The "Big Four"

Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Man Utd now occupy the top 4 positions in the Premiership and look likely to stay there for the rest of the season. It looks like Arsenal and Liverpool are mounting genuine challenges to Chelsea and Utd, which means we could have a four way fight and one of the best title races in years.

Place your bets

Position / Team / Goal Difference / Points

1 Arsenal 14 20 36
2 Chelsea 15 13 31
3 Liverpool 14 20 30
4 Man Utd 14 16 30

United
Chelsea
Arsenal
Liverpool

with a 12 point spread, 1st to 4th.

My uber confidence of United domination this season is based on the hope that the current injury nightmare doesn't last all season, and that we have pretty much a full squad from the start of 2008.

The other important variables this season are how the African Nations affects Chelsea/Arsenal? Will Fabregas/Torres stay fit and on top form for the season? Will Liverpool get a decent centre half? Will Liverpool/Arsenal (with their thinnish squads) make progress in multiple comps?

I agree though, it should be tight and exciting most of the way, and I think it'll be won on much less points than previous seasons. I previously predicted less than 80, but may have to revise that up a couple of points.

D

Originally posted by Ragnorak
Will Liverpool get a decent centre half?

Hyypia has been standing in for Agger for almost 3 months and still they have the best defensive record in the league - FACT.

I don't really see what you've said is therefore going to be such a factor. Next you'll be talking about the fragility of the zonal marking system - which has resulted in ZERO goals conceded from set pieces in the league since March - another FACT

zonal marking is a joke...players marking space...good teams will exploit this...Man U have scored several goals from set pieces against Pool in recent memory..this system just allows a manager to assign blame.

There is a long way to go in the title race...all the above mentioned factors will be crucial. From a liverpool perspective the match in Marseille next week will be a pivotal one for their prospects.

Originally posted by Ragnorak
United
Chelsea
Arsenal
Liverpool

with a 12 point spread, 1st to 4th.

My uber confidence of United domination this season is based on the hope that the current injury nightmare doesn't last all season, and that we have pretty much a full squad from the start of 2008.

The other important variables this season are how the African Nations affects Ch I previously predicted less than 80, but may have to revise that up a couple of points.

D

Looks just about spot on to me.

I think it will be close now between the big 3 with Liverpool falling away from the pack in January, February.

I have to say that Liverpool have improved considerably but have some tough games coming up.

I can see United, Arsenal and Chelsea going on a run of 17 wins in 20 games, just can't quite see that from Liverpool.
They will draw too many games and will cave in against United and Arsenal.

Liverpools CL form is an indicator of not quite being strong enough, they also havn't shown evidence yet of an ability to dominate games like Blackburn, Villa, Portsmouth and Everton.
They did actually win 2 of those games but were very lucky.

Bookmakers odds:-

Manchester United 5/4
Arsenal 5/4
Chelsea 5/1
Liverpool 13/2

Originally posted by Doyle78
zonal marking is a joke...players marking space...good teams will exploit this...Man U have scored several goals from set pieces against Pool in recent memory..this system just allows a manager to assign blame.

There is a long way to go in the title race...all the above mentioned factors will be crucial. From a liverpool perspective the match in Marseille next week will be a pivotal one for their prospects.

So by your logic Liverpool can't have played a "good team" since last March then? And as for "assigning blame", surely it's easier to blame someone when they allowed the man they were directly marking to score?

Go away, have a think about it and come back when you've got something sensible to say.

Is this about Cricket or something?

Dave
( who apparently is lost on the whole "Big 4" thing )

Originally posted by Rooney Once a Blue
Bookmakers odds:-

Manchester United 5/4
Arsenal 5/4
Chelsea 5/1
Liverpool 13/2

The worst odds I can find for ManUtd and Arsenal are 11/8 which is slightly better than 5/4. You can find Chelsea as low as 3/1 and Liverpool at 11/2, strange that you chose to quote the best price available for Liverpool whilst quoting the narrowest you could find (which I can't) for Utd.

Originally posted by nmdavidb
Is this about Cricket or something?

Dave
( who apparently is lost on the whole "Big 4" thing )

The clue's in the post rather than the title. It's all about the headlines with you yanks isn't it? 😉

Originally posted by Angry Boy
The clue's in the post rather than the title. It's all about the headlines with you yanks isn't it? 😉

Well that is usually what catches our eye...the Monday Night Football score is always buried under how many beers Lindsay Lohan drank on the same night.

The newspapers have learned we are basic mindless automatons who can't wait to buy $5 coffee and put our babies in slings so that our hands are free for sorting through high priced merchandise and grabbing our platinum credit cards.

There I go again...cynical Dave at his worst.

Still doesn't help me understand Cricket any better.

Dave

Originally posted by nmdavidb
Still doesn't help me understand Cricket any better.

Cricket is just a bit of fun with a bat and ball whilst the crowd (dressed in fancy dress) drink beer in the sun.

Originally posted by Angry Boy
Cricket is just a bit of fun with a bat and ball whilst the crowd (dressed in fancy dress) drink beer in the sun.

That's not a bat...it looks like what my shop teacher spanked my butt with in the 8th grade.

It's a 2x4 with a handle...ok a little wider than that...not sure what wood dimension it would be...hence me getting spanked during shop class in the 8th grade.

Was never real hip on taking lessons on the circular saw from a man missing 3 fingers.

So in Cricket...do ya get to hit the guy with the ball to get him out?

Dave

edit...wait Man UTD....Manchester United? I heard that name on a Monty Python skit...they kick stuff.

Zonal marking is marking space my friend...Bradford adopted it under Paul Jewell and got destroyed. Its very easy with man marking to say it wasnt my man. With the zonal system, a manager can simply say, it was in your area..therefore simply your fault. Managers look for scapegoats.
If it such an efficient system why do so few teams adopt it?
John OShea, RIo Ferdinand have exploited this against Liverpool... perhaps Im wrong and its mere coincidence that a lot our defenders score aginst ye from set pieces....Im sure if you asked Jamie Carr would he rather mark a zone than go one on one with vidic,well, we both know the answer to that one.

Originally posted by Angry Boy

Place your bets

I bet that Sky Sports will overhype the arse off of Sunday 16th Dec (Arse v Chels, LFC v Manure), calling it something like 'The Weekend Of Destiny', complete with gravelly-voiced announcer and loud KABLAMMO sound effects. I bet Andy Gray will sit there, looking like a cat who's found a huge bath tub literally overflowing with cream, and will proclaim, with his fat, inanely-grinning face, that whoever loses are OFFICIALLY out of the title race. I bet Richard Keys will be sitting next to him, nearly falling off his chair with excitement fuelled by every single nonsensical utterance from Andy 2@face, rubbing his thighs with unrestrained glee. I also bet that LFC win and Arse v Chels will be a draw (and Manure will be out of the title race) 🙂

Originally posted by ElleEffSeee
I bet Andy Gray will sit there, looking like a cat who's found a huge bath tub literally overflowing with cream, and will proclaim, with his fat, inanely-grinning face, that whoever loses are OFFICIALLY out of the title race.

Andy Gray is my favourite sports commentator. I think he gets most things right, and wouldn't say that. 🙂

D