Let's talk football! (soccer if you're American)

[andrew.macfarlane]

With the English Premier League back on our screens, I wanted to know what teams everyone follows and who people think are going to get relegated/qualify for Europe/win the league.

Personally I am an Aston Villa fan so was pretty delighted with our 3-1 win over Arsenal last weekend. Here's my predictions for the new season:

EPL winners: Man City
Champions League: Chelsea, Man Utd, Spurs
Europa League: Arsenal
Relegation: Hull, Cardiff, Stoke
Surprise Packages: Aston Villa & Southampton
Top Scorer: RVP
First Sacked Manager: Alan Pardew
Player of the season: RVP
Young player of the season: Ross Barkley
Manager of the season: Paul Lambert
Best New Signing of the season: Osvaldo (Saints)
Worst New signing of the season: Altidore (Sunderland)

[LukeC]

I'm a fan of the mighty Hereford United (someone has to...) and I'll be happy if we don't go bankrupt during the season...

I think Man City will win the league but Man Utd will keep it close. Chelsea, Spurs and Arsenal to chase them home, as per usual. Find it difficult to see where the goals are going to come from for any of the promoted sites to stay up, especially when we lost the obvious weak teams last season.

As long as Villa keep Benteke then I think you should do well. Think Southampton and Norwich will have good seasons too.

[andrew.macfarlane]

I'm a fan of the mighty Hereford United (someone has to...) and I'll be happy if we don't go bankrupt during the season...

Good lad, good to see a bit of loyalty to your local club. I too am a local midlander and have had to deal with my fair share of turmoil being a villain although my peril is nothing compared to your suffering, following a football league club trying to keep their head afloat.

Yeovil are an example to everyone that it doesn't matter about the size of the club (a 5,000 seater stadium in the Championship!). If you're well run, with good personnel and a good scouting system there's no limit to where you can end up.

Yeah Benteke should be there for another season and Norwich now have a lot of firepower in Gary Hooper (very underrated IMO) and Ricky VWW

[-Shay-]

EPL winners: Chelsea (pains me to say, as I'm a United supporter)
Champions League: Manchester United, City, Spurs
Relegation: Newcastle, Hull, Cardiff (Stoke & Sunderland building a case for relegation but "falling short" of the drop zone and finishing below Palace).
Surprise Packages: West Ham United, Southampton, & Norwich
Top Scorer: Roberto Soldado
First Sacked Manager: Arsene Wenger for having as much difficulty getting into the transfer war chest as he does with his coat's zipper (it's not that he doesn't want to sign players, he can't figure out how to unlock the war chest and is too proud to ask for help)
Player of the season: Hazard
Young player of the season: Ross Barkley
Manager of the season: Jose Mourinho
Best New Signing of the season: Soldado (Spurs)
Worst New signing of the season: As a result of his bid being rejected for Yohan Cabaye, Arsene Wenger is convinced by Joe Kinnear to sign a player with similar qualities called Yohan Kebab for the same amount of money. Arsenal signs this mysterious player and Wenger is sacked for doing so. Kinnear has a laugh at Wenger's expense and proves to the world that there's a fine line between brilliance and insanity and he proudly stomps all over it.

[Rachel.RevenueJet]

Most def a guys thread

(Though i don't mind watching a good football game. Not English, but Rial Madrid is my team).

So which English Premier League is the best???

[xecutable]

Depends on what you consider 'the best'. According to charts, and taken the amount of money spent on players and transfers it is. It is for me, as I enjoy watching it, but for a Barcelona fan doubt the same applies .

My favorite for the EPL season is Chelsea, due to Mourinho returning. CL, I'd say Barcelona, EL doubt Arsenal would even make the groups (I wanna see what theGooner, has to say about that ).

Relegation... Hull, Palace, Newcastle

The rest I have no view on.

[thebookiesoffers]

Support Leicester City, was born in the hospital 100 yards away from the old ground

afraid i dont really care about the premier league

winners - man city

cl - man utd, arsenal, chelsea

fa cup - chelsea

surprise - Fulham

first sacked - Wenger or mark hughes

[andrew.macfarlane]

Worst New signing of the season: As a result of his bid being rejected for Yohan Cabaye, Arsene Wenger is convinced by Joe Kinnear to sign a player with similar qualities called Yohan Kebab for the same amount of money. Arsenal signs this mysterious player and Wenger is sacked for doing so. Kinnear has a laugh at Wenger's expense and proves to the world that there's a fine line between brilliance and insanity and he proudly stomps all over it.

[Sarah_C]

I'm an Arsenal fan, but after Saturday's performance and lack of signings I can't see them being strong contenders this year.
Good to see Mourinho back in the Premiership, it will be interesting to see how Moyes and Pelligrini react to his 'rhetoric' once the season really gets under way. I think Chelsea will probably win the Premiership this season and will be great to have an English team win the Champions League, or at least get to final!
My other half is a Yeovil fan and it really has been something to watch their rise from a non-league team only a few years ago to playing the likes of Wigan and Reading in the Championship. You know they are one of the few truly solvent teams in the country and Paddy Madden their top scorer last year is one to watch!

[medlington]

Unfortunately I'm a Blade (Sheffield United for those not in the know) all this talk of Yeovil is depressing me as that could have been us if we had a half competent owner, saying that if we had a half competent owner we would never have dropped into the third division in the first place.

Think Chelsea will win the Prem followed by Man Utd then City.

Think itl be Palace, Hull and either Newcastle or Stoke for the drop

[bensbm]

A Glasgow CELTIC fan. Wish we were in premiership.

Winner, Man city.
Ch. League, Man utd, Chelsea, Spurs.
Relegated, Palace, Newcastle, Hull.
Manager Sacked, Alan Pardew.
Top Scorer, R.V.P.
Best Newcomer, Roberto Soldado.
surprise package. west ham.

[thebookiesoffers]

A Glasgow CELTIC fan. Wish we were in premiership.

Championship at best mate.

Follow Rangers north of the border myself, only managed to get to one game up there though

[bensbm]

Would gladly start in championship.

Gers got a few problems at the moment, but you could always come up and I'll take you to see a good team.

[thebookiesoffers]

Would gladly start in championship.

Gers got a few problems at the moment, but you could always come up and I'll take you to see a good team.

I'd probably get beat up here if I went and watched Celtic play lol

Got a couple of mates that do go up though, one is a good mate of Neil Lennon's and the other is from your way. He loves it when I wear my Rangers shorts in the pub, infact, just noticed Im wearing them now lol

[bensbm]

Fair Answer mate.
Never say never though, the future is unpredictable.
Watch them shorts. Good Luck,