Are we 3rd best?

[the-ecstacy-of-eight]

It's just not fucking difficult to work out what is a contraction (they are = they're, you are = you're). And people wonder why the country is down the pan.

I get people sending me CV's all the time with these mistakes on them and instantly bin them. Everyone is allowed a typo, spelling the odd word wrong is totally understandable but there is no excuse on "their, they're and there" nor with "your and you're".

two write :)

 

[The Northern Baptist]

Not quite sure just where to peg us yet.

Hard to deny United haven't weakened any, and don't look to be finished adding as well. They won by a fair bit so you have to consider them favourites again at this stage if being objective.

Chelsea have all kinds of depth and quality with Mourinho back in charge and an owner with no conscience when it comes to spending.

Think we are a bit better than what should be a beefed up Arsenal and steady as she goes Spurs. Liverpool will be fighting for champions league and nothing more imo.

I think we have the potential to win the league with our additions and the new manager, but I would put us 3rd until proven otherwise.

United haven't weakened? They've lost one of the best managers ever to walk the face of the planet

 

[cavendishblue]

I like the way we have done our transfer business this year and we have a very strong squad. If Pellegrini can add the magic ingredient and get the team playing to is full potential then we will be a very strong contender.

Chelsea will also expect a boost from Mourinho's appointment and I expect them to be more of a threat than last year. United are the unknown quantity, Ferguson's departure was bound to have a negative impact whoever came in but in choosing Moyes they may well be turning a drama into a crisis.

However some seem to be forgetting that there is over a month of the window left and if they were to land Bale & Fabregas then that would a very different slant on it. I am certain that having Moyes in charge rather than Fergie is making it much harder to land the marque signings of yesteryear. Exactly how big an obstacle that is will we know by September 1st.

 

[schfc6]

I'm sorry, United haven't weakened? How has this escaped the World's attention?
They have lost a manager that many would argue is the best manager of all time. A manager responsible for countless tittles, Cups and player development.

Many think, including me, that fergie was good for 10-15 points per season. He was a very very intelligent manager. He controlled the media, he had a strong hold over the FA, referees were practically hand picked.

This is not just a conspiracy theory, or paranoia on anyone's behalf. Referee's who upset Ferguson would not get United(the big games) for months sometimes years. See Clattenberg, sent Evans off, City won 6-1, Clattenberg's next United game, yep, away at Chelsea over a year afterwards, where he sent off 2 Chelsea players..I'm not suggesting that anything is underhand is/was going on, but Fergie made it quite clear when he didn't like a ref, and that ref would very rarely see a United super Sunday again..

Maybe not this season, but soon it will become abundantly clear what effect Ferguson had on our league. He was a master.

As for United's squad not being weaker? Giggs 1 year older, Scholes gone, Wio, Vidic, Evra all older..De Gea, will be awful, the World will see it. After every game, every mistake we won't have to listen to how good De Gea had been off Ferguson, with the whole World buying the crap Fergie is selling..

RVP, was starting to tire last season, looked poor towards the end of the season. Rooney has been one of United's best and most consistent players for years, he wants out.

Moyes will not hold a candle to Slur Alec, the media will jump down his throat at every opportunity and unless he is walking the league and looking good in the CL, groans will start to materialise from the ungrateful, arrogant, expectant swamp dwellers..Moyes and to a lesser extent Mourinho have the weight of expectation on their backs, far greater than Pellegrini..

Mourinho's own fans will expect instant success, the media will demand it, you can only be the 'special one' and the media darling if you're winning..

His squad is far weaker than when he was last there. Under Mourinho in his time they had the best defence Carvalho, Terry, Cole, Ferreira, Bridge all in their prime, the best keeper, the most powerful midfield and a strike pool of Drogba, Anelka, Gudjohnson, Crespo, Shevchenko. They had pacey wingers, creative forwards. A mid 20's Lampard, Essien, a in his prime Makelele, Ballack.

Say what you like, but their strikers, no matter who they sign will not be as strong as Drogba and the rest.
Their midfield without spending beyond all transfer records will not be as strong as an in their prime, Lampard, Ballack, Essien, Makelele. Their defence will not be as strong.

I don't think Mourinho will have it anywhere near as easy with his own fans, or the media as he did last time. He has a lot to prove, he mainly failed in Spain, and has returned to take Chelsea back to the top..He has put himself under immense pressure, with a squad nowhere near as strong as before. It's alright being the 'special one' but it does help if you have by far the best squad..

I think we have improved everywhere on the pitch. I think the players as a collective will be much happier than they were, they are all in their peak years, Barry asides. Pellegrini is supposed to get the best out of his players, be a very astute tactician and a great motivator. If this is true, he should be able to get more out of a better squad than the one that won the league just 14 months ago.

We have lost Tevez and Balotelli but added 4 quality and much needed players.

United have done nothing, and will not sign the players required to catch our squad, and Chelsea have signed a very good player in Schurrle, they already have 4/5 players in his position though.

I would ask any City fan, what players would you want from our rivals?

Personally, RVP & Kagawa on his Dortmund form. Ramieres, Oscar, Hazard and Matta maybe Ivanovic and Cole, but I think Zabba is better than Ivanovic and Clichy is on a par with Cole and is much younger.

I guess if you asked a rag or a chav, they'd want Hart, Zabba, Kompany, Nastasic, Silva, Aguero, Ya Ya at least and that's without our new signings and Rodwell who I think will be class this season.

If you can't tell, I think we should win the league this year, I think our fixtures have been kind, and we will have time to bed in the new signings before the big games. Our new players and management will have time to adjust and looking at the fixtures we could have a decent lead after the first 6-10 games.

 

[BobKowalski]

With the signings of Jovetic and Negredo I think we have reclaimed top spot as strongest squad in the league, which is why we should expect to win it. However, Chelsea also have an excellent squad, and with Mourinho, I still expect them to win the title. 2nd last season was disappointing, even though we'd been outspent both by Chelsea and the rags last season. Considering our current spend, and the spend of Chelsea and the rags (of course this could change), I would regard 3rd this season as an utter dismal failure.

We should win the PL. Its a squad that has already won the PL and finished 2nd last year. We have made excellent buys and got them in early. Taggart has gone. No ACON to disrupt things. First 5 games are a breeze compared to others and should settle us in nicely. We should be faves and rightly so.

 

[CitizenTID]

Not quite sure just where to peg us yet.

Hard to deny United haven't weakened any, and don't look to be finished adding as well. They won by a fair bit so you have to consider them favourites again at this stage if being objective.

Chelsea have all kinds of depth and quality with Mourinho back in charge and an owner with no conscience when it comes to spending.

Think we are a bit better than what should be a beefed up Arsenal and steady as she goes Spurs. Liverpool will be fighting for champions league and nothing more imo.

I think we have the potential to win the league with our additions and the new manager, but I would put us 3rd until proven otherwise.

We're a bit better than Arsenal and Spurs your saying? Do shutup.

 

[Bluep*ss]

2nd best as it stands - could be 3rd or 4th by the transfer deadline - or even 1st for that matter.

I'd call that "hedging your bets"

 

[adrianr]

I wouldn't like to slide a piece of paper between us and Chelsea, mainly because I don't think they're done in the window by a long chalk and replacing Mikel with someone like De Rossi would give them a ten fold improvement. I also think despite the spine of the team remaining the same, we still have a lot of new faces in important positions. Fernandinho especially. How formidable we are will rely heavily no on how talented our squad is, but how quickly Pellegrini can assimilate the new boys into the team whilst at the same time getting better performances from the existing players.

Think the Rags are in for a shock. Sell Rooney and an injury to RVP and they're so far up shit creek paddles aren't even entering into the equation.

 

[Manchester1894]

Fergie isn't just leaving Moyes to it IMO. I wouldn't be surprised if Moyes reports to Fergie at least for the first few months. Let's not forget Fergie is still employed by United in a new role. If Moyes cocks it up completely then don't discount an interim manager comeback and media jizzfest.

 

[Bluep*ss]

I think I do now understand this predicting lark !!

The teams that gets most points will win the league...........
I hope this helps.

seriously though - I will be very keen to see how our results go at teams like - Southampton ,Stoke , Sunderland and Swansea who have all taken points off of us in the last two seasons.
Improve our away form and we could win this title.

 

[ManCityJordan]

Our squad is mainly players who are (or about to get) to their peak, with respect to Barry and Lescott. United and Chelsea have a fairly young squad with seniors players (Giggs, Ferdinand, Evra, Terry, Lampard and Cole).

I generally think Chelsea could be a dominating force in a few years time when the likes of Oscar, Hazard, Lukaku etc get older. I understand people saying their not as good as 04-07 under Jose and thats why i said dominate in a few years, not just yet. But for the time being i think its important we win the league next year as its our best time to.

Not slating United, but unless they sign Bale and Fabregas, they don't strike as much fear into me as last year. I think their still going to challenge in the coming years, but won't be like they have been for the previous 20 years. However if they do get Bale and Cesc then we have a big fight a head of us, lets just prey Pellegrini is as good as we're saying he is.

In 3 seasons time. all 3 of us could have another title to our name, as for Arsenal and Spurs they will fight for 4th (Spurs will beat them eventually) and Liverpool dont really deserve a mention (no offense to any scousers on here).

 

[cavendishblue]

I'm sorry, United haven't weakened? How has this escaped the World's attention?
They have lost a manager that many would argue is the best manager of all time. A manager responsible for countless tittles, Cups and player development.

Many think, including me, that fergie was good for 10-15 points per season. He was a very very intelligent manager. He controlled the media, he had a strong hold over the FA, referees were practically hand picked.

This is not just a conspiracy theory, or paranoia on anyone's behalf. Referee's who upset Ferguson would not get United(the big games) for months sometimes years. See Clattenberg, sent Evans off, City won 6-1, Clattenberg's next United game, yep, away at Chelsea over a year afterwards, where he sent off 2 Chelsea players..I'm not suggesting that anything is underhand is/was going on, but Fergie made it quite clear when he didn't like a ref, and that ref would very rarely see a United super Sunday again..

Maybe not this season, but soon it will become abundantly clear what effect Ferguson had on our league. He was a master.

As for United's squad not being weaker? Giggs 1 year older, Scholes gone, Wio, Vidic, Evra all older..De Gea, will be awful, the World will see it. After every game, every mistake we won't have to listen to how good De Gea had been off Ferguson, with the whole World buying the crap Fergie is selling..

RVP, was starting to tire last season, looked poor towards the end of the season. Rooney has been one of United's best and most consistent players for years, he wants out.

Moyes will not hold a candle to Slur Alec, the media will jump down his throat at every opportunity and unless he is walking the league and looking good in the CL, groans will start to materialise from the ungrateful, arrogant, expectant swamp dwellers..Moyes and to a lesser extent Mourinho have the weight of expectation on their backs, far greater than Pellegrini..

Mourinho's own fans will expect instant success, the media will demand it, you can only be the 'special one' and the media darling if you're winning..

His squad is far weaker than when he was last there. Under Mourinho in his time they had the best defence Carvalho, Terry, Cole, Ferreira, Bridge all in their prime, the best keeper, the most powerful midfield and a strike pool of Drogba, Anelka, Gudjohnson, Crespo, Shevchenko. They had pacey wingers, creative forwards. A mid 20's Lampard, Essien, a in his prime Makelele, Ballack.

Say what you like, but their strikers, no matter who they sign will not be as strong as Drogba and the rest.
Their midfield without spending beyond all transfer records will not be as strong as an in their prime, Lampard, Ballack, Essien, Makelele. Their defence will not be as strong.

I don't think Mourinho will have it anywhere near as easy with his own fans, or the media as he did last time. He has a lot to prove, he mainly failed in Spain, and has returned to take Chelsea back to the top..He has put himself under immense pressure, with a squad nowhere near as strong as before. It's alright being the 'special one' but it does help if you have by far the best squad..

I think we have improved everywhere on the pitch. I think the players as a collective will be much happier than they were, they are all in their peak years, Barry asides. Pellegrini is supposed to get the best out of his players, be a very astute tactician and a great motivator. If this is true, he should be able to get more out of a better squad than the one that won the league just 14 months ago.

We have lost Tevez and Balotelli but added 4 quality and much needed players.

United have done nothing, and will not sign the players required to catch our squad, and Chelsea have signed a very good player in Schurrle, they already have 4/5 players in his position though.

I would ask any City fan, what players would you want from our rivals?

Personally, RVP & Kagawa on his Dortmund form. Ramieres, Oscar, Hazard and Matta maybe Ivanovic and Cole, but I think Zabba is better than Ivanovic and Clichy is on a par with Cole and is much younger.

I guess if you asked a rag or a chav, they'd want Hart, Zabba, Kompany, Nastasic, Silva, Aguero, Ya Ya at least and that's without our new signings and Rodwell who I think will be class this season.

If you can't tell, I think we should win the league this year, I think our fixtures have been kind, and we will have time to bed in the new signings before the big games. Our new players and management will have time to adjust and looking at the fixtures we could have a decent lead after the first 6-10 games.

We were the best squad on paper last year and I don't think you can simply put down United winning at a canter to the Fergie-factor. The attitude of our team was wrong for chunks of last season. I hope Pelle puts that right and I am hopeful he will.

Last year United over-performed because they played like a team, we under-perfomed because we didn't and at times deserved some of the criticism we get for being a team of highly paid individuals. . My greatest hope for this season is that that situation will reverse itself.

 

[MCFC BOB]

Although United haven't weakened their squad in terms of personnel, their squad has become gradually weaker. They won't be able to rely on Ferdinand or Vidic as heavily due to their ages, Giggs has had his duties slightly altered and the biggest loss of all - Ferguson - will have them in heavier transition than most of their fans are expecting. It's not like us where a lot of our players disliked the manager and were happy to see him go.

Chelsea are going to be our strongest contenders for the title. Lampard, Terry, Cech and Cole will all be raring to go now that Mourinho is back in town and now because of the signing of Schurrle they've not got to rely on the "Three Amigos" so much. Their strikeforce has a large amount of Premier League experience (Torres has been here for 7 years, Ba for 4 and Lukaku will be eager to impress). I still think they're missing the depth they had under Mourinho last time he was here, but we shall see.

With us, we've already improved the areas of our squad that needed tweaking with some excellent business in the summer: our forward options are the best we've ever had at the club in terms of depth, and to call on the likes of Nasri and Jovetic rather than Suarez and Sinclair makes our team look much more threatening. I think Dzeko and Negredo will be raring to go thanks to our addition of Navas and Jovetic. Our change of management looks to be a positive thing, with most of the players incredibly happy on the tour.

Either way, it's going to be exciting. Don't rule out Spurs just yet either. I don't think they'll win the league but they're definitely going to be a distraction.

Not to be picky, but Ba hasn't been here 4 years. He's had 2 seasons.

Thought he'd signed for West Ham in 2009. No idea why.

 

[kenzie115]

His quite welcome what?

You have your grammar/punctuation head on today, don't you?

It's just not fucking difficult to work out what is a contraction (they are = they're, you are = you're). And people wonder why the country is down the pan.

I get people sending me CV's all the time with these mistakes on them and instantly bin them. Everyone is allowed a typo, spelling the odd word wrong is totally understandable but there is no excuse on "their, they're and there" nor with "your and you're".

Completely agree, except that CVs doesn't need the apostrophe.

 

[Cobwebcat]

http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/default/top-teams/basics.html

close..

 

[AntiUnited]

Not quite sure just where to peg us yet.

Hard to deny United haven't weakened any, and don't look to be finished adding as well. They won by a fair bit so you have to consider them favourites again at this stage if being objective.

Chelsea have all kinds of depth and quality with Mourinho back in charge and an owner with no conscience when it comes to spending.

Think we are a bit better than what should be a beefed up Arsenal and steady as she goes Spurs. Liverpool will be fighting for champions league and nothing more imo.

I think we have the potential to win the league with our additions and the new manager, but I would put us 3rd until proven otherwise.

Lol united dropped like a sack of shit. they lost the only reason they won the prem last season slurgi is fukin gone.

 

[Nevizade]

His quite welcome what?

You have your grammar/punctuation head on today, don't you?

It's just not fucking difficult to work out what is a contraction (they are = they're, you are = you're). And people wonder why the country is down the pan.

I get people sending me CV's all the time with these mistakes on them and instantly bin them. Everyone is allowed a typo, spelling the odd word wrong is totally understandable but there is no excuse on "their, they're and there" nor with "your and you're".

<3 <3 <3

 

[Anonymous]

It's going to be a very difficult season to predict. I think on paper we've got the strongest squad, but football isn't played on paper. I would expect us to be in the top 3, and I'd like us to win the league. However I understand you can't win everything all the time so on that basis, footballing progress, CL progress, and a squad not falling apart at the seams is what I'd like from this season.

 

[Ladybarn Blue .]

His quite welcome what?

You have your grammar/punctuation head on today, don't you?

It's just not fucking difficult to work out what is a contraction (they are = they're, you are = you're). And people wonder why the country is down the pan.

I get people sending me CV's all the time with these mistakes on them and instantly bin them. Everyone is allowed a typo, spelling the odd word wrong is totally understandable but there is no excuse on "their, they're and there" nor with "your and you're".

You where not sent to Ladybarn Secondary Modern - 44 in every class for every lesson for 5 years .

Knob .

 

[Happy Feet]

Not quite sure just where to peg us yet.

Hard to deny United haven't weakened any, and don't look to be finished adding as well. They won by a fair bit so you have to consider them favourites again at this stage if being objective.

Chelsea have all kinds of depth and quality with Mourinho back in charge and an owner with no conscience when it comes to spending.

Think we are a bit better than what should be a beefed up Arsenal and steady as she goes Spurs. Liverpool will be fighting for champions league and nothing more imo.

I think we have the potential to win the league with our additions and the new manager, but I would put us 3rd until proven otherwise.

I will sleep easier now.