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ManU is probably the favorite, Chelsea probably being second. Anyways, who else is really looking forward to this year?

The Bundesliga is starting on Friday with Stuttgart vs Schalke. Oh we´re going to kick their asses.

Is Bayern-Munich the team to beat this year or does anyone else have a decent change?

Block wrote:Is Bayern-Munich the team to beat this year or does anyone else have a decent change?

They are allways the team to beat every year - their central defense is istill not that good - the the match on monday showed that bayern will loose games to much "weaker" teams. They ended on place 4 because the lost to many matches agaist "weak" teams.

Well if Big Sam gets some more defenders in and Michael Owen doesn't get crocked as soon as he comes back I can see Newcastle doing good this season.

I'm an Arsenal supporter so obviously I'll be hoping for them to do well. I don't think Henry leaving will have a big an impact as many are predicting as he hardly played a game last season.

Another impact of Henry leaving is that the rest of the players will be thinking they're all top line players, instead of Henry being considered the top line with the rest considered below him. That could lead to a more cohesive team.

I foresee Reading having another decent season and frankly can't wait till sunday. Hooray! Football season is back!

atg wrote:I'm an Arsenal supporter so obviously I'll be hoping for them to do well. I don't think Henry leaving will have a big an impact as many are predicting as he hardly played a game last season.

Another impact of Henry leaving is that the rest of the players will be thinking they're all top line players, instead of Henry being considered the top line with the rest considered below him. That could lead to a more cohesive team.

Who did they bring in to replace him? Being in America I don't get all the news, they just show the games here on one of the cable sports stations. I like Chelsea, though I wish they'd play more offense with all the talent on that team.

Who did they bring in to replace him? Being in America I don't get all the news, they just show the games here on one of the cable sports stations. I like Chelsea, though I wish they'd play more offense with all the talent on that team.

Eduardo Da Silva was brought in, good player by most accounts.

Croatian international of Brazilian decent.

We're going to lose Drogba, Essien, Kalou and John Obi Mikel for the African Cup of Nations. That's going to be rough moving through Christmas.

Poor Dirk Kuyt is going to have to carry Fernando Torres this year for the time it takes him to adjust to the English Game. Shevchenko started to come alive towards the end of last season, so I've got high hopes, as long as he starts scoring in the League.

2000AD wrote:Well if Big Sam gets some more defenders in and Michael Owen doesn't get crocked as soon as he comes back I can see Newcastle doing good this season.

A Newcastle United fan should know better than to expect anything other than deeply comical failure.

Falkenhayn wrote:We're going to lose Drogba, Essien, Kalou and John Obi Mikel for the African Cup of Nations. That's going to be rough moving through Christmas.

Poor Dirk Kuyt is going to have to carry Fernando Torres this year for the time it takes him to adjust to the English Game. Shevchenko started to come alive towards the end of last season, so I've got high hopes, as long as he starts scoring in the League.

Well I'm thinking that he and Drogba just don't mesh well, so with Drogba gone, Schevchenko should play better. Is Robben going to Real or not? I heard both he and Ballack might be moving, but that it wasn't definite. Ben Haim looked really good when Chelsea played the Galaxy in LA, but then the Galaxy are on of MLS's worst teams, so I think anyone would look fairly good. Neither Essien or Obi-Mikel really impress me, but I think Kalou is going to be a really good player. Wright Phillips looked fantastic, but again this was against LA, so who knows. Is Makalele African as well or is he from a European country?

Block wrote: Well I'm thinking that he and Drogba just don't mesh well, so with Drogba gone, Schevchenko should play better.

Schevchenko seems to play supporting striker to Drogba, a lot like Inzaghi and Kaka at Milan. Put him level with another striker that isn't as dominant as Drogba; ie Pizzaro, and maybe we'll get cooperation rather than submission or competition. I'm not worried about Chelsea's putting the ball in the net at the end of the day, though.

Is Robben going to Real or not? I heard both he and Ballack might be moving, but that it wasn't definite.

Ballack is staying, Robben most likely going, if not in the present transfer window, than the next one.

Neither Essien or Obi-Mikel really impress me, but I think Kalou is going to be a really good player.

Obi-Mikel isn't a flashy attacking middy like Lamps is, but he has the ability to sit in the infield and dictate the pace of the game. Essien's work rate and versatility are off the charts, and he's made of steel as far as durability and fitness are concerned.

Wright Phillips looked fantastic, but again this was against LA, so who knows.

Shaun Wright-Phillips was standing in for Joe Cole, who was slashing through teams when he came back from injury though Malouda is absolutely outstanding. He plays with great strength and instinct, if not the lightning pace you'd expect from a winger. Shaun tries far too hard to be Cristiano Ronaldo, and he's nothing like the strength that Ronaldo does.

Is Makalele African as well or is he from a European country?

Makelele is a French international.

Crazy_Vasey wrote:

2000AD wrote:Well if Big Sam gets some more defenders in and Michael Owen doesn't get crocked as soon as he comes back I can see Newcastle doing good this season.

A Newcastle United fan should know better than to expect anything other than deeply comical failure.

Hey, it wasn't too long ago we were in the Champions League and not long before that we were runners up in the EPL. In between those we got to the FA cup final two years in a row.
We've had the tag of 'sleeping giant' for a while and it looks like Big Sam and Mike Ashley might be waking us up, or at least putting the coffee on.
I reckon we're good for at least a top half finish, possibly pushing on a UEFA spot.

2000AD wrote:

Crazy_Vasey wrote:

2000AD wrote:Well if Big Sam gets some more defenders in and Michael Owen doesn't get crocked as soon as he comes back I can see Newcastle doing good this season.

A Newcastle United fan should know better than to expect anything other than deeply comical failure.

Hey, it wasn't too long ago we were in the Champions League and not long before that we were runners up in the EPL. In between those we got to the FA cup final two years in a row.
We've had the tag of 'sleeping giant' for a while and it looks like Big Sam and Mike Ashley might be waking us up, or at least putting the coffee on.
I reckon we're good for at least a top half finish, possibly pushing on a UEFA spot.

You haven't actually won anything though

2000AD wrote: We've had the tag of 'sleeping giant' for a while and it looks like Big Sam and Mike Ashley might be waking us up, or at least putting the coffee on.
I reckon we're good for at least a top half finish, possibly pushing on a UEFA spot.

You've been asleep longer than Rip van Winkle

Seriously, though, how on earth are the Geordie faithful going to deal with Big Fat Sam's less-than-sexy football?

On a semi-related note I was at the D.C. United game last night. Beckham played about 15 or 20 minutes, he made some decent passes, but they had him almost playing defensive mid. By the time he came in they were down a man due to a red on a truly stupid and nasty tackle. United Won 1-0, and I had a great time. If Luciano Emilio could head the ball at all he'dve had 3 goals last night instead of the 1. But then he probably would be over in Europe instead of here.

Is anyone else totally apathetic towards this season? I am sure it's all very exciting - if you are a United or Chelsea fan. The rest of the teams - what are the point of them?

The Premiership is so boring. I always used to mock Scotland for their two-team league. Now we have one as well. Excuse me if I don't get excited at all by soccer this year.

EDIT - And United will win it all this year, and if they don't with the amount of money they have thrown around then there will be some inquest into who screwed up!

Ubiquitous wrote:Is anyone else totally apathetic towards this season? I am sure it's all very exciting - if you are a United or Chelsea fan. The rest of the teams - what are the point of them?

The Premiership is so boring. I always used to mock Scotland for their two-team league. Now we have one as well. Excuse me if I don't get excited at all by soccer this year.

EDIT - And United will win it all this year, and if they don't with the amount of money they have thrown around then there will be some inquest into who screwed up!

Because it probably won't be a two horse race this year, or at least it better not be with the money that Liverpool and Tottenham have spent as well.

There's a ridiculous amount of money being thrown around, I'm vaguely hopeful that for some of the middle of the table teams it'll end up backfiring. Then Reading can once again shut up all the nay-sayers. I hope they do that anyway, but struggling dressing rooms around the league will certainly help us.

Ubiquitous wrote:
The Premiership is so boring. I always used to mock Scotland for their two-team league. Now we have one as well. Excuse me if I don't get excited at all by soccer this year.

Remember what country your in, boyo!

I just cant get excited by any sport anyway, so I'll just blank this season out like the last dozen.

2000AD wrote:Hey, it wasn't too long ago we were in the Champions League and not long before that we were runners up in the EPL. In between those we got to the FA cup final two years in a row.
We've had the tag of 'sleeping giant' for a while and it looks like Big Sam and Mike Ashley might be waking us up, or at least putting the coffee on.
I reckon we're good for at least a top half finish, possibly pushing on a UEFA spot.

Fifteen points clear and you still didn't manage to win the league. That really can't be called anything but a deeply comical failure.

Tottenham will keep their UEFA cup spot for sure, and I think they'll challenge Liverpool for a Champion's League berth by season's end.

On the other end of things, Wigan, Birmingham and Derby for relegation. IIRC, Birmingham plays the Big Four and Tottenham in their first six matches; recovering from that, or even making up any points will be a miracle.

Crazy_Vasey wrote: Fifteen points clear and you still didn't manage to win the league. That really can't be called anything but a deeply comical failure.

IIRC it was only 12 points clear, not that it changes much. But if Keegan hadn't have blown up on live TV and if he hadn't have brought in Asprilla (good player, but by bringing him in he had to drop Gillespie from the team who was providing the crosses for the strikers) we could have won.

And lets face it, how many other teams can say they had a 12 point advantage over Man U? Or even hoe many teams can say they've finished second in the league?

zac wrote:You haven't actually won anything though

Actually we won the intertoto cup last season. Might not be much but I'll take it. And getting close is better than getting knocked out in the 3rd round or something.

hillary wrote:Seriously, though, how on earth are the Geordie faithful going to deal with Big Fat Sam's less-than-sexy football?

As long as it gets results no one gives a shit about whether it's sexy or not. And frankly when was the last time we had sexy football?

Actually we won the intertoto cup last season. Might not be much but I'll take it. And getting close is better than getting knocked out in the 3rd round or something.

That just shows how desperate for silverware you are getting

You know what one of the many things that pisses me off about the EPL is? The way Sky have to dramatise everything to make it seem 'emotional' and more exciting than it really is. It's cringe worthy, and is a testament to the general intelligence of most Sky-obsessed soccer fans in this country. I just know, for example, that my grandad will be lapping this emotional montage bullshit I am watching on Soccer Saturday right now.