The English Football Thread

[kellzfresh 7,226]

Forgot about Terry? Banned!

Banning me on his behalf or should I pass the word

[Muzchap 8,966]

I watched City and Arsenal yesterday.

Arsenal impressed me, but it was City who made them look that good. Sanchez did well for them but I noticed that he's more of a showman and runner then a technical football player. There were a couple of attacks that Sanchez screwed with bad decisions even though he should've only passed the ball and every coach would scream for him to simply pass the ball.

I expect Arsenal to have a really good season, but their defense is nothing impressive (as always) and I would expect us to beat them with the likes of Costa, Hazard and Fabregas with no problem.

As for City, they just confirmed what we all knew. Without Kompany, Aguero and Silva, they are just a mediocre team.

Damn it's going to be a tough season!

Yup it's going to be an all out war - this is why the EPL generates so much interest, genuinely 4-5 teams that could string together a Title bid...

Arsenal have always started badly and finished ok - I think it will be the opposite this season.

City will be tough as usual

It's Utd, Scousers, Spuds and maybe Everton that will be unpredictable... The Spuds might do well with their new manager - but expect them to drop off as well - if they lose a few - the dressing room gets toxic very quickly...

[Reddish-Blue 2,249]

Yup it's going to be an all out war - this is why the EPL generates so much interest, genuinely 4-5 teams that could string together a Title bid...

Arsenal have always started badly and finished ok - I think it will be the opposite this season.

City will be tough as usual

It's Utd, Scousers, Spuds and maybe Everton that will be unpredictable... The Spuds might do well with their new manager - but expect them to drop off as well - if they lose a few - the dressing room gets toxic very quickly...

I agree that United will be unpredictable...but, unless they sign a quality CB and add some steel to their midfield (e.g. Vidal or even Nigel De Jong), I see them struggling to finish 4th this season

[Special Juan 27,140]

Zaha joining Forest on loan.

[Special Juan 27,140]

Mangala to City is also done.

[didierforever 7,349]

City need to sell a non HG player.

They have aguero, dzeko, negredo, jovetic, silva, nasri, navas, yaya, fernando, fernandinho, kompany, mangala, demichelis, nastastic, sagna, kolarov, zabaleta and caballero as their non HG players.

Any idea who will be sacrificed?

[Jype 6,398]

City need to sell a non HG player.

They have aguero, dzeko, negredo, jovetic, silva, nasri, navas, yaya, fernando, fernandinho, kompany, mangala, demichelis, nastastic, sagna, kolarov, zabaleta and caballero as their non HG players.

Any idea who will be sacrificed?

Javi Garcia is not in there but Nastasic still qualifies as U21 for the PL and can be registered on the B-list for Champions League so they've got a total of 18 non-HG players. For the Champions League they can only name 16 non-HG players due to their FFP sanctions so two of them have to go but for the Premier League they only need to sell one.

Javi Garcia will probably be the first to go but after that they can't really afford to lose anyone so it will be interesting to see who will miss out on the CL squad.

[didierforever 7,349]

Javi Garcia is not in there but Nastasic still qualifies as U21 for the PL and can be registered on the B-list for Champions League so they've got a total of 18 non-HG players. For the Champions League they can only name 16 non-HG players due to their FFP sanctions so two of them have to go but for the Premier League they only need to sell one.

Javi Garcia will probably be the first to go but after that they can't really afford to lose anyone so it will be interesting to see who will miss out on the CL squad.

I dint include garcia. But I dint know nastasic was u-21, that solves there PL problem.

But would be interesting to see who misses out on CL.

[KevinAshburner 1,270]

COMMUNITY SHIELD HIGHLIGHTS 2014 Arsenal v Man City by 442oons (football cartoon 10.08.2014)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWCSkQ_uwhc

VIDEO LENGTH - 1:55

UPLOADED 20 MINUTES AGO BY: 442OONS

[petre.ispirescu 4,928]

Shrek the Captain haha

[Magic Lamps 11,511]

I can see the decision to make Shreck captain badly backfiriing, he is a whining boy who would drain the club for any money it has- or in Utd's case has not. All he cares is is personal benefits, he does not give a shit about the club.

[Special Juan 27,140]

#RooneyWankfest

[Sidzeret 2,257]

I can see the decision to make Shreck captain badly backfiriing, he is a whining boy who would drain the club for any money it has- or in Utd's case has not. All he cares is is personal benefits, he does not give a shit about the club.

He is anything but a leader of men, but v.Gaal was out of options if he wanted to pick a captain who is a nailed on starter. v. Persie is captain material but probably didn't want others to think he's showing favouritism. Bad choice altogether.

[guddy6969 188]

Jealous :0)

http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/liverpool-based-telegraph-journalist-wonders-how-chelsea-signed-diego-costa-for-32m/

[Fulham Broadway 16,481]

Man utd have banned tablets and laptops from O/T.

Good idea, should be banned from Stamford Bridge as well. Cunts

[Mr_President 404]

Prediction for this season, as it stands (i.e. no further major signings are made)

I am confident we will win, especially if we sign a decent back-up striker.

The club did an amazing job this summer in selling certain players for good prices and then bringing in exactly what we needed for relative bargains. We have added 3 first team players that will improve the team immensely; I just love the look of this squad. Of course, if we fail to sign a back-up striker and Costa gets injured then we are in trouble, but last season we fared pretty well with only Eto'o and Torres - of course our competition is stronger this season. IMO we have the best keeper in the league (certainly the best combination!), the most solid defence, albeit without the star quality at CB as City (but as a unit I think we're better, also down to playing style), we have the best or one of the best midfield 2s in Matic and Fabregas, with Ramires ready to make it a 4-3-3 in certain games. We also have real quality and depth in the AM position with Hazard, Schurrle, Oscar, Willian, and Salah. Costa is perfect for us and I am just praying he doesn't get injured, the back-up doesn't bare thinking about.

City have an outstanding squad and a very strong first team but I just have a feeling that they won't be able to do the back-to-back. Aguero is hugely injury prone, Yaya is older and it is unlikely that he will replicate his last season (not to mention the recent soap opera) and I don't think Pellegrini is as good as Mourinho, which is key IMO. I think they will run us close but ultimately fall short.

Arsenal look good and I can see them giving us a lot of competition for the title provided they don't get hit hard by injuries or spectacularly bottle it (both of which are highly likely, however). Their record against the top teams is questionable and I don't really see why that would change this season; both ourselves and City have strengthened, whilst the addition of van Gaal at United or, rather, the expulsion of David Moyes will have improved United's competitiveness.

Having said that, as of this moment I don't see United as anywhere near title contenders and if they make no further signings I think they'll finish 5th, behind Liverpool. If they try and fit van Persie, Rooney and Mata in the same team their attack has very little pace. They are also seemingly going to play 3-5-2 with who as their CBs? Jones, Evans and Smalling? 2 of whom are injury prone and none are particularly elite defenders - I assume they'll sign at least 1 class CB though, god knows they need to. Hererra was a good signing but they still need much more to avoid being run over in midfield.

Liverpool are very difficult to predict. I think it is unwise to write them off because they lost Suarez. Yes, he was their most dangerous player last season who not only scored and assisted goals but created space for other players. However, without him Sturridge can be the main man and he fits their fast, dynamic play perfectly. They are in a similar situation to us, though, because if their main striker gets injured they go down to using Lambert? Sterling is an exciting player who is not only quick but also very intelligent, Coutinho is a very creative no. 10 and an underrated defensive player. On top of that they have added Markovic (who looks a real prospec, maybe one for the future rather than immediate impact, though), Lallana, Can, 2 new FBs and, importantly, Lovren. It remains to be seen how they will line up and who will play as their defensive midfielder (if it's Gerrard again then they will ship too many goals to be real title contenders). Also whether or not they can cope with playing in Europe at the same time is another question mark over them.

So I predict that we will win, but it becomes very hard after that.

1. Chelsea

2. City ----------(City/Liverpool/Arsenal are all interchangeable IMO, it's too close to call).

3. Liverpool

4. Arsenal

5. Man. United

6. Spurs

7. Everton

I'm so excited...

[Mr_President 404]

Man utd have banned tablets and laptops from O/T.

Good idea, should be banned from Stamford Bridge as well. Cunts

Yep, hate the twats that feel the need to video/take pictures the whole fucking match with their giant iPads/Tablets. It's usually the 'tourist' fans and I understand it if you're only visiting as a one-time thing but it's incredibly annoying and rude.

I think they were banned for security reasons though, not because of the obstruction they cause?

[Fulham Broadway 16,481]

Yep, hate the twats that feel the need to video/take pictures the whole fucking match with their giant iPads/Tablets. It's usually the 'tourist' fans and I understand it if you're only visiting as a one-time thing but it's incredibly annoying and rude.

I think they were banned for security reasons though, not because of the obstruction they cause?

Yes, think its just united being diplomatic though, though having said that there are probably quite a few that would like to blow up the Theatre of Shit.

btw Mr President, sounds weird adressing you like that, as if I am talking to Obama or something, excellent post above with your predictions.