2016
Division 2 stats and facts, who is ready for the big chair?
Division 2, in someways a copy of division 1, 2 clubs a cut and above the rest. One side who seem to be in desperate trouble.
Anything other than automatic promotion would be a disgrace for Man Utd and Inter who were two of the most under performing teams last year. Both should sit comfortably in the middle of Division 1. How much the great keeper Man Utd have is skewing their performance is hard to say, but as it is one player that is never injured then I expect them to do well.
Southampton if they can keep it clean at the back should get plenty of possession to feed their attacking duo, Roma should also challenge for the 3rd automatic spot. Realistically any team rate 89.2 or above could survive in D1 , so we look down as far as Ajax for the likely playoff contenders, which is a little higher than normal.Leverkeusen could be the biggest surprise but they lack any real depth and after last years miserable performance they really must do better. There are 5 obvious relegation candidates,.
Aston Villa have a reasonable attack and could survive. Newcastle have a slightly better midfield, Benfica are potent upfront but lack depth and defence. Inter also lack depth ,Spartak however are much the weakest in defence.
| GK | DEF | MID | ATT | Top18 | Average | ||
| 1 | Manchester United | 94.0 | 91.0 | 91.5 | 92.0 | 87.0 | 91.1 |
| 2 | Internazionale | 91.0 | 91.5 | 92.0 | 91.0 | 86.0 | 90.3 |
| 3 | Everton | 90.0 | 89.5 | 91.0 | 90.0 | 88.0 | 89.7 |
| 4 | Southampton | 89.0 | 89.0 | 91.0 | 91.0 | 87.0 | 89.4 |
| 5 | AS Roma | 91.0 | 90.5 | 91.0 | 90.5 | 84.0 | 89.4 |
| 6 | Ajax | 90.0 | 90.0 | 89.5 | 89.5 | 87.0 | 89.2 |
| 7 | Wolfsburg | 89.0 | 89.0 | 89.5 | 92.0 | 86.0 | 89.1 |
| 8 | Shakhtar Donetsk | 89.0 | 89.0 | 89.0 | 90.0 | 88.0 | 89.0 |
| 9 | Fenerbahçe SK | 89.0 | 89.0 | 89.0 | 89.5 | 88.0 | 88.9 |
| 10 | Sevilla | 88.0 | 88.5 | 90.0 | 90.0 | 87.0 | 88.7 |
| 11 | Leverkusen | 90.0 | 88.0 | 91.5 | 89.5 | 84.0 | 88.6 |
| 12 | Genoa CFC | 89.0 | 88.5 | 89.0 | 88.0 | 87.0 | 88.3 |
| 13 | Olympique Lyonnais | 88.0 | 88.5 | 88.5 | 89.5 | 87.0 | 88.3 |
| 14 | CSKA Moskva | 90.0 | 89.0 | 88.0 | 89.0 | 85.0 | 88.2 |
| 15 | ACF Fiorentina | 88.0 | 89.0 | 89.5 | 88.0 | 86.0 | 88.1 |
| 16 | Aston Villa | 88.0 | 88.0 | 88.0 | 89.5 | 86.0 | 87.9 |
| 17 | Newcastle United | 88.0 | 88.0 | 88.5 | 88.5 | 86.0 | 87.8 |
| 18 | SL Benfica | 88.0 | 87.0 | 89.5 | 90.5 | 83.0 | 87.6 |
| 19 | SC Internacional | 88.0 | 87.5 | 88.0 | 88.5 | 85.0 | 87.4 |
| 20 | Spartak Moskva | 88.0 | 86.5 | 88.5 | 87.5 | 85.0 | 87.1 |
PSV and a little bit of History
Its my third season with PSV and when I took over at the end of season one, it was a relegation battle which I am proud to say we fought and won and each season we have improved
Season 2 - 7th
Season 3 - 5th.
Season 1 - I was with WBA and a brief spell had us in top six at times and below stats showed we had a decent run Gomis banging the goals in.
Once at PSV I felt at home and the young crop of talent I had I tried to hang on to.
But after finishing 7th I realised we needed to improve so deals where done, which cost youth and good prospects for more established players. This gave me the top 5 finish but I learned again you need depth still. To overcome this scouts were send world wide and now for season four we can have no excuses in strength an depth.
First 11
Second 11
Also my youth team not as strong as last season but a couple stand out.
A good start with two wins in the league and I just want to highlight some key players starting with my goalkeeper.
Star Player and Midfielder
Other senior players who we need to perform at the highest level are,
A couple of players who wont feature for the first or reserve team are outstanding talents but also miss out on youth team due to age can go on loan to further there development.
And hopefully a star for the future.
Our Youth Team two stand outs are the two below we need some top performances from them specially against Madrid at the weekend.
Good Luck to all in the coming season and thats the latest from PSV and me.
A to V of D3 transfer ins and outs
Club-by-club look at the major transfer ins and outs during the close season and prospects for season 4.
Athletic Club
In: Rossi, Rico, RhodolfoOut: Soriano, Modeste, Samaris
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Losing Soriano (13 assists last season) to Fiorentina was a blow, but Rojiblancos boss Crisp will be hoping Rossi can add to his 36 goals in 89 starts. Could form an explosive partnership with Emenike (56 goals in 91)!
The Bilbao club will be looking to make the play-offs at least, and they appear to have the firepower to do so.
Besiktas
In: Mandanda, Kaka, Fischer, Sabitzer, Gabigol (loan)Out: Lima, Coke, Benat, Khrohn-Dehli, Zhirkov, Kucher, Orellana, Weidenfeller, Rafael…
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One of the most active managers on the newsfeed and in the transfer market, Besiktas boss Jamie Alldridge also seems to have developed quite a liking for bargains from Iceland. And young men… Or has his Mum borrowed his phone?
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Mandanda for Rafael and Krohn-Dehli looks like good business. And he’s definitely not parting with Wes Morgan…
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The former Sevilla and Basel boss will be looking to avoid a third consecutive relegation this time around, and will hope that his younger, blonder Nordic supermen can continue Besiktas’s year on year improvement into the play-offs at least.
Boca Juniors
No major transfers - Boca boss Kevin Wallace appears set to continue the club’s admirable policy of signing only Argentine players. He’s promised promotion or the sack, so will be hoping a sense of national unity can pay dividends and keep him in his job.
Cruzeiro
No major transfers - new Cruzeiro boss Isak Bellmann has found it hard to bring new players in, and will be hoping to continue to develop young stars of the future.
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Crystal Palace
No major transfers - currently serving a lifetime touchline and media ban, and only able to communicate with the outside world via hieroglyphs created with the Selhurst Park lawn mower, controversial Palace boss The Linder has promised to resign if the the club are relegated. Either that, or he wanted to re-sign Yannick Bolasie.
FC Basel
In: Rashford (loan)
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New Basel boss Brian Clough. I wouldn't say he's the best manager in the Top 100, but he's in the Top 100.
Galatasaray
No major transfers - new boss RJ Alston has barely had time to order his initialled asbestos training kit, let alone scout for and buy new players. Welcome to Hell!
Hamburger SV
In: Garcia, Vermaelen, Tremoulinas, Kabore, Wimmer
Out: Chiriches, Bolasie, Demichelis, Ferri, Muller, Rui, Sanchez
Der Dino manager David Marsden will feel he has strengthened defence and midfield, while adding some useful and youthful cover and future potential. Chairman looking for another strong promotion challenge to take Hamburg a step closer to being where a club of its size and history belongs - Division One!
Leicester City
In: Rafinha, Mertens
Out: Kante
Foxes boss Johann du Plessis will want to overcome his disappointment at losing in last seasons play-off lottery and focus on getting back to the form that justified their pre-season promotion favourites tag.
Lokomotiv Moskva
In: Ramos, Pizarro
Out: D'Ambrosio
New Loko boss Ashley Holtom got off to a flyer with a 4-1 win over Udinese, so perhaps isn't worried about changing things up too much.
Out: D'Ambrosio
New Loko boss Ashley Holtom got off to a flyer with a 4-1 win over Udinese, so perhaps isn't worried about changing things up too much.
Marseille
In: Nani, Ziyech, Potuk, Krohn-Delhi, Rafael, Drinkwater, Gomez, Berahino, Paloschi, Fontas, Samperio
Out: Motta, Mandanda, Aduriz, N'Koulou, Promes, Janmaat, Canales, Cigarini, Guiliano, Barrada, Joaozinho, Pinilla, Hahn, Dos Santos
Out: Motta, Mandanda, Aduriz, N'Koulou, Promes, Janmaat, Canales, Cigarini, Guiliano, Barrada, Joaozinho, Pinilla, Hahn, Dos Santos
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Another very active manager in the newsfeed and in the transfer market, former Athletic Club and Galatasaray boss Walter Gogh dreams of a longer stay in the south of France. He will hope his new faces get to know each other quickly.
Another very active manager in the newsfeed and in the transfer market, former Athletic Club and Galatasaray boss Walter Gogh dreams of a longer stay in the south of France. He will hope his new faces get to know each other quickly.
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PSV
In: Didavi, Keko
Out: Narsingh
Out: Narsingh
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PSV boss Heath Brown has promised to resign if he fails to guide the club to at least a top ten finish, but recognises that he must be one of the favourites for promotion this time.
PSV boss Heath Brown has promised to resign if he fails to guide the club to at least a top ten finish, but recognises that he must be one of the favourites for promotion this time.
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Sao Paolo
In: Ideye
Newly-promoted Sao Paolo boss Nick Wheels will be hoping for more spoon-bending magic from his players this season.
Sporting
In: Blaszczykowski, Vazquez, Mitroglou, Danilo, Fernandes
Out: Mario, Gutierrez, Neto, Pereira, Caio, Montero
One of the favourites to bounce back into Division Two, the the Lisbon clubs' mysterious manager Mister Malcolm has been wheeling and dealing as usual.
One of the favourites to bounce back into Division Two, the the Lisbon clubs' mysterious manager Mister Malcolm has been wheeling and dealing as usual.
Stoke City
No major transfers. Rumoured to be looking to replace current boss, the apparently muzzled Muz Muz.
Stuttgart
In: Remy
Out: Doumbia
Newly-promoted Stuttgart are chasing their third successive promotion under new boss Pat Roper.
Sunderland
In: Drmic, Lestienne, Oviedo
Out: Vainqueur, Ekici
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The Black Cats' boss Wayne Bullough will be hoping to build on last season's mid-table consolidation and has Gino's seal of approval.
The Black Cats' boss Wayne Bullough will be hoping to build on last season's mid-table consolidation and has Gino's seal of approval.
Swansea City
In: Assaidi
Not much activity from Swans boss Tony Lennox. Could be a long season ahead.
Udinese
In: Neustadter, Biabiany, Visca, Vargas, Siqueira, Pereira
Out: Arribas, Widmer, Finnbogason
Udinese boss Attila Olah has made some good signings to strengthen his team and will be looking to consolidate, at least, after last season's narrow escape.
Villarreal
In: Gomez
Out: Tomovic
Division Four Champions, the Yellow Submarine and boss Andrew Kelly hope Mario Gomez can fire them to further glory this season.
Division 1 Season 4 Stats and Facts
Who should win and who is odds on for the chop.
As ever Bayern and Barcelona dominate, at the other end it is hard to see how AC Milan will finish outside the relegation zone.
Firstly , this table is pure statistics. I look at each team, if in doubt I look at 442 or 352 as the more common formations. This year I have removed Top15 and Top21 and replaced that by Top18 , the 18th best player , not including duplicate keeper. The reason for this is that top sides were getting a double bonus from already good players , other strong sides had results skewed by players who were never going to play ( good or bad ).
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Bayern clearly have the best over all team. Barcelona sit a little behind but are much more vunerable to injuries during the season. Real and Juve make up the usual top 4. Of the rest Chelsea have the capability to make the top 4 as do Tottenham and Man City on a good day.
The joker in the pack surely must be PSG do they have a decent keeper coming in , if not they will finish a lot lower than the predicted 7th spot, if so then they could finish 4th or 5th.
From 8th to 15th it really will be about manager skill, as the teams are so closely packed in terms of ability. At the lower end, Porto and Milan will stuggle to impress against the lower teams. Zenit and Atletico lean heavily on their keeper, Atletico may will expect a boost during the season, Zenit may not be so lucky.
The team that will really suffer is AC Milan, promotion is a mixed blessing at the best of times, but they are probably the team least able to score against others and despite a good keeper and defence they are likely to see the ball half as often as they did against Schalke at the weekend. It would be a huge achievement if Mr Beddows keeps them out of the sack race.
Parfitt's Prediction Poll Reaction
Well well well. The start of another season, and time for another Top 100 FA sanctioned corporate BJ that involves everybody except Levante.
What a farce that predictor poll was. Honestly, you knew who was going to win it before the first vote was cast.
Let’s have a look at the results shall we?
First place 17 votes: Torino and Michael Hudson. Truly, is there anybody that saw it going differently? Take a look at the evidence. The Top 100 board is made up of Frank Hirst at Genoa in Italy. Stephen Beddows at AC Milan in Italy, and DP at Juventus in Italy. This is where the Italian mafia plot thickens even further. DP’s Juventus play in the beautiful city of Turin. You’ll never guess which other Italian side also plays in Turin….. Who knew that Huddo was in on the conspiracy as well? Clearly last season’s relegation has seen him go back to the regime running the show and beg for some forgiveness.
I’ve been watching all those Italian sides. Genoa, Juve, AC, the lot. Then at half time I found something more interesting to do.
Second place equal 5 votes: Celtic and Ruts: You know what, I used to have some respect for Ruts. Right up until Sunday actually. Steven Gerard was sent off against Celtic on Sunday, and all because of Ruts. The man was going mental on the touch line. I’ll be honest, I didn’t think he was trying to get Gezza dismissed to begin with, I was concerned for his health. I genuinely thought he was having a seizure at the side of the pitch. I was wrong though, and he was in fact acting like a scumbag. Gerrard walked for nothing, and we were down to 10 men. Now as you all know, I’m usually a very easy going kind of guy. I don’t get too excitable, and keep my views in check. That performance from Ruts though was an absolute disgrace. We were getting into the game, and in my opinion, we’d have gone on to win by 3 or 4 ourselves. Disgraceful scenes, but obviously Frank et al were watching and rigged the vote in his favour.
Second place equal 5 votes: Celta Vigo and Ryan Chisholm. Well well well. Another member of the Beddows clan is topping the pre season favourites list. Who’d have thunk it? Seriously, this “poll” is about as crooked as a tea party with Robert Mugabe and Nick Leason. Yep, it’s an absolute disgrace put together by people that couldn’t be any more shady if they were sitting under a parasol.
Third place 3 votes: Malaga and El Grego Bilboa. I’ll be honest, this one isn’t a bad shout. Not sure El Grego’s side have enough to quite go the distance, but they’re in woth a decent chance of second. Second to who though? Well it’s a no brainer isn’t it. Levante and Malaga #msfga
Fourth place 2 votes: Werder Bremen and Gav Hamer. I am stunned beyond belief that somebody other than Gav voted for Bremen to win the league. I can only assume that he got his other half to vote as well. Either that or the three amigos running this show promised to double the number of votes he gained. What an absolute sham. It’s disgusting, belittling and just plain disrespectful. Bremen get two votes, and we get none. I’ll say publically right now that when we play Bremen, we will beat them by at least 2 away, and 3 at home. Obviously that depends largely on the gross unfairness thrown in our direction on match day, but we are a much better side than them.
If you want to know how the league will actually look, then it won’t be too far from this.
1. Levante
2. Malaga
3. Twente
4. West Brom
5. Augsburg
6. Koln
7. Augsburg
While I’m at it though, it was good to see one of my players in the team of the week. I assume this will be a regular event, and come mid - season at the latest, we will have a minimum of 4 players nominated each week. Come seasons end, I would also expect that the whole TOTW is made up of whichever first XI I elect to play for any given match.
SC INTERNACIONAL SEASON 3 REVIEW & SEASON 4 PREVIEW
SC INTERNACIONAL SEASON 3 REVIEW & SEASON 4 PREVIEW
Welcome to the SC Internacional End of Season Review of Season 3 in Top 100. A short run down of how the Brazilian outfit gained their 2nd successive promotion to reach the dizzy heights of Division 2, after a 3rd place finish in Division 3.
Let’s rewind to the very beginning of Season 3, Downinho had guided Internacional to their first promotion in Top 100 after an impressive season and a 3rd place finish in Division 4. The team was on a high but endured a patchy end of season and maybe expected difficult times up ahead. Some players were still settling in after only coming into the squad towards the end of the season such as Paul-Georges Ntep and Bruno Alves.
The board still felt the team needed to be strengthened ready for the start of season 3, and Downinho managed to secure a deal for a solid centre back/defensive midfielder in the form of 88 rated Spanish international Mikel San Jose from Stuttgart in exchange for Lucas Castro and Rafael Toloi. (Luckily for Internacional San Jose rose to 89 a few days after his arrival!) However this was the only real strengthening that could be done.
(San Jose - massive signing!)
RATING BUMPS!
Despite the lack of arrivals, some players were given a helpful rise by SM:
Becker Alisson - GK - Age 23 - 87 > 88
Ander Capa - RB - Age 24 - 86 > 87
Gallardo Keko - RW- Age 24 - 85 > 87
Cedric Bakambu - CF - Age 25 - 87 > 89
These were sure to give Internacional a good chance for a respectable season.
THE SEASON
Unfortunately due to time limitations there will be no detailed match run down, but needless to say on the whole it was a great season, much more than was expected from anyone at the club. The best part was a particularly good run in the middle of the season after a promising start to catapult Inter into a title battle with Genoa. But a characteristic slump towards the end saw Inter slip and allow Rahul’ s Aston Villa storm to the title, with Frank Hirst’ s Genoa taking 2nd place to also earn back to back promotions, along with Mike Scalotti’ s Southampton who progressed via the playoffs. It was very close at the top towards the end, with PSV and Leicester City also in the mix for promotion, but Internacional were arguably the lucky ones who just managed to earn a win on final day against Galatasaray to end their slump and bag another unlikely promotion.
Downinho can also be very proud of his team for having the best defensive record in the league, conceding only 27 goals across 38 games, and contributing to the 2nd best goal difference in Division 3.
However, Cup competitions were unfortunately a write off from Round 1!
Here is the final Division 3 table of Season 3:
THE PLAYERS
Internacional’s standout players were attackers Paul-Georges Ntep and Cedric Bakambu. Ntep certainly settled in this season and was arguably the most important player, making the most Team of the Week appearances (9), and even making the Division 3 Team of the Season!
(Ntep - Player of the Season!)
(Bakambu - a solid campaign for Inter’s highest valued player)
Here is a table of the players’ statistics for the season:
PREPARATION FOR SEASON 4
The board demanded more transfer activity to strengthen the squad for Division 2 football, to attempt to meet the demands of the significant difference in class and quality. So Downinho has been busy wheeling, dealing, bidding and negotiating and has managed to strengthen in many areas. The squad size was always large but it lacked in quality, so 2 for 1 deals were to be the way to go.
ARRIVALS
Raul Jiménez - Age 25 - AM,F (RLC) - 88
The Mexico international attacker was acquired from Atlético Madrid in exchange for young highly tipped prospects Furtado William and Youssef Ait Benasser going the other way. Quality was needed now and the youngsters were serving little purpose in terms of games. Jiménez has scored on his debut in the 2-2 draw against Benfica, so is bound to play an important role for Internacional.
Andreas Samaris - Age 27 - CM/DM - 88
Luciano Narsingh - Age 26 - winger - 88
The Dutch international was signed from PSV in exchange for Daniel Didavi and Gallardo Keko. Two 87s who shared gametime traded for 1 88 improves quality again in the attacking third and is no considerable damage to the squad, as replacements have been bought. He also scored on his debut against Benfica on Sunday.
Christian Günter - Age 23 - LB - 86
A new backup LB was needed as Matthias Ostrozolek was sold to Marseille for failing to impress. Günter is a much better, younger prospect who is playing well for Freiburg in real life so should rise, and could easily be Inter’s undisputable starting left back in the near future. He was acquired in a deal for Odion Ighalo who was Level 2 unhappy.
Da Silva Eduardo - Age 33 - CF - 87
Daniel Miličević - Age 30 - AM (RLC) - 87
Veteran Bosnian will be a useful backup.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Who will be the next big thing at SC Internacional? Who might break through or having a good rating increase this season? Here’s the verdict:
Alassane Plea - Age 23 - AM,F (RLC) - 85
Willi Orban - Age 23 - CB - 83
Diego Demme - Age 24 - DM - 82
Same as Orban, but a starter in midfield for Leipzig… must be doing something right! Also due a big rise and then.. Who knows?
NEW LINE-UP
Downinho will field his strongest lineup. The only exception from the picture shown is that Marcel Risse will replace Capa as first choice right back, with Riise needing gametime due to being Level 2 unhappy, and due a rise to 88 very soon after some great club form for FC Cologne.
So that’s it! An opening day 2-2 draw against Benfica has got SC Internacional a point on the board as the Chairman expects the team to avoid relegation. That is what Downinho is dying to do. One thing is for sure, judging by the quality of teams in Division 2, a 3rd successive promotion is definitely out of the question!
THANKS FOR READING
Up and Hatem! Ben Arfa wins D3 opening day German derby for Hamburg
A Man of the Match performance and late winning goal for the maverick French playmaker.
Hamburg began their first season back in Division Three following hard-won promotion with a relatively short journey south to fellow new boys and old rivals Stuttgart. The Swabians had secured arguably an even harder-won promotion via the playoffs.
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| Stuttgart celebrate winning promotion in the D4 playoff final |
Back-to-back promotions, the Division Five title and Top 100 Shield success against Hamburg inevitably led to former Reds boss Feargal Hickey getting tapped up by bigger clubs. Still, it was somewhat of a surprise when Hickey left the comfort of the German heartlands for war-torn eastern Ukraine and Division Two side Shakhtar Donetsk.
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| Hamburg players training before the game |
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Hamburg boss Marsden started with just five of the team that finished third in Division Four last time out. During the close season, club captain Martin Demichelis moved to Atalanta, along with Yannick Bolasie, in a deal that saw new skipper and Division Four Team of the Year pick Thomas Vermaelen arrive at the Volksparkstadion. Similarly, Benoit Tremoulinas joined from Division Three champions Aston Villa, in exchange for Mario Rui. Raul Garcia came in from CSKA Moscow for Jordan Ferri, and Charles Kabore from Hellas Verona for Joaquin Correa. Marsden also splashed the cash on exciting young Sporting winger Carlos Mane. Other notable departures were Vlad Chiriches, who moved to Division One champions Spurs, and Nico Muller, who went to Champions League chasing Liverpool.
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Stuttgart, perhaps wary of Hamburg's front five, started with a counter-attacking 4-2-3-1 formation with a deep-lying playmaker, the Argentine Lucas Castro, and two wingers. Giovani dos Santos supported Remy up front.
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Hamburg kept the same 'suicidal' attack-minded formation and tactics that won them more games than any other team in Division Four last season, with Division Two Team of the Year pick Hatem Ben Arfa moving to a central attacking playmaker role.
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Stuttgart dominated possession from the off in an otherwise even and relatively uneventful first half, the two goals aside. Their two young wingers combined to open the scoring early doors, Christian Atsu starting and finishing a lovely move, which left Hamburgs defence chasing shadows.
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No changes by either side at half-time, and, predictably, it was more of the same for half an hour, with Hamburg perhaps having the better chances, including a disallowed goal for Ben Arfa (mysteriously unavailable in the highlights reel), and Kabore hitting the woodwork. Stuttgart made a couple of like-for-like changes on the hour, but it was Hamburg's substitutions and change of tactics and formation with fifteen minutes to go that swung the match their way.
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Twice Josef Martinez, playing on the left wing, ran rings around the tiring, ageing, and makeshift full-back legs belonging to Stephane M'bia leaving him utterly bamboozled in a heap on the floor. Third time lucky for Martinez, and M'bia didn't even bother tracking him as he crossed for Demba Ba to flick on. Ben Arfa timed his run to the near post perfectly and tucked the ball away past the despairing dive of 39 year old keeper Morgan de Sanctis in the home goal.
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Post-match, Marsden was delighted with the win:
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The Late, Late Olympiacos Season 3 Review!
[youtube=[www.youtube.com/watch](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CMfSIacMC4&w=320&h=266])
How to Add "Reveal Buttons" to Your Blog Post
Had a few people contacting me wanting to know how to add “Reveal Buttons” to their blog posts so thought I’d post it on the Blog so everyone can have a go or at least have it available for reference.
Firstly click the “HTML” button in the top left of the new blog post page, the code won't work if you use the "Compose" option as you would normally.
Rather than writing out the code simply cut and paste the code I've written below into your post.
The code in green does the same job as the “Read More” page break you put in after your intro.
The code
is a line space, so when you preview your post you can edit to add more in or take some out.
is a line space, so when you preview your post you can edit to add more in or take some out.
The rest of the code can be duplicated as many times as you want to put multiple items in the post but what you must do for each one is change the “spoiler” number I’ve highlighted in red otherwise it either won’t work or will reveal a previous item, for ease I just do it sequentially spoiler1, spoiler2, spoiler3, etc.
The hidden content can be text, link or photo, etc, if a photo just use the “Insert Image” tab at the top of the page which works the same as when composing a blog normally.
When you put in your text for the Reveal Button the quotation marks must remain.
Hope this is useful for those that may like to try it - Enjoy.
WRITE YOUR INTRODUCTORY TEXT TO THE ARTICLE HERE
THE TOP 100 - DIVISION 1 - SEASON 4 PREVIEW
Good day guys and welcome to the Division 1 preview for Season 4. The big question is can anyone stop Barcelona from making it 3 titles in a row. Bayern Munich seem to be the best bet to do this and if they had won the two head to head games against Barcelona instead of losing them then we would be talking about Bayern Munich trying to defend their title. These two teams were streets ahead of everyone else and for the other teams it seems to be a case of trying to close the gap on the big two. The last two seasons have seen Real Madrid and Juventus filling the 3rd and 4th places and one of these two teams will have the best chance of splitting the big two. After these four it is all to play for with no team standing out as possible title challengers. We also welcome Borussia Monchengladbach and Zenit St Petersburg into Division 1 for the first time. Will they be equipped to survive their first season in the big time? The other two promoted teams Tottenham Hotspur and AC Milan have been over the course before and will know what is required and with the success of last season's promoted teams they will feel they can do just as well.
So let's have a look at each team and what I think their chances are next season. Last season I picked four teams and their positions correctly with another seven either one or two places away. This means 55% were either correct or very close to being correct. Of course there were also a few that were way out so I guess the teams predicted to finish in the top 10 will hope they are one of the teams I predict well and the bottom 10 will hope I am way out with their prediction. Let's get on with it and remember that this is only for fun and no one should be offended at their predicted finish.
THE SEASON 4 PREVIEW:
MANAGER: STEPHEN BEDDOWS
LAST SEASON: 2nd (Division 2)
STADIUM: SAN SIRO
KEY PLAYER: Andrea BARZAGLI - The veteran defender is going to be vital for his experience as AC Milan find themselves under a lot of pressure from the top teams in the division.
BEST SEASON: 10th (Season 1)
AC Milan are back in the big time at the first attempt thanks to a well publicised season that seen them finish runners up to Tottenham in Division 2. How will they fare? I think it is going to be a tough season for Balotelli FC with the squad looking weak even with the addition of Leighton Baines to add experience to the back four. Balotelli will score goals but if he should pick up an injury that keeps him out for 7 or 8 games then they could be in trouble. Will be difficult but I feel they can just scrape by and ill be a Division 1 club next season.
STEPHEN BEDDOWS: We expect to be in a tough fight to stay up so anything higher than 15th would be a big achievement.
STEPHEN'S TITLE TIP: JUVENTUS
PREDICTED FINISH: 16th
OPENING FIXTURE: FC SCHALKE (A)
TEAM: ARSENAL
MANAGER: MICHAEL BOWES
LAST SEASON: 8th
STADIUM: EMIRATES STADIUM
KEY PLAYER: Nemanja MATIC - The signing from Borussia Dortmund will be expected to run the midfield and most of Arsenal's attacks should begin with him. If he clicks then so will Arsenal.
BEST SEASON: 8th (Season 1, Season 2, Season 3)
Three 8th places in 3 seasons should make Arsenal the easiest team to predict out of them all but boss Michael Bowes seems to be determined that this will be the season that Arsenal climb the table. Arsenal have spent big over the close season with players like Lacazette, Son, Thiago, Kondogbia and Matic all arriving at the club. These signings, if they can click straight away, could be the difference makers and I have to believe that this can be the season that Arsenal start to fulfil their potential.
MICHAEL BOWES: Our ambition this season will be as it always is and that is to improve our final league position and/or our points total. We will also hope to improve in the cups and get one step further and reach a Final. We, of course, will be wanting to improve the squad as the season goes on.
MICHAEL'S TITLE TIP: BAYERN MUNICH
PREDICTED FINISH: 5th
OPENING FIXTURE: BARCELONA (H)
TEAM: ATLETICO MADRID
MANAGER: THE DOCTOR
LAST SEASON: 16th
STADIUM: VICENTE CALDERON
KEY PLAYER: Jan OBLAK - Oblak is, if not already, going to be one of the top goalkeepers in the world and he is going to be vital if Atletico are to avoid another struggling season.
BEST SEASON: 6th (Season 1)
Last season was tough for Atletico Madrid but they managed to do enough to retain their 1st Division status. Atletico are no longer a team to fear and with no activity in the transfer market, this could be another struggling season for the Spanish club. No matter how hard I tried to find reasons for them to have a decent season, I couldn't find any and come the end of the campaign I feel that Atletico will be on the way down to Division 2
THE DOCTOR: Our aim next season is not to have to sell anybody unless an amazing deal comes along that we cannot refuse. We intend to allow this team to grow together and, over time, can achieve greatness which will start this season with our first major trophy.
THE DOCTOR'S TITLE TIP: ATLETICO MADRID
PREDICTED FINISH: 17th
OPENING FIXTURE: SS LAZIO (A)
The Doctor was tested for illegal substances after his comments. The results of this test will not be revealed.
TEAM: BARCELONA
MANAGER: SCOTT McKENZIE
LAST SEASON: CHAMPIONS
STADIUM: CAMP NOU
KEY PLAYER: Lionel MESSI - This one is not rocket science. 82 goals in the 97 games he has played over the three seasons so far shows how important he is to the two times title winners.
BEST SEASON: CHAMPIONS (Season 2, Season 3)
Barcelona retained the title with a record 105 points, a total that may never be bettered. Can they make it 3 in a row? With little activity in the transfer market, Scott seems to be happy with his lot with improving the youth side of the team being the focus this season. Bayern Munich look to be the only team up to the task of challenging them for the title but I think that although they won't achieve as many points as last season, Barcelona will still be too strong for them.
SCOTT McKENZIE: Our ambition is to keep hold of our title and to try and reach a cup final. We also want to try and improve our youth squad to try and give us a great all round squad.
SCOTT'S TITLE TIP: BARCELONA/BAYERN MUNICH (Scott couldn't split them)
PREDICTED FINISH: CHAMPIONS
OPENING FIXTURE: ARSENAL (A)
TEAM: BAYERN MUNICH
MANAGER: GURSIMRAM BRAR
LAST SEASON: 2nd
STADIUM: ALLIANZ ARENA
KEY PLAYER: Andres INIESTA - Bayern are packed with so much talent but Iniesta is not contributing enough from midfield. If he can score as many goals as he should then Bayern could take the title.
BEST SEASON: 2nd (Season 2, Season 3)
Only the two head-to-head defeats to Barcelona prevented Bayern from becoming champions in Season 3 so they will be determined to fix that this season. They are being heavily tipped to go one better than last seasons runners-up place but they have to make sure that they don't put so much effort into beating Barcelona that they slip up in other areas. Sadio Mane has been added to the squad to give them another option up front but in the end I think it looks like another second place for Gursimran and his German outfit
GURSIMRAN BRAR: Our ambition this season is to win the league and cup double.
GURSIMRAN'S TITLE TIP: BAYERN MUNICH
PREDICTED FINISH: 2nd
OPENING FIXTURE: ZENIT ST PETERSBURG (A)
TEAM: BORUSSIA DORTMUND
MANAGER: LEE REYNOLDS
LAST SEASON: 6th
STADIUM: SIGNAL IDUNA PARK
KEY PLAYER: Miralem PJANIC - The new signing from Chelsea has a chance to make a big impression and linking up with Modric could make this a dream central midfield.
BEST SEASON: 6th (Season 3)
Last season Lee wanted to make sure Dortmund didn't become known as a yo-yo team and he managed that with plenty to spare, finishing 7th. Dortmund are an entertaining attacking team and if the defence could improve then they could become a regular top 6 side. Maybe surprisingly, Dortmund did not bring anyone in that could strengthen the back line but instead brought in Pjanic and Daniel Sturridge. While the strength of the midfield should be enough to keep them in the top half of the table, the defence may mean they cannot repeat a top 6 place
LEE REYNOLDS: This season we want to repeat the qualification of a European competition
LEE'S TITLE TIP: BAYERN MUNICH
PREDICTED FINISH: 7th
OPENING FIXTURE: JUVENTUS (H)
TEAM: BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH
MANAGER: ALEKS POLONCZYK
LAST SEASON: 3rd (Division 2)
STADIUM: BORUSSIA-PARK
KEY PLAYER: Mario MANDZUKIC - The Croatian striker is going to be the man that Borussia depend on to get them the goals that could keep them up this season.
BEST SEASON: N/A (First season in Division 1)
Borussia Monchengladbach compete in Division 1 for the first time and it is sure to be an exciting journey for the club's fans. Manager Aleks Polonczyk has done an amazing job with the German outfit and he has shown loyalty to the squad that got them here by not adding any players during the close season. Unfortunately, the squad looks very weak and as much as I admire Aleks managerial skills, I think this might be too big a mountain that even he can climb. I think the club and fans will enjoy the occasion but at the end of the season I expect Monchengladbach to be sliding back to Division 2
ALEKS POLONCZYK: Our ambition this season is to finish above Mr Beddows' AC Milan clowns.
ALEKS'S TITLE TIP: BARCELONA
PREDICTED FINISH: 19th
OPENING FIXTURE: TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (A)
TEAM: CHELSEA
MANAGER: JAMES McKENZIE
LAST SEASON: 13th
STADIUM: STAMFORD BRIDGE
KEY PLAYER: Marco REUS - Reus arrived from Borussia Dortmund last week and should flit between attacking midfield and striker roles. Could be the one that takes some weight of Lewandowski and helps Chelsea to a better season
BEST SEASON: 7th (Season 2)
Last season Chelsea underachieved and no one knew it more than a disappointed James McKenzie. The 13th place finish was not good enough for the manager, the players, the fans and the owner so this season could be a make or break. Once again Chelsea have made several changes to the playing staff with Marco Reus being the biggest name. They have also made good investments in Thorgan Hazard and Marco Asensio. In spite of all this I fear the pressure to do well could be too much for the team and I could be a long season for the Stamford Bridge club. For me, they will finish nearer the bottom than the top without being in danger of relegation. I hope I am proved wrong.
JAMES McKENZIE: Chelsea will be aiming for a Top 4 place as we think that Bayern won't be able to keep up the pace this time and Real Madrid are weaker.
JAMES'S TITLE TIP: BARCELONA
PREDICTED FINISH: 15th
OPENING FIXTURE: MANCHESTER CITY (A)
TEAM: FC PORTO
MANAGER: ANDRE GUERRA
LAST SEASON: 10th
STADIUM: ESTADIO DO DRAGAO
KEY PLAYER: Hector HERRERA - Struggled last season and only played half of the games, producing just one goal and no assists but if he can produce the form he is capable of then he could be the spark Porto need.
BEST SEASON: 5th (Season 2)
After a superb debut season in the top flight, it was always going to be tougher in Season 3 and that was how it turned out as Porto struggled near the bottom in the first half of the campaign. Boss Andre Guerra, however, turned the team round and they rediscovered their good form and climbed the table, managing another top 10 finish. Lucas Lima has been added to the squad for Season 4 and Porto will again be a hard team to beat. A more steady season is likely and it will be a mid-table finish for the Portuguese club.
ANDRE GUERRA: Our ambition is to finish in the Top 4, possibly at the expense of Real Madrid or Juventus, and qualify for the Champions Cup, but that is aiming extremely high. I will be happy if we finish Top 8.
ANDRE'S TITLE TIP: BARCELONA
PREDICTED FINISH: 11th
OPENING FIXTURE: SSC NAPOLI (H)
TEAM: FC SCHALKE
MANAGER: SAMEER ARSHAD
LAST SEASON: 15th
STADIUM: VELTINS ARENA
KEY PLAYER: Joao MIRANDA - Will be very important in a defence that lacks depth. Has to use all his experience in organising the players around him and stay clear of injury.
BEST SEASON: 15th (Season 3)
After a fine start to the season, Schalke dropped like a stone and they ended up in a relegation battle. At the end they picked up some valuable wins and managed to finish 15th and escape the drop. This season boss Sameer Arshad has only added veteran Tomas Rosicky to the squad and for me that spells trouble. Cavani and Tevez up front are Schalke's best hope of picking up enough wins to stay out of trouble but the distinct lack of depth throughout the team means that any injuries or suspensions will hurt and I don't think they are going to survive this season
SAMEER ARSHAD: Our aim for this season is to try and qualify for a European competition and to try and have a good run in one of the domestic cup competitions.
SAMEER'S TITLE TIP: REAL MADRID
PREDICTED FINISH: 18th
OPENING FIXTURE: AC MILAN (H)
TEAM: JUVENTUS
MANAGER: DP91
LAST SEASON: 4th
STADIUM: JUVENTUS STADIUM
KEY PLAYER: Paul POGBA - His work in linking the defence to the attack will be vital if Juventus are to break into the top 3. A few more goals would also make a difference.
BEST SEASON: 4th (Season 2, Season 3)
Juventus finished 4th for the second season in a row but they had to depend on a strong finish to attain that. For this season, a top 4 place might not be enough for the owner and directors of the club and they will be looking for a stronger challenge from DP and his boys. Nathanial Clyne has been brought in to strengthen the options at full back but it will take more than him for Juve to be challenging for the title. Yet another 4th place looks likely without closing the gap to the teams above them.
DP91: For season 4 we have to look at improving on our last two seasons of finishing 4th and that, of course, is finishing in the Top 3. Despite the imminent arrival of Aubameyang to improve the forward line I don't believe we'll have enough about us to challenge for the title just yet due to still having a number youngsters whom need time to improve & therefore not having the rounded squad to compete week in week out.
DP91'S TITLE TIP: BAYERN MUNICH
PREDICTED FINISH: 4th
OPENING FIXTURE: BORUSSIA DORTMUND (A)
TEAM: LIVERPOOL
MANAGER: GORDON 'GINO' KINNEAR
LAST SEASON: 5th
STADIUM: ANFIELD
KEY PLAYER: Diego COSTA - Liverpool will look to him to provide the goals that can keep them up in the top 6. Has to show more than he did at the end of last season.
BEST SEASON: 5th (Season 3)
Liverpool exceeded all expectations a they finished 5th after only escaping relegation on the last day of the season before. The improvement in defence was the main reason for this and boss Kinnear will be looking to the defence to stay firm. The addition of Nastasic should further strengthen the back line but Mascherano, Juanfran and Luis are not getting any younger and injuries may play a part this season. Nicolai Muller has been brought in to add to the depth up front but with the extra Champions Cup games, Liverpool will struggle to repeat last years fifth place.
GORDON KINNEAR: We totally surpassed our hopes for last season by finishing 5th and to achieve that again might be asking a bit much but Top 10 is definitely very possible and if we fail to finish in the Top 10 then I would have to say we have failed. A good cup run would be welcome as we have never made an impact in any of the cups. It's our first season in Europe and to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions Cup would satisfy our ambition.
GORDON'S TITLE TIP: BARCELONA
PREDICTED FINISH: 8th
OPENING FIXTURE: VALENCIA (A)
TEAM: MANCHESTER CITY
MANAGER: WILL TRAFFORD
LAST SEASON: 14th
STADIUM: ETIHAD STADIUM
KEY PLAYER: Pierre-Emerick AUBAMEYANG - First full season for City and he can score the goals that City will need to avoid the relegation threat of last season.
BEST SEASON: 11th (Season 1)
At one stage of the season, Manchester City looked certain to be relegated but Will Trafford turned things around and made a great escape, finally finishing 14th. For Season 4 Will has signed Juan Jesus and William Carvalho to strengthen the squad and with confidence still high, City can make a much better impression in Season 4 and I wouldn't be surprised if a European place is the reward for all the hard work that has went into making City a better team.
WILL TRAFFORD: We aim to cement our place within the division. In all honesty, relegation may have been better for us with the fundamental changes and redevelopment that the squad requires. However, after the greatest comeback in City's history we will look to carry the form on and finish in the Top 10
WILL'S TITLE TIP: BAYERN MUNICH
PREDICTED FINISH: 9th
OPENING FIXTURE: CHELSEA (H)
TEAM: PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN
MANAGER: GARY NAYLOR
LAST SEASON: 11th
STADIUM: PARC DES PRINCES
KEY PLAYER: Zlatan IBRAHIMOVIC - When is Zlatan not the key player? Even at 35yo he will be the one that every opposition team worry about.
KEY PLAYER: Zlatan IBRAHIMOVIC - When is Zlatan not the key player? Even at 35yo he will be the one that every opposition team worry about.
BEST SEASON: 11th (Season 3)
PSG's immediate return to Division 1 went reasonably well although they tapered off towards the end of the season and just failed to make the top 10. 11th was still good enough to earn a place in the Euro Shield and it will be interesting to see how they balance the two. The Ibrahimovic/Benzema strike force is one of the best in the league but the depth is non-existent. Surprisingly PSG have yet to add to the squad and unless they do so then they may struggle. They are a hard side to predict for the season ahead but lower mid table wont be far away.
GARY NAYLOR: Our ambition is to finish in the Top 4. It's a very tough league but it's time we started competing.
GARY'S TITLE TIP: BARCELONA
PREDICTED FINISH: 14th
OPENING FIXTURE: REAL MADRID (H)
TEAM: REAL MADRID
MANAGER: ROY KEANE
LAST SEASON: 3rd
STADIUM: SANTIAGO BERNABEU
KEY PLAYER: Thomas MULLER - 28 goals in 33 games says it all and he will need to do it all again if Real want to challenge for the title.
BEST SEASON: 2nd (Season 1)
Although Real Madrid finished 3rd last season, they were a whole 24 points behind Bayern Munich in 2nd. Real went through a poor patch that seen them drop a lot of points and if they can avoid the same sort of spell then they could get a lot closer to the top two. The addition of Joshua Kimmich is a great move by Roy Keane but although I think that Real can get a lot closer to the clubs above them, I doubt that they can overcome a 24 point difference.
ROY KEANE: We want to win back our World Club Championship trophy and win that Division 1 title. We went for the cups last season and we reached 4 finals although we only won 2 of them. We sacrificed league games before any cup ties but we know where we went wrong. It will be a lot tighter this season, I can promise you that.
ROY'S TITLE TIP: REAL MADRID
PREDICTED FINISH: 3rd
OPENING FIXTURE: PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN (A)
TEAM: SS LAZIO
MANAGER: FRED DODGER
LAST SEASON: 9th
STADIUM: STADIO OLIMPICO
KEY PLAYER: Lucas BIGLIA - Can influence the players around him to give their all and supply the strikers as Lazio try and show last season was no fluke
BEST SEASON: 9th (Season 3)
SS Lazio had a fantastic debut season in Division 1. Fred Dodger worked miracles with one of the weakest squads in the league and I doubt anyone would have predicted Lazio's 9th place finish. Fred has added four players to his first team squad including Roncaglia and Rotan but it still looks one of the weakest on paper. Fred is going to have to work his magic again and while I doubt he can have the same success, I doubt Lazio will ever be in bother.
FRED DODGER: It's hard for us to set an aim but I would like to think that we can make it into Europe again via the league
FRED'S TITLE TIP: REAL MADRID
PREDICTED FINISH: 13th
OPENING FIXTURE: ATLETICO MADRID (H)
TEAM: SSC NAPOLI
MANAGER: ROB RYAN
LAST SEASON: 7th
STADIUM: STADIO SAN PAOLO
KEY PLAYER: Gonzalo HIGUAIN - Will want to improve on his 10 goals from last season and will look to Hamsik to provide the ammunition
BEST SEASON: 7th (Season 3)
Napoli surprised a lot of people, myself included, with a season that seen them finish 7th and win the World Club Championship. Rob Ryan has done a fantastic job with the players at his disposal and Napoli will now be getting the respect they deserve. Rob has added Jose Fonte and Aleksander Kolorov to strengthen the defence and veteran Sergio Garcia to back up the strikers. There is no reason that Rob's style of management won't continue to be successful and I wouldn't be surprised to see another cup in the trophy cabinet. For the league I see continued improvement and a top 6 finish.
ROB RYAN: Napoli will be hoping to build on last season's 7th place finish and World Club Cup victory. Whereas qualifying for a European competition is now a must (finishing 5th - 10th place) we are expecting a sustained campaign and to push for a Top 4 place. Last year's cup runs, excluding the WCC, were somewhat of a disappointment so reaching the quarter finals across the board should be a minimum requirement for these also. With one eye on the future we also hope to improve our youth set up and challenge to the last 8 in the Youth Cup.
ROB'S TITLE TIP: BARCELONA
PREDICTED FINISH: 6th
OPENING FIXTURE: FC PORTO (A)
TEAM: TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
MANAGER: DAVID THE FOX PIERO
LAST SEASON: 7th
STADIUM: WHITE HART LANE
KEY PLAYER: Hugo LLORIS - The French goalkeeper will have to be at the top of his game to ensure Tottenham stay clear of the relegation fight.
BEST SEASON: 19th (Season 1)
Tottenham Hotspur returned to Division 1 after two seasons absence by winning a tight race for the 2nd Division title. They look to have the players in place already that can keep their Division 1 status and the return of Danny Rose from AC Milan further strengthens the team. Of the four promoted teams, Tottenham seem to have the strongest squad and this will be reflected in their league campaign. A mid-table finish is likely although don't be surprised to see them up with the leading sides early on.
DAVID THE FOX PIERO: Our ambition is an obvious one and that is not to get relegated.
DAVID'S TITLE TIP: REAL MADRID
PREDICTED FINISH: 12th
OPENING FIXTURE: BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH (H)
TEAM: VALENCIA CF
MANAGER: DAVID SENIOR
LAST SEASON: 12th
STADIUM: MESTALLA
KEY PLAYER: Alvaro MORATA - Will provide his fair share of assists and goals as Valencia try for a top ten finish. Best all round player in the team.
BEST SEASON: 7th (Season 1)
Valencia seem destined to be a mid-table team forever although last season they would have been disappointed at failing to secure a top ten place after it had looked likely halfway through the season. Boss David Senior has not made many waves in the transfer market with only Chris Kramer being added to the first team squad. This could mean that David is giving his squad a vote of confidence and is happy that they can make an impact. I think Valencia can scrape into the top 10 this season and also have a good chance of retaining the Euro Shield.
DAVID SENIOR: Another season of consolidation in the league is the aim at Valencia with avoiding a relegation fight the primary goal. Beyond that, finishing higher than we did last season combined with a decent run in one or both of the cup competitions are secondary expectations. Winning last season's Euro Shield was a welcome bonus and reaching the latter stages again this time around should be an achievable ambition.
DAVID'S TITLE TIP: BARCELONA
PREDICTED FINISH: 10th
OPENING FIXTURE: LIVERPOOL (H)
TEAM: ZENIT ST PETERSBURG
MANAGER: LIBAAN HASSAN
LAST SEASON: 7th (Division 2, play off winners)
STADIUM: PETROSKIY
KEY PLAYER: Ezequiel GARAY - Will be vital in the heart of a defence that will see plenty of action in Season 4. Will have to win a huge percentage of cross balls into the Zenit box.
BEST SEASON: N/A (First season in Division 1)
Zenit make their top flight debut after being the surprise winners of the Division 2 play-offs. Their seventh place finish in Division 2 would suggest that they would be odd on favourites to go back down again and I agree with that suggestion. The squad looks very weak on paper and I feel that promotion has come to early for the Russian side. Manager Libaan Nassan has added Max Gradel to the squad and although that does strengthen the midfield, I just don't see where the wins are coming from. The promoted sides were full of surprises last season but this would be an even greater one if Zenit managed to stay up
LIBAAN HASSAN: Our ambition is to see how far up the table we can reach but the priority is to avoid relegation. We are not particularly expecting or aiming for the title but we will dealing with every game that comes our way, one match at a time and will make the most of each one
LIBAAN'S TITLE TIP: Unsure, but someone will unseat Barcelona.
PREDICTED FINISH: 20th
OPENING FIXTURE: BAYERN MUNICH (H)
A summary of the title tips:
BARCELONA ............. 37.5%
BAYERN MUNICH ....... 27.5%
REAL MADRID ........... 20%
ATLETICO MADRID .... 5%
JUVENTUS ............... 5%
So that is the preview for Season 4 and remember it is all just a bit of fun and it is not to be taken seriously nor should anyone be upset of offended by any of the comments. The Manchester City key player Aubameyang, I believe, is moving to Juventus but I can't be arsed changing it. I will also point out that there may be other deals involving players mentioned already agreed but I can not be expected to know this.
All that remains is that I wish everyone luck for the new season and I hope you enjoyed reading the preview
Ciao