DJS

You can't just bemoan luck all the time, it's a lazy conclusion. If they're shyte, and they often are, the onus is on the opponents to take advantage of that. Spurs, being Spurs, didn't have the stomach for it after going behind. We need to make sure we have it in us to capitalise if/when they play shyte against us.

I'd based my 9pts prediction on winning at Stoke and the 2 home games but losing at Arsenal & United. It's only one game obviously but I thought the Mancs were so average today that, if Benteke hits the ground running for us, I'd fancy us to win there.

Why's Vorm starting for Spurs and Lloris on the bench? Depay has his first name on his shirt instead of his surname - what a whopper.

And Romero's meant to be bobbins too.

Borini may be going to Fiorentina but I don't attach any credence to anyone who uses terms like 'agent' on any social media handle.

9pts for me out of those.

It says everything about Glen Johnson's lack of self awareness that he thinks none of our signings walk into the first team, when one of them is a replacement for and huge upgrade on Johnson himself.

Do you think he'd go to somewhere like that though? I don't.

Without knowing what'll happen, you can only make general assertions but it's fair to say generally that the hardest 7 aways all upfront, makes it harder to have a good start. And a bad start can be very hard to recover from. Could've done without such a start in terms of aways but obviously the other side of the coin is that the early homes are mostly 'easy' on paper. Could balance things out a bit but it puts pressure on those home games.

€8m is about £5.6m - are we really not biting the hand off someone who offers that for Borini?? To be honest, I'd be tempted to take that sort of fee for Balotelli, let alone Borini.

It's not about things like time of year, or playing someone early/late being better. It depends on things like injuries/availability of players, new players having settled or not, general team form etc. One example is things like our rivals' games against top teams and the timing of them - if we're engaged in a battle for 4th with Man Utd, them having (for example) Arsenal, City & Chelsea in late April & into May, is largely rubbish for us because most things are usually settled by then. Likewise, you're better off not facing sides who'll be in a relegation battle towards the last few or eight games because those who do perform the great escape, often produce results during this period. There's all kinds of variables but without knowing things like injuries and form, it's impossible to make a statement as to when it's best to play certain sides.

No, not at all. I don't subscribe to the 'must win' part, that's hyperbole. Obviously though, given some of the away games that follow soon after, a win at Stoke would be a significantly useful result.

No.

Absolutely spot on. The "everyone plays everyone twice, it doesn't matter" argument is one of the laziest in football. The time that you play certain teams matters hugely.

They ain't winning the league.

For Cech to make the necessary difference, they'd need to have been mighty close to it last season. They weren't though so while he will improve them, he's not enough to bridge a gap of the size that it is. I may be proved wrong but I'm not putting any money on Arsenal to win it.

Sanchez will get a decent amount for an attacking mid. Cazorla may or may not do likewise. Walcott never stays fit. Welbeck is sh*t. Ozil hasn't ever lived up to the hype. Ramsey will score reasonably well for a midfielder. Don't see Oxlade getting a massive amount. All in all, none of those mentioned will score the amount needed for a title winning side's highest or second highest goal scorer, so they won't win the league.

Yeah but he doesn't stay fit.

If Giroud gets injured or has a dry spell, there aren't enough goals from elsewhere to compensate.

I'm a bit bemused by how many people are tipping Arsenal, is that just off the strength of getting Cech? He's a definite upgrade but I'm not sure it'll be the difference between their usual 3rd/4th and actually winning it.

Something like junction 18 of the M6. It's become a really modern place now. They've even got a Harvester there and everything.

Wishful thinking. There was the odd clip of him gesturing for the Southampton back four to push up a few yards. That'll be it.

I don't like saying this but we'll never have that solid organised defensive unit under Rodgers no matter who is in the back four.

I know the odds aren't in our favour for top 4 but only one out of 28 thinks we'll do it?? Boro.

Daily Mail article above about Sky withdrawing from La Liga bidding seems like it was a load of balls... http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11827/9935230/sky-sports-awarded-la-liga-for-another-three-seasons