Premier League 18/19

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KeithPratt
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Premier League 18/19

Postby KeithPratt » 16 Jul 2018, 19:10

The World Cup has just finished and we are less than a month away from the new season.

West Ham have splashed the money in pre-season and have a new manager, but I'm not convinced that it will be anything more than a scramble for mid-table mediocrity once again.

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Re: Premier League 18/19

Postby Rayge » 16 Jul 2018, 19:52

Erm....

viewtopic.php?f=22&t=138435

note the only other poster :D
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Re: Premier League 18/19

Postby Diamond Dog » 16 Jul 2018, 20:01

I much prefer this version, Toby.

If others want to start a lower leagues and cups thread, that seems like a good idea.
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Re: Premier League 18/19

Postby KeithPratt » 17 Jul 2018, 08:09

Thanks. Seems more streamlined.

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Re: Premier League 18/19

Postby Diamond Dog » 17 Jul 2018, 08:47

We've always had a Premier League thread, which is always well posted to and read.

I dion't understand why that needs to change.
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Re: Premier League 18/19

Postby KeithPratt » 17 Jul 2018, 09:35

Anyway, I believe the transfer windows shut early this season, which seems like a more reasonable notion.

On the face of it, City are obviously favourites to defend their title, but it remains to be seen whether they can and whether their focus is more on that elusive Champion's League opportunity.

Liverpool and Man United are in the mix, as are Tottenham, whereas I feel that Chelsea and Arsenal seem a bit further away. If Hazard goes to Real as is expected, then they could be in a fight to maintain their position as one of the top clubs.

It promises to be another intriguing season.

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Re: Premier League 18/19

Postby trans-chigley express » 17 Jul 2018, 19:08

I’m hoping Liverpool can muster a realistic challenge for the title and maybe actually reach a final and win, they seem to have lost a lot of finals in recent years....FA cup, League Cup, Europa League, Champions League....it would be nice to actually win something.

I don’t think City will run away with it again and I think Man Utd will be serious contenders. Spurs, Arsenal and Chelsea realistically competing with Liverpool for top 4.

I fancy Everton to improve a lot. I like their keeper :)

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Re: Premier League 18/19

Postby Diamond Dog » 17 Jul 2018, 22:06

If Liverpool are going to pump £60+ million into this guy, I fear you'll be waiting a bit longer for that trophy :

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44864358

He was decidedly average/shaky during the World Cup.
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Re: Premier League 18/19

Postby KeithPratt » 17 Jul 2018, 22:08

The issue is that a world-class keeper is now £75 million plus. Want an Oblak or Courtois? That's how much they are...

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Re: Premier League 18/19

Postby Diamond Dog » 17 Jul 2018, 22:12

The issue is - he's not a world class keeper!
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Re: Premier League 18/19

Postby The Modernist » 17 Jul 2018, 23:26

Toby wrote:The issue is that a world-class keeper is now £75 million plus. Want an Oblak or Courtois? That's how much they are...


There's still plenty of top keepers around that you can get for much less than that. How much would it take to get Kasper Schmeichal from Leicester?

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Re: Premier League 18/19

Postby KeithPratt » 18 Jul 2018, 09:05

I'm not sure Kasper Schmeichel is a top-class keeper. A great shot-stopper, yes. The position itself is becoming more and more advanced.

But to the original point - given his displays in the World Cup, I'm not so sure whether he's a good buy either.

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Re: Premier League 18/19

Postby Diamond Dog » 18 Jul 2018, 10:08

He's probably not a top class keeper like Lloris, who is one of those who has embraced the 'advanced' role of 'midfielders playing in goal'. But, considering the World Cup Final, that may not be such a bad thing..... :)

To be fair, Schmeicel's distribution is one of his absolute positives.
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Re: Premier League 18/19

Postby The Modernist » 18 Jul 2018, 11:10

The whole goalkeeper as distributor thing is a bit of a fad in my view, especially as many of the ones feted for this don't actually have any special attributes at all very often. It's certainly not the first thing I'd be looking at in a goalkeeper.
I rate Schmeichal very highly - he was instrumental in Leicester's League win, but he's been around for quite a while so isn't a fashionable name to drop.
Buckland is another keeper who is very gettable and who would certainly be a major upgrade on what they have.

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Re: Premier League 18/19

Postby Diamond Dog » 18 Jul 2018, 11:33

The role is evolving - that's almost a given now. It will be that goalkeepers coming through from now on will be expected to be mobile and able to play as an extra defender behind those in front (I absolutely refuse to use that fucking phrase of two rhyming words) and also pass the ball to a reasonable level. I think that's almost irreversible - in much the same way that most full backs (even the great ones) of even fifteen years ago wouldn't live with the attacking/pace demands of the role today. But you're right - at some point someone (a pragmatist, like Mourinho) will say "Actually, I want my goalkeeper to stop shots, hold onto the occasional one and collect crosses with authority -that's the main spec".And then win with that kind of keeper..and others will fall in behind that and the trend for great ball playing keepers will be abated. Temporarily. But the unquestionable path is towards more mobile, ball playing keepers.
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Re: Premier League 18/19

Postby The Modernist » 18 Jul 2018, 11:39

Yeah I can see that and you're right Pete. But I just think that some of the traditional attributes of goalkeepers are being overlooked.. there's nothing wrong with being a shot-stopper!

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Re: Premier League 18/19

Postby Diamond Dog » 18 Jul 2018, 12:55

I couldn't agree more G!
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Re: Premier League 18/19

Postby KeithPratt » 07 Aug 2018, 13:45

Predictions then

Champions - Really hard to see past City. Guardiola has the form, quality and squad to ensure they defend their title. It might not be the stroll of last time though.

2nd - Liverpool - Have strengthened considerably and look formidable. I'd love Klopp to take them to the title but feel that it's just a bit beyond them.

3rd - Man United -Either Mourinho will surprise us all or he will be gone by November.

4th - Spurs. Massive season for Spurs but no real evidence of them looking like they'll lose any of their players yet. Unlike Liverpool though, they haven't made that step to not being a Real Madrid/ Barca feeder club just yet.

5th - Arsenal to just miss out but I think they will be more robust .

6th - Chelsea - the issues over their best players haven't gone away. All of them linked with other clubs and their striking options look problematic.

Relegated - Huddersfield (massive lack of goals), Cardiff and one of Southampton / Palace

Surprise - Fulham have bought well in the summer.

Your own club - massive investment at West Ham and a new experienced manager. Could work well but I'm sceptical.

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Re: Premier League 18/19

Postby The Modernist » 07 Aug 2018, 16:37

Toby wrote:Predictions then

Champions - Really hard to see past City. Guardiola has the form, quality and squad to ensure they defend their title. It might not be the stroll of last time though.

2nd - Liverpool - Have strengthened considerably and look formidable. I'd love Klopp to take them to the title but feel that it's just a bit beyond them.

3rd - Man United -Either Mourinho will surprise us all or he will be gone by November.

4th - Spurs. Massive season for Spurs but no real evidence of them looking like they'll lose any of their players yet. Unlike Liverpool though, they haven't made that step to not being a Real Madrid/ Barca feeder club just yet.

5th - Arsenal to just miss out but I think they will be more robust .

6th - Chelsea - the issues over their best players haven't gone away. All of them linked with other clubs and their striking options look problematic.

Relegated - Huddersfield (massive lack of goals), Cardiff and one of Southampton / Palace

Surprise - Fulham have bought well in the summer.

Your own club - massive investment at West Ham and a new experienced manager. Could work well but I'm sceptical.


Agree with your top two.
Frankly anything could happen with the next four and so it's hard to predict. Spurs look best placed, in many ways, to have a strong season, but there is a danger of a post-world cup induced burn out and the general feeling they may have peaked as a side. Mourinho is doing his best to create a doom laden fatalism at Utd, so it's no surprise many are predicting a third season implosion. It could well happen, but equally all the doom and gloom rather neglects that Utd have a strong, expensively assembled squad. Both Chelsea and Arsenal are going through so many changes that it's difficult to predict how they'll do, but it would be a surprise if there are no teething problems in what is a major period of transition for both clubs.
So..
1. Man City
2. Liverpool
3. Spurs
4. Man Utd
5. Chelsea
6. Arsenal
.. and to go down
18. Watford
19. Cardiff
20. Huddersfield

I agree Fulham will do well..as will Wolves. Top half finishes for both I think. Claude Puel will be the first manager to lose his job.

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Re: Premier League 18/19

Postby trans-chigley express » 08 Aug 2018, 03:48

This article confirms what every Liverpool fan already knew ;)

https://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/man-u-luckiest-liverpool-unluckiest/150887


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