The Ongoing Serie A, La Liga, All English Football, Champions League Thread - - - - - - - - - - - Part 20

[Fallen Angel]

Arsenal needs to get another striker ASAP. Time to go for it now, Giroud has been probably the best attacking player in the EPL. But they need another assurance.

if you mean strikers this season I'd put Suarez, Aguero, Sturridge above him this season but he has been very good. I think Arsenal are the favorites now to win it.

 

[Iceman]

I don't know if they'll get the right man if they go for him in Jan. They really should be looking at someone really great to improve them. Got to be someone consdierably better than Giroud & Podolski. Walcott can't be an option as starting striker. His finishing is still not too good. But if they want to get a half decent guy (Ba type player) on loan that would probably make sense.

 

[Zeus]

They should get a guy from La Liga or the Serie A

 

[Hunter Rider]

Two fantastic finishes from Shane Long against Villa in the first half.

 

[Van Petrol]

I'll take Walcott over Welbeck. You wanna trade? I swear, I don't understand how Danny Welbeck became a footballer. He has the worst touch I've ever seen. He makes Heskey look like Lionel Messi.

You can have Walcott and keep Welbeck. t:

That's exactly & only how he should be used. But in that role he can be great as Messi also said back when he played against him. He should play every game but from the bench.

Yeah, it's the best scenario. He hasn't got the footballing ingenuity to be classed in the top bracket, regardless of how much everyone tries to convince you that he is though.

He does seem to fall into that group of English players that our media seem keen to over-hype and protect no matter what.

Agreed, and it's darn irritating.

 

[Iceman]

You can have Walcott and keep Welbeck. t:



Yeah, it's the best scenario. He hasn't got the footballing ingenuity to be classed in the top bracket, regardless of how much everyone tries to convince you that he is though.



Agreed, and it's darn irritating.

He shouldn't have too high an opinion of himself but I'd count him as a vital squad member and as someone off the bench he'd be useful for nearly any team. Many better players wouldn't be as good impact players. And he'd be worth a few points a season played like that IMO. Just don't let him get a big head mainly because it's just annoying & makes him look stupid. But even Solsjkaer was never a regular starter at Utd but he was a consistent supersub.

 

[DrRocket]

So what are your guys predictions for the top four? I think it'll look like this at the end:

1) Arsenal
2) Manchester city
3) Chelsea
4) Liverpool!

Don't think spurs are gonna make it this year, they just can't seem to score.

 

[Grommers]

Spurs best chance of making it, is getting rid of villasboas.

Unless that guys inherits a stellar team. He has no idea on how to put together, and how to get his guys to play. A team that spend what they spent, and were on the cusp of making champions league, should not be losing to a city so highhandedly. City should win that game, but 6-0? Fire the bloody coach, They haven't looked good, and looked more like individual performances that win them games, which the whole reason for selling bale was to rid themselves from having to rely on bale.


My predictions
1) Manchester City - Pellegrini is just as good of a coach as Mourinho.
2) Chelsea - Look for the Blues to improve there form, and they'll never get blown out from here on out against any team in the EPL. They survived mourinho's initial growing pains.
3) Arsenal - These guys LOOK good, and with a bit of luck, can sneak in first or second, It's really hard to imagine them third, but out of these top 3, I can't see any of them coming third.

4) This is the big one to decide, the final champion league spot. I can't imagine a manchester United not in champions league, but Moyes isn't up to the task, and neither is his team. Fergie would never have signed Fellaini, and there isn't much to work with. Hopefully we'll see some big spending in January and I'll be able to re-do my assessment on who comes 4th, but as of right now, I think Liverpool edges out Man United for the fourth spot.


5) Man United


6) Tottenham

7) New Castle

 

[Iceman]

Glad to say it's very hard to call for once! Finally a competitive season even if it is partly due to the pre-season favourites underperforming. 2 vs 3 & 4 vs 5 I really have no idea at the moment.


1. Arsenal - but this depends on key players staying fit. If Giroud gets injured everything changes, not just his goals but his link play where someone like Walcott would be a big downgrade. If the main guys (Ozil, Ramsey & Santi plus a good mdfiield bench with Flamini, Rosicky & Walcott) stay fit I see Arsenal picking up most of the points away from home against the lesser teams which everyone else has been struggling with. This will give them a cushion (on top of the early start boost) when it comes to the big head to head games where they can get away with drawing.

2. & 3. City & Chelsea - still hard to see how well exactly these 2 teams will do as they've been well below par. When they hit full speed they'll be the 2 best teams in the league but they need to start winning home & away regularly soon. If either starts now they'll win the league.

4. & 5. Liverpool & Utd - the real battle for 4th place. How long can Utd's mediocre run continue? How long can Liverpool's outperformance continue? If either go on for longer than the 1st half of the season then Liverpool take it & Utd unbelievably finish outside of the top 4.

6.Spurs - they aren't 6-0 bad but that result will take any confidence of finishing top 4 away. Now the target has to be to stay in the top 6 this season.. and score some goals but their squad on paper is so much stronger than anyone below that.

7.Newcastle - Hoping we can overtake the likes of Everton and Southampton by season end and get a European place. We're still so unpredictable though!

 

[kit1982]

First of all Hunter apologies for the late response...secondly welcome to the Kyle Walker "is he all that" club? t:

They are both the type of signing within the PL I'd like too see us make as opposed to overpriced players who've had a few solid seasons but shown no growth well into their 20's.

It's just odd to see a United team that's so flat and functional. I'd be shocked if there isn't a few players coming in to Old Trafford by January are there any rumours as to who?

Any chance of getting some wing options on loan? Zaha, Sterling, Gnarby and Chadli seem like they wont see a lot of game time at their clubs this season and could be good options.

We've been in for Gnabry and t'other youngster Eisfeld I think? But apparently Wenger's not keen on them going. I'd take any of them you've mentioned only thing is I think our top earners on £20k p/w so we'd need the parent club to pay most of the wages. I don't get the treatment of Zaha, he's without a doubt the best youngster I've seen at Championship level. Mind you the 2nd best is Walcott so maybe I'm not much of a scout! Chadli's been an odd signing by AVB, I love the bloke but he seems to have based his signings on Champ manager ratings rather than actual quality!

Me too mate! No doubt about it, I remember recent League Cup night games at Elland Road for us and Liverpool against you guys and the crowd was electric on both occasions. I also remember how pissed Fergie was when you knocked us out the FA Cup a few years back as he felt our players didn't respect and understand what a big game Man Utd vs Leeds is.

Yeh I remember him being furious, more so than I'd seen him before. I have to ask what are your opinions on his book? I have immense respect for Fergie and that won't change, but a tell all book about some of the high profile personalities at OT seems very unfergie like. He never aired his dirty laundry
in public. I will say I think there was an overreaction to his comments on Beckham as despite questioning career decisions unlike others he never questioned his talent. Despite Beckham's star status I do think at times people forget he was, especially at United, an exceptional player

 

[Iceman]

Anyone watching the Utd game? I can't get it on here.

 

[Iceman]

1. From BBC

   [*]

   1. GOAL - Bayer Leverkusen 0-1 Man Utd - Antonio Valencia (22 mins)
   2. A classic Manchester United counter-attacking goal! Dwight Yorke would be proud.
   3. Shinji Kagawa and Ryan Giggs are at the heart of it, as the Japanese playmaker carries the ball 40 yards before finding Giggs who tees up Wayne Rooney wide on the left. His cross is a pearler, and while Kagawa can't quite reach it, Antonio Valencia can to slam in off the post.

 

[Fallen Angel]

Man Utd winning 2-0 now OG by Spahic

All latest scores.

Bayer 04 Leverkusen 0 - 2 Man Utd
Shakhtar Donetsk 2 - 0 Real Sociedad
Juventus 1 - 0 FC Copenhagen
Real Madrid 1 - 1 Galatasaray
Paris Saint Germain 1 - 0 Olympiakos
RSC Anderlecht 1 - 1 Benfica
Man City 1 - 1 Viktoria Plzen

 

[Iceman]

Didn't expect this away at a German team. They really are a different team in Europe.

 

[Fallen Angel]

German teams outside of Bayern and Dortmund aren't good. They have talent coming through like a conveyor belt but it isn't enough yet to compete against teams especially the big ones in Europe.,

 

[Iceman]

Bale scored for Madrid. Also the BBC teamsheet showing Sergio Ramos sent off but I can't see any comment confirming that.

True. A great scoreline for Utd in their current form anyway. They've not really been playing like a big club this season!

 

[Fallen Angel]

It's 3-1 to Real Madrid now Arbeloa with the second Di Maria with the third . Ramos was sent off early on.

Utd 3 now Evans scores.

Man City take the lead 2-1 Nasri.

 

[Iceman]

4-0 Utd! Why do they do this the one time I can't watch them.

And that's great from Real with 10 men.

 

[Fallen Angel]

Smalling and Nani the last two Man U scorers

FULL TIME SCORES

Bayer 04 Leverkusen 0 - 5 Man Utd
Shakhtar Donetsk 4 - 0 Real Sociedad
Juventus 3 - 1 FC Copenhagen
Real Madrid 4 - 1 Galatasaray
Paris Saint Germain 2 - 1 Olympiakos
RSC Anderlecht 2 - 3 Benfica
CSKA Moscow 1 - 3 Bayern Munich
Man City 4 - 2 Viktoria Plzen

 

[Iceman]

Loads of goals there! 2-1 looks like a pathetic haul amongst that lot!

No need to lie on the Utd score though lol.

 

[Fallen Angel]

I'm not they won 5-0 Valencia, OG, Evans,Smalling and Nani.

 

[the_ultimate_evil]

seriously how the hell can that team do that in europe and then struggle against little teams in the epl

 

[Fallen Angel]

seriously how the hell can that team do that in europe and then struggle against little teams in the epl

Easy one that Leverksuen aren't a good team there's more stronger teams in the Premier League than the Bundesliga outside of Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich.

 

[B]

Strong win tonight & a good performance to send us through. We played some excellent football tonight, moved the ball very quickly at times, something which cost us against Cardiff. Our tempo against Cardiff was all wrong, blame it on international lag or whatever you want, but when in possession we moved the ball too slowly giving Cardiff time to get back in numbers.

 

[B]

Easy one that Leverksuen aren't a good team there's more stronger teams in the Premier League than the Bundesliga outside of Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich.

Leverkusen are a good team. Certainly a much better team than Cardiff.