View Full Version : An Explanation?
prymetyme
16 Aug 2007, 01:22 PM
Yesterday afternoon I was listening to 606 after the match and a caller phoned in and made a comment about the overall quality in this years Premier League. He touched on the subject of the lower team’s spending money this past off season, and the overall quality of each team being boosted.
This got me thinking. If you have the Sunderland, Fulham, Pompey, and ect... all boosting their squads this summer than there will be less of a gap between the serious European contenders and the rest of the league. Which results in more dropped points.
We can look at Portsmouth's squad.
They added:
Nugent, Utaka, Muntari, Distin, and Hreidarrsson
They Lost:
Johnson and Lua Lua
They will give other teams in the Prem a hard time as well; I expect them to take points away from the other big four.
It is always said that the Premier League has the most top to bottom quality out of any league in the world. This year it got even better. Instead of having 89 points to win the league, will it only take 79? The Best teams got better (as they do every year) but the lower sides got significantly better. This doesn't happen often. There is a new level to the competition as we saw in matches that we would expect to be one sided. Arsenal v. Fulham, Tottenham v. Sunderland, Chelsea v. Birmingham, Manchester United v. Reading.
The Reading game was a bit unlucky, that was based on more amazing play from Hahnemann and an injury to Rooney. But Reading showed amazing fighting qualities for a United season opener at OT.
This year will be harder, more physical, and more even. Expect Chelsea, Arsenal, and Liverpool to have these types of matches. Everyone will.
cr7torossi
16 Aug 2007, 01:27 PM
Well, I put the blame squarely on having an inadequate pre-season(and not solving the striker situation properly either).
And, I am also cert that Chelski will cross 85 points this season so 79 is certainly not going to win us the league.
prymetyme
16 Aug 2007, 01:31 PM
How was our preseason different from any years past?
sab456
16 Aug 2007, 01:34 PM
Good post Prymetyme. I agree that the lower 10 of the league is definetely better than last season and is capable of taking more points of the Big 4. 78-82 points would be enough to win the league this season.
cr7torossi
16 Aug 2007, 01:36 PM
How was our preseason different from any years past?
Playing against second-division Chinese teams is hardly any preparation. Last season, we played against the likes of Ajax,Sevilla,Celtic,Inter etc. and for the first time in 4 years, we hit the ground running.
prymetyme
16 Aug 2007, 01:41 PM
You are correct, we did play a few games in that Amsterdam cup. But we did play Inter and Chelsea this pre-season. The rest of the sides were signifigantly weaker than we were. Are two matches against average European sides like Ajax and Sevilla going to make that big of a difference? You might be right.
DutchFootballRulez
16 Aug 2007, 01:48 PM
Well, a few seasons ago the club came to the US and played high quality teams.
Fergie is thinking that playing against FIT, midseason opponents vs. high quality but lacking fitness opponents.
The answer to the question is come back to the US and play midseason MLS sides.
cr7torossi
16 Aug 2007, 01:58 PM
You are correct, we did play a few games in that Amsterdam cup. But we did play Inter and Chelsea this pre-season. The rest of the sides were signifigantly weaker than we were. Are two matches against average European sides like Ajax and Sevilla going to make that big of a difference? You might be right.
Well, our performance against Pompey(atleast in the first half) was an improvement over the Reading game. You can see the lack of fluency in our play, even if I ignore the striking situation for the moment. That could have been easily avoided.
prymetyme
16 Aug 2007, 02:01 PM
Well, our performance against Pompey(atleast in the first half) was an improvement over the Reading game. You can see the lack of fluency in our play, even if I ignore the striking situation for the moment. That could have been easily avoided.
I agree with the lack of fluency in the play, but I think that is mostly because of the players that have been on the pitch. Tevez needs time to mold with the side, Nani needs a bit of time, and being without Rooney on the pitch isn't normal.
SirManchester
16 Aug 2007, 02:34 PM
You are correct, we did play a few games in that Amsterdam cup. But we did play Inter and Chelsea this pre-season. The rest of the sides were signifigantly weaker than we were. Are two matches against average European sides like Ajax and Sevilla going to make that big of a difference? You might be right.
We played shit teams in Asia and collectivaley wasted our time there. We never really prepared, and then we played Inter. I wouldn't exactly count the Community Shield match as a decent pre-season warm up, because we never really altered our tactics or formation from last season. SO the only worthwhile match was Inter. Compare tha to last season, you can understand how this year we came up short, and it showed in the first two games in my opinion.
Achtung
16 Aug 2007, 03:02 PM
We played shit teams in Asia and collectivaley wasted our time there.
What do you mean? Those fans are going to do a great job of servicing the debt over the years. :rolleyes: ;)
Seriously though, we should either have a proper pre-season playing against other teams of some caliber, or not have it at all. Last year there was at least a mix with the South African tour and then the European warm-ups.
It'll be interesting to see if the midtable teams can actually put up a better fight for a 4-5 spot, rather than just conceding that part of the table. Personally I think they're all capable of having their day, but none of them look consistent enough yet to make a real push.
Itsakitnotajersey
16 Aug 2007, 03:21 PM
Well, a few seasons ago the club came to the US and played high quality teams.
Fergie is thinking that playing against FIT, midseason opponents vs. high quality but lacking fitness opponents.
The answer to the question is come back to the US and play midseason MLS sides.
You consider MLS high quality based on what? You do realize that a not so fit Beckham is the best player in the league and that Juan Pablo Angel is the leading scorer right?
rolfefan1717
16 Aug 2007, 03:40 PM
Well, I put the blame squarely on having an inadequate pre-season(and not solving the striker situation properly either).
And, I am also cert that Chelski will cross 85 points this season so 79 is certainly not going to win us the league.
Not only did we have a shiite preseason we also have had numerous distractions off the pitch. The tevez saga undoubtedly was a distraction. Then, on top of it, Heinze's desire to move to Liverpool has to be a MAJOR DISTRACTION. I can't imagine having to deal with the fact that one of your mates wants to transfer to your biggest rival. FFS, where is Heinze's sense of loytaly? the guy used to be one of my favorite players but now i hope he gets hit by a bus. (a metaphorical bus filled with boos and chants of his infedilety to United.)
Achtung
16 Aug 2007, 03:45 PM
You consider MLS high quality based on what? You do realize that a not so fit Beckham is the best player in the league and that Juan Pablo Angel is the leading scorer right?
Read, comprehend, then respond.
prymetyme
16 Aug 2007, 03:50 PM
Even for someone who doesn't particularly care for the MLS, it would have been a much better warm up then playing in Asia. The MLS has much better quality. Asia was clearly for money, I don't blame the ownership for going there, it was a smart business move, not the best for the team though.
argaen
16 Aug 2007, 04:19 PM
You consider MLS high quality based on what? You do realize that a not so fit Beckham is the best player in the league and that Juan Pablo Angel is the leading scorer right?This post fails miserably.
Anyway, I definitely think playing these crap asian teams really hurt our preparation for the season. Didn't Barcelona's players complain about how last season their preseason in asia really hurt their whole campaign?
sdotsom
16 Aug 2007, 04:30 PM
Did Barca go to Asia last summer? I thought they came here to the States. The Barca players did complain about the current Asian tour they did that just ended.
I also think playing crap Asian competition is worthless. Playing in that extreme heat may help with conditioning but that's it.
Stud83
16 Aug 2007, 04:40 PM
Liverpool and Chelsea also got better over the summer. So i don't really think status quo changed in any way. The mid table teams got stronger, true, but that should be offset by top teams getting stronger. Still think it would take at least 85 points to win the title this season.
Itsakitnotajersey
16 Aug 2007, 04:53 PM
Read, comprehend, then respond.
Clearly you have never been to a live MLS match if you believe the level of play in that league is worthy of getting the lads in proper shape. The concept of 'marking' does not exist in the MLS. The league is being dominated at the present time by men in their 30's like Beckham, Blanco from Mexico, and an Argie who had one foot in the retirement door.
I emplore you to give me examples of how I'm wrong.
The Jitty Slitter
16 Aug 2007, 04:59 PM
It is always said that the Premier League has the most top to bottom quality out of any league in the world.
actually the opposite is usually said.