Predictions

[harmless loony]

So with the new football season not so far away who do you think will go up or down in any of the leagues this season??

Are Chelsea in with a shout after their new owner promises to buy his way to success? And what are the chances of Wolves not being relegated before christmas??

Post away footy fans..........

[Cain]

[s]harmless loony wrote on 17:53, 5th Aug 2003:
So with the new football season not so far away who do you think will go up or down in any of the leagues this season??

Are Chelsea in with a shout after their new owner promises to buy his way to success? And what are the chances of Wolves not being relegated before christmas??

Post away footy fans..........


which team is it you support? i'm a boro fan and i can't see them doing much better than they did last year, especially having lost geremi. still, as least they still have the league's best flying wing back in the (ever suspended) Franck Quedrue.

chelsea will be in with a shout, but i would have said that even before they had a new bajillionaire chairman.

liverpool will not do nearly as well as they think they will, Arsenal may go flat on their face as their defence consists of Lehmann, Campbell, one left back who wants to be a winger and whoever else they can find.

newcastle will challenge man united to the wire, but will not manage to stop fergie's boys from claiming the gold.

leeds (he types, smiling) will flirt with the dropzone before sacking reidy and climbing back up to the giddy heights of 17th under the stewardship of Andy Townsend. well, would anybody this time last year have imagined the mess that they'd be in now?

[hr]
these are SO going to come back and bite me in the ass come May 2004

[harmless loony]

I'm a Liverpool fan and I'm not really fancying their chances this year - I certainly do not think they are very strong enough to be able to claim the title - they seem to be missing something. I certainly hope we become more creative this season and that Houllier doesn't keep reverting to the old Wimbledon tactic of hoofing the ball up the pitch to Heskey.

I'm also a follower of the little but mighty Walsall FC. They managed to stay up last year, which was quite impressive given that Colin Lee had absolutly no money to spend on new players. We've also just bought Paul Merson - I think his experience wil be good and benefit the team but I'm not expecting miracles. Some Walsall fans have talked about going for play offs, but I think that's perhaps a little bit too far fetched! I would settle for a mid table place! Also, Walsall have just signed a deal with Manchester Utd (*cringe*) which effectively makes Walsall, Utds youth team. This could prove interesting cos it may mean the future stars will get a run out at Walsall and perhaps strenghthen our squad for very little money. But I' m not sure exactly how the deal is supposed to work tho!

[Rennie]

I think my own team, Man City, are going to have a very successful year. We will go far in the UEFA cup (Yes - I get to watch them on BBC Scotland!) and we'll be in the top 6 in the Premiership come May, after getting 4 points off Man U again, as well as beating them, in the FA Cup 5th Round.

Here's hoping....

[Cain]

[s]harmless loony wrote on 20:16, 5th Aug 2003:
I'm a Liverpool fan and I'm not really fancying their chances this year - I certainly do not think they are very strong enough to be able to claim the title - they seem to be missing something. I certainly hope we become more creative this season and that Houllier doesn't keep reverting to the old Wimbledon tactic of hoofing the ball up the pitch to Heskey.

I'm also a follower of the little but mighty Walsall FC. They managed to stay up last year, which was quite impressive given that Colin Lee had absolutly no money to spend on new players. We've also just bought Paul Merson - I think his experience wil be good and benefit the team but I'm not expecting miracles. Some Walsall fans have talked about going for play offs, but I think that's perhaps a little bit too far fetched! I would settle for a mid table place! Also, Walsall have just signed a deal with Manchester Utd (*cringe*) which effectively makes Walsall, Utds youth team. This could prove interesting cos it may mean the future stars will get a run out at Walsall and perhaps strenghthen our squad for very little money. But I' m not sure exactly how the deal is supposed to work tho!


merson! Hiss! great player. not a nice guy. against oxford on the last day of the season when boro were promoted beck, hignett, ricard (hero!), kinder, schwarzer and the most of the players stood outside signing autographs, but merson just waltzed past everybody. then he ditched the club.

the deal with united might be good for walsall. there should be a fair number of even the really promising players going out (remember David Beckham running up and down at Deepdale before he made it into the united first team) and it should also guarantee Walsall's financial future. it would be hard to imagine united allowing one of their feeders going belly up.

as for liverpool not having enough to go all the way, i think that you're right. they have NO creativity in the middle. so they go out and buy a stonking left winger. then put him on the right. so that he cuts inside all the time. how many liverpool fans watched Jari play against them at the weekend and wondered what the hell he had done to be dumped by houllier?

looking forward to the new season, but things now look a lot less rosy for man united.

[hr]
I have grown the soul of an enemy

[harmless loony]

Walsall beat the Baggies 4-1 - with Merson scoring 2!!! Hope this is a sign of things to come!!!!!!!

However, it is a shame the start of the footy season has been overshadowed by two deaths - Ray Harford and Jimmy Davies. The former person's death being all the more tragic cos he was so young.

But nice to see that he will be acknowledged in the Communtiy Shield tomorow. Predictions for tomorrow's score anyone????????

[christian_harris]

It will be pretty close I should think, as neither team has changed dramatically from last season... I can see Van Nistelroy's amazing pre-season form being the decider though, so 2:1 to Man U.

[stan]

wow im not the only boro fan in st andys, tho this said cain just described retard (sorry i meant ricard) as a hero so i doubt we'll agree on much. i also reckon boro will fair well this season, a wee bit more consistency will see us finish seventh.

theres a real danger that leeds will finish in the top sixteen this year, but i concur that it'll involve a change of managers.

united top, chelsae second with asrsenal third. the geordie scum outpiping liverpool to fourth with either southanpton, man city or boro next.

everton (to quote) are like a boy band full of patched up promise over relaint on one teenager, portsmouth will avoid the drop at the expense of bolton and watford - not sure on who else will fall tho.

i wonder in a seasons time how close i'll be?

[Sven]

Southampton in the top six?? Not a prayer. They over achieved last season, lower mid table at best. Bridge is gone, Beattie is crap, he'll moan half way through the season about lack of service when he isn't scoring goals. He's Emile Heskey in disguise. Other than that they are a bunch of journeyman pros who ae getting on a bit.
Man City however, will be improved, Tarnat was a great buy. Liverpool will be better. Chelsea third at best. Arsenal thrid or forth. Unied to win unfortunately.

[Guided By Vices]

Most seem pessimistic about Liverpool's chances this season and, as a Liverpool supporter, I'm still undecided as to how things will go. I'd be willing to bet on a slightly better finish in the league than last season though - but maybe only 3rd or 4th.

People talk about our lack of creativity but I don't think this is anything to do with the players (Gerrard, Kewell, Murphy etc are all capable of playing the right passes) but with the way the team sometimes plays. We might do better with more attacking full backs (e.g. Finnan) that will provide that much vaunted 'width'. Otherwise I reckon the main improvement needed to bring more goals is the simple matter of getting more people forward when this is warranted, something our defensive style seems to inhibit most of the time. My main worry is with injuries to key players. Losing Hamman for the next few months is very bad as I think he's arguably our most important player. An injury to Owen, Gerrard, Henchoz or Hypia would be equally damaging. We have a reasonable squad but nobody anywhere near able to cover for those players.

I'm rather worried that Utd will win the league again, with Arsenal rather out of sorts these days. Chelsea might push them hardest, disappointingly.

My other team are 'The Cobblers' as they are known. Sadly now only the second best team in Northamptonshire, with the inexorable rise of Rushden and Diamonds. The Cobblers lost their first game of the season 1-0 to Torquay. The Conference beacons, but at least they'll take some supporters with them unlike Diamonds who will sink rapidly into oblivion when their money runs out.

[hr]If your breasts are too big, you will fall over - unless you use a rucksack.

[Rennie]

Hmm, I have to say, i've got a gut feeling that Chelsea will win thre league this year, simply because of the money at their disposal. They can afford to buy players when they like, and their only problem will be transfer windows.

Man City are 100/1 at the moment to finish as the top northern club (www.bluesq.com), and I think if Fowler and Anelka got their act together they could definately get near this target - and if Man U have a bad season, and Liverpool and Newcastle do their normal failing act - I don't think this is too bad a bet!

[Guided By Vices]

I often wonder if the boy Robbie will ever get back to his old form. I'd be delighted if he did because in my view he's the only current English player who merits the epithet of genius. He still shows odd flashes (the first goal he scored for City for instance - pure Robbie) but he seems to me the sort of maverick whose era is never quite the present. Maybe when he was young he fitted in more but now that football seems to be all about athleticism and not imagination he looks rather lost. A great shame.

[hr]Liverpool FC are hot as hell,
United, Tottenham, Ar-suh-nell.

[stan]

rennie youre tripping!

[christian_harris]

[s]Guided By Vices wrote on 22:52, 12th Aug 2003:My other team are 'The Cobblers' as they are known. Sadly now only the second best team in Northamptonshire, with the inexorable rise of Rushden and Diamonds. The Cobblers lost their first game of the season 1-0 to Torquay. The Conference beacons, but at least they'll take some supporters with them unlike Diamonds who will sink rapidly into oblivion when their money runs out.

[hr]If your breasts are too big, you will fall over - unless you use a rucksack.


As a Kettering Town fan I begrudgingly have to say that unfortunately Diamonds' money will never run out, as Mr Griggs is far too shrewd to frivolously waste it away. If you notice, Diamonds' spending & wages are well within their budget.

[mossop]

Rennie, I don't think a team can buy the Premiership. Ok, they can in Scotland, but that's only because we've got a shit league. I support Chelsea, but watching them play last night in the Champions League qualifier, I can't see them winning the league.

Anyway, c'mon the City, that's Elgin City! 3rd Division Champs 2003/04!

[hr]Mmmm Beer, the cause of and solution to all of life's problems....

[stan]

as boro confirm that they've agreed an undisclosed fee for under 21 international sean davis with fulham, boro old boy bryan robson confirms that he has indeed applied to coach the nigerian national side - what a wonderful world is football.

tho one suspects the sean davis deal was sweetened by boro selling goalkeeper mark crossley for peanuts to mohammads men.

[Rennie]

Stan, boro are screwed. You'll be lucky to avoid the drop. You just can't score goals.

Mossop, I think with the unlimited funds Chelsea have, they can win the premiership - we'll see come May.

Man City to win the League Let's hope for a record result tonight

[Cain]

[s]mossop wrote on 14:53, 14th Aug 2003:
Rennie, I don't think a team can buy the Premiership.


maybe you should tell that to Blackburn Rovers.

they've proved that it can be done.

If Chelsea fail to win the league it doesn't mean that the title can't be bought. i don't think that they will manage it as only Veron, Geremi and maybe Zenden have experience of fighting for titles. the rest of the squad will put in a damn good challenge, but i can see them coming unstuck as Arsenal did last year.

[hr]
I have grown the soul of an enemy

[stan]

[s]Rennie wrote on 18:42, 14th Aug 2003:
Stan, boro are screwed. You'll be lucky to avoid the drop. You just can't score goals.


ahh my dear sweet mr jump right in their and dont worry about the facts rennie, how has you summer been?

may i point out that the mighty boro scored more goals in the premiership last season than your lot?

[Rennie]

Hmm ok. But you're still shit Stan :) I remember watching Man City vs Boro last season, and it was one of the worst matches i've ever seen. For both sides. And i've seen some shit :)

Hope the summer's going well :)