Lucas

Saturday 13th August, 2022 Aston Villa 1-0 Everton, 12.30 Arsenal 2-1 Leicester Brighton 1-1 Newcastle Man City 5-0 Bournemouth Southampton 1-1 Leeds Wolves 1-1 Fulham Brentford 1-1 Man Utd, 17.30 Sunday 14th August, 2022 Nottm Forest 1-2 West Ham, 14.00 Chelsea 1-2 Tottenham, 16.30 Monday 15th August, 2022 Liverpool 3-1 Crystal Palace, 20.00

I'm glad you specified exactly what that was John because if you hadn't, I'd have been stumped

I watched this last night. I'd echo a lot of that, it was a very solid film all round. What I particularly liked was the film never felt like it dragged. Just an hour and 40mins and the pacing of the film in relation to the action was just right. Built up enough tension until the Predator was introduced fully. Really liked the scenery and interaction with the animal predators too (Cougar, Bear) to add a bit more to the story. The only thing I'd have possibly said is, would have maybe set the scene of the film better if they introduced the French Voyageurs at the start of the film and that the Comanche people were aware of their threat as they just seemed to be a bit too randomly introduced. What was interesting is if you watch the immediate credits where they had the Comanche drawings detailing the film, at the end they had 3 Predator ships coming their way. Not sure that means anything in terms of a sequel specifically but was a little tease anyway.

Working from home Fridays.

19th 16th

Really fancy Spurs here tbh. I get the feeling Conte would desperately love to get the win.

Got my ticket for tomorrow, looking forward to it, although won't be looking forward to the banter if we lose amongst my Saints supporting chums in the evening. Just hope we put in a better performance than last season's abject one. That really was disgraceful, not a single worthy effort at goal. Probably be the same team but after a week's training, we have Forshaw, Cooper and Sinisterra in the squad available from the bench and Dan James available from suspension. It's going to be boiling hot tomorrow so I feel the 5 subs on the bench could be massive and we have some good options to refresh there, especially with Gelhardt too. Very handy if we can pick up three points tomorrow because Saints may well be in and around the lower part of the league as us fighting.

That's some serious skills to randomly find our league unless they are forum lurkers not registered. Get them gone

I know, can't believe it's GW2 and he's still playing properly.

I've done this every year @Batard has created it, but I'll find it hard to beat last season's tip of Mason Greenwood being the youngster on everyone's lips Yes the season has started but I'm not one for judging 38 weeks off the back of one. Anyway, as some bloke on Twitter says, "here we go..." The Good Team - Tottenham Head tells me "Don't say it, don't say it..." and then my mouth says it. Tottenham are the team to watch. Done. I've said it. Do I think they can challenge for the title? No. They are not in the City/Liverpool bracket yet. But they can bridge that gap. 22pts they finished behind Man City last season. I expect Spurs for only the 2nd time in their PL seasons to hit the 80pt mark which would be a massive improvement for them. They'll have had a great season if they manage that, probably nailing 3rd in the process. Player - It would be very easy to say Haaland but I won't. But I think Gabriel Jesus will have an excellent season at Arsenal in a team where he will be made to feel like the main man, and every striker craves that. I fully expect him to be hovering around the top of the Golden Boot charts come May. Manager - Antonio Conte. As said before, I think Spurs will have a good season, I like their signings, and I think his winners mentality will push this squad to break boundaries they aren't used to It is all about changing the mindset of the players at the club and if anyone can, he can. 3rd and a cup would be a brilliant season for him. The Bad Team - Wolves I feel like the wheels are slowly coming off at the club. Lage has changed systems for the first time in about 5 years to what the players were drummed into under Nuno which could be dangerous. The goals seem to dry up as each season goes by for them, just too over reliant on Jimenez for me, especially when he is out. And I actually wonder if the clean sheets will be less now they have moved from the back 3 system. Losing club captain Coady could be a disaster, not just on the pitch but what he brings off it more so in his captaincy and personality. Player - Jesse Lingard. I just don't buy he's that interested in being at Forest. I think he's simply gone for the money and with the thought of getting a World Cup place being a regular. If they go down, he wont care because he'll be off so will he really push that hard to save them? I think he'll regret not going West Ham in a more competitive environment personally. Manager - Frank Lampard. Just don't rate the guy tactically and think he got extremely lucky to get away with the drop last season, it certainly wasn't his doing. The fans saved him. Everton are making some canny signings defensively but I really think scoring goals is a bigger issue. And I am not sure Lampard is the right person to get the best with the players he has. I am sure 9 months will be more than enough for him to get found out there. The flattering to deceive Team - Aston Villa. Each year they spend and bring in players expecting to make that next jump and yet, they serve up some pretty average football. If any team has underachieved last season it is them and they should be under some serious scrutiny if they languish in that 14th - 18th zone again given their outlay. Player - Phillipe Coutinho. Got the permanent move to Villa now so he can relax and disappear into the background, becoming anonymous for three quaters of the season before two great obligatory performances against Leeds of course. I think Coutinho is one of those that runs in and out of form over the season and finds it particularly hard to remain at a consistant level. Coupled with a habit of picking up niggly injuries, I feel like he'll end up fading into the background this season. There's no way he will be Villa's player of the season, I'll tell you that now. Manager - Steve Gerrard. It's a Villa hat trick, sorry. I'm just struggling to buy into the Gerrard hype. Come from Rangers with a lot of credit, been backed already quite well by Villa and should be getting more from the squad he has. No excuses really. I think his biggest issue is he doesn't know his best team and his record completely backs up their inconsistancies. If Villa have another mediocre season, it puts a serious black mark against Gerrard as a potential successor to Klopp, which as we all know, is the job he would ultimately want one day.

Great fact as well because I'd say he is a solid shout for most underrated 'keeper the Premier League has seen. Never felt he truly got the recognition he desrerved. By far my most favourite Leeds 'keeper and never put a foot wrong at Palace or Everton either. Certainly would have had a shed load more caps were it not for Seaman.

In fairness, @The Palace Fanmay well have invited some of his mates to play. Yes I know, controversial. Does he even have any?

Who are all these guys?

God damn that fucking dry pitch...

Not easy that and am gutted I can't have Bergkamp in there but this is me. Schmeichel will always be the O.G of Premier League keepers simply for how imposing and dominant he was for years. Trent is more dynamic going forward at RB but Neville was more of a solid all rounder, certainly better defensively, and that's what I'd prefer personally. Van Dijk and Terry in the middle would be imposing for any strikers to face, and Ashley Cole LB, who for me, is still the best the Premier League has seen in his position. I've gone for the physical dominance of Patrick Viera in the middle, along with the passing ability of Scholes and the silky David Silva orchestrating the attacks, I don't expect many to win the ball in this area of the pitch. The speed, skill and agility of Henry and Ronaldo pulling wide and cutting in with the ultimate predator, Shearer in the centre.