We are strong enough to win the EPL

[GodZola 630]

:goodpost:

Basically summed up what im trying to say, we may have some weakness's in our teams but so do Utd and City, infact both in vital areas, United serious weak link is their goallie will he win them 15 points like VDS did? will Mancini go all out all season? i reckon City will lose more points due to managers tactics than we will and De Gea will without doubt lose United more points than Cech will lose us.

yes we may no be fav's and no it wont be easy, but we have the best young manager in the world and have streghened from last season, so putting that into concept i cannot honestly see how we can just settle for top 4, we should be aiming higher than that.

Thanks mate,

The reality is AVB will not settle for anything less than a title assault, if he did then the players will pick up on it & the standards will drop. We have to set our stall out to win it & if we fall short but have given it our best shot with attacking football I think fans & the board will accept it in what is a season of transition. I concur Tomo it won't be easy but we have to stay positive & believe, put it this way I didn't expect us to win the PL in Jose's first season but we did............

[Tomo 21,733]

Thanks mate,

The reality is AVB will not settle for anything less than a title assault, if he did then the players will pick up on it & the standards will drop. We have to set our stall out to win it & if we fall short but have given it our best shot with attacking football I think fans & the board will accept it in what is a season of transition. I concur Tomo it won't be easy but we have to stay positive & believe, put it this way I didn't expect us to win the PL in Jose's first season but we did............

Exactly and lets be honest this City and United side's are not even close to the class off the Arsenal "invincibles" that we had to overcome that year.

[GodZola 630]

Exactly and lets be honest this City and United side's are not even close to the class off the Arsenal "invincibles" that we had to overcome that year.

That's a good point about the Arse's invincible's but it could be argued that we also had a better team & a superior squad then. However like you stated nor are Utd or City anywhere near as good as that team so despite being underdogs (which is mighty fine by me) we have more than a decent chance this season - if AVB sorts out the midfield!

[eldo 868]

Still in first gear.

[Kieran. 6,317]

Sure, we CAN win it, but if you don't think that City/United are better than us then you're blind.

[Kojo 4,676]

I want improvement, i want better football than last season, we can't win the trophy because i don't think were good enough to win it. Faith is one thing but you have to be realistic, i don't think you can blame this forum for it's negativity when you take a look at our squad, Mata is the only special buy we actually made, when we should of made more. And yes it's too early for AVB who knows what might happen, i just want improvement, better football and more commitment, these last two games have just been the exact same as last season, we were hoping for change, and with only little bought and the bad games we only expected to happen, you cannot blame people for losing hope in this season, because it's been entirely what we've expected, Stoke game was a good game to be fair, we were pretty solid and deserved a result and i can let that one slip, but the West Brom game and Norwich was shocking, despite us winning both of them. But lets see where the next few games take us, however another good thread by you Tomo, i enjoy reading your threads because they host a very good debate and calm many down.

[Tomo 21,733]

Sure, we CAN win it, but if you don't think that City/United are better than us then you're blind.

The Arsenal "invincibles" were better than us when Jose came in and what happened?

[Henri 115]

Its kind of a great illusion to even think we will be champions if we a talking about preparing for the future with young player. We will NEVER

be a club which will build on young players, because our zar will never has the patience to let them grove. That doesnt has to mean we will

not win anything in the future, but the football philosophy wont change. Basicallly i`m saying. except 3-4-5 years without winning anything

(maybe) and see the youth as the future, we have bought 3-4 great players, let them integrate and stop this loan thing unless we really a hoping

they come back better/stronger and are ready to write the future. Or except us for what we are, a club with a owner who buys great players,

sometimes shitty, but we won alot and has played fantastic football so why complain?,if your not willing to go through dark hours before the sun

will shine again, instead of this solarium we are using now?.

[Rambo 1,729]

Really? Look at the calendar guys..can we talk about this in January?

[Blue Armour 4,287]

At least we have a "chance" of winning it...

Check this out

[zolayes 14,489]

At least we have a "chance" of winning it...

Check this out

that looks as if it is similar to the Fink Tank predictionsin the Times ... quite a surprise really

[cujo101 75]

Chelsea will not win the league this season. Sad but true - we lack the variety of options and too many key players are 'over the hill' at the same time. Not enough quality players in their mid 20's to give the balance that it clearly needs. I expect us to finish 3rd/4th and 7-12 points behind the eventual winners. This will be the last season for quite a few of the current squad and I just being realistic. I just hope that JM, OR, DS, RL and RB get a real chance to emerge this season...

[Guest justin_3d]

By: Paul Parker

After a weekend in which Manchester United and Manchester City destroyed the opposition placed in front of them once again, I have heard suggestions that the Premier League is already a two-horse race and that comparisons have been drawn with the dominance enjoyed by Barcelona and Real Madrid in La Liga.

Absolute rubbish. Chelsea, it is important to remember, are still unbeaten and they will challenge strongly this season. In fact, given they haven't had the most stellar of starts in comparison to the Manchester teams, it is my suspicion that the Blues can only improve under Andre Villas-Boas, which will be a concern for the rest of the elite English clubs.

It bodes well for the Premier League this season that we have three such accomplished sides. Last season was a disappointment in terms of quality but this season looks to have the potential to be a vintage title race, and Chelsea will play a central role in it.

Once Villas-Boas gets the chance to play his best team - and I don't think that will include Frank Lampard by the way - they will be a more fluid side. They will get the ball to Fernando Torres quicker and that will benefit the £50 million man.

Villas-Boas has some issues in defence - I wasn't convinced with Branislav Ivanovic as a centre-back against Sunderland - but he just has to be brave with his team selection and he will do fine. They have more craft in their midfield with the additions of Raul Meireles and Juan Mata and Daniel Sturridge looks a real talent in attack.

He scored a brilliant goal against Sunderland. I have always been a big fan of the young striker and felt that had Chelsea kept him instead of loaning him to Bolton last season they would have had a better chance of winning the title.

Chelsea should stick with him, rather than moving him out of the way when the big payers return. If someone is playing to that high a level they must stay in the side.

If Villas-Boas is allowed to pick who he wants then I think he will emulate what he did at Porto and build a very quick team, who boast plenty of creativity. The Chelsea of last season are more like the walking dead compared to the XI he had at Porto, and a rejuvenated team will pose problems to both Manchester City and Manchester United.

It is ridiculous to say at this early stage that it will be a two-horse race. Chelsea have flown slightly under the radar given that the Manchester sides have captured the headlines with a glut of goals - it's a nice story for the media - but everyone knows the strength in the ranks of the London side. They are experts at grinding out results and will be a force to be reckoned with.

It is clear, however, that the two Manchester clubs and Chelsea have opened up a gulf on the rest and there is no doubt that they will be the top three come the end of the season.

There are still question marks around Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham and that secondary rank of clubs will be battling it out for fourth at best.

Roberto Mancini and Sir Alex Ferguson have overseen fast starts to the season but I have not been particularly surprised as they are in charge of two great sides. The fact City and United have won all four of their matches and both boast a goal difference in excess of 10 tells you that much.

The Premier League already looks to be at a much better standard, and more entertaining, than it was last season and it helps that Manchester United and Manchester City play such open football.

Mancini has thrown off the defensive shackles and has been rewarded, though I would caution that they haven't yet played a side who might require a more defensive approach. Perhaps he will revert back into his shell when playing against Manchester United or Chelsea.

When they are allowed to play football, City and United do appear to be miles away from anyone else, but there will be teams who do not allow them to do that.

At the moment, though, they appear very confident in the knowledge that they can outscore whichever opposition is put in front of them.

Given the amount of money City have spent on players like Sergio Aguero, who cost £38 million from Atletico Madrid, it is only right that they are starting to show a bit more endeavour.

Meanwhile, after what happened in the Champions League final defeat to Barcelona, everyone expected Manchester United to come out with a new style and already you can see that being borne out.

-------------------

Even Paul knows that Lampard must be drop to the bench!

[bababoom 4,478]

Another thread about Lampard... it's getting boring now.

[Madmax 9,219]

So many unnecessary new threads. Sigh.

[manpe 10,861]

Justin is becoming like a broken record or has an ill obsession over Lampard

[termninja 5,290]

No need for new "We can win EPL" or "Drop Lampard" threads. Merged it.

[Peace. 4,352]

Justin is becoming like a broken record or has an ill obsession over Lampard

Do you want him to stop with Lampard ? Yes ? Then you just have to say something against ManCity