Author Topic: 2014-15 EPL season  (Read 27510 times)

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2014-15 EPL season
« on: August 11, 2014, 06:56:08 AM »

Offline LatterDayCelticsfan

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Arsenal with their 2nd trophy in quick succession. Reckon this season is going to be so much more competitive with   Man U, Chelsea and Arsenal getting lots of help in the off season.
« Last Edit: August 11, 2014, 12:07:51 PM by LatterDayCelticsfan »
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Re: 2014-150 EPL season
« Reply #1 on: August 11, 2014, 09:22:16 AM »

Offline Who

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I think the title is a two horse race between Chelsea and Man City. They have the two best squads in the league. Chelsea have the better manager and more cohesively built squad so they are my favourite to win over Man City.

I think Arsenal are clearly the third best team in league.

The battle for fourth place should be a good one. Liverpool, Man Utd and Everton all have a fair shot at that. Man Utd probably have most talented squad. A front three of Van Persie, Rooney with Juan Mata behind them is tremendous. Van Gaal is a question mark though. He is a big believer in his own system / style of play and that is quite different from Fergie and players do not always adapt quickly to it. Man Utd have been very good in preseason but that is not a great predictor of success. The 3-4-1-2 system he is using isn't something seen in EPL all that much either. So a few question marks for United despite having most talented squad of the three teams competing for that 4th place.

I am hoping Everton get it because I really like what Roberto Martinez did there last year but it could be any of the three. Everton probably the weakest of three but seem to get more out of themselves with their style of football. Liverpool have a big loss with Suarez going to Barca but they coped well without him during suspensions last year and the year before and the lad Markovic looks a good signing. Maybe a more balanced team this year (not as open defensively) despite less firepower.

I do not think Tottenham are a threat for 4th place. Squad still badly unbalanced. I do not think they have fixed those problems in the summer. Needed more creativity in squad (too reliant on Eriksen = fantastic player). I think that will cost them. So I have them in 7th behind the other teams. The manger (Pochettino) was a good move but I expect he'll be gone in 12-18 months too like so many of the other talented managers Daniel Levy has signed and subsequently scapegoated in order to keep the blame of his desk.

After that, things get very interesting and hard to predict.

I like what Newcastle have done. Cabella and Riviere were good signings. They have brought in a large number of players to boost squad depth. So I like their chances of finishing top 10. Southampton have had a rough summer. Lost a lot of quality players. The lad Tadic looks a brilliant signing but unconvinced over the rest of them. I think they will drop out of top 10 and be a relegation battler. West Ham, Stoke and Crystal Palace should be safe midtable teams.

Swansea should be okay but I don't think they'll reach the same heights as they have done under previous two managers (Rodgers, Laudrup). Paul Lambert has had a knack for surviving relegation scares despite having a very weak squad so I think he pulls of safety again. Sunderland did very well under Poyet but they have had some problems in transfer market so things are unclear there. Hull City were a great strory last year and I hope they continue to to survive in EPL.

I don't know much about promoted teams. Burnley, Leicester and QPR. I think West Brom get relegated this year.

Re: 2014-150 EPL season
« Reply #2 on: August 11, 2014, 09:31:20 AM »

Offline AngryAndIrritable

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Leicester will surprise a lot of people this year. They won the Championship at an absolute stroll and have made a few useful additions. QPR should do better than their last time in the Prem. It would be a shock if all three promoted teams stayed up, but this might be the year it happens.

Liverpool have bought just about all Southampton's best players. They should do well again this year, unlike Southampton who will go into disorganised freefall and be lucky to stay up.

I think it might take another season to sort out the mess that Ferguson and Moyes made of Manchester United. They could miss the Champions' League again.


Re: 2014-150 EPL season
« Reply #3 on: August 29, 2014, 10:34:07 AM »

Offline Adelaide Celt

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I think the title is a two horse race between Chelsea and Man City. They have the two best squads in the league. Chelsea have the better manager and more cohesively built squad so they are my favourite to win over Man City.

I think Arsenal are clearly the third best team in league.

The battle for fourth place should be a good one. Liverpool, Man Utd and Everton all have a fair shot at that. Man Utd probably have most talented squad. A front three of Van Persie, Rooney with Juan Mata behind them is tremendous. Van Gaal is a question mark though. He is a big believer in his own system / style of play and that is quite different from Fergie and players do not always adapt quickly to it. Man Utd have been very good in preseason but that is not a great predictor of success. The 3-4-1-2 system he is using isn't something seen in EPL all that much either. So a few question marks for United despite having most talented squad of the three teams competing for that 4th place.

I am hoping Everton get it because I really like what Roberto Martinez did there last year but it could be any of the three. Everton probably the weakest of three but seem to get more out of themselves with their style of football. Liverpool have a big loss with Suarez going to Barca but they coped well without him during suspensions last year and the year before and the lad Markovic looks a good signing. Maybe a more balanced team this year (not as open defensively) despite less firepower.

I do not think Tottenham are a threat for 4th place. Squad still badly unbalanced. I do not think they have fixed those problems in the summer. Needed more creativity in squad (too reliant on Eriksen = fantastic player). I think that will cost them. So I have them in 7th behind the other teams. The manger (Pochettino) was a good move but I expect he'll be gone in 12-18 months too like so many of the other talented managers Daniel Levy has signed and subsequently scapegoated in order to keep the blame of his desk.

After that, things get very interesting and hard to predict.

I like what Newcastle have done. Cabella and Riviere were good signings. They have brought in a large number of players to boost squad depth. So I like their chances of finishing top 10. Southampton have had a rough summer. Lost a lot of quality players. The lad Tadic looks a brilliant signing but unconvinced over the rest of them. I think they will drop out of top 10 and be a relegation battler. West Ham, Stoke and Crystal Palace should be safe midtable teams.

Swansea should be okay but I don't think they'll reach the same heights as they have done under previous two managers (Rodgers, Laudrup). Paul Lambert has had a knack for surviving relegation scares despite having a very weak squad so I think he pulls of safety again. Sunderland did very well under Poyet but they have had some problems in transfer market so things are unclear there. Hull City were a great strory last year and I hope they continue to to survive in EPL.

I don't know much about promoted teams. Burnley, Leicester and QPR. I think West Brom get relegated this year.

Do the signings of Mario Balotelli to Liverpool and Angel Di Maria to Man United change things?
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Re: 2014-15 EPL season
« Reply #4 on: August 29, 2014, 01:48:26 PM »

Offline ederson

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As mu I think it dosn t change. Much
Di Maria is great but his transfer doesn t address the main problems.  They desperately need a do and central defender(s).

Re: 2014-15 EPL season
« Reply #5 on: August 29, 2014, 03:13:13 PM »

Offline AngryAndIrritable

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Signing di Maria with their mess of a defence is like having a hole in your roof and blowing your savings on a hot tub.

Re: 2014-15 EPL season
« Reply #6 on: August 30, 2014, 02:55:27 AM »

Offline LatterDayCelticsfan

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Apparently Man United aren't done panicking.
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Re: 2014-15 EPL season
« Reply #7 on: August 30, 2014, 04:00:02 AM »

Offline Sixth Man

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Signing di Maria with their mess of a defence is like having a hole in your roof and blowing your savings on a hot tub.

In that instance, at least the hot tub could be placed under the hole in order to eliminate the need for filling it... :)  59.7 million pounds is a pretty hefty fee, by the way.  LVG still needs a central mid and a couple of central defenders rather desperately... 

Re: 2014-15 EPL season
« Reply #8 on: August 30, 2014, 04:17:52 AM »

Offline ederson

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Apparently Man United aren't done panicking.

You are right .... Not as much as last summer though but it still in panic mode.

They could have signed Manolas instead of Roma or go after Sokratis .... Their CDs are a joke


Re: 2014-15 EPL season
« Reply #9 on: September 01, 2014, 06:23:23 AM »

Offline ederson

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MU is the favourite to land (on loan) Falcao ....

I really can`t understand what they are doing ....

Re: 2014-15 EPL season
« Reply #10 on: September 01, 2014, 11:37:16 AM »

Offline Who

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MU is the favourite to land (on loan) Falcao ....

I really can`t understand what they are doing ....

What the heck did Man Utd do that for? Senseless.

Van Persie. Rooney. Falcao.

Re: 2014-15 EPL season
« Reply #11 on: September 01, 2014, 11:39:19 AM »

Offline BballTim

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MU is the favourite to land (on loan) Falcao ....

I really can`t understand what they are doing ....

What the heck did Man Utd do that for? Senseless.

Van Persie. Rooney. Falcao.

  I heard they're concerned about Van Persie's injury.

 

Re: 2014-15 EPL season
« Reply #12 on: September 01, 2014, 11:50:53 AM »

Offline Yoki_IsTheName

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MU is the favourite to land (on loan) Falcao ....

I really can`t understand what they are doing ....

What the heck did Man Utd do that for? Senseless.

Van Persie. Rooney. Falcao.

Making us laugh. That's what they are trying to do.  ;D
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Re: 2014-15 EPL season
« Reply #13 on: September 01, 2014, 01:45:30 PM »

Offline Vox_Populi

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Apparently Welbeck might be going to Arsenal.

On loan.

For £6m.

 :(


Re: 2014-15 EPL season
« Reply #14 on: September 01, 2014, 02:24:03 PM »

Offline Who

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I really like Danny Welbeck. I think he is underrated player. Good player when he is allowed to play as a #9 instead being pushed (1) out wide or into a (2) #10 role; two roles he is unsuited for. Let him play his natural position and he'll do a good job.

I think that is a good move for Arsenal. I hope they get him on a permanent transfer instead of a loan signing. Still 3-4 years away from his peak.