Eh?.

Merely pointing out that the EPL/FA aren’t exactly pure as the driven snow…

*Stevedoc wins thread*

Can we talk about Toffees’ return to European dominance…?

Sure, as soon as they beat a team we can spell.

Sure, as soon as they beat a team we can spell.

And Celtic won’t count

Everyone ready for the pre-season not-so-friendly?

Will Sanchez have his dummy with him ready to throw out of his pram? Or is he on the naughty step?

Edit: not even on the bench. So that’s the last time we’ve seen him in an Arsenal shirt then?

I’ll give it 10 mins or so and if it’s dull I’ll switch back to the cricket. That’s easier to fall asleep to.

Mrs Binners has just pointed out that Bolton are playing Dirty Leeds at 4, if you want to watch a proper match. Bless her. 😀

There’s always Scottish prem on sky to switch to if I’m really struggling.

Oh dear. 😆

I found the latter stages surprisingly enjoyable! 😀

Up the Arsenal.

Meaningless of course

Well that’s a win for starters. Not sure what Shaughnessy was doing with Madine’s shirt but a win’s a win

Watching this super cup thing and RM look a class above Man utd.

they are a class above most teams top be fair and we are not back to this level

Yes, it’s a pity, as I’d like to see them challenged.

binners – Member
Oh dear.

You’ve got to appreciate this though! 😉

Not everything happens in yer over hyped, over paid world down south! 😆

https://twitter.com/goalforceltic/status/895015147865083905?s=04

Everyone set for the start of the season then?

I see Liverpool have come out and said that Coutinho isn’t for sale and is going nowhere. So expect to see him in a Barca shirt before the Arsenal game kicks off this evening

Are we doing predictions?

Everyone seems to think it’s going to be a Manc season. I’ve been stupid enough to put a tenner on us winning it this season. So that’s the kiss of death then. The Derby’s are certainly going to be full-blooded affairs this season

As for where everyone else finishes? Who knows? The top 6 places are all up for grabs really. Its going to be competitive. I can see Everton being the surprise package who upset some of the big boys this year

City I think are favourites but defence is weak so they may be vulnerable
Utd depends on what happens when the season starts but top 4 should be easily achievable
Chelsea- not strengthened and the squad is thin IMHO
Pool- in europe and squad too small
Spurs- too thin squad wise and key injuries will hamper them. Playing at wembley will hamper them as well- 6 th IMHO
Arsenal – same as every season stunning in parts risible in others

So given that

1 and 2 from manchester head says city heart say Man u
3- Chelsea
4. One of spurs, arsenal, liverpool or Everton and probably a scouse team

The effect of the Neymar transfer has certainly raised prices even further, I think those teams who have done business early are going to be happy about that fact. Coutinho would have been a 60-70 million player a few weeks ago as would Dembele at Dortmund. Looks like Tottenham are going to lose out by trying to push to the line hoping that the selling clubs get desperate. The other Dembele may have been a bargain if someone had made Celtic an offer a month ago, unless he has a release clause I reckon his fee will have doubled now from 20 to 40 million.

Arsenal could be the dark horse, as we have seen in the past 2 seasons, no champions league could be their advantage, especially if they decide the europa league isn’t worth it.

Anyway, happy with the way city are looking, even if we don’t win the league this year, I think we will see lots of exciting and entertaining football. The strength in depth of our attack is quite incredible, I think that is something none of the other contenders have, we can afford to lose key players with little effect now.

1 City
2 Chelsea
3 United

except in defence where you are still light IMHO – as are UTD – does not seem to many top defenders about any more

Remains to be seen if you have a keeper who can catch this year 😉

Agreed that offensively they are a step above the rest still Jose might sneak a number of 1-0 to win it but City will be way more entertaining

Watched Everton dispatch a team of Slovenian postmen over two legs in the Europa league qualifier – by the Gods we were bad. Expecting things to come together a lot more, but there’s a giant 20+ goal a season-shaped hole up front and no pace in the side. Gylfi been on the verge of signing for ages at a very reasonable 50 million.

On the bright side things looking a lot more confidence-inspiring at the back with a decent goalkeeper brought in. Nothing worse then a good performance undermined with soft goals from dodgy keepers [which we’ve had for 3 or 4 years since Howard started to decline].

From City’s signings, I’d say they could end up looking like a Kevin Keegan Newcastle side. They’ll be the highest scorers this season, without a doubt. But I can’t see them keeping many clean sheets

It’ll be good fun to watch though

lol …. Coutinho has handed in his transfer request

I’ll be laughing on the other side of my face when cousin Danny hands in his at Spurs

That’ll be a sad day .. 🙁

He’s got a cheek mind … he was more the happy this time last year to sign a 5 year deal and then hasn’t played for the last 4 months of the season.

Quelle surprise 😆

BS I would imagine.

Does anyone know if you can now just buy a football pass from nowtv? I thought I had seen that they were going to split up sky sports to more focussed channels only paying for what you want. The full sky sports package is too expensive to be worth it to me, But I would consider 20 quid a month.

You can get a free pass via a great number of internet based channels

Friends tell me the quality of this is very very good

Rose swap for Shaw would be good for Spurs IMHO

Not sure why Jose does not trust him but clearly he has no future there so that i not a bad trade for Spurs

Spurs will struggle to keep players whilst

1. they do not win things
2. they pay less than the competition

Given the stadium issues I expect this to be the case for a number of seasons and Kane and Alii and the others will leave at some point

This is the great tragedy of football even players who support the team leave for glory and money and even a team the size of spurs cannot hold on to their stars

You can get a free pass via a great number of internet based channels

The quality and availability has been dropping, especially this year. I don’t mind paying a fair price for guaranteed quality and availability, but IMO the full sky sports package is too expensive as I am only really interested in the football.

With Tottenham, I think Levy is given too much credit. They have a top manager, who has been able to fashion a good team through necessity, when good players have come through the ranks. But I think that is just a point in time, it has happened before with the likes of United and Barca, but those players rising through the ranks always dry up.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40897688

Perhaps not BS.

The winner is ……the launderers

Enjoy the season, just hold you noses while you watch

Liverpool have not had a great transfer window and I think they are now in rather difficult position. I suppose it all depends on how much he sulks if not allowed to leave and whether his form [value both to the club and in the market] suffers as a result

Personally i think its unwise to keep a player who wants to go but given the lack of reinforcements for pool i think they may well play hardball this time

With Arsenal I would still expect Sanchez to give 100% even if he was pissed off at not being allowed to go, he just strikes me as the kind of player who will always give his all. With Coutinho I just don’t see that attitude, doesn’t mean he isn’t the same, but that attitude isn’t on display.

his current “injury ” would suggest that he is not quite the 100% man you think as the arsenal medics cannot fidn anythign “too serious” according to reports

More likely to give 100% to secure a good move when his contract ends though.

One of those no one can give 100% to something they dont really want to be doing the only issue is how hard they try to give 100% and how close they get to it

Sanchez is a little bitch.

Crying because of a cut on his lip, posting a sad face on Instagram because he had a cold.

Soft lad, I wish he were playing tonight so Fuchs can make him cry like a child again.

I haven’t got a clue….I tipped Man U last year but think Moany has proved he hasn’t quite got it any more, so gonna suggest they might scrape 4th.

Chelski surprised me hugely after we duffed them up 3-0 they were the only team in the Prem. Citeh should win of course, but last years performances casts serious doubts. Liverpool making small improvements every year, but as said last year, they can’t keep that pace of play going through the winter. Everton….nah! Who have I forgotten? Oh yeah us Gooners have no expectations, but it would be nice to compete at least and the Spuds will have too much on their plate to mount a serious challenge.

So to sum up…I haven’t got a clue! 😀

Dele Alli to Liverpool if Barcelona get Phil C

Given that Levy told Man City that they couldn’t afford Alli when they enquired about him during the Walker negotiations, I don’t think Liverpool could either!

Why on earth would a player like that go to Liverpool?

With their thin squad and with champions league midweek, they’ll be back down to their more familiar 6th or 7th place finish this season

They would not sell him and if they do he will go to a much bigger team than them, no offence. He is a top top player and will play for one of the massive [ not history but current] top European sides and he will go for trophies as much as money. Not sure Liverpool offer a great deal on either front tbh.