I miss Moysie.

I miss him being the United manager. It was very entertaining.

Dzeko set to leave City for £14m, joining Roma.

Jovetic has already left as well on loan.

Wonder if they're in the market for a striker?

Dzeko set to leave City for £14m, joining Roma.

Jovetic has already left as well on loan.

Wonder if they're in the market for a striker?

I imagine so but they already have their first and second choice in Aguero and Bony. My thoughts would be they'd go for a home grown guy because of the difficult they're having in filling their quota. Berahino maybe?

Dzeko set to leave City for £14m, joining Roma.

Jovetic has already left as well on loan.

Wonder if they're in the market for a striker?

 

They simply have to be and that piece of news actually makes more more optimistic about their chances this season. 5 days before the start of the season they are left with only two recognized strikers - Aguero, who is notoriously fragile and Bony, who has yet to prove himself in a top club. Anyone they get will need time and with the current dearth of quality strikers out there, they are either paying somebody through the nose (again) or have to hope really hard Aguero has a good season. Famous last words, but right now I am finding it hard to consider them title contenders.

Edited August 4, 201510 yr by Virosh

I imagine so but they already have their first and second choice in Aguero and Bony. My thoughts would be they'd go for a home grown guy because of the difficult they're having in filling their quota. Berahino maybe?

Pellegrino has played two up top a lot.

Maybe he's looking to move away from 4-4-2?

Could be that Sterling will be central to a new system?

I don't think City are finished in the market just yet though.

Dzeko set to leave City for £14m, joining Roma.

Jovetic has already left as well on loan.

Wonder if they're in the market for a striker?

They promoted a highy rated youngster, Iheanacho, to the first team. He's had a great pre season by all accounts and will be their third striker.

Also Sterling can play there as well, I recall Pelegrini reffering to him as a striker so I would imagine he would use him there if nessecary.

Think they need to focus more on their left back spot, that's the major weakness imo.

They promoted a highy rated youngster, Iheanacho, to the first team. He's had a great pre season by all accounts and will be their third striker.

Also Sterling can play there as well, I recall Pelegrini reffering to him as a striker so I would imagine he would use him there if nessecary.

Think they need to focus more on their left back spot, that's the major weakness imo.

They also have pozo aswell as the African lad.

We do have the Best Coach Davey but right now, I do think that both Arsenal & City have stronger squads than us. So it's going to be a very interesting season and will be far, far closer than last season. My main worry is that judging by yesterday, if Costa is out for any length of time we are f*cked.

 

Last season we had an awful lot of decisions go against us and we dropped points because of it, penalties denied and so on. It's not really spoken about but we were definitely hard done by, I've never known a season like it, and I felt Jose was justified when he spoke about a campaign, a campaign by the media not by referees, but the media influence referees in my book. We would have won the league even more easily were it not for that. I think Jose knows what he's doing, he's forging a close knit group, he's being loyal to those that produced and motivating them by doing so because they know they won't be rewarded next time should they fail. They will want to reward him, they will run through walls for him, there is togetherness and there will be a bit of defiance knowing everybody else has strengthened and fancies themselves. Don't get me wrong, I'm underwhelmed by the window just like everyone else, but unless the right player comes along, the player that Jose wants, he's not going to tamper with a team that won the league with something to spare, a team that now knows how to get over the line, a team with the best manager, the best goalkeeper, the best defender, the best defensive midfielder, arguably the best creative midfielder, one of the top three strikers, and the best player in the league, period. We also have to bear in mind the kids, I think they may surprise a few people and I think Jose may surprise a few by integrating them. Tellingly, he hasn't gone out and bought a midfielder, he hasn't even sniffed around one. I've seen Loftus-Cheek a few times for the youths, as you probably have, and he is the pick of the crop, he definitely has the quality, the fact he hasn't been loaned out is testament to that. We all know Jose doesn't really fancy Mikel so I genuinely expect Loftus-Cheek to get meaningful minutes this term. Finally, and most importantly, Fergie's gone and the rest just aren't on his level. Jose would kill his grandmother to win, we all know that, and that's what I want from Chelsea boss. Genuinely, the rest don't really concern me. They're good, good players, good managers, they will make it a fight, but will they have that killer instinct synonymous with Fergie's sides, will they handle squeaky-bum time when Jose starts playing his mind games? I'm confident we'll do it, very confident, but it will be functional rather than scintillating, we'll be a tidy team, a good team, an efficient team. I'm not saying we won't be easy on the eye, we may be, we are capable of that, but we haven't gone out and bought that player who could have taken us to the next level, but I'm guessing Jose knows that, and he's biding his time. He won't just buy for the sake of it, he'll wait for the right man, and I'm sorry but Sterling just didn't justify a £50m fee, and I'm glad we left well alone. 

 

I'm kind of glad Jose is biding his time. It shows he's not just thinking short-term, it shows he's not panicking. If there's one thing we know about him, he wouldn't be going into this season with this squad if he didn't think he could win. There are always players who would improve you, but we'll get them, on his terms. I like that.

 

Oh and here's my finally finally. Willian. Really encouraging signs from him. Gets better and better. Really grown on me. Think he will be a stand-out player this term. He didn't take the Prem by storm, some players don't, some players grow into it, and he's one of them, and suddenly you think, "Wow, who's that player?".

 

Finally finally finally? Okay then, Costa and Oscar, rested. Think it will make a big difference though like you say we have to trust Costa's hamstring is up to the job, and if it's not, well I'm quite looking forward to seeing Falcao. It won't happen straightaway but it could happen, his signing could turn out to be a masterstroke, the odds may be against it but it's a possibility. Last season everybody banged on about Lampard, like they're banging on about Cech now, saying he would come back to haunt us. I'm saying, come the season's end, people won't be talking about Cech so much, they'll be taking about Jose Mourinho, and what a wonderful manager we have.

BOSH - https://twitter.com/Betfair/status/628666741195825152

Shinned it.......

He really caught that nice.

I reckon 99% of players would have put that into orbit. Stunning technique.

They promoted a highy rated youngster, Iheanacho, to the first team. He's had a great pre season by all accounts and will be their third striker.

Also Sterling can play there as well, I recall Pelegrini reffering to him as a striker so I would imagine he would use him there if nessecary.

Think they need to focus more on their left back spot, that's the major weakness imo.

Still seems to suggest they'll move away from two up front. Can't see Pellegrino wanting to give too many starts to the youth player or Sterling up front.

For what it's worth I think Sterling is awful up front, really struggles to influence games there and his finishing is too rash as well.

City are pretty stacked in the full back areas already and imagine someone would need to be sold before anyone else comes in. Kolorov would be my guess.

Still seems to suggest they'll move away from two up front. Can't see Pellegrino wanting to give too many starts to the youth player or Sterling up front.

For what it's worth I think Sterling is awful up front, really struggles to influence games there and his finishing is too rash as well.

City are pretty stacked in the full back areas already and imagine someone would need to be sold before anyone else comes in. Kolorov would be my guess.

They have been playing a 433/4231 all preseason so I would imagine that's what they will use.

True but for 4th choice he'll do the job, much like Milner did for them when he went upfront.

I think they tired getting rid of Kolorov already, doesn't seem to want to leave. Someone like Alex Sandro would be a great signing for City.

They have been playing a 433/4231 all preseason so I would imagine that's what they will use.

True but for 4th choice he'll do the job, much like Milner did for them when he went upfront.

I think they tired getting rid of Kolorov already, doesn't seem to want to leave. Someone like Alex Sandro would be a great signing for City.

Who is the three man midfield for 4-3-3? Fernando is pony, if they keep playing him I'd be happy.

Big season for Toure, thought he was going to leave for sure. Thought Inter Milan were confident of getting him. Looked off the boil for large parts of last season.

Be interested how they line up for the new season because I can see down sides to both 433 and 4231 for their squad. I think they've got some slight rebuilding to do.

Looks like they will be shifting to a 433/4231: Maybe the penny has finally dropped and the Engineer has realised that in order to get somewhere in Europe you need to stack the midfield and only have 1 up front. As has been mentioned, Sterling can play up front too and this Ihenacho kid appears to be very highly rated as well. There are rumours that they are looking at Kevin De Bruyne as well, which given the requisite transfer fee would suggest further they are looking to play with a lone striker this season. 

Edited August 4, 201510 yr by Celery1989

Who is the three man midfield for 4-3-3? Fernando is pony, if they keep playing him I'd be happy.

Big season for Toure, thought he was going to leave for sure. Thought Inter Milan were confident of getting him. Looked off the boil for large parts of last season.

Be interested how they line up for the new season because I can see down sides to both 433 and 4231 for their squad. I think they've got some slight rebuilding to do.

Don't think that's fair on Fernando, he was MOTM on his debut and excellent again in the CL then got injured and wasn't the same. Recently said that he was playing with an injury all season so I'll be willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. A switch to a 433 would bring out the best in him, that's his formation and he looked like one of the best in the world when playing it at Porto.

I would imagine their 3 man midfield in a 433 would be Fernando, Toure and Fernandinho if everyone is fit. I've seen Zuculini, Marco Lopes and Nasri play there too, although Nasri looked awful there from what I saw against Stuttgart.

They played good stuff last season with a 4231 from what I can remember, think it will be the same this season.

Don't think that's fair on Fernando, he was MOTM on his debut and excellent again in the CL then got injured and wasn't the same. Recently said that he was playing with an injury all season so I'll be willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. A switch to a 433 would bring out the best in him, that's his formation and he looked like one of the best in the world when playing it at Porto.

I would imagine their 3 man midfield in a 433 would be Fernando, Toure and Fernandinho if everyone is fit. I've seen Zuculini, Marco Lopes and Nasri play there too, although Nasri looked awful there from what I saw against Stuttgart.

They played good stuff last season with a 4231 from what I can remember, think it will be the same this season.

 

Even with Delph fit they're just one injury away from looking pretty stretched in the middle with a 433.

 

I really do think Milner was a massive loss for them. 

Did they not loan out Negredo last season?

Can't remember if he's still their player or not.

Even with Delph fit they're just one injury away from looking pretty stretched in the middle with a 433.

I really do think Milner was a massive loss for them.

I think they would just throw an extra attacking player on and change to 4231 if that ever became an issue.

Milner looked pretty bad when he played in the centre midfield for them but I do agree they will miss his versatility. His departure made space for Lopes though who I rate quite highly.

Premier League Opening Day Quiz

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/33757361

 

I got 4 out of 10.

Did they not loan out Negredo last season?

Can't remember if he's still their player or not.

 

I think it was a loan with a forced purchase at the end. 

Premier League Opening Day Quiz

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/33757361

I got 4 out of 10.

4 also haha

Sake!

You've had a nightmare. You’re the Scott Carson of opening-day performances. The keeper’s early error against Chelsea in 2010 led to his West Brom side suffering the biggest opening-day defeat in Premier League history - 6-0. You know how he feels, don’t you?

You scored 3 out of 10

 

Brilliant

I got 5 out of 10. 

 

Ashamed to say I got the Chelsea one wrong... Oooops.