The EPL

[Guest LondonScottish]

Judging by results going all over the place in the first month of the EPL, its anybody's guess who's going to win the title. All the pre-season expectation of a two horse race looks to have been blown out of the water. Early days. but an exciting season looks on the cards.

 

Personally I think Liverpool have got every chance, with Torres fitting in as the final part of the jigsaw.

[Guest TenementFunster]

Very much early days. Villa started well last season too and were lucky they did in the latter part of the season.

 

Once the first quarter of games is out the road I would expect the normal order of things to return, though possibly with Liverpool and Arsenal closer.

[E-P-K]

One thing has not changed this season and that is Jose Mourinho being a bad loser

[Guest glasgowdon]

Just watching the highlights of the "best league in the world" from Saturday. I noticed that aside from Old Trafford and St. James, the average crowd was about 22,000.

 

Poor?

[E-P-K]

Just watching the highlights of the "best league in the world" from Saturday. I noticed that aside from Old Trafford and St. James, the average crowd was about 22,000.

 

Poor?

 

 

 

Aye ,Noticed both Middlesbourgh and Bolton had 1000s of empty seats yesterday.

[Guest LondonScottish]

Aye ,Noticed both Middlesbourgh and Bolton had 1000s of empty seats yesterday.

 

 

Its always going to be difficult for teams coming from towns such as Bolton and Middlebrough with populations smaller than ours, their teams's not doing particularly well, expensive seating and a host of far more glamorous teams nearby. They're probably lucky to get 25k at most games, certainly during the less exciting ties. At least they're not relying on ticket sales to cover transfer budgets.

[KGB]

Traditioanlly clubs like Middlesborough had feck all cash because they didn't attract big crows or sponsorship. The influx of Sky money has made them appear a huge club when they weren fact quite small and provincial

[Guest LondonScottish]

Just watching the highlights of the "best league in the world" from Saturday. I noticed that aside from Old Trafford and St. James, the average crowd was about 22,000.

 

Poor?

 

 

The English figures on average are still very healthy, compared for example to Serie A where the average has dropped below 20, 000.

[K-9]

5 years ago every EPL ground was sold out every week and now there are many you can easily get a ticket for. TV has taken over and for many it is not worth paying

[minijc]

4000 more fans watching Leeds play than there was at the Middlesborough match and it was also their lowest ever crowd in the EPL.

[The Proclaimer]

Judging by results going all over the place in the first month of the EPL, its anybody's guess who's going to win the title. All the pre-season expectation of a two horse race looks to have been blown out of the water. Early days. but an exciting season looks on the cards.

 

The likes of Everton, Spurs, Newcastle, Villa, Man City, etc. have signed players that can do damage to the 'big 4' on their day. United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool will drop more points than in the previous 3-4 years, where one team has dominated and dropped very few points (Arsenal, then Chelsea, then Man United last year).

 

Personally I think Liverpool have got every chance, with Torres fitting in as the final part of the jigsaw.

 

Liverpool won't win the league.

[vanderark14]

The likes of Everton, Spurs, Newcastle, Villa, Man City, etc. have signed players that can do damage to the 'big 4' on their day. United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool will drop more points than in the previous 3-4 years, where one team has dominated and dropped very few points (Arsenal, then Chelsea, then Man United last year).

Liverpool won't win the league.

 

 

Liverpool have a great chance this year.

 

Torres looks the part so far and he may be exacltly what they were missing.

 

so far the EPL is shaping up to be a more open contest than the usual Chelsea and Man Utd.

[TheChimp]

I really like what I've seen from Torres so far. F*ck me he's fast!

[The Proclaimer]

Liverpool have a great chance this year.

 

They won't win it. The hysteria that's followed their 6-0 win over Derby has been nothing short of ridiculous. Torres' first goal, Babel's goal and Alonso's second goal were all brilliant finishes, but every goal was down to an error by a Derby player. One of the worst defensive performances I've seen by an EPL team for years.

 

I really like what I've seen from Torres so far. F*ck me he's fast!

 

He's a player that's always impressed me, but I'm pretty sure he'll go on a run of not scoring at some point in the season (5-7 games with no goals). Cracking player though

[stonefish100]

They won't win it. The hysteria that's followed their 6-0 win over Derby has been nothing short of ridiculous. Torres' first goal, Babel's goal and Alonso's second goal were all brilliant finishes, but every goal was down to an error by a Derby player. One of the worst defensive performances I've seen by an EPL team for years.

He's a player that's always impressed me, but I'm pretty sure he'll go on a run of not scoring at some point in the season (5-7 games with no goals). Cracking player though

 

I think Liverpool have their best chance for ages to win the league as well, Man U look in minor dissarray with a mix of ageing stars and youngsters who will take a while to settle. Chelsea never strengthened as they should have in the summer. Arsenal are nowhere, I think Livepool have got quality in every position now. If Benitez doesnt ***k with the team too much and Torres stays free of injury, I can see them taking the title.

[vanderark14]

They won't win it. The hysteria that's followed their 6-0 win over Derby has been nothing short of ridiculous. Torres' first goal, Babel's goal and Alonso's second goal were all brilliant finishes, but every goal was down to an error by a Derby player. One of the worst defensive performances I've seen by an EPL team for years.

He's a player that's always impressed me, but I'm pretty sure he'll go on a run of not scoring at some point in the season (5-7 games with no goals). Cracking player though

 

me thinking Liverpool have a chance of winning the league this season has nothing to do with their win on saturday i've said it ever since they signed Babel and Torres.

 

take off your Man Utd tinted specs for a while

[vanderark14]

I think Liverpool have their best chance for ages to win the league as well, Man U look in minor dissarray with a mix of ageing stars and youngsters who will take a while to settle. Chelsea never strengthened as they should have in the summer. Arsenal are nowhere, I think Livepool have got quality in every position now. If Benitez doesnt ***k with the team too much and Torres stays free of injury, I can see them taking the title.

 

 

agree with most of that except the Arsenal part. they have been playing superbly but i dont think they have a big enough squad

[The Proclaimer]

I think Liverpool have their best chance for ages to win the league as well, Man U look in minor dissarray with a mix of ageing stars and youngsters who will take a while to settle. Chelsea never strengthened as they should have in the summer. Arsenal are nowhere, I think Livepool have got quality in every position now. If Benitez doesnt ***k with the team too much and Torres stays free of injury, I can see them taking the title.

 

Disarray? Time to settle? Nani has fitted in pretty well, and Anderson only made his debut at the weekend so you've no basis to your claim. Lest we forget that this is the same team that won the league last year, only stronger with the additions of Nani (to replace Giggs), Anderson (to replace Scholes), Hargreaves and Tevez. The young players from last year have another years experience also, and will only get better (Rooney, Ronaldo, Evra, Vidic, etc.)

 

As for your ageing stars comment, have you forgotten how good Scholes and Giggs were last year?

 

Chelsea will finish above Liverpool.

 

Oh, and Arsenal are joint top, and playing some pretty good football by all accounts...

 

me thinking Liverpool have a chance of winning the league this season has nothing to do with their win on saturday i've said it ever since they signed Babel and Torres.

 

take off your Man Utd tinted specs for a while

 

How many times had you actually seen Babel play before you came to the conclusion that he'd be the player to help them win the league?

 

Man United and Chelsea will both finish above Liverpool IMO.

[The Proclaimer]

I think we look good, as a Liverpool fan I think it's exciting times ahead for our club. I said last year it will be atleast 2 years before we win the league again. I don't reckon we'll win it this season, but I think we will go ALOT closer. What has messed us up in the past is our slow starts to the season, we've start promisingly and I believe if we can continue the way we're playing then we're maybe in with a shout.

 

I pretty much agree with this and also think they'll be closer - it'd be harder not to close the 20+ point gap that Man U had on them last year - but they won't win it.

 

Man United are toiling a bit, they have no killer instinct up front in my view, and if one striker gets injured, then they're pretty much ***ked. Tevez isn't the man to lead the line for Man United as much as the fans of Man U want to think he is. He stood out in a West Ham team due to West Ham having a really bad season last year.

 

Playing the best football in the league by a long way but don't have the finishing at the minute. Saha's back, and Ronaldo returns next week. Add Rooney into the mix and you're talking about 50+ goals that's been out the team in the opening few weeks.

 

Tevez is still finding his feet - new team/new role - but I expect him to score 15+ this season. United have too many goals throughout the team for anyone to stop them IMO, especially when you consider the goals that Vidic, Evra, Nani, Giggs, Scholes, Carrick will add to the contribution of the usual suspects.

[Madbad]

Traditioanlly clubs like Middlesborough had feck all cash because they didn't attract big crows or sponsorship. The influx of Sky money has made them appear a huge club when they weren fact quite small and provincial

 

Which explains how they and other historically "non-entities" such as Wigan, Charlton, Reading etc. can spend

[The Proclaimer]

Wigan and Reading aren't fit to lace the boots of clubs like us (and dare I say Hibs, Hearts and the OF) yet can spend obscene cash to buy players.

 

Obscene cash?

[paulkaneatemyhamster]

got to say Man Utd have been sluggish so far , not impressive at all - I know Nani is only young but doesn't look half as good as ronaldo was at that age

Tevez & Ronney aren't out & out strikers - suprised Fergie didn't go for Mickey Owen

 

Chelsea lack punch and ideas - i get the feeling they'll sacrafice the title for the CL this year

 

Arsenal look good, brash , unafraid, young, play good football - i think we all wrote them off to early

 

Liverpool look good, but still lack that quality out wide and in defence and in Rafa they have the new tinker man - it'll be close but they'll still not be champions.

 

Best of the rest ?

 

Newcastle still look garbage, Spurs are imploding so i fancy Everton & Man City to have very good seasons, maybe not break into top 4, but 5th or 6th maybe.

[uni_don]

I would like Arsenal to win it because a) they play good football, and b) I've always had something of a soft-spot for them. I wouldn't mind if Liverpool won it either, just to break the Man Utd-Chelsea duopoly. I used to hate Man Utd, largely because they won everything and as a result every Tom, d*ck and Harry supported them, but I can tolerate them now as the (much) lesser of two evils next to Chelsea.

 

I think Arsenal are maybe to inexperienced to maintain a challenge for the top spot, so based on current form I'm going to have to go with Liverpool, but I would certainly not write off Chelsea or Man Utd just yet.

[minijc]

Noticed that arsenal are actually playing a good final ball now after selling Henry and not having to work all around him, IE when at the side of the 18 yard area they are playing the ball across the 6yard box instead of dragging it back and get a clever ball in to Henry.

[Madbad]

Obscene cash?

 

Obscene amounts ofcash, sorry

 

But you get the gist yes?

[ZeroTolerance]

got to say Man Utd have been sluggish so far , not impressive at all - I know Nani is only young but doesn't look half as good as ronaldo was at that age

Tevez & Ronney aren't out & out strikers - suprised Fergie didn't go for Mickey Owen

 

Chelsea lack punch and ideas - i get the feeling they'll sacrafice the title for the CL this year

 

Arsenal look good, brash , unafraid, young, play good football - i think we all wrote them off to early

 

Liverpool look good, but still lack that quality out wide and in defence and in Rafa they have the new tinker man - it'll be close but they'll still not be champions.

 

Best of the rest ?

 

Newcastle still look garbage, Spurs are imploding so i fancy Everton & Man City to have very good seasons, maybe not break into top 4, but 5th or 6th maybe.

 

I think a lot of people are a bit quick to (want to) write off Man U, from what I've seen they've been playing pretty well without putting the ball in the net. They humped City 0-1 and Reading 1-1 but didn't get the results their dominance deserved, perhaps not that surprising given the injuries to Rooney and Saha.

 

Come May I think they'll be sitting a couple of points ahead of Chelsea and they'll be at least 10 ahead of the rest.

[Jaws]

Can never write Man U off. In fact i'll say they'll win the Premiership now. Liverpool and Arsenal will bottle it at some stage. Ronaldo and Rooney back very soon along with Saha already back and Man U will be back to full strength. Fair to say Man U have been sh*t so far and Liverpool are the best i've seen them in a long time but it'll be Man U's league again. It'll be good to see a 4 horse race rather than a 2 horse race.

[minijc]

Can never write Man U off. In fact i'll say they'll win the Premiership now. Liverpool and Arsenal will bottle it at some stage. Ronaldo and Rooney back very soon along with Saha already back and Man U will be back to full strength. Fair to say Man U have been sh*t so far and Liverpool are the best i've seen them in a long time but it'll be Man U's league again. It'll be good to see a 4 horse race rather than a 2 horse race.

I agree with you here, with Rooney and Ronaldo back Man u are basically the complete package with players playing that arn't that new and are likly not to hide a way late in the season like Torres, RVP and a couple of other new and or long term injury prone players.

 

Still think that man u need an out n out striker, Saha may do it for a while but as soon as he gets a bad knock that could be the season over in more than one way.