The 2011/12 Gary Speed Memorial Thread

[Pesci]

I quite fancy Stoke to go out early in Europe and resume top-half league form to finish strongly. They should make a couple of decent signings like they have been as well.

But above Arsenal? Bwaha. Then again I find that more likely than Man City winning the league in all honesty.

[stokeriño]

Not to mention everyone always talks up Arsenal and they ALWAYS fail to deliver, so why are they going to be any different next season?

Because they fail to deliver on the title, not on European qualification. The traditional Arsenal implosion is in March. To finish 7th it would have to be a couple of months earlier.

[Dynamite]

City are going to spend and top the table, without question.

Without question? No point in the rest of us even trying then.

[Berober]

I'm gonna hold off on posting my table until the managers are sorted I reckon.

[IAceI]

I'm not looking forward to a trek to Sunderland to get my season card. Why couldn't they just post it to me?

I'd do it on first game of the season but I suspect the queue's will be ridiculous so I may need to have a 4-hour return trip to Sunderland to get it.

[stokeriño]

That's what happens when you're in the North. These modern conveniences like the postal system just pass you by.

[IAceI]

They send me a bloody ticket to take and collect my card. Just send me the card surely? Unless it's anything to do with proving who I am since I have a cheaper U22 priced ticket? Which is all I can kinda think of as to why they couldn't just send it in the post? Ah well.. may take a day off work and go for the £6 bowling with some friends. ¬_¬

[Lord Nibbler]

01 Manchester United

02 Chelsea

03 Manchester City

04 Liverpool

05 Tottenham

06 Arsenal

07 Sunderland

08 Aston Villa

09 Bolton

10 Stoke

11 Newcastle

12 Fulham

13 Everton

14 Blackburn

15 West Brom

16 Wigan

17 QPR

18 Wolves

19 Swansea

20 Norwich

[Lineker]

Anyone seen the clip on SSN of Tevez on an Argentine talk show? He basically tore a new one for Manchester, saying that it's a dive with nothing to do with only to do, only two restaurants, and never wants to have a home there again.

[Dynamite]

You'd think after two years at United, he'd have formed an opinion on Manchester. But then he decides to move across to City and spend another two years here?

[Pesci]

[Matt]

I've spent about 2 hours cumulatively in Manchester and I know it's a dive and never want to live there.

[Lineker]

Martin Jol is the new Fulham manager.

Fulham have appointed Martin Jol as their new manager following the resignation of Mark Hughes last week.

The former Tottenham and Ajax boss joins the Premier League club on an initial two-year contract, with the option to extend it for a further year.

Jol said: "I am very happy to join Fulham. It is a club with good, solid foundations and a great fan base.

"I am looking forward to being part of the Fulham family and thank the chairman for the trust shown in me."

Hughes left his role at Craven Cottage on 2 June after less than a year in charge.

The former Wales manager had joined Fulham in July 2010 and had been in talks about a new contract prior to his resignation.

Jol moved to Spurs in 2004 as assistant to Jacques Santini but took over as head coach in November 2004 after Santini stood down.

But despite finishing fifth in the Premier League in two consecutive seasons, he parted company with the White Hart Lane outfit in October 2007.

In May 2008 he was appointed coach of Hamburg but left a year later to join Ajax.

Last summer he was linked with Fulham after the departure of Roy Hodgson to Liverpool but opted to remain with Ajax.

He has been out of work since quitting the Dutch club last December.

A former player with clubs including Bayern Munich, West Bromwich Albion and Coventry City, Jol coached Dutch teams Roda JC Kerkrade and RKC Waalwijk before moving to Tottenham.

In his first season at Ajax, his team scored a record of 106 goals in 34 league games, including 50 in the last 14.

As a manager, Jol has a reputation for encouraging passing, stylish football, and is committed to bringing young players through.

"He is a trainer who has shown that he gives talented young players a chance," said Ajax chief executive Rick van den Boog.

Jol's new team will play in the Europa League next season after the west London club qualified via Uefa's Fairplay table.

[Sam]

I've spent about 2 hours cumulatively in Manchester and I know it's a dive and never want to live there.

All of the north is a dive...

[The Future]

Great man and a quality manager, pleased to see him back in the Premier League!

Predictions:

1. Man United

2. Man City

3. Arsenal

4. Chelsea

5. Liverpool

6. Tottenham

7. Everton

8. Sunderland

9. Fulham

10. Stoke

11. Aston Villa

12. West Brom

13. Newcastle

14. Bolton

15. Wolves

16. Norwich

17. QPR

18. Blackburn

19. Wigan

20. Swansea

It's vital for United that the youngsters who performed above expectations this season(Smalling,Hernandez,Fabio)maintain/improve on their performances instead of suffering from Jonny Evans syndrome, keeper is going to be a vital signing as well and a lot will depend on how Sir Alex works out the Nani-Valencia conundrum it's a big if but if all these things go well then I can see United retaining.

City will spend big but hopefully on some people who flop and completely wreck the team

I think Arsenal will actually do well, cause everything I have read suggests that Wenger will be going for Samba or Hangelaand one of them alongside Vermaelen will sort their weak center defense out and i reckon Fabregas/Nasri will both stay.

Sunderland don't even seem like they need a striker to win matches with Sessegnon being so awesome but if they get a good one in to fill the void left by Bent/Welbeck I can see them doing well.\ as for relegation I can see the departure of both Samba and Jones screwing Blackburn up, hope they stay up cause I like them though. Can't see Swansea surviving.

[Colly]

I've spent about 2 hours cumulatively in Manchester and I know it's a dive and never want to live there.

All of the north is a dive...

- lots

[Matt]

I've spent about 2 hours cumulatively in Manchester and I know it's a dive and never want to live there.

All of the north is a dive...

I dunno... the Yorkshrie Dales are quite nice... and Sheffield is pretty decent... That's all I've got though.

[jack95]

Wonderful appointment for Fulham with Jol. He never really deserved to go from Tottenham in my opinion, and I think his style and philosophies will suit Fulham down to the ground. Wasn't he meant to be manager last season though, and then at the last minute pulled out? I know this time he's definitely here, but it seems strange that he turned down Fulham for Ajax, then quit Ajax a few months later, and now Fulham are apparently an attractive proposition to him...

[IAceI]

Yorkshire Dales but not the Lake District? Come off it. ¬_¬

Glad to see Jol back, I'm going to like Fulham this season I bet. Always liked Jol from his time in the Premier League.

[Baddar]

I've spent about 2 hours cumulatively in Manchester and I know it's a dive and never want to live there.

All of the north is a dive...

I dunno... the Yorkshrie Dales are quite nice... and Sheffield is pretty decent... That's all I've got though.

My mate went to Sheffield the other week to watch a gig, and told me how he could smell shit from the second he got off the coach.