[Mikus LFC]

As I’ve said before Sean, I think 15 years ago Fabinho would rightly have been considered a top defensive midfielder and I agree he’s a good reader of the game. But in this era of fast flowing football you’ve also got to be quick as a defensive midfielder and he just gets bypassed too easily at times. He’s been a success in the sense that we needed a defensive midfielder and he is one, but I think we could potentially have had more success with one who also had pace.

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[Mikus LFC]

Much is made of our transfer success, but £100 million on Keita & Fabinho I don’t think is the best business we did and is perhaps costing us now given the model we have at the club with regards to buying players.

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[Mikus LFC]

I’ve seen it coming though Adlab. Our midfield isn’t good enough and prone to injury imo. The way to think of Liverpool is that Klopp is able to keep galvanizing the team to be dogged and relentless which drives the results. But I think the team is past its peak from a few seasons ago and can see us slipping back this season.

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[Mikus LFC]

We may still come back, but this is why I can see us dropping to 3rd this season. This team peaked a few seasons ago imo. Our midfield is tired, we still have vulnerabilities at the back and up top we’ve lost that magic the front 3 had in seasons gone by. Klopp will get them to be a dogged side as he always does, but really can’t see us winning it this season.

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[Mikus LFC]

I really do get very bored of leading questions asked by reporters like Geoff Shreeves post match. “How much do you think it was about character and fighting spirit?” They’re hardly going to say “not much” are they? Yawn 🤭

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[Mikus LFC]

I don’t think Arteta is a bad coach but I think he lacks a commanding presence and aura to instil a real authority into his team. They’ll no doubt blow a few teams away this season and go on some good runs, but can just still see them them dropping points in games they shouldn’t. They lack the steel someone like Conte can instil.

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[Mikus LFC]

Difficult one this season. A lot of unknowns and things in flux with some transfer business still to be done, but as things stand:

Top 6

1) City

2) Spurs
3) Liverpool – These 3 teams could be in flux over the season but expect them to finish top 4.
4) Chelsea

5) Arsenal
6) Man Utd

I think City have strengthened an already formidable side. They are a bit undercooked with not much pre season, but that hasn’t affected them before being a slower starter. Haaland will naturally be a big success but watch out for Alvarez who has gone under the radar. I think and I expect City to win by a greater margin this time. I think Liverpool could start well but have a big problem with an aging midfield which hasn’t really been addressed and I think it will cost them as the season goes on – Carvalho could help up top but it’s asking a lot for a youngster and it’ll probably take time for Klopp to bed him in. Nunez potentially quite raw too. (I do wonder if the CL loss impacted on Tchouaméni’s decision to choose Real Madrid ahead of Liverpool which may have been pretty costly). I also think Liverpool have to be at full tilt every game to compete with City which again is asking a lot over the season. So I do think Spurs could potentially overtake them under Conte and they look like they’re in the ascendency and have made some good signings, though could do with a few more. I wouldn’t write Chelsea off but they definitely need more established quality up top – something they look like they’re currently trying to address. If they do, they could do better. These 3 following teams could constantly be in flux around positions 2, 3 & 4. Chelsea may get better players in, but Conte is a formidable manager.

Relegation

Southampton
Fulham
Bournemouth

Think time may finally be up for Southampton.

Signings of the season: Hard to see it not being Haaland, though Alvarez & Carvalho could prove great value for money. I’ve also been impressed by Chukwuemeka whenever he played at Villa and never understood why he didn’t play more. You’d expect Koulibaly to settle well at Chelsea.

Flop of the season: Wouldn’t maybe call flop, but not completely convinced by Richarlison at Spurs for that money, though I think he is quite rugged and will still offer something.

Surpise prediction/team: I think Forest will probably perform the strongest out the promoted sides and may even do a Brentford. I also think Lampard may limp on at Everton for longer than thought as he’s just not got much resources and I think the fans have really galvanized behind him.

Sackings: I’d look out for Gerrard, Rodgers, Viera, Hasenhuttl, Parker. I haven’t particularly rated Gerrard’s time at Villa even if it was his first season and not all his players. I think a problem with great players not being great managers is because they get too frustrated they can’t coach their own natural ability. As for Arteta, I don’t particularly rate him but Arsenal have invested in him for the long term.

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[Mikus LFC]

Yeh Chelsea reportedly considering Aubameyang. Lots could still happen between now and 1st September.

Chelsea are now considering Pierre Emerick Aubameyang as potential new striker. Discussions have already started on player side, still no bid to Barcelona. 🚨🔵 #CFC

He’s one of the names in Chelsea list after meeting for Sesko and other targets. #FCB pic.twitter.com/hvsqIGpYMJ

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 3, 2022

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[Mikus LFC]

Think there’ll still be quite a bit of business to go, bearing in mind the season starts early this time and the window is still open until 1st September.

Be interesting to see what happens with Ronaldo. Ten Hag needs to sort that out quickly.

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[Mikus LFC]

Perhaps next time he could try using the speakers to pipe out motivational speeches by top managers 😆

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[Mikus LFC]

Conversations between Premier League referees and VAR could be made public in future.

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league-referees-var-howard-webb-b2136434.html

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[Mikus LFC]

Adlab, we’ve let our culture, traditions and communities go. How many people read for pleasure now? How many go to the theatre? How many people learn to play instruments? We’ve become increasingly atomised and social media and the internet have become the new go to places where we worship the celebrity and watching sport fills the void and we descend into tribes. Add to that general societal decay and we are where we are.

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[Mikus LFC]

I think clubs are increasingly paranoid about keeping up with each other which just further fuels big money being spent. But I no longer think the billionaire owners are the root cause – they exacerbate the situation I think, but I think we the fans along with the culture are the root of the problem, i.e. we are the ones demanding more money to be spent to try and get one up on our rivals. Fans bemoan billionaire owners but deep down they just want their own one. As I’ve said before, I think we treat football far too seriously than it deserves. This also fuels much of the hatred you see on the stands now as teams have to win at all costs. Salary caps will just give off the feeling we’re doing something about it, but such things don’t get to the root of the problem, which lies at our door. So I think there’s too much inertia in that direction for things to change now.

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[Mikus LFC]

There’s no competition Adlab. Yes the WC may potentially throw a spanner or two in the works, but it won’t be significant enough to affect City and the general status quo.

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[Mikus LFC]

I think a good season follows a good preseason. Alas, I think City will win the league again and by a greater margin.

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[Mikus LFC]

Dear me. It’s hardly “we shall fight on the beaches” stuff…

🔴 All or Nothing: 𝗔𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗹

After losing our first three Premier League games of 21/22, the boss delivered this… ❤️

📺 Prime Video: August 4 | #AONArsenal pic.twitter.com/sYazjT5rT6

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 27, 2022

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[Mikus LFC]

Half the price of Lukaku though and most probably would have done a better job. Big mistake that for Chelsea last season.

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[Mikus LFC]

Going out on a limb here, but think Carvalho may be as big a signing as Nunez. We really need someone of his ilk in midfield to link up to the attack. I do worry about our other midfielders in general though. Keita overall has been about average. Fabinho I just don’t hold in the same regard as others do, Thiago is injury prone and can be too casual, and Henderson is just someone I see now who helps tick things over. As ever though under Klopp, the overall collective can paper over these things.

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[Mikus LFC]

Arsenal still lack that steeliness for me. You’d expect them to be better, but I still struggle to see them in the top 4.

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[Mikus LFC]

Lukaku has never really been considered a top, top striker in the premier league, so I never saw that working well. Werner was not yet proven in the premier league. Lewandowski would have been a good target – could have done a job for a year until someone else was identified – though Laporta reporting apparently that Chelsea did go for him.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/robert-lewandowski-barcelona-chelsea-transfer-27521784

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