Association Football in The British Isles

[Nick Ink]

So, fellow anglos, and indeed interested rest-of-worlders, with the dawn of a new season less than 24 hours away, what are your hopes and fears?

My team (West Ham) have great coaches but quite a weak squad, so I'll be happy with mid-table. Reckon Wolves could turn us over tomorrow, what with first game fever at Molineux.

Man Utd have not replaced Ronaldo and Tevez and have injury problems at the back. I don't see Owen working out at all and Rooney's head is wrong as often as it's right these days. Ageing stars like Scholes and Giggs felt like they were patching up holes last season, and strangely, for the first time in a decade, Man U look a bit wobbly. The beginning of the end for Ferguson?

I also think Liverpool are a 2-payer team and last season's flirtation with the title race was a one-off. People seem to be forgetting that this is a World Cup year and that therefore Gerrard will break his leg. A distant fourth again this year, 15 points adrift.

I hate to say it, but Chelsea look suspiciously like champions by default this year, with Drogba back for a full season and the Scholari fiasco a distant memory. The party line on Arsenal is that they're on the slide, deep in debt, and without their main hitman Adebayor. But (if they jkeep Fabregas) I've got a sneaking feeling they're going to be brilliant. I can just see Fabregas, Walcott, Arshavin and a rejuvinated Eduardo (20 goals) ripping it up.

Relegation looks quite open. Any of the promoted teams could go, but I suspect they'll all feel they have a bit of a chance too, after Hull's disastrous half-a-season losing streak last time. Also, Portsmouth have sold Diarra (£20m), Defoe (£14m), Crouch (£12m) and Johnson (£18m) and are still struggling financially. Unless things change for them soon, they look like certanties to go down.

Of the rest, I think Villa will do worse than last season. Mam City will collapse under the pressure and, after a great start, finish about 7th or 8th. Wigan will do surprisingly well again, with Jason Scotland signed from Swansea in the summer scoring loads. Everton top half.

Also, I really really really hate to type this. I almost can't bring myself. Tottenham for fifth. 

[Ignatius]

Tottenham is unlikable? My brother favors them, arbitrarily I'd guess.

[On Reflection]

Excellent summary Nick. I'm always very excited at the start of a new season, but I do often feel like I'm missing out on some stuff, because I don't actually support anyone. I used to be a Man U supporter (I know, I know, I was young is my only defense!), then I got into Arsenal a little, but that also was probably down to them being successful I think, and there's no real geographical or historic connection to them for me (quite the opposite, Dad's a Spurs fan). So I just sit back and stay neutral, with maybe a slight guilty Arsenal bias.

Speaking of The Gunners, I agree that with Eduardo and Rosicky back and an injury-free Walcott that a fantastic season could await them.

I think there's always talk about Man Utd's dominance fading, but they always come back, and as long as Ferguson is in charge I don't see it happening. I think you're wrong about Rooney, he's set to shine up front once again, and whilst Berbatov is as useless as a bag of useless things, I think Owen has one last good season in him.

I think Man City need to shore up their defence some more before this transfer window closes, or they'll be inconsistent again. Chelsea might well be back in it this year, unlike the other top clubs they've not sold anyone, and already have a deep quality strewn side to pick from. Liverpool need another good striker, although if Ryan Babel pulls his finger out and starts living up to his potential...

It's crazy just how much Portsmouth have sold, I didn't realize until you listed them, and they're still in debt? Bloody hell.

Tottenham is unlikable? My brother favors them, arbitrarily I'd guess.

Tottenham are just one of many many London based clubs, West Ham being another, so there's a natural rivalry.

Edit: And of course both clubs have been swirling around the same part of the table for the last few seasons too.

[Babar]

I also think Liverpool are a 2-payer team

i assume you mean Torres and Gerrard, but i think you should include Reina to make it a trio.

[Nick Ink]

I got into Arsenal a little, but that also was probably down to them being successful I think, and there's no real geographical or historic connection to them for me (quite the opposite, Dad's a Spurs fan). So I just sit back and stay neutral, with maybe a slight guilty Arsenal bias.

Speaking of The Gunners, I agree that with Eduardo and Rosicky back and an injury-free Walcott that a fantastic season could await them.

I actually dislike Arsenal far less than I dislike some other teams. They play with style and Arsene Wenger has been the most important person in English football over the last 15 years.

I think Man City need to shore up their defence some more before this transfer window closes, or they'll be inconsistent again.

What do you think the chances are that Hughes will still be manager at the end of the season? Pretty slim, I reckon. I was quite into the City revolution until all this ugly stuff over Lescott, but somehow you just know it's not going to work. I am dreading them buying Matt Upson from us. That could spell BIG trouble.

Tottenham is unlikable? My brother favors them, arbitrarily I'd guess.

The thing is, I love West Ham and like Brighton and dislike the other 90 professional football teams in this country to varying degrees. Tottenham are a particularly obnoxious team however, with persistent delusions of grandeur and a crook for a coach.

I also think Liverpool are a 2-payer team

i assume you mean Torres and Gerrard, but i think you should include Reina to make it a trio.

Reina's in a group of good keepers in this league, but I don't personally thinkl he's significantly better than, say, Friedel, Green, Sorensen.

Today I predict

Villa - Wigan (draw)
Blackburn - Man City (away)
Bolton - Sunderland (0-0)
Chelsea - Hull (home, big win)
Everton - Arsenal (away, Everton are usually slow starters)
Pompey - Fulham (draw)
Stoke - Burnley (home, convincing)
Wolves - West Ham (home, first day enthusiasm,  )

[On Reflection]

I think Man City need to shore up their defence some more before this transfer window closes, or they'll be inconsistent again.

What do you think the chances are that Hughes will still be manager at the end of the season? Pretty slim, I reckon. I was quite into the City revolution until all this ugly stuff over Lescott, but somehow you just know it's not going to work. I am dreading them buying Matt Upson from us. That could spell BIG trouble.

I just keep thinking of Chelsea when Abrahmovic first turned up, they had a coach that hadn't won a league title in his career, some trouble attracting truly big names, and it took a while for them to actually cohere as a team, I think that's what City are going to go through too. It all depends on what the new owners patience is like, I suppose. I don't know if Upson would be truly tempted unless he had some guarantee of first team football, it being a World Cup year and all.

[Thermofusion]

I like the Wolves because they have a badass logo...that's solid footing for support, right?

Anyway, back to the American thread

[Chet]

I am now officially shitting myself about Arsenal. 

[Nick Ink]

I am now officially shitting myself about Arsenal. 

Look at it this way. Everton were very, very poor. Arsenal will now be over-confident and ripe for the taking.

On the other hand, I do think the Eduardo-Arshavin-Fabregas axis is pretty sublime.

[Nick Ink]

I like the Wolves because they have a badass logo...that's solid footing for support, right?

Anyway, back to the American thread

Absolutely. And while I appreciate that the Wolves logo is going to take some beating, can I at least try to sway you with the crossed hammers (in recognition of our roots as an ironworks factoy team - now that is metal)? :



I predict that today's shock will be Tottenham beating Liverpool.

[Doctor Bob]

Having joined the workplace Fantasy Football League, I would appear to be in first place after the weekend.

(Nick- until the West Ham logo is on a hexagonal background, it's always going to play second fiddle at best.)

[Chet]

Good call on the Spurs-Liverpool game, Nick!


If we talking about iron based club crests, Scunthorpe United's may just be a little more metal than West Ham's.

[Thermofusion]

YEAH WOLVES

That Scunthorpe logo is pretty rad, particularly the way the girder looks like it's impaling the giant blue hand.

[Johnp]

Well, that didn't last long. This faux-scouser (roots in the Wirral, mind) is switching to Tranmere.

[Nick Ink]

Well, that didn't last long. This faux-scouser (roots in the Wirral, mind) is switching to Tranmere.

Do it! Have Half Man Half Biscuit on your side!

[Chet]

Peeing my pants right now that Paul Lambert made it as a trending topic on twitter, and is being kept there now by americans asking who the hell Paul Lambert it. 

[Johnp]

Well, that didn't last long. This faux-scouser (roots in the Wirral, mind) is switching to Tranmere.

Do it! Have Half Man Half Biscuit on your side!

Or Accrington Stanley.

(Really just waiting for the rugby season to start up. (And Thursday for the Ashes.))

[Doctor Bob]

Well, that didn't last long. This faux-scouser (roots in the Wirral, mind) is switching to Tranmere.

Do it! Have Half Man Half Biscuit on your side!

Or Accrington Stanley.

Accrington Stanley? ... Who are they??!

[Chet]

Well, that didn't last long. This faux-scouser (roots in the Wirral, mind) is switching to Tranmere.

Do it! Have Half Man Half Biscuit on your side!

Or Accrington Stanley.

Accrington Stanley? ... Who are they??!

I dunno, but Ian Rush said to me that if I drink enough milk I'll be good enough to play for them one day.

[Doctor Bob]

Yessssss!!!!

(I was actually hoping someone would say 'Exactly!' [or even 'Exachly!' to capture the scouseness of it] which is the next piece of the dialogue, but it would be terribly unkind of me to hold that against you.)

[Chet]

Did they have that commericial in Ireland? I thought it was a goverment thing.


I am very nervous right now.

[Andrew_TSKS]

So wait, Nick, you and Iron Maiden support the same football team? Have I made note of this before? Because that's awesome!

[Nick Ink]

So wait, Nick, you and Iron Maiden support the same football team? Have I made note of this before? Because that's awesome!

West Ham supporters include : Iron Maiden, Ray Winstone, John Cleese and ......

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2290253/Up-the-Irons---Barack-Obama-is-West-Ham-fan.html

[Doctor Bob]

Did they have that commericial in Ireland? I thought it was a goverment thing.

We had the British channels at home when I was a kid, in the era before channels worked out how to show different ads in different countries simultaneously.  I guess I saw it on ITV (not the Beeb anyway!).

[Johnp]

Accrington Stanley? ... Who are they??!

I'll set 'em up...