Ready to Bounce? (An EPL 06/07 Preview)
Well, I know it's not gonna change anything, with the Money Bags FC (Chelsea) are predictably favourites to win their third title in a row. And if they do, I think we'll need introduce some cockeyed rules like what the F1 body did when Ferrari & Michael Schumacher were bitchslapping McLaren, Renault, BMW, left right centre.
I am not sure whether Arsenal, Man Utd, Liverpool will be able to wrest the title from Chelsea, fingers crossed. Actually, come to think of it, I don't REALLY mind seeing Chelsea or (pride-swallowing gulp) Man Utd winning the league if Arsenal don't. Not Liverpool. My hatred for them knows no boundaries - thanks to their ever-cocky supporters - the same bunch that support shitty England. It's great to see them talk cock and still not win the league in the last 16 years. Will that change? Hopefully not!
I am not sure whether Arsenal, Man Utd, Liverpool will be able to wrest the title from Chelsea, fingers crossed. Actually, come to think of it, I don't REALLY mind seeing Chelsea or (pride-swallowing gulp) Man Utd winning the league if Arsenal don't. Not Liverpool. My hatred for them knows no boundaries - thanks to their ever-cocky supporters - the same bunch that support shitty England. It's great to see them talk cock and still not win the league in the last 16 years. Will that change? Hopefully not!
Spurs, Arsenal's putatively mortal enemies, have made some interesting buys thus I believe we can't write them off - they should be there among the top 5, snapping at the heels of the top teams. Dennis Bergkamp, Sol Campbell, Robert Pires (hopefully Ashley Cole and Reyes too!) have all but departed the club. On paper, it looks like a severe depletion of experience. But, in hindsight, Arsenal did went beyond expectations to reach the Champions League final last season - and they were assisted by Scrat the Squirrel. Their youngsters have considerably stepped up to the plate and delivered. Though, I'm not sure whether they are capable of taking on a barbarous team like Bolton.
Here are my picks of players from the top 4 teams that I believe is the best in their position (if all are fit):
GOALKEEPER - Cech, Lehmann, Van de Sar, Reina?
Strongest: Cech, Weakest: Reina
LEFT BACK - Clichy, Heinze, Bridge, Riise?
Strongest: Heinze, Weakest: Clichy
RIGHT BACK - Eboue, Neville, Finnan, Ferrero?
Strongest: Neville, Weakest: Ferrero
CENTREBACK - Toure & Senderos, Ferdinand & Brown, Carragher & Hyypia, Terry & Carvalho?
Strongest: Terry & Toure, Weakest: Carvalho & Brown
LEFT MIDFIELDER - Rosicky, Kewell, Giggs, Cole?
Strongest: Cole, Weakest: Giggs
RIGHT MIDFIELDER - Hleb, Pennant, Ronaldo, Robben?
Strongest: Robben, Weakest: Pennant
CENTRE MIDFIELDER - Gilberto & Fabregas, Gerrard & Alonso, Scholes & Carrick, Ballack & Makalele?
Strongest: Ballack & Gerrard, Weakest: Gilberto & Scholes
STRIKER - Henry & Van Persie, Rooney & Saha, Fowler & Bellamy, Shevchenko & Drogba?
Strongest: Henry & Shevchenko, Weakest: Fowler & Saha
Add these into the mix and;
2006/07 Standings
1) Chelsea
2) Arsenal/Liverpool
3) Liverpool/Arsenal
4) Tottenham
5) Man Utd
I dont think Man Utd will be that low down the table :P
ReplyDeleteTerry is a good centreback but if he played like in the community shield...problems for Chelsea and England,which wouldn't bother you too much eh?..you German u :P
Cocky? Walski? Naaaah....
ReplyDeleteHeh-heh... nice and fair analysis, though.
Benitez has said that this is the year, but frankly, Liverpool will have to play a lot better than last night if they have any aspirations of dethroning Chelsea. Last night was an out-of-sorts Chelsea... Shevchenko was impressive though, having adapted to England in such a short time (having an American wife may have something to do with it), and he's definitely the man to watch this season, provided he stays fit.
Now, that wasn't a very cocky comment now, was it? ;-)
Hey looks like I have found another football freak here :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my site. Bet you are glad the new season starts. My team Aachen has had a bad start though :( Oh well, it can only become better!
Oii! Oii! Oii! Since when you become a fortune-teller? LOL
ReplyDeleteMan Utd.. no.5? :((
Hmm...Keropok, where are you???
footy Well, if you compare player to player - Man Utd's squad looks the ricketiest of the 5. Terry is good, but somehow thought that he only needed to show up at the Community Shield to win it. Yes, more problems for England, more celebration for me! Deutschland!! :-)
ReplyDeletewalksi69 Well I'll be damned. A humble liverpool supporter - thought your kind were extinct! LOL! The Community Shield game was just too deadening, and doesn't mean anything. Chelsea WILL come back stronger.
stef Yes, I breath football, though I like to keep my blog diversified. Thanks for visiting. :-)
jemima No no no...I'm not fortune-telling, just remonstrating a fact. ;-) As I have mentioned, on paper, Man Utd look the feeblest of the top 5 teams to maintain consistency. But Man Utd is Man Utd.
I think... I'd go along with the Gerrard and Alonso team. And no, it's not because Alonso is my new found eye candy :P
ReplyDeleteYeah, bloody hell... Man Utd at number 5???
ReplyDeleteWhat's with putting undue presure on us, Daniel... trying to psyche us up to failure or wot?
At best, we'd be number 7 I think. KNNCCB!
there's not much to choose from for me, so I go for Spurs... not ARSEnal, Chelski, Liverfool or Man-U
ReplyDeleteinteresting analysis - i agree with most of the findings, with the exception of a few but overall, it looks like a daunting task to win the title from chelsea again..
ReplyDeletebtw, didn't know you're anti-liverpool...hehe
sha Alonso an eye candy? He's an eye dengue to me! LOL!
ReplyDeletekeropok Well, unless Ferguson signs a player like Gattuso, it'll be tough for them this season. But they always play well as a team, so it should be interesting. For the rest, KNNCCB means Kan Ni Na Chau Chee Bai...Keropok's way of saying Man Utd will win the treble... :-)
lex Spurs? $@#%!! Well, at least it's not Liverpool. :-P BTW, it's ARSEnal, Chelski, Liverfool and Manure... :-) My compadre Rav tho has other ideas - he calls Liverfool, the Livercunts...LOL!
laksa I do hope Chelski will self-combust this season, but with Sheva on their side, that will be tough. As long as they lose at least ONCE, I'll be fine.. :-) And no, I'm not anti-Liverpool - that's an understatement!
Huh?? ManUtd no. 5 ? You're gonna get it!!!!
ReplyDeleteI so hate Chelsea. Hehehe
bah, you ppl are just jealous that we've won champions league 5 times now. hehehe...
ReplyDeletei think man yoo will crash and burn, unless they make some good signings soon..
and the arse? well, central defence looks light, and with senderos injured for a while..looks almost like a bunch of school boys in there. never the less, arse-ne has a knack of turning school boys into world class players..i've a feeling its gonna happen again.
Lets sing.... glory glory Man United.....
ReplyDeleteche-cheh Yes, that's what I believe they will fair this season based on their current squad. Chelsea shall once again do well, though they have a very dodgy defence.
ReplyDeletelord apprentice It's the supporters that I can't stand. I don't think Man U will crash and burn just yet. As for Arsenal, I think we still need another season...*fingers crossed*
endroo g Errr...what about You'll Never Wank Alone for Liverfool? :-)
A 50% Chelski team cannot beat a 50% Liverpool team in the Community Shield match. And this team will win the EPL for the 3rd time in a row? It will implode first before that happens.
ReplyDeleteJose Le Mouth is running scared. Rafa just showed him that matches are won with the brain, not the mouth. Arsenal and MU? Do not bother me with those two over-the-hill teams that's soooooooo yesterday.
The Reds are on the rise again, or as Tom Clancy once wrote : RED STORM RISING!
Afterall, nobody gave us a farking chance in Istanbul either.
Sincerely,
A Liverpool fan for 35 years.
The race is really on for second place. Chelsea have to much talent to not win consistently and that is the key to the EPL, La Liga, Serie A etc. Teams have to be able to play their top game each week and Chelsea have the resources to ensure they do not drop vital games. I would love the Kop to sing aloud about us winning the Premiership but it will be tough. Only some infighting between Ballack, Lampard, Esssien etc will desolve the team but I doubt it will happen. As for cocky LFC supporters, I know the community shield means nothing. Its just a pre season curtain raiser and nothing more. I can dream but I think it will be 2nd place for LFC and then a gap to Arsenal, Spurs and Manchu's!
ReplyDeletewombat Don't read too much into the Community Shield. It's not gonna change the fact that Chelsea are the strongest side. Consistency has won them 2 titles and don't bet on them not winning for the third time.
ReplyDeletemr d Pathetic right that all we none-Chelski supporters talk about is second place...*SIGH* I honestly believe that it's a straight-fight between Liverpool and Arsenal for 2nd place. This Arsenal team lost most of their games in the first half of last season before they started to gel - so, like any Arsenal fan, I expect them to be challenging again...just hope that Chelski don't go through the whole season unbeaten... :-)
m not that ambitious, but if spurs were to hit top 3-4 maybe 5, i'd be happy. they can, looking at their last performance. selling mike carrick to MU is good, generate some good cash to spin. lol.
ReplyDeletejust like italy, i mean, why not? yeah, go spurs!
keatix I think Spurs will do well again this season. Yes, Michael Carrick sale was brilliant at that ridiculous price. He's not that good - just above average. Man Utd were duped. :-)
ReplyDelete