I think it will be largely the same at the top. Liverpool will strengthen, but then, so will United. Most likely maintaining the status quo. Arsenal will do better, and may just win a trophy. My guess would be the FA Cup. I think Hull and Burnley have to be the 2 most likely to drop. Birmingham and Wolves stand a good chance of surviving. Burnley will have a party, then go back down. Hull wont get the same start they got last year, and will end up struggling.
Is anybody else slightly disappointed in Steve Bruce leaving Wigan? He's got a really good thing going at Wigan and now he's lost a couple of players he's walking out on them again? He doesn't hang around at clubs very much does he? He's managed 6 clubs in 10 years and he spent 6 years at Birmingham meaning he's barely given any of his other clubs a second thought once an offer has come in. I think it would really do him and Wigan the world of good to stay together for a decent period of time rather than just upping sticks and mving on again. I thought Wigan might struggle anyway next season because they look set to lose a few players butn Bruce's decision to move on will damamge them even more.
Yeah, totally agreed re: Wigan. they totally fell apart after the Jan. transfers....at one point they looked pretty tight and clubs were not guaranteed 3 pts when playing them like before. They were up to like 6th or something for a few weeks. What I don't get is: Why would Sunderland want him? Seems like they need somebody tougher. No, I don't like Bruce, he jumps ship too much. OH and BTW Chelsea to win title this season.
I just find it all very annoying and perplexing. Harry Redknapp imparticularly get's castigated, and rightly so, for jumping ship more than most. His treatment of Pompey over the last 4 years has been shocking, lets be honest. He walked out on them for their biggest domestic rivals for a pay-rise, got relegated, came back cap-in-hand and then walked out on them again not 2 seasons later as soon as Tottingham came, cheque book in hand. A good manager he may be but his sense of loyalty is somewhat flawed and people know it. Roy Keane also got pilloried when he walked out on Sunderland "when the going got tough", having spent a fortune on players who weren't up to the job. The press destroyed him calling him a "coward" and a "big time charlie" along the way. Kevin Keegans also gets battered for being a "choker", having walked out of every job he's ever had. However, Bruce seems to somehow avoid this negative publicity. Despite walking out on more clubs than I care to remember, and despite barely staying more than 18 months at either of them, he still seems to be a crowd favourite. The press call him a "fans manager", the fans call him a "saviour" yet all I see is a man who walks out on his current club as soon as something better comes along. I think he's missed a trick at Wigan, I really do. I just hope the club find someone to replace him.
you are so right---What Harry Redknapp did to Portsmouth is really rotten. Like you said, he's a great manager.....but come on. I hope Wigan can get somebody good.......where's Paul Jewell these days? LOL Ahhhhh....EPL manager merry-go-round...gotta love it. I was also hoping Celtic would try for Keane, I was surprised by their interest in Mowbray. Guess we're getting off topic here....but it's a fun topic. Manager Merry Go Round.
Bruce left at the correct time. How many fans would want a manager who pubically comes out and tells everyone who will listen that he has run out of ideas when it comes to motivating his players ? I certainly dont. His football is oftentimes boring and one dimensional, and as for some of his transfer dealings............ It was time for a change.
If I'm not mistaken, wasn't Bruce more or less forced out of Birmingham... I mean there was all that talk of a takeover there last year and then they started to be linked with McLeish, then the Wigan job opened up and I think Bruce just sort of walked before he was pushed... He did a good job at both Brum + Wigan me thinks.... but the Wigan side he had built was starting to fall apart, key players leaving left and right so I guess he just sort of decided to go somewhere else instead of rebuild.
He was sort of forced out .. while the failed take over was going on he wasn't able to get any assurances on his own future. He did do a good job for us although I probably think that both he and us needed a new start.
Roberto Martinez was always my first choice. Him coming back is pretty much like Shearer going to Newcastle - but Roberto has proven he can actually manage.
Why is it that Roberto Martinez is a decent mamnager with a decent chance of making a fist of it, yet Gareth Soutgate, Alan Shearer and Paul Ince all got it so spectacularly wrong? English managers are cursed I swear................
Well, he hasn't managed in the premiership yet.......but I do wish him the best of luck and think it's great that Wigan is going to shoot for Europe. Ince was a joke plus they didnt' do him any favors by selling Bentley and Friedel.
Hull's fortunes largely depend on Brown finally realising that they need to score goals. If he makes another Bullard-type cock-up, the trap door will not hold for much longer. I'd not write off Burnely, just yet.
Shearer had 6 games with utter shite and Ince did very very well in the lower leagues. It's pretty unfair to write them both off.
Hull have allegedly agreed with Utd on terms for Frazier Campbell which would be a good move for Hull. Even if they go down he should score enough goals to give them a good chance to come back up. Never rated Ince. Thought he did do well at Maccelsfield but motivating and organising them but he was handed a bloody good side at MK Dons who were really too good for that division anyways. He just comes across as a real wanker to me and thinks he is far too clever for his own good. Shearer is another kettle of fish as you are well aware of the job he has to do.
£6m is a lot of money for a player with minimum EPL playing time. Even as a Utd fan I'm not sure he's worth that much at the moment. He didn't blow them away at Tottenham, that's for sure. That's because he is one. He always has been. Who makes up their own nickname for crying out loud? And one like "The Guvnor" as well? Still, he's potential management material, but his reputation has made him a laughing stoick in some quarters.........
That unfortunately is my own view, too, although one has to remember who the manager at Spurs is. There is a misty-eyed nostalgia in these parts for his goal-scoring exploits which helped get Hull City into the Premiership.
I suppose the thinking may be that if Campbell doesnt do the business in the Prem that he will score enough in the Championship to give them a good chance to get back up. A mini Rob Earnshaw if you like (if a smaller version of Earnshaw is possible ). Think he upgrades their attack and that is the primary focus as they just could not score goals during that horrendous run in the second half of the season. As for Ince- he is just such a twat. He was on SSN the other day banging on about how he wants to manage in the Prem and no offence to the Championship and blah, blah and then he concludes by saying that he is definately interested in the West Brom job.
My predicition The top four will be the top four yet again. Though I think ManU and Pool struggle because of the personal and internal money issues respetively. Arsenal and Chelsea will improve on last year and there will be a fight for the order right up until last month. As an Arsenal Scientologist, I would like to think our lads are going to win it all. But I think unless AW buys us a damn defensive midfielder we will be no higher than 2nd. I think a full year of Arshavin is going to do wonders for our scoring. More predictions, Everyone will keep prediciting Aston Villa, Everton or Citeh will break into the top four only to do what the do every year and cock it up around January. Citeh will be woeful even with Barry and Tevez. Because they seemingly have forgotten about their bigger problem - defence. The mid 3 will be supplanted by one with West Ham making more progression and being a serious threat to the Europa Cup spot. Everyone stays the same, Phil Brown and his tanning bed goes down like he should have this year. Newcastle wins the Championship. Everything else is just conjecture. Well, even that bit about the geordies is too.
What about the Spurs, eh? They gained more points once Harry came than Aston Villa. I like them for a top 6 finish, especially once they clean the fat off of last year's team (Bentley). I am sad that they aren't giving Pav more of a chance, but I heard it's very hard to communicate with him unless you know Russian, so it's understandable. Bent needs to stay as the third striker (unless Pav stays), and the midfield depth is pretty darn good.
I think a Spurs top 6 finish is realistic, for sure. I think it would help if they could get their defense shored up a bit. Is Bale expected back soon? I don't see Liverpool winning the title....I think it's between Chelsea, Man U. and Arsenal. I DO think that a season's worth of Arshavin will make a difference. With a little fine tuning on defense and no big injuries, Arsenal looks good. I think it's going to be a great season. I heard somebody on the radio say that coming in 5th is like winning the league, since nobody seems to be able to break the top four. Kind of sad.