2014/2015 Season Thread

[Adam Easy Wishes]

Difficult to argue with you on that, Phillip. I think Dundee are dark horses and may break top six, I think Inverness and Kilmarnock will both struggle. John Hughes is a terrible manager. There will be a gulf between the top five and a fight for the last 'top six' place in terms of points. Still think Aberdeen could be doing with a left back and central midfielder, or Graeme Shinnie who can do both.

 

If Celtic miss out on the Champions' League (which looks highly likely), they'll be picked off - Forster, Van Dijk, Matthews, possibly even Ambrose or Forrest could leave. If so, I'd love to see Stewart Milne just say - "here's the cash to go and get Shinnie", because I genuinely think that if Aberdeen have some luck with injuries then we'll be as well positioned as anyone has been in the last twenty years to mount a real challenge. Same goes for United if they re-invest the Gauld/Robertson cash, although I do feel the Aberdeen squad is more balanced.

 

01: Celtic

02: Aberdeen

03: Dundee Utd

04: Motherwell

05: St Johnstone

06: Dundee

-----------------------

07: Ross County

08: Inverness

09: St Mirren

10: Partick Thistle

11: Kilmarnock

12: Hamilton

[The Milner]

England i dont really care, but i can see Chelsea having a good year and United doing a bit better.

 

Scotland wise i think we will finish second, but i dont think it will be as cut and dry as some make out. United will be up there this season and Motherwell somehow always do well in the league. I can see Hamilton going down with Killie in the playoff. I can also see Celtic putting JC in charge before the end of the year, with the new guy sacked. He wont be able to achieve what he wants with no money and limited skilled players. 

 

Dons for one of the cups, United for the other. 

[ca_gere]

BPL

1. Chelsea

2. Arsenal

3. Man Utd

4. Man City

--------------

5. Liverpool

6. Everton

7. Spurs

-------------------------

The abyss

-------------------------

18. Swansea

19. Leicester

20. Burnley

 

FA Cup: Liverpool

COC Cup: Arsenal

Champions League: Chelsea

Johnston Paint Trophy: Oldham

 

Scottish Prem

1. Aberdeen

2. Celtic

3. Dundee UTD

4. Motherwell

 

#I believe that we will win#

 

La Liga

1. Real Madrid

2. Barca

3. Atletico Madrid

 

Bundesliga

1. Bayern Munich

2. Borussia Dortmund

3. VFL Wolfsburg

 

Ligue 1

1. PSG

2. Monaco

3. Lille

[Adam Easy Wishes]

If Swansea can hold on to Bony I reckon they'll be okay. I didn't realise they'd signed Bafetimbi Gomis until the other day. Good signing, I guess.

[Soda Jerk]

Two predictions for City finishing 4th. Bold. What is that based on? Current champions, have invested wisely in a holding midfielder and a centre back, and Sagna is good for depth. If Aguero stays fit and Yaya is bought a birthday cake, then they are supreme. David Silva is the best around. Kompany is also among the best around. I can't see them finishing outside the top 2.

 

If Costa takes to the Premier League, then Chelsea will win it, I reckon. Midfield 3 of Matic Fabregas and Oscar is ridiculous. Arsenal have finally invested in a set of bollocks up front in Sanchez, and they look very well balanced everywhere else. Ox-Chambo gets better all the time, and Ramsey is immense. If Wilshere can stay fit and lay off the smokes, they'll put up a good fight. I think they could use a rockhard bastard of a holding midfielder too. If they snag one, I expect them to push all the way. United will displace Liverpool in the top 4, based on United hopefully buying a defensive midfielder, and possibly a centre back. If they nail down those two signings, then they look well balanced again. Not being in Europe gives the squad a bit of rest as well. All of United's long term injuries in the past 4 or 5 years have come in CL games, so it could be welcome break in the rebuild process. I think Liverpool are disrupting the continuity far too much. 7 signings so far, it's just too many IMO. I think some of those signings will be very good ones, but not instantly.

 

1. Chelsea

2. City

3. Arsenal

4. United

5. Liverpool

6. Everton

7. Spurs

13 other teams.

[ca_gere]

A few reasons I'm predicting a lower position for City. Among the main ones:

 

Diego Costa

Van Gaal

Alexis Sanchez

Champions league focus (City will be in it to win it this year I think. Man Utd will be entirely league focused obviously)

Aguero and other key player fitness

A revitalised Rooney

[Lemonade]

Attended Polish league cup semi final this evening. Bohs v Shamrock Rovers. Big derby. Big crowd. Shit game. Lost 2-0.

[Camie]

England i dont really care, but i can see Chelsea having a good year and United doing a bit better.

 

Scotland wise i think we will finish second, but i dont think it will be as cut and dry as some make out. United will be up there this season and Motherwell somehow always do well in the league. I can see Hamilton going down with Killie in the playoff. I can also see Celtic putting JC in charge before the end of the year, with the new guy sacked. He wont be able to achieve what he wants with no money and limited skilled players. 

 

Dons for one of the cups, United for the other. 

 

 

I read JC as Jimmy Calderwood and nearly spit my tea out. Collins is just as funny.

[givemeasmile]

Premier League:

1. Man Utd

2. Man City

3. Chelsea

4. Arsenal

5. Liverpool

6. Tottenham

7. Everton

8. Sunderland

9. Newcastle

10. Hull

11. QPR

12. Crystal Palace

13. Swansea

14. Leicester

15. Aston Villa

16. Stoke

17. West Ham

18. Southampton

19. Burnley

20. West Brom

FA Cup: Man City

League Cup: Liverpool

Perhaps it's the blind optimism that comes with being a Man United supporter, but I honestly feel we can do it this season. We had a great squad last year, but it was poorly managed. Van Gaal has already shown in pre-season what he is capable of, and the fact he got a Holland team with a distinctly average midfield to the World Cup semis shows how good a gaffer he is. We also have the best frontline in the league, and RVP will actually want to play for Van Gaal. I'm genuinely really excited for next season.

In terms of the other teams, I think Chelsea will get off to a flying start then fade away as they have typically done in the past few seasons. Man City will battle until the end but it will be our year, wouldn't suprise me if the league is decided within the last couple of games. Alan Irvine is a terrible appointment and therefore I hope West Brom get relegated; he is to the Premier League what John Hughes is to the SPFL. I'm backing Southampton to go down, but West Ham won't be far away.

Liverpool have changed too much too quick and will suffer in the same way Tottenham did last year. I'm also backing Sunderland to get into the top 10 because of their finish to last season and I also rate Poyet as a coach.

SPFL:

1. Celtic

2. Aberdeen

3. Motherwell

4. Dundee United

5. St Johnstone

6. Ross County

-----------------

The rest.

I always want Ross County to do well, and Aberdeen will finish behind Celtic but we certainly won't be the only team that beats them this season. Motherwell will never go away and Dundee United will have another solid year. St Johnstone are a good team and I couldn't give a fuck about the bottom six.

Scottish Cup: Aberdeen

League Cup: Aberdeen

Cup double/European qualification for the The Dons, we got close last year and have a better team this time out. COYR!

[Adam Easy Wishes]

Two predictions for City finishing 4th. Bold. What is that based on? Current champions, have invested wisely in a holding midfielder and a centre back, and Sagna is good for depth. If Aguero stays fit and Yaya is bought a birthday cake, then they are supreme. David Silva is the best around. Kompany is also among the best around. I can't see them finishing outside the top 2.

 

 

A few reasons that I have for a City 4th place:

 

- Yaya is mental and his head is not right.

- Mourinho's Chelsea.

- I think their front line is a bit stale; both their strikers and attacking midfield players. Excellent players, obviously, but I think a team that is challenging for honours needs to freshen up their attacking options every season - if for no other reason than to keep players fighting amongst each other for places.

- The 'continental hangover' effect.

- The 'World Cup' hangover effect for players such as Aguero, Zabaleta, Demichelis. I personally think they will start poorly and find their rhythm after Chelsea/Utd/Arsenal/Liverpool have got points on the board.

[Captain America]

I don't really understand people writing City off.  They haven't bought any big sexy names for going forward but if they get Mangala that sorts their centre of defence right out.  Look at their squad for goodness sake, they can put out two 11's probably good enough for the top 4!

 

[Soda Jerk]

I agree. The blue shite will be high flyers. Top 2, nailed on. If Jovetic can finally get going, he will be very good. It's a shame nothing has really gone for him yet. He's superb when he's fit.

 

Caballero is a great signing too. Quite a bargain. One of the best in La Liga. He could realistically usurp Joe Hart, who hasn't really kicked on after they won the title the first time around.

[Captain America]

I don't agree with people saying Man United have a great squad.  They have an ok squad and a great front line, MATA/RVP/Rooney is world class no doubt.  Midfield is still pretty shoddy, Herrera could be good but he's so young and going into his first season in the EPL it could be a tough year.  Defence is pretty terrible and there's no depth either.  Goalkeeper is really good and backup is still Lindegaard isn't it?

 

Enough for top 4 but not much more as it is and for me that's only because no CL to cause excess games, like Liverpool last year.

[Soda Jerk]

Aye, the midfield is garbage besides Herrera. Especially with Carrick injured, but Herrera's very un-Spanish style makes him look tailor-made for the Premier League. At 24, he's plenty experienced. Kagawa played some of the pre-season games in central midfield and looked very good, but United need a tough-tackling defensive midfielder above all else.

 

The midfield is definitely worse than the defence. Smalling is boss. Jones and Evans are alright. Young Michael Keane has looked great for the past couple of years and will hopefully be given a chance now. Tyler Blackett has been rock solid in pre-season. One of United's best players overall. He is very worthy is being given a chance. That terrible defence only conceded 1 goal from open play in pre-season, and that one goal was from 60 yards out. Playing against good teams as well. 5 centre backs is pretty deep. van Gaal says he wants another, which will possible mean a current defender is due to be leaving.

 

As good as it is, that City squad is pretty depressing. 3 British players, and 1 of them is on loan to them from NYCFC. Rodwell is off. Richards and Lescott seem to be as well. Who else have they got? Scott Sinclair?

[Captain America]

Yeah I was thinking that about the Citeh squad as well.  How can they even pick their champions league squad from that...

 

Well terrible might have been a bit harsh but two unproven kids to me doesn't make it that good.  Pre season means next to nothing as we all know.  Smalling and Jones even haven't played that much center back and are both pretty injury prone aren't they?

[Soda Jerk]

Jones is injury prone, because he lunges in to tackles and aerial challenges like he is saving the lives of children running in to traffic. Headless. Usually ends up injuring himself. Smalling is generally okay fitness wise, but Moyes and Fergie just didn't want to play him (or Jones) ahead of Rio or Vidic. Jury is still out on Jones. He has the attributes, but his composure is totally mental. He's like David Luiz, without the screamers.

 

I think the back 3 does help solidify what is far from a world class back line. Van Gaal seemed to do the same with Holland which made the likes of Ron Vlaar look like a superstar.

 

Perhaps he should just buy Ron Vlaar.

Edited August 5, 2014 by Soda van Jerk

[Captain America]

You certainly need another experienced center back, I watched some highlights of last nights game and the defense was pretty bad.  Lucky you didn't concede more.

 

The three in the middle like the Dutch did is great if your three are composed and moves well together.  Watching them with Jones and Smalling isn't really that.  Jones as you said is pretty mad and Smalling really needs games there before he'll be decent.

[Murrr]

Do United's centre-backs really have the qualities required to pull it off? I'm asking as I've no real idea what "type" of CBs Jones, Smalling, etc. are. Jones strikes as the kind of guy who'd be an absolute disaster in such a system.

[Adam Easy Wishes]

LVG is pretty king at getting the best out of average players. The likes of D-Fletch and T-Clevz will benefit from his management/system. Totally right tho, they need a destroyer in there.

[Eupraxia]

I can't help but agree that Manchester United's squad needs some fairly heavy investment - their squad is far from great. I think Captain America stated on this thread previously that Manchester United will be stronger this season simply because they now have a tactically flexible (and astute) coach. It's tough to argue with that. A coach who will never use the word try, but instead opt for do; whereas Moyes loved to indicate how much his Manchester United team will try.

 

Trying's great, it really fucking is, but my God it always had negative connotations when projected from David Moyes' mouth as United's manager.

 

Van Gaal appears to be a very obstinate and dominant personality, and in the past that has served him negatively with certain other individuals (Cryuff and Rivaldo in particular), but it's precisely what Manchester United need - a manager who has vast experience of winning trophies; commanding immediate respect, with players buying into his philosophies. Moyes? He had never won a single trophy in his entrie footballing career; why the fuck would any Manchester United player place their trust in Moyes?

 

Van Gaal will get an extra 10-15% out of every single player, and that will see Manchester United into the top four again, in my opinion. They'll be a very tough team to defeat (unlike last season), but I don't think they will be challenging for the title yet. Not with Jones, Smalling, and Evans as the primary centre-backs. Joda Serk ostensibly rates each of these players, but they all have glaring weaknesses in their game, even in their preferred and most suited positions.

 

Van Gaal will set his team up accordingly to maximise strengths and minimise weaknesses, and these basic skills are what Moyes lacked (let's just get loads of crosses in from the bye-line for Rooney and Wellbeck - what the actual fuck?).

 

I think Manchester City and Chelsea will occupy first and second, with a bit of a points gap between second and third. Both squads look very strong and brilliantly balanced. I see where Adam is coming from with the suggestion that City may suffer from staleness in forward positions, but the quality is absolutely there, and if the desire matches the quality, City will be tremendous going forward this season...again.

 

Arsenal will have another solid season, but I doubt they'll be serious contenders for the league title - their defence is lacking in strength and depth, and they sorely need a defensive midfield pivot who can do all the filthy things Flamini does, but with added guile and quality - somebody akin to Khedeira would be so ideal it hurts, but it doesn't look likely that Arsenal want to meet Real Madrid's projected transfer fee, as he only has a year left on his contract. Arsenal need some heavy investment in central defensive positions in order to strengthen, especially if Vermaelen is allowed to leave. Though it seems Arsene may field Calum Chambers as an understudy centre-back if required and available. That's great, but he's 19 years old.

[Lemonade]

I think Arsenal need another CB, 2 if Vermaelen leaves, which is sounding pretty likely. They're looking strong in other positions though, Ospina pushing Sczezny for a starting position can only make both keepers perform better IMO. Sanchez will take some of the pressure off Giroud, Campbell and Sanogo will both be looking for an opportunity, especially with Sanogo knocking 4 past Benfica the other day, and there's goals throughout forward players, Podolski, Walcott, Cazorla. Ramsey scored a shitload last year. I think Wilshere will be played in a more defensive role this season but they could maybe do with adding another Flamini to the team to do the dirty work further back and start the attacks from midfield. Arsenal are going to score 100,000 goals this season.

[Adam Easy Wishes]

Khedira + a centre back and Arsenal would be well placed to run Chelsea close for the title IMO.

[Captain America]

[The Milner]

I dont think Khedira is the one they should go for. There was a stat thing i was looking at the other day and he doesnt actually do the things Arsenal need from a DM. They need someone to figure out how to get Flamini to play well, regularly and they would be fine, short of that they should be trying to get that Brazlian guy who plays for Wolfsburg. 

[Captain America]

Gustavo is a good option, I said in the WC thread what a nasty bastard he is.  He'd fit right in the EPL for most top teams.

 

I think Khedira would be good too though.  He does do some of the things they need and they really just need someone to sit and help the defence out a bit, Arsenal always get caught just being too gung who from the mid.