Harry's Premiership And Championship Preview

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I am a student of football, I study and explore the game. I go in the region of 50+ matches a season, my conquest begins soon. I read and disgest the back pages and footballing books with hast. I worship the green grass and attempt to emulate the gods of Football on the smaller, plastic version 5-a-side on Thursday nights.

Just popped down the Walkers - seems a real buzz around the ground - the front of it is being clean and new sponsors stuff fitted. I have a season with an inch of optimism. I managed to get 4 tickets for the visit of Blackpool and former Foxes defender Simon Grayson. Also, sitting in the posh part for the Mandaric Trophy game against Pompey this Saturday.

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ARSENAL

Stadium - Emirates Stadium
Manager - Arsene Wenger

Last season - 4th and League Cup Runners-Up

An uncertain season lies ahead for Wenger and his young guns. How will the transfer of Henry to Barca affect them? It seems clear cut that it could go two ways - a season of solidarity as the likes of Fabregas, Van Persie, Toure grow another year old and miss out on the all-important 4th spot or a season of promise and faith as the boys mature into title contenders.

For me, it simply lies in whether they can find the goalscorer. Their midfield is as good as any and watching them in pre-season, the whole team looks supercharged. Van Persie with the responisiblity of leading the attack sounds and looks hungry and feels himself that they are due a good season. The leaving of Henry I think will reunited them as a unit and force - a handy tool for lads so young but I still don't think it will be enough to keep out a very good looking Spurs team.

Wenger's signings of the summer look like long term prospects - Fabianski comes with the opportunity to take the cursed mantle of a Big 4 goalkeeping spot and Sagna's arrival may cause more harm this season possibly keeping out the raging and raving Eboue. Eduardo is a goalscorer and will after an initial period, come good that's if his work permit is passed. The return of Bendtner is long awaited but again it's nothing more than a back-up spot.


Harry predicts 5th

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ASTON VILLA

Stadium - Villa Park
Manager - Martin O'Neill

Last Season - 11th / A lucky 3-2 extra time win against the Foxes.

Back in May you'd be well placed to say Villa have the potential to break the Top 4 monopoly - two signings, a quiet summer and a new badge later - the same exciting season doesn't seem due at Villa Park. Carrying the manager of Martin O'Neill and an American takeover, a heavy burden has developed on the second city's biggest club. Expectations are high and record season tickets sales have been the case.

However, their pre-season has underwelmed me. No doubt there is a good catalogue of good young talent at Villa about. It seems after paying an extraordinary amount for Ashley Young in January, O'Neill has been careful to pop in his chairman's pocket. This season could be disappointing - a defence still frail and slow despite the emergence of some academy youngsters motivavted by O'Neill's ways and a midfield which simply functional although the signing of Reo-Coker should ease up some worries.

I expected more money from the Credit Card King, Lerner to be splashed or maybe it's just O'Neill's failure to attract a real big name or even his recultant nature for big names. They do have an impressive frontline - the partnership of Carew and Young looked tasty towards the back end of the season. Add Harewood and Agholbabakkakakak but I feel they would really need to be firing all cylinders to avoid of a season of mediocrity.

Harry predicts 11th

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BLACKBURN ROVERS

Stadium - Ewood Park
Manager - Mark Hughes

Last Season - 10th/FA Cup Semi-Finalists

Quite a team Mark Hughes has slowly built - quietly adding to his team, putting together hopefully for Rovers' fans a team as good as Jack built. With a second season of Europe on the cards, the fans of Blackburn must be quietly confident with their prospects. Failing to be involved in the smut of back pages. Hughes has added rather than ripped apart and it's hard to see where he can improve with their budget.

They are ultimate thorn for the big 4 - causing havoc for the Man U's and the Arsenal's and a dynamic frontline including McCarthy, Roberts, Pedersen and Bentley provide many Premiership defence with some posers. They have the makings of a decent defence led by the reliable Friedel, Nelsen fighting in the middle and a first team football hungry Warnock on the left.

The centre of midfield however remains restricted and is possibly their downfall. Whilst all being good professionals, none of them have the ability to open up or hypnotise a defence. Or maybe Hughes knows the pitfalls of having a midfield to eager to attack. Keeping the strikers happy maybe probelmatic - their fine signing of young Marco Rigters is justified but the capture of Roque Santa Cruz, an injury=prone, over-rated attacker is bound to upset the ready well-doing Derbyshire and Roberts has they gun for the spot alongside Billy Bigboots McCarthy.

Harry predicts 9th

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Well after a good start this section died a fuckin death

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I was so excited by the rumpus of new season dreams and the signing of our Prince of Persia. My interest has only just reawaken with Kaebi's full debut today.

[schumi]

Well the pictures of Eduardo's ankle have made their way onto the internet and it's not pretty viewing. Have to say, watching the match, from the replay angle of the tackle, it didn't actually look too bad, but the injury will keep him out for some time.

Wenger wants Taylor out of the game, but McNeish insists he's "not a dirty player. He's distraught over Eduardo's injury."

newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7260564.stm

Meanwhile, as predicted, Newcastle are getting humped by United (snigger) 3-0, with Rooney helping me on my way to a much needed win bonus.

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schumi said:

Wenger wants Taylor out of the game,

He also said the same of Dan Smith, ex-Sunderland, now-Aberdeen who broke Abou Diaby's foot. It's just the same ol' record from Wenger and this diverts the attention from a clearly disorientated display from the Gunners.

All three of my limited predictions look miles off the mark.... ....that's Paulco shouldn't trust me to say Leicester will beat Coventry.

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harry said:

schumi said:

Wenger wants Taylor out of the game,

He also said the same of Dan Smith, ex-Sunderland, now-Aberdeen who broke Abou Diaby's foot. It's just the same ol' record from Wenger and this diverts the attention from a clearly disorientated display from the Gunners.

All three of my limited predictions look miles off the mark.... ....that's Paulco shouldn't trust me to say Leicester will beat Coventry.

They were one of my 6 aways today as well Still they weren't the only ones to let me down ......were they Arsene

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paulco said:

harry said:

He also said the same of Dan Smith, ex-Sunderland, now-Aberdeen who broke Abou Diaby's foot. It's just the same ol' record from Wenger and this diverts the attention from a clearly disorientated display from the Gunners.

All three of my limited predictions look miles off the mark.... ....that's Paulco shouldn't trust me to say Leicester will beat Coventry.

They were one of my 6 aways today as well Still they weren't the only ones to let me down ......were they Arsene

I failed to mention we haven't won away since November against Brizzle City (what an excellent awayday that was too! Decent city Bristol).

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schumi said:

Well the pictures of Eduardo's ankle have made their way onto the internet and it's not pretty viewing. Have to say, watching the match, from the replay angle of the tackle, it didn't actually look too bad, but the injury will keep him out for some time.

Wenger wants Taylor out of the game, but McNeish insists he's "not a dirty player. He's distraught over Eduardo's injury."

newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7260564.stm

Meanwhile, as predicted, Newcastle are getting humped by United (snigger) 3-0, with Rooney helping me on my way to a much needed win bonus.

Wenger has changed his view made in the heat of the moment. I think it was clumsy rather than nasty but had terrible consequences for Eduardo. Hopefully he mends quickly and well.

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Yeah Taylor was late because Eduardo was too quick for him , wasn't a malicious tackle . Just the tackle of a limited player beaten by skill .

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paulco said:

Yeah Taylor was late because Eduardo was too quick for him , wasn't a malicious tackle . Just the tackle of a limited player beaten by skill .

Aye, the kind of tackle seen every day on a Sunday Morning when some fat oaf whacks into a young lad. Taylor seem to follow through and Eduardo's foot stuck in the turf.