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EPL kicks off tomorrow morning!!

In no particular order....
Have to say, Man City on paper is looking damn good this season with all of their transfer signings, especially if/when they sign Batotelli (sp?) and Milner in the next few days.
Chelsea looks good on paper also, but hasn't looked good at all in their friendlies and in the Community Shield.
Man U is always a contender and I really like youngin's Macheda and Hernandez backing up Rooney/Berbatov as strikers (Owen will miss at least half the season due to injury, as always).
Aston Villa is in trouble with their coach quitting 5 days before the season and with the loss of Milner so I think their successive run at the top 6 is done.
I think Liverpool doesn't even qualify for any European play next season.
I honestly see ANY of these 5 teams finishing anywhere from 1 to 5...

Arsenal
Chelsea
Man City
Man U
Tottenham

Saturday, August 14, 2010
Time Home Away TV VENUE
Aug 14 07:45 ET Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City White Hart Lane (ESPN2!)
Aug 14 10:00 ET Aston Villa v West Ham United Villa Park
Aug 14 10:00 ET Blackburn Rovers v Everton Ewood Park
Aug 14 10:00 ET Bolton Wanderers v Fulham Reebok Stadium
Aug 14 10:00 ET Sunderland v Birmingham Stadium of Light
Aug 14 10:00 ET Wigan Athletic v Blackpool DW Stadium
Aug 14 10:00 ET Wolverhampton Wanderers v Stoke City Molineux Stadium
Aug 14 12:30 ET Chelsea v West Bromwich Albion Stamford Bridge

I like Stoke City to win it.

Interesting tidbit in the WSJ today - they had the comparisons of various leagues around the world (in all sport) looking at the correlation between players salaries and winning percentage. In the NFL, the correlation was .14, meaning there was very little, if any, correlation between players salaries and winning percentage. Obviously, with a salary cap, that would make sense. MLB, in 2009, had a correlation of .31 - so no salary cap, but still no great correlation. the EPL, on the other hand, had a correlation of .85, meaning it was very correlated. So the first post here is right - there's almost no way someone out of the top 5 doesn't win the title - money means almost everything in the EPL.

NEWCASTLE = THE OAKLAND RAIDERS OF THE EPL

Blackpool began their first season in the Premier League in stunning fashion by thrashing Wigan Athletic 4-0 at the DW Stadium


Thirty-nine years after they last graced the top flight, Blackpool produced a fearless display to sit at the top of the table on the opening day - for a few hours at least. It is 53 years since they last led the top flight.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story ... nd&cc=5901

http://www.soccerclips.net/videos/?titl ... highlights

http://www.soccerclips.net/videos/?titl ... -baptiste1

Four 6-0 thrashings so far. Chelsea over WBA, Arsenal over Blackpool, Newcastle over Villa (!!!!) and Chelsea over Wigan.

There's some real shit at the bottom of the league.

T-Dog wrote:Four 6-0 thrashings so far. Chelsea over WBA, Arsenal over Blackpool, Newcastle over Villa (!!!!) and Chelsea over Wigan.

There's some real shit at the bottom of the league.

...and then there's Liverpool.

EPJr wrote:Blackpool began their first season in the Premier League in stunning fashion by thrashing Wigan Athletic 4-0 at the DW Stadium


Thirty-nine years after they last graced the top flight, Blackpool produced a fearless display to sit at the top of the table on the opening day - for a few hours at least. It is 53 years since they last led the top flight.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story ... nd&cc=5901

http://www.soccerclips.net/videos/?titl ... highlights

http://www.soccerclips.net/videos/?titl ... -baptiste1

And then reality set in...

Walcott hits hat-trick


England forward Theo Walcott netted a hat-trick as Premier League new boys Blackpool were brought back down to earth with a 6-0 thrashing at Arsenal.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=292858&cc=5901

http://www.soccerclips.net/videos/arsen ... -2010-2011

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GROUP STAGE DRAW

Spurs get cup holders Inter, Real's group of death

Tottenham will face reigning champions Inter Milan in the Champions League group stages, while they also face German side Werder Bremen and Steve McClaren's former side FC Twente. Spurs' first attempt on European club football's top prize is not an easy task with Rafa Benitez now at the helm at the San Siro and Bremen, who finished third in the Bundesliga last season.

Group A
Team P W D L F A Pts
Inter Milan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Werder Bremen 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Tottenham 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
FC Twente 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Group B
Team P W D L F A Pts
Lyon 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Benfica 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Schalke 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Hapoel Tel Aviv 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Group C
Team P W D L F A Pts
Manchester United 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Valencia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Rangers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Bursaspor 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Group D
Team P W D L F A Pts
Barcelona 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Panathinaikos 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Copenhagen 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Rubin Kazan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Group E
Team P W D L F A Pts
Bayern Munich 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Roma 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Basel 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
CFR Cluj 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Group F
Team P W D L F A Pts
Chelsea 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Marseille 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Spartak Moscow 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
MSK Zilina 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Group G
Team P W D L F A Pts
AC Milan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Real Madrid 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Ajax 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Auxerre 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Group H
Team P W D L F A Pts
Arsenal 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Shakhtar Donetsk 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Braga 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Partizan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story ... ue&cc=5901

Anyone watching/following Barca-Ars?

Grizalltheway wrote:Anyone watching/following Barca-Ars?

Just watching the score. What's going on? I saw that the two Glass Boys for Arsenal started.

Barca dominating possession, as expected. Arsenal did a good job of keeping them out of goal until just before halftime. 1-1 would see them through, but it's tough to see that happening at this point.

Own goal by Barca, Arsenal ahead 3-2 aggregate...

Grizalltheway wrote:Barca dominating possession, as expected. Arsenal did a good job of keeping them out of goal until just before halftime. 1-1 would see them through, but it's tough to see that happening at this point.

What about if Barca scores on them self?

bandl wrote:

Grizalltheway wrote:Barca dominating possession, as expected. Arsenal did a good job of keeping them out of goal until just before halftime. 1-1 would see them through, but it's tough to see that happening at this point.

What about if Barca scores on them self?

Yeah, that's a possibility.

Arsenal down to 10 men after van Pussy sees his second yellow.

Grizalltheway wrote:

bandl wrote:
What about if Barca scores on them self?

Yeah, that's a possibility.

Arsenal down to 10 men after van Pussy sees his second yellow.

How does a striker get 2 yellows? Especially a dude that's made out of glass. he'll probably sit the next 3 weeks for Assenal.

ON ESPN commentary:

Almunia just took a blow to the head from Pedro. How many Arsenal goalkeepers are Barca planning to injure...

HA!

4-3 Barca. NOW it's tough to see Ars going through.

Christ, look at the stats from today's match.

Barca Arsenal
20(12) Shots (on Goal) 0(0)
8 Fouls 19
5 Corner Kicks 2
8 Offsides 4
76% Time of Possession 24%
0 Yellow Cards 3
0 Red Cards 1
0 Saves 9

Fucking Bayern shit the bed like Sprout against Inter yesterday. Choked harder than Delaware.

Chelski-Københaven and Madrid-Lyon today.

Chelsea and Madrid are through as expected.

It'll be interesting the see who gets drawn with who.

PS I'm going for Tottenham.

slycat wrote:PS I'm going for Tottenham.

I may have to hitch my wagon to them, too. Or maybe Shaktar.

But at this point, I think it's Barca's competition to lose.

Quarterfinals draw

ManU vs Chelsea
Tottenham vs Real Madrid
Barcelona vs Shaktar
Inter Milan vs Schalke

Toon get run 4-0...

this has been a dreadful run for the Geordies...