Premier League

[CanadianSU]

 

[IthacaMatt]

Okay the transfer window is closed. What are your predictions now?

Mine are:

1) Chelsea
2) Man City
3) Liverpool
4) Arsenal
5) Man United (up from 7 with yesterday's deals)
6) Everton
7) Tottenahm

Chelsea have to be the favorites, and the only other team with a realistic shot of winning the league is Man City. I'm about 95% sure one of those two will win the league. The other 5% goes to Liverpool, if all their new signings end up as best case scenarios.

Nobody else is deep enough and complete enough to win the league. Arsenal (as usual) put together a good team that is one or two players short of being great. Man United only signed great players at positions where they already had great players, and Everton and Tottenham are good but nowhere near "winning the league good."

Pretty good assessment. I didn't think Chelsea were deep enough in attack, and then they went right out and got Remy. We won't be asking too much of him, so I don't think we should stress him so much that he gets injured. I now feel a lot more comfortable about Chelsea's chances. Before, they were one Diego Costa hamstring injury away from a losing streak.

I think City will feel the loss of Alvaro Negredo a lot more than they think. He was very good for them in the first half of last season. Now, they are down to 3 strikers (boo hoo hoo, right?), but Aguero has had hamstring problems off and on for a couple seasons now and is still not quite right, and you have to ask yourself, is Jovetic good enough to keep up this kind of form for a whole season?

Dzeko is a really good striker, but if Aguero isn't healthy, that takes a lot away from their point of attack. Yaya Toure and David Silva are both great goal scorers, so it's not like they are going to drop out of contention, but a lot more is going to be asked of those 2 midfielders, now that they are down to 3 strikers, one of whom is not so fit.

Liverpool really bought a bunch of promising young guys who you have to think are only going to get better under Brendan Rogers. We find out if he is the real deal this season, because he has really rebuilt this squad. Despite the loss of Suarez, they seem to be a much better team, if (a) Balotelli buys in to the team concept completely, and (b) they can sort out their problems at the back. Lovgren is off to a good start, but players like Can have to be as good as they are hoping. Moreno looked great, after being abused by Man City the weekend before. Manquillo looks promising. We'll see how they gel as a team.

 

[ImperialOrange]

While I see your point - Liverpool is explosive on offense and missed a couple chances, especially Balotelli in the first half - I think that Spurs' midfield was very good for a couple 10-2o minute stretches of the game, and if they had better finishers, it could have been a closer match.

Spurs are a decent side and they had a few spells of sustained possession In the offensive half without really putting the ball I to the box. I said a couple times "ok, we need to win the ball back here its been too long" but it never really materialized I to many clear chances. Meanwhile we looked dangerous on the counter all game and had we been more clinical with Sterlings finish after his mazy run, balotelli's 2 free headers or 35 yarder hooked comicLly wide, or Sturridge not ballooning multiple shots from the edge of the box it couldve been much more lopsided. Thus I thought the 3 goal seperation was about right at this point in the season. The return leg at Anfield will be more telling as to the respective talent levels of the two teams.

 

[ROCcuse]

Good business by Hull City this summer. Hernandez, Ramirez, Ben Arfa added to the attacking options and a beast for CM in Mo Diame.

 

[ImperialOrange]

Sturridge picked up a knock in training and will miss the next England match. I'm hoping he doesnt miss our next much but A) this is why I hate mid season international breaks and B) this is why we needed Balotelli.

 

[CanadianSU]

Kyle Walker is out. May have been stated earlier, but to play Mr. Obvious this is a huge loss for Tottenham. Here is my predictions

1) Chelsea
2) Liverpool
3) Arsenal
4) Man City
5) SWANSEA O YEA

 

[General20]

Sturridge picked up a knock in training and will miss the next England match. I'm hoping he doesnt miss our next much but A) this is why I hate mid season international breaks and B) this is why we needed Balotelli.

I heard 3 weeks out. It seems like this always happens to Liverpool.

 

[General20]

Kyle Walker is out. May have been stated earlier, but to play Mr. Obvious this is a huge loss for Tottenham. Here is my predictions

1) Chelsea
2) Liverpool
3) Arsenal
4) Man City
5) SWANSEA O YEA

I hope you are right! Swansea is a fun team to watch and have become a secondary team I root for. 5th seems pretty ambitious though.

 

[CanadianSU]

I hope you are right! Swansea is a fun team to watch and have become a secondary team I root for. 5th seems pretty ambitious though.

we got it. Top 5!

 

[ImperialOrange]

I hope you are right! Swansea is a fun team to watch and have become a secondary team I root for. 5th seems pretty ambitious though.

I like the way the Swansea squad Is put together, especilly with Gyllfi back, but we'll know more after the 13th. Winning at Trashford is impressive but that team really isn't, Burnley look solid mid table but they had them at home, and West Brom in Wales did what West Brom do on the road. Up next? Chelsea. Play them tough or somehow scrape a result then we can evaluate how high they can go.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I like the way the Swansea squad Is put together, especilly with Gyllfi back, but we'll know more after the 13th. Winning at Trashford is impressive but that team really isn't, Burnley look solid mid table but they had them at home, and West Brom in Wales did what West Brom do on the road. Up next? Chelsea. Play them tough or somehow scrape a result then we can evaluate how high they can go.

Chelsea's next 2 matches - home vs. Swansea and at Man City - give them a chance to open some distance early in the season. Both will be tough.

 

[General20]

Chelsea's next 2 matches - home vs. Swansea and at Man City - give them a chance to open some distance early in the season. Both will be tough.

And its looking like they may have to do it without Costa.

 

[ImperialOrange]

And its looking like they may have to do it without Costa.

What happened to him?

 

[ImperialOrange]

Chelsea's next 2 matches - home vs. Swansea and at Man City - give them a chance to open some distance early in the season. Both will be tough.

They have an Interesting match in between them as well.

 

[IthacaMatt]

They have an Interesting match in between them as well.

Oh sure, it's a very challenging stretch.

Having Remy makes me a lot more comfortable. He could easily get 15 goals this year coming off the bench and playing cup matches and when Costa needs a rest. Chelsea have so much attacking talent to put around him. He took that goal very well for France against Spain, and his movement was good, unpredictable, played out wide on either side.

Schurrle looks a new man since the World Cup. That's not even getting to Hazard, Oscar, Willian, and Fabregas feeding him. Remy will be fine in this squad. Nice change of pace from Costa and Drogba.

 

[IthacaMatt]

What happened to him?

Hamstring forced him out of training for Spain.

He needs a couple weeks off, but with these 3 games coming up, I would be happy enough if Mourinho limited him to the first 60 minutes.

 

[ImperialOrange]

Hamstring forced him out of training for Spain.

He needs a couple weeks off, but with these 3 games coming up, I would be happy enough if Mourinho limited him to the first 60 minutes.

Is he for sure out or Is it just precaution? Hazard left Belgiums training as well.

Figure with what happened to Sturridge these guys might just decide it its not worth the risk.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Is he for sure out or Is it just precaution? Hazard left Belgiums training as well.

Figure with what happened to Sturridge these guys might just decide it its not worth the risk.

I get the sense Costa is tough and stubborn. That's why he keeps coming back before he's fully fit.

 

[CanadianSU]

I know it isn't premier league but Albania 1 Portugal 0

 

[ImperialOrange]

And the hits keep coming. Jordan Henderson left practice yesterday with an ankle knock. International breaks 3 games into the season... freaking fantastic.

 

[CanadianSU]

And the hits keep coming. Jordan Henderson left practice yesterday with an ankle knock. International breaks 3 games into the season... freaking fantastic.

Is Skrtl healthy? Ukraine plays Slovakia today and well I hope he isn't : ) .

 

[ImperialOrange]

Is Skrtl healthy? Ukraine plays Slovakia today and well I hope he isn't : ) .

I dont think his injury was too severe but it's really tough to tell since football injuries are closely guarded secrets.

 

[ImperialOrange]

England win 2-0 over The Suiss. Welbeck scored twice (nice work United) on a feed from Sterling and the 2nd went from Sterling to Lambert to Welbeck.

 

[CanadianSU]

Friggen hell how does Ukraine lose at home to slovakia? 21 shots 2 on target THATS how. I need a drink... Argh. Bad call prevented a draw, Pyatov (the goalie) scored it as well. Damn.

 

[ImperialOrange]

9/13
Arsenal vs Manchester City, 7:45am
Chelsea vs Swansea, 10am
Liverpool vs Aston Villa, 12:30pm