The SNH Football thread

[ehbes]

Champions: Chelsea

i mean what can i say, they solved the striker issue from last year and strengthen the midfield.

Top 4:

Chelsea
City
Liverpool
United

[murky21]

gonna be fucking tight, v v exciting season income. any of 5 teams could genuinely win, you never know how its gonna go down. Can't pick between City and Chelsea as slight favourites, think AFC will do 3rd at a minimum, united and liverpool going to be a hard fight for 4th. Everton 6th probs
top scorer will depend on who stays fit obvs. i think RVP is the best striker in the prem and will get golden boot if he plays all season

[Muncey]

I'm not so confident. Costa looks great in preseason, so does Fabregas, but the Prem is completely different to friendlies.. if Costa flops or gets injured Drogbas out for 4-6 months and we just have Torres left.

At least last year Ba could come on and get a few occasionally while rotating Torres & Eto'o.

Not comfortable relying so heavily on Costa to stay fit/perform well consistently all season.

[hubb]

plus the fact that his product was relying on smaller spanish guys he could muscle about and not forgetting actually scratching snot in their eyes and wounds on corners.

If he tries any of that it will be treated differently in england

and he scored a few headers in la liga that he might not get a chance to now

[Muncey]

I'm hopeful Jose will knock that out of him, he does seem like a massive bellend though.

I wouldn't go as far to say we've sorted out striker problems of last year. Diego Costa has never played in the prem and like hubb said he's used to a different kind of defense than the rocks in the prem and the only other striker is Torres.

Compared to last years Ba, Eto'o and Torres.. I don't think its 'solved'. Costa injured and season over.

Hopefully we'll give Schurrle more time upfront instead of playing Torres out of pity.

As for predictions...

United 1/2 to finish top 4 seems generous by william hill imo, I think top 6 easy but it'll be a tough top 4 to break in to and apparently they've looked very vulnerable with 3 at the back, not surprising given who they've got at the back. Van Gaal won't change that now so he'll have to hope they either step up or sign another CB before the window closes.

City will be same old City really, solid and they'll have it in the bag unless they slip up.

We should be title contenders if Costa stays fit/doesn't flop.

Arsenal will have one of their best seasons, fighting for 2nd maybe even title contenders depending on what happens around them.

Liverpool won't do as well as last year but I think they'll get top 4.

I'll do predictions of tomorrows games tomorrow, not had a proper look yet.

[rockonin]

Champions: Chelsea

i mean what can i say, they solved the striker issue from last year and strengthen the midfield.

Top 4:

Chelsea
City
Liverpool
United

For 3rd-4th place, it'll be between Arsenal, United and Liverpool.

[hubb]

chelsea could win just on setpieces with Mourinho and a bit of luck now.

[rockonin]

I reckon we could easily win two pieces of silverware this season. (Keeping in mind Costa doesn't get injured like Muncey said)

[Johoosh]

I reckon

Champions: Arsenal (come at mi)
Top scorer: Aguero
Flop: Van Gaal b2b Costa

Ozil & Cesc to have proper good seasons imo

[Muncey]

PREM!

United v Swansea - 3-1 United, I think they'll concede cause they've been dodgy at the back preseason and Swansea are a team that'll give it a go away from home.. but I think United will have a good start to the season. I'll be going for -1 United and both teams to score.

Leicester v Everton - 1-1 or 2-1 Everton, Leicester newly promoted so they'll be buzzing about that, pretty solid team at home.. newly promoted teams are always dangerous to play on the first day of the season.. especially when they're at home. That said Everton have the quality to win. Hard to choose between a draw and Everton win, both teams to score should come in though.

Stoke v Aston Villa - 0-0, waste of time talking about this game.

QPR v Hull - 2-2, I think there'll be goals.. if I had to choose it'd be a QPR win but I reckon a draw. Again both teams to score seems like a safe bet.

West Ham v Tottenham - 1-0/2-0 Spurs.. London clubs on the first day of the season, don't think that'll mean much.. can't see it being a very interesting game. Spurs will dominate but I don't think either side will have too many great chances, if I had to choose it'd be Spurs 1-0.. a goal in the second half, if they score in the first they may go on and get a 2nd.

West Brom v Sunderland - 1-1, can't really call this tbh. I think both teams will score though.

Arsenal v Crystal Palace - 3-0 Arsenal, Palace losing their manager 2 days before the prem starts, Arsenal as I've said before I think will have a good season and they normally hit the ground running anyway. Could even be more.. definitely looking forward to this game the most today. That said there is a danger of it being really boring, heavily one sided games can be shite sometimes. Think -2 Arsenal and both teams to score - no are safe bets though.

[Liam92]

I'm hopeful Jose will knock that out of him, he does seem like a massive bellend though.

Pfffft, if anything Mourinho will encourage it. I gotta say Chelsea for the league, I just really really hope not.

Hopefully Liverpool sign a top top striker like Cavani or Falcao then they'll be a proper threat for the top spot.

I see Fifa have just allowed Suarez to train with Barca despite the ban, bet they end up reducing it as well.

[Muncey]

I'm hopeful Jose will knock that out of him, he does seem like a massive bellend though.

Pfffft, if anything Mourinho will encourage it.

Really? What makes you say that? Joses always critical of our players acting like twats/diving ect. He won't hesitate to drop a player if he thinks hes being a prick. Joses constantly upsetting players cause he don't take no shit, he certainly wouldn't encourage the behaviour Costa has shown in the past.

[Liam92]

I'm hopeful Jose will knock that out of him, he does seem like a massive bellend though.

Pfffft, if anything Mourinho will encourage it.

Really? What makes you say that? Joses always critical of our players acting like twats/diving ect. He won't hesitate to drop a player if he thinks hes being a prick. Joses constantly upsetting players cause he don't take no shit, he certainly wouldn't encourage the behaviour Costa has shown in the past.

Awww come on, the guys a fucking cheat

The king of having his players timewaste/throw themselves about, you're kidding yourself on.

[Johoosh]

Oi Munce please change your avatar to the hologram of Ray Winstone

[Muncey]

I'm hopeful Jose will knock that out of him, he does seem like a massive bellend though.

Pfffft, if anything Mourinho will encourage it.

Really? What makes you say that? Joses always critical of our players acting like twats/diving ect. He won't hesitate to drop a player if he thinks hes being a prick. Joses constantly upsetting players cause he don't take no shit, he certainly wouldn't encourage the behaviour Costa has shown in the past.

Awww come on, the guys a fucking cheat

The king of having his players timewaste/throw themselves about, you're kidding yourself on.

How does time wasting equate to being a general prick for no reason?

I won't deny we do some things as a club like time waste, throw players around the ref ect. and Jose is the king of defending his players and getting himself in the headlines, keeping them out. But Jose is a very "no player is bigger than the team" type of manager and if you think he'd actively encourage a player to do the dumb shit Costa does which could get him sent off and put pressure on the team

You are aware what Costa is like, right?

[Liam92]

I'm hopeful Jose will knock that out of him, he does seem like a massive bellend though.

Pfffft, if anything Mourinho will encourage it.

Really? What makes you say that? Joses always critical of our players acting like twats/diving ect. He won't hesitate to drop a player if he thinks hes being a prick. Joses constantly upsetting players cause he don't take no shit, he certainly wouldn't encourage the behaviour Costa has shown in the past.

Awww come on, the guys a fucking cheat

The king of having his players timewaste/throw themselves about, you're kidding yourself on.

How does time wasting equate to being a general prick for no reason?

I won't deny we do some things as a club like time waste, throw players around the ref ect. and Jose is the king of defending his players and getting himself in the headlines, keeping them out. But Jose is a very "no player is bigger than the team" type of manager and if you think he'd actively encourage a player to do the dumb shit Costa does which could get him sent off and put pressure on the team

You are aware what Costa is like, right?

Maybe not some of the more dirty shit he does, but I can't see Jose actively knocking the cheat out of him tbh.

[Muncey]

Ah right, misunderstanding haha.. yeah absolutely not. He'll dive and time waste as much as the next guy and Jose won't stop him doing that... but in those respects he's not much different than most players. Its the sly digs, constantly winding up players, coming across overly aggressive that makes him a world class prick. Thats the sort of shit I hope Jose will knock out of him, its the type of thing that makes him very prone to a sending off, especially in the Prem when he'll be used to a more leanient La Liga.

[rockonin]

Got to wait until monday for the Chelsea game

[Muncey]

Jose said Drog should be fit to play Monday, so much for 4-6 months

I'd say maybe its just typical Jose being awkward but its not the media, he told Chelsea TV so don't see why he'd lie.

[Muncey]

Man Utd team to play Swansea: De Gea, Jones, Smalling, Blackett, Lingard, Fletcher, Herrera, Young, Mata, Rooney (c), Hernandez

William Hill offering 1/2 on top 4.. really William, really?