[NCIH Damage]

Everyone's predicting Wigan to do poorly. I don't know why.

I like what I saw from Wigan last season.

Hence....

Final Table:
1) Manchester United
2) Arsenal
3) Liverpool
4) Chelsea
5) Tottenham
6) Everton
7) Aston Villa
8) Middlesbrough
9) Portsmouth
10) Wigan Athletic
11) Manchester City
12) West Ham United
13) Fulham
14) Sunderland
15) Blackburn
16) Newcastle
17) Bolton
18) Stoke
19) West Brom
20) Hull City

10th, bitches. But I was a bit biased in these standings.......fuck Chelsea.

Losing Hleb really isnt a big blow, sure he looks brillant and technically he is as good as anyone but his contribution to the team was very little. He was good at linking the play together but he provided very few assists and you would be hard pressed to find him scoring a goal for Arsenal.

I have no doubt that Nasri and Vela will step up and fill his position without to many problems and produce a greater end product.

I think you're underrating Hleb. He may have just been a link-up...but he was a damn good one at that. Additionally, he had chemistry with the entire attack. That's something Nasri and Vela don't have. There will be an adjustment period.

[-TheEnigma-]

Originally Posted by NCIH

I think you're underrating Hleb. He may have just been a link-up...but he was a damn good one at that. Additionally, he had chemistry with the entire attack. That's something Nasri and Vela don't have. There will be an adjustment period.

I think the main things that cost us last season was how unproductive are wingers were, we had Hleb and Eboue mainly.

In the league

Hleb - 2 goals, 6 assists.

Eboue - 0 goals, 1 assist.


Thats a pretty terrible return, Hleb's main quality was that he linked up well with Cesc and once Cesc has built an understanding with the new guys Nasri & Vela, and Rosicky returns we will hardly notice Hleb's absence. We can't afford to carry unproductive players we need wingers who are going to be contributing goals and assists, its no coincidence we were so successful when we had Pires & Ljungberg creating and banging in goals from the wing aswell as playing link up play. Being just a great link up guy isnt good enough we need more.

[KME]

Originally Posted by NCIH

I like what I saw from Wigan last season.

Hence....

Final Table:
1) Manchester United
2) Arsenal
3) Liverpool
4) Chelsea
5) Tottenham
6) Everton
7) Aston Villa
8) Middlesbrough
9) Portsmouth
10) Wigan Athletic
11) Manchester City
12) West Ham United
13) Fulham
14) Sunderland
15) Blackburn
16) Newcastle
17) Bolton
18) Stoke
19) West Brom
20) Hull City

10th, bitches. But I was a bit biased in these standings.......fuck Chelsea.


I think you're underrating Hleb. He may have just been a link-up...but he was a damn good one at that. Additionally, he had chemistry with the entire attack. That's something Nasri and Vela don't have. There will be an adjustment period.

I'd like to know your justification for Chelsea, Blackburn, Pompey and Newcastle being so low

And Nasri and Vela are good enough to make their own chemisry. Hleb was woeful the season before last, even Novus, his biggest mark here, acknowledged how average a season he had. It only took him a few months to build up a relationship with Cesc, same as Cesc and Flamini. Gilberto had always partnered Fabregas before, but good players can gel together, it's Football, different things can work.

[Man Utd Fan]

Looking forward to Sunday, 1st time i'll have bin in the lower tier. Look out for my flag near one of the corner flags.

We should win the league, will be just as tight as last season.

I tip tottenham to do well.

And im looking forward to the Carling Cup tbh.

[Rex Regum]

Losing Hleb really isnt a big blow, sure he looks brillant and technically he is as good as anyone but his contribution to the team was very little. He was good at linking the play together but he provided very few assists and you would be hard pressed to find him scoring a goal for Arsenal.

I must say, I'm surprised at those assist stats. I could have sworn Hleb would have more than that. He must have gotten a fair share in the CL then. There's a good reason why he doesn't get bucked loads of assists too. As a passing team, he's the guy that'll create the space, he'll then pass it off for someone else to exploit the space, and as Arsenal are reluctant to shoot at times, that space will usually be exploited by another pass. Simply, there is no better in the league at making space, and for that reason, we will miss him. I just hope Nasri can mould himself into a similar type of player, but he doesn't seem like as comfortable a wide player as Hleb, nor is he as confident with ball at feet.

[-TheEnigma-]

Originally Posted by Novus Audax

I must say, I'm surprised at those assist stats. I could have sworn Hleb would have more than that. He must have gotten a fair share in the CL then. There's a good reason why he doesn't get bucked loads of assists too. As a passing team, he's the guy that'll create the space, he'll then pass it off for someone else to exploit the space, and as Arsenal are reluctant to shoot at times, that space will usually be exploited by another pass. Simply, there is no better in the league at making space, and for that reason, we will miss him. I just hope Nasri can mould himself into a similar type of player, but he doesn't seem like as comfortable a wide player as Hleb, nor is he as confident with ball at feet.

I hope Nasri molds himself into a Pires type player rather than a Hleb type player, because its the Pires type player we need, for my money we will be a better side without Hleb because he was the main culprit of the pass, pass and pass again mentality, we need more directness, people willing to shoot.

Outside of our forwards we are far to reliant on Cesc to provide the assists and the goals from midfield.

Midfielders last season in all competitions

Games - Goals - Assists

Fabregas - 45 - 13 - 23
Hleb - 42 - 5 - 8
Eboue - 36 - 0 - 2
Rosicky - 24 - 7 - 2
Walcott - 39 - 7 - 5
Diaby - 28 - 4 - 2
Denilson - 23 - 2 - 3
Flamini - 40 - 3

[I luv Mickie James]

I need to make it clear that I want people to watch their mouths this season, as I won’t be standing for it. Banter sure, just don’t take it too far, and lets try and discuss things like adults, without resorting to childish name calling.

I just cant predict a United title win, would break my heart to do so so here goes -

Final Table:
1) Chelsea
2) Manchester Utd
3) Liverpool
4) Arsenal
5) Tottenham
6) Aston Villa
7) Portsmouth
8) Everton
9) Man City
10) Newcastle
11) West Ham
12) Sunderland
13) Blackburn
14) Fulham
15) Middlesboro
16) Bolton
17) Wigan
18) West Brom
19) Hull City
20) Stoke

[totti10]

This is how i see it going....the top 4 going the same way again...afew changes lower down but nothing to dramatic.


1) Manchester United
2) Chelsea
3) Arsenal
4) Liverpool
5) Everton
6) Tottenham
7) Portsmouth
8) Aston Villa
9) Newcastle
10) Blackburn
11) Manchester City
12) West Ham United
13) Middlesbrough
14) Sunderland
15) Fulham
16) Wigan Athletic
17) Bolton
18) West Brom
19) Hull City
20) Stoke

[-TheEnigma-]

Stoke really need to sign a couple of quality players soon or else they could be pulling a Derby, i understand people might not want to live in Stoke but they need do something, because Dave fucking Kitson isnt going to keep them up.

[I luv Mickie James]

Stoke are coming bottom, no two ways about it that I can see