“United Champs, Chelsea Runners Up, Liverpool Third…Tottenham Fourth, Arsenal Fifth (!) and Villa Sixth”
August 14, 2008
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There’s an increasing amount of debate running through the footie blogosphere of late about the unhealthiness of the top four’s stranglehold on the league.
Exasperated fans and, in the form of Daniel Levy, exasperated chief execs are riled at the prospect of seeing their ever increasing outlay correspond to ever decreasing possibilities of success. Buy a series of promising players (your Modric, your dos Santos, your Bentley) but wave goodbye to the established elements they could have complemented so effectively. Goodbye Keane, goodbye Berbatov…oh yeah, goodbye Younes Kaboul. (Ed - surely “good riddance” say the Yids..? )
Characterised thus it’s an utterly invidious situation - and if we were unfortunate enough to have not grown up a United fan, we’d no doubt we’d be pretty riled about it too.
If only - that is - it were true.
Because this season Spurs will never have a better chance of breaking into that top four - and - if Ramos is all he’s cracked up to be, they may be able to lay the foundations for years of top four dominance of their own.
It’s really that important a season for Spurs.
With Dimitar Berbatov allegedly in Manchester today picking out curtains in Harvey Nichols for his new Cheshire pile, Levy should have £28 million (or £32 million according to the Mirror) more pocket money for Ramos and Poyet to invest.
That’s enough cash for a marquee signing of their own, or failing that two very good players - presumably striking replacements.
The latest name to crop up is a Tottenham old boy and one of Ramos’ ex charges at Sevilla: Freddie Kanoute. Kanoute was always rated as a talented player during his first sojourn in English football, but it is his performances for Sevilla which have rekindled interest in the player over the past few seasons.
Would Spurs fans want him back, we wonder? Or would they prefer an entirely novel signing to line up with Darren Bent this season? The latter player is one of the reasons we’ve been so bold enough to suggest Spurs could edge into that top four.
In addition to the excellent signings they have alreay made in Modric, dos Santos and Bentley, Bent has all of a sudden reminded us why £16.5 million was spent on him in the first place. Whether it was nerves or injury or lack of opportunity last season Bent never really got it together but looks like he’s finally found his touch again and the favour of the manager.
It’s controversial - but not a wind-up we assure you - to suggest Arsenal could drop out of the top four this year.
They have interesting new additions such as Aaron Ramsey, Carlos Vela and Samir Nasri but look through their squad and there is a worrying lack of experience and depth.
Adebayor will no doubt continue banging in the goals now that he has been persuaded to stay, but Gooners had better pray that he stays fit, because Walcott is never going to be a prolific goal-scorer and van Persie is almost a nailed-on certainty to succumb to some injury or mental malaise.
They have the flawless passing and invention of Cesc Fabregas (who always looks great, except when he’s up against Anderson and then he looks distinctly average…) in midfield, but where is the grit of Flamini, the tackling of Gilberto, the pointless dribbling and feckless shooting of Alexander Hleb ? A lot will also ride of William Gallas and his ability to control his adolescent fits of sulking.
Liverpool, currently dithering over whether to stump up the 18 million quid for Gareth Barry, should move up one position to third.
All over Anfield, Huyton, Oslo and Hong Kong excited Liverpool fans will be honking their plaintive cry: “It’s gonna be our year this year la, I can feel it!” Remember last season when United and Chelsea got off to a lacklustre start? Giddy-voiced Scousers were popping up every five minutes heralding the dawn of a new era of Liverpool dominance. It never came to pass and they found themselves well out of it by the new year.
They have positives to look forward to: the return of the excellent Daniel Agger, much more to come from Babel and Mascherano, Robbie Keane and of course that freckly Spanish goal machine up front. You have to think, however, that it won’t quite be enough - most Liverpool fans might not want him or rate him, but Barry, we reckon, would make a massive difference to their overall strength.
The fact that the management have yet again undermined the manager’s recruitment plans doesn’t bode well for their chances. The fixture against United at Anfield on September 13th will reveal a lot about Liverpool’s appetite for the fight.
And what of Aston Villa?
Curtis Davies, Steve Sidwell, Brad Friedel, Brad Guzan, Nicky Shorey, Luke Young and Carlos Cuellar - predictably intelligent signings from Martin O’Neill that should see the Villans fend off Blackburn Rovers and Manchester City for 6th spot. Don’t be surprised to see O’Neill add one or two more striking options to support Young, Agbonlahor and Carew before the end of the transfer window.
So that leaves us and Chelski. The top two - all that talk of ‘top four’ really misses the point, for the time being.
We’ve covered this territory amply over the past few days and have considered the inane fighting talk from John Terry. Suffice it to say it’s going to be incredibly close between United and Chelsea this season - in recruiting Deco and the impressive Bosingwa, Chelsea have added further quality to their already generously appointed squad.
If Abramovich’s limitless riches can pull off the transfer of the decade and prise Kaka from Milan, then things may just swing in Chelsea’s favour. Having previously made enough noise to suggest they planned to leave, Drogba and Lampard are both staying on, the latter having incredibly forced Chelsea to succumb to his avaricious demand for a new 5-year contract.
United though will undoubtedly be a stronger outfit this season. Nani, Anderson, Hargreaves and Tevez are all now woven well into the fabric of the team, the defence looks as rock solid as ever, and the imminent arrival of Berbatov will be the icing on the cake for the front line.
Our prediction then?
- Us first, Chelsea second - who knows: this time it might really go down to goal difference.
What’s YOUR prediction? Have your say in our poll or leave us a comment.
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15 Responses to ““United Champs, Chelsea Runners Up, Liverpool Third…Tottenham Fourth, Arsenal Fifth (!) and Villa Sixth””
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Arse, Chelsea, United, Liverpool, Spurs, VIlla
Arse, cska chel$ki, ManUre, pool
Utter rubbish spoken by an idiot Manc. Chelsea will walk it this season. Your best player doesn’t want to be there and is having to play for an alcoholic jock who he doesn’t like.
I hope the Mancs scrap the 4th place just to keep the Spuds out.
Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manc Scum Suckers, Villa, Spuds
I know Man U fans are bitter, very bitter at times - but to suggest Arsenal will drop out of the top four is ridiculous! If we had kept a clean sheet against you guys we would have won the league - that’s how close we were! Liverpool are the most likely to falter, but I still think they have more about them than Spurs.
Powelly - bollox sunshine. Where’s this myth has surfaced from the past few weeks that CSKA Chelscum are going to do it by 10 points this season, fukk knows.
Once berba signs - (bitter Neal - that’s for Daniel Levy…) - United will have a strikeforce to piss on yours.
Ronaldo doesn’t want to stay? What about that face-slapping retard Drogba?. He didn’t want to stay either. DIfference is Ronaldo loves himself so much he can’t do anything but play well.
Utd first and couldn’t care less about whoever finishes wherever else : ) However Arsenal will be a surprise because Wenger has gone down the way of the youth. Don’t disrespect that since it is in our blood to believe in the youth system.
As for Chelsea fans especially Powelly, there you go again: jealous, spouting rubbish, deluded and paranoid at having a go at the greatest manager of them all. A manager who has outlived your beloved Mourinho and taught him a lesson, a manager who put you in your place last season and a manager who will finally finish you off next season.
You only write so much rubbish because Sir Alex scares you because you know you have not dominated the league like your Roman and Kenyon double act said so.
As they say just keep on running behind and see if you can catch up.
MUFC champions of England and of Europe 2007 - 2008 : )
Once again Spurs are being touted widely to break into the top 4. Why? Where is the evidence? They finished half way last season some way behind the top 4 in points. This year they have bought Modric, may be good but untested in the Premier League,Bentley, good but overrated in my opinion and a couple of promising youngsters - but they have lost a considerable amount of experience and ability in Keane and Berbatov (I am convinced he will be joining United very soon), on top of which they have a shaky defence if King or Woodgate get an injury and both are injury prone. Their Manager has yet to be proved a success also.
They can yet improve their squad and may well improve dramatically on last season but you dismissed Arsenal’s chances on a lack of strength in depth and I cannot believe you think Spurs are stronger. Arsenal have lost Hleb (a serial under achiever), Gilberto who was a fringe player and Flamini who had one outstanding season - not the wholesale exodus of talent that some make out. There is also another factor - the improvement in other top 4 hopefuls in the shape of Aston Villa, Everton, Portsmouth and Manchester City - they have as good a chance as Spurs but I will be surprised if the same teams are not at the top of the table come May 2009.
typical “MANURE” ARROGANCE ONCE AGAIN!-no wonder you’re so hated ….as for anderson making FAB average, in your wet dreams boy-he simply attemts to kick FAB off the park ,no skill in that son, especially when backed by MANURE loving ref’s like old mother reilley-ifyou’d sooner have anderson than FAB you’re even thicker than i thought!!!!
….He is class with a brass, and he shiiiits on Fabregas!
You said it Azad
“Wenger has gone down the way of the youth”
bwahha…anderson against fabregas?? it took deluded manc fans to realize how great Henry was against van horsey in the prem..now they need to find some other deluded and mentalist comparasion..so they decided to put up anderson against the acutal champion of europe fabregas??? hahaha that midget cant even have one shot on target..let alone a goal…oh and great addition with sulkatov..now you can have a collection of sulky losers with berbatov and ronaldo paring..so United are they new leeds?? they are buying every fuck1ng player on payment plans hahaha..700 million pounds in debt
Re King Gooner
Oh boy not another one. You’re another one having a go because what, scared of Anderson putting Fabregas in the shadow again, just like he did to Gerrard?
We will gladly have Anderson any day of the way and you can have your Fabregas.
Your rant is typical. You wouldn’t be spouting rubbish if you didn’t fear what Anderson can do. Good enough for us : )
All this talk about any of the top 4 dropping down the standings this season is not impossible, but it is highly improbable. For anybody to break into the top 4 they will have to accumulate more points than they have ever managed in the history of the Premier League. That is how much the bar has been raised by the top 4.
Nobody in my opinion has shown any evidence that they are capable of doing that. Everton and Aston Villa did okay last season but have not significantly strengthened whereas the top 4 have. Portsmouth and Man City have invested but can you really see them lasting the whole season? More likely they will wilt as usual. Then you have the Newcastles and Tottenhams of the world who will almost certainly do better than last season, but a 20-25 point turnaround? Not gonna happen.
johnny@12.17
The new leeds? What planet are you from, cuckooland? I must seriously be deluded because I thought MUFC won the league and the champions league last season.
Oh what an idiot, that really happened!
Looks like you’re a sore looser sunshine, what, can’t take it because we really are that good? Because when ever the likes of you lot keep writing us off we keep coming back and putting people like you in your shallow little pathetic dark place?
What is it cry baby can’t take it because we give you sleepless nights because we keep on winning? Is it because you are afraid that we want to keep on winning and cannot accept nothing less?
Boy you need help, and lots of it may I add.
Got an idea, they found water on mars apparently why not give that a try and maybe your life might have a meaning to it?
: )