Our rivals in 2008/2009

[Guest optimistic nit]

i really dont think you can predict it now. all depends on january and luck more than anything. each team has its positives and negatives, and only time will tell how it pans out.

 

imo pompey and blackburn will be strongest next year, if i had to pick 2, but villa have some very good players, everton have a good team, but not so much on individuals plus they are inconsistant and could lose arteta, which would be a massive blow. spurs are the big spenders, but imo their defence will hinder them next year, their central midfield is good, but far from magnificent and they could lose berbatov. they also need a new goalkeeper. they could be good next year, but it will require quite a bit of investment.

fuck knows where we will be next year. with manciteh fuck knows, if sven stays and they spend a lot they could finish 5th, but i wouldn't be suprised if they finished 15th either.

 

pompey have improved every year since they avoided the drop, and if they maintain that i think they should be top 6, they have a very good team, however some of the important players are getting old now (campbell and james for instance). blackburn have also been improving every year, and if they spend quite a bit, and keep mcarthy, bentley, friedel and santa cruz they can be top 6.

 

 

thats what i think, but as i said, blackburn could end up 15th last of the list and spurs top, its that close.

[Martin Lol]

 

Villa -  Dull, possibly.  Unspired? With MON in charge? The score away to Villa?  They are a difficult team to beat.

 

Scored more goals than anyone except Man United this season. Not dull.

 

A traditional, quality winger in Ashley Young? Not dull.

 

The pace of Agbonlahor? Not dull.

 

Combined with the power of Carew? Not dull.

 

The passing of Barry? Not dull.

 

Currently in with a very good chance of finishing 5th, two years after having looked odds on for relegation, and not even having started spending properly yet? Not dull.

 

I admire your optimism, but you're just pretending other teams don't exist and not really providing any arguments to back up your theory. It was indeed a great result at WHL but by that measure, West Ham have beaten Man U the last three times they've played. All hail next year's champions from East London.

 

Everton dull and workmanlike? And fifth in the league.

 

It is a very competitive league and will get more so.

 

 

If you read my post again, you'll see that I didn't say Villa, the team or the players, were dull.  CentrePaddock said Villa were dull, I was conceding that he could possibly view Villa as such, but I refuted everything else he said.  For the record, I don't think Villa are in any way shape of form dull, nor is MON an uninspiring manager.

 

You said you I admire my optimism (for Spurs presumably), I hadn't realised I had.  My predictions for 08/09 were:

 

5. Aston Villa

6. Everton

7. Tottenham Hotspur

8. Portsmouth

9. Newcastle United

10. Blackburn

 

 

with the proviso that Pompey could easily go above Spurs and take 7th.  If you'd like to explain where my optimism stems from, I'll be happy to be enlightened.  BTW, my comments to CentrePaddock regarding the away score at Villa referred to Newcastle's match, not Spurs'.  I don't think CP would have been too bothered how Spurs got on there tbh.

 

The quotes were bollocksed up, i was quoting your post, but actually replying to centrepaddock, sorry!

 

I was admiring centrepaddock's optimism as well, not yours, MJ!

 

Cross purposes innit.

 

No probs!