United we stand,United we fall (Premier League 2000 - 2001)

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Product:	Premier League 2000 - 2001
Date:	27/08/01 (96 review reads)
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Advantages: Excitingly predictable, Bye bye Middlesbourgh

Disadvantages: Man United just

Im a bit of a coward so im going to give my predictions a week in. Wise and Vierra getting sent of was the easy bit, the harder comes in predicting the week that Jim Smith and Peter Taylor are canned. The third will be weather Jaap Stam brings a book out at Lazio.

1) MANCHESTER UNITED……..The party is over at Old Trafford with Alex going and his kingpin defender booted out. Uniteds defense has got worse every year and now its looking costly. The Nevilles have peaked and Silvestre is a raider over a defenceman, as the Americans would say.
The attacking power is immense but the egos could clash early one. Becks and Veron are supposed to share the free kick duties but we have seen no evidence of that cooperation yet.
They will just squeeze the title bye no more than five points in my opinion. Defensive frailties are going to bring them back to the pack like Earth’s gravity as their powerful jets blast them to a fourth record breaking championship.

2) LIVERPOOL…..They have got a record five trophies in those old spacious Anfield cabinets that have seen it all before. But the one that matters still lays empty and yawning. Not for long though as they are where they want to be player wise with just the big jump up almost on them.
With Alex out the way next year it’s set up for the scousers to fill the void that was once their palace.
They have a rock back four and a healthy front line. The midfield is one hundred percent to with the engine purring like a Ferrari.
They will be close this year and could hold all four major trophies with the lessors to making a record six.

3) ARSENAL…Equally a flare team as United but insist on posing around the park. Vierra has a reputation among the Premier refs and will get tones of unfair cards. Pires is superb along with the industrious Lundberg and Parlour. Defensively the transition is almost complete from the
old guard. Campbell and Adam’s will take The Gunners close this year with more away wins and discipline needed. They have to drop the longhaired drip at the back though. He’s always been poor off his line and is keeping the brilliant Richard Wright on the bench. Bergkamp must play more and Kanu to given more football. If Arsenal can keep their barrage of gunners up front happy then they to will go closer this year.

4) LEEDS UNITED…. The court case is going to kill their challenge i feel from what is an excellent squad. Bowyer is such a critical part of their team out on the park and I think they will miss him. He could easily go to jail and Bakke isn’t the same if the worse comes to the worse. They have the compulsory front line power with the stunning Kewell dropping them great passes and invention. Woodgate won’t be so critically missed with Mills doing a great job so far. I prefer Radabee in there with Ferdinand anyway. It’s a cup year for Leeds as they are still two seasons behind Liverpool in their development. Maybe they can pass Arsenal on the way down later in the decade in the hunt for the big one.

5) CHELSEA…. Ranieri isn’t the right guy for the job and I don’t know why the ego maniac chairman went for an Italian.Ican only presume that the poor English speaking Latin wont interfere with Ken Bates team selection and signings. They have whacked up the middle field massively with some excellent buys. None more so than Zendan.Lampard is the best young Brit in this position along with Gerald and it has to help having guys him that in your side. I like Lesaux at left back where he should be for Ericsons England next weekend for me. Desailly and Gallas should work better. Ferrer and Babayaro are types of players that shouldn’t be rotated signor Ranieri!.
The back four will make or break their season with the wallet elevating them to Europe regardless.

6) 7) 8)9)10)11)ASTON VILLA, SUNDERLAND, WEST HAMTOTTENHMAM, EVERTON NEWCASTLE UNITEDMid table time wasters that just want to leech on the premiership millions. They buy poorly and anchor in the middle of the table every year playing bland defensive garbage. Selling clubs and retirement homes best describe this lot with only Tottenham with a manger to get them out of the rut.


12) FULHAM…With little Sahar whizzing around any defense better be on the ball. Man United saw what a handful he can be from day one and were stretched by his fizzing pace. These guys are the new Charlton in the Premier league and should impress above their station. Hopefully Fayeds money and bravado will keep them up and we will be entertained for many a match and season by the London new boys.


13) CHARLTON ATHLETIC…..They still have the workforce to stay up and entertain like the Fulhams and Ipswiches.But they wont have such an easy ride as last season and will feel relegation pressure like half of the league this year. I like their forward thinking manager and his clever signings over glamour. At the back though it looks poor so they need to out score the goals shipped. Bartlett and Johansson with Svenson and Stuart should cover that bar tab.



14) IPSWICH TOWN…Again another club that will struggle to better last seasons over excursions. Finini George was a smart signing by a smart manger .The back four is fluid and compact with great width and power. The midfield has Captain Holland’s presence and Heridersons raids with Claphams wing play. Their big problem is replacing their dominant
keeper Wright.Juries out on the new guy.


15) BLACKBURN ROVERS…..They have gone about their survival tactics well first off keeping it tight. Mat Jansen up front will nip in and get important goals along with a pacey midfield. Defense is second class though and goals will hit their net like Spanish fisherman in our waters. 16)BOLTON WANDERERS..With out hindsight of the first week of the season I would have put these guys bottom like everyone else. But they showed spirit and pace early on with a lucky first away match against hopeless Leicester City.


I hope they stay up and do an Ipswich, they certainly need to harvest as many points they can in this current virginal burst of confidence. It may prove critical in their survival chances.
Big battle on their hands though and may drop like the yo yo club tag they proudly posses.


17)DERBY COUNTY….I gave these guys no chance before the season and have them to go dow.But Ravanelli will be the one portent that could keep them their by a Flies wing. The talented young Christie up front with him won’t be arguing over free kicks and penalties with this guy. And that free reign may produce twenty plus for the silver fox.
The first thing he wanted to do on his return to England was to play darts by all accounts. This is the one thing he enjoyed on Tyneside apparently. But the sophisticated world of Italian football doesn’t allow such blue-collar pursuits. As long as it improves his sharp shooting then who cares cry the city of Derby.


18) MIDDLESBOROUGH…. No Boxsich then no survival, it’s as simple as that in my book. Brian Dean and Hamilton Ricard are first division fare who couldn’t drag a club out of a paper bag.Iffy at the back
regardless of the Villa back two. Their largest problem they have is there over stretched ambition and manager.
I seriously think the boss is another Brain Kidd Man United bullyboy and will tip them back into the nearly league.

19) SOUTHAMPTON…..The new ground was either the boost they needed to start the year or their catalyst for relegation away from the cosy Dell..Bad players and manager wont help either. Pahars is their salvation to hit thirty points, but he isn’t keen and should move on soon.Boyy do they need that Bobby Zamora deal to come off.


20) LEICESTER CITY…..Ten defeats out of eleven at the end of last season has carried on this time around. Nine goals shipped and none scored it looks bleak for the nearly England manager (that’s was close).
The defense is s** and so is the depleted midfield. Robbie Savage is a girl and the forward line is hopeless. Prove your self Taylor or its P45 time.

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