(UEFA) Football Thread - Football not Soccer

[HappyDayRiot]

Hmmm yes when I wrote that I didn't realise they were going to sack the poor guy. He did an incredible job for them last year after took half their staff and best player, not to mention they had no money and now another of their best players is in prison!

Chin up, it's only July. And at least you haven't changed your home kit to red or something ludicrous Forest will do nothing this season, I suspect. Far too many teams ahead of them in every respect.

[Starkers]

I was in a very grumpy mood yesterday morning! Definitely mr Grumpy Face as Amy Pond might say!

I will wait and see, maybe we'll sign three £1 million players in the next week....

[HappyDayRiot]

Robin van Persie is available...

[Angel4576]

Appleby says we're not far off from getting back into the PL.

We've lost our most experienced midfielder in Green, for free, one of our best defenders, Shackle for peanuts, and will soon lose our joint top-scorer, Davies, again likely for little as he's in the final year of his contract.

When Appleby said PL I wasn't expecting him to mean the Blue Square PL - fooking depressing.

[Starkers]

I'm not too fussed about Green to be honest, but yeah not good times...although apparently we're after some young lad from Crewe...can only hope he's as good as the last young defender from Crewe!

[Angel4576]

Mellor - utility player, can play anywhere across the back line.

Ahead of the new season, an experienced centre half, a proper striker, and a creative midfielder are imperative.

[Starkers]

Trouble is we needed a striker before Davis dropped his bombshell, so assuming he does go we surely need to get two...and I fear we won't. Never say never though

[Roger Wilco]

So, thanks to someone mentioning it in the Euro thread I just watched Mike Basset England Manager; all I can say is I'd support the shit out of that team.

[StolenThunder]

It's a good film, eh? I think it pokes fun at the clichés pretty well.

[Jax]

Forest should have a new manager in a few days, personally I am hoping for "Alan Curbishley" but knowing Forest we will get the next Steve Kean in waiting

Still I feel sorry for Cotterill getting sacked.

[Starkers]

I'm torn as to whether Forests new owners are along the Leiecester lines, or along the Blackburn lines! O'Driscoll could be a masterstroke (and probably a better bet than all the supposedly iconic managers lines up) or he could be simply a yes man, and the fact you've suddenly taken a load of Kuwaiti players on trial wouldn't inpsire me...I see you're after Jenas now.

Well as Leicester (and Derby in our time) have proven, money doesn't = promotion and I think it's going to be an interesting season...

[Jax]

The season is almost upon us and we saw the curtian raiser today of Chelski vs. $$$ City. I can't believe Rodwell has signed for City as well, which just about buries his career (look at Milner). Rodwell is there to sit on the bench n fill out a quota

Anywhoo think I'll do my yearly prediction...

Premier League
1. Man City
2. Man Utd
3. Chelsea
4. Arsenal
5. Tottenham
6. Liverpool
7. Newcastle Utd
8. Everton
9. Sunderland
10. Fulham
11. West Brom
12. West Ham Utd
13. Stoke City
14. QPR
15. Southampton
16. Aston Villa
17. Reading
18. Wigan
19. Swansea
20. Norwich

FA Cup - Man Utd

League Cup - Tottenham

Champions League - Real Madrid

As for my FOREST, I predict another season of relegation woes...

18th Place - Notts Forest

[HappyDayRiot]

Rodwell's transfer is just ridiculous. That said, is he even any good, really? He's never had a chance to show it if he is, and he sure won't get it warming City's bench. Everton will be happy with the cash injection though.

Can't get my head around the League Cup starting before the league. Bizarre. The whole start to the season is screwed this year.

I agree with your table there aside from swapping Reading for Wigan going down. I almost think West Brom are going to struggle - since when do they stay up three years in a row? More likely to drop than Swansea, now I think of it. There's nothing radically wrong with Swansea (sadly). Honestly who predicts Wigan to be relegated anymore? It's almost as bad as predicting this to be Real Madrid's year in the Champions League

Forest might well be that low I'm afraid - not many crap teams this year. Only Milwall, Palace, Peterboro and Barnsley look weak compared to anyone else. No doubt Ipswich will do their usual and finish 15th as well.

I'm most interested in how the relegated sides do this year. Wolves were terrible last year and have a manager new to the country and league. Blackburn have bought loads of players but have a PR moron in charge. Bolton seem to have sold most of their best players but have Kevin Davies. Truly no idea who's going up this time, though I think we will be in the mix as ever. I like the look of our signings, and with another defender we'll have a solid squad, much moreso than last year.

Can't wait for Friday.

[Jax]

One day I will be right about Wigan , I like Swansea n Norwich but loss of their managers + in Swanse's case loss of players with no real replacements coming in will probably spell doom for them IMO. League Cup b4 season I don't mind, I think its a nice casual way to kick the season off.

[Angel4576]

Another stellar Derby performance in the League Cup. Home to Scunthorpe; 3-0 up at HT, 4-1 up, 5-3 up going into injury time. Ended up drawing 5-5 and losing on penalties. Seriously you could invent the sh1t we pull off in the League Cup.