Ok , first game of season 07/08 , any thoughts ?

I'll go for 2 - 0 .

On current pre-season form, I'll go for 0 v 9 to them!

Ok , first game of season 07/08 , any thoughts ?

I'll go for 2 - 0 .

Clubhappy your real identity has been revealed - your Mark Lawrenson in disguise

I dont make prediction cos im super-superstitious when it comes to that.

But as long as we dont lose.....

....we should all have an extra pint cos we will have beaten L*verpool's famous (historical ) all time,home record.

Obviousley would be great to get off to a winning start though.

This season is going to be ALL ROUND super competitive!!!

Ok , first game of season 07/08 , any thoughts ?

I'll go for 2 - 0 .

Clubhappy your real identity has been revealed - your Mark Lawrenson in disguise

Yep, every game except against the top teams he puts 2-0

I'm gonna go against the grain and be optimistic

3-0 Chelsea.

A tough one, 1:0, Frank.

Ok , first game of season 07/08 , any thoughts ?

I'll go for 2 - 0 .

Clubhappy your real identity has been revealed - your Mark Lawrenson in disguise

Yep, every game except against the top teams he puts 2-0

I'm gonna go against the grain and be optimistic

3-0 Chelsea.

I think Birmingham is not last year`s ManCity, so I`m Lawrenson too.

Though maybe Frank isn`t the player he was year ago and probably he would be able to score 3 this time.

2-1 to the LONDON Blues !!!

Pizarro & Malouda for us (is anyone else remotely likely to score ????) , Forsell for the Brummies

Forsell for the Brummies

This is Mick Forsell you're talking about? The guy we shouldn't have sold because he was going to become the best striker in the premiership? That Mick Forsell?

Well, in that case. I expect him to score more than one. Someone that good - and so much better than JFH ever was remember - can't possibly be happy with just just one goal.

Unless it's one goal a season that is...

Forsell for the Brummies

This is Mick Forsell you're talking about? The guy we shouldn't have sold because he was going to become the best striker in the premiership? That Mick Forsell?

Well, in that case. I expect him to score more than one. Someone that good - and so much better than JFH ever was remember - can't possibly be happy with just just one goal.

Unless it's one goal a season that is...

Unfortunatly he probably wont be playing, he has barly put a string of games together since he left us due to continues injurys.

Im not sure if its that funny that such a great tallent is wasted due to injuries because it wasnt down to lack of commitment or attitude

The guy had multiple cruciate tears and a full knee reconstruction- before he was 25? Just one is career-threatening, let alone what Forssell went through.

Steve Bruce has bene quopted as saying that Forsell has looked sharp in pre-season and is finally looking like getting back to fitness and that he will be in contention for a place in the squad against us.

he said the same thing this time last year.

What strikers will we have available? In particular what is the form on Sheva?

Mates, put the link to physioroom please....

It seems we would often need it again....

Forsell for the Brummies

This is Mick Forsell you're talking about? The guy we shouldn't have sold because he was going to become the best striker in the premiership? That Mick Forsell?

Well, in that case. I expect him to score more than one. Someone that good - and so much better than JFH ever was remember - can't possibly be happy with just just one goal.

Unless it's one goal a season that is...

Unfortunatly he probably wont be playing, he has barly put a string of games together since he left us due to continues injurys.

Im not sure if its that funny that such a great tallent is wasted due to injuries because it wasnt down to lack of commitment or attitude

Heard the other week he has managed only 18 games in the last two and a bit years due to the condition of his knee and other injuries, (but hey seeing as you're so clued-up on EVERY subject, you probably knew that already Brian).

Sadly, our medical staff knew he was never going to be the same player after the 2nd cruciate injury, hence the decision to offload him has proved to be the right one. However, like Barak says, how anyone can gloat at a young player's career being effectively ended by such cruel fate is beyond me.

I wonder if the learned Brian M would laugh so heartily if Robben were to go the same way.

he's supposedly been amongst their best players in pre season- bruce has been very impressed apparently.

god, I hope he can overcome all the problems he's had (after our game of course).

p.s. does brian still think carlo should play ahead of petr cech?

Well.... seeing as how no one has had a crack at the starting lineup, I thought I would.

It will be a 4-3-3, for no other reason other than lack of strikers (3 strikers in a squad who need to get through 50+ matches this season is not enough - but that is another story).

Assuming all that absentees from the Charity Shield will still be unavailable:

.........................Cech............................

Johnson......Haim.......Carvalho........A Cole

........................Mikel.............................

............Essien.............Lampard..............

SWP................Pizarro..................Malouda

Bench - Cudicini, Diarra, Sidwell, J Cole, Sinclair

SWP instead of Cole, as we need someone to play wide - both Malouda and Cole like to cut inside, and I think that playing both of them together will make us too narrow.

All in all, this game worries me a bit. Birmingham will be full of confidence after their perfomance in the Championship last season, and as far as our squad goes, I can see us leaking a goal - our defensive unit of GJ-TBH-RC-AC are really not used to playing together, and we are missing our two most influential players in JT and Drogba.

The first game should be very difficult, no doubts.

I predict something like a first game against Reading 2 years ago.

My hopes are connected with our left flank (Cole and Malouda look impressive), Essien and Pizarro& Joey.

Maybe Joey should start again.

And I hope Mikel would have a good day and would helps our new CD pair (Tal&Rikky) to handle the opposition.

Now I think if we shouldn`t Sidwell, Pizarro, Tal and Malouda then last year`s crisis would be looking like a funny joke now......

Well.... seeing as how no one has had a crack at the starting lineup, I thought I would.

It will be a 4-3-3, for no other reason other than lack of strikers (3 strikers in a squad who need to get through 50+ matches this season is not enough - but that is another story).

Assuming all that absentees from the Charity Shield will still be unavailable:

.........................Cech............................

Johnson......Haim.......Carvalho........A Cole

........................Mikel.............................

............Essien.............Lampard..............

SWP................Pizarro..................Malouda

Bench - Cudicini, Diarra, Sidwell, J Cole, Sinclair

I'd go for something along those lines too, other than Joe starting in place of Lamps amd possibly Diarra ahead of Johnno (and I'd make Carvo skipper in JT's absence).

Based on one good run down the left in the community shield I'd like to see Scott Sinclair get a place on the subs bench. What is the story with Sheva? How injured and for how long?

Rather than having to choose between malouda and Joe on the left hand side I would opt for Malouda on the left and Joe on the right. Although I do understand totally a call for Lamps first team place to be in jeopardy.

I feel this is going to be a big season for Joe and think he needs to start the first 5 or 6 games at least to aloow him to gain his form.

Joe Cole for PFA player of the year.

Well with our inability to score many goals this pre-season I'm going for a dull, scrappy, very tense 0-0 or 1-1.

Or we could actually lose the game if we don't damn well concentrate and up the pace of our play.

I don't think in a million years the way we are currently playing, coupled with our injuries that we can trounce them.

Birmingham they may be but I think it's going to be a very tough first game for us and it wont be pretty football wise.

Rather than having to choose between malouda and Joe on the left hand side I would opt for Malouda on the left and Joe on the right.

As I said in my post earlier, I'm not a huge fan of this, as both of them like to cut inside rather than stay wide. If they both play, then we will end up with a very narrow front three.

We can get away with that as long as Cole and Johnson really need to get forward and play wide - however we will end up being a bit more exposed at the back as a result.