2011

KG1585 · Post #61 » by **KG1585** » Sat Jul 9, 2011 5:19 pm

Does anyone else feel that Liverpool will not be much of a threat to the top 4? So far all they have done is overpay for average English players. Cannot see them breaking into the top 4. I would be more wary of the Spurs if they are able to hang on to Modric and buy a top class striker.

BC_ · Post #62 » by **BC_** » Sat Jul 9, 2011 5:47 pm

KG1585 wrote:Does anyone else feel that Liverpool will not be much of a threat to the top 4? So far all they have done is overpay for average English players. Cannot see them breaking into the top 4. I would be more wary of the Spurs if they are able to hang on to Modric and buy a top class striker.

If Spurs get a great striker they'll definitely challenge for 4th, along with Liverpool and... us.

Post #63 » by **5DOM** » Sat Jul 9, 2011 5:51 pm

They've been a top 2 side since Dalglish's appointment, so they should be taken seriously. Don't really like their purchases but having Adam and Henderson as well as healthy Carroll should only help them.

Munchlaxatives · Post #64 » by **Munchlaxatives** » Sat Jul 9, 2011 10:59 pm

I think Liverpool will be better than Tottenham and Man City. The league's about to get a whole lot more interesting at the top.

Post #65 » by **5DOM** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 2:24 am

With the summer United is having (+ possible signing of Sneijder), they have got to be the favorites. 2-6 is anyone's guess between Chelsea, City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham

Banks2Pierce · Post #66 » by **Banks2Pierce** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 3:21 am

KG1585 wrote:Does anyone else feel that Liverpool will not be much of a threat to the top 4? So far all they have done is overpay for average English players. Cannot see them breaking into the top 4.

5Dom said it first, but Liverpool were much better once Dalglish took over. In terms of points per fixture, they were 3rd best in the league post-Hodgson. Mostly without the services of Gerrard as well.

As for this "overpaying average English players" thing...I just don't really see the argument outside of the massive Carroll fee(1 case doesn't make a trend). Henderson is a proven young midfielder in the league and will most likely retain his ~15m pound value at the very least. He graded out very well when it came to "scoring chances created" and that is an area where Liverpool were severely lacking. Those are the only 2 English players bought. Adam is Scottish and had a very good season for a very formidable offensive side. I've seen his fee quoted as less than 7m pounds.

Suarez already looks to be one of the best forwards in the league.

They also have 0 European fixtures getting in the way and testing depth. I really think they will be right in the mix. John Henry owned clubs have a dangerous mix of money and forward thinking analysis.

Post #67 » by **Slava** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 4:00 am

Top 4 will be between Chelsea, United, Liverpool and Arsenal (if they keep Nas and Fabregas). City will most likely get rid of Tevez.

I actually think Liverpool could do better by selling Aquilani, Poulsen etc and investing on some wingers. That defense is still a mess though and Carragher will be a major liability once again.

Banks2Pierce · Post #68 » by **Banks2Pierce** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 4:21 am

SlavaMedvedenko wrote:I actually think Liverpool could do better by selling Aquilani, Poulsen etc and investing on some wingers. That defense is still a mess though and Carragher will be a major liability once again.

I agree with you on the Aquilani front. I think one out of him and Meireles will be sold for a good chunk of money and that will be invested in some sort of winger. Poulsen, Cole, and Jovanovic will not be factors in the squad, but they have high wages and will be very hard to unload.

Carragher wasn't a major liability for me. He was poor @ United in the big Berbatov game, but he was very sound defensively all year. He can't bring the ball out of the back to save his life, but he reads the game very well. Defense wasn't a mess post-Dalglish. Right on par with Chelsea, Man City, Utd, etc. I do think they need one more center half, as Agger is always injured and Carragher could reach the over the hill point at any time now.

BC_ · Post #69 » by **BC_** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 4:22 am

IMO City will go on to be a force next season, at least favourites for third if not top-two contenders.

Post #70 » by **Slava** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 7:01 am

U-Borat wrote:united haven't done anything this summer worth calling home about. phil jones is an investment for the future- they still have vidic, ferdinand and possibs smalling ahead of him- and he's untested if they plan on playing him at defensive mid.

The addition of Phil Jones in one way means he didn't go to either Arsenal or Liverpool who has both bid for him and he could have started right away and made a world of difference there.

young just means less time for one of nani and valencia, who i rate as the two best wingers in the epl right now.

The addition of Young means that Giggs/Park will strictly play in a central role and we need 3 wingers, preferably with young legs at those positions. Again this means that none of the other teams that are craving for a wide player don't get him.

i've heard rumours nani is on his way out- possible in part exchange for sneijder.

sneijder opens a whole different can of worms- it means manu will have to go away from their favoured 4-4-2 because theres no way sneijder can play in a midfield 2.

If Giggs can play a midfield 2, Sneijder absolutely can, especially since Rooney drops a lot into midfield when playing with Hernandez. If we do get Sneijder though, I'm quietly confident that its game over in the premier league.

carroll's transfer was very much an american style things. liverpool had nothing to do with it- it was strictly between newcastle and chelsea- liverpool would get carroll+15 million for torres. so essentially because newcastle valued carroll at 35m, pool got 50 mil for torres.

im not sold on henderson, nor adam. but adam for 6.5million (most reports) isn't a bad deal.

apparently no buyers for aquilani which is why he's staying and merileles is likely gone. which i'm not too fussed about because while mereiles is a tidy player, he doesn't offer the dynamism and passing vision of aquilani (6 assists in the half season with pool at the end of the 09/10 season)

agreed about needing another center back, carragher can still turn in a fantastic shift, as he showed under dalglish in big games against chelsea etc, and agger's injury woes are a nightmare. one name i haven't heard bandied around in the media which i would love is vertonghen.

Not sure about selling Mireles since he's more ready than Henderson right now and he's played very well since Dalglish took over. Liverpool's problem is redundancy in quality and this will force some players to play terribly out of postion.

Gerrard/Suarez might play on the wings, Glen Johnson will play left back etc.

KG1585 · Post #71 » by **KG1585** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 1:39 pm

U-Borat wrote:
KG1585 wrote:Does anyone else feel that Liverpool will not be much of a threat to the top 4? So far all they have done is overpay for average English players. Cannot see them breaking into the top 4. I would be more wary of the Spurs if they are able to hang on to Modric and buy a top class striker.

yeah gl with holding onto fabregas and nasri

Yea, like this has anything to do with the subject. :roll:

KG1585 · Post #72 » by **KG1585** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 1:42 pm

5DOM wrote:They've been a top 2 side since Dalglish's appointment, so they should be taken seriously. Don't really like their purchases but having Adam and Henderson as well as healthy Carroll should only help them.

I think a lot of that could be attributed to the change of manager. They were still on the honeymoon phase. Now that there is a new season, a lot of the teams will be more aware of the tactics used by Daglish. I don't know, when I look at the purchases so far of Adam, Henderson and possibly Downing, it doesn't strike fear at all.

Post #73 » by **5DOM** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 2:29 pm

U-Borat wrote:united haven't done anything this summer worth calling home about.

It's obviously way too early to say, but the thing is that no other top 6 team improved their team as much as United did.

United: Champions + Jones (one of the best backup CB's in the league already) + Young (versatile midfielder who can at least add to depth) + De Gea (don't really know too much about him)

Liverpool: Henderson (who i am not a fan of) + Adam (good player but wouldn't start for any of the other 5 clubs)

Arsenal: Gervinho (good signing), but could lose Fabregas and Nasri

Chelsea: Promising new manager, but the aging squad is a year older

Tottenham: Never the favorites

City: Clichy and Savic are hardly anything to write home about either

At this point, United have got to be the clear favorites. Things could obviously look different on August 31 though

Demetrio · Post #74 » by **Demetrio** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 3:05 pm

5DOM wrote:
U-Borat wrote:united haven't done anything this summer worth calling home about.

It's obviously way too early to say, but the thing is that no other top 6 team improved their team as much as United did.

United: Champions + Jones (one of the best backup CB's in the league already) + Young (versatile midfielder who can at least add to depth) + De Gea (don't really know too much about him)

Liverpool: Henderson (who i am not a fan of) + Adam (good player but wouldn't start for any of the other 5 clubs)

Arsenal: Gervinho (good signing), but could lose Fabregas and Nasri

Chelsea: Promising new manager, but the aging squad is a year older

Tottenham: Never the favorites

City: Clichy and Savic are hardly anything to write home about either

At this point, United have got to be the clear favorites. Things could obviously look different on August 31 though

I honestly think it'll be down to which of these teams hits form next season. No one really did last season and Man utd won by getting results despite not playing particularly well. I just can't see all of the top teams being so poor next season, even if they haven't changed much on paper.

Post #75 » by **5DOM** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 3:18 pm

U-Borat wrote:ah well yes, at this moment united are obviously ahead because they're the only team who have splashed out significantly- to the tune of 60 million pounds.

Yeah, there are still almost 50 days left till the window closes, and hopefully it gets even more interesting at the top. Last season was really competitive from top to bottom, but it could get even better this season.

Demetrio wrote:I honestly think it'll be down to which of these teams hits form next season. No one really did last season and Man utd won by getting results despite not playing particularly well. I just can't see all of the top teams being so poor next season, even if they haven't changed much on paper.

And hopefully the hiring of a new manager could do just that for Chelsea

Demetrio · Post #76 » by **Demetrio** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 3:24 pm

If Villas Boas can get torres playing anywhere near his top formand they get Modric, you'd deifnitely have a good shout.

Banks2Pierce · Post #77 » by **Banks2Pierce** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 3:40 pm

Demetrio wrote:If Villas Boas can get torres playing anywhere near his top formand they get Modric, you'd deifnitely have a good shout.

I wonder if Torres can even hit his top form anymore, but it is sometimes 2 years after knee surgery when you truly improve.

A lot of preseason stuff starting up this week. Pretty amped.

There were rumors that Meireles wasn't going to be traveling to Asia(speculation that he would be moved) but they were unfounded.

And U-Borat: you don't seem to really rate Henderson. Have you seen him a lot? Just curious why you seem to be down on him. I didn't watch Sunderland a lot last year so I don't really know what to think of him, but the stats look promising.

IronChef · Post #78 » by **IronChef** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 5:31 pm

I like the look of what Liverpools building. They need some wingers and and another striker, but they're heading in the right direction for sure. I like Henderson a lot, he may not worth 20 MIl right now, but he has a bright future. I hope they (or Arsenal) don't waste 18 to 20 Mil on Downing, he's not worth it, imo.

and1GS · Post #79 » by **and1GS** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 7:14 pm

IDK why you guys are writing Young off as an average mid only brought in for depth. He's damn good and will be a fantastic spot starter/first sub off the bench. He was head and shoulders above his Villa teammates (despite Downing's improved form), and he's starting to become a regular starter for the English national team. That's indicative of his talent.

Only reason Young won't be starting is because Nani/Valencia are two of the very best wingers in the EPL. It was a very good signing by United.

Post #80 » by **Slava** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 12:14 am

U-Borat wrote:I haven't seen too much of Henderson- but from what I've seen he's a tidy player with a good knack for pass and move, a wicked cross on him, and positionally solid.
I just dont know where he's going to play especially- in the middle, he's a slightly more mobile poor man's Aquilani- and if we're going to play him down the right- I feel he's too similar to Kuyt in that he offers fantastic movement and passing, but not a dribbling threat nor a threat on the break, and doesn't mesh particularly well with Adam's knack for unleashing wingers on the counter.

Henderson and Mancienne are the reason England sucked at the U-21 championships. They could easily be termed the worst midfield pairing in the entire tournament.

Phil Jones and Smalling played more successful and incisive passes than anyone in England's midfield.