Pre season predictions

[Pacquiao 1,834]

It was AVB's fault for a number of reasons! The players didn't just not like him and not respect him for no reason you know! He came into the club with so much arrogance expecting everyone to go with his ideas, he tried to change too much too quickly! he tried to push out the older players which was just stupid! The guy has no man management skills what so ever! And when your not even interested to build relationships with your players then your asking for trouble!

Especially at Chelsea where we are used to having great man managers like Mourinho, Hiddink, Ancelotti and now RDM! There is a reason why those four have been successful at Chelsea and managers like Scolari and AVB haven't! Because the successful managers earned respect from the players, they actually spoke to the players individually and built bonds with their players. Then people like Scolari couldn't even speak english so was at a disadvantage straight away, and then AVB just distanced himself from the players, he wasn't interested in building a good relationship with his players! How do you expect those players to want to fight for him when the guy doesn't even want to know them!

He was supposed to be some sort of tactical genius but he proved to everyone that actually he is far from a tactical genius! More like a tactical moron! How can you go to Old Trafford and set your team up to play such an open game! And then the worst of all was going to Napoli (who everyone knows as one of the best counter attacking teams in the world) and set your team up to be counter attacked??? What kind of idiot does that? I'm just glad we topped our group otherwise we would have played Barca in the last 16 and I guarantee AVB would have set us up to play a open game against Barca which would have resulted in us probably conceding 4 goals at LEAST!!! In the 1st leg If we were lucky!

The players could obviously see how incompetent he is tactically and how much of a joke he is as a man manger! All I know is when a new manager comes into a new team he should look at the players available to him and play to the players strengths! But not AVB he comes in and doesn't care what our strengths are he just expected us to be able to play like Barca over night! And when it clearly wasn't working he was to stubborn to admit he was wrong! When all the players knew they weren't going to get anywhere playing like that!

The players gave him every chance to show them why Chelsea wanted him so badly and all he showed them was how much of a arrogant, stubborn and very very naïve manager he is! Look at the way he treated Alex and Anelka as well! How do expect to get respect from your players when you treat them like that!

I'm interested to see this season if he has learned from his lessons at Chelsea because if he hasn't then it won't be long until he gets sacked again! And by the looks of thing the way he is handling the Modric situation makes me think he hasn't changed all!

100% agree with this! its crazy that anyone can think it wasn't AVB's fault!

[Jase 43,479]

FourFourTwo predicted Tottenham to finish 3rd, Arsenal 4th and us in 5th for this season.

Part of their verdict on Spuds is "...the squad wil be driven on by the perceived Champions League injustice."

CL injustice?!! Pathetic. Spuds only have themselves to blame for blowing away that 3rd spot!

[Shogun 721]

1. Man United - Sir Alex is a great manager and with the addition of Kagawa to bolster the midfield along with the return of Vidic they will regain their title.2.Chelsea - I really like the look of Chelsea at the moment, and I'm not just saying that because of you guys. Solid defence with Cahill, Terry, Cole and Ivanovic along with a pacey midfield involving Ramires, Hazard, Marin and De Bruyne. Though I only think you'll finish that high if Torres can get off the ground.3. Manchester City - Great players no doubt, but Mancini is shite. Seriously the only reason they won last season was because United had their best defender out for the season.4. Everton - Optimistic I know, but for four of the last 5 or 6 seasons we've been in the top 3 form sides in the country from January but we always start poorly, though I think that will change as for the first time we will be starting the season with a proven goalscorer! (Jelavic)We've improved on last years squad with Pienaar's signing looking imminent, the addition of Naismith and I can't see us losing Baines or Fellaini. Also the other sides around that position won't do to well in my opinion. 5. Arsenal - Podolski will be a flop I'm certain of it, Van Persie will leave. Though they'll have the return of Wilshere to boost their quality and I think Giroud will do quite well, though won't carry them for an entire season like RVP.6. Spurs- they only look like losing Modric really out of their better players, Adebayor looks close too. But Modric is a huge part of their play and I'm not sure on AVB.7. Newcastle - Don't think they will lose anyone important but Europa league will hinder them in my opinion.8. Liverpool - They are pretty shit and I can't see the 'Anfield faithful' taking to Rodgers. Suarez's days are numbered and the expectations (as deluded as they are) are too difficult to handle for any manager.9. Aston Villa - i think Lambert will turn them around, really rate him as a manager, McCleish absolutely killed them last year. He'll get N'Zogbia going and Bent will chip in with his usual 20 goals a season.10. Sunderland - O'Neill is a good manager and as long as they bring in a half decent striker then they should be able to do top ten.11. Fulham - can't see Dempsey staying and even if he does I can't see him replicating last seasons form, they have swapped Zamora/Pog with Rodellega which is clearly a disaster waiting to happen.12. West Ham- Big Sam, need I say more?13. Swansea - Not sure the new manager will too well, but he'll maintain the philosophy which works well enough.14. West Brom - Good manager in Clarke but they have a poor squad.15. Southampton - Might be a surprise for a few people who will have them for the drop but I think Lallana and Lambert will shine in the premier league.16. QPR- I actually think they'll do better but I hate Hughes.17. Norwich - They'll struggle this year, but I think they will squeeze through18. Wigan - time to go.19. Reading- they may have had good Championship form but I'm not impressed by them. 20. Stoke - Pulis' dreadful tactics won't be enough to get them to stay up.

Not too bad... gutted I'm wrong about Stoke.