With the FA Community Shield match come and done (with a victory over Chelsea for THE ARSENAL), the Premier League is a week away.
Predictions, speculation, smack talk, enthusiastic cheering for your side: all welcome.
I, of course, will be cheering for ARSENAL…
Go GUNNERS!
Let me take this opportunity to be the first to say:
COYMFS!!!
Other than a general sense of long-term optimism based on faith in ownership, I don’t much know what to expect from Tottenham Hotspur, aka the Kings of North London, this year; I’m not familiar with our additions, but was happy with the subtractions, especially persuading some clueless Chinese team to pay real money for Adebayor’s useless carcass.
:dubious:
Pfft.
Haha, yeah. 
I missed you, too,** Knorf.**
It’s gonna be a fun season!
I’ll be pulling for Watford this year. Hope they can avoid relegation at least!
Although I do have a soft spot for Arsenal having recently read Fever Pitch.
Manchester United seem to lack a true striker. Surprised they have not bid on Morata. Everyone else seems to be raiding the Old Lady’s larder.
My predictions; Chelsea retain the title, with Man U running them close. Arsenal pip City to 3rd place and Liverpool’s relentless march to mid table mediocrity is affirmed.
CL. I cannot see anyone really challenging the established Euro supremacy. Chelsea might go far, but I suspect that they will peter out at the Semi’s stage at the latest.
Europa. Maybe the chance of a back entry to the CL might make the English take it seriously.
Isn’t that supposed to be Rooney? But yeah, it is a bit odd. If Rooney gets injured, who fills his role?
My feeling is that van Gaal is massively overrated as a manager, and that you guys are not going to show significant improvement this season compared to last. I will be rather surprised if ManU finish ahead of Arsenal. Arsenal’s and Chelsea’s (argh how I hate them) squads make “sense” to me as having strong potential to be title contenders in the BPL and UEFA CL. ManU’s squad just doesn’t; it seems to be a bit of a mess, especially if, as it seems, de Gea gets sold to Real Madrid. I felt that de Gea was at least 75% responsible for ManU not languishing in upper mid-table again last season.
Of course I could be wrong. It’s been known to happen.
I expect Arsenal to mount a serious title challenge and go deep in the CL. Pending everyone staying healthy, of course. With the big, long needed changes to the physio staff, all, it seems, for the better, this is far more likely. I hope.
Alderweireld and Trippier have both had decent seasons in the Prem. I think Wimmer was bought as one for the future. It’ll hopefully shore up our defence a bit. Poch has said he’s looking to give Pritchard a run in the first team and Dele Alli might at some stage, though I expect he’ll be blooded in the Europa and Capital One cups first.
On the downside it’s looking increasingly likely that De Gea’s off to Real, which might mean it’ll be hard to hang on to Lloris.
Let’s hope Kane’s not a one season wonder…
There has been a lot of stories of economic migrants crossing a body of water to claim asylum, and worries that they will take over parts of cities, turning them into ghettos. You only have to look at London N5 & N7 for proof of that.
Send the lot back to Woolwich.
So who should I cheer for? A lot of my ancestry is presumably English, but I haven’t been able to trace it back to England. I’ve been to London once and enjoyed it greatly, so I thought I’d cheer for a team from there. Most of my time was spent near the Holborn tube station, so I then thought I could cheer for the team closest to there – which I believe would be Arsenal by about a mile over Chelsea. However, I already cheer for Ajax (because of John O’Brien) and Barcelona (because of their Ajax ties). Would choosing Arsenal or Chelsea be too much bandwagoning? Should I go with Tottenham or West Ham (or someone else I’m not readily familiar with) instead?
Gotta love that moose.
Follow your conscience. I think picking a London team is a sound idea; I mean, the next time you’re in England, do you really want to have to traipse up to some decaying Northern industrial town to see your side? I think not. Obviously I would recommend Tottenham, but honestly, if you are the sort who likes to hang out in pubs with your fellow fans, you might want to check out thelocal supporters clubs and see who seems to be having the most fun. Then, pick Tottenham.
The obvious best choice: Arsenal.
What I suggest is doing what I did: watch several weeks of Premier League matches and notice which team catches and holds your attention, which for me were the Gunners.
I don’t understand LVG. He has been buying midfielders right left center, when that was not needed. United need at least one out and out CF, like the Torres of old, (cough Morata cough). Someone to hang off the shoulder of the last defender and make backlines quiver.
The Valdes treatment is a disgrace incidentally.
Would love for Everton to make another run at the Top 4 like they did two years ago. Last season was so disappointing.
Abbreviated Q & A fromCartilage Free Captain:
Q: What the heck is the Audi Cup?
A: A preseason friendly tournament hosted by Bayern Munich. Each year, three other teams are invited, typically two other Champions League heavyweights and one weaker team with high name recognition. This year’s guests are Real Madrid, AC Milan, and Tottenham Hotspur.
Q: Which of those is the weak team?
A: AC Milan.
Q: But…
A: Shut up.
Q: So Spurs will be playing two games in two days against world-class competition, three days before opening the EPL season against Man United. Other than money, is there any possible reason they would want to do this?
A: No.
Q: Doesn’t that make you kind of hate modern football?
A: Just think of the glory.
Q: But…
A: GLORY!!
Bullshit PK and red card. Cortois barely touched him. Cheating diving Frenchies 
From a different angle it looks like a decent call. Ill take my yellow card.
If this manages to stay a draw or should Chelsea lose, a home loss of points to Swansea might cost them the title. I know there are still 37 more games but this looks to be a very tight EPL race.
Swansea are playing very well.