I am not sure they have to rely on Carew all that much. If Luke can find any sort of the form he had pre injury then his goals here and there should be good enough for them,but as u said we will see.
You've gone off on a tangent I wasn't suggesting I just meant that period and those games could make your season or break it, not that your squad would crack because of them. I know about the flexibility of the players you have and I'd say you got Unted a little wrong given that we have as many, probably even more players flexible than you. The only 'one-position players' we have are Vidic and Carrick, lol. We are just lucky to have the depth to not have to change things dramatically when the injuries hit. Dawson I forgot!! But I still don't think he'd start over Kaboul and would say the problem with Spurs at the back stems more from their midfield letting teams go at it time and time and time again. I think that only King has the ability to sweep up irrespective whilst the other CB's need far more protection. I've not said that Wayne can't make the leap, I've just asked if it is the best way to use him. Any road, he or Tevez playing as a #9 need lots and lots of support. Neither of them run the line like a #9 and that's the most major consideration in why it's not the best of situations to have one of 'em at centre-forward. Carew is badly needed by that side, his height and strength makes him essential given the amount of times he'll be asked to power through a backline or be used to hold up the ball. I have a question for you. If we take Agbonlahor, Moore, Harewood and Carew to be their strikeforce, how many goals are you expecting each player to score? An additional question I have is how many goals do you expect the rest of Villa's squad to score over the season?
I know Carew is badly needed but what I meant by rely was really his goals which comes to your first question. I wouldnt put Harewood in their but actually Young and with him and the other 3 I could see them scoring about 30-35 with the other squad members like Barry scoring about 7 PK's . Sure people might say that isnt much but I don't expect them to concede much either.
A well written essay by Dark Savante. It will be interesting to see how accurate his crystal ball turns out to be. The importance of Saha to Man Utd's season has been correctly highlighted. How long did it take to write that preview?
Well with the International break. I was able to think a bit more about my predictions before posting. One hour before kick-off, so I guess I better get them down. 1) Manchester United -After a slow start United win it by 6 points 2) Arsenal - The kids come good and leapfrog Liverpool and Chelsea 3) Liverpool - Benitez tinkers and reality sets in by the end of October 4) Chelsea - The wheels come off at Stamford Bridge. Mourinho's last season. 5) Blackburn - Benni and Santa Cruz lite it up. 6) Everton - Not good enough to break the top 4. 7) Newcastle - Awesome strike force fuels Magpie turnaround 8) Tottenham - Overrated as always. Jol seeks polical asylum in Argentina. 9) Aston Villa - O'Neil's boys have a solid season. 10)Portsmouth - Harry's curse. More talent = Underperforming Team 11)West Ham - Hammer fans forget about those relegation battles. 12)Man City - Citeh much improved, but still not ready for prime time. 13)Bolton - Anelka Scores 20 14)Middlesbrough - A bit thin on quality and depth. 15)Wigan - Surprising start to the season is only a distant memory. 16)Reading - Dismal performance in the transfer market. 17)Fulham - A yank keeps them alive. Poor defending almost sends them down. 18)Birmingham - Like a boomerang. Back to the championship they go. 19)Sunderland - Sorry Roy, just not enough quality. 20)Derby County - Derby sets a new record for goals conceded. I don't see anybody new breaking into the top four this season. As for 5 through 10, its wide open. Throw in a few injuries or a spell of good or bad form and any of them could easily change places. Same for the third tier, 11th through 15th. But none of them will break the top 10. I have the new boys all going down, Although Fulham and perhaps Reading (Coppell needs to makes some moves in December), could easily fall into the relegation battle if they don't take care of business and pick up the 3 points from match-ups with the new boys.
Very good analysis indeed. At this stage of the season, even I am inclined to go with the same top 4 though I would have Newcastle at 5, Blackburn at 6, Everton at 7 and Pompey at 8. I do see Sunderland surviving, it is not as bad a outfit as has been made out in recent weeks, especially when Whitehead, Edwards and Kieran return. 1) Manchester United 2) Arsenal - Almost there 3) Liverpool 4) Chelsea - End of Mourinho 5) Newcastle - One season of intelligent spending away from breaking into the top 4 6) Blackburn - The next step in the evolution of ManUtd circa 94-95 7) Everton - Baines and Yak to shine 8) Pompey 9) Aston Villa - Home form matters 10)Tottenham - End of Jol. Bale and Berba leave. 11)West Ham 12)Man City 13)Wigan 14)Sunderland - Roy's rovers with some to spare 15)Reading - the second season syndrome? 16)Fulham - Northern Ireland win enough scrappy points 17)Bolton - just survive 18)Boro 19)Birmingham 20)Derby County - break sunderland's 15 points record
I had an earful from a mate about Villa being 'brilliant' this season. I have to say, I can't see it. They are fast, powerful and workmanlike, but I don't see as many goals in them as you've said or the creativity chasm being gulfed by what they have there. I would say that if their strike-force hits 30 goals, they've exceeded my expectations. Hey, it's all in good fun. I really enjoy sticking my neck on the line, it's always interesting to read such threads after said season is over. I don't know how long it took cumulatively, tbh. As I said, I'd written bits and bobs all through August and you don't really think about timespan when it's written in small chunks like that. well, hat's certainly interesting.. Savage goes down and Rovers will crumble. I thought he was immense against Chelsea yesterday and really does impress me every time I watch him play. Will be interesting to see how many you get right come May. I do not understand you comparing Blackburn to us in 95 ? We're nothing alike? ----- It's shocking to see what Little Sam is doing with Bolton.. but as stated, I reckon he'll be sacked soon enough and the new fella will get them way back up the table.
^ I meant more in terms of the structure of the team, playing the traditional 4-4-2, winger(s) who can put in a decent cross and good hard players in the core of the team. As for Bolton, any improvement would rest on Anelka and Diouf not leaving in January which I am quite certain they would.
It is interesting that so many of you think Manchester United will win the league. Yes we are bound to find a lot of optimistic Manchester United supporters on a United board, but this season we haven't seen anything that makes me think that your squad can win the title. At times you looked like Arsenal last season & other matches you looked like Man City this season. Same goes for Chelsea. They have been really shaky both upfront & at the back esp. But that is understandable because they are without their best defender last season in Carvalho. The offensively they have looked quite blunt. Shevchenko looks like a worse player than last season (based on yesterday ofcourse!), & they cannot rely on Drogba as much this season because the competition is extremely high in the Premiership. And as Le Boss said, anybody can beat anybody. As someone stated earlier, Liverpool's start was blown out of scale. I will make my judgement on them when the season goes on as it is unfair to judge a team that has had the easist fixtures up to now. The Derby result told us more about Derby than it did Liverpool, & yes a 6-0 win is always nice but Derby's defending was terrible. Arsenal have looked the most impressive out of the top four & are the only ones that have shown what they are capable of. Up to now they have beat 3 teams comfortably which you struggled against. As I stated before, the Premiership will be won by the team that is the most hungry not the one with the most quality! As for Arsenal's fixture list, yes we play Chelsea, United & Liverpool in the space of 20 days but we also play the likes of Reading, Derby & Bolton in the same time period, so if we get at least 4 points from the big four then I don't think it will be too much of a problem.
Run along child, run along We've had the scousers talking about the league being wrapped up, this week it's the gunners getting giddy. Bless
WTF you on about? I never stated once in my post that the League is wrapped up. If anything I said it is just beginning, but it is true that we have looked the most impressive, there is no denying that, whatever team you support.
Funny thing is that you pick on my age & not my post If your reply isn't anything to do with my post then do not reply, simple as that. Everytime I post you reply with something to do with my age, most of the time you do not reply to my post at all. Why do you care about my age anyway?
Your posts are of the quality you would expect from a 9 year old. They're just a waste of bandwidth. Even the Arsenal board is embarrassed by your posts, and that board is full of people who only discovered football a few months ago.
Nice. And all the bookies in the world are idiots for still thinking after this round of fixtures that Arsenal are still the least likely amongst the big 4 to win the league. And just beating Citeh and Fulham in the dying minutes is winning comfortably, the start to the season has been fun -- bragging Citeh fans, then Terry and Chelski talking bullshit, deluded Scousers and now deluded Gooners.
tbh, most of them have only discovered Arsenal so far, it will take them a lot more time to discover the rest of the football-ing world.
If the start of the season is all Arsenal have to offer, then you wont be in the top 4 come May. Wait until the fixtures start coming thick and heavy. FA cup, CL, and CC. African Nations cup duty for maybe Toure, Adebayor, Eboue. It would be foolish to judge any team off the first month of the season. You better than anyone should know that. After all, the last time Chelsea won the title, you guys were top of the league with them right? Then you ended up 20+ point behind us (A team that played Ryan Giggs and John OShea at CM). Not to mention, the last time we won the league from you, as you faltered at the end of the season (Was that 2003?). When all the teams (especially, Liverpool, us and Chelsea) settle with their new signings, things will be different. Have you guys played Blackburn or Bolton yet?
Going by the way they played today you might just be right but it is only one game it is still early days yet. But in all honesty Carew REALLY shouldve buried that header.
I don't know what Arsenal posters expect from this place, 2 months ago, we were going to finish behind the Scum guaranteed, now lots are putting us as Runner-Ups...
The start of the Premiership is vital now. More so than it was when we last won the title. Last season Manchester United got off to a flyer, even Chelsea (who got of to fast starts in the previous two seasons) could not keep up with the pace you were picking up points. At the end of the season United slowed down pace, maybe because the fixture list caught up on you or the injures you suffered towards the end of the season. I am not saying that we are going to win the title, all I am stating is that we have been the most impressive. I agree with you on the African Nations part. It will be a testing time as three important players will be away for nearly a month & a half, but the only one that will be sorely missed, will be Toure as we haven't got as much cover at the back as we do upfront. Yes we have played Blackburn, if you recall you drew 1-1.
Well whatever. All said and done, we'll see by Christmas. If you have any knowledge of statistics, you'll know the current distribution of results now don't matter that much - save its psychological effect on the persons involved.
(1) The best teams usually have the best starts - the best starts don't make the best teams. (2) "Best starts" like those deemed by the major press are not statistically sound. You are probably completely clueless about statistical distribution. (3) Plus the African Nations cup, I'll be happy to see what happens. Don't forget about injuries and suspensions!
Funny, last season all United fans were waxing lyrical about their team after they got off to a fantastic start. Most were saying they were going to win the title, which deemed to be true. As for the African Nations. We have Eduardo or Bendtner that can cover for Adebayor. Hoyte & Sagna for Eboue, & Djourou/Senderos for Toure. The only one that scares me is Toure. I would expect Liverpool & Chelsea to be bragging about their strength in depth, certainly not Manchester United supporters.