Spurs & Man City, SKY 4 reaction?

[worcestersauce]

Fabgregas was out from December to May as well though.

Injury prone little bugger isn't he?

I think the £30m that each club gets every season from the football money is actually beginning to level the playing field, now instead of the CL clubs having approx £30m to the rest nothing they now have £60m to our £30m which means that we should all be in a more sound financial position and can demand a bigger fee from the likes of Utd whilst bringing in better players than we could before as replacements. There's a definite leveling up and so buying off the opposition, even if it did happen before, isn't so easy now.

 

[walworthyid]

Injury prone little bugger isn't he?

I think the £30m that each club gets every season from the football money is actually beginning to level the playing field, now instead of the CL clubs having approx £30m to the rest nothing they now have £60m to our £30m which means that we should all be in a more sound financial position and can demand a bigger fee from the likes of Utd whilst bringing in better players than we could before as replacements. There's a definite leveling up and so buying off the opposition, even if it did happen before, isn't so easy now.

This is true but only really applies to the teams who have other pieces of the jigsaw in place, this season that is us. City are only where they are because they have outside money, Villa and Everton have weakened, West Ham are skint and Fulham are over streteched. Those are the teams who last season were competing for the Europa.

The money is helping us because we already had a very talented, and expensive, squad that needed a good manager and a couple of players to put them in the position to challenge, we now have that. Pool and Mancs have both lost influential players and are skint so can't really replace them.

I have seen Pool twice now and while they are still top quality they just don't have the extra quality in the middle to unlock tight defences. They will still be strong this year and will win loads of games, but will they be able to win on a bad day, or away from home against organised opposition, or against the other top teams? So far they have lost to us and a limited, but very organised Villa side, they have only managed to beat Stoke at home. That is worrying for them, the eraly season invincibility and confidence these teams generally have is gone already, teams will be playing Pool and thinking they can get a result.

Mancs have also looked shaky because again they have lost 2 players who changed many games for them and not been able to buy replacements. When everything is going their way, Berbs and Rooney will perform, but when things are tight or they are having an off day, neither player is the type of steady striker who will get half a chance and take it. Their midfield is also a bit suspect as is their defensive cover when Vidic or Rio aren't playing. Again, that invincibility and confidence is not what it should be and they will have to really work to get it back.

It will come down to confidence and belief for us and City. There is quality there, but do the players believe, will they get results against the lesser teams? For me Pool and Mancs are vulnerable this year, more so than in recent times but I really believe that if we could survive this very tough sequence of games coming up unbeaten we will have made a real statement about our ability to stay the course.

 

[Adam456]

This is true but only really applies to the teams who have other pieces of the jigsaw in place, this season that is us. City are only where they are because they have outside money, Villa and Everton have weakened, West Ham are skint and Fulham are over streteched. Those are the teams who last season were competing for the Europa.

When everything is going their way, Berbs and Rooney will perform, but when things are tight or they are having an off day, neither player is the type of steady striker who will get half a chance and take it.
quote]

Well again it's been the policy of buying younger players (some we kept and some we sold at a profit) and only spending big relatively recently with a sound base. We've been closing the gap window after window (with the brief stutter of losing Berbatov and Keane at the same time)

Not forgetting that some of the best were his choices, yes we have a manager in place who can get the best out of them.

Chelski are a tad stronger, ManUre and Scousers weaker and the scum well who knows. I hate the blind w**ker but how many players does he keep finding that we've never heard of ? 'On paper' is never a phrase you can use about him/them

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. To say Berbatov and Rooney will not take half chances to turn games is a bit OTT. Yes neither are conventional hitmen in the Shearer mould but they're both World Class

 

[walworthyid]

This is true but only really applies to the teams who have other pieces of the jigsaw in place, this season that is us. City are only where they are because they have outside money, Villa and Everton have weakened, West Ham are skint and Fulham are over streteched. Those are the teams who last season were competing for the Europa.

When everything is going their way, Berbs and Rooney will perform, but when things are tight or they are having an off day, neither player is the type of steady striker who will get half a chance and take it.
quote]

Well again it's been the policy of buying younger players (some we kept and some we sold at a profit) and only spending big relatively recently with a sound base. We've been closing the gap window after window (with the brief stutter of losing Berbatov and Keane at the same time)

Not forgetting that some of the best were his choices, yes we have a manager in place who can get the best out of them.

Chelski are a tad stronger, ManUre and Scousers weaker and the scum well who knows. I hate the blind w**ker but how many players does he keep finding that we've never heard of ? 'On paper' is never a phrase you can use about him/them

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. To say Berbatov and Rooney will not take half chances to turn games is a bit OTT. Yes neither are conventional hitmen in the Shearer mould but they're both World Class

I agree that they are both world class and if they were in our squad I would have us as nailed on to finsih in the top 4 if not push for the title. What I meant was that over the course of a season Defoe, even bloody Bent, playing in the same teams would probably get more goals than either of them. We have all watched Berbatov be totally ineffective and not look even remotely like scoring on many occasions as we have with Rooney. It is not about how good they are but how good the team they are playing in is and at the moment I think that Man U are weaker than they have been for a number of years.

 

[Kendall]

I disagree with that. Rooney may not score all that frequently but he is the heartbeat of that United team, even when he doesn't score he plays well and brings so much to the table.

Rooney would be a standout player in any team.

 

[mackay59]

Bindippers have ground to make up now and that will help us.We need another Palacios type player.Manure will be in serious trouble when Rooney gets injured, needs resting.

 

[hybridsoldier]

I dunno, UTD have just won 5-0 albeit be a wigan team that lost to wolves. if there is any truth to the anderson rumours then then they may look around, they have the cash to spend...maybe Daniele De Rossi?

Wenger wont spend and their squad is good enough for their target of a top 4 finish.

Chelsea look good enough aswell, don't see them splashing out

Liverpool haven't actually got any money to spend supposedly. If Rafa gets the push its because he spent £20m on a player who is injured

 

[Seanson]

I know its very early Premiership days, however Spurs and Man City have already done enough to suggest (maybe only suggest) that there are 2 teams this year that are more capable than in previous years of dislodging one and maybe even two of the SKY boys from their rightful positions!

There is, and will be to the remainder of the transfer window a realistic situation whereby 6 teams might be fighting for 4 places, and we all know 6 into 4 don't go.

So my question is, will we see a SKY 4 reaction this week to how the league has started by them stepping into the transfer market in a way that they might not have done if the opening week had panned out differently? say Pool had won at Spurs or Wolve had nicked an equaliser at City.

I look at it and I think that Chelsea have no worries and probably Utd too, but Arse and Pool must be slightly concerned.

I'm thinking about the clubs operating budgets which i see as follows:

Man City don't have one.
Spurs have one pretty much on being based in the Premiership.
Chelsea have a plan which they've so far failed to meet of the club being self sufficient, however they're still like City.

And then there's the other 3, Utd, Arse and Pool who have all probably got operating budgets and loan facilities based around their participation in the Champions League which for so long has been pretty much assured. But right now today Arse and Pool in particular must have some concerns, what if they don't make it? And what if because of City's spending power they don't make it the following year either? Because I think once you're out it's a long way back.

So the question is will we see Pool, Arse and Utd step into the market this week and spend money that 10 days ago they would have been planning to keep in their pockets?

I think that they will.
Some of the traditional top four are short of cash with the recession and all. With City going to take points, and Spurs taking points, things could get really shaken up this year. All bets are off. Glory Glory Tottenham Hotspur all the way.

 

[lishiyo]

I disagree with that. Rooney may not score all that frequently but he is the heartbeat of that United team, even when he doesn't score he plays well and brings so much to the table.

Rooney would be a standout player in any team.

Rooney is world-class, but not exactly prolific or clinical given the numerous chances he has. But he is absolutely crucial to United and one of their most creative players, it's just that he's not really a poacher so you can't expect him to score as much as, say, Torres. I do expect him to take up more of the goalscoring burden this year though.

The most vulnerable team is Liverpool atm if they don't sign anyone (which could well be the case if they have no money). They'll be in even more trouble if they sack Rafa in the middle of the season, or even worse if Stevando Torrard get injured. Us and Shitty should be rubbing our hands in glee right now. :razz:

 

[lifeof...]

Ive had a similar discussion, about the top 4 Spurs Man C etc.
I actually think It will be alot closer this year, than last (less of point spread between 1st and 6th) The likes of Us villa, Man C, are capable and will / have take/n points away from the big 4.

OF the top 4 I actually think United are possibly the weakest, either them or pool.

Man U, have pretty much always been slow starters, but the loss of Ronaldo, is of course immense, add to that the aging midfield, Giggs and scholes are not going to play 40+ games, the forever injured Hargreaves..The "team" doesn't look particular strong, (strong enough to retain prem) Unless they replace Ron with Ribery, I can see them not in the top 2 come the end of it all.

Arse look about the same as last year. amount of games will take there toll

Pool are weakenend by the loss and unreplaced, IMO, Alonso. The fitness of Torres and Gerrard will be key, And i think they will play to many games not to loss,

Cfc look strong,but lack width (but my bet for the title.)


Man C.... the amount of new players in, added to Hughes lack of relative experince, I think will them end up as also Rans, anywhere between 6th -10th

Villa......I like MON managerial abilities, I think he will push villa to a high table position, but the lack of squad depth, will see them fade.


Spurs....I think most of us are pleasently surprised a little. The pressing, team work and creativeness has been very good. the partnership of defoe and keane, and the way the attack works, has been an eye opener for me.

Hudd looks like a different player.

our squad is strong....I think it is possible for us to go all the way (win the prem)....But I think Belive, will be our down fall. Before you laugh at the thought of us winning the prem, Just think back to the pool game, think about if Keane had put away 2 of his 3 quilt edged chances, Think how well we controlled the game, then.think about us playing like that every week...Of course we wont, but if we consitently do, and belive we can win, and don't let our heads drop, It is possible.

Oh and yes, I belive you should, when you join a competition,try to win, regardless, of your standing.