EPL 2012/2013

ActionArnie

Season starts on the weekend, gotta say I'm excited.

Man City will build on last season's success even though they've signed no one (that I know of). With such a huge squad they didn't really need to - a second season for a lot of their players I think will see them be stronger than the mercenary type outfit they appeared to be last season.

United signing RvP is huge for them - having said that, they've already got Rooney, (a very promising looking) Welbeck, Hernandez and Berbatov (if he stays). Kagawa looks like he has potential too. Still haven't really found an experienced, quality replacement for Scholes and I feel they may struggle to be as close to City as they were last season.

Being an Arsenal fan I would've been happier had RvP stayed with the Gunners but he's never far away from a long term injury so 20-24million for 29 year old isn't totally bad. The fans booing him in the friendly probably tipped it for the Arsenal management and they probably decided it not a great idea to make him play out the season understandably. Despite him going though I think Arsenal will do well with Giroud, Podolski and Cazorla (and combined the cost less than Andy Carroll ??? ). They still need cover at full back though.

Looking forward to seeing how Spurs are going to perform (or not perform hopefully ? ). They've not signed a striker so having Defoe as your only experienced first team point man is going to see them struggle I think.

I don't see Chelsea coming good this season again to break into the top 3. Hazard doesn't look fantastic in the little bit I've seen him and they've lost Drogba (arguably the best striker in the EPL over the last 5 years). Jury's still out on Di Matteo too.

Liverpool. Well Suarez signed a new contract so we can be entertained by his diving/cheating/loathsome behaviour for a few seasons to come. Joe Allen follows the classy British signings of Carroll / Downing / Adam last season, he'd better be the real deal. I have a bad feeling Liverpool are going to sink into mid-lower table mediocrity (they'll still win the odd League Cup mind you).

Hoping it's going to be another cracker!

Prediction:

1 - City
2 - Arsenal
3 - United
4 - Chelsea
5 - Spurs
6 - Newcastle
7 - Liverpool

Squonk

Should be a good Season

I am hoping Arsenal can do well this season, as I think Wenger is an excellent manager, and great in developing youngsters, just needs to get the all round mix of experience and youth. Arsenal Defence still looks dodgy to me, you need another Sol Campbell type of player. But some great buys as you have mentioned.

You can never write off Man Utd, what Ferguson does with average players is mind blowing. I am still skeptical over RVP, he is not a well liked footballer and will have to prove himself quickly. I watched a bit of Man U TV last night and about 50 percent of the fans were not overly pleased about RVP....
Giggs and Scholes will feature a lot less and Scholes looked very old in some of the friendlies. Kagawa looks good but so does Nic Powell

Man City don't need any players, and a thin and fit Tevez is a huge boost. Kompany is also a key player and they could win again.

Chelsea, not yet, but maybe in a season or two. Oscar looks like a great talent and I am still convinced Torres will prove again he is one of the world's best strikers ...

Spurs - AVB does not give off much confidence, can't see them doing anything major this season

Liverpool - Sad to see them fall even further every season.

I still have a soft spot for West Ham, hope they don't struggle this season

1. City
2. United
3. Chelsea
4. Arsenal
5. Spurs
6. Newcastle
7. Hopefully Stoke or West Ham, Southampton

Should be a good Season

My team started badly yet again. Derby County - in the Capital One Cup (The old Carling Cup) they were 4-1 up over Scunthorpe with 25 minutes to go and eventually drew 5-5 and went out on penalties...

giggsy

Cant wait for the start of the season :applause:

Obviously United are going to win it and the rest will just fall into place behind them!

Seriously though, we cant have another season with injuries like last one - Vidic and Fletcher were missed. Van Persie... great to get a big rival's best player, top goalscorer and captain, but I still hope there is money in the kitty for a defensive midfielder and possibly a full back. RvP will not have to carry the team like he did at Arsenal, so SAF should be able to rotate the strikers. I was trying to figure out the best starting line-up last night and this is what I came up with - a 4 3 2 1

De Gea

Evra
Ferdinand
Vidic
Rafael/Smalling

Young/Nani
Scholes/Carrick/Cleverly
Valencia

Rooney
Kagawa

Van Persie

Going forward looks very strong but defensively not so great. There was a huge lack of creativity in the midfield last year (sort of rectified when Scholes came back) which I think Kagawa will rectify, and a free-to-roam Rooney without the burden of being the primary goalscorer could be dangerous.

IceCreamMan

ActionArnie wrote Prediction:

1 - City
2 - Arsenal
3 - United
4 - Chelsea
5 - Spurs
6 - Newcastle
7 - Liverpool

i think the top 4 be right with a lil shuffling around , i think city now bleieve and know they can win and success breeds success and all that ...but i see united 2nd ,chelsea 3rd an arsenal 4th, i see spurs not even in europa placings for the season ,,no 'arry no europe ....simple.

but i do think united may bounce back ,,so p1 and p2 will both be mancherster teams just not sure of the order now ?

and the saints , i see a slog to stay in premiership..... to be honest it aint gonna be easy to stay up but possible and of course once achieved its easier in year 2 an 3

ActionArnie

Was thinking about the Arsenal 1st team now too (when Wilshere gets back):

Szczesny (no hope of getting the spelling right)

Gibbs
Koscielny
Vermaelen
Sagna

Arteta
Wilshere
Song (assuming he stays)

Cazorla (left)
Podolski (CF)
Walcott (right)

With a fairly strong looking bench defense aside:
Def:
Djourou
Mertesacker
Jenkinson
Santos

Mid:
Ramsey
Diaby
Rosicky
Oxlade-Chamberlain

Fwds:
Giroud
Arshavin
Chamakh
Gervihno

As I mentioned before, wing backs are a problem. The holding midfielder may not be necessary if Song goes as both Arteta and Wilshere play deeper.

giggsy

Just in - Apparently Van Persie has failed his medical At United... Hes got a bad back from carrying the whole Arsenal squad last season

Riaan-Combrink

OK, its well known that I am a long-suffering LFC fan.

I just checked the league table on the BBC Football website. They have all the teams up in preparation for the weekend. Liverpool are currently sixth due to our relatively advantageous alphabetic positioning. Damn, hope we can maintain 6th for a while!!!! ?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/premier-league/

ActionArnie

I was feeling OK with RvP leaving, but seeing him training in the United kit with the enemy makes me feel ill (although no doubt United hasn't regarded Arsenal as the enemy for a number of years). I suppose this is karma. I still remember phoning my buddy who is an absolutely massive Spurs fan after Arsenal signed Sol Campbell and rubbing it in good and proper (and Campbell came for free). Anyway, move on I must.

Still can't wait for kick off tomorrow! ?

ActionArnie

Southampton oh so close

giggsy

ActionArnie wrote Southampton oh so close

What a great start to the season ? ICM can be very proud of his boys, pushed the champions all the way - Liverpool getting tonked - Chelsea winning the game in the first 6 minutes - West Ham winning their first game back - Swansea without their manager and best player thumping QPR

IceCreamMan

Giggsy wrote
ActionArnie wrote Southampton oh so close
What a great start to the season ? ICM can be very proud of his boys, pushed the champions all the way - Liverpool getting tonked - Chelsea winning the game in the first 6 minutes - West Ham winning their first game back - Swansea without their manager and best player thumping QPR

oh yes, a great game and bodes well for the season ahead...liverpool...wtf!!!!

couple of candidates for relegation became apaprent on the weekend i thought.... QPR being one of em but they have some serious money behind them so possibly not ..but some teams i think are in real trouble and thats after only 1 game

Squonk

Some strange scores!

I have an Uncle who is a die hard hammers fan and his comment was that the second worst team beat the worst team! How far Villa have fallen, Heard another joke "I wonder who will score more goals this season, David Villa or his second cousin Aston?"

But the big tester is tonight. RVP? should be a good match

One good thing, Rangers are topping Div 3 in Scotland

ActionArnie

Very tough night for United against a physical Everton side. United lack a bit of steel in midfield. Still reckon Tiote would've been a good acquisition, there's still time I guess. Of course there's also the problem of having only 1 fit central defender, as good as Vidic is...

Squonk

ActionArnie wrote Very tough night for United against a physical Everton side. United lack a bit of steel in midfield. Still reckon Tiote would've been a good acquisition, there's still time I guess. Of course there's also the problem of having only 1 fit central defender, as good as Vidic is...

Amazing game, Everton played extremely well. United had no clue on how to handle Fellaini, he was playing just off Jelavic, so the United defenders couldn't get hold of him. What's not mentioned is that Kagawa had a great debut IMO. De Gea made some brilliant saves....

IceCreamMan

an the mighty saints are ahead of united in the league !!!!!! ?

giggsy

Everton is the one team that always raises their game against United - fair play to them, they probably deserved it, but then they will just roll over when they play City, Liverpool, Norwich...

And yeah, Kagawa played well, nothing too flashy or overcomplicated. I think Fergie made a mistake though playing Scholes, Kagawa and Cleverley together - they are very similar types of player - though his hand was forced with Carrick in the defence

Riaan-Combrink

Giggsy wrote And yeah, Kagawa played well, nothing too flashy or overcomplicated. I think Fergie made a mistake though playing Scholes, Kagawa and Cleverley together - they are very similar types of player - though his hand was forced with Carrick in the defence

And he just couldn't figure out how to neutralise Fellaini. The goal aside, he was the man of the match, holding up balls and laying them off to create so many chances that could easily have tilted the scoreline in a more ominous direction.

giggsy

Riaan C wrote
Giggsy wrote And yeah, Kagawa played well, nothing too flashy or overcomplicated. I think Fergie made a mistake though playing Scholes, Kagawa and Cleverley together - they are very similar types of player - though his hand was forced with Carrick in the defence
And he just couldn't figure out how to neutralise Fellaini. The goal aside, he was the man of the match, holding up balls and laying them off to create so many chances that could easily have tilted the scoreline in a more ominous direction.

If Cleverley had got on Kagawa's shoulders maybe we could have won some of the high balls?

ActionArnie

Nice first goal for RvP at Old Trafford. Interesting start so far, Swansea top the league after another great performance, this time at home against the Hammers. Villa look like they're in the dwang.

Saints have nothing to show for what is actually quite a good looking start in terms of their general play.

Looks like I also have to take back what I'd said about Hazard, he does indeed look quite good and Torres seems to be finding form. Chelsea look dangerous.

IceCreamMan

ActionArnie wrote Nice first goal for RvP at Old Trafford. Interesting start so far, Swansea top the league after another great performance, this time at home against the Hammers. Villa look like they're in the dwang.

Saints have nothing to show for what is actually quite a good looking start in terms of their general play.

Looks like I also have to take back what I'd said about Hazard, he does indeed look quite good and Torres seems to be finding form. Chelsea look dangerous.

Saints were dismal .....and against wigan a team that struggled last season they should of secured 3 points at home .....its going to be a tough season ,very tough...