Mike: Where Art Thou

So, what a weekend?!

The Arsenal-Man U game was a heart breaker. Arsenal won the game in every conceivable way other than score line. I never say this but Mike Dean lost that game for us. Not only did Fletcher deserve a red card before the half for his incessant dirty tackles, he clearly did a two-footed tackle in the box, which cleared Arshavin and didn't touch the ball. A straight red under any circumstance, and he didn't even get a penalty!!! This was important because Fletcher was a menace the whole game and should have been sent off in the first half. Despite their cheating, Arsenal still far outplayed them and needed a spectacular, completely ridiculous own goal from Diaby to put them up.

Almunia's "foul" on Rooney was totally ridiculous. Rooney starts falling about two hours before Almunia nears him, it's clear on the replay. AAARAAGHAAGH!

Anyway, I'm done, but I will say that Arsenal were by far the better team by any objective standard, and it was at Old Trafford. This will no doubt hurt Arsenal's title hopes, and buoy Man Us, but the victory was Pyrrhic and now Arsenal know they have no one to fear.

Tottenham are still very very hot. Imagine where they were a year ago from today. Ha! Milan were humiliated in the derby also, which displeases me. I just don't care for Mourinho, but getting Eto'o and money (Barca are insane) for Zlatan, and landing Sneijder are two masterstrokes. Good luck everyone else in Serie A!!

Liverpool are very very shaky, barely squeecking out a victory over Bolton. Bolton!

Watched the whole Wigan/Everton game, and although you'd be hard pressed to say they deserved it, Everton will be quite good when everyone is fit *cough*Arteta*cough* and they get a Lescott replacement up and running.

Frankly, and how do you always do this, by the way, Chelsea look by far the most assured and secure. Arsenal probably look better and more dangerous, but also like they have the capacity to self destruct when rattled. Chelsea are cool as cucumbers, and finally have a coach with the guts to play the two massive French speakers up top, giving them phenomenal strength, finesse and explosiveness in the last third. Very very dangerous looking.

Anyway, off to study, hope you are well.

Saturday

First things first: I like your score predictions scoring system. For every +10 correct you have over your opponent, you will receive 5 points, but only in increments of 10 (that is to say that if you had +28 correct that would give you a total of +10 total points, right?). Sounds good to me if I understand it correctly.

Almost forgot, I do also like the idea of deductions for being more than 5 places off at the final table. How many points deducted?

The games:

I watched Arsenal and they were brilliant. Really inspired movement and they finally have the bite at the end of their luminous play. May I just take this opportunity to say: TOP OF THE TABLE: HERE 'TILL THE END!!!!!!

Ahem.

So let's see, if you were up +2 going into Sat, we are now at +3 for the Birm/Stoke draw. You are quite good at this so far... we'll see how long it lasts, bwahahahaahahahaha.

Tomorrow will be good. I'm not sure why I put Tottenham tying West Ham, they really should blow them to bits. Hmmm.

Scoring System, Game Predictions

I was about to suggest a revision of our game prediction scoring system as it would grossly outweigh our league table predictions in value, which didn't seem right, after all, you've got a 1 of 3 option for a point every week every game, and a 1 in 20 option of getting the final table right one time only; getting that right should be much more valuable, in my humble opinion.

I like your idea and we could go with it and I'd be happy. OR we could go with my idea, that we keep a tally throughout the year and the winner of more right guesses than the other get's 6 points (the weight of guessing the top of the league) at the end. So we keep your + and - but it only means 6 pts at the end for whoever is up.

I favor this plan because you, sir, are guessing very conventionally so far, and I don't want to be brutally punished score-wise for desperately wanting Stoke to thrash Chelsea 12-1 even if the likelihood is very low of that happening.

Anyway, your thoughts....

As for the weekend:

Arsenal/Portsmouth: Arsenal (3-0)
Birmingham/Stoke: Birmingham
Hull/Bolton: Bolton
Man City/Wolves: Man City
Sunderland/Blackburn: Sunderland
Wigan/Man U: Man U
West Ham/Tottenham: draw
Burnley/Everton: Everton
Fulham/Chelsea: draw
Liverpool/Aston Villa: Liverpool

Not too different... but watch Tottenham get cut down to size!!!

This weekends games

So at this point, if my scores are correct, I am +2. But as football is a guessing game half the time I am sure that will quickly change. We have a full schedule of games ahead of us this weekend. And although a couple games in gives a bit of an idea what teams will be like, it will take another couple weeks to start spotting trends. Two losses in a row isn't so bad, and two wins doesn't mean so much either (Tottenham) but once you get three or four under your belt we can start to see which teams are lacking and which are surprisingly strong. In other words, this weekend and the next will begin to show some patterns, and getting out of a spiral of losses in a row is incredibly difficult. With all that said certain teams that look certain for relegation in December will stay up and others that are safely mid table will go down by seasons end. In other words, anything can happen, which is why this game is so exciting to watch and follow. Below are my weekends picks. A tie will have to occur at some point soon (Birmingham/Stoke just looks like a painfully boring draw).

Arsenal- Portsmouth: Arsenal win
Birmingham- Stoke: Draw
Hull- Bolton: Bolton win
Man City- Wolves: Man City Win
Sunderland- Blackburn: Sunderland Win
Wigan- Man U: Man U Win
West Ham- Tottenham: Tottenham Win
Burnley- Everton: Everton Win
Fulham- Chelsea: Chelsea Win
Liverpool- Aston Villa: Liverpool Win

The big teams should all walk away with points. Man U will have a strong showing after days of the hairdryer from Fergie. Liverpool at home is too much for Aston Villa so early in the season. Tottenham are on form and West Ham will be good but have yet to really click as much as Hotspurs yet. Everton will get some form back. Hull will continue to lose at home. Arsenal will walk away with it. Chelsea will just slip by with a win. Sunderland will prove too strong with their new look team against Blackburn, and Birmingham and Stoke will be one of the most boring games of the season. You heard it here first.

Points thoughts and Coyle proves he is a genius

So first of all I must admit that I wouldn't mind losing to you on the league table if Arsenal do win and Man U fall apart. I still don't think that will happen, but the Burnley win was a delight. Amazing. Partially because of my call that Burnley will stay up despite all odds. They showed why I predicted it by matching Man U the whole time, although it still required a penalty save to win it. Absolute genius, I loved it. Owen duffed two easy ones in front of Copello apparently. Another thing that makes me very happy. And points for me on the Birmingham call (or a point) and the Tottenham and Liverpool we both got correct. Wolves/Wigan actually played on Tuesday, so even if you had got it right I wouldn't have given you the point. But Wolves won, so we were both wrong. I am thinking rather than get huge amounts of points, lets just cancel out points that we both get and just go with who is positive or negative for the season up to now. I believe I am +1 over you for the Birmingham win, otherwise we are the same on points. So a plus/negative on the weekly games, then add that to the total at the end. Thoughts?
Mike (+1)
Luckily we didn't guess the first week as you would definitely have gotten points for the Arsenal game that I would not have given as an Arsenal win.

Midweeks

Have to veto Chelsea/Sunderland as I just got home yesterday and didn't check the blog! Ha: no points for you!!!

Wigan/Wolves= Draw
Birmingham/Portsmouth= Portsmouth
Burnley/Man U= Man U
Hull/Tottenham= Tottenham
Liverpool/Stoke= Draw

Bonus: Sheff Wed upset Newcastle in the Champ

Mid week game predictions

I don't know if you will be able to find time to get these in before the actual games, but I thought i would post some anyhow. If you can only get the Wednesday games up we can just count those.
Sunderland- Chelsea= Chelsea Win
Wigan- Wolves= Wigan Win
Birmingham- Portsmouth= Birmingham Win
Burnley- Man U= Man U Win
Hull- Tottenham= Tottenham Win
Liverpool- Stoke= Liverpool Win
I realize there will probably be at least one tie or upset, but at this point I have to go with the big teams; and Birmingham.

What a weekend indeed!

Well, well, well.

Great observations, Mike and I like your league table as it will certainly guarantee someone tears and someone bragging rights. (I think I know which will be which =))

I watched quite a bit of the England-Holland game and a bit of the Chelsea-Hull game. I'm in Kentucky so haven't had access to the usual sources.

Anyway: I can't deny I am absolutely thrilled about the Arsenal-Everton game. It was easily the most comptetive game of the weekend on paper and whatever you might say to excuse Everton, Arsenal beat an excellent team in humiliating fashion. Chelsea's fluke game (Drogba admitted the last goal was intended as a cross that he duffed) and Man U's very shaky performance are not, I don't think, going to be anomylous. Did you see the Ancelotti came out in a classic cover your butt move and said the EPL is a much harder/better league than Serie A! Clearly he lacks confidence in his squad. Fergusen has made all kinds of bizzare pronouncments this week, leading me to believe he has no idea what quality his squad possesses in a brass tacks way. I think I may have the last laugh with regards to Arsenal; maybe not as league winner (although I genuinely think that possible, remeber I made these tables before the everton result) but I think they'll be fighting for the title all year and in no danger of dropping out of the top 4.

I really think United looks shaky, I know a lot of that is my personal fantasy, but I have my doubts.

Like you, I am thrilled that I think this will be the most competetive season in ages at the top and bottom, so who cares if Fulham and Wigan slug it out for dullest mid table team of the year, where it counts will be amazing!

Anyway, got to go be social.

Let's do the game results (just win/loss, scores for pure bragging rights) for a point each; otherwise they'd overwhelm the league standings. Let's try weekly. If we can't both get them in, no points will be awarded. I don't want to hinder your field work!!

Anyway, warmest regards to my dear friend/arch football nemesis overseas! Let the season BEGIN!

what a weekend!

Now let me be the first to clarify that one game does not make a season. And that anyone writing off Liverpool already for losing or Chelsea for barely slipping by is foolish. Just as anyone giving the title to Arsenal for the demolition of Everton. Hint, hint. But there is no denying not many people would have guessed the scores that came up over the weekend. Arsenal showed the skill that they can have, now the question is if they can keep it up over a season. Liverpool showed their frailties in midfield without Alonso. Will Aquilani be able to fill the gap when he gets fit? Man U won but barely, and Chelsea needed some luck to pull off a home win against Hull. But at this point the managers will just be happy with the points. The three points Liverpool lost today could come back to really hurt them by seasons end. But a loss at Whitehart Lane is not very embarrassing, particularly with the team Redknapp is putting together. All I can say is that the first weekend was exciting, and the transfer window isn't even closed yet! I still worry that this Arsenal win will give Arsene the excuse he is looking for to not spend any money. And the most sad thing of all is that I have no way of watching any of the games here in Sudan. Sigh. I guess I just have to read up on the guardian and bbc while imagining it all in my mind. Obviously that means all my observations are based on other peoples, which isn't great but if I spread it out over enough websites I might get an idea. Jon, did you see any of the matches? Also are we going to do the week by week results as well? Just wins and loses or draws, not actual scores? Two points for each correct guess? I noticed you didn't post for this week so thought we might not do it. It might be hard to do it every week for me if I am in the field but will try to post. Also are we thinking of adding the English cups to our predictions? Give me some thoughts. I know you have some comments on my predictions for the season!

Mike proves his Oracle Status once again!

Top Scorer in Prem = Drogba. Will have a glorious return to form under the tutelage of Ancelloti.

Balon d'Or (2009-2010) = Messi. Sorry Iniesta will keep it close but Messi will just keep improving with age. And he is still very young. (if he can keep healthy)

Barca - Real Madrid Derbies = TBA

Champions League Final Four = Barcelona, Real Madrid, Chelsea and Inter (I know- boring as you said the same thing but I can't see past these four teams)

Champions League Winner = Barcelona

Serie A = Inter
La Liga = Barcelona
Bundesliga = Hoffenheim (I got to go with you on this one as I can't vote for Bayern in anything)
Ligue 1 = Bordeaux (I have to have something different than you otherwise points will not matter!)

I must say I am tempted to vote with the heart, which I think you did a bit on your League predictions, but I must go with my head and be boring. Pole, I wish I thought differently than you on much of these but certain teams just look so much better than the others. And who else in Germany can one cheer for apart from Hoffenheim? They are the only likable team there.

League thoughts

I kept trying to post an excel copy of my league table like you had, but my complete lack of computer knowledge left me floundering. Much like your league table will do to you by the end of the season. Just joking. But I must make a few comments on how I chose my league table, and then on yours. I will also post my cup winners at the end.

I decided I must stick with my initial thoughts that Chelsea will win the league that were first brought up on the walk through the woods. I realize that this will horrify you but let me explain my thoughts. I don't believe that Ancelotti is the new Mourinho, and honestly think he will struggle this season to learn the English game. It is the strength of the Chelsea side on paper that makes me think they will pull through, although just barely. And I still think that Abramovich will give the money for one marquee player to come in by the end of the transfer window. Someone like Aguero or Ribery who will make them that much more deadly. And Zhirkov will fill the gap on the left and create a bit of competition for the position, which has been sorely lacking with Joe Cole always injured leaving Malouda to keep playing despite being more of a Sunderland level player. (ooohh, cheeky!)

Every other side in the top four has lost a major player or two, and they will all be significantly weaker this season. Man City will push them to the brink (and if something major happens to any of the top teams will take a top four spot), but they will need at least one more season to get in to the Champions league and mold themselves into a team. Liverpool lost Alonso and Aquilani will be ok, but not the same level and his ankle struggle to stay healthy with the physicality of the English game. They are too dependent upon Torres and Gerrard staying fit, and the rest of the team don't look like they can grind out results. They still have yet to buy a decent back up for Torres, and although they will do well they will not be able to pull off the league win that many pundits are expecting. Chelsea will nip them to it in the final weeks.

Man U will be significantly weaker without Ronaldo or Tevez, but still have enough quality and money to stay in the top three and compete for the league. Their mid field is still by far the weakest part of the team, and it hasn't been strengthened enough to make up for the losses. And of course Owen will not make up for Ronaldo's goals up front.

Arsenal will have a great season starting out, but will fade in the final third. Arsene is not making sounds like he feels he needs to replace Abedeyor or Toure, which is a bad sign. They need more depth in both positions and a middle field enforcer. If Arsene does turn around and buy a few players they could pull off an upset, but at this point he looks like his pride will be his downfall still.

Man City will have moments of brilliance, but it seems Mark Hughes is collecting superstars like a five year old collects pokemon cards. The coolest ones and most hard to find, but he is failing to really piece them all into a team. They will compete but still need a few more major signings over next summer to get into the top four.

Tottenham will be much better this season, but won't be able to compete with Everton. Aston Villa will go lower down as they don't have enough depth, along with Fulham. Sunderland will do well but won't be able to convince any world breakers that it is a good place to live and will have to accept the top 7's leftovers for this season at least. West Ham will look good but Zola doesn't have the money or time yet to mold a team that can compete with the top ten teams in the league. Wigan will be a normal mid table team.

And the rest will struggle with a relegation battle. I honestly think the bottom eight will all be possibilities to be relegated but a few teams will spring surprises and stay up. Burnley being one of them. Coyle will prove his worth and just keep them up. Hull will easily be the league's whipping boy this season. And Portsmouth will be the 'big' team who go down this season unless the new owner suddenly comes up with a great deal of cash to help bring in some non championship level players. I rounded out the bottom three with Wolves, who although in some ways look like the strongest of the three coming up, will struggle the most. The other managers will play with a bit of style and grit, Wolves will keep it close but will end up playing more like Sheffield United did a few seasons ago, which will lead to barely getting relegated, possibly on the final day.

I must say that this season is going to be the closest point wise in the top five and the bottom eight that any season has had. The top five are much closer than they look and anyone could spring a surprise, especially with the transfer window still open or the January transfer window. The bottom eight will also be very close (with the exception of Hull who will just sink to the bottom like a piece of granite) and I think a few teams will look like inevitable Championship material half way through the season to then save themselves and come out of it, while the opposite will happen as well (namely Portsmouth and Blackburn who will start ok and then slowly sink closer to the bottom three, with Portsmouth finally giving in like Newcastle did this season).

Final League Table

1. Chelsea
2. Liverpool
3. Man U
4. Arsenal
5. Man City
6. Everton
7. Tottenham
8. Aston Villa
9. Sunderland
10. Fulham
11. West Ham
12. Wigan
13. Blackburn
14. Stoke City
15. Birmingham
16. Bolton
17. Burnley
18. Portsmouth
19. Wolves
20. Hull

Predictions Expanded and Explanations

Top Scorer in Prem = Torres (gangbuster season propels Liverpool to 2nd, not enough for first)

Balon d'Or (2009-2010) = Iniesta (proves his value again, this time it's recognized)

Barca - Real Madrid Derbies = TBA

Champions League Final Four = Chelsea, Inter, Real Madrid, Barca

Champions League Winner = Barca

Serie A = Inter
La Liga = Barca (in a squeeker)
Bundesliga = Hoffenheim (c'mon!)
Ligue 1 = Lyon (triumphant return to form)

Regarding my league table: before you rubbish it: Man U are far more unstable than it can possibly appear, thus Fergusen starting his mind games with City and Liverpool already. Why would a confident Sir Alex get into it before he's got anything to back his words up with? He's hoping for an early pyschological advantage. Final analysis: Rooney is just not a team-maker, and who else is there to pick up the team. Can't do it without 30+ goals from C.R. and frankly, no one was picked up to replace him. Berba and Rooney will have similar seasons to last year, and just won't be able to do it. Total shock to footballing world.

City, on the other hand, shock the world as well, first by picking up Lescott on the last day of the transfer window, and second by being consistent, dominant and fiesty. Hughes proves himself and puts city into a shocking 3rd position, cementing Cities preeminence; huge signing follow in the summer. Tevez is a machine, Barry is a rock and the back four protect Given enough for him to have 13 clean sheets.

Liverpool heartbreak again as the focus all efforts on the league, limping out of the group stage in the CL and being knocked out first round against a Spanish or Italian giant. It's a nailbitter and Torres has his best season yet, but they can't make 1st.

Arsenal are the biggest surprise of the season, as all expectations are a 5th placed finish. Wenger cements his place in the history books by watching the team he had relentless confidence in finally meet his expectations. Everyone comes together at the right time and despite a shaky mid season, they win all the games they need to to eek out a trophy for the first time in ages. Win nothing else but it doesn't matter. Sweet vindication.

Hull, Stoke, and Burnley relegated. No major surprises. Birmingham win through ugly, workmanlike performances and finish respectably, and Wolves also manage a fair season. Burnley is a shambles, can't cope with the intensity of the PL and Stoke's trickery and effort just can't pull it out. Hull didn't deserve to stay up last season, and wouldn't have other than some juju Phil Brown sold his soul (and committed to a life supply of spray on tan) for, and he's fired two months in.

Villa are a shadow of the team they were last year, and Everton remain biting at the heels of the top 4.

Sunderland and Spurs fight it out in upper mid table, both producing solid but unspectacular seasons. Sunderland shake off the scrappy, uncertain previous seasons and become perenial mid-upper table folks, eclipsing permanently the shadow of Newcastle, who slink off into further mid table of Championship obscurity.

Jon's Official Predictions

Team Name	Final League Position
Arsenal	1
Liverpool	2
Man City	3
Chelsea	4
Man United	5
Everton	6
Tottenham	7
Sunderland	8
Fulham	9
Aston Villa	10
West Ham	11
Wigan	12
Birmingham	13
Blackburn	14
Bolton	15
Portsmouth	16
Wolves	17
Stoke City	18
Hull City	19
Burnley	20

Managers and DEADLINE FOR LEAGUE TABLE

Hello there,

Very interesting post Mike. Lot's of food for thought. I will play devil's advocate on the first and last, but have to share your concerns about the middle bit.

Before I continue though: LEAGUE TABLE DEADLINE is SATURDAY!

Anyway, Mark Flipping Hughes. He is going to surprise in a big way this year. He aquired a number of signings, maybe not every last one, but enough that he has no excuse, that require a champions league place. He's got to man up and craft a team out of this crazy dispirate mess of money grubbers and the surprise will be that he is able to do it. He has enough players of enough quality that he can just straight bench anyone with a major atittude problem. He basically pulled apart his Brazillian clique and will do the same for any prima-donnas, which his team is now rife with. The interesting thing about City is that the squad is full of highly paid just below A level folks, who all have something to prove. That to me is the key to the squad. It's not settled established major talents, even Ade and Toure have to prove they can win something. Tevez needs to show United what they missed out on, Barry wants to win something real before his 45, etc. My prediction: inexplicably, Man City will be a massive force to be reckoned with this year. Please remember, however, I predicted something similar for Newcastle last year. Ahem.

You are right in spades about Real. You build a team that plays like Barca, you just can't buy that cohesion. Real will end up looking like Mourinho's Chelsea, rubbish, boring fart around stuff, until moments of absolute genius give them a wondergoal and they fart around the rest of the the game. Win 1-0. Repeat until you win everything in the most boring manner possible. HURRAY! Only they can't because the best team in the world is in their league. Showdown: goodness vs. evil, light vs. dark, Rebellion vs. Empire, Barca vs. Real. It will be delicious.

Arsene is another case though. While I don't think they will take the league this year, I do think he's positioned the squad well, and the young talent he's been developing forever should be coming into its own this year. He's claimed that he sold Ade and Toure (and soon Eboue) because of a clique in the dressing room that was disrupting morale. He's appartently decided Bendtner can replace Adebayor, which is patently ridiculous, but other than that I think there's enough strike power and enough midfield quality to do well enough, but he does need a major signing for DM and one more seasoned defender. I think it will happen and it will be a very good year for Arsene(al).

Alright, this is fun, Mike, looking forward to some good banter in the weeks to come!

Managers

I have to make a post about managers. I am very curious as to your thoughts on this so will post a few of mine to help elicit a response.

Mark Hughes, out of his depth? I just can't see Mark Hughes being the Man City manager by the end of the season. He doesn't have the respect to keep the big names in line, and looking at the players he has signed, and especially looking at the managers who couldn't keep them in line (Wenger, Ferguson, Schuster) I can't see Hughes handling them all together. Especially seeing how he has multiple stars for the same position. I mean, City's bench is going to have SWP (poor boy going from one team to the other just before losing his spot again), Santa Cruz and a few others who expect to play every game, not to mention the three man strike force he is going to put together. Is Ireland, the best player for Man City last season, going to be dropped to the bench? Or De Jong? With Barry in midfield and then Tevez and Adebeyor I just can't see them gelling under Hughes. They must have a huge personality over them to keep them in line, which Hughes isn't. Look how he handled Robinho disappearing last season for a few weeks with no warning. And now he has let go of his friend Elano to a Turkish squad so he won't be a happy boy again. The new owners were nice to have kept him over the summer, I think as they don't want to look like the egomaniac owners of Liverpool, Chelsea or Real as the ownership of the new greatest football team on earth is partly a PR stunt for Abu Dhabi as much as anything else. And despite Hughes not showing that he has the skills, they are letting him stay one more season. Unless they are fighting for relegation he will stay until the end of the season, but if he isn't in the Champions League or at least very close he is gone. He is more of a Sam Allardyce. Good at getting mediocre players to play better as a team, but the top four of the Prem is on a whole different level. I would love to see Man City compete for the league and Mark Hughes do well, I just can't see it happening with him in charge.

Speaking of managers who are looking in over thier heads, how about Pellegrini at Real? Although only half a dozen managers in the world wouldn't look like they are going to drown in the seas of expectations after all the players bought and the money spent. Pellegrini made his name at Villareal. A team which took older players that had lost form at the big clubs (Riquelme, Pires) and turning them into a force again. But I am curious how much of this was playing in a tiny town far away from all the pressures in a 22,000 stadium, where interviews I have read with the players have said the reason they have gotten back into form is due to football being fun again. The pressure at Real is a whole other matter. No relaxation ever. You can win the league by 12 points over your biggest rivals and the manager will still lose his job because it isn't pretty enough. They are desperate to play like Barca, but obviously don't have the patience to build up a team. They want to buy one. I have no doubt they will play gorgeous football at times and tear teams apart. But I can honestly see them dropping points to the smaller competition. With all the big names they will up their level when playing Barca, or Atletico, but will get very frustrated against the Espanyols of La Liga. I am sure the will still pull out wins with one of their many superstars putting one in the net from 40 yards even if the whole team plays like crap, but I still think Barca are going to pull it off. But the Champions League and the big rivalries is where the brilliant games will come out. Ronaldo, Kaka, Benzema and Alonso vs. Messi, Ibrahimovich (most idiotic transfer ever Barca, he will be great but that MUCH money AND Eto'o??!!), Xavi and Iniesta? What a match up. Every player who has won the Balloon D' Or in the last three years. Amazing.

Last Manager. Wenger. He seems to put more and more trust in his youngsters, letting his big name players leave every year, but only signing 15 year olds who will be great by 2020. Arshavin was one great exception, but after the way the market has gone that will be the last of its kind. No more cheap deals for Arsene. He will have to spend, and he finally has some money to do so. And if he doesn't get another center defender and a hard midfielder (both of which everyone has called for for years) the they are in big trouble. I mean, he is talking about Vieira again? Please no. Make a call and realize not ALL your youngsters will turn into superstars. Get a holding midfielder with a bit of experience from another team. And a defender. And a striker for that matter. You finally have the cash, so that is no excuse. Arsenal always ooze potential but never actually get there. This might be your last season to prove your point. If Man City push you out of the Champions League do you really think that Febregas will wait around to play Derry City in the Europa League? No, he will take off to Barca faster than you can blink and then it will continue to be a downward spiral. It isn't too late, spend some money, get some experience, and fight for some silverware. Otherwise Arsenal could be like Nottingham Forest, playing in League 1 10 years after playing in the Champions League final. Spend the money and give up a little pride. Please. I really like your style of football and would rather see you over any of the other top three compete.

Back to you Jon. Give me some brilliant insights. I know you will have Arsenal for winning the league, handing me an easy six points starting out.

finally a defense

Kolo Toure. Finally a defender for Man City. I was thinking they were looking to play a 1-5-4 style for next season. Which *might* work if you had say, Franz Beckenbauer, back there alone- but that is about it. They still desperately need someone else back there, if not two. They have purchased a left defender and a central one. Richards is not good enough for a team competing for the champions league, so they should get another right back and another central one as well. They have they youngsters in case of injury. Speaking of which, why they are not buying the wonderkids from around the world is odd to me. They have the money, they aren't established yet so will go to any team that will pay the poor Brazilian clubs, and by the time they expect playing time Man City should have some of the current batch of money makers retiring, or at least aging. They need experienced older players and a few brilliant young ones coming through the ranks to replace them if they ever expect to not pay top top dollar for whoever had a great last season. Just a thought, back to defense. Why they are ignoring Hangeland, I am not sure. They already have the big names, now they need some consistency and height at the back, without the egos. Hence Fulham's Scandinavian. At 12 mil he is cheaper than the sheik's last car, so they can definitely afford him. And how they need him after losing two out of three games in South Africa to local competition. Any defense with Dunne in the back four belongs in the Championship, or at least being the Premiership whipping boys like Derby or West Brom. How Hughes is thinking of putting his team together is still a mystery to everyone from the pubs in Santiago to Sir Alex himself. Whom I love seeing get worked up about the posters with Tevez in Manchester. Lets be honest, Sir Alex only gets worked up when he feels threatened. Man City probably will fight for champions league this season if they can get a few more defenders and a big midfielder, but they probably won't challenge Man U much. But in the long run they are the threat and Fergie can't handle not being the top team in the city. It will be fun to watch. Especially after seeing Man U pull one last mugging from a smaller club. A 16 year old at that. That would almost be child labor in a lot of countries. New rules will be put in place to stop that nonsense finally, but I really hope the poor lad is great, and ends up wanting to switch teams in five years when he finally is old enough to play for the first team, as Man U is no longer a force. Or at least THE force. It would be very enjoyable to see it flipped, where Man U train up a lad and invest lots of money to see him switch teams. Lets be honest- when Fergie retires, unless 'the special one' takes his place, Man U are going to struggle for a few years at least. And I can't see his nose lasting another three or four seasons. Santa will want him to lead his sleigh at some point before then.

I must head to bed before the power cuts off. But let me first apologize for my delayed response. Partly due to being too busy, but mostly because I couldn't figure out how to post again. Blogger switches to Arabic when you read it in Sudan it turns out, and I forgot it is read right to left, so I couldn't figure out where to log in. Sigh. But after many false starts, I now have it figured out (at least once so I hopefully can do it again) and shall continue to post more frequently. I agree to the original scoring, it looks like a good system. I am tempted to add a signing of the season and flop of the season, but since they don't hand out awards of any sort that will be debatable. But definitely a topic for later blogs, say in a years time when Owen scores a hat-trick against his old squad Real Madrid in the final of the champions league and Ronaldo sulks in the corner after none of his superstar teammates are willing to pass the ball as they all want to pull a Messi and dribble from half themselves.