just sparks my interest in the coming season. Bring it on, I say.
I won't be underestimating any club this season. I don't think much has changed since last season in terms of the unpredictability. I genuinely believe the top 6 could be in ANY order between all the usual suspects (United, Arsenal, Liverpool, City, Spurs, Chelsea) although the most unlikely to finish higher than 3rd will be Arsenal. On Betfair the other day, the odds of 10/1 or less on clubs to win the league in each of the European Leagues were as follows iirc - France 1, Spain 2, Germany 2, Italy 1, England 6
