Top 4 bottom 3 prediction thread - EPL and other leagues

Helghast said:
That Chelsea squad could compete.. what soft spots do you see? Just cos you've never seen Bertrand play (or have you?) doesn't mean he's not good... I didn't see Cleverly play before United so I too could've assumed and said, this guy is going to be a soft spot for opponents.
Luiz and Ivanovic have played together. Front 3 is excellent, midfield Ramires and Mikel/Essien play together regularly and do well and McEachren has played a few games and has done well.
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Bertrand's senior experience is with Oldham Athletic (League One), AFC Bournemouth (League One), Norwich City (pre-Premier League) and Reading (Championship), so something tells me he has yet to come across World Class players. And instead of clutching straws, read what I said with regards to Bertrand; "Bertrand is definitely unproven at the top level, with all his first team playing being done in lower leagues ". Your lack of knowledge with regards to Cleverley is odd, seeing as he played in 25 of Wigan's 38 league games last season and it was his strike against Wolves that lifted them out of the drop zone and ultimately saved them. He was conisdered a key player for them and Roberto Martinez begged Fergie to leave him there for one more season. Steve Bruce of Sunderland also asked Fergie to leave Welbeck with him for one more season.

One thing to keep in mind is that the English Premier League is a very different animal and is one of the hardest leagues to adjust to. Most of Chelsea's youngsters are foreign so they'll have a baptism of fire. Villas-Boas b!tched after his first game in charge that Stoke were rough with his players. Guess what, they're still gonna come across Joey Barton, Steve Bruce's Sunderland and Bolton, teams and players with reputations for getting rough if you get fancy with your football.
 
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Helghast said:
Hell Arsenal always die out end of season and they are full of youngsters.
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Because Wenger is a spent force and their backline is putrid. Has been since Lauren, Keown, Adams, Gallas, Toure, Cole and Campbell left them.
 
Ok Granted Bertrand doesn't have the most experience but his surrounded by experience and can easily learn... wasn't your original point Chelsea are too old and need to bring in youngsters?
 
Helghast said:
Ok Granted Bertrand doesn't have the most experience but his surrounded by experience and can easily learn... wasn't your original point Chelsea are too old and need to bring in youngsters?
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My original point is that Chelsea need to have youngsters showing they can get stuck in now. Terry is injured? Is there a young guy ready to come in? Drogba can't play? Is there a player who can come in and confidently lead the line. When Terry & Drogba retire, is there a youngster right now showing he will be the next player to build around? Luiz is probably a long term answer at centrehalf. United just look confident and crisp. Very different to last terms squad which really had to grind their way at times. Sure it's early but they will either get worse, hard to see though, or get even better as they gel. At the other end Chelsea have looked heavy-legged. Maybe they need more time to get going, but they just look uninspired and lack that spark you see when watching United.

United sold John O'Shea and Wes Brown this season - two massively experienced players - then proceeded to lose Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand to injury and not only have Jones, Johnny Evans and Smalling filled in, they have done a damn fine job to the point that many are wondering if dropping Jones for a returning Ferdinand would be the right thing.
 
thestaggy said:
My original point is that Chelsea need to have youngsters showing they can get stuck in now. Terry is injured? Is there a young guy ready to come in? Drogba can't play? Is there a player who can come in and confidently lead the line. When Terry & Drogba retire, is there a youngster right now showing he will be the next player to build around? Luiz is probably a long term answer at centrehalf. United just look confident and crisp. Very different to last terms squad which really had to grind their way at times. Sure it's early but they will either get worse, hard to see though, or get even better as they gel. At the other end Chelsea have looked heavy-legged. Maybe they need more time to get going, but they just look uninspired and lack that spark you see when watching United.

United sold John O'Shea and Wes Brown this season - two massively experienced players - then proceeded to lose Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand to injury and not only have Jones, Johnny Evans and Smalling filled in, they have done a damn fine job to the point that many are wondering if dropping Jones for a returning Ferdinand would be the right thing.
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Who's to say Chelsea won't do the same next season? You are just making assumptions here.
Terry becomes injured Alex is still around... there are also others that we getting ready for prob next season.
Right now it doesn't look like Drogba is first choice.. but with your scenario, Torres is there so is Sturridge, we all know how brilliantly he played on loan at Bolton last season.
 
thestaggy said:
My original point is that Chelsea need to have youngsters showing they can get stuck in now. Terry is injured? Is there a young guy ready to come in? Drogba can't play? Is there a player who can come in and confidently lead the line. When Terry & Drogba retire, is there a youngster right now showing he will be the next player to build around? Luiz is probably a long term answer at centrehalf. United just look confident and crisp. Very different to last terms squad which really had to grind their way at times. Sure it's early but they will either get worse, hard to see though, or get even better as they gel. At the other end Chelsea have looked heavy-legged. Maybe they need more time to get going, but they just look uninspired and lack that spark you see when watching United.

United sold John O'Shea and Wes Brown this season - two massively experienced players - then proceeded to lose Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand to injury and not only have Jones, Johnny Evans and Smalling filled in, they have done a damn fine job to the point that many are wondering if dropping Jones for a returning Ferdinand would be the right thing.
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Wow you sounding like a United version of Cantera... but as things stand atm, United is lacking a creative and defensive midfield atm... with Carrick and Fletcher out our DMF position is vacant which exposes our back four...
 
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thestaggy said:
My original point is that Chelsea need to have youngsters showing they can get stuck in now.
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Yes we do.

thestaggy said:
Terry is injured? Is there a young guy ready to come in? Drogba can't play? Is there a player who can come in and confidently lead the line.
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Terry, Ivanovic, Alex, Luiz. Centre backs.

Drogba -> Lakuku[sic] (direct, almost ready made replacement)

thestaggy said:
United just look confident and crisp. Very different to last terms squad which really had to grind their way at times. Sure it's early but they will either get worse, hard to see though, or get even better as they gel. At the other end Chelsea have looked heavy-legged. Maybe they need more time to get going, but they just look uninspired and lack that spark you see when watching United.
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Every team, no matter how good, will need to grind out victories at one time or another. This is the EPL we're talking about after all. Regarding that spark - it was seen when Mata was introduced to the team in late in the last game. It's seen every time Josh McEachran is given some time on the field. Lakuku was positively sparkling when he came on as a late sub for... Drogba. He was even better than ol' Drogs in that match in terms of sheer exuberance (though he still needs to acclimatize properly, granted).

thestaggy said:
"Bertrand is definitely unproven at the top level, with all his first team playing being done in lower leagues "
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So he needs to prove himself at Chelsea - so what? If he really wasn't ready, then AVB would not have sanctioned the selling off of Zhirkov without FIRST bringing in adequate cover which means he has enough faith in Bertrand to cope until January.

thestaggy said:
One thing to keep in mind is that the English Premier League is a very different animal and is one of the hardest leagues to adjust to. Most of Chelsea's youngsters are foreign so they'll have a baptism of fire. Villas-Boas b!tched after his first game in charge that Stoke were rough with his players. Guess what, they're still gonna come across Joey Barton, Steve Bruce's Sunderland and Bolton, teams and players with reputations for getting rough if you get fancy with your football.
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AVB did talk about their physicality and noted that the game wouldn't be easily won. If he underestimated them at all, then he won't do so again. He complained because that's what the great managers do - Fergie does it all the time and he's been in England for 20 odd years.

EDIT: AVB has refreshed and strengthened the squad. That is what was missing last year. A proper squad. We had 19 players registered. This year we have 25 (if I'm not mistaken though I probably am - but I can't be bothered to check it out right now). Anyway, we'll see who's right soon enough.
 
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smokey said:
Yes we do.



Terry, Ivanovic, Alex, Luiz. Centre backs.

Drogba -> Lakuku[sic] (direct, almost ready made replacement)



Every team, no matter how good, will need to grind out victories at one time or another. This is the EPL we're talking about after all. Regarding that spark - it was seen when Mata was introduced to the team in late in the last game. It's seen every time Josh McEachran is given some time on the field. Lakuku was positively sparkling when he came on as a late sub for... Drogba. He was even better than ol' Drogs in that match in terms of sheer exuberance (though he still needs to acclimatize properly, granted).



So he needs to prove himself at Chelsea - so what? If he really wasn't ready, then AVB would not have sanctioned the selling off of Zhirkov without FIRST bringing in adequate cover which means he has enough faith in Bertrand to cope until January.



AVB did talk about their physicality and noted that the game wouldn't be easily won. If he underestimated them at all, then he won't do so again. He complained because that's what the great managers do - Fergie does it all the time and he's been in England for 20 odd years.

EDIT: AVB has refreshed and strengthened the squad. That is what was missing last year. A proper squad. We had 19 players registered. This year we have 25 (if I'm not mistaken though I probably am - but I can't be bothered to check it out right now). Anyway, we'll see who's right soon enough.
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So you wouldn't rate Sturridge in getting a starting position?
 
fishfly said:
Wow you sounding like a United version of Cantera... but as things stand atm, United is lacking a creative and defensive midfield atm... with Carrick and Fletcher out our DMF position is vacant which exposes our back four...
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Haha.. I was thinking the same thing.
 
sturridge will be wasted at chelski, pity he did not wana push through a deal to come to pool. he would have gotten more game time under kenny
 
fishfly said:
Wow you sounding like a United version of Cantera... but as things stand atm, United is lacking a creative and defensive midfield atm... with Carrick and Fletcher out our DMF position is vacant which exposes our back four...
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And what exactly is Tom Cleverley?
 
Oi,Blackburn wont come in the bottom 3 :mad: Hopefully we sack Kean and get Hughs back :cry:
 
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