09-10 Season - Other Team's Thread

I like Steve Bruce, I think Sunderland will improve under him and may even finish in the top half.

Man City came screaming out of the blocks with an early goal, but their defence looked as leaky as ever.

 

As much as I hate seeing Arsenal win, I think it was a good day for Spurs. Villa and Everton losses can only help us make Europe.

 

Bent scored on his debut. Not a bad opening show. Now Crouch has to do something special or at least do his part in holding play up really well. Also Wigan look a decent team. Villa look out of sorts without a real true leader and I wonder how long A.Young is going to want to stick around. Also I think in the states ESPN 2 is playing prem games. Just like 1 but the Chelski game was on early in the morning. Did anyone see if Altidore was playing? If he was how did he far in his first outing. I know it was chelski but still.

Everton looked in shambles. West Ham were not impressive in there win cause they played terribly.

 

god I wish FSC would go HD soon. I was shocked to see Arse beat the living piss out of Everton. Felt bad for our boy Timmy Howard. I bet Lescott begging to leave now.

 

The other decent thing was the bottom line ticker was only run every 10-15 minutes. One run through and off the screen it went.

 

The real questions are...

1- Who was the idiot that claimed that Young was a "World Class" player?
2- Who was the idiot that valued him at 25million?
3- Which team with actual title/european aspirations would want Him?

I bet Moyes is ringing sparky!

On a serious note, everton are notoriously Horrendous on opening day. so....

 

Ashley Young proved his quality last season, he is unsettled now though and Villa were collectively poor while Wigan were superb. He would easily fit into any of the top sides in the Prem.

 

Brum were really good today. I think if they continue to play like that they'll stay up.

 

Very impressed with Wigan. I have to admit they were one of my favorites for the drop, but if they can play like they did against Villa, they'll stay up. Given their resources, what they've done in the transfer market is amazing. They seem to have made a name for themselves among solid, tough, central/south-american players (like our boy Wilson) -- even their new strikers looked pretty well-suited to the premier league.

Villa looked like we did at the start of last season. A ton of talent, but a tad overconfident (thinking of Young as opposed to Agbonlahor), lacking some steel, and lacking some end product. But they have a good manager, so they'll eventually come good. But the fact that they're in Europe won't do them any favors, and I very much doubt they'll be pushing for 4th. Mainly because Delph (although a good prospect) is no Barry and Davies is no Laursen.

Everton looked ok in the first 25 minutes of their game, but their lack of forward/attacking options was painful to behold. Without Arteta they look lost (especially when down). Cahill makes great runs and is always the first to get to a rebound, but he doesn't create anything. I guess they have Fellainni in the creative department, but he looked out of sorts as well. Tell you what though, I'd take that guy Pienaar as a replacement for Jenas. He was everywhere, and the only Everton player (in my mind) who really took it to the goons.

Hate to say it, but the scum looked good. Not silverware-winning good, but still good. I looked at the teamsheet, was not impressed, then watched as they destroyed an ok Everton side. Every single player has skill and speed. But apart from Song and Gallas they're a bunch of pansies, and I'd love to see them play Wigan or Bolton. Eduardo will not be able to hold the line like Adebayor did, so the tactics will have to be adjusted slightly. Basically, they looked like a continental European side. The positive (for us) is that I'm not sure how much punishment they can take. Pre-season has already proved to be too much for quite a few of the delicate flowers in the scum team, and also their defence isn't that great. Everton didn't offer much of a test, but I'd like to see what happens against a real attacking threat (as opposed to an isolated Jo, followed by an equally isolated Saha). Finally, Ashavin isn't all that. I'd take Modders ahead of him any day (and basically, we did).

 

Young isn't world class and not worth 25mil but he is quality and at the same time how many left sided wingers in the Prem are better?

I really think Liverpool are going to miss Alonso the same way Villa is going to miss Barry. They are each going to have trouble connecting balls won by the defense to the strikers as the creative spark and link is gone from each midfield.

Chelsea look to me to be the strongest title contenders, Man U will mount a challenge, 'Pool will labor a distant 3rd, 4th is wide open. As long as we don't play to the level of our opponent like last season, why not Spurs?

 

So, the mid-week games...

Birmingham 1-0 Portsmouth
Burnley 1-0 Manchester United
Liverpool 4-0 Stoke
Sunderland 1-3 Chelsea
Wigan 0-1 Wolves

Still early but Portsmouth look like they could have an even worse start than ours last season.

 

Liverpool were awful.

Gerrard, Torres and Mascherano still look jaded after last season and their depth is non-existant. Says everything when your only striker to bring on to chase a deficit is Voronin.

Villa just did the basics, sat deep and countered through hard running.

 

well there allready 6 points off of 1st.

 

very, very, very funny.

 

What's Fat Rafa's excuse this time?

 

Torres doesn't get protection cause he's spanish.

The scheduling is biased.

The referees are Too young.

They can't compete with madrid or City type money.

 

Liverpool are going to really miss Xabi Alonso, he was the one in that midfield who could dictate speed of play and his range passing was fantastic tonight. They have no lost just a many games as they did of the whole last season.

 

I agree that Alonso was an important player for them, but people overlook the fact that he only started 27 games, I believe.

 

He started 38 games and was used as a sub in 7 for Liverpool last season.