FOOTBALL SEASON 07/08

[Steve]

man yoo are gonna have one helluva of a forward line. i would guess that they won't be able to keep every one on the books right now and there will be some trimming by the time the season starts. Rooney, Tevez, Saha, Smith, OGS and if Rossi doesn't stay on loan he'll be back. I would expect Smith to go. Maybe Saha if they keep Smith, with all his injury problems. Then the Cronaldo, Giggs and the ginger haired prick Scholes. Scoring shouldn't be a problem for them.

Its a massive statement of intent for the mancs. Gotta give them credit. Chelsea have the squad to win it, but their belief and character got questioned last season and they didn't have a good enough answer.

 

Arsenal's squad isn't bad. Its pretty good when everyone is healthy even without Henry. There were too many chances that went begging last season. I can only think of a few league games where we were outplayed and deserved to lose (Bolton away, Liverpool away off the top of the head). The other matches we dropped points we outplayed the opposition and had far more shots on goal to their 2 or 3. van Persie will be fully recovered and it wouldn't surprise me if he got 20 goals. He had 11 league goals in January after he got injured scoring against man yoo. It will take Da Silva a few months minimum to get fully settled. If he can take advantage of the opportunities that go begging we may be with a shout come March or April. The midfield needs to add to the scoring as well.

 

Tott-numb have the squad but its their leaky defense that may keep them out of the top 4. They played pretty attacking football last term but gave up a lot of goals as well.

 

Newcastle will be interesting to watch. Fat Sam is building a squad that seems to be a better paid version of the squad he had at Bolton. With Barton and others of that ilk coming in, it seems he's gonna be sticking with bruising, power football.

 

Brum are putting together a squad that should keep them up. Sunderland will be a wild card.

 

Any ideas on who will go down?

 

West Ham will have trouble staying up with Tevez gone as well as Reo-Coker. Without a ball being kicked and purely speculation I'd say Charlton, Derby and Wigan.

[Zaad]

Limbo,

 

I'm glad he didn't return do PSV

 

CS,

 

Newcastle have been disappointing for years and the question remains "is this the right man for the job"?

FInally somebody with balls the sell a few players and restore the harmony at the club. Or should I say chemistry?

Fat Sam is a smart man IMO and I think he can mold a good team out of them.

 

Looking forward to the new season.

 

Fulham are probably going down.

[The_Munchmaster]

..... Rooney, Tevez, Saha, Smith, OGS and if Rossi doesn't stay on loan he'll be back....

I'm fairly certain that OGS has finally called it a day.

 

[sayjann]

it's no secret that Smith is being pushed out and maybe Saha as well.

OGS will still be there as he is taking his coaching badges and has a job at the Club when he finally hangs up his boots(under Fergie anyway).

Ole is one of the Fans favourites and even if he only scores 1 Goal next Season the roof will be raised.......

 

next Season for some Players could be their farewell.

Scholes,Giggs and maybe Red Nev running down the clock.

if so i can see Giggs and Red Nev retiring as i can't see them playing for another Team.

but i would'nt be surprised to see Scholes turn out for Bury.

 

Giggs is so close to Sir Bobby's appearance record and i don't think he will break it.

i have mixed feelings over this.

Sir Bobby is an English Legend but i only saw him play as he ended his career.

but i've seen Giggs from the start and seen his whole career,i really don't know which Player i would like to see hold the record....

[junglesoup]

I would like to see Giggs break it. the reason bein that it would be nice in the modern game to see a player with such loyalty. It doesnt happen much anymore.

 

I think it will hard for the Arse players to break O Learys, Dixons,Winterburns record...

[sayjann]

your use of the phrase 'modern game' is the important one.

before the advent of the PL it was usual for a Player to stay with the Team which 1st signed him.

i remember a story of either Finney or Mortenson being denied a transfer because the Chairman refused to allow it.

 

but since the advent of the PL and all the Money the Brits are slowly being pushed out.

Foreign Managers come in and like Players from their own Countries or are under pressure from the Board to get instant success.

 

there are few Players who have spent their whole careers at one Club since the PL started.

Fergie has kept faith with some of his Players over the Years but other Teams have their stalwarts as well.

 

Liverpool have Gerrard and Carragher who are one man Club Men.

 

Chelsea have Terry,even though he did have a loan spell once.

 

Arsenal have few Players.

Adams who was around for about 10 Years in the PL.

Dixon,Winerburn and O'Leary didn't play for just one Club.

 

but then again Sir Bobby was not a one Club Man,but it was before the PL.

 

 

 

[Zaad]

Sayjann,

 

"it's no secret that Smith is being pushed out and maybe Saha as well."

 

That's new to me.

I thought Rooney and Smith were the ones to replace Scholes every odd game or so or at least the ones capable of doing so. Saha is a great player but his injuries are holding him back.. it may indeed not look too bright for him if next season is no different.

 

 

 

[Steve]

Players in all sports are bigger, faster and stronger nowadays and every sport the same thing is happening. The game has gotten rougher and you don't find long careers like you used to. Football is no different. It will be almost impossible for the 'modern' footballer to break any records nowadays. The injuries seem to come more easier and with more frequency nowadays. The diet, training and medical advances are better but its not enough. Longetivity like Lampard is the exception rather than the rule.

Romario wouldn't have lasted a quarter as long had he started his career today.

[sayjann]

Zaad,Zaad,Zaad, where have you been lately?.

 

no secret that Smith is on the way out with Boro,Everton and Sunderland wanting him.

MU have accepted offers for him but so far he is still thinking about his options.

he has 2 choices,either stay at MU and get the Money for spending the majority of his time on the bench or go elsewhere and get the Games and persue his England career.

if he stays at MU he will find it difficult to get into the England squad.

 

and as for him or Rooney filling the boots of Schols is a laugh.

Smith has been tried in that position many times and has shown Sir Alex that he is not the man.

and do you think that Rooney will be asked to forgo his Forward play to play in Midfield?.

MU have bought 3 Midfielders so far to roam in that position.

 

i know Rooney is not an out and out Forward and likes to flit around but he is still a attacking Player.

no way he will be asked to sit back,and get forward when he can........not in his nature.

[sayjann]

i have to disagree Steve........surprise,surprise....

no way has the Game got rougher,in fact it has become so soft.

i know you are a recent convert to the Game so you cannot understand how Players 40 Years played the Game.

Players like Harris,Stiles,Crerand,Hunter and J.Charlton never took prisoners.

a difference in that respect is that nowadays Players are not allowed to tackle hard.

everyone seems to roll around at the slighest touch and the Game has become a Mummy's Boy's Game.

 

and the Game has gone soft in the respect of the 'advances' in technology.

boots these Days are just for show and for a Player to earn a fortune due to commercial purposes.

why do so many Players get the broken foot and toe injuries?........no protection.

40 Years ago you never heard of Players being missing because of these injuries.

 

and the footballs themselves.

light and easy to make them go all over the place.

you have no experience of a leather ball which is sodden with rain water which when it hits your head you see stars............

i remember playing at school and deciding never to head a ball again after i felt i was knocked out.

 

so Lampard is an exception.why do you say that?.

what about Speed and Sheringham?.

Sheringham is 40 and has a contract to play next Season,is he an exception?

or Peter Beagrie (ever heard of him?),another Player of that age who has been at a few Clubs but is still plying his trade.

i respect that you have only followed the PL for 10? Years.

 

i'm sure that Members here could agree with me about the past and how Football was played in the good old way.

 

BTSaucer,Teddy and Bibbles could tell you about Yeats,Smith and Hughes.

 

Chelseafan can tell you about Chopper Harris.

 

and the remark about Romario was way off the mark IMO.

Romario was a skillful Player who played in a way which meant he did not get many injuries.

and i say that because i saw him play 4 times against my Team and he was the classiest Player on the pitch each time.

i still consider him the best Player i have had the pleasure of watching in the flesh.

and don't forget in his heyday he was playing in a League which discourages any contact,and today is even easier.

 

i'll tell you something.

Henry was a great Player in the PL but there is no way Norman 'bite yer legs' Hunter or 'Chopper' Harris would have let him get away with things.

they would have have had him in their pocket from the 1st whistle.