goodfootballerornot

Lets start with a comparison of two teams who most certainly wont like to be mentioned together, Arsenal and Spurs. I make the comparison becuase they both seem to have carried on exactly the same as last season.

Arsenal 1 – 0 WBA:

Arsenal produced some, a lot, of well constructed football and only managed to score once and luckily at that. WBA had some chances so its not all grim for them. Arsenal look beatable and by anyone.

MID 2 – 1 Spurs:

Spurs started this season as they did the last, which really doesnt bode well for them at all. Loosing away to a side they must beat to have chance of a top 4 slot. This time round I suspect there will be less calls for a change in manager, unless they really do want to implode. If they loose Berbatov they will in all likely hood fail to win anything. Thier targeted replacements just arnt in the same class and for all his supposed lazyness he creates so much.

Sunderland 0 – 1 Liverpool:

Liverpool were lucky to win against Sunderland, Keane will be pleased that they have shown they can compete at this level, but the side needs to start getting some results against the top teams unless they are content to just make up the numbers in the PL.

Everton 2 – 3 Blackburn:

Good start for Blackburn and Paul Ince. Too early to see how much change there will be in the team under Ince or what sort of manager he can be, but the best sort of start an away win.

Bolton 3 – 1 Stoke:

Oh dear. Taking a 3 goal spanking from Bolton of all teams doesnt bode well. Perhaps Stoke are trying for the lowest points record?

West Ham 2 – 1 Wigan:

A couple from Ashton, who isnt worth 15 million. Wigan made somechances without ever really convincing.

Hull 2 – 1 Fulham.

Hull got themselves a win against a stunningly ordinary Fulham who were unable to hold a lead or beat a team who looked pretty shakey.

Man City had an appalling game in thier UEFA qualifying round loosing to Danish side FC Midtjylland at home. Whatever the rumors or issues with the owner the players need to sort their shit out soon or City are going to be in deep trouble. With a tricky away starter at Villa Hughes will be feeling a tad nervy I’m sure.

Villa had a much better game away in Iceland winning 4-1. He who wants to move to Liverpool played which would rule him out of the CL group stages which might put Pool off. Personally I don’t understand why he should be “Cup tied” from playing in the UEFA cup and then getting an upgrade to the Champions League. Stupid rules really.

Newcastle have signed Fabricio Coloccini, who has one of the classiest mullet/perm combos I have seen for a long while, which may have been why Keggers signed him.

FC Twente 0-2 Arsenal:

The score line flatters a fairly poor performance by Arsenal, albeit from a very sub standard squad. Still with no sign of signings Wenger is going to have to hope and pray for an injury free season, particularly in midfield, because the team who played are unlikely to win very much at all and could drop them out of a top 4 slot.

[Update] Arsene Wenger has apparently said he will make a signing in the next two weeks, a midfield consisting of Denilson and Aaron Ramsey gave him enough of a squeaky bum to reach for the cheque book.

Standard Liege 0-0 Liverpool:

Oh dear oh dear. Liverpool “thats ‘Challenge for the title’ Liverpool” were absolutely woeful and only got the draw because they have the best penalty keeper around. Gerrard was reluctantly brought on and made a difference but Keane and Torres need some games to form some kind of understanding that they are actually playing on the same team. No team with ambitions for the PL title can have a slow start and it doesn’t look good for them based on this.

Since no one apart from the parties involved REALLY know whats going on with transfers its all gossip and stuff made up down the pub. Still it doesn’t stop some of it being interesting to talk about. The stuff we do know for sure is rather interesting indeed….

Berbatov (he of so much sulk I reckon hes really French) is [probably] of to Man U. Spurs fans will hopefully think good riddance frankly. Yes I know hes a good player but his crappy attitude? Best shot of him. Although if they replace him with Arsharvin or god forbid Dean Ashton then they will fail to challenge the top 4.

Mr Ashely appears to have fessed up to have been so exited about his new toy he didn’t bother with due dillagence before the purchase and got stiffed for 27 million in owed players bills! Classy move by Mr Sheppard, no wonder he looks so happy. Bad news for Keggers, who I would guess now knows why his transfer kitty is so pitiful and why Barton has to play – hell hes probably not even paid for yet!. Also, what does Denis Wise do down in London for Newcastle? You have been able to book hotels by phone for a long time now and theres this thing called the internet now…

Man City are probably not so pleased to be owend by a state criminal in exile! Whats next? As part of the deal in Zimbabwae Mugagbe will be allowed to come here in exile and buy Fulham? It’s the only way Thaksin could loose his title of most dodgy owner! The premier League might want to stop pushing for games abroad and pissing off every other country’s FA equivalents and deal with whats going on at home. Not just ownership but also the transfer/contract situation looks to be heading for some sort of meltdown and all the PL seem to do is just sit around coming up with ideas to annoy everyone apart from club Chairmen.

The Guvner doesn’t appear to be any more popular with players as a manager than he was as a player, you’d think he might have realized acting the hard man makes you look like a twunt, especially to players earning what they do now and who can seemingly get a transfer whenever they want, no matter what contract they have. Even Roy Keane appears to have sussed that. Even if only half of the tales coming out are true hes going to have problems. First out of a job unless he can actually manage the team a hell of a lot better than the individuals.

And lastly Fabrigas looks like missing at least 2 weeks, maybe more. Mr Wenger must be experiencing a Fergie squeaky bum about now. Whatever the reasons for not making any signings, yes ok hes got a couple of weeks still but has said he wont, its looking to be a bad move. FC Twente might actually have a chance to beat them tonight looking at the team sheet….No wait, that might give McClown some kudos as a manager!

Despite some of the more tedious and farcical transfer sagas yet, Ronaldo and Barry in case you dont know who I’m on about (actually add Berbatov to that as well), there has only really been 4 teams who have done some interesting business, Fulham, Liverpool, Tottenham and Sunderland.

Spurs and Sunderland:

Keano has obviously decided that the best thing to do is to buy up all the Spurs players who wont be getting a game now they have some better talent coming in, apart from thier lardy and suspect keeper. Probably a sound move. Chimbonda, Malbranque and Tainio are good players. Spurs have been talked about to breaking into the top 4 for a few seasons now and while they havent done so the players Keano has got from them have been core to a half decent Spurs side. Sunderland probably only have ambitions to stay up and maybe a cup run and Keano has the players now to do this. Comfortably I would think.

Spurs, well Spurs have gone a bit mental really. Although if they had spannerd 15 million on Ashton then they deserve relegation! Modric, Bently and Dos Santos are good purchases and certainly indicate exitiing football at the Lane. Berbatov may yet stay, and really is vital to them now Keane has gone to Pool. Good business for Spurs but a real loss as Keane is a touch of class. So really I think its going to depend on the Striker situation at Spurs, if Berbatov stays then they do have a very serious chance for getting a top 4 slot. If he goes then its going to depend on who the get as a replacement. Dean Ashton? Carling cup will probably be the best they can hope for. And this year Chelsea wont be as east to beat in that, not that they were last season but Grant was, well his talents are better used elsewhere I think.

Liverpool and Fulham:

Fulham, who need all the help they can get, are really just an advert for chopping a couple of extra teams out of the PL. Relegation? Proably only saved by Hull, Bolton Stoke and Wigan Borough & West Brom all fighting for the chance to play a thier level. You can add Toon to that list as well I would think. A manger who doesnt convice he knows what hes doing and an owner who has taken the slightly unusual tactic of aiming for a top 4 slot by not actually improving a dodgy squad.

Liverpool is an odd one. They have Keane now, who with torres could produce a wealth of goals, but is Barry really the right player for them? If they do buy him they could benefit from a Gerrard and Barry partnership, which should signal the end of Lampard as a first choice for Englands starting lineup. So theres is something to be said for it afterall. But the rest of the players are going to have to make thier mark as Im not as convinced as some about the teams supposed depth of quality, they were 7 points off third last season, thier only comfort being the 11 points between them and Everton. The good news is Rafa did shift some right dross out. Team most likely to loose a top 4 spot?    Probably not, Arsenals lack of purchases smacks of arrogance rather than just confidence.

Well yesterday, but you get the point. So, finally, a new season is here. The Championship kicked off, no not that way! Birmingham at least got a win, albeit not a particularly convincing one. Hapless Derby lose, is Jewell going for the record as worst manager ever? Its bad enough not to have a win since taking over, but to loose a just promoted team doesnt bode well for the season.

The Premiere league has to wait for the tedium of the Community Shield before the action starts.  Why do we have this game again?   Actually this year theres a chance of something interesting or at least the underdog winning.  Pompey did pretty well last season and have a chance for an early boost with Man U missing a few key players either through injury or this mysterius Nigerian virus, clap?

There may be a match report, if it isnt a dull affair.