The closest ever finish!,but the Elland road boys to LEEDS the way. (Premier League 2000 - 2001)

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Product:	Premier League 2000 - 2001
Date:	18/12/01 (242 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Tight, Exciting, United to win

Disadvantages: Racist

Well we are nearly at the half way point of the season so I may as well have a crack at how I think they will finish. Its definitely going to be close with plenty of teams in with a chance of being champions.
Most of you if not all of you went for Manchester United day one, so it’s a big advantage to predict half way through.

1) LEEDS UNITED……With only one defeat so far and a solid defense and powerful attack the only ingredient they don’t have is winning.But O`Leareys capture of Britain’s second best striker from their biggest rivals and the end of the Bowyer Woodgate trial for a while has given them the all clear to show what they can do.
If they are a true thoroughbred they will stride away with enough in the tank to hold on in the run in. Their midfield is strong and an abundance of strikers will give them the league. Kewell is world class and will be the star quality they need to move into the big time.

2) LIVERPOOL.The decision to sell Fowler to their biggest rivals will cost them the league in my humble opinion. Allowing Owen of to attend the player of the year awards on a sicky to bump up his price only points to a selling strategy at Anfield.
How bizarre it is that Owen wins the best player in Europe award from EUFA but Figo is the best in the world with FIFA. Raul finished 4th in the EUFA category and 2nd in the FIFA one.All about marketing contracts I presume.
Their four nil hiding shows just how poor they can be without the little genius and that sack of spuds Heskey up front.

3) ARSENAL…They have the squad but not the guts to win this season. The French players have been superb along with the young talent coming through. If any of the above slip up then they will hand it to the Londoners on the plate.
But Leeds and Liverpool are more likely to lose it to them than these winning it. Goal hangers to the extreme as they concentrate more on marketing at Highbury than winnin
g the big trophies. Buying a crap Jap to sell merchandise in Asia and the World Cup are where Arsenal currently are.

4) MANCHESTER UNITED…..The sacking of the solid Stam for drugs and dissing the boss have cost United badly. Alex cant sign a suitable replacement because of Euro cup tied rules and the money men’s decisions to only allow the new incoming manger major signings.
They may have had a correction recently with two good results and their next few games suggest they could top the league before the next games in the Champions league,
But they have still lost the six critical games that usually signifies the cut off point for championship contenders.

Beck’s to was given the weekend of for Christmas shopping and awards ceremonies to whack up his selling price like Owen. He to finished above the little scouser in the world player of the year but below in the EUFA awards. Must be the boot sponsors this time. Both clubs do recognize the future sale price of there in contract world class players.
Uniteds mad goalie and back four are down to the bone now and wont be able to go unbeaten until the end of the season. The Champions League spot can be their only priority now.

5) CHELSEA…They are playing some good sporadic football at the moment and look class. But they go and lose a stupid easy home match, which shows them up to the not so great pretenders they really are.
Uniteds strength has been in the amount of English and Irish players they have used in the guts of the team for back bone. Chelsea are a bunch of posers who throw the toys out of the pram when it’s not going their way.

6) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR……The prodigal son has returned and the improvement is dramatic.The aging midfield and old Tottenham faces have rolled back the years and the foundations for the glory days at the Lane once again.
Lots of young talent to replace the old stagers, but an injury is b
ound to come for Anderton and Ferdinand, which could wreck their momentum. Need to buy some players soon. But they have the best English manager in the country so they will be scrapping for Europe.
7) NEWCASTLE UNITED…..Bobby is the second best people manager in the country and is keeping the toon army in and around Europe.He also has a miss mash of young and old talent with the seniors doing most of the work.
A strong defense is the backbone of most good Premier side and Newcastle certainly have that. They are stringing results together since the Keegan era. With Alan Shearer set to take over it all looks better on Tyneside.

8) ASTON VILLA…. These guys are way too negative and the fans vote with their feet by not showing up. Deadly Dog needs to shell out more to support what is a decent nucleus for a good side. Once they have off loaded the posers like Ginola and the manager things could be grand again at Villa Park.
But the chairman is quite happy to scratch around in the middle of the table living of the TV money alone.

9) SUNDERLAND…I think its time for Peter Ried to move on as he’s holding back these giants with his pessimism in the transfer market. He’s very fastidious when it comes to new players, which is showing in the table position.
They need a new man impetus and some big signings to claim their rightful place in Europe.Phillips needs a better coach working on his finishing skills as he really should be free scoring by now.
Ried is a loveable scouser that cant take the club any further on that alone.


10) FULHAM ATHLETIC…..Again they have a whippet of a striker and a lovely midfield of Legwinski and Malbranque.But everytime they get some momentum they seem to collapse.
The chairman can spend to keep them snug here although one or two of the players might fancy a move to bigger things soon.
Tigana is a superb manager and with a new ground a year or so off the
y could be London their best team for along time to come.

11) BOLTON WANDERERS…Very well organized side under the ex player boss and have a great pacey striker in Ricketts.But he will need to keep them together as a unit to stay in the mid table safety zone.
Those chunky Scandinavians are definitely a plus doing the blocking and help to perfect those all- important set pieces.

12) WEST HAM UNITED…These guys have no excuse for being so low in the premiership. Just look at that attacking six and fluidity. If they only dipped into the transfer market and youth market so well as they do there then they would be top six.
Cole, Carrick, Defoe, Kanoute………

13) BLACKBURN ROVERS…..First season back and they are doing just enough to stay above the plimsloe line. Souness discipline and shrewdness should be enough to be safe.
But Jansen is the type of player who pulls muscles a lot and very really on him for goals. Perhaps a little nip into the cheque book Graham.

14) EVERTON…. The Merseysiders defense and Gascoigne bossing the midfield should be just enough to keep this dour team yet again above the bottom three. But like Gazza, both have seen better days. It’s a sad time for the Evertonians as the moneymen have turned the great club into a selling one. Those clubs go nowhere fast in this day and age.
They are even calling their black captain a Negro so and so these days when they really should be rallying round the players.


15) MIDDLESBOROUGH…..Sunderland but without the ok management and shrewd signings to be honest. I’m sure if Furies latest prodigy can keep them up this year by balling them out then the things will be a little better next year.
Brian Deane may have scored the first Premiership goal of the 10,000 but I don’t think he’s scored many since.
Ricard as his oppo doesn’t exactly scream goal fest. Boxic like G
len Miller is a great entertainer, but goes missing in the bad weather like the famous trumpeter.

16) CHARLTON ATHLETIC…. The odd result here and their keep them off the bottom three but its going to be very tight down there. Lots of teams are going to have thirty odd points this year, which is usually relegation woe.
Their only real advantage is their excellent manger Curbishley who does miracles with the wage bill and limited players. But it is a yo yo club with the chairman very tolerant of that and the manager.

17) SOUTHAMPTON…..The witch may have lifted the St Mary’s hoodoo for a while but they are still lumbered with a wally of a manager. Pahars is not being used correctly and their once solid back four has been shredded.

18) LIECESTER CITY….I believe the new boss has resided over six of his eight clubs getting relegated.Not exactly the type of man to bring in for a crisis.Ok he’s put nine behind the ball against the lesser teams picking up ten points from eighteen recently.
It looks like the fresh discipline and impetus from Beasent may have run out after their epic draw against the lazy Arsenal.

19) IPSWICH TOWN…Everyone’s favorite family club are doing exactly as they were supposed to do last season.they were remarkably good last year and now they are remarkably bad. The party is well and truly over now as their admirably European adventure sparked out in Italy.
Marcus Stewart’s injury probably saw their last chance to stay up fade away. They have class like Bramble and Reuser and Wright they’re who will surely jump ship when the drop nears.
The bad luck they have been having is as welcome as Lee Bowyer and co in a Leeds curry house.

20) DERBY COUNTY…. When the little mascots run out theres a good chance of them getting a game. They have picked up a pathetic pone point away from home and have an old fart up front who can’t score pen
alties.
They have been unlucky in that they haven’t had enough own goals going in the opposition’s end or anyone to kick straight.
Like Mr Hudson’s boyfriend, they are looking at Rock Bottom.

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