Originally Posted by lionheart

Are you completely blind? Didn't you watch him dominate England and then play supremely well in the Euro 2008 tournament. He may not pull his socks up when playing against the dregs of Bolton, Hull or West Ham, but he can mark the likes of Ronaldo & Rooney anyday. So is Curbishley your brother? Why go on about him for no apparent reason? As for Ashton, he will probably get injured in the first month of the season and do bugger all. I do agree with your comment about Keano but don't see M'boro getting relegated. More likely Fulham or West Ham.

Originally Posted by BangleMan

EPL - Manchester United
FA Cup - Aston Villa
League Cup - Liverpool
Champions League - Manchester United
Relegated: Hull, Middlesboro, Stoke

As for my beloved 'Ammers.....

Curbs is doing a decent job but he's being undermined by those above him. I think the talk of Europe with the current squad and investment is a very tall order for any manager.

Curbishleys positives

* Loves West Ham
* Good successful EPL experience
* Gets the best out of average players
* Giving youth players a real chance
* Good tactician

and the negatives

* No European competition experience
* Struggles with the big time charlie attitude of modern day millionaire players
* Struggles with foreign signings
* Not a motivator
* Lacks media personality

It's no accident that Curbishley was once on the England manager shortlist. He knows the english game and it's players and knows how to play against other teams to scrap for points.

To be honest, I think he's already really up against it as we've failed to strengthen and still have a list of injured and unfit players going into a set of games we really need to be winning.

Think we need to win the majority of the "midtable / lower league within the EPL" games against the likes of Wigan, Newcastle, Man City, Fulham, Middlesboro, Sunderland, Hull, Bolton, West Brom, Stoke etc etc) for us to stay away from that drop zone this year.

Originally Posted by BangleMan

Sorry to pee on your chips Spugsy, but I really think the Toon will struggle this year. You were poor last year, and have had little or no investment / signings to speak of....

Originally Posted by Simao

I think Ronaldo's transfer drama will be pretty damaging for the entire team and for that they won't be competing for the CL but probably for the EPL. I think Chelsea will win the EPL and they truly deserved the CL if not for those two balls on the post and the JT penalty! Torres would be incredible and they might just have a chance for the EPL next season now that he has Keane with him instead of the awkwardly tall Crouch.
One thing the EPL is missing this season and it is a "Special" one.

Originally Posted by Spugsy

if we keep martins, owen, viduka free of injuries

Originally Posted by Welivehere

Big ask that though Spugs. For me:

EPL - Man U
FA - Arsenal
C/L - Chelsea
League Cup - Spurs
Down - Hull, Stoke + AN Other....

Originally Posted by BangleMan

Talking of Man City.....what an upstanding pillor of the community you guys have as a Chairman ....lol

Originally Posted by lionheart

Don't believe all you read. After all, his popular and democratically elected government was overthrown by a military junta, who trumped up most of the charges to keep the people suppressed. Yes, his family may have evaded some tax and made millions, but he was a multi-millionaire before he even entered politics. Look at a similar situation next door in Malaysia, where the opposition leader has been repeatedly charged with sodomy and yet the alleged victim has admitted that nothing happened. Its just their way to keep popular guys out of power. As for some of the EPL managers and directors, I certainly wouldn't trust them with my grandmother, let alone my pocket money.

Originally Posted by benzonar

Interesting

http://www.4thegame.com/club/manches...fire_sale.html

Originally Posted by The Dean

Can't believe nobody tips Fulham to go down - the only reason the Cottagers stayed up (so to speak) last year was that others were even worse..... late great escape? Not two years in a row.............

Tottenham - without Keane and Berbatov - to finish fourth? Er, no.............

West Brom to stay up - just - but sadly Stoke and Hull will struggle.

Can't see past Manchester United at the top, but Chelsea and Arsenal big unknowns this year. Deco? Will struggle in the English environment I fear. Hleb was underrated and will be harder to replace than people seem to think.

Keane and Torres? They'll be worth watching, and I still reckon Gareth Barry wil join them.

And nobody's mentioned Luton...............

Originally Posted by The Dean

Can't believe nobody tips Fulham to go down - the only reason the Cottagers stayed up (so to speak) last year was that others were even worse..... late great escape? Not two years in a row....
.

Originally Posted by lionheart

Have a quick butchers at post#14