Gribz

Really don't see Lennon lasting the season. He may even have packed up by Christmas. Hearts out 2 cups also, last year they punched above their weight and for me it just proved there isn't much between 8 or 9 top flight clubs and the likes of Falkirk, Raith, QotS etc hence why a 18-20 team top flight makes more sense.

This has to be the most wide open start to a season that I can recall. Id say there is 6 realistic title contenders. For me its Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man City, Man Utd and Spurs. Although I do think the top 2 will be the Manchester clubs. Arsenal - Top 4 experts but once again haven't signed in the right places. Its a myth that Wenger doesn't spend, he does (Sanchez 37m Ozil 42m, Welbeck 16m, Chambers 16m, Debuchy 8m, Xhaka 31m, etc), he just doesn't spend it in the right areas. He got the keeper position sorted last summer but they have been crying out for a world class centre half for years. They have got rid of players who were finished - Rosicky, Flamini and Arteta - and the midfield if injury free looks scary - Wilshire (if fit), Xhaka, Coquelin, Elneny, Ramsay, Cazorla, Ozil, Ox-Chamberlain. But 3rd for me due to injuries and they are 2 players short of being champions. Chelsea - This is the first Chelsea appointment since Ranieri where they look exciting. Pre-Mourinho 2004-05 they were the entertaining side to watch. All the other managers came and went but it was still Mourinho's type of team. I have no idea what to expect from this Chelsea, I can see them having 4-2 and 3-3 games this season. I like the look of Conte and he will adopt a typical strong Italian defence but attacking going forward and they have some terrific pacey players. I think 4th for them. Liverpool - Surprised how much they have spent yet none of the players brought in are world class. Klopp is a top manager who puts together good units and gets an extra 10% out of players but they are short of top players to be title contenders. Its Klopps first full season so expectations should be top 4 but I think 5th. Man City - Looking forward to seeing how Pep sets out the team. His attacking players are top notch but transforming the defence to his passing style may mean they have plenty mistakes in them. The battle between Pep v Jose is intriguing. Its a bit of a rebuilding job with Toure aging and Kompany always injured, but the quality they have should still see them top 2. I'll say 2nd. Man Utd - Fast returning to the mid to late 90s of the team everyone loves to hate - that's down to Jose. What he has done with Schweinsteiger and Mata is typical Jose and is the difference between Jose and Sir Alex. The latter would never have done things publically. The signings have been what they have needed for years and they have a proper shape about them again. Bailly looks a top centre half and Pogba completes their midfield. They have plenty options in midfield, on the wings and upfront. Jose knows how to win games even when playing poorly. I hope they are outside the top 4 but I can see them being Champions. Spurs - Kept all their players and added a few. Having Champions league games may take a bit out of them. Last year they made 11 changes for the Europa so they could have a title run but in the CL they will play their strongest sides. It will be good to see how they react from almost champions to slipping to 3rd. Its all about how you go again and they will either be the same again or drop down to around 6th. The group of second level teams has never been stronger also. Champions Leicester will be in this group IMO. They have only lost Kante so far but added a few good players but I cant see them doing the same again especially with CL football. But what a season it will be for them again with CL. I see an improved Everton, West Ham and Stoke in this section. Southampton could be in this tier but I think they will go a bit backwards after losing Koeman, yet I thought the Dutchman was wrong to leave St Marys for Goodison as he was building something good there and was a possible replacement for Wenger in 12 months time or a possible next Barcelona manager. Everton are ambitious but its a bit of a side step IMO. Sunderland and Moyes looks a good match and I think Middlesboro will be ok along with Palace, Swansea and West Brom. There isn't much between these teams. I think Hull are already down, they only have about 10 fit players and no manager. I think Watford were crazy to change their manager which could cost them and then its one from Bournemouth or Burnley to drop down. Im predicting. Man Utd Man City Arsenal Chelsea Liverpool Tottenham Everton Leicester West ham Stoke Swansea Southampton Crystal Palace Sunderland West Brom Middlesboro Bournemouth Burnley Watford Hull

Watched the first half and we totally dominated the game bar a 3-5 minute Hamilton spell where they got the goal which was well taken. I thought we opted to go down the flanks too much and need some more creativity in the centre of the final 3rd, that's where I think Windass will be important. But McKay continues to impress and Tav is Arsenal-Esk at flying down the wing. Thought Kranjcar was well of the pace. Waghorn should have been where Miller was from the start. It was one too many 35+ year old in the starting line up. Id feel much more comfortable if we do some good business at centre half though, thinking about trickier away games - Id be a bit nervous with any 2 of our current 3. Hill may get up to speed with a few games but for 40+ games further improvements are needed.

Thanks Pete. I think its not a case of accepting 2nd, I think its more seeing the progress. Seeing a competitive team fighting for the league would be an achievement. I do think we can win the league but there would be no shame in being runners up all things considered.

Top 2 for me is acceptable in this return to the top flight. That's realistic. I certainly don't think Aberdeen and Hearts are better than us. Celtic do have a higher budget and know how to win against the rest which they have done for a few years now. Head to Head we proved at Hampden in April we can match them. Our challenge is beating the rest of the league on a weekly basis now and not in a one off cup match - I think with the players we have we will certainly be top 2. I like the look of Windass and Rossiter while Barrie McKay is reborn with the talent we knew he had. If Barton can produce 75% of what he did last season he will control every game. I actually think not having Europa League is to our advantage, its a season too early on the football side whilst it would have been a financial welcome. But with hindsight, not getting promotion under McCall at Motherwell a year ago was better as it gave Warburton a year of settling without the pressure of top flight, I think playing Thursday / Sunday would hamper our challenge this season. For me 2nd and challenging would be good stead similar to when Walter came back and replaced PLG - it was a statement that season and then we won 3 in a row....however 1st and winners is not beyond us at all.

Results certainly went their way at the weekend but I just get the feeling they will still go. But its super close down their now.

Hmmm its a shame for Newcastle as I like them as a team and their fans. Yet if Norwich go down then bye bye Naismith who id gladly see go down.

Or I other words someone will need to have a bad run. City and Arsenal have just had theirs. Spurs are flying so could be due a bad run. However if I was a betting man Id probably be backing Spurs to win it now, they have the youngest and more fit (fit not hot haha) squad. Leicester, Spurs and Arsenal still have to play West Ham also

I seriously wouldn't bet against this and it would be a display of total unsporting integrity. If Dundee Utd go down then the teams 3rd and 4th in the Championship should be going up. Id probably say Aston Villa have a better chance in staying up than Dundee utd.

Pochettino linked to Man utd today. Again the BBC running a story that they have spoken to his people, the same way as they have spoken to Mourinho. Pretty poor if they have, they should just get rid of LVG first unless they have an internal agreement that is hush about leaving at the end of the season. Cant see Pochettino going to Man Utd now though, Spurs are in a far better position right now and he has done a great job building HIS team in the last 6 months and they are a banker for top 4.

Id certainly be having a flutter on that if I could bet especially after the draw v Dumbarton or Dundee. Kilmarnock are a poor side so we should be able to get past them. An away trip there is interesting to see how the team does against its first top flight opposition away from home. A Ross County cup double might also be an interesting bet, probably about 20/1.

I thought this was a wind up reading the first comment. Shambolic organisation. Dundee Utd will be throwing the toys out of the pram for lost income but at the same time happy they don't play Celtic.

Di Canio was crazy but there was no doubting his talent and ability, he went on to do it in England also. After seeing the failed Scottish Cup draw, Lubo Moravcik is another player who played for Celtic who was quality.

He was only with the youths 86-87. He didn't come good until about 94-96 when he was cracking. Ruined himself going to a sinking Coventry, he should have went to Spurs.

Lambert, Di Canio, Andreas Thom are 3 I thought were good quality. Other than that I cant think of many others.

For sure. Only Celtic player I could applaud and im sure the decent Celtic fan would think the same about Laudrup.

I will throw in another side topic - Managers who we would have wanted. I always had hopes Terry Venebles would have got the job in the past and I thought George Graham also.

Along with Lewis Macleod, those two would add top tier quality that is necessary.

Pep is going to have to spend big to sort this Man City team out though. Had Chelsea and Man U been at the races all season they would be out the top 4. Their defence is shocking. Toure legs are going and he only turns it on every 5th game now and looks leggy running around. Silva is a class act but is now 30. Delph, Fernando, Fernandinho are all decent players but nothing like World Class. Sterling over priced. Aguero is world class but injury prone. He will need to sign Hummels, Pogba, Vidal, Muller and 1 of the Barca stars to take City to the top level.

Some staggering signings with huge money being thrown at it. Chinese Football is huge and they fill out 60000 stadiums every match but now they want to take it to another level with big name players and managers which they have with Sven and Petrescu. Van Persie is linked next. Within 10 years a Global tournament with MLS and Chinese sides against European clubs will be happening. The Club World Cup will grow.

The problem with Man Utd is Van Gaal didn't bring in his own No.2 and took Giggs on for a popularity vote and the two clearly don't agree on how to play the game. Man U should just give the gig to Giggs (pardon the pun) as he knows how Man U want to play. He needs to bring in Rene Meulessteen and Mike Phelen. Guardiola was inexperienced when he took over at Barca so this "Giggs hasn't got experience" argument is not valid for me. Mourinho is desperate for the Old Trafford job but it will be Moyes & Van Gaal take 3. They wouldn't lose much but it would be 1-0 every week not playing attacking football. The Man U fans are split, they want to stop city and he will probably run them close but I think Giggs could also.

The result obviously doesn't resemble the performance and going into the top flight next season may games will be like this and its up to MW to find another way of braking stubborn SPL defences down which I am sure he will. I think with a couple of clever additions in the summer including Windass then we will be a stronger side.

Was going to say Jardel also but someone beat me to it. He was sitting in the stands one game I was at then we never saw him again. It would have been good to seen how Seb Rozental did had he not got injured. I would have like Eion Jess from Aberdeen when he was at his peak, he could play on his day. And I wanted Don Hutchison to sign at one stage when it was close.

Id be all for it for goal decisions only which include offsides and goal line technology. The other 2 (penalties and red cards) can sometimes fall into an opinion however can still be included. I wouldn't stretch it to all 4 however they are all arguably good reasons for video ref as these decisions can make a difference in the outcome of a match result and the game doesn't have to stop at all. Red cards - This is the dodgy one that could perhaps only be done for off the ball incidents where the ref cant see it as his back is turned. Penalty decisions - If the ref hasn't given it then the game doesn't stop anyway but if he has missed it a quick shout in the ear means he can give it. If he has given a pen as a wrong decision that's where it gets tricky. Off side decisions for goals awarded wrongly - 100% for this as the game has stopped anyway for a goal but if it was awarded wrongly then video ref can call it and its no different to a restart free kick for the defensive side. Off side decisions for offside decision wrongly flagged - This one cant be introduced as how would you restart play and nobody knows if the player would have scored. Goal-line decisions - Absolutely for this. If the ball has crossed the line and not given then a quick shout in the refs ear means he rightly awards a goal. If the ref has awarded a goal that hasn't crossed the line then its again tricky to restart play as if play wasn't stopped the attacking side could still have scored seconds later or the defence could have cleared it - the only restart could be a bounce up in the 6 yard box.

Everton have also got them in the cup tomorrow so a decent gate plus TV money, I hope they get a draw to take it back to Goodison.