Gribz

A good listen. David is right about lets just beat Hibs first, that is by far the first priority. You never know Aberdeen are due something off Celtic so if we take care of our own result first then it sets Saturday up nicely.

I think last weekends games will have an impact on a few results and I have tweaked my predictions on talksport predictor. I fancied Burnley prior but Everton have to respond after losing 6. And I wonder if Rafa can shut up shop and nick a 0-0 at Anfield - probably not but I will hope so anyway. I possibly agree with you Scott at Palace, I can see Cardiff get something there. Arsenal have way too many injuries and will get bullied at the back there. And I think Chelsea are in the middle of a 2-3 week blip. Fulham 1-1 Wolves Burnley 0-1 Everton Crystal Palace 1-1 Cardiff Leicester 0-3 Man City Liverpool 0-0 Newcastle Man Utd 3-0 Hudderfield Tottenham 2-0 Bournemouth Brighton 1-0 Arsenal Watford 1-1 Chelsea Southampton 2-0 West Ham.

Wonder what the odds was on a Leicester and Palace double. What a strike from Townsend, worthy to win any game. Thats blown the title race open in Liverpools favour. City havent been clicking in the last few games. They were poor against Everton at home in the final third, needed pens for Leicester in the cup and now this result. Its no coincidence David Silva hasnt been fit along with Aguero. I find Bernardo Silva and Mayrez a step below so January will be interesting. Liverpool just seem stronger in most positions at the moment. The game on the 3rd Jan is massive. Annoyed I didnt back Watford yesterday, all week I fancied them but went for the draw. And who would have thought Utd would rock up and Cardiff and play for once! Too obvious. Martial, Rashford and Lingard would be my front 3 and they were brilliant. Mata is a good player and could play behind them but it would mean tweaking the midfield and Pogba can only play in a 3 or 4 man midfield. Sanchez will be next to find another gear, his break will probably have done him good.

Hopes for Wolves gone. They started well enough and I thought under the lights with the atmosphere they could do something. I cant see West Ham winning 5 in a row, thats unheard of. Watford have a decent record away at WH so I expect them to at least get a point.

A few decent games and tough ones to call. Wolves 1-0 Liverpool. Arsenal 2-0 Burnley Bournemouth 2-1 Brighton Chelsea 2-0 Leicester Huddersfield 0-0 Southampton Man City 4-0 Crystal Palace Newcastle 2-0 Fulham West Ham 2-2 Watford Cardiff 0-1 Man Utd Everton 1-1 Tottenham

I think with Poch and Klopp you can see the plan in action and they are very near being top teams. Considering there is only a few trophies to go around and you can only probably aim for two per season then its no surprise they havent won anything yet but the improvement year on year is obvious. Also Man City have become an elite club all of a sudden and on par with the top Man Utd and Arsenal teams in Premier league history. They havent reached Man Utds heights but this team are what Arsenal did to others from 98-04. I dont get the Solskjaer appointment though, time will tell. It seems to be "lets just get a clever calm head in the door". Its got similarities to Moyes in some ways albeit far different positions and circumstances. I would have thought a bigger character like Cantona would have been the sort of person they could have got to demand and command respect. Even Redknapp for the season would have been good to see, he would let the shackles off.

Its been coming. Mass division in the camp. They are very much liverpool after the 90s period. Man U have to get the next appointment right they cant become a chopping and changing club. I wonder if Giggs is the right one but Mo Po is favourite. Pogbas reaction on the pitch now should be interesting.

An anti Liverpool way from me ? Yet Wolves seem to have a hue intensity about them especially in their home games and having Liverpool come to town on a Friday night will be a huge occasion. I can see them getting something. Liverpool have to run out of luck / steam at some point.

Arsenal have a horrendous record at Southampton. Im tipping Wolves to beat Liverpool on friday.

Perhaps by parking a single decker and not a double! But thats about it. Jose doesnt know how to win these games anymore. If they didnt have division in the camp Id give them a sniff but he cant seem to get a tune out of his forward players and would need to bulk up the midfield to have a chance. I cant see anything other than a comfortable home win although I would like to see Utd win. To have Martial, Sanchez, Rashford, Mata, Lingard, Pogba at your disposal and be so far off the pace! Id put Lukaku in that list but he has never impressed me in the Premier League. I remember watching him for Everton and he didnt get around enough. Yet when I saw him for Belgium in the WC he was a world beater, he was awesome in the knock outs against Japan and Brazil and played down the right for bits with electric pace and i couldnt believe what I was watching. This seems to be the big fixture in england still but they do tend to disappoint. Personally I always preferred Man Utd v Arsenal as the big game when both where at their best, far more quality and entertainment.

Absolutely Ian. We competed in the most competitive group in the competition. Id say we are further ahead than we thought we would be. This season was always about getting closer but as we have seen potential there is a demand again to go on an win the league, but to be in a title race at this stage is what we should all be appreciating.

Not easy again this weekend with predictions. Man City 2-0 Everton Crystal Palace 1-0 Leicester Huddersfield 1-1 Newcastle Tottenham 2-0 Burnley Watford 2-0 Cardiff Wolves 1-1 Bournemouth Fulham 2-2 West Ham Brighton 1-2 Chelsea Southampton 0-1 Arsenal Liverpool 2-0 Man Utd

What has happened to Katic? I havent seen him in a team for a while. Without doubt we were much better defensively with him at the back early in the season.

Agreed Gonzo. There will be an internal enquiry at Inter today. Very annoying to see Liverpool and Spurs pip two Italian sides on goal difference, they will be claiming they are far experior now. Yet IMO that makes the Europa more difficult having Inter and Napoli. Continental sides seem to take the Europa more serious than english clubs.

I would love to see Napoli rock up to Anfield tonight and get at least a draw. I might have a wee flutter on it.

I still think its a 2 horse race at the moment. If Spurs add something in January like a goalscorer then they could be in the hunt but I see them dropping points. However Europe will have an impact. If any of them drop into the Europa it gives them a disadvantage. Chelsea cant win it without a Drogba / Costa player but they arent far away. Arsenal have done better then expected so far, Emery was always going to need 3 transfer windows. I hope the club back him and he can add in January. At the moment they are too reliant on 2 or 3 players and have a massive defensive injury list.

I was thinking another debate recently also was all time Premier League team. For years IMO it was always quite straight forward with selection from the below: Seaman / Schmeichel Neville Adams / Desailly Terry / Rio Cole Ronaldo Keane / Scholes Vieira / Gerrard Giggs Bergkamp / Shearer Henry All those did it over a period of time but another generation has passed and the following players could now be included when picking a team: Cech, De Gea, Vidic, Hazard, De Bruyne, David Silva, Aguero. These players would easily substitute. A possible way of doing it is by decade. 90s team, 00s team, 10s team.

The key to 'best player ever', 'world class' etc is consistency. And Messi has consistency been the best player on the planet (i dare not say globe ? ) for over a decade now and he is certainly in the contention for best player ever. But comparing players from different generations is so difficult especially in Tennis. Can you imagine Maradona playing on the bowling green surfaces now with advancements in boots and balls etc along with off the field things and not getting hacked. Could Messi have done what Maradona did and taken a 3rd / 4th best team in the country to two titles at the same time as 2 WC finals with one win!? Too difficult to say. But I try to think if Messi could go to say a Sevilla or Valencia and win them the title like Maradona did with Napoli with AC Milan and Juventus being the power houses. There is no wrong or right answer for best player, its an opinion and can only be decided by ones opinion. I prefer to keep to players I saw / watched and Maradona wins it for me. Messi has moved into second place though. Id probably say Ronaldo now is up there in my top 5 with Zidane and the Real Ronaldo.

Harlaw boys are in town na na na naaa.. Sorry no idea about that.

Cheers Frankie...perfect listening as I enter my retirement. (temp retirement).

Yes he is ? How many keepers do Burnley need by the way. Im thinking Peter Shilton may turn up there soon.

Both are worth 15 points a season. Pity Mcgregor wasnt 4 years younger but he is playing out of his skin since he came back. Is he up there with Goram? Id have to say yes.

And an awesome one at that. Like Goram we had Klos coming in and at LB Numan came in after Robertson, very blessed. I do have the claim to fame of going to the same school as Robertson. Annie Lennox can say the same also ?

Agree to an extent craig, he is a dolt but I had a few bucks on a draw. No idea why he is englands no.1. Even Joe hart is better.

I have to say I wish Colin Hendry was a Rangers player 4 years prior. A typical old skool centre half who got in the way of everything. Didnt have the class of Gough but certainly had the guts.