Transfer Season Talk

Twas the night before the transfer season and throughout the world not a team was stirring not even the Gunners.

I have to admit part of the allure of Footy is the summer and January transfer seasons. There is not another sport in the world where a team can either choose to buy or sell a player. Some would say the Yankees here in America buy players but only after they have run out of contract with another team. It's great to see teams buying and selling players like there were a piece of meat in some dirty downtown market. And nothing leads up to the January transfer season like the rumours swirling around certain teams and players. So here are some posted rumours from the Internet and my own personal comments.

1.Ex–Girlfriend Texts me out the blue(who know's nothing of football)saying she had just been J Pennant's house (random).She knows his agent supposedly. Saying he got back from Madrid Yesterday(29th DEC). And is Buying House there. IF SHE READS THIS I'LL BE DEAD

OK, raise your hand if you believe this one. This bloke is quoting his ex-girlfriend who somehow knows Pennant's agent. I laughed out loud in my office when i read this one.

2.I have been told that Jermaine Defoe will be coming to Rangers for 3.5 million plus Andy Webster

Right Defoe to Rangers. This isn't even the most ridiculous rumour found about Rangers.

3. This is a rumour about possible Manchester City Transfers(These are in Euros):
ins/outs:
Aguero – 34million
Santa Cruz – 12 million
Bellamy – 14million
Villa – 40million euros
Sergio Ramos – 30 million
Kaka – 44 million
Iker Casillas – 55 million euros – record transfer!!!

out: Johnson – Liverpool
Richards – ManUtd
Benjani – Aston Villa
Ball – Reading
Hart – Tottenham

That's 229 Million Euros or in Dollars $176,000,000. I don't care how much their new owners are worth that's an impossible amount of money to spend in one month. Will City get one or two of those players. I wouldn't bet against them but not all of them.

4. Last but not least these are just a few of the Arsenal rumours floating around.
1ST TEAM:CHIELLINI 10M+GALLAS
VAN BUYTEN 8M–12M
WITSEL 13M
MELO 15M
RIBERY 15M+BENDTNER
DEFOUR 8M
DI MARIA 12M

For those counting at home this rumour would have Arsene "The Scrooge" Wenger spending 85 million pounds in the January transfer seasons when this old man hasn't spent 85 million in the last 5 transfer seasons put together. I would doubt if any of these rumours come true. Arsene spending money is about as likely as me taking my shirt off and looking like Brad Pitt.

Here are a few of my transfer predictions:
1. Manchester United and Chelsea do nothing.
2. Liverpool sell a few fringe players and make a run at Heskey and a RB.
3. Arsenal loan some of the younger GUnners out and actually spends some money on a CB and holding midfielder. One rumour is Viera coming back but that seems unlikely.
4. Portsmouth gets a new manager in Alan Curbishley.
5. Oguchi Onyewu gets a transfer to a French League 1 side, probably PSG or Marseille.
6. Demarcus Beasley will be loaned out by Rangers to a new club.
7. Sasha Klestjan will get a transfer to a Dutch team, probably FC Twente who is managed by Steve McClaren.
8. Kenny Cooper stays in Dallas
9. Jozy Altidore stays with Villareal instead of getting loaned out.
10. And the big one: Landon Donovan or "The Golden Boy" here at Worthless Sentiments will be loaned out to Bayern Munich with a hope that it becomes a permanent deal.

Thanks to all and Here's to an eventful and fun transfer season!!!!!!!!!!!

EPL Predictions

And Poor Choices Were Made by ALL:

With the Holiday Season here in America we at Worthless Sentiments chose not to participate in predicting the weekends action. But these are the results from our first weekend and please look for more predictions this coming weekend.

Here are the games that the Trio of Morons chose to pick:

Arsenal v Liverpool (1-1 Draw)
Newcastle v Tottenham (2-1 Newcastle)
Fulham v Middlesbrough (3-0 Fulham)
Everton v Chelsea (0-0 Draw)
Blackburn v Stoke City (3-0 Blackburn)

The Dobbers Pick's:
Arsenal (Wrong)
Newcastle and Spurs to Draw (Wrong)
Middlesbrough (Wrong)
Chelsea (Wrong)
Stoke City (Wrong)

The Dobber finished 0 and 5. Ouch

Ace's Pick's:
Arsenal (Wrong)
Newcastle (Right)
Fulham and Middlesbrough to Draw (Wrong)
Chelsea (Wrong)
Blackburn (Right)

Ace finished 2-3. Not Bad.

Eugene's Pick's:
Liverpool (Wrong)
Tottenham (Wrong)
Fulham and Middlesbrough to Draw (Wrong)
Chelsea (Wrong)
Blackburn and Stoke to Draw (Wrong)

Eugene's Dumb Ass also finished 0-5. But he is mentally challenged so we need to be nice to him.

Leave your comments.

Eugene's Picks(Which coincidentally are the best)!!!

I will have to admit I have never been good at predicting things (I totally missed that Obama thing) but I have decided that I will try and get these knocked out before I knock back a few. Here we go:
Arsenal v Liverpool
At first glance this game reminds me of a boring fixture between two BIG four teams. (Oops. One of these teams isn't even in the top four anymore. Sorry Gunners.) Without Torres this will be a tough one to win outright for Liverpool, so we come back to the idea that two very good teams will play to a draw. But I really do think one of these teams will get three full points from this match up. Arsenal's defense is shaky at best and their chemistry is a long way from good. Liverpool will push the tempo and control the midfield with the likes of Mascherano, Alonso and Gerrard. I will take Liverpool to win: 2-1. Sidebar, why doesn't Liverpool have a cool nickname like the rest of the supposed Big Four; Chelsea are the Blues, Manchester United are the Red Devils and Arsenal are the Gunners. Hell even Aston Villa has a sweet nickname: The Villains.

Newcastle v Tottenham
Wow what a match up. Two shitty teams that switched managers and have begun to magical play better. I hate the argument that if you switch managers all of a sudden that makes the teams better. Anyways this one is easy. Harry the Great and his Tottenham warriors win this one easily. Tottenham 3 - 1 Newcastle. If i were granted $2 Billion dollars and a EPL team the first thing i would do is hire Harry Redknapp as manager. His wit, his tactics and his teeth will win more games than we will ever know. Best manager in the Premier League for my money.

Fulham v Middlesbrough

When I first looked at this game it was a no brainer that Fulham would win. After some research I am not as confident. Oh I feel like Fulham is the better team but their manager, Roy Hodgson, worries me. Seriously he was leaving their most creative player on the bench for the better part of three months. Of course I am speaking about Ace's man-crush: Clint Dempsey. Go Deuce!!!!!!!!!!!!. I am going to have to go with a very boring nil-nil draw. At least both get points.

Everton-Chelsea

I would just like to start this post by saying: Fuck Chelsea. Okay now with that out of the way this game is going to be a massacre of great proportions. Everton put up a great fight against ManCity over the weekend but had exactly ZERO fit strikers. That will not cut it boys. Even if the reports are true that Saha and Anichebe will be healthy to play against Chelsea the questions will be raised: Who are these two and does it make Chelsea even a little bit scared. The answers: Nobody and No. Chelsea win in a laugher: 3-0.

Blackburn v Stoke City
BIG SAM is back baby. Really you left Bolton for Blackburn. Wow big step up there Sam. Blackburn are terrible and nothing short of a miracle will save their season. They need points and that means only one thing: 11 men behind the ball to play defense and try for the draw. Which would suit Stoke well because they also need the points badly. If Big Sam brings the same tactics from Bolton this Blackburn team will not play the best looking football but they do have a shot, maybe one in a million shot but they do have a shot. I see this one being boring as well Blackburn 1-1 Stoke City.

I hope I am absolutely wrong on all of these predictions> Because if I am right we will have one weekend full of horrible footy.

Until next time get your beers in...........

Dobber's EPL Predictions - Week 18

While Dobber may have just been a sidekick to Coach Hayden Fox (the greatest fictional coach to ever live...well, except maybe for Major League's infamous Cleveland skipper Lou Brown) and Assistant Coach Luther Horatio Van Dam (the 2nd greatest fictional assistant coach next to Dobber to ever live), I in no way shape or form plan to sit idly behind Ace in Eugene in their EPL predictions. This is football, a man's game, and I, the great and powerful Dobber, have joined this blog to rule all predictions. Starting.......right.......now.


Fulham 0 Middlesbrough 1
While Ace is right that both teams struggle with consistency and that both teams will break out sooner or later, he's wrong about the timing. One will break out this week...and that team is Middlesbrough, who will connect late and snatch away a point from Fulham. And on the road no less! How about that for my first prediction? Suck it Ace!

Everton 0 Chelsea 3
Not much to say here. Even though Everton has played the big four relatively strong this season, Chelsea is still Chelsea and well, Everton is still Everton.

Blackburn 0 Stoke City 1
The "toilet bowl" in this weeks EPL fixtures will be a stinker. Did you see what I did there when I mentioned toilet bowl and stinker together? That's what we call a metaphor. This blogging thing is easy. As for the match, I could care less, but I just can't pick against a team named Stoke.

Newcastle 1 Tottenham 1
I might have spoke too soon in regards to the whole "toilet bowl" reference. Wait scratch that, these two teams are so bad that the loser would find themselves circling around the regelation cut-off? As much as it would please El Dobberino (for our Spanish readers) to see Tottenham fall into relegation, unfortunatenly neither team has what it takes to actually win a match. Even if its against a pathetic opponent. They both just stink that bad. Sigh, draw.

Arsenal 2 Liverpool 1
While the young Gunners have been widely inconsistent this season, the one thing you have to admit is that when the Gunners play in big matches, they tend to show up. Too bad Arsenal can't play a top four team every match, as they might reward their faithful with some silverware. I'm predicting the young Gunners come out firing on all cylinders and are able to leave the pitch with a victory, hence closing the gap in the table and giving Gunner fans hope of title aspirations once again this season. Of course those dreams will be quickly shattered when Arsenal plays down to the competition and drops points to Portsmouth and Bolton in the weeks that follow.

Ace's BPL Predictions... Week 18

With predictions flowing forth like the following, I cannot help but feel the need to gloat and strut around chanting "I am the greatest to ever live." I must admit I came to a crossroad in life many years ago where I asked myself what I was to do with the wonderful gift of foresight. No, I did not use it to pursue financial gain by betting on racehorses or Super Bowl games. No, I did not use it to predict and thus prevent catastrophic events. These aforementioned things pale in comparison to the success I crave for winning this blog's BPL prediction contest. Therefore, all of my efforts have been geared toward this one purpose: Beat Eugene and Dobber.


Fulham 1 Middlesbrough 1
This is an interesting match-up. In fact, I think these two teams are very similar. They both have problems with consistency. They both have decent lineups and relatively good benches. Plus, they are both well-coached. Therefore, after peeking into my crystal ball, I have foreseen a draw in this game. One of these two will break out sooner or later, just not this week.

Everton 1 Chelsea 3
The dominance of Chelsea is just too overbearing, especially for a team like Everton. I’m not really sure why I’m even giving Everton the one goal. Does it really matter though? Everton could score that one goal in the first minute of this game, and Chelsea would still win. That’s it. That’s all I have. You’re not really reading this anyway. No one reads anything about Everton.

Blackburn 1 Stoke City 0
Remember that old saying: “A cross in by Bolton!”??? Well, Big Sam was a “Big Fan” of that one. The guy could have 10 minutes of preparing an unknown team and they would come out of the locker room with eyes glazed, chanting “Crossing is good, crossing is our pal.” Stoke City will see so many crosses, they won’t even like doing the Sunday Crossword anymore. Furthermore, even after 75 crosses sent in, Blackburn will probably score from the penalty spot instead. That’s how BORING this game will be.

Newcastle 2 Spurs 0
Check out this shocker! My hatred of Spurs and everything they stand for has no bearing here (just kidding). No seriously, Magpies have been better as of late, and while Redknapp has been good so far, there’s only so much one man can do with a squad so brutally awful. I heard from Eugene that Michael Dawson made it onto the pitch last weekend versus Man United. Eugene also said that Dawson actually played well. Really? By that do you mean he didn’t score any own goals? The guy is a joke who needs sold to the K-League. Not to mention the "Ace & Gary" duo they had last week of Lennon and Bentley as their wingers. Did I just say that? Oops. Anyway, Newcastle will find a way to win this weekend at home.

Arsenal 2 Liverpool 1
Either team could potentially run the score up like the Duke Basketball team versus a Nashville Auto Diesel College intramural team. However, every time the big boys scrap it out the score is always low. 2-1 might be stretching it. A draw could be in the works also, which would suck something awful either way to be quite candid. My prediction will stand if Arsenal can squeak a goal by before the half-hour mark. If not, it will be a game fought in the midfield and will ultimately bore us all to an inch of sanity.

You feel smarter already don't you?

Ace's False Predictions!!!

3 Critical Miscues of My Predictions...

OK, so I made a few miscalculations in my pre-season BPL predictions. However, of all those mistakes (Steak? No I said "mistake") I believe that 3 of them have surpassed your basic incorrectness and sprang directly into what I would like to call the most gigantic, Godzilla-sized, dumber than hell, top 10 major f*%&ed-up predictions of all time.

1.Hull City. Really? Along with the rest of the world and beyond, I am dumbfounded about their success. Furthermore, I hope it lasts for awhile longer too. Then, like Dorothy "waking up" back in Kansas, I hope their dream dies along with their hopes of staying up. Injuries have yet to affect this squad. Plus, they will hit a wall in February like pretty much every other promoted team. Plus (again), they are HULL CITY.
2.Spurs and Ramos. What a joke. I don't think I'm alone when I say that I expected Spurs to perform much better under Ramos. Wasn't he supposed to be this guru of European soccer? I honestly don't believe it was all his fault. Let's be honest... Spurs lack the type of talent and depth to challenge for a "Big 4" spot like they've been saying for years. Yes, let's get rid of Berbatov and Keane, our two best players, and bring in a total stroke in Bentley and an unproven striker in Pavluychenko. That will take us to the top! I've got news for you: that just "ain't gonna" happen Tottenhamites. This team is maybe a top 12 squad by season's end.
3.Young Gunners. Who could have honestly seen this coming? I know a lot of people say it each year that Arsenal are just too young, but no one really believes that because they continue to produce each season. However, they were already one of (if not the youngest?) teams in the BPL last season with a 3rd place finish after collapsing in the final 2 months. Knowing that youth and inexperience (and Eduardo's injury) were a major factor in that collapse, Wenger decided to go and do what? He replaced a couple experienced players with 16 year olds and Carling Cup darlings. Hmmm. My 2nd place prediction was obviously wrong. They will finish 4th unless they turn it around now and bring in more players in January.

-Ace

Why I am a FORMER Fan of the NFL

Yes you read that right. I no longer count myself a fan of the NFL. In years past I would watch every game on Sunday, Monday and the occasional Thursday night game. but I can honestly say I have not watched a complete game this season and probably have not watched, combined, two full games. It just is not fun anymore.
Here is a sidebar that will help drive my point home. About 10 years ago i started to watch NASCAR. I will wait until the laughter dies down. OK, are we ready to continue. Anyways i watched NASCAR because it was fun. On any given race day anybody could have won. Guys could get pissed off at each other and smash their cars into each other. It was fun to listen to drivers bash each other after the race on live television. But then something happened. And i believe if I am not mistaken that "something" was the introduction of Nextel into the equation. Now I am not blaming Nextel specifically but the idea of Nextel and that idea is the over sponsorship of NASCAR. And it has now happened to the NFL.
See sponsors need a nice package to deliver their message to the masses. Sponsorship dollars demand that the rough edges be taken off a product before they will sign the checks. See the NFL has long been the "NoFunLeague" for several reasons: no TD celebrations, the uniform police, and the idea that parity is a good thing.
First of all we pay offensive players millions of dollars a year to score but when they actually do what their paid to do their supposed to ignore what they have just done. It's kind of like paying porn stars to have sex but then having them ignore the, ummm, end of their scene. The uniform police just create clones out of every player. In a league where "faces" are almost entirely never shown because of the helmet the uniforms become the players viable option at becoming individuals again and not just one of hundreds of players dressed just a like. The players can't have crazy hairstyles to distinguish them from other players, the individual player can not have different shoes or socks or towels or arm bands or anything that would say who they were without the name on the back.
But I personally feel like the thing that has made the NFL boring to watch is parity. Parity mandates that all teams have an equal chance at succeeding. Now this does not mean that all teams have the same talent (Just look at the Detroit Lions). But it does mean that teams get equal shares of money, equal air time, equal schedules, and equal draft chances. I was watching part of game on opening weekend. The winning team was up by 7 with 4 and a half minutes to go. They ran the clock out and won the game. All they had to do was get two first downs and let the play clock do the rest. How shitty is that? It's horrible. The NFL has decided that parity is the best because of TV ratings and keeping money in the fat wallets of their owners. Home teams win 85% of the time, no underdog ever wins, and you can always county on one or two dominate teams (Giants and Titans this year) and a few piss poor teams (Lions, Chiefs, and Bengals this year) but every other team has a chance at the playoffs. Are you kidding me? This only dilutes the product and makes it so hard to watch.

Ladies and Gentlemen Welcome to Mr. Redknapp's World

We are just pawns in that world. Last week I stated that I would wait until the weekend to decide if this Tottenham team is worthy of respect and if Harry could bring them back from the brink of relegation, for which they were surely headed to with Mr. Juande Ramos leading the charge. Well this team, and more specifically Mr. Redknapp, did the almost impossible. They beat a good, might be very good, Liverpool team. Even though Liverpool controlled the game Redknapp kept his side in it till the end where a manager's substitute won the game for Spurs. What i thought was so great about that game was the way Harry changed the teams strategy and tactics at the half to really give his team a chance to win the game and not play for the draw. After the game it did come out that Harry did impart some wise football knowledge and tatics to young Roman Pavlyuchenko. Harry, and i'm quoting here, told Mr. Pavlyuchenko to ""Go on and run about if you please. There were no great tactics coming from me!" Wow I don't quite think Tottenham's owners knew they were going to get that type of manager's knowledge when they forked out over $10 million dollars for Mr. HOuidini's services. But in the end Harry Redknapp just might be the best man for the job. it won't be this year but maybe next year Tottenham can become a "big club" like they have always wanted to become.

Bentley's Dream Goal

If you have not seen the video yet. Please you can see it here: www.101greatgoals.com/videodisplay/1713673/.
Watch it first and then come back.
Waiting, waiting patiently. Okay can't wait any longer.

What the HELL??????Are you serious with that sick, sick goal? Ace is a huge Arsenal fan and I know this goal kills him but damn its a thing of beauty (Even he can't deny that and the thing that will hurt even more is that it was scored by England's next DB, David Bentley). A couple thoughts occurred to me as i watched the video. One, what was the whole let's head it 31 times before a FOOTball player decides to actually use his FOOT. Two, why in the hell does Almunia not stop this. It was taken from about 40 yards and it was about to bring rain it hard so much arch. Third, why in the world does David Bentley even think about taking a goal from this distance. It was incredible. One of the finest goals EVER!!!!! These past two games just might prove that A)Harry "Houdini" Redknapp is actually a magician and B) Tottenham can play with the big boys. I am gonna wait until they play Liverpool on the weekend to see if this Tottenham team, under Redknapp, is going to be able to challenge the Top 6 or 7 teams in the Premier League. But man if this team can play the rest of season like these past two games Mr. Redknapp will earn every cent, or pound depending on what side of the Atlantic, he is being paid.

Ace's English Premier League Predictions

We both know that the EPL season is 10 games old but before the season started, and more importantly before this awesome blog started, Ace and Eugene, with a little help from our friend Danny, tried to predict the way the EPL season would turn out. Here is Ace's Premier League predictions. It is both sad and hilarious on how wrong he is.

Here are some updated comments for my BPL predictions. You’ll find the updated comments next to the asterisk under the original comments and note. ~~Ace

20. Hull City

Definitely one and done with this group of Championship overachievers. In the BPL they will be undermanned and undersized. I predict no road wins and only a handful of home victories… against Stoke, Bolton, and an “upset” over Newcastle. Note: I bet they are -50 goals by the end of the year.

*I suppose an apology is in order to Hull City and its supporters. This team seems like it has the real goods so far this season. I still think it’s a bit ridiculous to think they’ll finish anywhere near the top 5, but a top 10 finish is certainly awaiting them as long as key players remain injury free. I wonder if they’ll go sign more help in the January window…

19. Stoke City

The same goes for Stoke as it did with Hull. The only difference will be their slightly better offense, but mostly because their speed will allow them to compete and defend and eventually draw more matches.

* Before each match, they should stoke up a fire and light a “stokey.” At least then they could say they did something worthwhile. They aren’t very good and will probably be bottom of the table since Hull is no where in sight of it.

18. Bolton

With the loss Diouf, this team lost their most aggressive, tough, and pesky player… not to mention their best midfielder, forward, and only all-around player worth marking. Their ability to score off set pieces, like usual, will be key. However, don’t expect much out of this team early or late. They may have some success trying to kill games off and aiming for draws, but in the end, a couple of wins versus the promoted teams and Wigan won’t be enough to keep them from the drop. In other words, they suck and don’t stand a snowball’s chance in hell.

*You’re right DJ. “A cross in from Bolton” is the most used line in all of soccer. Of course, “Ronaldo goes down untouched once again” might be a close second. Anyway, Bolton is pretty soft right now, which is strange because in previous years they were bruisers. I still believe the Wanderers are relegated at season’s end.

17. West Brom

This team is predicted to be relegated again, and most likely will be. However, I feel like they won’t be as shocked at the pace and power of the BPL as compared to the other promoted teams. In fact, I think they are slightly better than Bolton simply because they will have about the same talent, but they will be much hungrier. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them finish as high as 15^th.

*West Brom is weak too. This was my sleeper promotion team, but Hull obviously stole that thunder. I still feel like this is a team with something to prove. They have played decent soccer (except for a game or two… ok three) but just haven’t produced any goals. They will come around.

16. Blackburn

The loss of Mark Hughes will have a massive effect not only in the players, but also in the fans’ support and confidence in the team. Losing David Bentley doesn’t help either. Santa Cruz is the obvious star for the team, but his unexpected impact last year leaves one to wonder if he can sustain it this year. If the stars on this team have any injury problems, look out because the Rovers could fall.

* The Guv’nor is an idiot and needs to wipe that fruity smile off of his face. This team is definitely relegation fodder. If they don’t finish bottom 3, they should be voted out like on “Survivor.” They all should have their flames extinguished.

15. Wigan

Another big question mark team that begs the question: When will this team’s bubble finally burst? Two years ago they should have dropped, but they were able to hang on. The same thing happened last season. I think 15 is a bit high for them, but for some reason I think Steve Bruce will keep them focused and playing good, solid, defensive football.

*I would be “wiggin” out if Wigan actually finished better than 15^th. I don’t think they will get promoted, but it will come down to the wire for the bottom 6 teams, which puts them right in the thick of it.

14. Middlesbrough

If only Middlesbrough’s offensive attack was as sharp and scary as Gareth Southgate’s teeth, this team would actually have a shot at cracking the top 10. Aliadiere, as much as I liked him with Arsenal, fell off the face of the earth last year. If he can contribute goals to Alves’ expected help, this team could get there. The midfield is decent and needs to score more goals as well. If not, this team is a perfect fit right here.

*This team needs help big time. They aren’t in terrible trouble, but there is definitely something missing from this squad. Plus, I’m not sure how much the players actually “play” for Southgate. Do they respect him? Are they buying what he is selling? They should, but I just don’t think they are. A message needs to be sent with this team in the form of cutting someone or benching some of the so-called stars.

13. Newcastle

If Keegan is the savior of the Magpies or Potpies or whatever, then I’m Elvis Presley. The only reason the fans support this guy is because he’s weirder than they are, and that makes them feel better about themselves. If Martins leaves before the transfer window shuts, then put this team sub 15. However, I don’t think he will, and I think that Keegan is just crazy enough to figure out how to blend this team and make them competitive.enough to be in the mix of 13 down to 11.

*I still can’t believe they screwed up again and let Keegan go. DJ- you and I were just talking the other day that all this team needs is some stability. What’s it been? 4 coaches in less than 2 seasons? Horrendous. Hey Ashley, get a clue. Coaches know more than owners. That’s why owners own and coaches coach. It sure as hell makes sense to me, so why can’t these “professionals” figure it out? Imagine playing for a team that changes skippers 4 times in less than a couple years. Wow, that would be awesome changing schemes, practice/training regiments, schedules, expectations, roles, etc. all the stinking time. What a great situation that would be. I wonder if that’s why they’ve been the laughing stock of the league for so many years.

12. Fulham

The absence of McBride could hurt Fulham, but the style of football the Cottagers play is fairly fluid and should allow for midfielders and defenders to push up and get some shots on goal. Andy Johnson is a nice fit for this team and could score more goals for them than he did for Everton. Fulham is decent at executing set pieces also. Having Jimmy Bullard healthy all season will be a huge factor since he is their emotional leader and probably best overall player. If they can only finish the last 10 minutes of games they way they play the first 80, they should finish here easily… Note: With the possibility of Hughes getting the axe at Man City, Fulham could be a team that benefits the most as they would have a dream shot of bursting into the top ten.

*This team has talent, pure and simple. However, something is fouled up because sometimes the best players find themselves riding the pine. I honestly think this team is much more competitive when Dempsey plays, and I don’t think there is a hint of bias in that statement. He is a top 3 or 4 player on that team, yet he struggles to find a place in the starting XI. Why?

11. Sunderland

Everyone keeps saying Sunderland will shock the world and finish as high as 10, maybe even 8. The addition of all the ex-Tottenham players helps, but c’mon people… Tottenham finished in the bottom half last year. Combine that with Sunderland’s team as is and it doesn’t equal anywhere near 8… in fact placing anywhere in the top 10 is a long shot. The only reason I have them 11 is because the teams below them did nothing positive in the transfer window.

*Sunderland? I honestly don’t know what to say. Go Cisse… and your blond beard.

10. West Ham

This team has a chance to be pretty good if the owners don’t jump the gun and sack Curbishley if they misfire early. In fact, a good start could see them finish as high as 9, but 10-12 is probably where they belong. On the other hand, a bad start might not be a bad thing because Steve Bruce or even David Moyes could be looking for a job before Christmas.

*Yep, they jumped the gun. I bet everyone felt really great when they sacked Curbs and Zola came in and won his first two games. Then………………… he lost his next three. I hope it was a good move, but I have my doubts.

9. Everton

The sale of Andy Johnson really doesn’t hurt this team. He scored some nice goals for them, but he never got to double digits, which is what they need. Still, Moyes is a good manager who knows how to prepare for his opponents. If he can find an all-out striker who can slot in 10-12 goals for them, they will be in good shape. On the other hand, I have a bad feeling about this team. I think they will struggle with better teams and will handle lesser teams… leaving them right in the middle.

*Congratulations to Everton! They are now the 4-time defending champ of the “Most Unbelievably Boring” Team Award! The MLS and Everton are why people still don’t tune in to watch soccer like they should.

8. Manchester City

Bringing in Mark Hughes was their best acquisition over the summer. His presence alone made this team tougher-minded than they were under Sven. A few key pick-ups aside, this team had the talent last year as they were top of the table for some time. They will be more disciplined and better defensively. However, this is as high as they will go… Note: Recent grumblings have indicated that City is not happy with Hughes. Remember last year when they had all but escorted Sven to the door midseason? This does not bode well for their top-of-the-table aspirations.

*With a dangerously fast lineup on the pitch every night, this team could compete for top 5 honors, but I think 6-8 is more appropriate. Next year could be a totally different story.

7. Tottenham

If Berbatov in fact leaves for ManU, Spurs might not crack the top 10… Yes, he is that important to this club. Ramos can conjure up everything he has and he will still not replace Berbatov. Darren Bent will have a better season than last year, but he will not keep scoring goals like he has of late. With Berbatov… this team could finally crack the top 4. Note: Berbatov is out the door, and it doesn’t matter where he goes, it only means that Spurs will drop heavy. Losing Keane stung, but this pain will not relent. A top 7 finish is probably right just because of a possible full season under Ramos.

*Hahahahahaahahahahahhahaahahaha! Plus, Ramos is gone. Ahhhh hahahahahaha! Damn the “Houdini” came to manage. Hmmm, ok this team won’t reach top 10, but I think 12 is possible now. Their quality is still poor regardless of who is managing. Keep in mind also that you can’t sit back and defend with this team because their defense is atrocious… Michael Dawson does play for them.

6. Aston Villa

A fun team to watch, but they are still young and don’t seem to play well together at times. Ashley Young is a stud that needs to play with more passion and start scoring more goals. Depending on how they handle teams that sit back and defend, this team could finish here or at 5. Note: The Gareth Barry doubt is still there and that has to worry O’Neill. With Barry in the midfield, Villa will stay put, if he leaves before the end of August or in January, we could find out just how fragile this team is.

*Nothing has changed with this team. Barry stayed, which was extremely important to their success. However, he might still be on the move in January especially if Villa drop below 8^th or 9^th.

5. Portsmouth

A sleeper team. Harry “Houdini” Redknapp has put together a solid team. The addition of Crouch and some more veteran defenders, along with Defoe, Kranjkar, and Diarra, this is a scary team. The only worry Harry Portsmouth fans should have is injuries or fatigue through their inclusion in the UEFA cup this season. Note: The more I look at this pick the more I feel like it’s going to be way wrong. I had a good feeling early about this team, but the possible injury-bug and simply a clashing of players could push them down a bit.

*With Harry gone, this team will struggle to play with consistency because they now lack a true leader. Tony Adams could prove me wrong, and I actually hope he does. I think Pompey can be really fun to watch with Defoe and Crouch running around up top and James in goal. He is still one of the best.

4. Liverpool

A scary, scary team. This is a team that could score lots of goals and never stop putting on pressure. I suppose a good start is key for them as well as Rafa putting an end to his ridiculous substitution patterns. With the Reds hungry for Premiership glory, he needs to lock his ego up in a closet and let his best XI play each night. If so, the race to the finish could be a lot more fun. If not, it could be back to the same old thing for Liverpool… exciting and flashy, but too inconsistent to be the best.

*They “walk alone” at the top of the standings right now. Torres is out, but never fear… Dirk Kuyt (pronounced Keech… just kidding) is here!!! Anyway, first place is still ambitious for them in my mind. Injuries will take over like they do with all top teams and they will struggle to find their way. They definitely won’t stay on top long if Torres is out much and Keane is in a funk. Of course, they can always rely on Dirk Kuyt to win the golden boot! Just kidding.

3. Manchester United

OK… I know this looks crazy, but ManU is only in this spot because of their lack of attack at the top as of right now. With Ronaldo not back for at least 5-6 weeks, Rooney out injured (and who knows who else), Tevez will be the lone striker. Several other players could hold this position (like Giggs or Nani maybe) and ManU might not miss a beat. However, I just think with Ronaldo not coming back full strength (it could happen) and not to mention the Real cloud thundering over his head, a lot of distractions could affect this team. Let’s face it… they are getting older and not getting any healthier. Even though I have stated all of the above, I said it here first that if a certain Spur joins on, this team is back in the 1-2 slot. Note: I’m pretty sure Berbatov will join the squad in the next two weeks. Plus, Rooney is back early from his injury, which gives United the scoring from up top it would have lacked without them (obviously). Anyway, they are probably good enough with Ronaldo healthy to be champions again, but I just want to believe so badly that I’ve let it affect my judgment.

*I still think this is about right for ManU. They haven’t looked really that great so far this season. However, they are too talented and experienced to just fade. They will apply pressure all year but will finish right here in 3^rd.

2. Arsenal

What can you say about this team? The Young Gunners as they are called. If the sting of the loss of Hleb and Flamini have worn off, which I believe they have, this team should start at the top of the table again and lead for a good part of the season. You can’t underestimate the confidence that Wenger has instilled in his players. They are fast, tenacious, and hungry to prove that they are top-class. That challenge is a great motivator, and with the right leadership from Gallas and a healthy midfield, this team could remain in that top spot and possibly win a cup (c’mon Gunners!). Without it, they will finish 3-4 again with no trophies. Note: I still believe this team could be hoisting the cup (or a couple) by season’s end. If they can avoid a massive string of injuries to key and role players, who knows? Plus, Denilson and Djourou all look to be much better than last season and will contribute… AND Wenger will sign at least one more player to help out. Oh and this Ramsey kid looks like a real player.

*A loss to Fulham and another to Hull? What the f*%&????? The Gunners did not come out of the gates like they usually do, but maybe that’s not such a bad thing. Sometimes losing early in a season can help you grind out big wins later in the year. It’s a shame that Rosicky is still injured and will be out for some time. Nasri has looked good at times at LM, but is just not as good as the Maestro. Almunia is a stud, and Silvestre, in my opinion, looks to be up for the challenge. A top place finish could happen if Chelsea’s bridge blunder opens the door for other teams to take points from there.

1. Chelsea

This team has more depth and firepower than any other team in all of the BPL. They have a “special” (blasphemous!) coach too. The one thing that could hurt this team is their level of expectation and incompatibility. If Scolari can figure it out, they should be dominant. They are a team that does not stumble to lesser teams. If any of the other big 4 desires a chance to best the Blues, they need to beat them head-to-head and must not stumble to the Middlesbroughs and Sunderlands along the way. Note: I hate Chelsea.

*I still hate Chelsea.

Ace's Welcome

What's up sports fans? What up Eugene? I can smell the richness of money in the air already! Oh wait, that's not money I'm smelling. That's the chili dog I had for lunch. Just kidding. Not really. Anyway, I hope that our wide viewing base (7) is as excited about this blog as I am. It's an opportunity for Eug and I (Ace) to blab on and on about important issues and random sweet nothings and take those discussions way beyond the norm and pound them into submission. Sound fun? Hell yeah it does.

Welcome to the Jungle!!!

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome all of our readers (I believe the count is up to 7) to the Ace and Eugene Sports Blog. We are committed to doing whatever we want with this space and only thinking about ourselves and how rich we can get from this thing. But seriously welcome we hope you like what we have to write about. Please leave your comments and suggestions for future posts.